Unnamed: 0
int64 0
287k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 117
14.7k
| highlights
stringlengths 37
3.97k
|
|---|---|---|---|
216,694 | a489e637ec895e86732b69107fb0854629315318 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:18 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:19 EST, 20 June 2013 . This is the little boy saved by the schoolteacher daughter of Yankee legend Joe Torre after she caught him when he fell from a fire escape in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Cristina Torre, 44, spotted the one-year-old boy hanging from the front of a store on 3rd Avenue and 92nd street at around 10am. As she was calling 911, the baby fell, but landed safety in Torre's outstretched arms. Hero: Cristina Torre caught the one-year-old boy, whose name has not been released (right), in her arms when he fell out of a window and then from a shop awning in Brooklyn . Saved: The daughter of Yankee legend Joe Torre made the catch of a lifetime in Brooklyn on Wednesday after she caught the falling child . Ms Torre told NBC: 'I was still talking to 911 and I just put out my arms, and literally, it was effortless,' she said. 'It was meant to be. He landed in my arms.' Kristen Bramsen, 48, told The New York Post: 'I really think the baby would have been dead if it wasn't for the woman.' Police later determined the little boy, whose name hasn't been revealed, slipped through an open window after pushing out a piece of cardboard that had been placed next to an air conditioner at his second-floor apartment. He cut his mouth as he hit the store sign on the way down but was otherwise unharmed. The parents were fast asleep when the child fell, though both - Sam Miller, 23, and Tiffany Demetria, 24 - were handcuffed and taken into custody by police after the frightening incident. 'It took a long time for them to get to the parents. I looked over and the father was on the ground clutching his heart,' Bramsen told The Post. The parents have been charged with child endangerment and their three other children, aged two, three and five, placed in state care. Proud: Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, pictured left, said he was very proud of his daughter who 'always had good hands' Quick-thinking: Torre, pictured left and right, heroically caught the unnamed child while calling 911 . A neighbor described the parents as 'gypsies' who regularly read tarot cards in the street. The baby was taken to Lutheran Hospital though for observation. At Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, Joe Torre told The Post his daughter's magic catch was as good as anything he'd ever accomplished while managing the Yankees between 1996 and 2007. 'No question this ranks right up there with all that's happened to me,' said the 72-year-old who brought the team to four World Series titles and is now MLB's executive vice-president of baseball operations. Danger: People in the neighborhood looked up in horror as the little boy dangled from the fire escape . Safety measures: A grill is added to the window after a child managed to climb out . Lucky escape: The little boy slipped through the window of his family's second floor apartment and landed on the awning of the store, pictured . 'Your children, that's your proudest moments and when they are responsible and caring and all that stuff it is a proud moment, especially in today's world where we seem to glorify bad things. I am just so proud of her.' He added that while his daughter didn't play a lot of sports growing up 'she always had good hands'. Joe Torre had a more than 17-year career as a catcher, first baseman and third baseman for teams including the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals. | Cristina Torre, 44, caught the little boy on Wednesday in Brooklyn .
As she was calling 911, the baby fell but he landed safety in Torre's outstretched arms .
His parents have been charged with neglect and their three older children have been placed in state care .
Joe Torre said of his daughter: 'She's always had good hands' |
33,006 | 5dc2a49d78f020fc4bbcee3c6751d69dc1821e89 | (OPRAH.com) -- Lust, love and like. A healthful, happy love relationship serves up three out of three. A healthful, happy love relationship is a passionate best friendship. Modern women could learn a few things about love and seduction from Scheherazade. Many women think men only care about the lust angle -- finding a hot bod for hot sex. Unfortunately, there are many men who do only care about this. In my book "Prince Harming Syndrome," I explain how relationships that are too focused on sex wind up being what my favorite philosopher buddy Aristotle called a relationship of pleasure -- where you find a sex-mate or a relationship of utility -- where you find an ego-mate or wallet-mate. However, a healthful, happy love relationship is what Aristotle calls a relationship of shared virtue -- when you find a soul mate. Where you each get one another at your core, inspire and support each other to grow into your best possible selves. A relationship of shared virtue is where you feel the whole triumvirate: lust, love and like. Meaning? If you want to fully seduce a man, then you've got to know how to grab a man by more than his you-know-what. You must truly turn on a man's soul! Oprah.com: 5 things that make you sexy . If you sleep with a man before you feel safe knowing you connect on a soul-to-soul level, the relationship might start off hot -- but like steam into air, it will rise quickly then -- pfffft -- vanish into vapor. Or worse, you'll wind up getting burnt. This is so important to prioritize, that I'm repeating this reminder in bold italic letters: If you can't stimulate a man in more areas than from the waist down, you will only be attracting a relationship of pleasure or a relationship of utility. And this man will not remain your man for long. One of my favorite quotes about love comes from the book "The Little Prince": "It's only with the heart that one can see rightly; what's most important is invisible to the eye." I love that the Little Prince recognized that the heart (another metaphysical word for soul) is the best lens for love -- making this Little Prince a major Prince Charming. Seduction Tip 1 (in bold italics so you recognize it is crucial to remember): If you want to be a man's Princess Charming, you MUST do more than work on tightening your buns or boosting up your boobs! You MUST tap into what I call "The Scheherazade Effect." Oprah.com: What to do before you can find love . Remember the tale of Scheherazade and her 1,001 nights? Scheherazade was absolutely a Princess Charming who knew how to grab and stimulate her king's soul. Voilà! The CliffsNotes on Scheherazade: . There once was a king who got very bored with the women in his life very quickly. He would marry a new virgin, "shtup" her, then send her pretty self away pretty much immediately... to be beheaded. Talk about a bad breakup, huh? And talk about a King Harming, huh? Anyway, this king killed thousands of women by the time he finally met the enchantingly different Scheherazade. What made Scheherazade enchantingly different? Scheherazade loved to read books and had lots of fascinating ideas and interests to share. Wisely educated in morality and kindness, she had a passion for poetry, philosophy, sciences and arts. She kept the king on the edge of his bed -- not with mere alluring sexual positions -- but with alluring stories to be told, each more exciting than the next. And so the king kept Scheherazade alive -- eagerly anticipating each new tale -- until, lo and behold, 1,001 adventurous nights passed -- along with three sons -- and the king not only learned to love Scheherazade, but he made her his queen. Talk about living happily ever after, huh? The lesson learned? It's very seductive to a man when you, as a full-bodied and full souled woman, have passions in your life you can share to keep him inspired, titillated, growing and thriving. Seduction Tip 2 (again in bold italics so you recognize it is crucial to remember): The more passions you have in your life, the more passion your man will have for you! Oprah.com: 4 steps to finding your passion . My friend David told me he fell in love with his wonderful wife of 13 years because he adored her "world lens" -- all the interesting perspectives she shared about life, all her passionate insights and enthusiastic talents. David's idea of love is being turned on by how his paramour looked at the world, instead of simply focusing on how she looked to the world. Which is why David is a 3-D Prince Charming who's found his Scheherazade. Unfortunately, I believe too many women feel that the best way to catch a guy is with the bait of their (to word it politely) "vajayjay." But if that is the main lure for love, then why aren't little "vajayjay icons" found on Valentine's Day cards? I'm kidding -- but I am serious! If you sleep with a man too soon, you risk being dizzied by an "oxytocin high," and you will not know until you're already emotionally entrenched if the two of you have a true soul-nurturing connection. Plus, even in this modern world, you also risk the man respecting you less if you give sex away too quickly. It's timeless psychology. The harder you are to win, the bigger your estimated prize value. Many men do not want to belong to a club that has touched their members too quickly. It's the ol' Dr. Ejaculate/Mr. Hide Syndrome. As soon as the man comes, he'll want to go. Seduction Tip 3 (back to bold italics one last time for good measure): If you ever wanna hear "I do," you have to start off saying a lot of sexual "I don'ts." For this reason, I recommend to the women I coach that they do not drink alcohol on dates. Staying alcohol-free will help ensure you clearly "hear" who a guy is, not simply "see" who he is. You don't want to be hypnotized by superficial qualities, like his looks and wealth. Plus, being alcohol-free will help make sure you don't move too swiftly forward physically (a.k.a. it will ensure you keep your vajayjay in your skirt!). Meaning? My overall big seduction tip for luring in healthful, happy relationship is to STOP trying to be seductive! If you focus too much on seducing a man with your body and beauty, you will only be luring in a man with your body and beauty. If you want to wisely be in a lust, love and like relationship of shared virtue, it's far more important that you excite a man's soul. Oprah.com: How to get lucky in love and life . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Scheherazade kept her head on her shoulders by keeping her king interested .
Her 1001 stories seduced his mind and soul .
Relying on physical seduction often leads to heartbreak than happiness .
Expert: If women want to hear "I do" they need to say "I don't" many times . |
75,570 | d64ce9f1372c719ace7039354c2048188b4d0191 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:04 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:09 EST, 10 January 2013 . Who owns 620 dresses, 434 pairs of shoes, 310 skirts, 248 coats and an whopping 1,116 tops? You do. But unlike Tamara Ecclestone, Imelda Marcos, Suri Cruise and Harper Beckham, you won't possess them all at once. The average woman will own 372 cardigans and 558 pairs of trousers during her adult life, according to new research. The average woman will, over her adult lifetime, own 434 pairs of shoes, according to mycelebrityfashion.co.uk . A recent study from British celebrity fashion website mycelebrityfashion.co.uk revealed how many items of clothing a woman is likely to go through between the ages of 18 and 80. Surveying women aged over 18 around the UK, the website found the average number of each item of clothing a woman buys per year, with tops coming out on, er, top with 18 per year, dresses second at ten per year, and trousers and jeans coming third, with the average woman buying nine pairs every year. Unless you are Harper Beckham, a woman is likely to go through seven pairs of shoes every year, six cardigans or jumpers, five skirts and four coats or jackets. When taking into consideration the . averages revealed by the respondents, as well as the fact that a woman's . adult lifetime is, on average, 62 years from the age of 18, it appears . that women own on average, in a lifetime, 1,116 tops, 620 dresses, 310 skirts, 372 . cardigans/ jumpers, 558 trousers orjeans, 248 coats or jackets and 434 pair . of shoes. Most women will own 1,117 tops in a life time - probably far fewer than the number already owned by celebrity poppets Suri Cruise, left, and Harper Beckham, right . Over a quarter of the . respondents (27 per cent), described their clothes shopping habits as 'impulsive', while 39 per cent admitted to buying 'in bulk' during sales. Bobbie Malpass, editor of mycelebrityfashion.co.uk, commented: 'When looking at the bigger picture, . you certainly would not imagine owning this many clothing items in your . lifetime! 'It doesn't seem like a lot at the time, when you buy the odd . dress or jacket, but when it's all put together you do realise the . amount you accumulate! It would be quite interesting to find out how . many different clothing items men buy in their lifetime and compare it . to women. The website polled 1,246 women across the UK. How many pairs of shoes do you go through every year? | Adult women will own 248 coats or jackets between the ages of 18 and 80 .
New research commissioned by mycelebrityfashion.co.uk . |
225,244 | afa75d8191b3d718dc5885f13d954a8370ca47a1 | Prime Minister Tony Abbott has foreshadowed a crackdown on abuse of welfare by terror supporters, following revelations that most home grown extremists were receiving welfare payments before fleeing to fight in the middle east. He said up to November, 55 of 57 Australians who had travelled to the Middle East to join the Islamist death cult had been on welfare, and that wasn't good enough. The announcement comes as a 23-year-old university student has emerged as the first known recruit from Western Australia to flee the country to join terrorist group Islamic State. Scroll down for video . Prime Minister Tony Abbott has foreshadowed a crackdown on abuse of welfare by home-grown terrorists . 23-year-old Muhammed Sheglabo, who has fled overseas to fight for ISIS after telling his parents he was going camping . 'If you are fit enough to go overseas to fight for a terrorist organisation, surely you should not be abusing the welfare system back in Australia,' he told reporters in Darwin on Saturday. Mr Abbott will deliver his long-awaited national security statement on Monday, detailing what the government is doing to ensure Australians were safe abroad and at home. He said he would address numerous issues. 'One of them ... is the fact that for too long we have given people who don't have this country's interests at heart the benefit of the doubt,' he said. One of those would appear to be Man Haron Monis, the Iranian-born asylum seeker and perpetrator of the Sydney Martin Place siege. Monis, who had taken 18 people hostage, was shot dead when police stormed the cafe, ending the crisis that shocked Australia and made headlines worldwide. Two hostages died. Khaled Sharrouf is among 55 home-grown terrorists who received welfare payments after joining ISIS . Previously, Mr Abbott has said Monis had taken advantage of the Australian system and at every step of the way, he was given the benefit of the doubt. A joint NSW and commonwealth report on dealings with Monis before the siege is tipped to be released on Sunday, ahead of Mr Abbott's security statement. A media report says that's likely to result in a tougher stance on immigration requirements. Another high profile extremist among the 55 to be receiving welfare while fighting in the Middle East is Khaled Sharrouf. Also in the spotlight is Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir which Attorney-General George Brandis said had for a long time been 'close to the edge'. 'We are concerned that Hizb ut-Tahrir is feeding a climate which makes it easier for terrorist recruiters to do their work,' he told ABC television on Friday. Hizb ut-Tahrir (Arabic for Party of Liberation) is an international Muslim organisation founded in 1953 with about 300 adherents in Australia. It advocates a single Islamic state, or caliphate, in the Middle East under Islamic law. The group is banned in many Middle East countries and also in Russia, Turkey, Pakistan and Germany but not in Australia, the US or UK. Nearly all of the 'home-grown' terrorists who have left the country to join IS were on welfare payments when they fled . It's never explicitly advocated violence but it rejects democracy and is equivocal on condemning terrorist violence. Senator Brandis said the government would do what needed to be done. 'In some circumstances monitoring and surveillance is the most efficacious tool, in some circumstances prohibition,' he said. The news comes after 23-year-old Perth University student Muhammed Sheglabo flew to the Middle East after telling his parents that he was going away on a camping trip in January. His family contacted the police when they were not able to contact him, and were reportedly heartbroken when they were informed of his decision. Sheglabo, who migrated with his family from Libya in 2010, is believed to be fighting with Islamic State forces in Al-Furat province, near the Syria-Iraq border. The Prime Minister is set to announce strict new laws to prevent the reign of extremist groups in Australia. | Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced most home grown jiahdi on welfare .
Mr Abbott will deliver his long-awaited security statement on Monday .
He will also address Man Haron Monis, the Sydney siege perpetrator .
23-year-old Muhammed Sheglabo fled from Perth to fight for Islamic State .
He told his parents he was going on a camping trip but didn't return .
55 of 57 who joined IS received payments while they were fighting for IS .
Prime Minister Tony Abbott labelled the revelation appalling .
He is set to announce strict laws on promoting extremism in Australia . |
25,116 | 4727639869e5e4f4b7d6c286b5ccba24072e4082 | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 05:21 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:02 EST, 14 January 2014 . A lawyer defending a woman who was caught drink-driving while her small child was at home alone has accused Madeleine McCann's parents of child neglect. In what has been described as an 'outrageous' slur on the missing girl's parents, defence lawyer Gareth Morgan compared them unfavourably to his client, who left her five-year-old son at home by himself before being arrested after she crashed her car at traffic lights. He told magistrates at Merthyr Tydfil, south Wales: 'The parents of Madeleine McCann were guilty of child neglect for leaving their little girl much longer than my client. They were never prosecuted.' Kate and Gerry McCann, pictured, were accused of child neglect by a lawyer defending a drink-driving mother . The lawyer said that his client, whose son has Asperger's, was ashamed of what she had done. The 44-year-old defendant, who cannot be named, hit the back of another car at traffic lights. When police followed her home, she told them they couldn't arrest her because her son was by himself in the house, and they found the child asleep under a blanket on the sofa. The court heard that the woman was more than two-and-a-half times over the limit when she drove to a cashpoint machine just before midnight. On her way home, she ran into a car driven by Bronnie-May Dunn, 21, which was stopped at traffic lights. Miss Dunn suffered head injuries in the crash but magistrates heard that the driver shouted at her, saying it was her fault. The woman admitted child neglect, drink-driving and leaving an accident and was given a 12-month supervision order, 120 hours of unpaid work, a 22-month driving ban and told to attend a course. Today a friend of the McCanns, whose daughter went missing in Portugal in May 2007 while they ate in a nearby restaurant with friends, hit out at Mr Morgan's comments. Resort: Madeleine McCann went missing from her apartment in The Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz in 2007 . British police are hoping to go to Portugal to interview three new 'prime suspects' in the hunt for Madeleine, pictured . The friend told the Mirror: 'If Kate and Gerry were guilty of child neglect, and they were absolutely not, they would have been dealt with. 'As it is, there are two police inquiries in two different countries trying to find out what happened to Madeleine, and comments made by a lawyer in an unrelated case is offensive, outrageous and inaccurate.' It was revealed today that Portuguese police are under mounting pressure to give British detectives access to the three 'prime suspects' wanted for questioning over the abduction of Madeleine McCann. The Crown Prosecution Service has sent them a second 'International Letter of Request' after identifying three burglars who were operating in the Algarve resort where the McCanns were staying. Analysis of mobile phone records at the time show that they made a high number of calls at around the time the small girl was taken. It is now known that between January and May 2007 there had been a four-fold increase in the number of burglaries in the area around the Praia da Luz resort where the family from Rothley, Leicestershire, was staying. Police said in October that in the 17 days before she disappeared there was one burglary and one attempted burglary in the block where the McCann family were staying. | Defence lawyer Gareth Morgan compared them to his drink-driving client .
The woman was over limit when she crashed on way back from cashpoint .
He told Merthyr Tydfil magistrates McCanns left Maddie for much longer .
His client, 44, who can't be named, admitted drink-driving and child neglect .
She also admitted leaving an accident and was given 22-month driving ban .
Friend of Kate and Gerry McCann said slur was 'offensive and inaccurate' |
123,465 | 2b9b6902d7b5420e7d7e1937dc3dd8e1373fa024 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:41 EST, 6 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:24 EST, 7 December 2013 . Family man: Pedro Maldonado, 53, shot dead his wife and 17-year-old son with a crossbow, attempted to kill his 21-year-old son and then took his own life . A South Florida man has used a crossbow to kill his wife and teenage son in their townhouse, drove across the state to try and murder his other son, and eventually committed suicide by slitting his own throat. Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said the body of Pedro Jose Maldonado Sr., 53, of Weston was found inside the bathroom of a motel room near Lake City. Before that, deputies said Maldonado called a friend to say he had killed his wife, 47-year-old Monica Narvaez-Maldonado, and son Pedro Jose Maldonado Jr., 17. Both victims had been shot inside the family’s Vineyard Circle home with what deputies described as a handheld crossbow that fires small darts. Deputies said Narvaez-Maldonado and her son were struck once in the head. Detective John Curcio said it does not appear that either victim put up a fight, Orlando Sun-Sentinel reported. Toxicology tests will be performed to see if the mother and son had been drugged before the deadly attack. Authorities believe they were killed sometime Monday. After that, they said, Maldonado got into his 2013 black Volvo SUV and drove some 460 miles to Tallahassee, where he rented a motel room. Scroll down for video . Brothers: Pedro Maldonado Jr, 17 (left) was found dead alongside his mother; his 21-year-old brother Jose (right), a student at Florida State University, suffered a wound to the ear when his father tried to shoot him with a crossbow . Massacre: The bloody rampage began at the Maldonados' Weston townhouse on Vineyard Circle, where Pedro Jr and his mother were shot dead Monday . Cruel end: Deputies said the victims were shot once in the head with short arrows . Just after 7am Tuesday, he apparently attacked his older son, 21-year-old Florida State University student Jose Maldonado, with the crossbow but the dart just grazed the son's ear. Deputies say the father tried to choke the son, but the younger Maldonado managed to escape. He did not report the attack. Authorities had responded to the Maldonado home Tuesday with a SWAT team after the man's long-time friend called 911 and said that Pedro Maldonado had confessed to him about the killings. Gifted musician: Friends of 17-year-old Pedro Maldonado said he was passionate about music and excelled as a drummer . After finding the bodies of the mother and son, they learned through unspecified means that Maldonado was staying at a Cabot Lodge Motel near Lake City, east of Tallahassee and hundreds of miles north of the original crime scene. Columbia County Sheriff's Office deputies found Maldonado dead about 2am. Wednesday. According to investigators, the man ended his life by slitting his throat and wrists with a knife. Investigators had offered no information about a possible motive for the rampage, but the Sun-Sentinel reported that Maldonado was in debt and feared that he and his family might be deported back to their native Ecuador after their visas had expired. The father had several business ventures involving import and export and oil trading with South America, while his wife worked as an oil industry consultant in Miami. Neighbors said the Maldonado family moved to Weston and settled in a $1,900-a-month, three-bedroom townhouse in the 4200 block of Vineyard Circle only a few months earlier and largely kept to themselves. However, Marie Saboutin, who lives in the area, told Miami Herald Mr Maldonado appeared aloof and would avoid eye contact. Another resident described the father of two sitting in his garage with the door open and watching children at play. On Wednesday, Pedro Maldonado Jr's shocked classmates at Cypress Bay High School described the teen as bright and kind. Memorial: Some 200 people gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil to celebrate the lives of Pedro Jr and his slain mother . According to his friends, the 17-year-old played drums in the school band and was taking advanced college-level courses, the station WSVN reported. Some 200 members of the community came together for a candlelight vigil Wednesday night to remember the victims, NBC Miami reported. The memorial concluded with the release of two white balloons bearing the names of Pedro Jr and his mother. Friend Santiago Estrada said Pedro, or Peter, as he was known in school, was passionate about his music and excelled at percussion. Jose Maldonado, the sole survivor of the attack, reached out to the Ecuadorian consul this week to seek help in transporting his parents' and brother's bodies back home. WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miam Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco . | Pedro Jose Maldonado Sr, 53, shots his wife and 17-year-old son, Pedro Jr, in the head in their Weston, Florida, home .
Deputies say father drove 460 miles to Tallahassee to kills his 21-year-old son who attends Florida State University, but only grazed him with arrow .
SWAT team found Maldonado's body with his throat and wrists slit in motel bathroom .
Business associates said Maldonado was in debt and feared his family would have to return to Ecuador after their visas had expired . |
215,511 | a2f6a8bb70c04e156727d6096950e45811345e46 | Cuba has completed the release of 53 political prisoners that was part of last month's historic deal between the United States and Cuba, the Obama administration said Monday. The move would clear a major hurdle for the normalization of ties between the two countries after more than five decades of estrangement. Cuba's leading human rights group said it had not been informed of any prisoner release since Thursday, when the total count stood at 41. The Cuban Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation has been keeping close track of the liberation of prisoners since they began last week, reporting releases within hours after hearing from family members or prisoners themselves. Most of the released dissidents belong to the Patriotic Union of Cuba, a vehemently anti-government group based in far eastern Cuba. Jose Daniel Ferrer, head of the group, told The Associated Press that his count was the same as the rights commission's and he knew of no release since Thursday. Scroll down for video . Free: Cuba has released all 53 political prisoners, the Obama administration said Monday. Aide Gallardo, left, and Sonia Garro, were two of the dissidents released . The releases have been shrouded in confusion due to both a U.S. and Cuban reluctance to release the names of those on the list. The prisoners had been on a list of opposition figures whose release was sought as part of the U.S. agreement last month with the Cuban government. They had been cited by various human rights organizations as being imprisoned by the Cuban government for exercising internationally protected freedoms or for their promotion of political and social reforms in Cuba. Speaking in Louisville, Kentucky, President Barack Obama's U.N. ambassador said the prisoners were released in recent days. 'Welcome as that step is, and heartening as it is for their families, (it) does not resolve the larger human rights problems on the island,' Samantha Power said, according to prepared remarks. Earlier, an official traveling with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Islamabad said the U.S. verified the release. Power was speaking Monday at an event hosted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. She outlined issues which the administration and the Republican-led Congress could work together on and issues they remained further apart on. Both sides want to advance freedom in Cuba, she said, but they disagree on strategy. 'Some of the embargo's staunchest defenders are Democrats and Republicans with deep ties to the island — people whose families came to America fleeing the Castros' repression,' Power explained. 'These are men and women who are completely dedicated to doing all they can to ensure that Cubans on the island get to enjoy true freedom. So it is important to acknowledge that while there may be disagreements on the best way to get there, we share a common goal of advancing the rights of the Cuban people.' Power said changes already are occurring in Cuba. When Cuban artist Tania Bruguera and other activists were detained after announcing an anti-government event in Havana's historic Revolution Square, she said, nearly 300 Cuban artists signed a letter supporting her freedom. Out: The prisoners had been on a list of opposition figures whose release was sought as part of the U.S. agreement last month with the Cuban government . Recent released dissidents Luis Diaz, David Gayselo, Miguel Tamayo, Vladimir Ortis, Aide Gallardo, Angel Casteyon, Sonia Garro, Mario Hernandez, Rolando Reyes, Carlos Figueyda and Eugenio Hernandez are seen together (left to right) on Sunday . 'In spite of genuine fear, Cubans were speaking out,' Power said. 'And the Castro government was forced to explain why it would rather arrest a woman than let her speak freely in a public square.' Last month, Cuba and the U.S. agreed to work to restore normal diplomatic relations as part of a deal in which Cuba freed an imprisoned U.S. aid worker along with an imprisoned spy working for the U.S. and the imprisoned dissidents. The U.S. released several Cuba intelligence agents. 'Certainly, for those 53 prisoners, it's a great deal. We don't know who they are,'Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in an appearance Monday on 'CBS This Morning.' Rubio said he supports improving ties with Cuba but said he's worried that the Cubans are getting virtually everything they want from the United States for 'these minimal changes.' He said he wants to be certain that improved relations between Washington and Havana provides equal benefits to the U.S. 'My interest in Cuba is freedom and democracy,' he said. Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who's considering a run for the presidency, said there is 'no current example' around the world where a "government of resistant tyranny" has moved to greater freedom and democracy as a result of changes in international relations that are based on economic incentives. | Cuba completed the release of 53 political prisoners, the Obama administration said Monday .
The move would clear a major hurdle for the normalization of ties between the two countries after more than five decades of estrangement .
Cuba's leading human rights group said it had not been informed of any prisoner release since Thursday, when the total count stood at 41 .
Most of the released dissidents belong to the Patriotic Union of Cuba, a vehemently anti-government group based in far eastern Cuba . |
162,469 | 5e0ec926658b01dee4ec5994228344aa5a0438fe | Loic Remy has played his last game for Newcastle United after not being included in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool. It was suggested earlier in the day that the French forward had pulled out of the game and the club later said he had picked up a knock in training. Top scorer: Loic Remy has bagged 14 goals for Newcastle this season but will not be back at the club next season . Out: Reny missed the final game of the season at Liverpool because of injury . Ambition: Remy wants to move to one of Europe's top clubs this summer . Remy’s season-long loan deal with the Magpies expires following the final-day clash against the Reds. The Queens Park Rangers striker - who looks set to be included in the France squad for this summer’s World Cup - has already declared his intention to join a ‘top European club’ ahead of next season. Remy scored 14 goals for United during his season on Tyneside and has attracted interest from North London rivals Arsenal and Spurs. Meanwhile, compatriot Hatem Ben Arfa was also absent from the Newcastle squad which travelled to Anfield as his first-team exile continued. | Remy misses trip to Liverpool with 'knock picked up in training'
France forward's loan spell ends on Sunday .
He has already spoken of desire to move to 'top European club' |
127,801 | 31342dd7ef673ebd0c5d1a349702063de268a168 | (CNN) -- The city of Portland, Oregon, has been forced to dump millions of gallons of drinking water. Why? Because someone urinated into a water reservoir. Surprising still, this isn't the first time this has happened. The latest incident took place about 1 a.m. Wednesday. Cameras captured three teens near the Mount Tabor Reservoir No. 5. One of them approached the iron fence and apparently got close enough to relieve himself directly into the reservoir. The three teens were apprehended, and the 50-million-gallon reservoir was taken offline for testing. Thanks to the teens, the Portland Water Bureau will have to dump 38 million gallons of drinking water, said administrator David Shaff. "Our customers have an expectation that their water is not deliberately contaminated," he said. All three teens received citations for trespassing; one was cited for public urination. Shaff told the Oregonian newspaper that the teen knew exactly what he was doing. "It's stupid," Shaff told the newspaper. "You can see the sign that says: 'This is your drinking water. Don't spit, throw, toss anything in it.' He's four feet away from that sign." Shaff was also the administrator when a similar incident took place in June 2011. Surveillance cameras caught a man urinating into an 8-million gallon reservoir. | Teen arrested after he urinated in Portland water reservoir .
City to dump 38 million gallons of drinking water .
Similar incident happened in Portland in 2011 . |
270,614 | ea7d12ffd8a1db37e1766f35974043b39200c491 | By . Wills Robinson . The CIA inadvertently gave a terrorist leader the finances and credibility he needed to mastermind a major attack, claims a former spy. Intelligence officer Morten Storm from Denmark was asked by the CIA to build a relationship with the head of militant group Al-Shabab, the group behind September's attack, and handed over money and equipment on behalf of Western intelligence agencies to cultivate the group's trust. In 2008 he started to forge close contacts with the leader Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir, also known as Ikirma, in a bid to uncover information on potential targets and planned attacks. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Extremist: A former spy believes Western intelligence agencies turned Abdikadir Mohammed, also known as Ikirma, from a middle-class Kenyan into a terrorist leader . Agent: Morten Storm (left) converted to Islam after spending time in prison in Denmark. He then became involved in militant activities in Yemen and forged links with fundamentalist leaders including Anwar al-Awlaki . When Storm first met Ikrema he was a messenger for Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame, an al Shabaab leader, according to a report by CNN. Their first encounter was at a Somali restaurant on the first floor of the Jamia shopping mall next door to the main mosque in Nairobi. Two other jihadists were there with Ikrema. Storm was meeting with Ikrema in order to get messages and equipment to Warsame. Storm was known to Warsame and to Ikrema as a fellow jihadist. But the relationship broke down in . 2012 when Storm left the CIA due to a ‘disagreement over a mission’ and . he now claims the plan to provide Ikirma with money and equipment may . have backfired spectacularly. He . also believes that had his relationship with the CIA not faltered he . could have helped capture or kill the man believed to have gone on to . plan the September attack on Westgate Mall. Storm converted into to Islam after spending time in prison and developed extreme jihadist views and moved to Yemen in 2001. He became trusted by fundamentalists and became involved in militant activities, including recruiting soldiers to fight in the Taliban. However he was recruited by the CIA, MI5 and the Danish intelligence service, PET, as a double agent to information on operations in Yemen and Somalia and prevent attacks in Europe. When Storm first met Ikirma, he . was only a messenger for the jihadists and was sent to pick up an electronic device from the Danish agent by one of the groups then leaders. Undercover: The former spy from Denmark was working for numerous agencies including the CIA and Denmark's PET while he was trying to infiltrate militant groups in Yemen . Storm became trusted by fundamentalists and became involved in militant activities, including recruiting soldiers to fight in the Taliban . As the relationship developed, Storm claims that the CIA, using him as a middle man, gave . him resources, equipment and the authority he needed to mastermind a . major terrorist attack, similar to the one in Nairobi which killed 67 . people. Storm, who has since retired from duty, told CNN that in March 2012 PET had offered him one million Danish krone (£125,000) to lead them to Ikrima on behalf of the CIA. He was offered the job after he was paid £156,000 ($250,000) to meet with Anwar al-Awlaki, an Islamic militant who was killed in a drone strike in 2011. Storm said Ikrima was at the centre of a global network connecting a number of terrorist operatives in Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, and the West and had emerged as the chief handler of foreign fighters because of his language skills and level of education. Even though Storm is not aware of the exact role Ikrima played in the attack in Nairobi, he knows his track record and believes he had the capability to be one of the masterminds. The former agent also insisted he might have been given an insight into the plans had he still been working for Western intelligence, but his relationship with PET and the CIA ended in mid-2012 after a disagreement following a mission in Yemen. First appearance: Four suspects (left to right) Liban Abdullah Omar, Mohamed Abdi Ahmed, Hussein Hassan and Adan Mohamed Ibrahim stood in the dock today for a hearing at a courtroom in Nairobi accused of playing a part in the Westgate Mall bombing . Capable: Storm was not aware of the direct role Ikrima played in the Westgate Mall massacre, but believes he had the potential to mastermind such an attack . Inner workings: CNN reporter Nic Robertson's interview with Storm provides a rare insight into how an intelligence agency, like the CIA, builds relationships with terrorists . He said: 'I get really frustrated to . know that Ikrima had been maybe involved in the Westgate terrorist . attack. It frustrates me a lot because it could have been stopped and . I'm sad I can't be involved in this.' 'He was one of the smartest ones I met in east Africa.' One . of Ikrima's former associates also told CNN in Nairobi that he was the 'main . link' between Somalia and the Kenyan-based militant group Al Hijra. Now . Western counter-terorrism officials fear his reputation in Jihadist . circles worldwide will be bolstered by his escape during the U.S.Navy . SEAL operation in Somalia last week, and he is now in a position to plan . more deadly attacks in Europe and Africa. CNN reporter Nic Robertson, . who interviewed Storm, told MailOnline: 'He is frustrated because he . gave equipment and material to Ikrima which allowed him to build up his . credibility in Al-Shabab. 'When he first met him 2008, Ikrima was just a messenger in a group and now he is head of the organisation. 'Storm's . viewing is that had the CIA paid closer attention to Ikirima and had . the plans that were being put in place for Storm to keep closer tabs on . him followed through, then there would be more information on their . operations and potential targets. 'It . would have allowed Storm to develop closer contacts with Ikirma, and . would have enabled him to find out what they were thinking and what they . were planning. 'His . accounts of where he was and what he was doing has all checked out. Encrypted emails he has sent and received show he was in central . position in the relationship. Helpless: Kenya Defence Forces soldiers take their position at the Westgate shopping centre. Storm says he is frustrated knowing he could have prevented the attack . Storm . started his jihadist career in Yemen and, after he made contacts . contacted the CIA, as well as Danish security agency and MI5. Mr . Robertson added: 'Storm provides a rare opportunity to see inside . agencies. It provides a rare insight into the way that they work. 'To get closer into an organisation you need to build relationships. It can be a double-edged sword and in this case it was. 'It put a smart guy in a position of power for a very negative effect. Tragedy: A man whose relative was killed during the massacre is carried out by hospital staff . 'Storm believes the attacks could have been thwarted. He is not involved in this anymore so he doesn't know if Ikrima actually had a direct role. 'But he knows Ikirma's track record. Storm was seen as an important connection who could move between their worlds in Yemen and Somalia and the rest of the world.' Ikrima is believed to be able to . speak five languages - Norwegian, Swahili, Arabic, Somali, and English - . which puts him in a position of authority in Al-Shabab. Now said to be in his late twenties he was born into a middle class Somalian family in Mombassa, Kenya. His family then moved to Nairobi where the young Ikrima excelled at school in the languages, including French. After a successful education, he traveled to Norway in 2004, because of the potential economic opportunities in Europe, and took advantage of his Somali ethnicity which allowed him to apply for refugee status. Despite being given documents to stay in the country, he did not fit in and started to become radicalised. Just four years later, he left Europe and returned to East Africa. It is also believed Ikrima spent some time in Britain and lived in London for between six and 12 months. The CIA would not comment on the story and PET said they could neither confirm or deny they knew Storm. | Morten Storm was an informant for intelligence agencies for five years .
Met Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir, or Ikirma, in Nairobi in 2008 .
At the time, the Somali terrorist was only a messenger in Al-Shabab .
Storm believes CIA gave him the resources to become a mastermind .
Ikrima is also believed to have lived in London for six to 12 months . |
28,768 | 51ac6f3dc0e3055ba3401bcb88af5907eeee84f6 | By . Peter Allen and Tom Kelly . PUBLISHED: . 07:39 EST, 28 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:00 EST, 29 July 2013 . A lone robber brandishing a handgun yesterday stole jewels worth £34million in a brazen heist in the most glamorous hotel on the French Riviera. He tipped diamonds and other precious stones into a briefcase during the raid in broad daylight at the Carlton in Cannes, a favourite haunt of Hollywood’s biggest film stars. The robber made off on foot through the exclusive Promenade de la Croisette which stretches a mile and a half along the Cannes seafront and is thronged by the rich and famous throughout the year. Scroll down for video . Raid: A police car is seen outside the Carlton hotel, in Cannes, today after thieves fled with £35million worth of jewellery . In a bitter irony, the Carlton is the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film To Catch A Thief, a romantic thriller starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant about a jewel thief operating in the Riviera. One expert noted that the crime followed recent jail escapes by members of the notorious Pink Panther jewel thief gang. On Thursday, Milan Poparic escaped his Swiss prison after accomplices rammed a gate and overpowered guards with bursts from their AK-47s. He is the third member of the gang to escape from a Swiss prison in as many months. According to Interpol, the Pink Panthers targeted luxury watch and jewellery stores in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States, netting more than £380million. Jonathan Sazonoff, the US editor of the Museum Security Network website, said: ‘The brazen drama of it is their style. The possibility of the re-emergence of the Pink Panther gang is very troubling and taken seriously by law enforcement worldwide. They’re a crime wave waiting to happen.’ The jewels belonged to London-based Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev, who was holding an exhibition of the prestigious Leviev diamond house in the hotel lobby over the summer. Heist: The jewellery was at a temporary exhibition at the Carlton which was being organised by Leviev . A source at the hotel said: ‘The raid took place in broad daylight when there were hundreds of holidaymakers enjoying the sunshine. It could not have been more audacious. The thief took advantage of the crowds and the relaxed Sunday atmosphere – he could easily have had others working with him.’ A Cannes police spokesman said: ‘A full and urgent operation is under way to catch the culprit and recover these jewels.’ Organised gangs frequently target boutiques and hotels in and around Cannes. Many of the raids turn out to be inside jobs, with staff helping thieves to locate and then steal items. In May, jewellery worth £1million was stolen from a hotel safe during the annual Cannes Film Festival. An unnamed American woman working for Chopard, the Swiss jeweller and festival sponsor, was keeping the items in her second-floor room at the Cannes Novotel. Chopard had 40 staff at Cannes who tried to persuade stars to wear its products. Julianne Moore, Cindy Crawford and Cara Delevingne were all seen wearing Chopard pieces this year.A few days later a necklace worth £1.6million vanished after a festival party in the neighbouring resort town of Cap d’Antibes. The 343-room InterContinental Carlton is a favourite of the stars, and is considered the ‘celebrity HQ’ during the film festival. In August 1994, three men firing machine guns burst into the Carlton and robbed its jewellery store. Later, it was discovered the gang were firing blanks. There have been several high-profile jewellery thefts in Europe this year, including one at Brussels airport in February which saw £32million worth of diamonds taken. French Rivera: The Carlton hotel which was targeted by raiders is on the seafront in Cannes . The biggest-ever diamond heist was at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam in 2005. Dressed in stolen uniforms belonging to the Dutch airline KLM and driving a stolen KLM van, thieves hijacked an armoured truck containing uncut diamonds worth an estimated £50million. They have never been recovered. Russian-Israeli Mr Leviev, 57, lives in a £35million home in Hampstead, North-West London. The father-of-nine started his jewellery business in a boutique in London’s Old Bond Street in 2006, and the Leviev house now runs upmarket stores in cities including New York and Dubai. The film To Catch a Thief stars Grant as a former cat burglar struggling to save his reformed reputation by catching a new thief preying on the wealthy tourists of the French Riviera. | Thief pointed handgun at staff in the Carlton during raid this afternoon .
Raiders are believed to have fled the seafront hotel on foot .
Jewellery stores on Cannes seafront are often targeted by armed robbers . |
246,755 | cb5832fe5f7b9766f13c2d445db6c482eb6eaf21 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:28 EST, 20 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:41 EST, 21 October 2013 . Aliens may have travelled from beyond the stars to make first contact - choosing Shipley in West Yorkshire to unveil their existence to humanity. What appears to be a UFO hovers above the scenic skyline of the town in this picture taken by chance by local man Emil Ziemczonek. He took some pictures of his local neighbourhood to show to a friend, and it was only when he looked back at the image later that he spotted the eerie sight. The 24-year-old said: 'I could clearly see that there was a UFO in the picture. The residents of a Yorkshire town are seemingly not alone after a saucer-shaped object appeared in the skies above them. 'I didn't see it when I was taking it, but that's probably because it was moving so fast at the time. 'Some people are calling me crazy but I don't think there's anything else it could be.' Mr Ziemczonek, a manufacturer at the nearby Denso plant, was travelling back to his home just after 10am last Sunday October 6, when the flying saucer was also seemingly on the move. He said: 'I've got a friend coming to visit from London and I wanted to show him how beautiful the landscape is around here. 'Only something from space looks that strange, it's not the right size or colour for a bird or a plane. 'I do believe in UFOs, I have never seen one before but I will certainly be looking out for them all the time from now on.' Emil Ziemcszonek believes he photographed a UFO in the skies above the town as he took a snap to show a friend the area's natural beauty. A website called www.uforth.com documents UFO sightings and sorts them into different categories and shapes. The mystery object photographed could fall into one of the most common categories of alien spacecraft. The site shows pictures similar to the one taken by Mr Ziemczonek and states: 'Of all known craft, the domed disc is perhaps the most instantly recognisable, and has been portrayed countless times in the media, but in reality the shiny silver disc so often represented is one of its many variants.' Mr Ziemczonek admits that many suspect that he has altered the picture for effect - a claim he adamantly denies. 'A lot of people have asked whether something has been done to the picture, but of course not,' he said. 'I'm absolutely amazed, and I think it's interesting to think there could be other life out there.' | Mysterious craft appears in photograph of beauty spot .
It was captured by local UFO enthusiast Emil Ziemczonek .
Mr Ziemczonek, 24, said it cannot be a plane or a bird . |
280,244 | f70a23ce196de5233f7945c42d25a4b357051832 | (CNN) -- Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp have ended their relationship after three years of dating, a report says. The two split "a couple of weeks ago," one of Mellencamp's friends told Closer Weekly, which was the first to report the news. The pair had kept their relationship relatively quiet. The couple began going out sometime in late 2010, according to People magazine, after Mellencamp separated from his wife of 18 years, Elaine Irwin Mellencamp. Ryan, 52, and Mellencamp, 62, kept time on both the East Coast and in Mellencamp's longtime home of Indiana. "It was the distance," a source told People of the split. "She lives in New York and he resides in Indiana. It was the long distance that ultimately was the cause." Mellencamp's friend had a different take. "I don't think he loved all the attention he got just from dating an actress," the friend told Closer Weekly. "I bet he'll stay away from dating another famous person for a while." Ryan, who hasn't appeared in a movie since 2009's "Serious Moonlight," is currently directing "Ithaca," a version of William Saroyan's novel "The Human Comedy." Mellencamp's new album, "Plain Spoken," is due for release next month. | Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp had kept relationship quiet .
The two reportedly began dating in 2010 .
Reasons for split include distance, different lifestyles, reports say . |
266,793 | e58ebc065fe8fa58f84e648b4b1e9c72744118a7 | More than a million workers got a pay rise today – after the minimum wage was increased by 19p £6.50 an hour. It means those on the lowest legal wage are set to see their pay rise by as much as £355 a year. Today’s pay rise it the first real terms cash increase since 2008, following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission which sets the rate. More than a millions workers will today see their pay increase by 19p to £6.50 an hour - a £355 boost over the year . It comes amid growing political concern over Britain’s army of low-paid workers with both Labour and the Tories setting out plans to increase low wages. Ed Miliband last week promised to increase the minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2019. Chancellor George Osborne said he wanted the legal minimum to increase to £7. The number of people on the National Minimum Wage has doubled since it was introduced 15 years ago and is now the pay rate for one in 20 workers, according to the think-tank the Resolution Foundation. Around 1.2 million employees earn the legal minimum wage compared with just over 600,000 in 1999. A further 1.3m workers are clustered close to the minimum wage - earning within 50p of the minimum level. It means one in ten workers are poorly paid. Despite the 3 per cent increase today, years of below-inflation increases mean it really worth the same level as it was in 2005. The minimum wage level was also increased for workers under 21 and apprentices. Those aged between 18 and 20 can no longer be paid less than £.5.13 – an increase from £5.03. Business Secretary Vince Cable has called for the minimum wage to increased at a faster rate . The minimum wage level for 16 and 17-year-olds, meanwhile, has increased from £3.72 to £3.79 per hour, while the apprentice rate is up 5p to £2.73 per hour. Business Secretary Vince Cable said: ‘The National Minimum Wage provides a vital safety net for the lowest paid, ensuring they get a fair wage whilst not costing jobs. This year’s rise will mean that they will enjoy the biggest cash increase in their take home pay since the banking crisis, benefiting over one million people in total. ‘I believe it is vital that the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations - not political considerations - should set national minimum wage rates. ‘As signs of a stronger economy start to emerge, we need to do more to make sure that the benefits of growth are shared fairly across the board. The Low Pay Commission will continue to advise Government on future wage rises and ensure the minimum wage keeps pace with inflation’. Earlier this year the Business Secretary asked the low pay commission to look at ways to increase the minimum wage more quickly than it has done previously. Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said today’s wage increase was ‘welcome’ but said: ‘We must go further.’ Mr Umunna said: ‘Labour has announced plans which will see a minimum wage of £8 in the next Parliament by setting a more ambitious target to ensure a fair day’s pay, alongside tougher enforcement action. ‘The Tory-led government has failed to match our plans to make work pay again and boost living standards. And to add insult to injury, George Osborne misled working people by claiming he wanted to see a £7 minimum wage then failing to deliver or set out plans for reaching this figure.’ | Today's rise is first real terms increase to the minimum wage since 2008 .
Comes amid growing political concern over Britain's low-paid workers .
Labour last week pledged to increase the minimum wage to £8 by 2019 .
George Osborne has said he wants the legal minimum to increase to £7 . |
236,709 | be60e144fda442cc90b616c59d824c892a5eb9c4 | Embattled manager Jose Riga led Blackpool to their first point in a 0-0 draw with high-flying Wolves, which came at the end of a week of high drama at Bloomfield Road. It seemed improbable that Riga would even be in charge of this contest after the Seasiders spoke to Burton's Gary Rowett about his post earlier this week, while chairman Karl Oyston had also openly called his current manager's professionalism into question. But Riga, who has retained the backing of Blackpool supporters despite six successive losses, was in the dugout to see a spirited performance which suggests this team are not as doomed as their early-season form indicates. Blackpool manager Jose Riga (right) smiles after his side's first point of the season against Wolves . Blackpool forward Nathan Delfouneso (left) is challenged by Wolverhampton Wanderers' Richard Stearman . Whether he is around to preside over that potential turnaround remains to be seen, though, given Oyston is seemingly intent on parting ways with a boss he hired less than 100 days ago. Wolves could have gone top of the Sky Bet Championship with a victory and hit the woodwork through Rajiv van La Parra before half-time, while Seasiders striker Nile Ranger dinked an effort off the crossbar in the second period. While Wolves' run of three straight wins meant the international break probably came at an inconvenient time for them, Blackpool's patched-together squad got some welcome time to familiarise themselves with each other. Riga initiated double sessions this week and the Seasiders looked set to reap the benefits early on, with Andrea Orlandi's cross being scooped over the top by Nathan Delfouneso. The Blackpool forward almost got through again shortly afterwards only to be halted by Danny Batth's fine sliding challenge. Blackpool's Peter Clarke (left) and captain Tony McMahon (right) applaud after picking up their first point . Joe Lewis was the first goalkeeper called into action, though, pushing away a header from Wolves midfielder Michael Jacobs. At the other end, neither Delfouneso nor Ranger could apply the finishing touch to Joan Oriol's cross while Peter Clarke almost bundled a free-kick past Carl Ikeme. However, it was Wolves who ended the half on top as right winger Van La Parra's cross-cum-shot came back off the far post before Batth skewed a drilled effort just wide. Riga's men should have been ahead four minutes into the second period as Orlandi fed the overlapping Tony McMahon, yet the Tangerines skipper fired into the side netting. The hosts would go closer still some 10 minutes later when Ranger waltzed beyond Batth and turned back on to his right foot, which he used to stab an effort against the crossbar. Blackpool's Donervon Daniels (left) collides with his own 'keeper Joe Lewis during match at Bloomfield Road . Kenny Jackett had already turned to Bakary Sako and James Henry off the bench prior to that, the latter's try being diverted over the top by Clarke's block as the game started to open up. The skipper was epitomising the spirit Riga had asked for as he threw himself at a well-struck shot from Sako after Delfouneso's loose pass inside his own area. McMahon then went close again by nodding a header towards goal from a scrappy corner but Ikeme managed to swipe at the ball and touch it over. There was no sign of Blackpool, who have barely had a pre-season programme, fading in the latter stages as they have done so often this season, although Lewis needed to rush out to stop substitute Leon Clarke stealing in. It ended all square and Riga stayed to clap the Blackpool fans that were chanting his name and hoping to see him again in three days time against Watford. Blackpool's Edu Oriol (left) and Wolves' George Saville (second right) clash during 0-0 draw at Bloomfield Road . | Jose Riga earns first point as Blackpool manager against Wolves .
Burton boss Gary Rowett claimed this week he'd been offered Blackpool job .
Blackpool move off the bottom of the table after draw at Bloomfield Road .
Wolverhampton Wanderers could have gone top of Championship with win .
Rajiv van La Perra hit woodwork for Wolves but visitors could not score .
Home side's best chance came through Nile Ranger who dinked on to bar . |
9,291 | 1a5881c6cfbfcf220ce1a12d6436991a9248d079 | Mini toiletries bottles and free teabags may be considered fair game. But some hotel guests have a hard time resisting the urge to pilfer anything they can get their hands on, with robes, coat hangers, slippers and sheets being common temptations. So an intuitive hotel in Australia has employed the art of reverse psychology, listing the most coveted items on a menu, complete with prices. Scroll down for video . Warning: Before you run off with that robe, remember it will end up on your bill - at a cost of over £90 . The QT hotel group came up with a menu of 14 items, which included coffee mugs, shoe horns, coat hangers, eye masks, a cocktail shaker and bathroom glasses. The menu, entitled DESIRE, was placed in all of their suites, to remind guests that any stolen items would be appearing on their bill. Prices range from nine Australian Dollars (almost £5) for an eye mask to 175 Australian Dollars (around £96). A spokesman for the group said the menus are becoming 'increasingly becoming more and more popular'. Naughty, naughty: Bathrobes and coat hangers are some of the most common items pinched by hotel guests . A Grand piano . The hefty instrument was stolen from the Starwood Hotel Group by three people dressed in overalls, who walked into the reception and quietly rolled it out. A stuffed boar . At the Hotel du Vin in Birmingham, a guest was caught trying to pilfer a mounted boar's head from the hotel's billiard room. Sex toys . The Residence in Bath offers kinky accessories to its guests - some of whom have been caught red-handed, and red-faced . The mini-bar . For some people, one drink is never enough. Some naughty guests at the The Parkroyal in Kuala Lumpur wanted the entire mini-bar, including the fridge . A marble fireplace . A guest at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel is alleged to have taken the entire marble fireplace. A survey by Novotel Hotels revealed the most common items stolen from hotel suites included bathrobes, towels, cushions, TV remote controls and coffee sachets. But stranger things have also been taken. The Best Western chain in the US reported that linen, light bulbs and furnishings are sometimes swiped. And the Starwood Hotel Group, also American, claimed a Grand piano had been stolen from the reception of one of their hotels. Meanwhile, a guest staying at the famous Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel - is alleged to have taken the entire marble fireplace. 1. Towels . 2. Cushions . 3. Bathrobes . 4. TV remote controls . 5. Light bulbs . 6. Mini-bar contents . 7. Clothes hangers . 8. Bathroom display trays . 9. Coffee sachets . 10. Plastic tissue boxes . According to a survey by Novotel Hotels . A recent survey by Just the Flight found that nearly half (43 per cent) of British holidaymakers admit to thieving from their rooms, with 60 per cent of those people not considering it to be stealing, according to a survey. Twelve per cent said they took items because they felt that the hotel wasn't offering them value for money. And 15 per cent admitted to pinching things because they didn't think they'd get caught. Guests who confessed to stealing items from hotel rooms most frequently said they did so because they believed it was expected of them, the survey of 1,000 people revealed. But the largest group prepared to admit their pilfering ways were young people, with 47 per cent of 18-34-year-olds saying they stole from hotels, compared to 45 per cent of 35-54-year-olds and 37 per cent of those aged over 55. | The QT hotel group listed coveted items and placed a menu in each suite .
List of 14 objects includes coffee mugs, coat hangers and a cocktail shaker .
Prices range from £5 for an eye mask to £96 for a bath robe . |
60,679 | ac796cfd72bbc25da46cf9481cf15c3094db14d1 | After meeting with NAACP leaders in Ferguson, Missouri, Sen. Rand Paul told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the Republicans Party's biggest mistake in recent decades has been not reaching out to African-American voters. The Kentucky Republican, who said his meeting went "very well," said he laid out his views on demilitarizing police, reforming the criminal justice system and boosting urban economies. "I don't want to characterize how everybody else feels about what I said, but I think it was a good opening to the conversation," Paul said in an interview set to air Friday. "I think in the Republican Party, the biggest mistake we've made in the last several decades is we haven't gone into the African American community, into the NAACP and say you know what, we are concerned about what's going on in your cities and we have plans. They may be different than the Democrats, but we do have plans and we do want to help." According to his office, participants in the meeting included members of the NAACP, the Urban League and several local business and church leaders. Paul was one of the most outspoken Republicans about the police response to protests that followed the August shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager who was killed by a police officer in Ferguson. Angry demonstrations erupted this week in St. Louis after another black teenager was fatally shot by a white police officer. Supporters of Brown were set to begin a weekend of marches and civil disobedience on Friday, dubbed the "Weekend of Resistance." "There's a sense of tension and unease that goes beyond just the shootings. I think the shooting has brought this to the surface, but there's a sense of unease in the country," Paul told Blitzer. "Black unemployment is twice white unemployment and has been for decade after decade," he added. "I know this president cares about trying to improve it but it hasn't gotten better." Paul, who's seriously considering a run for president, discouraged violent reactions to the shootings, saying "violence gets nowhere, and it actually sends us backwards." He instead encouraged people to channel any anger into registering voters. "Then you could have constructive change in the community," he continued, adding that the leaders of the community "realize that." Rand Paul: 'Fight for justice now' on unfair sentencing . Asked by Blitzer if Paul thinks he could garner African American support in a run for president, Paul said Republicans "won't ever win again" unless they start competing for minority voters. "We will not win again in our country because the country is a diverse country now," he said. "And we can't have one party that monopolizes the various ethnic group votes." Paul said in the meeting he proposed his "economic freedom zones" plan, which would aim to give tax incentives and financial breaks to depressed areas and neighborhoods in large cities, with the ultimate goal of stimulating the economy and drawing in more business. "By dramatically lowering taxes in a city like Ferguson, you would have more job opportunities, less tension, and less of sort of this problem that develops from crime," he said. Rand Paul: Police militarization, war on drugs is 'out of control' The first-term senator stressed that his libertarian-leanings on the war on drugs makes it "pretty easy" for him to speak out on the issue. He also highlighted legislation he's proposed that would reform drug sentences and restore voting fights for felons convicted of nonviolent drug crimes. The senator has also been actively fighting against a Defense Department program that that provides military equipment to local police forces, emphasizing that the use of such equipment has gotten out of hand — especially when it comes to the war on drugs. "We've got no business having no-knock raids at one in the morning, scaring the bejeezus out of people and getting them frightened," he said. "Drugs are a scourge. We need to keep our young people from using them...But we need not to be filling up our prisons with these kids. We need not to be breaking down doors at two in the morning looking for drugs, sometimes in the wrong house." His outreach to African-Americans comes after he was criticized in 2010 for questioning a portion of the 1964 Civil Rights Act dealing with the rights of private property owners to turn certain people away. Paul argued earlier this week in an interview that he was "just a physician in a small town" at the time of his comments. "Do you learn more about issues over time? Sure, but I was never against the Civil Rights Act," he said. Can Rand Paul break past controversy over Civil Rights Act? John Gaskin III, spokesman for St. Louis County NAACP, said in a statement that Paul had called the local leaders to have a meeting. "We were honored to have an informative discussion about the Senator regarding ways that he can help to assist our civil rights agenda in Washington and help to end police militarization," Gaskin said. | Rand Paul talked to CNN's Wolf Blitzer about his meeting in Ferguson, Missouri with the NAACP.
He said Republicans have made a big mistake by not reaching out to black voters.
Paul believes that local police forces have become too militarized.
He also says he has solutions to help decrease "racial outcomes" in the war on drugs. |
97,125 | 08fd73a38f8ecfa59c0753c0cc4e7ace984f86d9 | (CNN) -- Vice President Xi Jinping of China, the man set become the country's next paramount leader, is scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama and other officials on Tuesday during a U.S. visit that is likely to help burnish Xi's statesmanly credentials at home and abroad. The planned meetings have thrust Xi, who is expected to become head of the ruling Communist Party later this year, onto center stage in both the American and Chinese news media. Hu undertook a similar visit 10 years ago as he was being groomed for the top job. But beneath the carefully choreographed presentation of the high-profile meetings lies a range of contentious issues on which Xi has little incentive to give ground, including trade and China's growing military presence. "I think he's going to be be tough with a smile on his face," said James McGregor, senior counselor for the communications firm APCO Worldwide in China. "He's gonna appear to be a very friendly man. But he has to be tough because he's still talking to an audience back here." The subject of Xi's five-day trip and what it portends for U.S.-Chinese relations in the coming years has received heavy coverage in state-run media in China. "The U.S. has never met a competitor like China before," the Global Times, an English-language newspaper run by the Communist Party, said in an editorial published Monday that noted China's global clout in manufacturing and exports. The Obama administration, under pressure from stubbornly high unemployment figures in an election year, has already taken steps concerning China's role in global trade. Obama mentioned China by name when he announced in his State of the Union address last month that he was creating a trade enforcement unit to bring cases against other countries. There is also persistent tension over China's efforts to control the level of its currency, the renminbi, which U.S. officials say make it undervalued. Xi, 58, is very well versed in these issues, according to Jon Huntsman, the former Republican presidential hopeful who was U.S. ambassador to China between 2009 and 2011. "He's gone out of his way in recent years to bone up economics and trade, knowing full well that these are the issues that are going to determine whether or not the United States and China are able to get through the years to come," Huntsman said. Chinese officials are aware of U.S. concerns, but Xi and other leaders face the challenge of keeping China's hundreds of millions of workers content as economic growth starts to ease from the torrid levels of recent years. Policy makers in Beijing are grappling with how to tackle rapidly rising prices and the widening gap between rich and poor. "I want a job," said Xie Yingling, an unemployed welder in the coastal province of Fujian, where Xi used to be governor. "Our local economy is just bad. I find even a bowl of noodles too expensive here." Xi's engagements in the United States began Monday with a dinner in Washington attended by the former U.S. secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright. He was given a less cordial welcome by activists advocating Tibetan independence who started unfurling a banner on Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington on Monday afternoon. The activists were detained by the police before being released. Beijing has been struggling in recent weeks to contain unrest among ethnic Tibetans in the southwestern province of Sichuan. It has sent additional security forces to the region after Tibetan protesters set themselves on fire and clashed with police to express frustration with Chinese rule. On Tuesday, Xi was scheduled to meet with Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He will also attend a round-table discussion with U.S. and Chinese business executives. After Washington, Xi will travel Wednesday to Iowa, a state he first visited as a local official in the 1980s. He is visiting the United States amid the rhetoric and political uncertainty of presidential election campaigning. But upheaval is also under way in China through the leadership transition that is set to result in Xi's taking charge later this year. With about 70% of the country's top 200 officials expected to be swapped out during the process, Huntsman said Xi is "stepping into the forefront of China's political leadership structure at a time of enormous change." | The Chinese vice president is in the United States for a five-day visit .
Xi Jinping is expected to become China's president later this year .
He is scheduled to meet with President Obama and other top officials .
Observers expect Xi to take a tough line on issues like trade . |
78,628 | dec9755c29ba0e629c00977707d5c2bdccca0246 | (CNN) -- Hurricane Felicia weakened Friday as it headed toward Hawaii and may continue to wane, but forecasters have not discounted the threat of flooding on the island chain. Hurricane Felicia is expected to reach Hawaii by Monday and continue to weaken on its way. The storm was downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane as it moved west-northwest toward Hilo, Hawaii, at 13 mph (20 kmh). Felicia's maximum sustained winds slowed from 140 mph (220 kmh) Thursday to near 100 mph (185 kmh) as of 8 a.m. PT Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Felicia is expected to weaken further as it moves over cooler waters, according to the hurricane center. Felicia could reach Hawaii by Monday, but by that time it may have weakened to a tropical depression or tropical storm, said meteorologist Derek Wroe at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. See hurricane ratings, what they mean, and how to keep safe » . Even if the storm does not hit Hawaii as a hurricane, it can still cause flooding damage, Wroe said. "[Storms and depressions] bring a lot of moisture with them and the wind may not be as strong when it comes in with a depression, but a depression is sometimes just as capable as bringing in flooding as a tropical storm," Wroe said. Felicia is about 1,280 miles east (2,060 kilometers) of the Big Island, according to the weather service. Wroe expects the hurricane to continue westward after it strikes Hawaii, bringing rain to one or more of the islands for a day or part of a day as it moves along, he said. If the hurricane sweeps through each island, it could take a couple of days before Hawaii is in the clear, he said. | NEW: Hurricane Felicia, now Category 2, likely to keep weakening .
Felicia might be tropical depression or storm when it reaches Hawaiian islands .
Forecasters say it could still cause flooding as it passes over . |
173,081 | 6bfdaad40620f51cda5529dbe3133b7d4d377fcd | Traitor or patriot? Low-level systems analyst or highly trained spy? Slammed by top U.S. government officials and facing espionage charges in the United States, former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden described how he sees himself during an interview with NBC "Nightly News" broadcast Wednesday. And he defended his decision to leak documents about classified U.S. government surveillance programs. We've heard from Snowden a few times before, but the NBC interview with anchor Brian Williams inside a Moscow hotel was his first on an American television network. Here are 10 key points from the interview with the 30-year-old former NSA contractor: . 1. Snowden thinks he's a patriot. "I think patriot is a word that's thrown around so much that it can be devalued nowadays," he said. "Being a patriot doesn't mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing when to protect your Constitution, knowing when to protect your countrymen, from the violations of and encroachments of adversaries. And those adversaries don't have to be foreign countries." That assessment drew a sharp response from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who spoke with NBC earlier Wednesday. "Patriots don't go to Russia. They don't seek asylum in Cuba. They don't seek asylum in Venezuela. They fight their cause here," Kerry said. "Edward Snowden is a coward. He is a traitor. And he has betrayed his country. And if he wants to come home tomorrow to face the music, he can do so." 2. Snowden says he was trained as a spy. U.S. President Barack Obama famously referred to Snowden as a hacker last year, and other officials have described him as a low-ranking analyst. That's misleading, Snowden said. "I was trained as a spy in sort of the traditional sense of the word -- in that I lived and worked undercover, overseas, pretending to work in a job that I'm not -- and even being assigned a name that was not mine," Snowden said. "Now, the government might deny these things. They might frame it in certain ways, and say, oh, well, you know, he's a low-level analyst. But what they're trying to do is they're trying to use one position that I've had in a career, here or there, to distract from the totality of my experience." 3. Russia isn't where he expected to end up, but he's managing. "I personally am surprised that I ended up here," Snowden said. "The reality is I never intended to end up in Russia. I had a flight booked to Cuba onwards to Latin America, and I was stopped because the United States government decided to revoke my passport and trap me in the Moscow airport." There's a culture gap, and it's been an adjustment. "But even though I didn't choose to be here, even though circumstances really trapped me here, I can adapt. I can live life as an American more or less. That's the beauty of the Internet is that we're no longer tied to our communities by physical connections," he said. 4. Like a lot of us, he's been spending his free time watching old episodes of "The Wire." "I'm really enjoying it," he said, though he added that the second season is "not so great." 5. He's not happy about some things the Russian government is doing. Snowden says he has no ties with the Russian government, and he isn't happy with some of its policies. "It's really frustrating for someone who's working so hard to expand the domain of our rights and our privacy to end up stuck in a place where those rights are being challenged in ways that I would consider deeply unfair," he said. There's no good reason, for example, for a recent law requiring bloggers to register in Russia, he said. "I can't think of any basis for a law like that, not just in Russia, but any country," he said. "The government shouldn't regulate the operations of a free press." So why doesn't he do something about it. "There's so much that needs to be defended here in Russia, but I'm limited by my inability to speak Russian, and so on. It's an isolating and frustrating thing." 6. It only takes a cell phone for spy agencies in the United States and other countries to find out a lot about you if they want to. And that's even if you're just Googling something simple, Snowden said, like a sports score (Williams told Snowden he'd recently searched for the score of a New York Rangers game). "The NSA, the Russian intelligence service, the Chinese intelligence service, any intelligence service in the world that has significant funding and a real technological research team can own that phone the minute it connects to their network," Snowden said. They can turn on a phone remotely if it's off, he said. And even a detail like a Google search for a sports score can reveal a lot about you. "You probably speak English. You are probably an American. You are interested in this sport. They might know what your habits are," Snowden said. 'Where were you in the world when you checked the score? Do you check it when you travel? Do you check it when you're at home? They could tell your pattern of life. Where are you doing these activities? When do you wake up? When do you go to sleep? What other phones are around you? Are you with someone who's not your wife? Are you someplace that you shouldn't be?" 7. He wants to return to the United States someday. "If I could go anywhere in the world, that place would be home," he said. But he responded with a series of questions rather than specifics when asked what he missed about home. "What don't I miss? What would you miss? What wouldn't you miss?" he said. "I miss my family. I miss my home. I miss my colleagues. I miss the work." 8. So why doesn't he come back to the United States to face charges? Snowden says that's a fair question, but an ignorant one. Because he was charged under the Espionage Act, Snowden says he has no chance to make a public defense of his case. "You are not allowed to argue based on all the evidence in your favor because that evidence may be classified," he said. "When people say, 'Why don't you face the music?' I say, 'You have to understand the music is not an open court and a fair trial.'" 9. Why did Snowden leak classified documents? He says he had no choice. "The reality is, the situation determined that this needed to be told to the public. The Constitution of the United States had been violated on a massive scale," Snowden told Williams. "Now, had that not happened, had the government not gone too far and overreached, we wouldn't be in a situation where whistleblowers were necessary." The U.S. government, Snowden said, is using the threat of terrorism "to justify programs that have never been shown to keep us safe but cost us liberties and freedoms that we don't need to give up and our Constitution says we shouldn't give up." 10. He says he tried to go through official channels before leaking information but met dead ends. Among the people he contacted, Snowden said, was the NSA's general counsel office. "I reported that there were real problems with the way the NSA was interpreting its legal authorities," Snowden said. "And the response, more or less, in bureaucratic language was, 'you should stop asking questions.'" On Thursday, the NSA released what it said was a copy of an e-mail exchange between Snowden and its general counsel office. Snowden's e-mail asked for clarification of training course material and "did not raise allegations or concerns about wrongdoing or abuse," according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. | Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden speaks to NBC's Brian Williams .
He says he considers himself a patriot, and that he was trained as a spy .
Snowden says he's surprised he ended up in Russia .
He says he has no ties with the Russian government and doesn't like some of its policies . |
62,799 | b26164f74368a7f66a0d1199de887ca253c2e06c | By . Ben Spencer and Mark Howarth . PUBLISHED: . 20:10 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:21 EST, 13 December 2013 . Britain's stay-at-home mothers feel under twice as much financial pressure as those in Europe, research has found. The findings will be seen as a damning indictment of British policy, which offers little relief to women who choose to look after their children full-time. Their numbers are now at an all-time low, plunging by nearly 50,000 in the country last year alone. Critics say the Government has made the situation worse by reducing child benefit and tax credits, and instead choosing to back working mothers. Tom, 38 and Erika Birch, 30, and their children Jackson, two and seven-year-old Maddie at home in Bath. Mr Birch, whose wife stays at home to care for their children, said it is 'ridiculous' they do not get more support from the government . The new paper, published in the European Sociological Review, finds that British women who do not work feel far less secure than their counterparts in Europe. Researchers tracked the fortunes of more than 36,000 women in five countries, including the UK. Women in France, Italy and Ireland who chose not to work were twice as likely to be ‘financially satisfied’, compared with those in Britain. The paper concluded that commitment to family is more important than careers to women across the continent. Most other European countries encourage women to take time out of their careers to look after their children. In Germany, the government pays parents up to £1,520 a month to do so, in ‘compensation’ for lost earnings. Campaign group Mothers At Home Matter said the study shows that motherhood is undervalued in Britain. Its secretary, Lynne Burnham, said: ‘We really have lost something as a society in Britain when motherhood is denigrated and the traditional family unit means far less than in countries on the continent.’ The study drew on surveys carried out between 1994 and 2001, which asked women to rate their financial satisfaction on a scale of one to six. Researchers found that full-time employment tended to give women the best sense of security, but a large salary was not the only key to contentment. In France, Italy and Ireland, homemakers felt just as financially satisfied as those in full-time work. But the same phenomenon could not be seen in the UK, which had the unhappiest homemakers. The paper, by researchers at Italy’s University of Trento, said: ‘It seems that for Italy, France, and Ireland, being a committed housewife is practically equivalent to being continuously employed. In Denmark and the United Kingdom, however, the same association is not found.’ David Cameron has come under pressure to introduce transferable tax allowances that would mean a full-time mother could give her income tax-free allowance to a working father . Tom Birch, whose wife Erika stays at home and looks after their two children Maddie, two, and four-year-old Jackson, said it was ‘ridiculous’ that they did not get more support from the Government. The 40-year-old from Bath, a senior manager at a financial services company, added: ‘We pay tax and National Insurance and she should be getting all the benefits a person on a low income is getting.’ David Cameron has come under pressure to introduce transferable tax allowances that would mean a full-time mother could give her income tax-free allowance to a working father. A limited version for some married couples is due to begin in 2015, but will be worth only £3.85 a week at most. Families in which both parents work, meanwhile, have been given up to £1,200 a year for each child to help with childcare costs. Mrs Burnham said: ‘In government and policy circles, motherhood quite simply doesn’t matter.’ A Government spokesman said: ‘Stay-at-home parents are an important part of life in Britain. We have recognised their contribution properly for the first time in the state pension system as we move to a single-tier pension and will recognise marriage in the tax system.’ | Research was published in the European Sociological Review .
Found British women who do not work feel far less secure than their counterparts in Europe .
Study tracked more than 36,000 women in five countries .
Concluded commitment to family is more important than a career to women across the continent . |
199,871 | 8ebb0aebdde5ecd91c1fda58e85aa838efeba4b5 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 11:26 PM on 27th January 2012 . An ageing mobster who first gained notoriety for helping steal a 45-carat diamond in 1980 has been convicted of being part of planned robberies. Arthur 'The Brain' Rachel, 73, of Chicago, Illinois, grimaced as he was found guilty in a bench trial on three of four racketeering counts. He was known for being in a notorious gang 32 years ago who stole the Marlborough Diamond from the posh Graff jewellery store in London. Ageing criminals: (Left-to-right) Joseph Scalise, Arthur Rachel, and Robert Pullia were all part of planned robberies in Chicago, Illinois . In court: The Chicago trial, which was not connected to the jewellery theft, attracted attention partly because of the defendants' advanced ages . Co-defendants and fellow Chicago mobsters Joseph ‘The Monk' Scalise, 74, and Robert Pullia, 70, pleaded guilty in court last week. Scalise was an accomplice with Rachel in the daring daytime theft of the Marlborough Diamond in London, which was never recovered. The Chicago trial, which was not connected to the jewellery theft, attracted attention partly because of the defendants' advanced ages. But prosecutor Amarjeet Bhachu told reporters after Thursday's verdict that the men were far from harmless, elderly goofs. Helping out: Scalise, seen in a mugshot from 1980, was an accomplice with Rachel in the daring daytime theft of the Marlborough Diamond in London . 'You don't need to be a weightlifter to pull the trigger on a firearm,’ he said. 'These men were dedicated to hurting other people. 'These men were dedicated to . hurting other people' Amarjeet Bhachu, prosecuting . ‘The fact that they were old wasn't a barrier to the crimes.' Rachel, who was acquitted on a lone weapons charge, said nothing outside court. The judge set a sentencing date of May 30 for Rachel and he is expected to get a prison term of 10 years. The would-be robbers allegedly intended to use a stepladder in the 2010 burglary at the home of late Chicago mobster Angelo 'The Hook' LaPietra. Famous heist: Scalise and Rachel were convicted in Britain of using a hand grenade as a threat in 1980 to rob a Graff jewellery store in London (file picture) Sparkling: They robbed $3.6million worth of goods, including the Marlborough Diamond, pictured, and began serving 15-year prison terms in 1984 . Authorities arrested the senior citizens, dressed in black, outside the house. They had also planned to rob an armoured car, prosecutors said. 'The fact that they were old wasn't a . barrier to the crimes' Amarjeet Bhachu, prosecuting . Scalise and Rachel were convicted in Britain of using a hand grenade as a threat in 1980 to rob London's posh Graff Jewelers. They robbed $3.6million worth of goods, including the diamond, and began serving 15-year prison terms in 1984. They were released in 1993. The FBI said Scalise was a technical adviser on the film 'Public Enemies' about Depression Era gangster John Dillinger, filmed in Chicago in 2008. Last week he was asked if the Marlborough Diamond will ever be located. ‘If Lloyd's wanted to pay enough money, maybe they could,’ Scalise said. | Arthur 'The Brain' Rachel found guilty on 3/4 counts .
His partners in crime, 74 and 70, admitted guilt .
Police found them in black, ready to break into home . |
164,803 | 611a5d90f6260f57691559678d0c9c13128c52e3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:45 EST, 26 August 2013 . A lawyer appointed to look out for the best interests of a three-year-old Cherokee girl at the center of an adoption dispute has asked a judge to suspend visitation rights for her adoptive parents. It comes as a complete turnaround after the South Carolina court awarded the Capobiancos custody of Veronica on July 31st. Angel Smith filed a motion in Cherokee County District Court in Oklahoma on Friday asking the judge to suspend the right for Matt and Melanie Capobianco to see Veronica pending a hearing. Adoptive parents Matt and Melanie Copabianco seen entering the Cherokee County Courthouse, in Tahlequah, Okla. on August 16 . Dusten Brown (second from left) enters the Cherokee County Courthouse with his wife Robin Brown on August 16 for the hearing . The Capobiancos have filed a motion objecting to the stay. Veronica's birth father, Dusten Brown, is a member of the Cherokee Nation. Her birth mother is not. Brown is pushing for custody of the girl under the Indian Child Welfare Act. The court document comes after the biological father of the girl turned himself in to authorities on August 12, but refused extradition to South Carolina. That's where Veronica's adoptive parents Matt and Melanie Capobianco live and where state authorities had finalized Veronica's adoption and charged Brown with 'custodial interference' for refusing to turn over the girl. 'This is my daughter,' Brown said, according to Anderson Cooper 360. 'It isn't a yoyo I borrowed for two years.' Brown posted $10,000 bond and was released on August 12, according to Oklahoma's Sequoyah County Sheriff's Office. Brown was charged with custodial interference after failing to appear at a court-ordered meeting in South Carolina. He was refused extradition without a governor's warrant from South Carolina. Handed Himself Over: Dusten Brown (left and right with his daughter Veronica) Matt and Melanie Capobianco pictured with baby Veronica, who they brought up from 2009 . Brown's lawyer, Robert Nigh, said his client was caught between competing jurisdictions and is 'making every effort to do the right thing for himself and his daughter.' Nigh refused to say where Brown is currently. He's due in court again on September 11. The James Island, South Carolina parents have been trying to adopt Veronica since her birth in 2009. after which they raised the girl for two years. But Brown has had custody of his daughter since 2011, when South Carolina's Supreme Court ruled that a 1978 federal law written to ensure Native American children stay with Native American parents gave him preference over the Capobiancos. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law does not apply in this case because the biological father never had custody of Veronica and abandoned her before birth. Veronica plays dress-up as her biological father's wife Robin Brown (right) watches at the Cherokee Nation Jack Brown Center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on August 6 . Veronica swings in the back yard of the Cherokee Nation Jack Brown Center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on August 6 . On August 12th, the Capobiancos called on federal law enforcement to help them . bring the child to South Carolina, saying they'll take the matter into . their own hands if necessary. 'Send . someone to the location our daughter is being held and work with us to . bring her home. No more delays and no more excuses,' Matt Capobianco . said during a news conference. 'Our daughter has been kidnapped, and I expect the situation to be treated as such.' Brown . had never met his daughter and, after Veronica's non-Indian mother . rebuffed his marriage proposal, played no role during the pregnancy and . paid no child support after the girl was born. The . legal proceedings began when Brown found out Veronica was going to be . adopted. He objected and said the Indian Child Welfare Act favored the . girl living with him and growing up learning tribal traditions. Veronica, her biological father Dusten Brown, feed their geese and ducks at his home in Oklahoma where she has lived for the past 19 months . 'I'm always going to be her daddy': Dusten Brown and daughter Veronica met for the first time on New Year's Eve 2011 . The Capobiancos appealed the South Carolina Supreme Court's 2011 decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, and it ruled in June that South Carolina courts should decide who gets to adopt Veronica. The state court said the Capobiancos should raise the girl. South Carolina Family Court Judge Daniel Martin finalized the couple's adoption at the end of July, approving a transition plan detailing a gradual process for reintroducing the girl to the Capobiancos. South Carolina authorities issued a warrant for Brown's arrest on August 10, charging Brown with custodial interference for failing to appear with the girl for a court-ordered meeting with the Capobiancos on August 4th — a date the couple has said was set by the judge and to which Brown's attorneys did not object. | Melanie and Matt Capobianco of James Island, S.C., have been trying to .
adopt Veronica since her birth in 2009; they raised the girl for two .
years .
After the Capobiancos won her back from the biological father, the court is now backtracking and suspending their visitation rights .
Veronica is now with biological dad Dusten Brown . |
42,007 | 767d42bafe5703e246e4ef434b1274b6f1e6195b | By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Reporter . Killed: Ibragim Todashev, 27, was shot and killed by FBI agents in May, more than a month after the Boston Marathon bombing . A Florida prosecutor has cleared an FBI agent of any criminal wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a Chechen man as he was being questioned about a Boston Marathon bombing suspect. Two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the investigation said Friday that State Attorney Jeff Ashton won't bring charges against the agent. Ibragim Todashev, a 27-year-old mixed martial arts fighter, was killed in Orlando in May while FBI agents and Massachusetts state troopers questioned him about his friendship with suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Officials originally said Todashev . lunged at an agent with a knife while he was being questioned. They . later said it was no longer clear what happened. Federal . prosecutors have said in court filings that Todashev named Tsarnaev as a . participant in an earlier triple homicide in Massachusetts. The filings . were made in the case against Tsarnaev's brother, surviving bombing . suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. According . to the filings, Todashev told investigators Tamerlan Tsarnaev . participated in a triple slaying in Waltham on September 11, 2011. What did he know: Ibragim Todashev, pictured with his wife, was in the middle of being questioned when he was shot dead . Cleared: Florida prosecutors have chosen not to pursue charges against FBI agents involved in the killing (seen in May after his death) Connections: FBI agents and Massachusetts state troopers questioned him about his friendship with suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev . In that case, three men were found in an apartment with their necks slit and their bodies reportedly covered with marijuana. One of the victims was a boxer and friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The filing was prosecutors' attempt to . block Dzhokhar Tsarnaev from getting certain information from . authorities, including investigative documents associated with the . Waltham slayings. Authorities . allege that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 20, and 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, . ethnic Chechens from Russia, planned and carried out the twin bombings . near the finish of the marathon on April 15. Three people were killed . and more than 260 were injured. Dzhokhar . Tsarnaev faces 30 federal charges, including using a weapon of mass . destruction and 16 other charges that carry the possibility of the death . penalty. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died in a gunbattle with police as authorities closed in on the brothers several days after the bombings. The brothers Tsarnaev: Tamerlan (left) died in a gunbattle with police in the days after the Boston bombing and Dzhokhar (right) faces 30 federal charges that carry the possibility of the death penalty . Scene: The one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing is approaching next month . Both officials spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about the case. Ashton's report will be released Tuesday and his office did not immediately respond Friday to calls and emails seeking comment. The Justice Department also has been investigating but has not yet released its findings. A third law enforcement official said the Justice Department is expected to reach the same conclusion, based on a recommendation from the FBI. | FBI agents killed Ibragim Todashev in Orlando in May when they went to question him about ties to the Boston Marathon bombers .
Todashev, a Chechen martial arts fighter, was thought to be friends with the elder bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev .
Florida State Attorney Jeff Ashton has decided not to bring charges against the unnamed FBI agents involved . |
143,333 | 455e6e13a5a1d4ffb4fdf93adf46a5dbe4e21494 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 03:27 EST, 5 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:05 EST, 5 March 2013 . A woman whose breasts were so saggy that she had to fold them up to fit them into her bra is looking forward to finding love after a breast reduction on Embarrassing Bodies has changed her life. Ann, 47, had large breasts from a young age and when she gained a lot of weight as an adult her bra size expanded to an incredible size 48J. At her heaviest Ann weighed 25 stone. She lost almost 13 stone through bariatric surgery but was left with breasts that sagged over her tummy and were still a 34G. No confidence: Ann had large breasts from a young age but when she gained a lot of weight and was up to 25 stone, her breasts weighed in at a whopping 48J and became very saggy leaving her with little confidence . She had to double her breasts over to fit them into a bra. Speaking to Dr Christian on the Channel 4 show, she said: 'I have no self esteem and because I've got no confidence, I can't possibly contemplate a relationship. 'I don't ever look at myself in the mirror, only to do my hair. I don't ever look at my body because it's so disgusting. 'I've come to see you today because I've lost a lot of weight and I've got a lot of loose skin, especially on my boobs.' Following her extreme weight loss, Ann had been left with lots of loose skin, which she said she found really hard to deal with. A real pain: Her heavy breasts gave her back ache, neck ache and she would get a rash underneath and often infections so she set about changing her life on the show . Problematic: Dr Christian agreed that Ann's breasts were hugely problematic for her and that her nipples pointed at her feet . Her heavy breasts gave her back ache, neck ache and she would get a rash underneath and often infections. Dr Christian agreed that Ann’s breasts were hugely problematic for her. He said: 'You've lost a lot of weight but . your breasts are very deflated and, to put it kindly, your nipples . are now pointing at your feet.' A protein called elastin helps skin . ping back into place after it has been stretched. However, when Ann . weighed 25st, her skin was stretched so much and for so long that when she lost the weight it was no longer effective. Happy: Speaking to Dr Christian after the surgery, Ann said that she is over the moon with her new breasts and is looking forward to living her life fully . Dr Christian added: 'What's good is that you've got . nice healthy skin all up here and I think if we reconstruct the breasts . and place them back where they should be with the nipples pointing . upwards, you're going to end up with a nice pair of breasts.' He referred her to Cosmetic Surgeon, Mr Hicham Mouallem at the Highgate Hospital in London for a reconstructed augmented mastopexy to uplift the breasts and give them back some shape and volume. While Mr Hicham Mouallem admitted that helping Ann would be a big challenge, he made plans for her to undergo surgery. Speaking ahead of the surgery, Ann said: 'I can't wait for this to actually be . done because then I will be able to get on with my life and move . forward, get more confident and actually just live my life instead of . just existing.' Mr Hicham Mouallem moved her nipple up completely, removed all excess skin and reshaped the breast, which took a total of three hours. Her breasts had to be strong enough . to support the implant so he removed as much of the saggy skin as he . could, then created a pocket within the breast in which an implant was inserted. In total, he has removed 1.5kg of flesh; the equivalent of two guinea pigs. Speaking to Dr Christian after the surgery, Ann said that she is over the moon with her new breasts and is looking forward to living her life fully. 'I feel much better, a million per cent better, especially when I have a shower. Before my boobs were so horrendous that I had to hook them over my arm to wash but now I don't have to do that. She added: 'I haven't seen my nipples in 35 years so to actually see them and know I've got some is quite good.' Embarrassing Bodies shows on C4 at 9pm every Monday. Visit www.channel4.com/programmes/embarrassing-bodies for more information. | Ann, 47, from Essex weighed 25st and had a bra size of 48J .
Breasts sagged after extreme weight loss .
She had since had to double them over and fold them in to her bra .
A breast reduction operation has transformed her life .
Surgeons removed 1.5kg of flesh, the equivalent of two guinea pigs . |
52,094 | 93895a4712014491c31bd05bd590a5a4272265c6 | By . Sam Turner . The Jamie Osborne-trained Toast Of New York will bid to become just that when he attempts to win the inaugural running of the US$1.25 million (£730,000) Belmont Derby on Saturday night. The English raider, who sprung to prominence with two huge margin wins at Wolverhampton last winter, announced himself on the world stage in March when running away with the Group 2 UAE Derby in Dubai for rider Jamie Spencer. Installed as 3-1 favourite on the morning line in the States, Toast Of New York has delighted Osborne since crossing the Atlantic. Drink to that: England raider Toast of New York aims to repeat his winning feat in Dubai at the Belmont Derby . 'He looks fantastic and he’s been eating and drinking well since shipping to New York,' he said. 'We’re going slightly into the unknown with him since his best races have come on synthetic surfaces but he trains well on turf so I don’t foresee it being a problem.' Toast Of New York will be joined in the field by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Adelaide. | Toast of New York runs in the Belmont Derby in New York on Saturday .
The English horse races on the back of a win in the UAE Derby in Dubai .
Trainer Osbourne says the raider 'looks fantastic' |
189,283 | 811f0306adfa0afdbdf0c62477ef11faf77439e8 | (CNN)As a former football player with both an imposing physique and personality, few people have felt comfortable calling "Suge" Knight by his birth name, Marion. Even Suge is short for a family nickname that hardly seemed fitting for one of hip-hop's most feared impresarios: "Sugar Bear." Being known as big and cuddly is not how Knight rose to fame. Instead he is best known for helping promote West Coast rap in a field that had long been dominated by East Coast artists -- and elevating an East Coast/West Coast hip-hop feud to a level that many still hold accountable for the deaths of two of the genre's biggest stars. How the co-founder of Death Row Records -- who is being held in connection with one's man death in an alleged purposeful hit-and-run -- came to be considered such a tough guy is equal parts legend and rap sheet. Born in Compton, California, as the youngest of three children and the only son, Knight had sports ability and size, earning a football scholarship to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His former coach told the Las Vegas Sun in 1996 that Knight was a good kid. "He wasn't a problem guy at all," said Wayne Nunnely, who was school's head coach in 1986 when Knight played there and who later went to work for the New Orleans Saints. "You didn't really see that street roughness about him." Knight briefly played as a defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams before becoming a bodyguard for singer Bobby Brown. That gig didn't last long but helped give him a larger glimpse into the music industry. Being from Compton, Knight had for years been friends with fellow native Andre "Dr. Dre" Young, a member of the controversial rap group N.W.A. Its hard-core songs include "F*** tha Police," which helped form the basis for what became known as "gangsta rap." The oft-repeated tale is that to get Young released from his contract with Ruthless Records owned by fellow N.W.A. member Eric "Eazy- E" Wright, Knight appeared at the label's offices with a group of men armed with pipes and baseball bats. "I know you've heard all the stories," Knight told a New York Times Magazine writer in 1996 about the incident. "But you have to realize one thing: results." Young was eventually released from his contract and became Knight's flagship artist when he co-founded Death Row Records in 1991. Another infamous story had Knight dangling rapper Vanilla Ice over a balcony to get the latter to share the profits from his hit song "Ice Ice Baby." The rapper, whose legal name is Robert Van Winkle, has since said the incident has been exaggerated. "I went to my hotel room and Suge was in there with several people," Van Winkle said during a 1999 VH1 "Behind the Music" episode about his career. "He let me know he wanted to get some points off the record 'Ice Ice Baby.' Suge took me out on the balcony, started talking to me personally. He had me look over the edge, showing me how high I was up there. I needed to wear a diaper that day. I was an 'investor' in Death Row Records with no return on my money." The rapper added, "He didn't hang me off from any balcony, okay. The story's been kind of blown out of proportion and I want to clarify that Suge and I have no bad feelings towards each other." Knight's roster of artists included several who were no strangers to violence and run-ins with the law, including Snoop Doggy Dogg (later known as Snoop Dogg and Snoop Lion) and Tupac Shakur. In 1994 Shakur accused producer Sean "Puffy" Combs and rapper Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace with being involved in an incident at a New York studio in 1994 in which Shakur was shot. Both Combs (who over the years has also been known as "Puff Daddy, "Diddy" and "P. Diddy") and Wallace denied the accusations. But the tensions intensified in 1995 after Knight gave a speech at the Source Awards, where he said, "Any artist out there that want to be an artist and stay a star, and don't have to worry about the executive producer trying to be all in the videos, all on the record, dancing ... come to Death Row!" Many took the comments as a direct dig at Combs, who often appeared in his artists' music videos. The following month Jake Robles, a Death Row employee, was killed during a late-night party in Atlanta in which both Knight and Combs were present with their entourages. Those from Knight's camp blamed Combs' bodyguard, and the death brought public visibility to what was known as the East Coast/West Coast rap war. Knight was driving the car in which Shakur was a passenger when the rapper was shot to death in Las Vegas in 1996. The following year Wallace was shot to death while riding in a caravan in Los Angles that included his friend and mentor Combs. There was speculation that both of the deaths were tied to the feud, though the slayings remain unsolved. In 1996, Knight was sent to prison for almost five years for assaulting a man in a Las Vegas hotel on the night Shakur was killed. In 2002, he was jailed for violating his probation by associating with known gang members and again the following year for punching a parking attendant outside a Hollywood nightclub. In 2005, Knight was shot in the right leg at a party in Miami held in honor of Kanye West's planned appearance before the MTV Video Music Awards. History repeated itself in August 2014 when Knight was shot six times at another pre-VMAs party, this one hosted by singer Chris Brown. In October, Knight and comedian Micah "Katt" Williams were arrested for allegedly stealing a photographer's camera. His legal issues and the departure of many of his top acts resulted in Knight's label filing for bankruptcy in 2006. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2013 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Snoop's debut album, "Doggystyle," Knight portrayed his label as a trailblazer. "Death Row wasn't only a black-owned record label, Death Row was pretty much the only American-owned record label," he said. "Everything else was either Sony or some other thing. "It became the blueprint for any label that's out, including the majors," he said. "I was the first person doing 360-degree deals with all the artists; the majors would tell the artists, 'It's the worst piece of s**t deal in the world, don't go for it.' And now they're doing it." | Marion "Suge" Knight is a former football player .
Stories proliferate of him using intimidation in business .
He once told a reporter that he got "results" |
199,363 | 8e14196bdc9b9634d5753a83ea5567eb8653c7d2 | (CNN) -- Dax Shepard, who stars in the agreeably shaggy romance/chase movie/Tarantino knockoff "Hit & Run," has a talent for playing sleazy-smart deceivers who have somehow held on to their innocence. In "Hit & Run," which he wrote and codirected (with David Palmer), he plays a retired crook named Charlie Bronson (a fake name chosen when the character ditched L.A. to enter Witness Protection). Squirreled away in a pastoral small town, Charlie got involved with Annie (Kristen Bell), a college professor who adores him — but is also terrified by the fact that she knows next to nothing about him. Looking at Shepard, who has the lopsided grin of a happy-talk used-car salesman, offset by very serious eyes that perpetually study whomever he's babbling to, we know just how she feels. When Annie lands a job interview, Charlie agrees to drive her to L.A. in his souped-up, death-black 1967 Lincoln Continental, a road odyssey that lures out all the colorful underworld vermin who've been waiting for him to emerge from the woodwork. "Hit & Run" is filled with pop-up-book hooligans who can't stop talking: Bradley Cooper (underacting nicely) as a dreadlocked sociopath, Tom Arnold (overacting loudly) as a gay U.S. marshal so closeted he's about to explode. The dialogue veers into digressions about ADHD, the cruddiness of mainstream dog food, and much else. That these asides prove more fun than the central action is what gives "Hit & Run" its flavor: tasty at times, even if the film evaporates as you watch it. Grade: B . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "Hit and Run" stars real life couple Dax Shephard and Kristen Bell .
The film is filled with pop-up-book hooligans who can't stop talking .
EW gives the film a "B" |
187,869 | 7f47adc134abc6c04b5e1c19b68a11ac5e62dda2 | (EW.com) -- The Mayans were wrong about the end of the world, and it looks like robot Armageddon is on hold, too. Steven Spielberg had planned to make the film adaptation of the novel Robopocalypse with Anne Hathaway this summer, with a date already set for April 24, 2014. But it looks like that's not going to happen. The project has been placed on indefinite hold. Drew Goddard, who wrote Cloverfield and penned "Cabin in the Woods" with Joss Whedon, had drafted a script for the story, in which a high-functioning artificial intelligence turns against mankind and wages all-out war to wipe us off the planet. In addition to Hathaway, who would have played an unspecified role, "The Avengers" star Chris Hemsworth was also in talks to co-star. As recently as this morning, Hathaway's reps had said the project was a go. GET MORE EW: Subscribe to the magazine for only 33¢ an issue! But Spielberg has indicated boredom with action films in some recent interviews, and though no explanation was offered for the delay, aside from a statement from Spielberg's rep that it wasn't ready and was too expensive to move forward without a polished script, the "Lincoln" filmmaker may simply not be as enamored with the brutal extinction story as he once was. DreamWorks purchased the rights to Daniel H. Wilson's novel well before it was published in June 2011. It was originally set to be ready for this July, but last may 20th Century Fox (which is co-financing the film with DreamWorks, and Disney's Touchstone distributing) announced it would be pushed to April 2014. Now ...? It's a question of when the robot revolution will take place, but if. For sci-fi fans, that's not a good thing. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Spielberg had planned to make the film adaptation of the novel Robopocalypse .
Drew Goddard, who penned "Cabin in the Woods" with Joss Whedon, had drafted a script for the story .
Anne Hathaway had been set to star. |
70,991 | c948256a8eda52f9425462b0308fa97d4b404b41 | By . Claire Bates . Last updated at 3:33 PM on 7th November 2011 . A leading cancer specialist hospital is in crisis after staff made four major patient blunders in just six weeks. Surgical items were left inside two patients, while a third case involved 'wrong site surgery' - where surgeons operated via an incorrect route into the body. In a fourth error the wrong implant was fitted inside a patient. Addenbrooke's Hospital: Four patients suffered due to staff blunders over the last six weeks. However none has come to 'permanent harm' The multiple blunders at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridgeshire are known as 'never' events in the NHS because they are never supposed to happen. A Cambridge University Hospitals . spokesman said: 'We deeply regret these incidents and have apologised to . the four patients. Fortunately none of them came to any permanent harm. The Cambridge hospital has 1,000 beds and 7,000 staff. Between 2010 and 2011 there were 458,141 visits to outpatients and 115,844 day cases. The hospital admitted 67,787 patients and dealt with 93,523 cases in A&E. The hospital has an income of £577m and 33 operating theatres. There are five intensive care units and 40 wards. 'This hospital has one of the best . records in the NHS for patient safety - but we are investigating and . will learn from these events. 'We have already taken action to minimise the risk of them happening again.' The spokesman added that no more information would be given due to patient confidentiality. The medical director Dr Jag Ahluwalia . sent an email to staff reminding them that the standard of patient . safety should be '100 per cent.' NHS chiefs will be holding an urgent meeting in the next few days to discuss why the events took place and how to prevent them happening in the future. Peter Walsh from Action Against Medical Accidents, said: 'They aren't called 'never events' for nothing. There are basic safety checks in place to avoid this type of thing. There can be no excuse.' Diane Abbott MP, the Shadow Public Health Minister, said: 'Andrew Lansley is so out of touch, he’s oblivious to the damage being done to the hospitals in his own constituency, let alone the rest of the country. 'They have boasted about increasing NHS spending when in fact they have cut it in real terms.' Addenbrooke's is an internationally renowned teaching hospital and is a leader in both neurological care and liver and bone marrow transplants. The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute is based within the hospital complex. | Other errors include wrong implant fitted and 'wrong site surgery'
The mistakes were 'never events' - as the NHS classes them as basic errors that should never take place . |
3,518 | 0a2cd8e99fec7ceafa5b3a9b92bc90966b9ed29e | By . Louise Boyle . Father-of-six Eric Garner, 43, died on Thursday after being put in a chokehold by police and pinned to the ground on Staten Island . A father-of-six died on Thursday after being put in a chokehold by an NYPD officer. Eric Garner, a 43-year-old who weighed 400lb and suffered from asthma, can be heard repeatedly shouting: 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe' in cellphone footage captured by outraged bystanders. Mr Garner was also pinned to the ground by five other cops, one of whom appeared to slam his head into the concrete. The man, whom officers claimed was illegally selling cigarettes in Staten Island, stopped struggling after less than a minute and appeared to be unconscious. Paramedics were called to the scene outside a beauty supply store in Tompkinsville around 5pm. Mr Garner later died at Richmond University Medical Center following a cardiac arrest. Mr Garner leaves his wife Esaw, six children and two grandchildren. His wife told the Daily News: 'When I kissed my husband this morning, I never thought it would be for the last time.' She said that police gave her little information when she went to hospital to identify her husband's body. Mr Garner allegedly had a history of selling untaxed cigarettes, the Daily News reported. But the deceased's family claimed the . 43-year-old father was simply breaking up a fight on Thursday and had no cigarettes . on him at the time. Scroll down for video . Mr Garner, 43, pictured with an unidentified woman, was trying to break up a fight on Thursday when police arrested him, his family said. Mr Garner later died in hospital following a cardiac arrest . The father-of-six was not armed, according to reports. Garner had a court date scheduled in October for selling untaxed cigarettes and pot possession. His . wife said that he had a history of ill health, including asthma and . diabetes, which made it difficult for him to hold down a job. On a video, obtained by the New York Daily News, Mr Garner is seen sitting outside a store when he is approached by plainclothes officers. Mr Garner can be heard telling the cops: 'Every time you seem me you want to mess with me. I'm tired of it. It stops today.' More officers arrive and when Mr Garner refuses to put his hands behind his back to be cuffed, an officer grabs him from behind in a chokehold. Several other officers then wrestle the man to the ground before one appears to pin his head to the concrete. After repeatedly telling the officers 'I can't breathe', Mr Garner goes quiet and stops struggling. Police are seen on the cellphone footage trying to move bystanders away from the scene. Confrontation: Eric Garner was stopped by police on this sidewalk . Residents reacted with fury following Mr Garner's death. After the incident, posters saying 'no justice, no peace' 'and Another innocent black man has been killed by police brutality. The NYPD must be stopped!' appeared in the area. Reverend Lloyd Land, from the First United Christian Church, told Staten Island Live: 'He was a gentle giant. Insofar as violence, I don't believe if you smack him in the face he would hit you back ... The police have no reason to attack him.' An NYPD internal affairs investigation was reportedly underway. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio promised a full investigation into Mr Garner's death. In a statement on Friday, the mayor said: 'On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mr Garner, who died yesterday afternoon while being placed in police custody. 'We have a responsibility to keep every New Yorker safe, and that includes when individuals are in custody of the NYPD. That is a responsibility that Police Commissioner Bratton and I take very seriously. We are harnessing all resources available to the City to ensure a full and thorough investigation of the circumstances of this tragic incident. 'The NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is working closely with the Office of the Richmond County District Attorney, which is leading this investigation.' | Eric Garner, a 43-year-old who weighed 400lb and suffered from asthma, can be heard shouting 'I can't breathe' on cellphone footage .
Moments after officers pin him to the ground, Mr Garner, from Staten Island, appears to be unconscious .
He was taken to Richmond Medical Center where he died following a cardiac arrest. He leaves a wife, six children and two grandchildren .
Mayor de Blasio promised a full investigation into Mr Garner's death . |
11,906 | 21c7aadd91dc91f1e2210b6aebc295604ff80038 | (CNN) -- Human remains have been found on the wrecked Costa Concordia, possibly answering what happened to the last two missing people from the cruise liner that struck rocks off Italy's Giglio Island in 2012, a spokesman for the head of Italy's civil protection agency said Thursday. Divers will try to recover the remains, which were found on deck 4, on Thursday afternoon, the spokesman said. The discovery comes a week after engineers finally righted the ship, which capsized when it hit rocks in the Tyrrhenian Sea in January 2012, killing 32 of the 4,200 people on board. The toll of 32 includes the two people who were missing but presumed dead: Russel Rebello of India and Maria Grazia Trecarichi of Sicily. Their bodies were long believed to be either trapped beneath or inside the ship. Tragedy transforms island paradise . Rebello, 33, was a cruise waiter who was last seen helping passengers off the ship. Trecarichi was on the cruise to celebrate her 50th birthday with her 17-year-old daughter, who survived. Authorities say the ship struck the rocks off Giglio Island after the captain, Francesco Schettino, ordered the liner to veer more than four miles off course to salute a former sea captain who had retired on Giglio. How the ship was raised . Schettino faces charges of manslaughter, causing a maritime disaster and abandoning ship with passengers still on board. His trial, which began with preliminary hearings in March, resumed Monday in Grosseto. Schettino argues that he is a hero who saved the lives of more than 4,000 people, not a villain whose negligence led to the deaths of 32. His defense is trying to prove, among other things, that the ship's watertight doors did not function properly, and that is the reason the ship sank, leading to all 32 deaths during evacuation. Engineers rotated the ship back to vertical last week after it rested 20 months on its side. The unprecedented maneuver, called parbuckling, exposed a twisted mass of metal dotted with mattresses, passenger luggage and deck chairs on the ship's previously submerged starboard side. With the Costa Concordia now upright, judges on Wednesday agreed to Schettino's request for a new examination of the ship. He also wants to walk the judges through the command bridge in a re-creation of the night of the crash. Inside a wrecked cruise ship . Schettino also has told the court that the ship would not have crashed had his helmsman executed his instructions. According to recordings from the ship's bridge from the vessel's black box, Schettino directed the helmsman to turn "hard to starboard" in English, but the helmsman can be heard asking "hard to port?" The helmsman then turned the ship right instead of left just 13 seconds before it hit the rocks. A maritime expert has testified that those 13 seconds made no difference, saying it takes longer than that to change a ship's course. But Schettino told the court that if the helmsman "had not turned the wheel the wrong way, we would have avoided hitting the rocks." The trial is expected to last through the fall with a string of witnesses, including passengers, crew members and islanders, who say they saw the captain on shore looking for dry socks before all the passengers had been safely evacuated. The helmsman, Jacob Rusli Bin, and four others were convicted in a plea deal in July for their role in the disaster. A Florence court is considering the validity of those plea bargain agreements. After salvage, island celebrations and relief . | Of 32 declared dead in Costa Concordia wreck, two bodies have yet to be recovered .
Divers will try to recover the unidentified remains Thursday afternoon, agency says .
Costa Concordia struck rocks off Italy's Giglio Island in January 2012 .
Engineers rotated the ship back to vertical this month . |
257,732 | d98777e5f9c4b60dc84e36801b677d8445ef8ac0 | (CNN) -- Maybe you had one as a kid, or knew someone who did. It's the iconic little red wagon with the Radio Flyer logo. Radio Flyer is developing a prototype of a wagon with digital controls and an MP3 player dock. If so, you might not recognize the newest product dreamed up by the brain trust at Radio Flyer's Chicago, Illinois, headquarters. This wagon, called the Cloud 9, is equipped with enough high-tech bells and whistles to make the family minivan jealous. "We approached this product much like an automotive company might with a concept car," said Mark Johnson, Radio Flyer's product development manager. Outfitted with 5-point safety harnesses, padded seats, cup holders, foot brakes and fold-out storage containers, the sleek, curved Cloud 9 has every family covered for a ride through the park. But that's just for starters. There's a digital handle that tracks temperature, time, distance and speed -- just in case energetic parents want to track their split times around the playground. And there's a slot for an MP3 player, complete with speakers, for some cruising tunes. That's right: The little red wagon has gone 2.0. "Music is such an important part of kids' and families' lives, we thought it would be great to have a speaker system built in the wagon," said Tom Schlegel, vice president of product development. The Cloud 9 is still a prototype, but it wasn't developed on a whim. The company did extensive market research beforehand, then tested it out on the real experts at home. "We sit down [and] observe how moms and kids are using our products," said Schlegel. "That's where our new ideas come from." To develop those ideas, Radio Flyer's designers are using state-of-the art technology. They use Wacom Cintiq graphic tablets, allowing them to draw directly onto digital renderings of new products. And Radio Flyer also has its own in-house computer numerical control, or CNC, machines that create prototypes right on site. Radio Flyer's blend of cutting-edge design and old-fashioned products appears to be a successful recipe. In an economy where businesses and families alike are tightening their belts, the company is still going strong. "Radio Flyer survived the Great Depression, and this year has been a difficult year for a lot of companies," Schlegel says, "But Radio Flyer is actually growing this year. We're actually looking for engineers and designers in our product development group to keep up with the growth of the company." That's quite a testament for a company nearly 90 years old. Theirs is an American success story that started when Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin started building wooden toy wagons in 1917. He had limited success but was encouraged enough to start the Liberty Coaster Company in 1923. The company changed names seven years later, becoming Radio Steel & Manufacturing. The world was introduced that same year to the first steel wagon, called the Radio Flyer. Since then, Radio Flyer has become perhaps the world's most famous maker of wagons, tricycles and other toys. The company's best-known product even inspired a 1992 movie, "Radio Flyer," about a boy who imagines converting his red wagon into a flying machine to help his little brother flee an abusive stepdad. Whether you grew up on Rock-'em Sock-'em Robots or Xbox, the little red wagon has remained a mainstay of child's play. It's certainly evolved over the years, though -- the rusty metal has been replaced with plastic. But the spirit of Radio Flyer, which conjures memories of a simpler time, remains intact. "One of the most important things about Radio Flyer products is that they really help [keep kids active outdoors]," Schlegel said. "So when we're designing our products, we're really looking at how can we get kids outside and playing, away from the video games and TV screens and computer screens." CNN.com's Brandon Griggs contributed to this story. | Radio Flyer, maker of the classic red toy wagon, is creating a high-tech new product .
The Cloud 9 wagon has digital controls, speakers and a dock for an MP3 player .
The wagon is still a prototype, developed after extensive market research .
Radio Flyer's founder began building wooden toy wagons in 1917 . |
156,522 | 565a096e3f5f425030e9ae5b0f41c823f6442974 | By . Emma Glanfield . Three people were left bloodied and bruised after being hit in the face by flying golf balls in separate incidents on the first day of The Open – with one unlucky marshal being hit twice within the space of an hour. One spectator - a man believed to be in his 60s – had to be taken to hospital after apparently being left injured and covered in blood when a shot by Ernie Els struck him in the face. It came just a short time before a similar incident involving triple Open champion Tiger Woods, whose shot on the 17th hole was caught on camera smacking a course marshal in the face. Scroll down for video . Footage emerged of a shot by Tiger Woods (above) apparently hitting a marshal at Royal Liverpool in the face . A Tiger Woods shot on the 17th hole appeared to hit a marshal in the face as he stood patrolling the course . Video footage appeared to show the course marshal (right) being hit in the face by the flying golf ball . And, in further calamity, another course marshal was hit twice by flying golf balls as he patrolled the 16th hole. He . was left lying on the ground after a shot by Rickie Fowler hit his leg . and, after getting up, he was struck again within 45 minutes by a shot . from Charl Schwartzel. All of the incidents occurred yesterday on the opening day of the golf championships at Royal Liverpool in Merseyside. South . African double Open champion Els, who later took to Twitter to . apologise for his shot, said his ball would have hit the spectator ‘like . a bullet’. It was the first shot of the tournament for 44-year-old Els and veered to the left into the crowd of fans. In . the aftermath of the incident, he said: ‘It's obviously a dangerous . shot and I hit the guy, who was probably in his 60s, right in the face . and there was blood everywhere. ‘I . felt pretty bad about it. I probably should have told the starter to . move the people left on the left side, but I didn't do that. Ernie Els (pictured above at The Open yesterday) offered championship tickets to the spectator who was struck in the face by one of his shots on the first day of the tournament. It came just before a shot by triple Open champion Tiger Woods (right) was caught on camera hitting a course marshal in the head on the 16th . South African double Open champion Els took to Twitter to offer the spectator struck by his shot free tickets . ‘I really felt bad hitting it there into the people and hurting the guy the way I did. ‘It was right in the face and you think the worst. It was like a bullet coming at him so he must have been in total shock. ‘Hopefully he's better now, but it wasn't very nice.’ Els’ opponent, Bubba Watson, who also witnessed the incident, described it as ‘heart-breaking’. He said: ‘You could tell Ernie was shaken up by it. When you hit somebody like that it's not a good scene and it's very heart-breaking.’ The man was taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries, and reportedly received a couple of stitches, but was otherwise said to make a full recovery. Els later took to Twitter to apologise for the incident and said he had sorted some tickets for the spectator so he could return to The Open over the weekend. He wrote: ‘Really tough day today. Just spoke to the gentleman I hit on the 1st and happily he’s fine. Got him some tickets @The_Open this weekend.’ Woods’ shot on the 17th hole came after he shouted ‘Jesus Christ’ at some photographers for supposedly taking pictures of him at the wrong time as he tee’d off. A shot by Rickie Fowler on the 16th hole yesterday (above) hit marshal Bill Davies in the leg . His shot was caught on camera and footage showed the ball hitting a course marshal in the face, knocking him sideways. He is not thought to have been badly injured and is believed to have continued with his work on the course today. His fellow marshal Bill Davies, who is the president of the Vicars Cross Golf Club in Chester, also felt the blow of being hit by a golf ball at speed. He was marshalling the 16th hole on the course, when he was hit on both the leg and shoulder in two unlucky incidents. ‘I wasn't too bad, but having two detonating things happen to you within three quarters of hour, then you start worrying,’ he told BBC Radio 5 live. ‘Rickie was more interested first thing in the ball when I was lying on the floor. Anyway, he was very good about it; he said “I'm sorry”. ‘People came up to me and asked if I can get three and I replied: “You must be joking!”’ Both Fowler and Schwartzel apologised to Mr Davies for the incidents and each gave him a signed ball. All three men were thought to have escaped without serious injuries. The R&A was unable to confirm the extent of their injuries, but said none had been seriously injured and the spectator had only suffered minor injuries. A spokesman added: 'We take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of spectators at The Open Championship. 'It is relatively rare for spectators or marshals to be struck by golf balls. 'Given the nature of any golf event, we would always recommend caution when in the vicinity of play.' | One spectator and two course marshals all struck by golf balls at The Open .
Shots were by Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Rickie Fowler and Charl Schwartzel .
All incidents occurred on the first day of championships at Royal Liverpool . |
37,744 | 6adfa77247c8e84bd27e975f3ee36fea880ee48d | Baghdad (CNN) -- A Kurdish student shot and killed his American teacher at a Christian school in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya, then turned the gun on himself, the local mayor said Thursday. Witnesses reported that the student and teacher had argued a few minutes before the shooting, Sulaimaniya Mayor Zana Mohammed Saleh told CNN. He said an investigation was still under way, but the attack did not appear to have any political motivation. Sulaimaniya is in Iraq's autonomous and relatively secure Kurdish region. In Baghdad, the U.S. Embassy said the American consulate in Erbil was trying to confirm the details and the identity of the victim. The shooting occurred at a campus of the Classical School of the Medes, a private, Christian, English-based network of schools operating in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Saleh said that after the student and teacher had argued, the student pulled a pistol and shot the teacher. Then he started screaming and shot himself, dying a few hours later at a local hospital. "This is not a religious or political motivation behind this shooting. It's just another criminal incident," the mayor said. "However, the investigation is still ongoing." | The killing took place at a Christian school in northern Iraq .
The student fatally shot himself after killing the teacher, mayor says .
The U.S. Embassy says it's trying to confirm the identity of the victim . |
83,120 | ebad440abe632c1e5ba6c685278f2ddc2974d19b | British officials "are close" to identifying the ISIS militant who beheaded American journalist James Foley, according to Britain's ambassador to the United States, Peter Westmacott. Westmacott told CNN's Candy Crowley on Sunday he couldn't elaborate on the identity of the killer, who is seen decapitating Foley in a video posted last week on YouTube. "We're putting a great deal into the search," he said, referring to the use of sophisticated technology to analyze the man's voice. In the video, Foley, 40, is seen kneeling next to a man dressed in black, who speaks with what experts say is a distinctly English accent. Linguists said that based on his voice, the man sounds to be younger than 30. He also appears to have been educated in England from a young age and to be from southern England or London. Voice, words may provide clues about Foley's killer . The video shows another U.S. journalist, identified as Steven Sotloff, being held by ISIS. The militant warned that Sotloff's fate depends on what President Barack Obama does next in Iraq. A day after the video was posted, Obama vowed the United States will be "relentless" in striking back against ISIS. Airstrikes continued to hit ISIS targets near Irbil and the Mosul Dam on Sunday, U.S. Central Command said in a news release. The majority of the strikes have been in support of Iraqi forces near the dam, which briefly fell under ISIS control. Mourners pack Foley's hometown church . Meanwhile Sunday, hundreds of mourners crammed into Foley's hometown church in New Hampshire to attend his memorial Mass. "This moment in our lives is international in scope; crossing all boundaries, yet very personal," Bishop Peter A. Libasci said. "[We are] bound together by a deep sense of human compassion and heartfelt remorse." Foley's parents, who received a standing ovation, asked for privacy and thanked mourners for their support. Foley disappeared on November 22, 2012, in northwest Syria, near the border with Turkey. He was reportedly forced into a vehicle by gunmen; he was not heard from again. At the time of his disappearance, he was working as a freelancer for the U.S.-based online news outlet GlobalPost. His family released a letter Sunday said to be written in June by Foley. Because his letters were confiscated in captivity, Foley's family said he asked another hostage set to be released to commit the letter to memory. In the letter, Foley reflects on favorite family memories -- a trip to the mall with his father, a bike ride with his mom -- and gives details of his time in captivity. Comfort from others being held . "Eighteen of us have been held together in one cell, which has helped me. We have had each other to have endless long conversations about movies, trivia, sports," Foley wrote, describing makeshift games of checkers, chess and Risk. "The games and teaching each other have helped the time pass. They have been a huge help." He had specific messages of love for his brothers and sister, and to his grandmother he told her, "please take your medicine, take walks and keep dancing." By the time he wrote the letter, he had already been held captive for a year and half, and seemed to waver between remaining hopeful for his release, while also resigned to his fate. While addressing his brothers and sister, he gives specific wishes on who his money should go to and thanks them for "happy childhood memories." But he closes the letter by addressing his "Grammy." "Stay strong," he told her, "because I am going to need your help to reclaim my life." The following month, over the July 4 weekend, U.S. special operations units were sent into Syria to rescue Foley and other hostages held by Islamist militants, a U.S. official told CNN. Several dozen of the most elite U.S. commandos from Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team 6 flew in on helicopters but couldn't find the hostages, including Foley. His captors recently sent an e-mail to his family threatening his death -- a message Philip Balboni, the CEO of GlobalPost, described as "vitriolic and filled with rage against the United States." Foley's captors demanded 100 million euros ($132.5 million) in exchange for his release, Balboni told CNN last week. | Foley family releases letter written by the journalist while in captivity in June .
British ambassador says voice identification technology is being used to ID killer .
A video posted online shows the militant beheading James Foley .
The militant speaks with what experts describe as an English accent . |
87,458 | f82088a6e40cebc521019d68f5624c1c7411ba78 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Campaigners in London planned to petition the British government Friday for a posthumous pardon for the hundreds of people executed for witchcraft between the 16th and 18th centuries. Witchcraft has not been punishable by death for nearly 300 years. They said Halloween is a good time to highlight the "grave miscarriage of justice" suffered by the men and women falsely accused of being witches. Their petition asks Justice Minister Jack Straw to recommend that Queen Elizabeth II issue a pardon. "We felt that it was time that the sinister associations held by a minority of people regarding witches and Halloween were tackled head-on," said Emma Angel, head of Angels, a large costume supplier in London. "We were gobsmacked to discover that though the law was changed hundreds of years ago and society had moved on, the victims were never officially pardoned." Angels launched a Web site, pardonthewitches.com, to solicit signatures for their petition. They had between 150 and 200 by Friday morning, Angels spokesman Benjamin Webb said, but they hoped Halloween publicity would generate more. Around 400 people were executed in England and some 4,000 in Scotland for alleged witchcraft, campaigners say. The Witchcraft Act of 1735 put an end to trials of accused witches, but many still faced persecution and jail for other crimes such as fraud. "It shifted from a spiritual thing to more of a criminal thing," Webb said, but "it didn't pardon those people who'd suffered before." The campaigners worked with witchcraft historian John Callow to detail eight cases they hope will persuade the government to act. They include the case of Ursula Kemp, a woman who offered cures in Essex, England in the 1500s. The uneven results of her work prompted accusations of witchcraft and she was hanged in 1582. A century later, Mary Trembles and Susanna Edwards were begging for food in Exeter, England, when a local woman blamed one of them for an illness and they were jailed. A jail visitor noticed Edwards' shaky hands and suggested she was "tormenting someone." It started a string of rumors that resulted in an accusation of witchcraft, and the women were executed in 1682. In 1645, clergyman John Lowes was regarded as too attached to Catholicism in a strongly Reformed area. He had already defended himself once against witchcraft when he came to the attention of a notorious zealot named Matthew Hopkins. Hopkins made Lowes walk for days and nights until he was unable to resistconfessing to being a witch. Lowes was hanged in Bury St. Edmunds, England, after conducting his own funeral. "Today we are well aware that these individuals were neither capable of harmful magic nor in league with the devil," Callow said. He said the endemic poverty of the 16th to 18th centuries put pressure on leaders and the judiciary to blame someone for society's problems -- so they decided to blame witches. "A lot of these cases were score-settling in local communities," Webb said, adding many cases of alleged witchcraft weren't even reported. "The notion that people could suspend their disbelief and believe that women were talking to toads -- just horrible times. Horrible times." In 2004, one Scottish town managed to get a pardon for the 81 accused witches that had been put to death there. The independent baron court in Prestonpans, near Edinburgh, pardoned them before the court was officially disbanded in November of that year. In its ruling, the court pardoned both the accused witches and their cats who, it said, were executed for "conjuration or sorcery." It said their convictions were based on insufficient evidence that often relied on "voices" or the actions of "spirits" to attest to their guilt. A separate group petitioned the Scottish parliament last month, asking for pardons for each of the 4,000 witches who were put to death across the nation. Ewan Irvine, a medium with Full Moon Investigations, acknowledged it's unlikely they will get a pardon for every accused witch, so the group is going ahead with a private memorial in Scotland instead. "It would be an apology to all those accused," said Irvine, whose group investigates the paranormal. Webb said while few people today may believe those men and women deserved execution, their stories still generate suspicion and stigma. That extends to modern-day criticism of children dressing as witches at Halloween with the idea that it's evil or connected to the devil, he said. "Witches were not emissaries of Satan," Webb said. "They were in fact persecuted women and men who deserve a pardon." A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice would not comment on the case but said the granting of such a pardon is extremely rare. "To receive a royal pardon, the test is a high one," the spokesman said. "Evidence must prove conclusively that no offense was committed or that the applicant did not commit the offense. It is not enough that the conviction may be unsafe -- the applicant must be technically and morally innocent." Accused witches were also tried and put to death in the famous Salem witch trials in the U.S. state of Massachusetts in the late 1600s, but all were later pardoned, said Alison D'Amario, director of education at the Salem Witch Museum. The names of 14 were cleared in 1711 after their families applied to the government, D'Amario said. Gov. Foster Furcolo cleared one name in 1957, and then-Gov. Jane Swift cleared the remaining five in 2001, she said. "Their names are now on a list that makes it seem as though they were innocent, which they surely were," D'Amario said. | Petition seeks pardon for UK witches hundreds of years after their deaths .
Around 400 people were executed in England for alleged witchcraft .
The Witchcraft Act of 1735 put an end to trials of accused witches .
In 2004 one Scottish town managed to get a pardon for 81 accused witches . |
99,082 | 0ba1dfe8ee4bed165a8261f30e61b963e1390dd5 | (CNN) -- He left it late but Sergio Garcia finally won his first tournament of the year. The Spaniard beat the world's hottest golfer, Henrik Stenson, to claim the Thailand Golf Championship on Sunday. Struggling in the past to close out events, this time Garcia protected his overnight advantage and downed the Swede by four shots at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi. The secret to his success? Maybe it was his girlfriend, Katharina, acting as his caddy. "It was great, an amazing week ... obviously being the last week of the year and for having Katharina caddie for me," Garcia told the Asian Tour's website. "I knew Henrik was going to make it difficult for me. He's been playing so amazingly great, and he did. He kept hitting good shot after good shot." But Garcia wouldn't be caught. He carded a four-under-par 68 in the final round and ended at 22-under overall. Stenson, the Race to Dubai and FedExCup champion, admitted he was running on "fumes" after a tiring season. "I've had a great year but coming here really on the fumes left in the tank, not too much going for me to perform in that sense," Stenson said. "But I played really nicely yesterday and I was hanging in there today. I was just coming up a couple short." France's Alexander Levy completed the top three, with U.S. Open champion Justin Rose tying for fourth. | Spaniard Sergio Garcia wins the Thailand Golf Championship by four shots .
A tired Henrik Stenson finishes second, ahead of France's Alexander Levy .
Garcia hadn't won a tournament since his visit to Malaysia last December .
Garcia's girlfriend Katharina caddied for him this week in Thailand . |
269,245 | e8c612f6e7445d7bb1159dda4d63b31e9436d413 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 08:42 EST, 8 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:14 EST, 8 February 2013 . A cheeky couple were reportedly caught 'having sex' after they were snapped with their underwear around their ankles in a French changing room when Google photographers visited the store. The amusing photo went viral after it was posted on the internet by Google Store View, a new feature which allows customers a virtual tour of a businesses. But now it appears that the snap was set up as a stunt by Krakatoa Ski Shop, a store in the French ski resort of Briançon. Scroll down for video . Amusing: Google snapped a couple 'having sex' in French changing room, but now there is speculation it was a stunt . Cover up: The legs have now being blurred out in the photo on Google . On closer inspection a 360 view of the shop reveals there are several other amusing scenes unfolding in the store. Staged scenes include a skier being pulled along outside by a cyclist and a man falling over his ski equipment. There is also a pair using a shopping trolley as a form of transport whizzing past in the outside car park and a man riding his BMX down a staircase. As users take a tour of the shop there are several other set-ups which have been staged, ready for potential customers to discover. The cheeky image of the pair has now been blurred out. Closer inspection: A 360 view of the store shows some amusing images - including a pair doing a strange stunt with a supermarket trolley in the car park outside . Normal day at work: Amusing staged scenarios include a skier being pulled along outside by a cyclist . Take a look around: A 360 view of Krakatoa Ski Shop in Briancon - notice the man who has fallen over his ski equipment . No time to explore? MailOnline guide to where the ski figures are hidden . | Photo snapped at adventure sports store in French ski resort of Briançon .
Photo went viral this week, but it appears to be a prank . |
83,675 | ed5d4166f123588d9018fdd4bfe1f4afff7384e4 | By . Leon Watson . Last updated at 2:38 PM on 9th January 2012 . A cargo ship grounded off the New Zealand coast since October has split in two, spilling sea containers and debris and sparking fears of a fresh oil spill, maritime officials said. The wreck of the Greek-owned Rena was described as New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster even before the rear section of the ship, lashed by pounding seas, broke away yesterday. The ship previously spilled heavy fuel oil that fouled pristine North Island beaches and killed up to 20,000 seabirds, and despite salvage efforts nearly 400 tons of oil remain onboard. Scroll down for video... Split in two: The wreck of the Greek-owned Rena was described as New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster even before the rear section of the ship broke away . The stranded cargo ship Rena after its hull split into two, caused by heavy swells, wind and rain off New Zealand . Maritime officials said the front section of the wreck remains stuck in its original position, but the stern section slipped at least 100ft away from the bow and is 'moving significantly,' pounded by 19ft swells. The storm that split the vessel will continue for another three to four days, Maritime New Zealand spokesman Ross Henderson said. Officials said up to 300 of the roughly 880 containers that had been on board were lost when the ship broke apart. Of those, about 30 per cent had been fitted with monitoring devices and some 30 containers had already been located. The storm that split the vessel will continue for another three to four days, Maritime New Zealand spokesman Ross Henderson said . Environment Minister Nick Smith said there is roughly 385 tons of oil still aboard the ship . Oil has been seen leaking from the . broken ship. Alex van Wijngaarden, on-scene commander for the national . response team, said oil from the vessel could come ashore last night. 'While . reports at this stage indicate there has not been a significant release . of oil, with the Rena in its current fragile state, a further release . is likely,' he said. 'While . it is unknown at this stage exactly how much oil may be released, teams . have been mobilized and will be ready to respond to anything that may . come ashore.' Afternoon stroll: Hundreds of bags of powdered milk have washed up on shore following the splitting in two of the wrecked cargo ship Rena . Clean up operation: Volunteers have been helping clear up Waihi Beach . Optimistic: But for some the washed up bags have provided plenty of enjoyment . Beached: Visitors point at a washed up container, as firemen walk alongside other debris on Waihi Beach . Environment Minister Nick Smith said that the 'risks for the environment are a fraction of what they were in October,' though the roughly 385 tons of oil still aboard the ship is about the same amount that leaked from the vessel soon after it ran aground. Salvage crews previously removed 1,100 tons of oil from the ship. Most of the oil is in tanks in the stern section, which could end up sinking. Some of that oil could end up dissipating in the ocean rather than washing up on beaches. The containers, meanwhile, spilled goods including timber, wool, bales of recycled plastic and bags of milk powder. The debris could begin washing ashore later Sunday. Some containers have been sighted floating up to 20 miles northwest of the stricken ship, Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said. 'They have been caught in a strong coastal current' fueled by the storm, he said. The Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef 14 miles from Tauranga Harbour on North Island on October 5. Salvage crews have plucked 389 of the ship's 1,370 loaded cargo containers from its decks since it ran aground, while some 98 have been washed over board in the past three months. One eyewitness, Warwick Roberts, said the rear section was sliding along the reef. The 'stern has reared up and center section is not visible. Large breaking waves observed on bow,' he said. Clean up: Soldiers worked to clear away the oil spill from the beach in Taurange, New Zealand, as environmentalists warned of a potential wildlife disaster . Removal: Bulldozers and diggers have been drafted on to Waihi beach to take away the shipping containers . In trouble: Rescuers have been unable to properly reach the ship due to the severe structural damage it has suffered . Destruction: Washed up container roll slowly up to the beach . Investigators were unable to explain how the vessel managed to perch itself on a New Zealand reef before the split . A two-mile no-go zone is in force around the wreck. Investigations last month revealed that Australian authorities impounded the vessel, but released it the next day after Liberian maritime authorities intervened, essentially saying the ship was safe to sail and the problems could be fixed later. The Rena, like many ships, is registered in Liberia. Some 10 weeks later, the Rena ran full-steam into a well-marked reef off the coast of New Zealand. It's not clear whether the previously identified problems played any role. The captain and Rena's navigating officer face criminal charges of operating a ship in a dangerous or risky manner, polluting the environment and altering the ship's documents after the crash. Other items from the containers washed up in Tauranga, New Zealand included these deer skins . Rescuers have been trying to get near the vessel to transfer away the ship's oil since October . | Greek-owned Rena has been grounded since October .
Ship previously spilled oil that killed 20,000 seabirds . |
171,083 | 696ec7e6d206e689c9e9c0018666128061b7250a | Britain has seen a sharp rise in the number of people requesting food handouts as 'ordinary' working people and families fall on hard times. In the past year alone FareShare, which redistributes . surplus food from major manufacturers and supermarkets to social care . charities, has seen a 20 per cent rise in the number of people who can't afford to feed themselves - from 29,000 per day to 35,000 per day. Food donations are ordinarily taken up . by the homeless and destitute, but now FareShare and similar . organisations are seeing families and working people who have lost jobs . benefiting from the service. On the rise: Ordinary working people and families who have fallen on hard times are increasingly relying on free food handouts, says charity FareShare . 'We're seeing a big increase in what you could call, for want of a . better phrase, normal working people, those who have lost their jobs or . seen their own businesses go under,' Jeremy Ravn, manager of the . food bank network told The Observer. 'The big problem is that the welfare state is not . reacting fast enough to need.' The time it takes for benefits payments to come through after a claim has been accepted is increasing, Mr Ravn added, resulting in people going hungry. However, a spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions denied there had been any changes to the system that would result in the increase. Hunger: Unemployment, redundancy and the time it takes for benefits payments to come through are all being blamed for the rise in demand of food handouts . The food that is distributed by FareShare would . ordinarily go to landfill because it is out of date or is not fit for . sale due to things like errors on packaging. An estimated three million tonnes of . food like this ends up being thrown away in Britain every year of which FareShare takes around 1 per cent. But a third of the charities surveyed by FareShare are also . facing Government funding cuts, with 65 per cent of these charities . slashing food budgets to stay afloat. Another problem: A third of the charities surveyed by FareShare are also facing Government funding cuts, with 65 per cent slashing food budgets to stay afloat . Lindsay Boswell, chief executive of . FareShare, said: 'At a time of unprecedented demand we want the food . industry and the general public to increase their support.' 'We're asking anyone who works in the . food industry in any capacity to look at what is happening to their . surplus food and to ask themselves a simple question: "Could this food . stop someone going hungry?"' | Number of Britons who can't afford food jumps from 29,000 per day to 35,000 .
'Welfare state not reacting fast enough' |
243,053 | c692f1a7f87ecc6c0d0ebe7b3fdd09989c154cc1 | Kampala, Uganda (CNN) -- The leader of Uganda's main opposition party was taken to a hospital in Kampala on Thursday after being shot in the hand, apparently by a rubber bullet allegedly fired by a member of the military police during a protest march. "We met all of a sudden a blockade of the military police," Kizza Besigye told NTV Uganda after the shooting, his hand wrapped in white gauze. "Maybe there were about 100 or so, all across the road and beside. And so I kept on walking towards them. It was when I was about 10 meters from them that they started charging onto us and firing all kinds of things. Just shortly after they started firing, I was hit." The demonstrations in Kampala -- Besigye's hometown -- were used by opposition parties to protest the government and recent increase in commodity and fuel prices. Thursday's incident occurred as Besigye -- the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change Uganda -- was leading hundreds of Ugandans in a march to work in the suburbs of Kampala for the second time this week. "We just ask people to walk to work two times a week, and we want to do so to show solidarity," he said. "There are already tens of thousands of people who are walking to work every day because they can no longer afford the cost of public transport." The shooting occurred when police fired tear gas and what appeared to be rubber bullets at the demonstrators -- who had surrounded Besigye in order to protect him, he said. Video from NTV showed police firing into the air and a number of people laying wounded on the ground. The British High Commission in Kampala and the U.S. Embassy condemned the arrest of Besigye that occurred during Monday's walk to work. Police released him soon after with a warning. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Uganda Police Force said the march in Kampala violated the laws governing peaceful demonstrations. "This has occasioned lawlessness in some areas of the city suburbs, which included blocking roads, throwing stones and general disruption of day to day activities," said spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba. She said that police had asked Besigye to walk alone, without being accompanied by his supporters. His insistence on including them led to a standoff that lasted for three hours, "at which time the gathered supporters became rowdy and started throwing stones and other objectives," she said. "Police officers stepped in to break up the ensuing mob action." The report that Besigye was hurt "in the ensuing scuffle" is under investigation, she said. In February, Besigye lost in an election bid to replace President Yoweri Museveni, who has led the country since a rebel group with which he was aligned seized power in 1986. Besigye, a former doctor to Museveni, lost previous presidential bids in 2001 and 2006. Journalist Tom Walsh contributed to this story. | Kizza Besigye was shot in the hand, apparently by a rubber bullet .
"Just shortly after they started firing, I was hit"
The walk was intended to highlight the fact that many cannot afford public transport .
A police spokeswoman said the march violated the law . |
176,919 | 7101de91a6263a0dcd49404497c41ef444a209cb | (CNN) -- Nearly a year ago, a big-budget film crew found itself in a most unlikely setting for a movie shoot. Filming on location in Tunisia at the outbreak of the Arab Spring, the international cast of actors and crew wound up at the center of an uprising that would eventually sweep through the region, toppling governments in its wake. Almost 12 months on from those tumultuous events, Tunisia has had its elections, and the movie -- billed as an Arab epic -- is hitting cinema screens. "Black Gold" is an ambitious production that unites Hollywood and Bollywood stars with Arab talent. The story of two tribes fighting over a stretch of desert during the oil boom of the 1930s, it's being billed as the biggest Arab movie since "Lawrence of Arabia." Its producers no doubt hope that what's captured on film will live up to the off-screen drama surrounding its creation -- and appeal to Western audiences as well as those in the Middle East. Indian actress Freida Pinto, best known for her role in smash hit "Slumdog Millionaire," plays Princess Lallah. She say she decided to stay in Tunisia when the revolution broke out shortly after filming began, partly as a gesture of solidarity with Tunisians. "I just felt that if I can just give my support to my Tunisian friends, the ones who I had spent a lot of time with for almost a month, in any possible way, this would be it," said the 27-year-old. "Just stay back and support them and tell them that, you know, things are going to be fine eventually and they just have to fight it out. "So, I stayed back and it felt great." French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim plays a prince at the center of a family battle, forced to choose between traditional values and the new world of opportunity offered by oil. Rahim says he could see a parallel between the film's theme -- the youth fighting against a repressive older order -- and the recent political upheaval. "This is destiny," he said. "We began the movie weeks before the revolution ... that's strange, the parallel between the movie and the news." Perhaps best known for his role in 2009's "A Prophet," Rahim rejects his billing as the first Arab actor to lead a Hollywood film, saying that honor belongs to "Lawrence of Arabia" star Omar Sharif, who appeared at the film's premiere. Sharif had been offered the role of the Emir Nassib, played in the film by Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, when the idea for "Black Gold" was initially floated by Tunisian film-maker Tarek Ben Amar 35 years ago. Ben Amar, the man who persuaded Hollywood directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to shoot "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" in his country, said key plot points in the film mirrored political events during the uprising. Former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled office on the same day the crew shot a scene in which Banderas' character, Nassib, "loses his empire to his son-in-law, who should be the future of that country," said the producer. "There was some interesting parallels." French director Jean-Jacques Annaud said he felt in a "cocoon" from the drama of the revolution during filming. "I remember being on the set in Hammamet and being interviewed by CNN and they said 'So, what about the revolution?' I said 'It's strange, I feel here I'm in the '30s, and outside I'm not really sure what's happening.'" Despite this, he said, the film-makers "knew that the story in the contemporary world was reflecting the problems we were talking about in the movie. "So it was very fascinating, and having all my crew, who were Tunisian, being so involved in what was happening in the cities around us, made our movie even more thoughtful and timeless." Annaud said he had wanted to make the film since he first visited the region 20 years ago and discovered a very different society from what he had been led to expect. "People didn't really understand this part of the world. They didn't understand the generosity, the hospitality," he said. "I felt very happy and I wanted to make a movie about this part of the world. And I was impatient to do it because I felt something was needed urgently." English actor Mark Strong said the role of Amar was the second or third Arab character he had played, and he hoped Arab actors would get the same opportunity to play characters from a different background. "Why shouldn't Arabs get the chance to play whoever they want, whether they are from Algeria, Qatar, whoever (wherever)?" he said. "Black Gold" premiered on the opening night of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. The film was also shot in Qatar, which provided funding for the production through the Doha Film Institute. | Drama "Black Gold" unites stars of Hollywood, Bollywood and Middle Eastern film cinema .
The story follows two tribes fighting over a stretch of desert during the 1930s oil boom .
On location, the cast found themselves filming in Tunisa at the start of the revolution . |
174,584 | 6df808b35bb068c0ce164ddaaf95f2a7ee5a860e | (CNN)In the gentle yet fiercely warm surrounds of the southern Ugandan countryside, Mwanja Banuli looks on as farmhands fill his truck with sugar cane. Packing this rough, woody crop is heavy going and making sure every inch of space is utilized is key. Transport costs money, after all, and this humble sugar farmer has lots of costs to consider. "There are many challenges in this business," Banuli says. "Rent for our land costs about $300 and then you need to pay people to clear the land. "You have to hire a tractor for ploughing and tilling the land. When you add up all these expenses, it's a big investment." Searching for Sugarman . In Uganda, sugar is big business. This particular batch is headed for Kakira Sugar Limited -- one of the country's oldest and largest factories. Kakira was founded by Muljibai Madhvani, an immigrant from the Indian subcontinent in the late 1920s. It's a company still going strong to this day. "What you see in the background is the first mill that was installed in 1930 to crush only 150 tons of cane," explains Kenneth Barungi, assistant general manager of Kakira at the site of the company's nearby factory. "(Kakira) started expanding every 10 years, every 20 years, modernizing, acquiring more land, introducing irrigation, expanding the crushing capacity. By (the 1970s) they were producing about 83,000 tons of sugar." "That was about 50% of all the sugar produced in Uganda. At that time they (Kakira) contributed to about 53% of the national GDP... just because of manufacturing and industry," he added. Dawn of dictatorship . It was at this time, however, that history intervened in the shape of one of the 20th century's most brutal rulers. After a military coup in 1971, army commander Idi Amin Dada seized power. The former heavyweight boxer made himself Uganda's president and a brutal dictatorship followed. The often erratic Amin praised Hitler and said the German dictator "was right to burn six million Jews." He even bizarrely offered to be king of Scotland if asked. Within a year he had expelled the country's Asian population, numbering around 35,000. After almost 50 years, the Madhvanis were no longer welcome in Uganda. Those who stayed, did so at their own risk. "When Idi Amin told every Asian to leave, they all left the country and went mainly to the UK," Barungi continued, adding that he believes this when Uganda began to economically fall apart. "All industries collapsed, all international trade collapsed. There was no longer available foreign exchange to import machinery. Even if you imported the machinery you didn't have technical expertise here to run such industries." "Within a few years Kakira Sugar Industries had collapsed, but so had infrastructure in Uganda. Social services, everything had collapsed." A new start . After Idi Amin was deposed in 1979, however, some of the ejected population slowly started coming back to Uganda. Among the returnees were the Madhvanis. The country they left behind, however, was a very different place. "The factory was a skeleton," Barungi said. "There was no longer a sugar plantation, the houses were occupied by anybody. There was no business to run so it (the plantation) was just an empty shell." The Madhvanis quickly borrowed money from the World Bank and the African Development Bank and set about rebuilding their business. It has grown rapidly over the last 25 years and now produces 18,000 tons of sugar (a year), Barungi said. But the effects of the macabre, harrowing events of recent history still linger. A sweeter deal? Some reports suggest some black Ugandan workers resented how certain sections of the Indian mercantile class treated them. These days, however, Kakira says it strives to promote a responsible philosophy for how it interacts with its workers. Not only is this the right way to engage with people in its employ, they believe, it also improves productivity and staff mobility. Kakira has built schools and hospitals to cater for their staff and their families while the company has also founded the Kakira Outgrowers Rural Development Fund (KORD), an NGO that provides the likes of workshops, loans and other services for its contractors. Besides nearly 8,000 staff members, Kakira has almost as many contract workers in the shape of farmers, like Mwanja Banuli. They farm the lands neighboring the plantations and are contracted to Kakira, supplying 70% of its sugarcane needs. "To be able to sustain business you want agricultural farmers, plantation workers, you want factory workers and the vision of Muljibhai Mudhvani was to develop human resources," Barungi said. This enlightened approach saw KORD awarded with a best NGO-business partnership award from the Ugandan Manufacturers Association. But it's the positive impact on individual lives that offers the biggest reward for many in the community. "Before KORD I was just useless," said Beatrice Katende, who has received assistance from the body's programs. "I used to work as a casual laborer for other people in the community digging in their gardens to get some income. "When KORD came into existence we learned to farm, to save and how to be self-sufficient." Through offering a hand up to people like Katende, Kakira hope to help themselves as well as provide assistance to other areas of the local economy. "The main vision was to always make sure that there is labor supply always available to work at the factory. The excess can go and work in other industries in the country," Barungi said. More from Marketplace Africa . | Kakira Sugar Limited is one of Uganda's oldest companies .
The company was shuttered when its owning Indian family was expelled during the reign of Idi Amin .
Today, Kakira is once again employing thousands of people in Uganda . |
167,709 | 64e796f3ae946ab8d632b37d7e4120a9f6f8c078 | Decision: The 23-year-old received an 'awkward' phone call from a senior executive who said it would be an issue for her to come back to the office because 'just about everyone had seen me half-naked online' An intern at a top Wall Street asset management firm has quit so she can pursue a career in porn. Paige A. Jennings, who moonlights under the name Veronica Vain, left Lazard Asset Management last week after co-workers saw nude selfies she took in the office bathroom online. The 23-year-old then received an 'awkward' phone call from a senior executive who said it would be an issue for her to come back to the New York because 'just about everyone had seen me half-naked online'. According to Business Insider, in June she started as a part-time intern in alternative-investments marketing at the group in Manhattan. The Florida University graduate insisted that when the selfies surfaced, she was not fired and left her position willingly. She is to believed to have already handed in her two weeks notice when she started sneakily taking pictures in the toilets. Her Twitter description reads: 'I just left a job on Wall Street for a porn career because I can't stop masturbating at work.' Yesterday she added: 'I left finance because if I'm going to take it ** *** *** for a decade, I'd prefer to get in to a hall of fame for it.' Jennings is now looking to kick start her career and has made it into the final casting of the X-rated Internet reality show, 'The Sex Factor.' The porn competition which is set in Las Vegas and will be aired globally is scheduled to be hosted by Duke University porn star Belle Knox. In an interview with Bro Bible, she said she did not expect her colleagues to see the explicit images because they were not attached to her name. She said: 'Few people close to me knew what I was up to, but I firmly disbelieve they said anything, so I honestly have no idea how they came across it. So many people found out so fast, it is taking me for quite the spin. On her decision to chose a new career path, she said: 'Intellectually speaking, I love financial analysis and thinking. Scroll down for video . Workout: She took a selfie in the gym before heading to Las Vegas where she hopes to appear in The Sex Factor, an internet reality series that will be aired globally . 'However, I found that I was not cut out for the politicking required to be successful, and sitting at a desk for eight or more hours a day really sucks the life out of you. 'More poignantly, it seems that being openly sexually confident and respectable are mutually exclusive in the corporate world for a woman, and that seriously irritates me. 'So I started exploring other options that weren’t so stringent structurally. To quote Steve Jobs: “You’ve got to find what you love".' 'My boss’s boss called me over the phone with a HR lady. I had a pretty good reputation intellectually, and this executive was aware of that. However, he obviously couldn’t have me coming back to the office when likely just about everyone had seen me half naked online.' She had previously worked as a stripper but did not think that it was a 'viable career path'. The Daily Mail Online has contacted Miss Jennings and Lazard Asset Management for comment. Facts: She reiterated on Twitter that she was not fired from her job, but left willingly . | Paige A. Jennings was working for Lazard Asset Management in New York .
Florida University graduate, who moonlights as Vernoica Vain, took nude selfies in the bathroom at work .
They were then posted online, prompting a phone call from her boss .
Decided to seek other employment and is now pursuing a career in porn .
Is hoping to kick start her career by appearing on an internet reality series . |
226,628 | b16ee815b4f9c2c9b85cb71acfe921f8fafbac2d | (CNN) -- The No. 2 leader in a Marxist guerrilla group that has been at war with the Colombian government since the 1960s has been killed in a military raid, President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday. Victor Julio Suarez Rojas, also known as Jorge Briceno Suarez and by his nom de guerre Mono Jojoy, was the military leader for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, commonly called the FARC. Firefights between the military and the FARC continued into Thursday night, Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera told CNN en Español. Rivera called the site where the military raid took place "the mother of all FARC camps." The camp was 300 meters (1,000 feet) long and had a bunker reinforced with concrete in the middle, he said. There were 13 satellite camps around the main camp, he said. So far, authorities recovered 20 computers, 68 USB drives and three external hard drives that could hold valuable intelligence for authorities, Rivera said. At the camp, troops also found four tons of fresh food. Santos called the rebel leader's death a "historic" event. "This is the biggest blow the FARC has suffered in its history," Santos said from New York, where he is participating in meetings of the United Nations General Assembly. "To the rest of the FARC, we are going after them," Santos said. "We are not going to rest." Santos said that some 20 others were killed in the raid, but later Rivera clarified that by saying as of Thursday night, only seven bodies had been recovered. The army reported that another top rebel leader, Henry Castellanos, alias Romana, was also killed but later retracted the statement. The defense ministry will wait until all of the bodies are examined before confirming whether any other leaders were killed. "The nightmare that he wanted to impose on Colombia is ended," Santos said in a later speech. Suarez was a symbol of cruelty and inhumanity, he said. Details of the intelligence that led to the operation was not disclosed, but Rivera said that there would be a reward handed out in connection with the death of Suarez. The guerrilla leader was killed near the town of Macarena, in the southwestern Colombia state of Meta. The final operation against Suarez started early Wednesday, Rivera said, adding that officials had spent two sleepless nights awaiting the results. Five Colombian soldiers were wounded in the operation,which included heavy airstrikes, Rivera said at a news conference from Bogota, the nation's capital. The guerrilla leader's death was the FARC's second major setback in the past few days. An airstrike over the weekend killed a high-ranking rebel commander who was wanted in the United States, police said. Sixto Antonio Cabana Guillen was among the more than two dozen guerrillas killed in a Colombian air force bombing operation Sunday, the National Police said Monday. The U.S. State Department had been offering a reward of up to $2.5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction. Cabana, as a top member of the FARC, helped set policies directing and controlling the production and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States and the world, according to a statement on the State Department's website. Speaking at Thursday's news conference in Bogota, Rivera urged FARC leader Guillermo Leon Saenz, known as Alfonso Cano, to surrender. "We guarantee your life," Rivera said. "We guarantee just treatment." Regardless, Rivera vowed, the war against the FARC will continue. "They have robbed us of nearly 50 years as a nation," he said. "We are going to end the narco-terrorist FARC nightmare." Suarez, who was believed to be 47, joined the FARC as a teenager and rose through the ranks to become commander of one of the rebels' seven fighting divisions. He became a top commander in the early 1990s, when he was appointed as one of the FARC's seven-member general secretariat. He eventually became the FARC's military commander in chief. Although he was considered the No. 2 person in the rebel group, Suarez had much more military experience and time served in the FARC than its leader, Cano, who was appointed to the general secretariat as the result of a deal with the Colombian communist party. In recent years, Suarez had been in charge of holding significant prisoners and kidnap victims in jungle camps. He also was in direct command of units responsible for the deaths of three Americans in 1999. He was under indictment in the United States for those deaths as well as drug-trafficking charges. Suarez also was the first FARC commander to order in the late 1980s or early 1990s that the rebels collect a tax from peasant farmers on coca plant cultivation. That, analysts say, marked the start of the FARC's wholesale involvement in drug trafficking. CNN's Karl Penhaul contributed to this report. | Army retracts claim that another leader was also killed .
Guerrillas suffer second major setback in the past few days .
The guerrilla leader was widely known as Mono Jojoy .
He was the No. 2 leader in the FARC guerrilla group . |
184,951 | 7b969005b91f24e38f87f59a1fe41ff4deee45ad | Watch the incredible moment the New York City Police tackles a gang of unlicensed quad bikes that have been roaming the city. The video shows the NYPD crackdown against the growing number of illegal and unlicensed motorbikes such as dirt bikes and quad bikes that have been terrorising the city's inhabitants. The filmed incident is the latest in a number of close calls between the quad bikes and the pedestrians and cars on the streets, with some eyewitnesses claiming that the bikers routinely take to the pavements, which has caused a high number of accidents. Reacting to the increased numbers of bikers, the NYPD has issued special patrols around Harlem and Washington Heights, and as of today have confiscated 8 dirt bikes and quad bikes, and made 3 arrests, 2 men in their 20s, and one in his 40s. The NYPD has said the do not pursue the bikers when they see them, because they believe a high speed police chase with the bikes would be too dangerous for pedestrians. The video shows a gang of bikers on quad bikes roaming around a busy street, with some taking to pavements and doing dangerous stunts, when two squad cars block a few of the bikers, one of which disembarks and attempts to flee on foot. The biker gang gathering on the streets of New York City, making close calls with the cars, and in some cases, mounting the pavements and having near-misses with the pedestrians . As a taxi tries to pass the gang of bikers, they ring around the wide street, disobeying the rules of the road . The police car stops lengthways across the road to form a DIY roadblock to try and stop the bikers zooming around . An NYPD car attempts to cut off the bikers, and they all scramble to get away, most turning round wildly or mounting the pavement . One of the bikers is trapped next to the marked police car, while an unmarked police car attempts to trap him from the rear . Unable to maneuver his bike away from the DIY police roadblock, the biker gets off his bike and makes a run for it . The biker, clad in black, attempts to run away as the police follow him on foot amid the NYC traffic . | Video shows bikes roaming on busy streets and pavements doing tricks such as wheelies .
All the bikers ring around a police car which attempts to block their path on the busy street .
Most weave around the police car, but one is blocked from the rear and the front, and he flees on foot .
Video seems to show recent NYPD crackdown on illegal unlicensed bikes .
Illegal bikers are a problem in Harlem and Washington Heights of New York City .
The NYPD has been conducting special patrols around these areas .
The police do not pursue these bikers because a chase is too dangerous . |
217,310 | a553357f348f67df44d59dfd4508b55334dd7bb1 | By . Chris Parsons . PUBLISHED: . 03:07 EST, 29 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:11 EST, 29 March 2012 . The first witness to encounter honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani after his wife was abducted at gunpoint has told how he believes the British businessman is innocent. Simbonile Matokazi encountered Dewani, 32, on the outskirts of Cape Town minutes after the Briton claimed he was ejected from a taxi by armed hijackers who had sped off with his new bride Anni still inside. Dewani will learn tomorrow whether he has won his High Court appeal against an order that he can be extradited to South Africa to face allegations of masterminding his wife’s murder during their honeymoon. Caught on film: CCTV footage to be broadcast tonight on Panorama appears to show to show Dewani handing cash to the taxi driver Dewani allegedly paid in return for orchestrating his wife's killing . At the hotel: Carrying a bag, Shrien is followed by Zola Tongo - who has been jailed for organising the murder . The care home owner from Bristol has always strenuously denied any involvement in the killing of Mrs Dewani, 28, in Cape Town in November 2010. Mr Matokazi told a Panorama documentary to be aired tonight he thought Dewani was 'genuine' when he told him the hijacking story when the pair met. The BBC documentary will tonight broadcast CCTV footage which the South African authorities claim shows Dewani paying off the taxi driver who arranged the murder. Changing fortunes: Dewani, pictured with his . bride Anni on their wedding day (left) and arriving at . court for a hearing last year . Other images taken by security cameras at . the five-star Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town show the couple kissing . affectionately hours before Mrs Dewani was shot dead. Recalling his encounter with a shell-shocked Dewani in the Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town, Mr Matokazi, a local government auditor, told Panorama: 'I don’t think this guy had killed his wife.' First witness: Simbonile Matokazi found Shrien Dewani after the robbery and subsequent murder of the latter's wife . He added: 'When I found out that he was accused I was a bit surprised, because when he told me his story that night I believed him and I thought what he was saying was the truth. And it was genuine.' Mrs Dewani, from Sweden, was later found dead in the back of the abandoned cab with a bullet wound to her neck. Taxi driver Zola Tongo, who has admitted his part in the crime, claimed in a plea agreement with prosecutors that Dewani ordered the carjacking and paid for a hit on his wife. William Booth, chairman of the South African Law Society’s criminal law committee, raises concerns in the documentary about the way cases are investigated before they come to court in South Africa. He told Panorama: 'The South African authorities are paying so much attention to the Dewani case to show the rest of the world that they are doing something about crime in South Africa. That is a big factor in this case.' The Dewani family’s lawyer, Charlotte . Harris, of Mishcon de Reya, said in a statement: 'Shrien has not been . charged with any offence in any country. 'Despite . his offers at an early stage he has not been interviewed by the South . African authorities in connection with any offence. Tongo later leaves with the bag. He claims the bag contained 1,000 South African rand (about £82) in cash which was his payment for arranging the murder . Previously unseen: The footage was recorded three days after Anni was shot dead . Together: Shrien Dewani, pictured with Anni, has strictly denied any involvement in her murder . 'Shrien is innocent and has always maintained his commitment to clearing his name of all the false allegations and slurs against him. He remains determined to fight for justice for his wife, Anni. 'As a British citizen this can only be done when he is well enough and when his personal safety can be guaranteed.' The Honeymoon Murder: A Panorama Special will be broadcast on BBC One at 9pm tonight. | Simbonile Matokazi says Dewani's hijacking account is 'genuine'
Briton facing extradition fight over allegations he masterminded wife's murder .
Panorama documentary aired tonight will show Dewani allegedly handing cash to taxi driver who arranged the murder . |
226,167 | b0ddc6e0af67bd03d6567c0b92adeae848fbdeb6 | By . Martin Robinson . A teenage boy racer on drugs was pulled over by police minutes before he killed two teenage best friends, it was revealed today. Unemployed football coach Samuel Etherington, 21, who is serving a nine year prison sentence, was stopped at 3.25am last November after officers saw a broken rear light on his modified Honda Civic. But at 4.15am he crashed into and killed Jasmine Allsop, 14, and Olivia Lewry, 16, while driving 65mph in a 30mph zone. The speeding driver had taken horse tranquilliser ketamine and mephedrone in the 24 hours before the crash in Gosport, Hampshire. Crash: Samuel Etherington, 21, who is serving a nine year prison sentence, killed Jasmine Allsop, 14, and Olivia Lewry, 16, last year. Today it emerged police had pulled him over 50 minutes earlier . Tragedy: The best friends were at a party when the dangerous driver knocked them down at 65mph in a 30mph zone . Jasmine's heartbroken mother Rose Allsop, 38, says her daughter would still be alive if the officers who pulled Etherington over had tested him for drugs. Ms Allsop said: 'If they'd have pulled him over the accident wouldn't have happened in the first place. 'They should have done some kind of test on him. 'They must have known he was on drugs. That's what makes me angry - they don't know anything about it.' But Hampshire Police maintain they carried out stop-check procedures correctly and Etherington had been driving normally before they stopped him. A court heard there is no evidence his drug consumption impaired his driving. Etherington, from Gosport, pleaded guilty to two counts of death by dangerous driving and was given a nine-year prison sentence in February. Fury: Rose Allsop says her daughter Jasmine and her best friend Olivia would have been saved had police taken Etherington off the road before the crash . The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against the jail term last week. The fact he was pulled over before the crash emerged today and police have today confirmed the sequence of events . Rose's son Reece, 16, created drug-driving awareness posters after his sister died at the scene, just yards from their home on November 3 last year. He said: 'The police should have drug checked him. I think it's just stupid that they didn't. 'Now I'm trying to get the word out there and make people aware not to do drugs and go out and drive. 'It's just as bad as drinking.' Olivia was taken to hospital where she later died. The pair had been at a party at Jasmine's home. Hampshire Police stopped Etherington at 3.25am but he was 'behaving normally', a spokesman said. A force spokesman said: 'The driver, Samuel Etherington, was reported for the defective rear light and he was seen to be behaving normally. 'No inappropriate driving was observed either prior to or following this stop check by these officers. 'The driver was observed as behaving normally at this point and as such no roadside test for intoxication was required.' | Samuel Etherington jailed for killing friends Jasmine Allsop and Olivia Lewry .
Football coach ploughed into teenagers at 65mph in a 30mph zone .
Police pulled him over 55 minutes earlier for having a broken rear light .
20-year-old had also taken ketamine and mephedrone in the hours before .
Jasmine's mother says girls would be alive had police taken him off the road . |
212,442 | 9f1b3163d2d958f3ac1204c672b08ed35535d090 | Getting married is a nerve-wracking experience for any couple - but for this adventurous pair, their wedding required even more bravery than unusual. Renat Adykov and Maria Obryvalina decided to hold their nuptials underwater, even though neither had ever been scuba-diving before. But the two lovebirds did not let their lack of experience hold them up - and the bride even wore a veil over her wetsuit for the big day. Scroll down for video of the wedding . Couple: Renat Adykov and Maria Obryvalina got married underwater off the coast of Crete . Vows: The Russian couple used cue cards to exchange messages of love below the Libyan Sea . Brave: Neither Renat nor Maria had ever been scuba-diving before they decided to get married underwater . The couple, from Saransk in western Russia, had been together for two years before they got married earlier this month. Renat, a 28-year-old marketing manager and amateur painter, had long admired Maria, also 28, who works in a travel agency. He took six months to win her heart, and it was another six months before the couple first shared a kiss - but when they decided to get married they took a much less conservative attitude. The pair won a competition to get married in at the Kalypso Dive Center in Crete - even though their hometown in 700 miles from the nearest coast. I do! The happy couple holding up cue cards saying 'Da', the Russian word for 'Yes' You may now kiss the bride: The pair briefly removed their breathing apparatus for the first kiss . Romantic: Renat and Maria released a handful of rose petals into the water to celebrate their wedding . Renat and Maria were given a day-long course in scuba-diving - and just two days later, they embarked on their underwater nuptials. After a short ceremony on the shore, they plunged into the Libyan Sea and reached a specially built platform seven metres below the surface. There they carried out a second ceremony, lasting 20 minutes, in which they exchanged their vows with the help of plastic cue cards. Proud: The pair show off their new wedding rings at the conclusion of the ceremony . Attire: Maria was kitted out with a veil alongside her more practical wetsuit and scuba gear . Inexperienced: Maria and Renat plumped for their unique wedding even though they'd never dived . Atmospheric: The ceremony took place seven metres under the sea and lasted 20 minutes . 'I think this is the first underwater wedding ever to take place in Crete,' said Greg James of the Kalypso Dive Center. 'In the wedding with them we had five divers, including photographers and the priest - who wasn't really a priest, he was actually the owner of our business. 'Maria was a bit nervous, but in the end she was absolutely fantastic. Beautiful: The scene in the bay where the two Russian office workers sealed their marriage . Venue: The Kalypso Dive Center clims to have hosted the first underwater wedding in Crete . 'You don't have to be brave - the only thing they need to do is learn to put their face in the water, and learn that they can breathe underwater.' After the success of their first wedding ceremony, the managers of the centre are keen to do more - pointing out the unique beauty of the underwater seascape. Renat and Maria have now returned to Russia to start their new life together, saying they hope to have a son and daughter to add to the family soon. | Renata Adykov and Maria Oryvalina, from Russia, got married in the Libyan Sea just off the coast of Crete .
The bride wore a veil over her wetsuit and they swapped vows on cue cards .
Neither of them had ever been scuba-diving before the occasion . |
176,747 | 70ce859fa5027280bf2a77785387386dbf5c6194 | (CNN) -- May has been a bad month for relations between Taiwan and the Philippines. Taiwan has reacted angrily after one of its fishermen was killed by a Philippine coast guard vessel last week. It has recalled its diplomatic envoy from Manila, frozen applications from Filipinos seeking to work in Taiwan and held naval drills near Philippine waters. The Philippine coast guard has said the crew of one of its ships fired at the Taiwanese fishing boat on May 9 after it tried to ram a Philippine boat. Manila insists that the shooting took place in waters inside its exclusive economic zone and that the loss of life was "unintended." But Taiwan says the Philippine vessel sprayed the fishing boat with bullets in waters claimed by the exclusive economic zones of both countries. It says the 65-year-old fisherman, Hung Shih-cheng, was fatally shot in the back. The souring ties between the two countries are born out of the messy mix of competing territorial claims to parts of the South China Sea and nearby waters by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The areas in dispute include fertile fishing grounds and potentially rich reserves of undersea natural resources. President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan on Friday described last week's shooting as a "cold-blooded murder," the Taiwanese national news agency CNA reported. Ma has so far deemed the Philippine response to the killing to be unsatisfactory. His government has demanded that Manila make a formal apology, compensate the losses, investigate and punish those responsible, and start talks between the two countries on a fishing agreement. Among the series of measures Taiwan has imposed this week to show its displeasure is a travel alert urging its citizens not to visit to the Philippines. The Philippine government, meanwhile, has started to show frustration with the Taiwanese stance. "We did what a decent member, a respectable member of the international community should have done," Edwin Lacierda, a spokesman for President Benigno Aquino III, said Thursday. "We have gone the extra mile." Aquino sent "a personal representative to extend his apology" and offer financial assistance to the family of the dead fisherman, Lacierda said, according to CNN affiliate ABS-CBN. Philippine authorities are investigating the shooting, he said. He warned that the measures imposed by the Taiwanese government would hurt the economies of both countries. Lacierda also appealed to the Taiwanese people not to hurt Filipinos living in Taiwan amid reports of harassment. But Garfie Li, a spokeswoman for Ma, said Lacierda's comments about going the extra mile were "were untrue and totally unacceptable," according to CNA. The United States, an ally of both the Philippines and Taiwan, has expressed regret" over the fisherman's death and urged the two sides "to work together and to ensure maritime safety, and refrain from actions that could further escalate tensions." China has supported Taiwan, which it views as a breakaway province. "We have repeatedly condemned the violent killing of the innocent fisherman since the incident happened," Yang Yi, a spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said Wednesday, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua. "We have demanded that the Philippine side take the case seriously, find out the truth as quickly as possible and punish those responsible." Beijing and Manila are already at odds over a different territorial dispute in the region that led to a maritime standoff last year. | A Taiwanese fisherman was killed by gunfire from a Philippine coast guard vessel last week .
Taiwan's president describes it as a "cold-blooded murder"
The Philippines says the fisherman's death was "unintended"
Taiwan has imposed a series of punitive measures to show its displeasure . |
159,984 | 5acc3c278e5b487ed67c978ae9cc292b9e355bda | They are the trademark of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber. Now, a rising tide of people are going under the knife desperate to enhance their image, driven by a desire to take a better selfie. From rhinoplasty to eyelid lifts, plastic surgeons say they have seen a surge in patients keen to improve their image. And the driving force? Selfies and the pressure people feel to improve their profile on social media sites. Scroll down for video . A rise in the popularity of taking a selfie is fuelling demand for plastic surgery, experts have said. This selfie, taken by comedian Ellen DeGeneres at this year's Oscars, became the most retweeted in history . Reality star Kim Kardashian (pictured) was accused by her mother Kris Jenner of being 'obsessed' for taking 1,200 selfies on a family trip to Thailand earlier this year . A poll by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found one in three surgeons have seen a rise in requests for procedures as a result of patients being more aware of their image on social media. The 2,700 respondents noted a 10 per cent rise in nose jobs, rhinoplasty, in 2013 compared to 2012. And in that time they said they have seen a seven per cent jump in hair transplants and a six per cent jump in eyelid surgery. Dr Sam Rizk, a Manhattan-based plastic surgeon, said: 'There has been a 25 per cent increase over the past year-and-a-half to two years. 'That is very significant. They come in with their iPhones and show me pictures. Selfies are just getting to be so crazy.' Dental hygienist Jennifer Reynolds has always been self-conscious about her looks. She never indulged in selfies and felt uncomfortable being tagged in photographs posted on social media. The 34-year-old from Costa Rica who lives in New York, opted for plastic surgery on her nose. Since her operation she said she now feels ready for social media. 'I definitely feel more comfortable right now with my looks,' she said. 'If I need to take a selfie, without a doubt, I would have no problem.' She is just one of a growing number of people who have turned to plastic surgeons to enhance their image. But Dr Rizk, who specialises in rhinoplasty, said not everyone who requests surgery needs it because a selfie produces a distorted image that does not represent how a person really looks. 'We all will have something wrong with us on a selfie image,' he said. 'I refuse a significant proportion of patients with selfies because I believe it is not a real image of what they actually look like in person.' Some patients get upset when Dr Rizk tells them surgery is not . necessary, and he knows they will simply go to another surgeon. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star uploads hundreds of images of herself to her social media sites each week . Singer Katy Perry is picutred (left) taking a selfie with fans in Sydney, Australia, while British model Kelly Brook (right) regularly snaps images of herself to upload on her Instagram account . Model Petra Nemcova takes a selfie as she poses on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in May . 'Too many selfies indicate a self obsession and a certain . level of insecurity that most teenagers have. It just makes it . worse,' he said. 'Now they can see themselves in 100 images a . day on Facebook and Instagram.' Kim Kardashian was accused by her mother Kris Jenner of being 'obsessed' for taking 1,200 selfies on a family trip to Thailand earlier this year. In a scene, since deleted from from Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kris is seen confronting her daughter about her narcissism. The reality star is famous for tweeting hundreds of pictures of herself, including the infamous one of her famous derriere. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres posted a selfie with Hollywood A-listers at this year's Oscars ceremony. The image, also starring Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Kevin Spacey and Angelina Jolie, became the most retweeted selfie of all time. And British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and President Obama came under fire for posing with the Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt for a selfie at a memorial service to honour Nelson Mandela. New York make-up artist Ramy Gafni, who has worked with . clients on selfies and online dating profile photos, suggests . using clean makeup, well-defined eyebrows and a bit color on the . lips to produce the best selfies. 'You want to enhance your features, perfect your features . but not necessarily change your features into something they are . not,' he said. Dan Ackerman, senior editor with CNET which tests and . reviews products, said the Internet is full of tips and advice . on selfies. 'There are apps that apply filters to your face that smooth . out wrinkles ... or put artificial makeup. 'There is a sub . economy of tools and advice that have built up around this,' he . added. British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama came under fire for posing with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt for a selfie at a memorial service to honour Nelson Mandela . Triana Lavey, 38, spent thousands on plastic surgery to look picture perfect . One selfie-obsessed woman has told how she spent £8,900 on plastic surgery to look picture perfect. Triana Lavey, 38, now makes a living helping other people make the most of their image on social media. In a bid to take better selfies, and 'look like a supermodel', she had a chin implant, nose job and cheek-defining fat grafts. But now she has turned her attention to helping others build online followings - and the larger their social media reach, the more companies pay to feature in the selfies they post. Clients of the company she works for, uFluencer, can earn between £60,000 and £120,000 a month by including big-name brands in their selfies. The people she works with include young singers who have huge YouTube followings among teens such as That's Heart, Brandon Berg, Becca Lamin and ItsJudyTime, who are all listed on the company's website. The 'Ufluencers', as the company cites them on its website, also include Alphacat, who has 3.5m followers, and ItsJudyTime and Sam Pottorff, who have both amassed over 3m followers. Triana, from Los Angeles in California, USA,believes the ideal pose is for the picture to look fun and organic with their personality resonating through the image - all while looking interested in the product they are paid to promote. Though Triana underwent surgery to look good in her own selfies she doesn't believe other people have to do the same - they just need to feel confident in front of the camera. She said: 'We're living in an exciting time - the future is now with regards to social media and I couldn't be happier to be a part of it. 'Advertisers and brands are learning very quickly that eyes are turning away from traditional media and are looking towards digital entertainment. 'Our clients are enjoying the shift by making a business out of their social media presence. 'uFluencer clients are commanding rates in the tens of thousands for a strategically posted selfie with the advertiser's hashtag on it. 'With the massive following they have acquired, advertisers look to them as the tastemakers of their generation and are willing to pay top dollar for a coveted mention of their product in a video or a single post on Instagram.' Ms Lavey, who lives in the U.S., now makes a living out of helping other people maximise their image for social media sites . She had a nose job, chin implant and cheek-defining fat grafts to improve her selfie image . | American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found one in three surgeons have seen a rise in patients wanting the perfect selfie .
They noted a 10% rise in nose jobs from 2012 to 2013 .
Also a 7% rise in hair transplants and a 6% jump in eyelid surgery .
Dr Sam Rizk said: 'There has been a 25 per cent increase over the past year-and-a-half to two years. That is very significant'
But he warned selfies produce a distorted image that does not represent how a person really looks - and he refuses many people, as a result . |
229,529 | b538ba32b1eb05c82c1c9cf84bdb323de5be5d0b | By . Bianca London . She has shot to international fame thanks to her dedication to her new royal role, but Queen Letizia is still a down-to-earth girl at heart. The Queen of Spain, who worked as a news anchor before marring King Felipe, posed for a selfie with two girls during a trip to the cinema on Friday. She and King Felipe enjoyed a low-key date night in Madrid at the cinema, where they watched Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. But first....let me take a selfie: Queen Letizia posed for a selfie with two female cinema goers during a low-key date night with her husband, King Felipe, on Friday . Queen Letizia, who looked casual but nonetheless glamorous, wore a lime green T-shirt and her hair loose - she even put her arm around one of the girls in the now viral shot. The two girls in the picture described Letizia as 'very friendly', telling Europa Press she chatted to them for a while before agreeing to the snap. Belen Guzman, one of the girls in the picture, said: 'They are a great King and Queen but they are even better people.' Since the cinema outing on Friday, the King and Queen of Spain have been extremely busy. Yesterday they took a day trip to France to attend a meeting with President Francois Hollande. So chic! Queen Letizia of Spain looks elegant in an off-white cutaway dress on an official visit to meet French President Francois Hollande . Letizia pulled out all the stops to make sure she impressed in a country famous for its fashion. The . Spanish royal, who has gained notoriety for her savvy sense of style, . looked glossy and glamorous in an off-white dress as she joined her . husband to visit President Francois Hollande. The 41-year-old and King Felipe greeted the French President on the . steps of the Elysee Palace in Paris; it marked the Spanish royal . couple's first official visit to France. Queen Letizia looked confident as she strode into the Elysee Palace in the fitted summer dress, which had a nude ribbon belt tied around her waist and intricate floral designs on the hem. The tight dress served to accentuate the mother-of-two's tiny frame, and proving that she takes every aspect of her outfit into consideration she accessorised with a nude clutch and matching earrings. Hello down there! French President Francois Hollande (L) welcomes King Felipe VI of Spain (C) and Queen Letizia of Spain at the Elysee Palace - but has to stand two steps above them to be at lofty Felipe's eye level . Pleased to meet you: The French President greets the royal couple, who are enjoying a one-day visit to the French capital . Say cheese! King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain pose for a quick photo with the President before heading into the Elysee Palace . Hello up there! President Francois Hollande pulls an expressive face as he chats away with lofty King Felipe . Regal: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls (right) and his wife Anne Gravoin welcome King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia at the Hotel de Matignon in Paris . Je t'embrasse: Anne Gravoin, the French PM's wife, hugs Queen Letizia . Spaniard: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls was born in Barcelona to a Spanish father and a Swiss mother . While yesterday saw her recycling her favourite Carolina Herrera snakeskin stilettos, today she opted for a new pair of delicate heels. The flawless monarch wore her hair in a chic low bun and linked arms with her husband as they made their way inside. Petite President Francois Hollande, who stands at 5ft 7in, was forced to stand two steps above King Felipe, who is around 6ft 4in, as he greeted them on the stairs and was later seen gazing up at the Spanish monarch. She could be a model! Queen Letizia attends a lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris and shows off her radiant glow . Next stop: (From L) French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, his wife French violinist Anne Gravoin, Queen Letizia of Spain and King Felipe VI of Spain pose for photographers prior to their meeting at the Hotel Matignon in Paris . Chat time: French President Francois Hollande, right, engages in a discussion with Spain's King Philippe VI and Queen Letizia prior to a lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris . Lunch is served: French President Francois Hollande (C) later hosted a lunch in the royal couple's honour - the two country's flags can be seen hanging behind the trio . Host: French President Francois Hollande (4-R) hosts a lunch for Spanish King Felipe VI (5-R) and his wife Queen Letizia (3-R) at the Elysee Palace in Paris. The Spanish Royal couple are on an official one-day visit to France . The trio sat in one of his official meeting rooms and enjoyed a discussion before moving into the dining room for a three course lunch with French dignitaries. They later met French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and his wife French violinist, Anne, at Hotel Matignon. It has already been a busy week for Letizia, who yesterday attended a reception for members of the ‘Ruta Quetzal . BBVA 2014’ expedition at El Pardo Palace with her husband. Matching! The French Prime Minister's wife Anne Gravoin, and Queen Letizia of Spain wore similar dresses . Queen Letizia of Spain, King Felipe VI of Spain, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and his wife Anne Gravoin meet at the Hotel Matignon in Paris . Happy to be here! The trio happily pose for photos outside the Eylsee Palace and the Queen looks as immaculate as ever . The . Ruta Quetzal BBVA is cultural exchange organisation that plans trips for . teenagers to other Spanish speaking countries to expand their . education. And as well as showcasing her style credentials at several royal events this week the new . Queen, already a hit with the Spanish people, has set social media on . fire. Showing a playful and down-to-earth side, the Queen posed for a selfie with two female teenage fans on Friday evening. Looking . relaxed and dressed down in a yellow T-Shirt, Letizia grinned at the . camera in the shot, which has exploded on Twitter in Spain. Last . week she also attended a summer party for the international school of . music of Principe de Asturias Foundation in Oviedo where she listen to . young musicians play a variety of instruments. Follow me: The French President was seen ushering the two monarchs into the building ahead of lunch . Formal greeting: Officers with swords greeted the royal couple on their one day trip to Paris . Well, hello there! French President Francois Hollande speaks to Queen Letizia of Spain as she arrives at the Elysee Palace . | Royal couple enjoyed low-key night at cinema on Friday .
Queen Letizia posed for a selfie with young fans .
They described her as 'very friendly'
Royals visited President Francois Hollande in Paris yesterday .
5ft 7in French President had to stand on stairs above 6ft 4in Felipe .
Letizia looked glamorous, as always, in off-white dress . |
259,854 | dc752ce9bc0a99b1bd464a1d141ebc6800b618ac | (CNN) -- Shahid Afridi claimed six victims to pave the way for Pakistan to claim victory by four wickets in their opening one-day international against Australia in Dubai. Career-best figures from Shahid Afridi helped steer Pakistan to victory in the first one-dayer against Australia. The all-rounder secured career-best figures of six for 38 as Australia could only manage a paltry 168 in an innings that lasted just 38.5 overs. The world champions again lost their way in the middle overs, losing eight for 27 at one stage as they wilted against Afridi's spin. It could have been worse for the Australians who relied on a last-wicket stand of 46 runs between James Hopes (48 not out) and Ben Hilfenhaus (four) to give their score some respectability. Pakistan's reply always looked on track with Kamran Akmal hitting 48 at the top of the order before Misbah-ul-Haq anchored the innings with an unbeaten 30 from 68 balls. A near-capacity crowd filled the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium as the venue hosted international cricket for the first time. The postponed series, which was originally due to be played last year, had been moved from Pakistan to neutral turf because of security concerns. Meanwhile, a superb half-century from Adam Gilchrist set Deccan Chargers on their way to a 24-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League in Cape Town. The Australian smashed a quickfire 71 and Rohit Sharma contributed 52 as Deccan reached 184 for six from their 20 overs. Bangalore's reply never really got going with captain Kevin Pietersen managing just 11 before he fell to a teasing delivery from Pragyan Ojha and a smart stumping from Gilchrist. Rahul Dravid gave them hope with a thumping 48 before holing out, and Virat Kohli posted 50, but with precious little support from their team-mates their efforts proved in vain. | Shahid Afridi claims six victims to pave the way for Pakistan to beat Australia .
Pakistan reach required target to win first one-dayer in Dubai by four wickets .
Adam Gilchrist half-century helps Deccan Chargers beat Bangalore in the IPL . |
179,618 | 7491b15faa634c3cb2511adfb87b305954fe9f87 | By . Paul Collins . Robin van Persie will be fit to face Manchester City in next week's derby despite being taken off on a stretcher during Manchester United's win over Olympiacos on Wednesday night. The Dutchman was the hero as he scored a hat-trick to guide his side to a 3-0 win and a 3-2 aggregate victory against their Greek opponents, but his night was cut short in the closing stages after a challenge by Olympiacos defender Kostas Manolas. Manager David Moyes said after the match that the injury wasn't as bad as first feared. And while he remains a doubt for United's Premier League clash against West Ham, Sportsmail understands the striker will be ready for the visit of Manchester City on Tuesday. Concern: Robin van Persie left the field of play on a stretcher following a late challenge by Kostas Manolas . Helping hand: Wayne Rooney offers support to his team-mate as he receives treatment on a stretcher . Cut short: The Dutchman is taken off the Old Trafford pitch on stretcher after his clash with Kostas Manolas . Hero: Van Persie scored a hat-trick to help Manchester United overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit . Van Persie will have further checks on . his back injury later on Thursday but the early signs that he will be . fit to line up against City are very encouraging. Speaking to Sky Sports after seeing his side progress to the quarter-finals, Moyes said: ‘It (the injury) doesn't look that bad. It may have been just a knee in the back.' Van Persie opened the scoring in the 25th minute when he smashed home a penalty after he was fouled by Jose Holebas. The . Dutchman then converted Wayne Rooney's low cross in first-half injury . time to double United's lead on the night and draw them level on . aggregate at 2-2. Van Persie's hat-trick was complete when he wrong-footed Olympiacos goalkeeper Jimenez Gago with a free-kick in the 52nd minute. Moyes added: ‘Not many people score a hat-trick in Champions League football but it was a great hat-trick.’ Opener: The Dutchman smashes home a penalty in the first half to give United the lead . Double: Van Persie scored the second goal right on the stroke of half-time at Old Trafford . Curler: The United forward bends in a free-kick early in the second half to complete his hat-trick . Inspiration: The Dutchman celebrates his hat-trick with strike partner Rooney . | Robin van Persie was taken off on a stretcher against Olympiacos .
The Dutchman will miss Manchester United's trip to West Ham .
David Moyes insists Van Persie's injury wasn't as bad as first feared . |
18,590 | 3493c8b804ce279314cd495ba50dbab25a2bf788 | (CNN) -- Mississippi, the most obese state in the United States, needs to shed pounds. A former pro football player turned fitness coach wants to make it happen. The Magnolia State has an adult obesity rate of 33% and has the highest rate of overweight and obese children in the country, but Paul Lacoste said he's inspired to help his home state get fit. "It's time for Mississippi to get in shape and show the world we can beat obesity," said the 36-year-old coach from Madison. Lacoste attended high school in Jackson, played football at Mississippi State University where he was an All-SEC and All-America selection in 1996, and then had a brief career in the NFL, CFL and XFL . He said his football career provided him with the tools he needed to be in top physical shape and he now wants to share these lessons with his home state. He is leading a 12-week fitness program and invited state government leaders from both sides of the aisle, employees from the governor's office, state workers and civilians to participate in the "2011 Paul Lacoste Sports Fit 4 Change Challenge." Lacoste said this battle is personal for him, because he no longer wants his home state to be famous for being obese. "We are literally the heaviest people on the planet and it's not something to brag about, so why not turn it into an opportunity to make our state better?" Lacoste said. Lacoste said he has watched friends struggle with their weight after their football careers ended, so he knows how challenging it is to stay fit. He said he also fights this battle daily, because if he were to stop working out, he could get out of shape, too. The fitness coach's program was launched after he was able to convince lawmakers he had the right plan to help Mississippians shed pounds. Some 200 participants in Lacoste's 12-week program are part of teams that compete against one another, and obesity, at Jackson State University's Walter Payton Health and Wellness Center. The ultimate goal is for members to get healthy, and to encourage Mississippians to do the same. Why is Mississippi overweight? For one thing, the state is the poorest one in the nation -- 21% of its residents live below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "When you don't have a lot of money, you eat more calorie-dense foods because it's cheaper and often more accessible than healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables," said Dr. Mary Currier, the state health officer for Mississippi. "For some residents, grocery stores are too far away and the nearest business to buy food is the local gas station, where nutritious food options are lacking," she noted. Although poverty puts people at risk for obesity and other problems, Lacoste said it doesn't have to determine their fate. Since January 11, the fitness coach has led program participants through intense one-hour workouts, four days a week, and it is paying off. In the first six weeks of this year's challenge, participants have lost a combined total of 2,017 pounds. That's more weight dropped than last year's entire program, which was the first year of the event. "I'm really passionate about this program and I train these guys as intensely as I would train a pro athlete," said Lacoste. "We work on cardio, building strength, speed agility and quickness training and we have tough workouts," he said. A nutritionist from the Mississippi Department of Health provides information to participants about healthy eating options to help compliment the program. State Rep. Steve Holland, a 55-year-old Democrat from Plantersville, said he dropped from 359 pounds to 216 as a result of last year's program and is participating again this year. "Like many people, I let myself go and gained a lot of weight over the years," said Holland. "I used to have a lot of health problems when I was heavy, but now that I've dropped my weight, I'm as healthy as an ox and feel great," he said. Holland said he made a commitment to change his lifestyle during Lacoste's program, and hopes other Mississippians will be inspired to do the same. In addition to dropping pounds, some lawmakers, like Holland, say they are bonding with legislators from both sides of the aisle. "We feel good, I'm even loving Republicans right now," said Holland. "When you get together at 5 a.m. to work out with other lawmakers, it has this phenomenal way of permeating over at the 8 a.m. meeting and bringing both sides together," he said. State Sen. Perry Lee, a Republican from Mendenhall agrees. "In addition to getting in shape, the exercise program has provided great time for fellowship and allowed us the opportunity to get to know and connect with each other in a different avenue," said Lee. Various sponsors have joined the effort to help Mississippi lose weight by funding the challenge. At the end of the fitness program, participants will run a 5K race in Jackson to prove that they are "fit for change." The race will end at the state capitol and Lacoste is hoping he can attract celebrities from Mississippi like Oprah Winfrey, Faith Hill and others to be there to cheer on the runners from their home state. "True change takes place when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change and that's what's happening here," Lacoste said. "I'm inspired to continue this fight and inspired to keep pushing and get as many people involved in our training as I can," he said. The coach said he plans to organize a program for Mississippi teachers, schoolchildren and their parents later this year, then to ultimately take the fitness program to Washington. "My ultimate goal is to get our U.S. Congress on board and encourage them be a part of this fitness challenge, too, so they can show the country and the world what is possible," Lacoste said. | Mississippi has an adult obesity rate of 33 percent .
The Magnolia State has the highest rate of overweight and obese children in the U.S.
Paul Lacoste is helping his home state shed pounds in "Fit 4 Change" program . |
69,720 | c5a0bb6c08c2fe26e277067ff2e12e1711b7d486 | By . Frank Coletta for Daily Mail Australia . The Prime Minister says Australian extremists linked with terror organisations 'hate us' and will try to return 'accustomed to kill'. Tony Abbott has explained that, so far, no Australian troops have been committed to the crisis in northern Iraq but has not ruled out the possibility. 'Australia cannot leave the Iraqi people to face this horror, this pure evil, alone,' Mr Abbott said. Scroll down for video . The Prime Minister has not ruled out Australian ground forces being deployed in northern Iraq, suggesting if the call was made for military action by the US, that would be assessed against certain criteria . The US President Barack Obama has authorised air strikes against Islamist militants in Iraq, if they are deemed necessary to stop the advance of extremists in northern Iraq . 'So far, Australian aircraft have participated in humanitarian air drops to people trapped on Mount Sinjar and just yesterday to the besieged inhabitants of the town of Amerli.' The next stage will include the air-lift of of supplies 'including military equipment' to the Kurdish military. 'This involvement has been at the request of the Obama administration,' Mr Abbott confirmed. 'So far we have met requests for humanitarian relief and for logistical support. 'There has been no request for military action itself. Should such a request come it would be considered against these criteria. 'Is there a clear and achievable overall objective? Is there a clear and proportionate role for Australian forces? Have all the risks been property assessed and is there an overall humanitarian objective in accordance with Australia's national interests?.' Mr Abbott went on to say that 'Australia has no intention to commit combat troops on the ground but we are not inclined to stand by in the face of preventable genocide either'. 'Australia is not a country that goes looking for trouble but Australia is prepared to do what we can in the wider world. This conflict is reaching out to us. 'At least 60 Australians are fighting with terrorist groups across Iraq and Syria. They are supported by about 100 more and we know, or should assume that many of them will seek to return to Australia . 'They will return accustomed to kill. 'The Australians and their supporters who have joined terrorist groups in the Middle East are a serious and growing threat to our security. 'They have come to hate us no less than they hate their victims in Iraq and Syria.' | There has been no call from the United States, as yet, for Australia to involve itself in military action in northern Iraq .
If that request is made for ground forces, an assessment against a list of objectives and criteria would be made .
Australian involvement has, so far, been limited to humanitarian air drops but will provide 'military equipment' in the next air-lift .
He has called the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) 'a death cult'
Australian extremists 'hate us' and will return 'accustomed to kill'
PM says 60 Australians are fighting with terrorist groups and 'are supported by at least 100 more' |
225,855 | b0730c7e2b8cb411867f708ab5a6eb53a311e9dc | The FBI is warning law enforcement agencies across the country that the grand jury decision over Michael Brown's shooter 'will likely' lead to violence by extremist protesters. As the city of Ferguson waits on edge to see whether police officer Darren Wilson will be charged in the death, the agency has issued a bulletin warning departments across the country of potential dangers. It warns that peaceful protests could be interrupted by extremists, while 'hacktivist' groups like Anonymous could also use it as an excuse to launch cyber attacks on authorities, reported ABC. 'The announcement of the grand jury's decision… will likely be exploited by some individuals to justify threats and attacks against law enforcement and critical infrastructure,' it said. Scroll down for video . Anticipation: Pattie Canter, left, who supports officer Darren Wilson, argues with a supporter of his victim Michael Brown in Clayton, Missouri on Monday. The FBI has warned of extremist violence in coming days . The agency warned that the extremists could be carrying 'bladed weapons or firearms' and be 'equipped with tactical gear/gas masks, or bulletproof vests'. The bulletin, seen by ABC, says there have already been threats against law enforcement, including a message last week by a black separatist group offering 'a $5,000 bounty' for Wilson's location. It adds that the extremists may also threaten peaceful, legal protests carried out by demonstrators - both in Ferguson and across the U.S. After the bulletin was issued, some police departments issued internal memos urging officers to review procedures for responding to mass demonstrations, ABC reported. Support: An image of Michael Brown is seen in Ferguson, Missouri on Monday, three months after he was shot . On edge: The city is awaiting a grand jury's decision on whether Police Officer Darren Wilson, pictured, will be indicted for the teenager's death. If he is not indicted, authorities predict massive protests . Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency in . Missouri but said troops from the state's National Guard would play a backup role to police in . response to any protests that develop. People around St. Louis are braced for a possible new wave . of protests similar to those that followed the August 9 shooting of Brown, particularly if Ferguson . police officer Darren Wilson is not charged. Officials have said the grand jury's decision is likely to . come this month. Nixon on Tuesday was due to swear in the members of a new . 'Ferguson Commission,' a group charged with reviewing the social . and economic conditions that contributed to the unrest that . followed Brown's death and coming up with suggestions for how to . improve them. More than one out of five residents of Ferguson, a . predominantly black city of about 21,000 people, live below the . poverty level, a rate that is above the state average, according . to U.S. Census data. Nixon declined to say how many National Guard troops would . be assigned to the St. Louis area or where they would be . stationed. Fight: A demonstrator peacefully protests the death of Michael Brown. The FBI have warned that extremist violence also threatens to interrupt peaceful, legitimate demos in the wake of the grand jury's decision . Haunting: Demonstrators lay on the ground on Sunday in a mock death protest of the shooting of Brown . Peaceful demonstrations were held around St. Louis on Sundayand Monday and some local leaders expressed frustration overNixon's state of emergency declaration. 'The National Guard is called in when policing has failed. Military presence in my city will mark a historic failure on the . part of (government),' Antonio French, a St. Louis alderman, . said on Twitter. 'This is not a war. There is no military . solution.' Police in Ferguson were criticized for taking a military . posture in response to the August demonstrations, regularly . deploying officers in riot gear and using tear gas and rubber . bullets against crowds that torched two businesses in the St. Louis suburb and at times threw rocks and gasoline bombs at . police. Police in St. Louis County have since gone through conflict . de-escalation training and activist leaders have also been . training potential protesters in nonviolent techniques in recent . days. County police will take the lead in handling any protests . or civic disorder, supplanting the Ferguson Police Department, . Nixon said. Preparation: Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, pictured last week, has eclared a state of emergency . Tribute: A woman looks at a memorial in the middle of the street on Monday when Brown was killed . St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said his city's police force . would respond to demonstrations in their normal uniforms unless . conditions became violent and that National Guard troops would . not play a primary role in responding. Some area schools have told parents they will dismiss . students early when the decision comes and many businesses near . the stretch of downtown that saw the worst rioting after Brown's . killing have boarded up their windows as a protective move. There are conflicting accounts of what happened, with some . witnesses saying Brown had his hands up in surrender when he was . shot and others describing a scuffle between Brown and Wilson. | A grand jury is expected make a decision this month about whether police officer Darren Wilson be charged in the killing of Michael Brown .
Massive protests are expected in the aftermath of the decision .
In a bulletin, the FBI warned that armed extremist protesters may use the demos as an excuse to attack law enforcement .
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and said National Guard troops will play a backup role to police . |
225,228 | afa33d563150e501840b6ba80af10ee71f088f72 | By . Ryan Kisiel . PUBLISHED: . 16:51 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:51 EST, 16 October 2013 . Not guilty: Green Party MP CAroline Lucas pleaded not guilty to two public order offences . Green Party MP Caroline Lucas yesterday denied two public order offences following a mass protest at a potential fracking site. The MP for Brighton Pavilion was one of 25 people arrested among hundreds protesting outside the Cuadrilla drilling platform in Balcombe, West Sussex, on August 19. Miss Lucas, 52, is alleged to have failed to comply with a condition made by a senior police officer under the Public Order Act and obstructed the road to the site. Wearing a grey dress and plum-coloured cardigan, she smiled as she entered the dock at Crawley Magistrates’ Court before confirming her name, age and address. A handful of supporters, including former glamour model turned politician Marina Baker listened to proceedings at the back of the court. She pleaded not guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court and was released on unconditional bail until her trial next year. Speaking outside court, Miss Lucas said: ‘By joining the peaceful protest I wanted to actively oppose the exploitation of yet more fossil fuels.’ Critics of fracking, in which water and chemicals are pumped into the ground at high pressure to fracture shale rock and release gas, fear it could harm water resources and cause small earthquakes, and development of the sites will harm the countryside. Cuadrilla has since completed its exploratory oil drilling and left the village after more than two months of operations which involved the drilling of a vertical exploration well to a depth of 2,720ft, collecting 294ft of rock samples. Protests: Police were brought in to escort a tanker to the site in West Sussex . Arrests: 25 people were arrested following a mass protest at the fracking site in Balcombe on August 19 . Designer Vivian Westwood gave her support to the protestors at the fracking site at Balcombe in West Sussex . The energy firm also confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons, which can be used for fuel, and said it would apply for planning permission to carry out further testing to determine flow rates. Sussex Police said the overall cost of the operation, which saw 400 officers at peak periods patrol the area over three months and 125 people arrested, is estimated at about £4 million. Sussex Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has applied to the Home Office for financial support to meet the additional cost of policing and drafting in officers from 10 other forces, describing Balcombe as ‘a national issue’. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | MP pleaded not guilty to two offences .
Supporters listened to proceedings at the back of Crawley Magistrates Court .
52-year-old Miss Lucas to face trial next year . |
211,656 | 9e171e68fa1c7ec6a8e5caf302c443bb4b97b2cd | A federal investigator said he's never seen a train climb an escalator like the one that jumped the tracks at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport early Monday. The crash of the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train injured 32 people, although none seriously, according to Chicago Fire officials. The eight-car train failed to stop at the end of the line when it arrived at the airport station at 2:52 a.m., a Chicago Fire official said. The lead car appeared to have climbed an escalator adjacent to the passenger platform. "I've investigated many accidents and trains do different things," National Transportation Safety Board investigator Tim DePaepe told reporters. "It's all about kinetic force. I have not seen an accident like this personally." NTSB experts will examine video from station cameras and one on the front of the train for clues to the cause of the crash, DePaepe said. A union official told reporters Monday that the train's driver may have fallen asleep, CNN affiliate WLS reported. "There are indications that she dozed off, yes," Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 President Robert Kelly said, according to WLS. Almost all of the 32 people taken to four hospitals had been released by the afternoon, he said. Investigators are still waiting for the train operator to be released from the hospital so that they can talk to her, he said. The wrecked train will not be moved at least until Tuesday so that investigators can examine it, DePaepe said. Shuttle buses are carrying airport passengers to and from a nearby Blue Line station until then, a CTA official said. | There are "indications" the train's driver dozed off, union official says .
Almost all of the 32 people hurt have been released from hospitals, official says .
Video from the train and station wil be examined by investigators .
Blue Line train passes end of line, moves up escalator . |
16,624 | 2f23a0c84764ea9b8461af17ee416c7eba940c30 | (CNN)The Duke of York has said his piece and personally made his position clear. In a much-trailed speech in Davos at a reception at the World Economic Forum the resilient royal "reiterated and reaffirmed" the categorical denials made by Buckingham Palace issued on his behalf over accusations that he was repeatedly intimate with an alleged underage "sex slave." Andrew, still fifth in line to the British throne and Queen Elizabeth II's second son, carefully and wisely avoided mentioning the name Virginia Roberts (Jane Doe 3 in filed U.S. court papers) -- the woman at the center of the sordid claims. He also did not repeat the specific allegations made against him. For the record those allegations are that Miss Roberts, now 31, was "trafficked" to be used as an underage prostitute and was forced to sexually "service" the prince -- who she knew as "Andy" -- by her wealthy boss financier, and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. She says she was 17-years old at the time of her first encounter with Prince Andrew, which is under the legal age of consent in Florida. She claims in court papers that Andrew's Scotland Yard protection officers left her alone with him the first time he had sex with her and that she was later involved in an orgy with the Prince and approximately eight other girls. Five photos were also submitted, including one which Miss Roberts said showed her aged 15, when she says she began working as a "sex slave" for Epstein. She insists she is telling the truth and wants Prince Andrew to repeat his denials on oath. In his "for the record" speech, Prince Andrew stressed, "my focus is on my work." It has prompted some to ask, "what exactly is it that the Duke of York does and what is the point of him?" Since his association with convicted sex offender financier Epstein forced the Duke to accept a downgrading of his role as a UK trade envoy in 2011, he has been busy trying to carve out a new role for himself. He has continued to support business in the UK -- but without a specialized role as before. In recent months many high ranking figures at Buckingham Palace believed was on the right track and making progress in achieving that new role. I have witnessed personally what a good, no-nonsense communicator Andrew is at events he has inspired and hosted. He is particularly passionate when dealing with young start-up entrepreneurs and bringing them together with successful businesses at networking and showcasing events. Andrew is direct and to the point, and his methods seem to work. There is no doubt he is passionate about these issues and before this sex scandal blew up in his face he was making a good fist of it. As he said in his Davos speech -- but went widely unreported as his sound-bite about the sex allegations took all the attention: "I focus on inspiring young people to develop skills to enable them to become economically active, and encouraging a culture of enterprise and entrepreneurship." His work focuses on supporting entrepreneurs. Two of the important initiatives he has inspired are the Digital Enterprise Awards -- referred to as "iDEA" -- which he is working with the Nominet Trust to deliver. This is about to engage and to inspire young people to get, not only digital skills, but enterprise skills, and to expand their knowledge in the digital universe. So far in year one, about 10,000 young people are engaged in the program. His second big project is Pitch@Palace -- a bid to support start-up businesses. In 2014 the Duke launched Pitch@Palace, and held two competitive pitch events at St James's Palace, worked with 76 entrepreneurs from across the UK. Each event was attended by around 400 invited investors, mentors and supporters. On the day #pitchatpalace was trending 4th in the UK on Twitter. Since then more than 700 connections made between the entrepreneurs and the audience. Some results for the entrepreneurs featured include: financial wellbeing startup Squirrel, which has raised £500k ($756k) , hired four new employees, and received media coverage on CNN and other major media outlets. Andrew argues passionately that entrepreneurs need more than just money; they need business partners, they need mentorship, they need customers and they need network and of course investors. New role . Essentially, his new role is all about assisting the economic success of, and the creation of skilled jobs in, the UK. His efforts focus on three core areas where he believes he can have the greatest impact: Education and skills, promoting apprenticeships as a desirable path to a career is one of his big issues. He is Patron of the Studio Schools Trust and the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, among others. Last year he visited 9 University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools, as well as 24 other educational projects or institutions, interacting with in excess of 5,000 students and learners. Entrepreneurship is his second core focus -- encouraging entrepreneurship in the UK, supporting current start-ups and efforts to develop a culture of enterprise. Thirdly, supporting science technology and engineering, promoting expertise in these areas which attract investment into UK and promoting the further translation of science into business. He has also been key in showcasing the work of the UK Technology Industry and Innovators. Last month he hosted the Duke of York Award for Technical Education at St James's Palace to celebrate the achievements of students in University Technical Colleges (UTC's) across the United Kingdom. Question of judgment . There is no doubt this work is all highly commendable. But it is not his work life that is under scrutiny, but his judgment. But if Prince Andrew hopes his unprecedented move to speak out publicly about his private life will draw a line under the scandal he is mistaken. Why? Because there are still simply too many unanswered questions about his role in the scandal engulfing him; not least what was the nature of his relationship with Epstein, a man convicted of procuring underage woman for prostitution, why did he visit him AFTER he was released from prison and what was the nature of his association with Virginia Roberts (Jane Doe 3) who he was photographed with when she says she was a teenager. This combined with the fact the ongoing civil court case in the U.S. against Epstein and three women could just keep turning up new embarrassing allegations about the Duke. However, it is important to remember the prince is not facing legal proceedings over the U.S. claims. He has simply been named in court papers. He has not done anything illegal until someone proves he has. To date he has not been charged with anything either. It may be wiser for the media to show a measure of fairness and restraint when reporting allegations that are -- no matter how salacious and good copy -- after all just that, allegations. The only way, perhaps, Andrew can hope to move on is by giving a detailed rebuttal of all the allegations that have been made against him in a sworn affidavit. | At Davos, Prince Andrew reiterated Palace denials over accusations of underage sex .
Robert Jobson says the spotlight on the Prince has prompted to some to ask what he does .
Jobson says Andrew focuses on entrepreneurship, education and technology . |
212,727 | 9f71201cf396be67875d783f098160bad88a164e | By . Helen Pow . The excruciating moment Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were forced to watch a male comedian dress up as the Queen and prance around on stage has been caught on camera. The royal couple can hardly conceal their disgust in the video, filmed at an official event in Charlottetown on Canada's Prince Edward Island on Monday night. As Canadian funnyman Wade Lynch impersonates Her Majesty, the pair remain stonefaced and grimace when the fake Queen declares: 'There are two members of our audience that call me by quite another name and that is of course "Mummy." Hello kids. Surprise.' Scroll down for video . Unamused: The excruciating moment Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles were forced to watch a male comedian dress up as the Queen and prance around on stage has been caught on camera . Not so funny: Comedian Wade Lynch, pictured, has been doing his Queen performance for years but the skit sparked outrage on Monday night . Prince Edward Island's Premier Robert Ghiz, sitting immediately to Camilla's left, was clearly humiliated at the entertainment officials chose to dish up to their special guests. As Lynch performs, Charles manages a less than half-hearted applause while Camilla seems to struggle even to tap her fingers on her hand in acknowledgement. The couple mutter a few, no doubt unimpressed, remarks to each other under their breath as the cringe-worthy act goes on. But Charles and Camilla weren't the only ones to find the performance deplorable. Cringe: The royal couple can hardly conceal their disgust in the video, filmed at an an official event in Charlottetown on Canada's Prince Edward Island . Stonefaced: The pair remain stonefaced and almost grimaced when Lynch declared: 'There are two members of our audience that call me by quite another name and that is of course "Mummy." Hello kids. Surprise' It was met with a barrage of criticism from the Canadian public, many of whom called it tasteless, insulting and shameful. Lynch, who has been impersonating the Queen for years, told the Prince Edward Island Guardian he was approached by Tourism P.E.I. to do the skit in front of Charles and Camilla. And he thought he pulled it off, telling the newspaper he felt 'a lot of the jokes landed' and that he could see the prince 'sort of nodding and chuckling.' Disappointed: Lynch, pictured, thought the performance went down well but was disappointed when he heard of the backlash . Clap: Charles managed a half-hearted applause but Camilla was having none of it . The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall seemed happier meeting another performer after the show - an Anne of Green Gables actress . However, the veteran actor admitted the show was cut in half. But he said this was due to time constraints. Lynch claimed the royal couple were in on the joke and said he was surprised and disappointed when he heard about the public backlash. The comedian added: 'If the actual Royal family was offended, I am really sorry because that was never the intention.' The visit to Prince Edward Island was part of the prince and the Duchess of Cornwall's whirlwind tour of Canada, which kicked off on Monday. Tour: The questionable performance came during Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall's whirlwind tour of Canada. They are pictured above arriving at the airport in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Tuesday . | Canadian funnyman Wade Lynch impersonated The Queen in Charlottetown .
Charles and Camilla stonefaced as Lynch declared: 'Hello kids. Surprise'
Lynch insisted that the Royal Couple were 'in on the joke' |
10,016 | 1c6bff6e7bfe8c3cf2d7fdf449b6d400ed56b675 | Bangkok (CNN) -- Anti-government protesters in Thailand have stormed the offices of the country's finance ministry, as mass demonstrations raise political tensions to the highest level since the deadly unrest of 2010. Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister under the previous Democrat-led government, led the group of protesters who entered the ministry compound, in the protesters' boldest act since demonstrations broke out three weeks ago. Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch, told CNN the compound had been taken over by protesters, pockets of whom had become increasingly hostile to local and foreign media. He said a German photographer had earlier been attacked during a protest at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Police Monday morning, where thousands of demonstrators had called for an audience with police bosses. "We demand to meet with Police Commissioner-General Adul Saengsingkaew," protest leader Puttipong Punnakun told CNN. More than three weeks of anti-government protests led by the opposition Democrat Party rose to a crescendo Sunday as about 100,000 demonstrators turned out in Bangkok, and escalated Monday as leaders vowed to extend their rallies to government offices, TV networks and military installations. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra responded by extending the areas around Bangkok where police are enforcing an internal security law that restricts gatherings by demonstrators. "What has been going on now is affecting people's livelihoods and orderliness, as well as disrupting services at government offices," she said Monday. "Therefore it is necessary for the government to enforce the law." The government had imposed the security measures in central Bangkok several weeks ago. But the law hasn't so far been strictly enforced. Thaugsuban told demonstrators gathered Sunday of plans to march on media outlets and government buildings Monday, calling on civil servants to join the cause. "We will separate into 13 groups to march to 13 locations to express our stance," he said. "Our protest will not stop until Thaksin's regime is wiped out." Protest leaders are calling for an end to the government of Yingluck, sister of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the telecommunications tycoon who was ousted in a 2006 coup. Critics of the Thai prime minister accuse her of being a puppet of her older brother Thaksin, a deeply polarizing figure who was removed from power by the military while in New York in 2006. He has since lived in exile, except for a brief return in 2008, and was convicted by Thai courts for corruption and sentenced in absentia to two years in jail later that year. The current protests have reanimated the tensions along Thailand's political faultlines -- Thaksin Shinawatra's mostly rural support base on one side, the Bangkok-based elite and middle classes on the other -- that left the country wracked with turbulence for four years after the 2006 coup, culminating in a 2010 army crackdown on Thaksin supporters that left more than 90 dead. An estimated 40,000 pro-government "red shirts" -- many from the rural areas -- gathered in a Bangkok stadium Sunday in a show of support for the embattled prime minister, who came to power in a 2011 election. The current round of protests was triggered in response to a government-backed amnesty bill that could have extended a pardon to Thaksin Shinawatra and opened the door for his return to Thailand. The Thai senate rejected the amnesty bill on November 11, but since then demonstrations have only grown, with Suthep calling for the current government to be replaced by a new administration. Yingluck Shinawatra has responded to the escalating situation with a call for unity, reconciliation and respect for law. "The government has instructed police and all security officers to handle the situation gently, based on international practices, so the demonstration won't be used as a tool by people who want to make changes in a non-democratic way," she said in a statement on her official Facebook page. More than a dozen countries have issued travel warnings for citizens to avoid areas near protests in Bangkok. | NEW: The Prime Minister broadens internal security measures .
Anti-government protesters in Thailand have marched on government offices .
Sunday's 100,000 turnout was country's biggest demonstration since deadly 2010 stand-off .
Protesters allege former PM Thaksin Shinawatra exerts power through current premier, his sister . |
55,172 | 9c451c185e1db73630d41807e0458a8eb7c30527 | British war planes will begin air strikes on Iraq today amid a spiralling political row over whether they should also hit Islamic State fanatics in neighbouring Syria. Six RAF Tornados are expected to join US, French and Arab air strikes – their first in Iraq for six years – after MPs voted overwhelmingly to go into a third Gulf War. Warning that the fight to crush IS could last for years, not months, David Cameron told an emergency session of Parliament that as well as murdering Western hostages with ‘staggering brutality’ the group was plotting terrorist attacks in Britain. Scroll down for video . Prime Minister David Cameron warned IS has behaved with 'staggering brutality' as he opened the debate ahead of the vote in Parliament . Six RAF Tornados are expected to join US, French and Arab air strikes – their first in Iraq for six years . ‘This is about psychopathic terrorists trying to kill us,’ the Prime Minister said. ‘We do have to realise that whether we like it or not, they have already declared war on us.’ MPs authorised military action by 524 votes to 43, one of the biggest Commons majorities since the last general election. But last night Labour education spokesman Rushanara Ali resigned, saying she could not support air strikes. And defence spokesman Vernon Coaker was forced to sack aide Iain McKenzie for voting against strikes in Iraq. Mr Cameron said that there was a ‘strong case’ for extending air strikes against IS, also known as Isil or Isis, from Iraq into Syria, where it has also seized vast areas. Cameron leaving Parliament after MPs backed the Government motion authorising military action against IS . IS now controls territory the size of the UK. ‘I am very clear: Isil needs to be destroyed in Syria as well as Iraq,’ he said. ‘We support the action that the US and five Arab states have taken in Syria.’ The Prime Minister even suggested he might be prepared to intervene in Syria without seeking a vote in Parliament if it would avert a ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ or there was an immediate threat to Britain. But he ruled out deploying British combat troops – though special forces are already operating in the region, and troops may be deployed to train regional forces acting on the ground. Although Labour leader Ed Miliband backed action in Iraq, he prompted a backlash from both Conservative and Labour MPs by saying Britain would have to seek a United Nations resolution authorising any attacks on Syria. This is the text of the motion passed by MPs after a six-hour debate: . 'That this House condemns the barbaric acts of ISIL against the peoples of Iraq including the Sunni, Shia, Kurds, Christians and Yazidi and the humanitarian crisis this is causing; . 'Recognises the clear threat ISIL poses to the territorial integrity of Iraq and the request from the Government of Iraq for military support from the international community and the specific request to the UK Government for such support; . 'Further recognises the threat ISIL poses to wider international security and the UK directly through its sponsorship of terrorist attacks and its murder of a British hostage; . 'Acknowledges the broad coalition contributing to military support of the Government of Iraq including countries throughout the Middle East; . 'Further acknowledges the request of the Government of Iraq for international support to defend itself against the threat ISIL poses to Iraq and its citizens and the clear legal basis that this provides for action in Iraq; . 'Notes that this motion does not endorse UK air strikes in Syria as part of this campaign and any proposal to do so would be subject to a separate vote in Parliament; . 'Accordingly supports Her Majesty's Government, working with allies, in supporting the Government of Iraq in protecting civilians and restoring its territorial integrity, including the use of UK air strikes to support Iraqi, including Kurdish, security forces' efforts against ISIL in Iraq; . 'Notes that Her Majesty's Government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations; . 'And offers its wholehearted support to the men and women of Her Majesty's armed forces.' This effectively blocks the Government from taking action because Russia has already pledged to veto any such resolution. ‘In my view, when we are not talking about being invited in by a democratic state it would be better – I put it no higher than that – it would be better to seek a UN Security Council resolution,’ he told the Commons. However, his stance was criticised by some senior Labour figures because it effectively leaves the decision in the hands of Russia. Former minister Pat McFadden said: ‘Why is it right to come to the aid of the victims of Isis who are living under a democracy in Iraq but not those who are living under a dictatorship in Syria?’ Backing military action, Labour leader Ed Miliband said 'although this is difficult, it's the right thing to do' Former Labour defence secretary Lord Hutton said: ‘My concern has been that we’ve almost closed down any sort of action in Syria, we’ve closed down any discussion about support troops on the ground and I would much prefer those options to be kept open.’ Defence Secretary Michael Fallon suggested the Government might ask MPs to support extending air strikes into Syria. ‘Isil is based in Syria, that’s where its headquarters are, that’s where its resources, its people are,’ he said. ‘To deal with Isil you do have to deal and defeat them in both Iraq and in Syria.’ Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander later said that Labour would not insist on a UN resolution before considering action in Syria. Justin Welby gave his backing to air strikes in Iraq, telling the House of Lords that the 'perverted’ ideology of IS was just one part of a global problem . The Archbiship of Canterbury gave his backing to air strikes in Iraq, but issued a pointed warning to religious leaders to ‘up their game’ against the threat of radical Islam. Justin Welby told the House of Lords that the ‘twisted and perverted’ ideology of IS was just one part of a global problem. He said there was justification for armed force in the short-term to help victims of their ‘dreadful brutality’. But military action could not solve what is a ‘global, ideological, religious and trans-generational challenge’ which threatens to plunge the world into ‘endless darkness’. ‘Religious leaders must up their game,’ he said, ‘and the church is playing its part... The action proposed today is right, but we must not rely on a short-term solution. ‘We must demonstrate that there is a positive vision far greater and more compelling than the evil of IS and its global clones.’ The debate in the Lords, in which dozens of peers spoke, saw a majority in favour of air strikes. Baroness Stowell, for the Government, said that destroying the ‘evil extremism’ of IS in Iraq would be in the interests of Britain’s national security. But former Tory minister Michael Ancram, the Marquess of Lothian, said that ‘we should hold our fire’. He said: ‘Our mind is not closed and we have not made a UN Security Council resolution a condition of future action… Our moral compass is not set in Moscow or Beijing… we have said very clearly that there is a legal basis for action.’ Opening an often impassioned six-and-a-half hour debate, Mr Cameron warned that IS posed a direct threat to Britain that could not be ignored. ‘This is not a threat on the far side of the world,’ he said. ‘Left unchecked, we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean, bordering a Nato member, with a declared and proven determination to attack our country and our people.’ Mr Cameron said the war against Isil would take ‘not just months, but years’, adding: ‘The hallmarks of this campaign will be patience and persistence, not shock and awe.’ Outside Parliament, protesters held placards which read 'Don't Bomb Iraq' but inside the Commons MPs insisted the situation was different to the 2003 invasion of Iraq ordered by Tony Blair . Some relatives of kidnapped British taxi driver Alan Henning, the latest hostage threatened with beheading by IS, have warned that air strikes could reduce their chances of ever seeing him again. But Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond insisted the attacks would make little difference to the fate of Westerners held by IS. ÷Firebrand Muslim preacher Anjem Choudary and seven other men were released on bail last night after being questioned by counter terrorism detectives. Choudary, 47, and ten other members of his inner circle were arrested in London and Rugby, Warwickshire, on suspicion of supporting banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun, which he co-founded almost 20 years ago. His friend, Trevor Brooks, 39, now known as Abu Izzadeen, was charged with breaching a counter terrorism order by giving police false information. He will appear before magistrates today. | Six RAF Tornados are expected to start bombing IS bases in Iraq today .
Prime Minister said Britain could not 'walk on by' in face of IS threat .
He won overwhelming support for action against 'psychopathic terrorists'
But warned mission will take 'not just months but years' as debate begins .
Just 43 MPs voted against air strikes, including around 24 Labour members . |
210,780 | 9d044a403d3269a8e9659a64f168d826748e1c2f | (CNN) -- In multiple 911 calls shortly before he was killed, a man said he was being chased by an enraged motorist -- right up to when he was apparently run off the road in Pennsylvania and then shot to death, police said Friday. Timothy Davison, 28, was driving home to Maine along Interstate 81 early last Saturday when he was shot multiple times and killed in Antrim Township. So far, there is no indication that Davison initiated the incident or provoked the shooter, Pennsylvania State Police Capt. Steven Junkin told reporters Friday. Davison may have first encountered the shooter on Interstate 70 in Maryland and traveled between 13 and 15 miles, with the gunman in pursuit, before being forced off the road just beyond the Pennsylvania state line, authorities said. Junkin said Davison called 911 from Maryland and Pennsylvania, but he declined to provide details. Authorities have not released the contents of those 911 calls, citing the ongoing investigation. A task force made up of Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia state police, as well as FBI agents, is seeking help from the public and operators of body shops in finding a "dark colored" Ford Ranger XLT pickup with damage on the driver's side from ramming into Davison's car. "How concerned are we that it'll happen again?" Junkin asked. "We obviously have an individual out there who was so incensed that he continued to pursue Mr. Davison and took it to that next step. He murdered an individual for whatever slight that he perceived. Will this person do it again? We don't know. We don't want to take that chance." The Maine resident ended up shot multiple times, a death that authorities have ruled a homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-472-8477. Investigators initially believed the same motorist may have been behind another road rage shooting eight hours earlier and 56 miles northeast, but Junkin said Friday that the two crimes do not appear to be related. James Allocca, Davison's uncle, told CNN this week that the family "wants justice before someone else gets hurt." The victim's father, Timothy Davison Sr., said he learned about his son's death when police arrived at his door Saturday. "I can't begin to tell you what it's like to hear that," he said. "It's not right." He went to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to collect his son's personal belongings. His son, he said, was a "great guy and a very easy kid to raise." "He cared for everyone around him," he said. "He was a rugged kid, extremely sensitive." Davison worked at his father's construction business. He said he hoped to meet his son's killer. Asked what he would say, Davison said: "That is for me." "There are different levels of loss," Allocca said. "This has to be the worst." Motorcyclist charged in beating of SUV driver . Road rage baby killer sentenced to death . | NEW: The victim was shot several times .
Police say they believe Timothy Davison, 28, was killed in a road rage incident .
He made 911 calls, saying he was being chased by an enraged motorist, police say .
Investigator: "Will this person do it again? We don't know. We don't want to take that chance" |
199,763 | 8e9b9fe686e87b5ba199f450105ace2830692847 | United Nations (CNN) -- Syria's ambassador to the United Nations rejected Tuesday a call for an independent investigation into the killings of hundreds of demonstrators by government forces. "Syria has a government, has a state," Bashar Jaafari told reporters at the world body. "We can undertake any investigation by our own selves, with full transparency. We have nothing to hide. We regret what is going on, but you should also acknowledge that this unrest and riots, in some of their aspects, have hidden agendas." Jaafari called President Bashar al-Assad a reformer who has been working to effect change by issuing decrees that, among other things, lifted the decades-old emergency law and allowed peaceful demonstrations. "If you demonstrate peacefully, you are protected by the government," he said. "If you resort to violence, then any government in the world -- in order to maintain peace and order -- would utilize its forces to stop violence and vandalism and aggression against buildings as well as against innocent civilians." Syria's own National Investigation Commission has already undertaken an investigation into the violence against civilians and the military, and will issue its findings at a later date, he said. "So we are doing our homework; we don't need help from anybody." He urged the Security Council to rely on official reports, not on media reports. Jaafari's remarks came on the same day that the Syrian Human Rights Information Link reported that more than 400 people have died since March 18 in incidents linked to the government crackdown on protesters seeking reform. While the vast majority are apparently civilians, the group's list describes a few of the dead as members of the army or police. The United Nations has said it has information that 76 people were killed last week on Friday alone, apparently during peaceful marches, and that the death toll from that day could be much higher. CNN cannot independently confirm death tolls and witness accounts of the bloody crackdown. The Syrian government has not granted CNN access to the country. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice called the violence wielded by the government of Syria "abhorrent and deplorable," adding, "The outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end, and now." The Syrian government's repeal of its emergency law and allowance for peaceful demonstrations "were clearly not serious, given the continued violent repression against protesters," she said. The United States is pursuing "a range of possible policy options," Rice said, including the imposition of additional sanctions. "The Syrian people's call for freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and the ability to choose their leaders freely must be heard," she said. Rice accused al-Assad of "disingenuously blaming outsiders while, at the same time, seeking Iranian assistance in repressing Syria's citizens through the same brutal tactics that have been used by the Iranian regime." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called for the investigation, briefed the Security Council on the situation Tuesday. "I condemn utterly the continuing violence against the peaceful demonstrators," Ban told reporters. "Most particularly, the use of tanks and live fire." Ban said the Security Council would be briefed more fully on the matter on Wednesday, when it meets in private session. He added that he had discussed the matter "at least" twice with al-Assad. "It goes without saying that Syrian authorities have an obligation to protect civilians and respect international human rights," Ban told reporters. "That includes the right to free expression and peaceful assembly." Human Rights Watch's U.N. director, Philippe Bolopion, called on the Security Council to "condemn abuses by the Syrian government, support an international investigation and sanction those ordering the shooting and torture of protesters." He called Syria's campaign for a seat on the Human Rights Council "a slap in the face to the victims of the current crackdown, and an embarrassment to those who have supported its candidacy." In state-run media, al-Assad's regime has described the protesters as "armed criminal groups" and said its soldiers and police were working to stop them. The government has discussed the burials of "martyrs" killed by those groups. Anti-government protests or marches occurred Tuesday in Banyas, al-Tal, Amuoda and Zabwani. After witnesses told CNN Monday about thousands of troops and police entering the city of Daraa and firing indiscriminately, killing people in the streets, the Syrian government insisted that the citizens of Daraa had asked for the troops to stop "terrorist" groups. At least 35 tanks were in or around the city, said two witnesses who did not want to divulge their names for security reasons in an interview carried out by satellite phone. Water, electricity, telephone and Internet service were not working, they said. Sniper fire has sent a wave of fear through the community and led many to stay inside, leading to a shortage of footstuffs in households, they said. They cited that same fear as the reason that a number of the bodies of sniper victims remained uncollected from the streets where they fell. A doctor who told CNN that 21 people died Monday in the city said army forces had surrounded the hospital, where there was a shortage of medicine. Patients were being treated instead at undisclosed locations. He said he was using his car battery to charge his satellite phone. The doctor said tanks fired Monday into residential areas. Army and security personnel were looting stores in a commercial district, he said. On Tuesday, a witness in the western Syrian city of Jableh said security forces had set up checkpoints and were inspecting identification papers and arresting people. Businesses and schools in Jableh were closed Tuesday, the witness said. The witness said the bodies of 13 people who died Sunday were discreetly taken to their resting places because people were afraid to walk in the town. Another human rights group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, has said at least 13 civilians were shot dead Sunday in Jableh by security forces. In the Damascus suburb of Douma, one witness compared the city to a "prison." Witnesses said security forces were arresting people, including three hospital doctors. A witness in Douma said Tuesday that security forces had set up sandbag barricades around and inside the city. Checkpoints around the city were being manned with heavy machine guns, while those inside the city are manned by lighter weapons, the witness said. He said shops were closed and parents were afraid to send their children to school. A Douma resident who asked to be referred to as Rawwad said that, over the past four days, security personnel had been arresting people they recognized as members of the protest movement. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday "the situation in Syria is unacceptable." He added that -- as has been the case for the Ivory Coast and Libya -- "nothing will happen without a resolution from the Security Council." British Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned "any violence and killings perpetuated by Syrian security forces." "This violent repression must stop," Hague said in a statement. "President Assad should order his authorities to show restraint and to respond to the legitimate demands of his people with immediate and genuine reform, not with brutal repression." Fawaz Gerges, an analyst on the region with the London School of Economics, said Tuesday the response of the international community "is very important in terms of the legitimacy, in terms of the isolation of the Syrian regime. But the reality is events in Syria will determine what will happen and the end results. Syrians will determine whether the regime stays or goes. "Obviously the regime has decided to crush the protesters, to silence the opposition," Gerges added. Al-Assad is "using now massive force in order to break the will of the protesters. But even if he wins the first round, the situation is far from over ... The reality is President Assad will emerge as a much weakened president after his particular confrontation because he has lost much legitimacy and authority inside Syria." The Syrian protests -- part of a wave of uprisings in the Arab world -- began in Daraa last month following a crackdown by security forces on peaceful demonstrators protesting the arrests of youths who scribbled anti-government graffiti. Protesters have asked for freedom and regime reform, and public discontent with al-Assad's government has mounted. Activists also want the easing of the ruling Baath Party's power and a law that would permit the establishment of independent political parties. A new Treasury Department executive order targeting senior officials accused of human rights abuses would involve an asset freeze and travel ban, as well as prohibiting them from doing business in the United States. "The Syrian people's call for freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and the ability to freely choose their leaders must be heard," Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said in a statement Monday. The U.S. State Department also issued a statement Monday urging U.S. citizens to defer any travel to Syria. "U.S. citizens in Syria are advised to depart while commercial transportation is readily available," the statement said. The department also ordered all eligible family members of U.S. government employees as well as certain nonemergency personnel to leave Syria. CNN's Richard Roth, Nata Husseini, Amir Ahmed, Arwa Damon, Rima Maktabi, Elise Labott, Amir Ahmed and Raja Razek contributed to this report. | NEW: At least 35 tanks in and around Daraa, witnesses say .
"We can undertake an investigation by our own selves," Jaafari says .
Rights group lists names of more than 400 people killed .
Sarkozy says no action will be taken without a U.N. Security Council resolution . |
203,839 | 93eb62920939498e5e092c805fd6dc17b355fa2d | Three American friends have been taken to hospital after reportedly becoming 'possessed' by evil spirits while playing with a Ouija board. Alexandra Huerta, 22, was playing the game with her brother Sergio, 23, and 18-year-old cousin Fernando Cuevas at a house in the village of San Juan Tlacotenco in south-west Mexico. But minutes into it, she apparently started 'growling' and thrashing around in a 'trance-like' state. Scroll down for video . Possessed? Alexandra Huerta (pictured), 22, her brother Sergio, 23, and cousin Fernando Cuevas, 18, have been taken to hospital after reportedly becoming 'possessed' by evil spirits while playing with a Ouija board . Meanwhile, Sergio and Fernando also reportedly started showing signs of 'possession', including feelings of blindness, deafness and hallucinations. Paramedics were called to the house and took the trio to hospital, according to Alexandra's parents. They restrained Alexandra to prevent her . from hurting herself, before treating the three with painkillers, . anti-stress medication and eye drops, which seemingly worked. Victor Demesa, 46, the . director of public safety in the nearby town of Tepoztlan, said: 'The medical rescue of these three young people was very . complicated. Taken to hospital: Minutes into the game, Alexandra started 'growling' and thrashing around in a 'trance-like' state, according to her parents. Above, she was restrained by paramedics to prevent her from hurting herself . Board game: The trio had reportedly been playing with a Ouija board (pictured) when they started to show signs of 'possession'. Above, the Victorian parlour game is also known as the spirit board or talking board . 'They had involuntary movements and it was difficult to . transfer them to the nearest hospital because they were so erratic. 'It appeared as if they were in a trance-like state, apparently after playing with the Ouija board. 'They spoke of feeling numbness, double vision, blindness, deafness, hallucinations, muscle spasm and difficulty swallowing.' He added that whether . the trio were really possessed, or had simply convinced themselves that . they were, was not for doctors to comment on. Scene: Alexandra's parents said they had called paramedics after a local Catholic priest in the village of San Juan Tlacotenco (pictured) refused to perform an exorcism on the three because they were not churchgoers . Alexandra's parents said they had called paramedics after a local Catholic priest refused to perform an exorcism on the three because they were not regular churchgoers. The Ouija board - also known as a spirit board or talking board - is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, the words 'yes', 'no', 'hello' and 'goodbye' and various symbols and graphics. It uses a small heart-shaped piece of wood or movable indicator to indicate the spirit's message by spelling it out on the board during a seance. Participants place their fingers on the wood and it is supposedly moved around the board by the spirit to spell out words. Mainstream religions and some occultists have associated use of a Ouija board with the concept of demonic possession, and have cautioned their followers not to use one. | For an updated version of this article with new details, click here .
Alexandra Huerta, 22, reportedly playing with Ouija board in Mexican village .
Joined by her brother Sergio, 23, and 18-year-old cousin Fernando Cuevas .
But minutes into game, trio apparently started acting in a 'trance-like state'
Alexandra began 'growling', while her relatives were suffering hallucinations .
The players were taken to hospital, where they were treated with painkillers . |
61,863 | afbb1a598744a8267e16ffa376dd27a4c019c145 | Though it was a sex tape with Ray J that made Kim Kardashian famous, similar videos co-starring Whitney Houston would only diminish her legacy. The deceased singer reportedly made 'a ton' of sexually explicit videos and took several sexy snaps with her younger lover. Now, according to Star, the Houston family has been in contact with the 31-year-old, begging him not to release the racy material. Sex tape scandal; Ray J is reportedly in possession of 'a ton' of sexually explicit media featuring the late Whitney Houston . A source tells the magazine that the . Houstons have 'been in contact with Ray and told him they do not want . any photos or videos painting her in a bad light to come out.' The family 'explained to Ray that now is the time to honour Whitney, not drag her legacy down.' Star magazine reports the R&B singer is conflicted about what to do with alleged tapes. He's been 'stalling' to sell, knowing . that though he's 'sitting on a gold mine' he should most likely hand . them over to her family. However a spokesman for Ray J has since come forward to deny the reports. In it together: The couple reportedly dated until Houston's death at the age of 48 on February 11 . Scandal number two: A sex tape featuring Ray J and ex Kim Kardashian was released in 2007 . Courtney Barnes, spokesman for Ray J told Mail Online: . 'The despicable tabloid report released today claiming the existence of a . sex tape between Ray J and Whitney Houston is not true,' adding: 'There is no . sex tape.' Before adding categorically: 'This story along with so many others have been released to sell magazines. There is no sex tape or explicit photos.' According to Star magazine, Whitney, who died at the age of 48 on February 11, would have done anything for her toyboy. She reportedly 'loved doting on him and would have done anything he asked - including making a sex tape.' The two are said to have dated for the last several years leading up until the time of her death. Born William Ray Norwood, the singer songwriter is most famous for launching Kim Kardashian's career. He did so via - of course - co-starring in a sex tape with the now super famous reality star. The two dated in 2003, and in 2007, a racy video the two made was leaked. Kim sued Vivid Entertainment for ownership of the tape, but later dropped the suit and settled for $5 million. | Ray J spokesman refutes allegations . |
23,340 | 424fe3275016d45b63991cc1f6078ac662d944a3 | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama and GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan on Friday traded sharp criticism over health care reforms and Medicare, with each telling a leading advocacy group for senior citizens that the other was being untruthful. "Contrary to what you've heard and what you may hear from subsequent speakers, Obamacare actually strengthened Medicare," the president told the AARP Liffe@50+ event, using the nickname for the 2010 Affordable Care Act that passed with no Republican support. In particular, he called the claim by Ryan and other Republicans that $716 billion is being cut from Medicare to fund the health care bill "simply not true." Ryan spoke to the same event shortly afterward, saying that Obama's contention that the health care law strengthened Medicare was "just not true," adding that the legislation "turned Medicare into a piggy bank for Obamacare." The debate over Medicare is a major issue in the November election campaign, especially in the vital battleground state of Florida with its large population of senior citizens. Ryan headed to Florida later Friday, while Obama campaigned in Virginia, Vice President Joe Biden spoke in New Hampshire and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney headed to Las Vegas. All four states are considered up-for-grabs in the election less than seven weeks away. In a separate development, Romney released details of his 2011 income tax return that showed he made $13.7 million last year and paid $1.94 million in federal taxes, giving him an effective tax rate of 14.1%, his campaign said. The majority of the candidate's income last year came from his investments, Brad Malt, the trustee of Romney's blind trust, said in a blog post. The Romneys gave just over $4 million to charity. In addition, the Romney campaign said his tax filings from 1990 to 2009 show that he and his wife paid 100% of the federal and state income taxes they owed and that their overall average annual effective federal tax rate was 20.2%. Romney has been criticized by Democrats and even some Republicans for not releasing more than two years worth of taxes. His wealth and investment industry background, as well as his father's decision to release a dozen years of tax records during his presidential run four decades ago, have only raised interest in Romney's returns. Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said in a statement the disclosure "continues to mask Romney's true wealth" and income from the private equity firm he once led, leaving the American people in the dark about critical details of his finances. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, called the new tax information insufficient. "What we don't know is why he refuses to be straight with the American people about the choices he's made in his financial life," according to a statement from Reid, who previously created a stir when he alleged Romney paid no taxes in some years but refused to divulge the source of his accusation. "When will the American people see the returns he filed before he was running for president?" Reid asked. Obama responds to health care attacks . In his appearance by satellite at the AARP event in New Orleans, Obama responded to specific attacks on the health care law by Ryan and other Republicans, declaring the 2010 measure cuts waste and fraud in Medicare, provides preventive care to keep people healthier and reduces prescription drug costs for seniors. Romney pivots after controversies distract campaign . Savings come from "using the purchasing power of Medicare to say to doctors and hospitals and insurance companies: 'You guys need to work smarter,'" Obama said to applause. "Instead of having five different tests that each of you is charging for, do one test and email it to everybody." Ryan, the conservative House Budget Committee chairman from Wisconsin, has proposed a partial privatization of the entitlement that would provide government subsidies to help senior citizens pay for coverage they would choose from a list of options. He defended the plan Friday in the face of a mixed reception. "The first step to a stronger Medicare is to repeal Obamacare because it represents the worst of both worlds," Ryan said to loud booing. He added: "I had a feeling there'd be mixed reaction so let me get into it ." "It weakens Medicare for today's seniors and puts it at risk for the next generation," Ryan said, repeating the factually challenged claim of $716 billion in Medicare cuts and also targeting a panel created under the health care law charged with recommending ways to reach targeted savings starting in 2014. Ryan also took a swipe at Obama's re-election slogan of "Forward," saying it means "Forward into a future where seniors are denied the care they earned because a bureaucrat decided it wasn't worth the money." In his remarks, Obama argued that Medicare savings come from "using the purchasing power of Medicare to say to doctors and hospitals and insurance companies: 'You guys need to work smarter." "Instead of having five different tests that each of you is charging for, do one test and email it to everybody," he said to applause. With polls showing Romney unable to overtake Obama with less than seven weeks to go until the November election, GOP infighting is showing a rising frustration over the candidate's campaign against a president saddled by high unemployment and a sluggish economy. New figures show Obama and his allies raised nearly $85 million in August, outpacing Romney's haul in the month that included both parties' national conventions. Obama defends record on immigration at Univision forum . In Wisconsin, conservative candidate Tommy Thompson put some of the blame for his slipping poll numbers on the Romney campaign and conservative commentators, including former GOP speechwriter Peggy Noonan, have depicted the Romney team as floundering. "Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring," Ann Romney said of her husband's critics in an interview on Thursday with Radio Iowa. Romney tweaked his campaign strategy twice this week in response to controversies that distracted from his main message challenging Obama's record as president. On Thursday, he kept up attacks on Obama over a 1998 comment regarding redistribution of wealth, and also claimed the president had given up on changing Washington. The Obama camp fired back that the criticism was off base. At the AARP event Friday, Obama said the Ryan proposal to reform Medicare would make it a voucher program that shifts health care costs to senior citizens. He noted that AARP supported the 2010 health care reform act and opposed Ryan's Medicare proposal. "They know that a voucher program is not going to be a good deal," Obama said. Ryan, however, denied it was a voucher program and insisted that the idea originated in Democratic proposals of the past. "This financial support system is designed to guarantee that seniors can always afford Medicare coverage -- no exceptions," he said to some applause. Members of AARP -- a nonprofit organization and a powerful lobbying group that boasts of having more than 37 million members -- submitted questions to the nominees on their website. Tough stretch for Romney . Romney is coming off a tough stretch in the weeks before the three presidential debates in October. Last week, the Romney campaign struggled in its initial response to anti-American violence in Libya and Egypt. Then a left-leaning magazine released secretly recorded clips of Romney speaking at a May fund-raiser in which he said 47% of Americans depended on government help, saw themselves as victims and won't support him. Under criticism for the comments at the fund-raiser, Romney stuck by them and rallied some conservative commentators to his side by emphasizing his message on his allegation that Obama's polices increased public dependency on government. Clinton on the '47 percent' comments and the debates . In particular, they accused Obama of favoring wealth redistribution -- code for socialism among conservatives -- based on the 1998 video of the president when he was a state senator in Illinois. "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in some redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot," Obama says in the clip, posted Tuesday on the conservative Drudge Report website. The White House on Wednesday characterized the GOP attacks over the redistribution comment as an effort to divert attention from Romney's remarks at the May fundraiser. Romney also took aim at Obama's comment on Thursday at a Univision "Meet the Candidates" forum in which the president said he was unable to change Washington from within. House Speaker John Boehner continued the Romney attack line on Friday, saying Obama and congressional Democrats lacked the leadership qualities necessary to change the culture of partisan divide and legislative gridlock. "It takes courage, it takes determination and it takes sincerity, and it's called leadership," Boehner told reporters. Asked about the inability to work out compromises with Republicans on deficit reduction and other major issues, Obama blamed GOP intransigence and said he was being a leader by rejecting what he called "bad ideas." He noted that his proposals, including the health care reform measure opposed by every Republican, included some ideas with GOP origins. "Obamacare owes a debt to what was done in Massachusetts by my opponent, Mr. Romney, even though sometimes he denies it," the president said in a jab at his challenger, who passed a similar plan while governor of the state but now vows to repeal the federal version. "The one thing I won't do though is go along with bad ideas that are not helping the middle class," Obama said to applause, adding: "If I hear the only way Republicans in Congress are willing to move forward is to voucherize Medicare, I'll say no." Polls: GOP Senate takeover might be tougher . CNN's Shawna Shepherd, Paul Steinhauser, Dana Davidsen, Peter Hamby and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report. | NEW: Sen. Reid says Romney still isn't coming clean on taxes .
Paul Ryan gets mixed reception at AARP event .
Ryan and President Obama accuse each other of being untruthful .
Obama says leadership means rejecting bad ideas . |
31,921 | 5ad70b6b3488ee4bf297eaaa89e3a642614852ea | As if plans to send a TARDIS into space weren’t enough, now Dr Who fans want to name an entire planet in honour of the show. Fans of the programme, known as ‘Whovians’, have set up a petition to name a recently discovered gas giant ‘Gallifrey’ after the home of the Time Lords. In the past 24 hours, the petition has had 50,000 signatures with a current total of over 80,000. Scroll down for video... The planet, whose original name is HD 106906 b, was discovered by the University of Arizona earlier this year and has been baffling scientists ever since . 'The Doctors' Matt Smith (left) and David Tennant (right) during the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who - Day of the Doctor . The planet, whose original name is HD . 106906 b, was discovered by the University of Arizona earlier this year . and has been baffling scientists ever since. Astronomers recently said that the distant planet is so strange, that according to current planet formation theories, it shouldn’t even exist. The planet is 11 times Jupiter’s mass and orbits its star at an incredible 650 times the average Earth-sun distance. It has a temperature of 2,700 Fahrenheit (about 1,500 °C) making it much cooler than its host star. It emits most of its energy as infrared rather than visible light. Earth, by comparison, formed 4.5 billion years ago and is about 350 times older. Gallifrey is a fictional planet in the world's longest running science fiction television series Doctor Who and is the home world of the Doctor and the Time Lords . HD 106906 b is 11 times Jupiter’s mass and orbits its star at an incredible 650 times the average Earth-Sun distance. At only 13 million years old, this young planet still glows from the residual heat of its formation. It . has a temperature of 2,700 Fahrenheit (about 1,500 °C) making it much . cooler than its host star. It emits most of its energy as infrared . rather than visible light. Earth, by comparison, formed 4.5 billion years ago and is about 350 times older. In Dr Who, the planet Gallifrey is . located in a binary star system within the constellation of Kasterborous . some 250 million light years away from Earth. The petition, which was started by Australian fan Sam Menhennet, calls for the International Astronomical Union to rename the planet in honour of Doctor Who's 50th Birthday. ‘Doctor Who is legendary, award winning, record breaking, and global, and this planet deserves something special and supernatural as its name,’ he said. ‘How better to honour its existence than by dubbing it the home planet of our beloved time travelling alien, ‘The Doctor’?’ The petition can be signed at Change.org. | Fan Sam Menhennet wants to rename planet called HD 106906 .
Wants to rename the strange planet in honour of the show's 50th birthday .
'Hot jupiter' HD 106906 b has baffled scientists since its discovery .
According to current planet formation theories, it shouldn’t exist because it orbits its star at an incredible 650 times the average Earth-Sun distance . |
2,340 | 06d7366ba7904198e2a8f66b0f173a802b0351c9 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S., Turkish and Iraqi leaders all held talks Monday about Kurdish rebels using northern Iraq as a launchpad for cross-border attacks into Turkey. Turkish troops patrol near the border with Iraq on Monday. President Bush chatted by phone with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while separately two senior Iraq national government figures met with the head of the country's Kurdish region. The diplomatic moves came after Turkish warplanes pounded Kurdish separatist targets in northern Iraq on Saturday and Sunday as well as last week. Bush and Erdogan talked about the dangers of the Kurdish separatist rebels along the Turkish-Iraqi border, the White House confirmed. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said they discussed their common efforts to fight terrorism, and the importance of the United States, Turkey and Iraq working together to confront the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Bush has vowed to help Turkey fight PKK rebels. The PKK has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey, with some of its attacks launched from inside northern Iraq. The United States and European Union consider the group a terrorist organization. Last week, Turkey's ambassador to the United States, Nabi Sensoy, said his country's maneuvers against Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq were based on intelligence provided by the United States. In the Kurdish Iraq city of Sulaimaniya, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is Kurdish, and Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is Sunni Arab, met with Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani. Iraqi Kurdish officials, while critical of the PKK, have denounced the Turkish bombing campaign. Last week, Barzani snubbed visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in protest of the attacks. "We have vehemently condemned the bombardment. The bombing targeted safe and secure areas and innocent people. Several people were either killed or wounded," Barzani said on Monday at a press conference with the others. "We held consultations with President Jalal Talabani and we will continue our consultations with other concerned parties to put an end to these aggressions and put to an end the shelling of villages." The three Iraqi officials also dealt with national unity. They signed a "memorandum of understanding" to deepen relations further with their three parties: Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and al-Hashimi's Iraqi Islamic Party, a Sunni Arab entity. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Kathleen Koch, Talia Kayali and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Bush: U.S., Turkey and Iraq must unite against PKK Kurdish separatists .
Iraqi Kurds are critical of both PKK and air attacks against them .
Turkey bombed alleged PKK sites in northern Iraq over the weekend .
PKK has spent 20 years fighting for autonomy in Turkey; uses Iraq as a base . |
15,596 | 2c4a3c40e8f4ee53262edabe456378ba20349979 | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The judge in the drug trial of Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend-lawyer and two doctors raised questions Wednesday about the California law being used to prosecute them. Judge Robert Perry said he did not realize until researching the law on Tuesday night that the California Legislature changed the definition of an addict after most of the incidents the three are accused of allegedly happened. While Perry was not ready to decide how it might change the course of the trial, he suggested he would revisit the issue. "We'll keep going forward," Perry said. Howard K. Stern and Drs. Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor are accused of a conspiracy to provide drugs to an addict and using false names on prescriptions for Smith. The prosecution alleged both doctors gave the former Playboy model and reality TV star a steady flow of dangerous painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs while knowing she was a drug addict. The charges cover the last three years of Smith's life, which ended in a Florida hotel room with her death caused by "acute combined drug intoxication" on February 8, 2007. The three are not charged in Smith's death. On Tuesday, Perry suggested the prosecution had fallen short so far in proving the core of its case, including that Smith was a drug addict. Perry began Wednesday's session by saying he had not realized revisions in the "Intractable Pain Act," which guides the use of controlled drugs for pain treatment, were made in September 2006. "An addict meant something different from what it meant before September, 2006," after most of the conspiracy allegedly happened, he said. The law was changed to specify that a patient who depended on drugs for pain treatment could not be considered an addict. Defense attorney Ellyn Garafalo said before the law was changed, a doctor might have been prosecuted if he or she gave drugs to ease pain for a drug addict who broke an arm. Perry read from the law, which included a statement that the California Legislature "recognizes that prescription drugs can play a critical role in treatment of pain. Undertreatment of pain is a continuing problem." A prosecution witness, who had concluded from a review of medical records that Smith was an addict, acknowledged during testimony Wednesday that Kapoor may have actually "undermedicated" the actress when treating her for two fractured ribs in 2004. The defense contends that Smith was in chronic pain, including from the rib injuries and later from childbirth and the death of her son. The trial, which began on August 4 in Los Angeles Superior Court, is expected to last at least two more weeks. | Judge suggests the prosecution's case is falling short .
California law says depending on drugs for pain is not an addiction .
The actress' lawyer and 2 doctors are accused of providing drugs to an addict .
Judge discovers the legislature changed the definition of addict . |
386 | 01244c2c92f5f1a6deb8c1d92f20df22f00c329f | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 03:02 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 19 September 2013 . An Egyptian police chief was shot dead today as security forces tried to regain control of an area where gunmen killed 11 policemen last month and mutilated their bodies. Police had earlier fired tear gas and exchanged gunfire with armed men in Kerdasa, on the outskirts of Cairo, state TV reported. Despite wearing a bulletproof vest, Giza Police Chief General Nabil Farag was killed after unidentified militants opened fire. He was shot dead, and as these dramatic photographs show, had to be carried away by his fellow officers. Egyptian security forces help the lifeless body of Giza Police Chief General Nabil Farag, who was killed after unidentified militants opened fire . Police Chief General Farag had been on an operation with security forces deployed early morning to the town of Kirdasa to drive off suspected Islamists taking control of the town near Giza Pyramids, Egypt . Security troops backed up by helicopters, had stormed into the area, an Islamist stronghold, to carry out arrests after the torching of a number of police stations and the killing of an estimated 11 officers in clashes that followed the removal of President Mohamed Morsi in July. Kerdasa police station was abandoned after it was hit with rocket propelled grenades and gunfire on August 14 - the same day security forces moved against protests by supporters of the deposed president, killing hundreds. Police forces had not been allowed in Kerdasa since then. General Nabil Farrag, the assistant security director of the Giza Province, is dragged from a car after he was shot during an operation against gunmen . General Nabil Farrag died shortly after being brought to a hospital. Security forces captured 14 Islamist fugitives wanted for alleged involvement in violence in the village and at the six-week long Islamist sit-in outside Cairo University in support of ousted president Mohammed Morsi . The Egyptian Interior Ministry said the police chief was shot by gunmen positioned on the roofs of schools and mosques which the militants had taken over. At least one other police officer was injured in Thursday's violence, state TV reported. It said police forces took control of the area and imposed a curfew. As police and rebels fired at each other, Egyptian explosives experts were working to defuse bombs found on the public metro. Specialists defused two primitive bombs which has been planted 100 metres from Helmeyet el-Zaytoun station in northeast Cairo. Security troops stormed into the area to arrest people accused of torching police stations and killing an estimated 11 security officers . Egyptian soldiers wait for instructions as they gather in a street during an operation against gunmen in the underfire Kerdasa district . Residents of the area said yesterday they were not in control of the area but do not want police there . Egyptian soldiers take cover behind an armoured personnel carrier as they keep watch during an operation against gunmen in the Kerdasa district . Egyptian security forces take cover during clashes with suspected militants, who have been fighting with police since Morsi was ousted . Egypt has suffered outbreaks of violence and attacks on police and civilians following Morsi's exit. Violence between his supporters and security forces included massive attacks on police stations, security officers and churches. At least 1,000 people have died in the violence with most deaths coming during the security forces' dispersal of two pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo on August 14. About 100 police officers also died in the clashes. Nearly 2,000 Islamist activists and politicians have been arrested since Morsi's removal. Smoke rises during the fierce battles between Egyptian security forces and suspected militant, in the town of Kirdasa, near Giza Pyramids . Kerdasa, known for producing and selling luxury fabrics is 14 km from Cairo and known to be an Islamist stronghold. Residents of the area said yesterday they were not in control of the area but do not want police there. 'We don't trust them as we know they will come to arrest people we know and respect whom they blame on the violence that we know was done by outsiders, not by our respectable sheikhs,' Ahmed Aly, a resident, told Reuters on Wednesday. Egyptian security forces had on Monday stormed the town of Delga in Minya province, about 300 km south of Cairo, clearing barricades that was set by Morsi's supporters there who were almost in control of the town. Forces arrested 56 residents. | Troops stormed Kerdasa, near Cairo, to arrest those accused of torching police stations and killing security officers .
Policeman shot dead as officers and gunmen fired tear gas and bullets .
Explosive experts defused two bombs found on public metro line in Cairo . |
97,970 | 0a1f670c42cbe851fd87d9c6f1053c21ac6d20bc | The main representative body of British Jews has called Wigan chairman Dave Whelan's comments 'outrageous' and labelled his apology as 'half-hearted'. Whelan is set to face a Football Association charge after he responded to the controversy over Wigan's appointment of Malky Mackay as manager by telling the Guardian: 'I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else.' The Wigan owner has since apologised for any offence caused but is facing a critical situation at the club. One of the Latics' shirt sponsors, kitchen firm Premier Range, announced it was breaking ties with the club due to Whelan's appointment of Mackay, who is himself the subject of an FA investigation for sending allegedly racist text messages to Iain Moody, his former head of recruitment at Cardiff. Dave Whelan has left a Jewish body 'outraged' following his comments in aftermath of Malky Mackay hiring . The Board of Deputies of British Jews vice-president Jonathan Arkush said in a statement: "Dave Whelan's comments about Jews are outrageous and offensive, and bring the club and the game into disrepute. 'His half-hearted apology does not go far enough. You cannot insult a whole group of people, and then say, "I would never insult them", and hope that's OK. 'We need to see a proper apology and full recognition of the offence caused. Whelan, in his role as chair of a football club, has a responsibility to set the tone for both his players and supporters. Mackay was appointed Wigan boss this week, despite the text and email scandal . 'Racism and anti-Semitism will prevail on and off the pitch if it's acceptable and unchallenged in the boardroom. 'We will be taking up the matter with the Football Association and Kick It Out.' | Main representative body of British Jews 'outraged' by Whelan comments .
Whelan set to face FA charge following controversial statement .
The Wigan chairman appointed Malky Mackay as manager this week .
Whelan claimed 'Jewish people chase more money than anyone else' |
218,136 | a6683ecc8bc1a96b28425c03da31da1ec03c8b72 | Offensive ‘tribute’ pages devoted to alleged criminals on Facebook will not be tolerated as the social networking site takes a strong stance against internet trolls. It comes after a man was arrested for allegedly creating a tribute page for Dale Cregan, the alleged killer of police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes. Simon Milner, Facebook’s director of policy, said there was ‘no grey area’ when it came to the offensive tribute pages and that immediate action will be taken against anyone who deliberately sets up such a group. Strong stance: Facebook will not tolerate offensive tribute pages to alleged criminals such as this page set up by an internet troll praising Dale Cregan, the man who allegedly shot dead two policewomen . Facebook arrest: Another man was arrested for allegedly setting up a page called 'Dale Cregan is a Hero', after the murders of Pc Nicola Hughes (right) and Pc Fiona Bone (left) after police traced the Facebook page back to his home . Police arrested and questioned a man in September under the Communications Act 2003 after they traced the Facebook page ‘Dale Cregan is a Hero’ back to his home. The page contained posts which mocked the deaths of policewomen Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes. One read: ‘So a pair of coppers got killed who gives a s***?’ Another internet troll, who described Cregan as a ‘legend,’ stood by his comments, comparing the murder suspect to crazed killer Raoul Moat. This week, Facebook made changes to the way members could report their concerns about posts. Reporting posts: Facebook has made changes to the way members report their concerns about posts . For the first time people who make complaints can keep track of Facebook’s response using a new ‘support dashboard’. The system has been tested since April and this week it was made available to all one billion members. Online bully: Sean Duffy admitted defacing a tribute page for a teenager who was accidentally shot and was accused of posting fake photos of her with bullet holes in her head . Mr Milner told The Telegraph that . the new system will be especially useful in alleged bullying cases on . Facebook because moderators often find it hard to deem whether a post is . designed to be hurtful and the changes will make it easier for members . to challenge decisions. Mr Milner said: ‘Only a small minority of our users ever report problems. ‘This will just increase transparency around how we respond to those that do.’ Earlier this year an online bully, who targeted dead teenagers and cruelly mocked their deaths, has been spared jail and banned from social networking sites today for 'trolling' about a tragic schoolgirl. Sean Duffy, 26, from Reading, Berkshire, had admitted defacing a tribute site set up to remember Sophie Taylor, 16, between April 18 and 20 last year. The teenager was shot accidentally by her boyfriend, 18-year-old trainee gamekeeper Calum Murray, who then turned the gun on himself at a cottage near Tomintoul, Moray in Scotland, that month. Duffy, an autistic alcoholic, was accused of posting fake photos of Sophie with bullet holes in her head. He earlier admitted he was hooked on 'trolling' – where internet users deliberately leave abusive and bullying comments on networking sites to provoke others. He was sentenced to a community payback order with supervision for two years and told to do 300 hours of unpaid work. He is also banned from creating any accounts on social networking sites and is not allowed to post any videos or buy any device with internet access. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Facebook will not tolerate 'tribute' pages devoted to potential criminals .
A man was arrested for allegedly creating a page for alleged police killer Dale Cregan .
Facebook made changes to the way members can complain about posts . |
174,558 | 6ded25e6d42d8ecdb01a990b41ae6031e6019e44 | Drug smugglers are turning 'trusted travelers' into unwitting mules by placing containers with powerful magnets under their cars in Mexico and then recovering the illegal cargo far from the view of border authorities in the United States. One motorist spotted the containers while pumping gas after crossing into Southern California on Jan. 12 and thought it might be a bomb. His call to police prompted an emergency response at the Chevron station, and then a shocker: 13.2 pounds of heroin were pulled from under the vehicle, according to a U.S. law enforcement official. San Diego police said the drugs were packed inside six magnetized cylinders. Border patrol: SENTRI users are being targeted by drug smugglers who place magnetized boxes under the cars of unsuspecting drivers (2005 file photo) The driver had just used a 'trusted traveler' lane at the San Ysidro border crossing, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because some details of the case have not been made public. Authorities have learned of at least three similar incidents in San Diego since then, all involving drivers enrolled in the enormously popular SENTRI program, which stands for Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection. There were 12.6 million SENTRI vehicle crossings in fiscal 2013, more than double the 5.9 million four years earlier. The program enables hundreds of thousands of people who pass extensive background checks to whiz past inspectors with less scrutiny. Signing up can reduce rush-hour wait times from more than two hours to less than 15 minutes at San Diego's San Ysidro port of entry, the nation's busiest crossing, where SENTRI users represented 40 percent of the 4.5 million vehicle crossings in fiscal 2013, the Government Accountability Office found. But like other prescreening programs, there's a potential downside: the traveler can become a target, and such cases can be tricky for investigators when people caught with drugs claim they were planted. Using magnets under cars isn't new, but this string of cases is unusual. The main targets are people who park for hours in Mexico before returning to the U.S., authorities say. Smugglers track their movements on both sides of the border, figuring out their travel patterns and where they park. It takes only seconds to attach and remove the magnetized containers when no one is looking. 'It's a concern for everyone, not as big a concern for me because I'm careful,' said Aldo Vereo, a SENTRI user and office assistant at the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency who parks in a garage when home in Tijuana and varies his routes. 'People should be worried because they go straight home and straight to work.' 'Trusted travelers' were issued windshield decals for years, but they are no longer needed to identify vehicles approaching the inspection booths. New stickers haven't been issued since 2013, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says existing stickers can be removed. Many haven't heeded the call, which can make them a target. The Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce in San Diego told newsletter readers last week that decals should go. 'It's basically demonstrating that you are a SENTRI user,' said Alejandra Mier y Teran, the chamber's executive director. 'Criminals are savvy, and they know they are part of a program where they are not checked as much.' CBP says frequent crossers also should vary their travel routines and keep a closer eye on their cars. There have been 29 cases of motorists unwittingly carrying drugs under their cars in the San Diego area since U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified the trend in July 2011, including six drivers who made it past inspectors, said spokeswoman Lauren Mack. Any driver who suspects something's amiss under their car should immediately report it, to better show their innocence, authorities say. Officer Matthew Tortorella, a San Diego police spokesman, said "it would be inappropriate" to make public more details about the Jan. 12 seizure, and CBP spokeswoman Jacqueline Wasiluk also declined to comment, calling it a local police investigation. There have been three seizures since, all involving SENTRI drivers who were not charged: . —On Jan. 13, inspectors at the Otay Mesa border crossing found 35 pounds of marijuana in seven packages attached by powerful magnets to the bottom of a 2010 Kia Forte. —On Tuesday, a driver alerted an inspector at Otay Mesa to a package under a 2010 Nissan Murano, and 8 pounds of methamphetamine were found in three packages underneath. —On Wednesday, a dog at San Ysidro alerted inspectors to a 2000 Toyota Corolla with 18 pounds of marijuana underneath. That driver was enrolled in SENTRI but using a regular lane. Pete Flores, CBP's San Diego field office director, acknowledged that it's unusual to have so many cases in fewer than two weeks. 'It's a cat-and-mouse game,' Flores said. 'Each change they make prompts a change from law enforcement, which in turn prompts them to again change their tactics.' 'Trusted travelers': The SENTRI lanes allow pre-screened participants to use an automated identification system to cross into the U.S. from Mexico more rapidly (2005 file photo) | Drug smugglers are turning 'trusted travelers' through the SENTRI program into unwitting mules .
They place containers with powerful magnets under their cars in Mexico .
The dealers later recover the illegal cargo far from the view of border authorities in the United State .
The main targets are people who park for hours in Mexico before returning to the U.S., authorities say .
Smugglers track their movements on both sides of the border, figuring out their travel patterns and where they park .
It takes only seconds to attach and remove the magnetized containers when no one is looking . |
27,644 | 4e5a40cdead574506b1662f894b512e8355cb492 | Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The United Nations is reviewing its security procedures after an attack on a private guesthouse in central Kabul killed five U.N. staff members Wednesday. However, the agency's leader said it would not blink in carrying out its "noble mission" in war-ravaged Afghanistan. Speaking to reporters at the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters that the United Nations remains committed to working in Afghanistan, where workers from the world body have been helping the fledgling government plan a second round of the country's flawed presidential elections. In addition to the five U.N. staff members who were killed the carnage also wounded nine others, Ban said. The U.S. State Department said one American working for the United Nations was among the dead. Of the non-U.N. employees, three Afghans were killed. Ban said there were at least 25 U.N. staff members at the guest house, including 17 members of the U.N. election team. "This is a sad day and very difficult day for the United Nations," Ban said, condemning the "shocking and shameless act and the terrorists who committed this crime" and noting that the incident is a reminder of how tough the U.N. job is in Afghanistan. Ban said he was assured by Kai Eide, the top U.N. official in Afghanistan, that Afghan President Hamid Karzai has instructed his Interior Ministry to provide strengthened security, and he said the United Nations will also take necessary measures to beef up security -- in other areas of the country as well as Kabul. "We will, of course, review our security procedures, as we do regularly for the Afghanistan mission as a whole. We will take all necessary measures to protect our staff," Ban said. In the strike, weapons fire and explosions pounded the heart of the capital starting about 6 a.m. local time. The fighting began as sporadic gunfire, but intensified over time, lasting more than an hour. The attack took place in a relatively secure section of the capital, in the vicinity of a number of government buildings, and the firefight, which included machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades, appeared to be concentrated near the guesthouse. A plume of black smoke rose from the compound. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying on an insurgent Web site that three militants killed 50 foreigners, who were election organizers. The claim did not include specific details and could not be independently confirmed. The violence comes 10 days ahead of a presidential runoff election on November 7. Taliban militants have threatened to disrupt the polling. Officials said three militants were killed. One was shot dead by an Afghan soldier, and another wearing an explosives vest died when it was detonated. Karzai condemned the violence, as did the United States and the European Union. The second round of the presidential election -- a runoff between Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah -- comes after a first round marred with complaints of fraud, and the polling has led war critics to question whether the United States and other nations should invest their money and lives in a country where the government appears corrupt. Ban addressed the problems of government corruption and the drug trade, saying that he has urged Karzai to deal with the issues. If the matters aren't confronted, Ban said, it will not be possible to expect to have a credible government. He also urged the Afghan government to engage in politically conciliatory dialogue with many ethnic group leaders and regional country leaders. There had been an increase in international troop levels this year to provide security for the Afghan election in August, and the United States is considering the deployment of more troops to the country. The issue of security came up at the daily White House news conference. Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the administration is confident there are "appropriate resources to conduct the election and that the Afghan process won't be thwarted." CNN's Chris Lawrence and Tom Evans contributed to this report. | Taliban militants attack guesthouse in central Kabul killing up to five U.N. staff .
At least two militants died in the firefight; nine U.N. staff wounded .
Two rockets hit a hotel in another attack in the heart of the city .
Weapons fire, explosions ripped through central Kabul, starting about 6 a.m. local time . |
128,975 | 32a8abd70c45f695524be72dc3653264f8de8be3 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- When the Vatican switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, legend has it that riots broke out over the "lost 11 days" the shift caused. However, on the Pacific island of Samoa - which plans to skip Friday this week when it switches to the west side of the international dateline -- the mood is more typically laid back and Polynesian. "Sure, people are excited," government spokesman Uale Papalii was reported as saying to foreign media. "I myself am relaxed, (we are) only changing the calendar." The decision to push the international dateline further to the east and go back to the future -- going directly from Thursday to Saturday -- was prompted by new economic realities rather than a need to be the first place in the world to celebrate New Year's Day in 2012. Samoan prime minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, said the move would put the Pacific island nation of some 180,000 people on the same footing as its key trading partners in New Zealand and Australia, taking advantage of those economies links to China and the Pacific Rim. "In doing business with New Zealand and Australia we're losing out on two working days a week," he was quoted as saying in the English-language Samoa Observer. "While its Friday here, it's Saturday in New Zealand and when we're at church Sunday, they're already conducting business in Sydney and Brisbane." Currently, the archipelago is 21 hours behind Australia and 23 behind New Zealand, giving it just four working days a week that coincide with some of the Pacific Rim's largest economies. By moving the zig-zagging international dateline further to the east, Samoa will be just three hours ahead of eastern Australia and one hour ahead of New Zealand. The international dateline -- which follows roughly 180 degrees longitude but takes diversions around islands and territories to prevent it dissecting nations internally - already creates serious anomalies for Samoa. Its closest neighbor Tonga, little more than 800km to the south, is exactly 24 hours behind the island nation. The move, however, has raised alarm in the tourism sector which markets Samoa as the last place on earth to see the sun set and has run into opposition. "It's a crazy idea. I see no reasoning behind a time change," Samoan resident Valentina Tufuga told the Samoa Observer. "For years we have been trading well with Australia and New Zealand despite the time difference. I think it will just be a major loss to the tourism sector who can no longer boast that Samoa is the last country in the world to see the sun." While the switch means Samoa gains a new status as the first place on the planet to see the dawn, the tourist industry has judged this to be a less romantic and lucrative option for beachside honeymooners. Tuilaepa has countered the tourist industry could easily set up a new draw card by marketing itself as destination where tourists can celebrate birthdays and anniversaries twice -- American Samoa, just an hour away by plane, will remain on the other side of the international dateline. It's not the first time Samoa has crossed the international dateline. In 1892, the then king of Samoa was persuaded to cross the line to fall into step with American ships sailing westward to San Francisco. That shift, which gave the Samoan calendar an extra day that had to be absorbed with two consecutive July the Fourths, is now coming back in the form of this week's missing Friday; a situation that local media has mockingly referred to as TGIF or Thank God It's Friday. Tuilaepa, whose Human Rights Protection Party has ruled Samoa since 1979, is no stranger to controversy. Two years ago the government switched to driving on the left so that expat Samoans in Australia and New Zealand could send used cars home to their relatives. Samoa had been driving on the right side of the road since 1900, when it was a German colony, and the change drew an outcry from motorists who defaced signs advising people to "keep left" and denounced the decision as a major hazard on the island's already dangerous roads. Bus companies, in particular, strongly opposed the move and called on the government to compensate them for the cost refitting their passenger doors on the left hand side. | Samoa plans to switch to the west side of the international dateline at the end of this week .
The Pacific island will drop this Friday going straight from Thursday to Saturday .
The decision was prompted by Australia and New Zealand's focus on Asian economies .
New timezone will put it three hours ahead of eastern Australia vs. 21 hours behind . |
120,620 | 27e286290144d2aeaac1e630f7888ed8e4f5ebb4 | Douglas Westcott, 55, is charged with possession of child pornography . Police in Florida found the bodies of some 50 dead cats — frozen in four separate freezers — inside the home of a man they were arresting for alleged child pornography on Wednesday. Douglas Westcott, 55, was charged in Palm Beach County with three counts of possession of child porn. There were several pictures of naked juveniles inside his Lake Worth home, according to WBPF. Deputies went to his house to haul him to jail when they found as many as 35 cats living in absolute squalor inside the filthy home, said Capt. David Walesky of the Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, the Palm Beach Post reported. Another 50 dead bodies were kept in frozen bags. 'The bodies are spread among 4 separate freezers, which of course is the most unusual aspect of this,' Walesky told USA Today. Litter boxes overflowed with feces and urine. Officers had to wear masks to avoid the stench. Some of the cats were healthy but many suffered from respiratory and skin problems, according to the Palm Beach Post. 'The living conditions were not acceptable for the animals,' Walesky told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Police rescued some 35 cats (pictured) from the Florida home of Douglas Westcott, who was arrested on child pornography charges . Many of the rescued cats (pictured) had respiratory and skin problems, as well as other ailments from living in their own filth in the crowded home . Detectives executing a search warrant found 50 dead cats and another 35 alive inside this Florida home . Westcott refused to hand over custody of the cats to animal control. A judge will decide what to do with them in the next 30 days. Horrified . neighbors gathered outside the home to watch as cages upon cages of . alive cats, as well as bags of frozen carcasses, were taken out one by . one, the Sun-Sentinel reported. 'They're . just coming from everywhere,' neighbor Lorraine Fenner told the . newspaper. 'I had no idea there were so many in that house.' Another . neighbor, Marie Jean-Pierre, said Westcott has a wife and they have . lived in the house for some 10 years, the Sun-Sentinel reported. Neighborhood kids called the place 'the cat house.' 'It's . crazy,' Jean-Pierre told the Sun-Sentinel. 'I knew they had a lot of . cats. 'They said the cats were like their kids. I don't know what to . say.' The home was so filthy, animal control officials had to wear masks to endure the stench of urine and feces inside the home . | Douglas Westcott, 55, was found with several pictures of juveniles in his Lake Worth, Florida, home, police say .
While executing a search warrant, detectives found four freezers filled with bodies of dead frozen cats .
There were also 35 alive animals in the house, many with respiratory and skin ailments . |
43,827 | 7b9d3580bc1f117dfcd4a8824daf363551cbd275 | (CNN) -- Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel has started the 2011 Formula One season as he finished the last, claiming pole position in qualifying ahead of Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The Red Bull driver's lap of one minute and 23.529 seconds was enough to keep him 0.778 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who will join him on the front row. Vettel's Australian teammate Mark Webber finished third fastest in front of his home crowd, with Hamilton's fellow McLaren driver Jenson Button in fourth position at Albert Park. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will start from fifth on the grid for Ferrari and Vitaly Petrov of Renault will also be on the third row after a lap of one minute 25.247 earned him sixth position. Will tires decide new Formula One season? Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher's qualifying woes from the 2010 campaign continued after he was eliminated at the end of the second round, which means the Mercedes driver will start from 11th position. Schumacher's fellow German and teammate Nico Rosberg qualified in seventh ahead of Ferrari's Felipe Massa in eighth, Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber in ninth and Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi in 10th. Vettel recorded the fastest lap without using the newly re-introduced KERS technology, which stores energy created when breaking and converts it into an extra boost of speed. "We didn't use it today and the reason for that will stay a secret!" the 23-year-old told Formula One's official website. "It was a very good day today and so far a very good weekend, and hopefully this will lead to our best Melbourne result ever. Formula One 2011 lowdown . "The gap (between Hamilton's time and Vettel's time) is almost irrelevant. It could be one thousandth or one second. You only have those eight meters between you and the guy in second position, nothing more, nothing less. And in a long race eight meters may mean very little." It was a disastrous session for Spain-based team Hispania Racing, who saw both of their drivers fall foul of a rule which states any driver whose best lap is not within of 107% of the fastest lap time in the first qualifying phase will not be allowed to take place in the race. As a result, India's Narain Karthikeyan and Vitantonio Liuzzi of Italy will not line-up on the grid for Sunday's race. | Reigning champion Sebastian Vettel on pole ahead of season-opening Australian GP .
The Red Bull driver is ahead of Lewis Hamilton in second, and Mark Webber in third .
Jenson Button in fourth position, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in sixth . |
232,018 | b869aca7dc0bf2e597d5624fa33c4cd36e7aa1ad | (CNN) -- It seemed like a harmless comment, or so Mario Almonte thought at the time. The year was 1992, and Bill Clinton had just appeared on "The Arsenio Hall Show" to play a rendition of "Heartbreak Hotel" on his saxophone. Almonte thought it was entertaining; his supervisor, on the other hand, thought the stunt "demeaned the office of president of the United States," Almonte recalls. Almonte offered his opinion to his supervisor and that he "relax." It turned out to be the wrong choice of words, he said. "He immediately got upset and started arguing with me, and for nearly half an hour, we kept arguing about the issue until we finally both walked away in disgust," said Almonte, a public relations specialist in New York who was not associated with the show or Clinton's campaign. "For the next several weeks, every time he talked to me, he would throw in a jab at my opinion, and it would take all my willpower to keep myself from taking the bait." The jabs eventually died down, but the damage was done, Almonte said. With that, he learned a lesson: never talk politics in the workplace. "Most people are so passionately committed to their viewpoints that no discussion ever ends civilly, nobody wins, and nothing comes of it but a shouting match," he said. It may seem like common sense, but with the Republican primary season entering full swing, political discourse tends to spill over into the workplace. Among the rank and file, there's a chance that political discourse can work around the water cooler if you know your audience, human resource and etiquette experts say. "Don't assume other people believe what you believe," said etiquette expert Anna Post with the Emily Post Institute. "You don't choose who you work with, so it's really important that that relationship is a good one." In other words, it's a risky gamble. If you can't keep it civil, or you're not sure the other person can, keep it to yourself, the experts agree. "As we get closer to the election and the rhetoric gets even more heated, it's even more advisable to leave your politics at home," said Dean Debnam, CEO of Workplace Options, a workplace training benefits firm. "You need to create an environment that feels comfortable and productive in every way to employees if you want to get the best out of them." Most companies aren't likely to have a formal policy on the discussion of politics. But there are policies regulating against a hostile work environment, said Debnam, a North Carolina Democrat who also runs a polling organization. "From the management point of view, there's a need to be mindful of not creating a hostile environment, and that includes being intolerant of direct reports' beliefs on politics or otherwise." Some companies attract employees of a certain political persuasion, but that's usually clear coming in the door, he said. "If you're going to take a job with the Catholic Church, you know what they're about," he said. "But to come into something that's supposed to be neutral and then feel pressure to take a certain position that you don't want to, that's not OK." If you're dying to discuss last night's debate, avoid judgmental language and focus on facts over feelings, Post said. "You want to keep this as undebatable as possible," Post said. "You also need to be wiling to swallow the last word, be able to agree to disagree and be willing to bow out before it escalates." Now a manager at another company, Almonte, the New York-based public relations specialist, prefers to avoid the topic of politics altogether. "I don't get involved, and I do discourage it," he said. "With politics and sports, it seems like there's rarely a middle ground to be reached. And that's not good for business." | With Republican primaries under way, politics becomes water cooler talk .
Those who've been there prefer to keep political discourse of out the workplace .
"No discussion ever ends civilly, nobody wins," public relations specialist says .
Expert: Talking politics can work if you know your audience and focus on fact, etiquette . |
217,351 | a56283108f141c27967acc5015cdcd44175b1e73 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 13:25 EST, 24 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:37 EST, 25 July 2012 . Guilty: William Belfour faces a mandatory life sentence after he was found guilty on all counts . Murderer: William Belfour was sentenced to three life terms follow his conviction in the Hudson family murders . The man convicted of gunning down the mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew of singer and Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson has been sentenced to three life terms in prison. The singer and actress attended every day of the trial, and the sentencing of William Balfour today was no exception. Balfour's defense filed an appeal shortly after he was convicted of first-degree murder in May, but it was denied. According to TMZ, Cook County Circuit Judge Charles Burns told Balfour: 'Your soul is as barren as dark space.' The sentencing came a little more than two months after a jury convicted Balfour in the October 24, 2008 shooting deaths of Hudson's 57-year-old mother Darnell Donerson, her 29-year-old brother Jason Hudson and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King. Some of the jurors spoke to the press . following their decision, saying that phone records were the tipping . point amid a sea of circumstantial evidence. The . evidence that helped seal Balfour’s fate was the testimony from a . forensic investigator who told the court how he triangulated Balfour’s . location using cell phone towers. ‘Once we were able to piece the timing together…we were able to put a timeline together,’ juror Paula Holcomb said, according to NBC Chicago. 'We realised that he could not be at two places at one time.' Victimised: Jennifer Hudson, pictured performing earlier this month, was present for the sentencing of William Balfour in Chicago . Crushed: Michelle Davis-Balfour, center, mother of William Balfour, hides her face from photographers after her son was found guilty of the three murders . Prosecutors portrayed Balfour as a jealous estranged husband who often stalked Julia Hudson's house after he moved out in early 2008. They said all his anger and jealousy erupted into violence shortly after he came into the house and spotted a gift of balloons there that were from Julia Hudson's new boyfriend. They told jurors that after Julia Hudson left the house for her job as a bus driver the morning of October 24, Balfour returned with a .45-caliber handgun and shot Hudson's mother in the back, and then shot Hudson's brother twice in the head as he lay in bed. Prosecutors said Balfour then drove . off in Jason Hudson's SUV with Julian - Julia's son, whom she called . Juice Box - and shot the boy several times in the head as he lay behind a . front seat. Opposites: Jennifer Hudson, right, holds her Academy Award while and convicted murderer William Balfour, is seen clutching a bottle of champagne . Weeping: A courtroom sketch shows Jennifer Hudson and sister Julia reacting to the closing arguments in the murder trial . The boy's body was found in the abandoned vehicle miles away after a three-day search. The case against Balfour was built largely on circumstantial evidence, with witnesses testifying that the shootings were the final chapter of a story that was laid out to them by Balfour himself in alleged threats that he would kill Julia Hudson's family if she spurned him. Julia Hudson was among those who testified about the alleged threats Balfour made against her family, telling jurors that he was so prone to jealousy that he even angrily complained when her young son kissed her. 'He said, `If you leave me, you will be the last to die. I'll kill your family first,' she testified. In memoriam: Jennifer Hudson, left, is seen pictured with her murdered mom, centre, and sister Julia. It is captioned: 'my lovely mother, beautiful sister julia and i' Victims: Jennifer Hudson's brother Jason Hudson, . left, and nephew Julian King, right, were also killed in the brutal . 2008 triple murder . Other witnesses told similar stories, with one saying that Balfour 'went on a rant' in August 2008 about his estranged wife in which he repeatedly threatened to kill the family. Another said he saw Balfour spying on his estranged wife from outside her house. A former girlfriend of Balfour testified that Balfour told her he had shot and killed Hudson's family members and that she'd agreed to serve as his alibi if police inquired out of fear he would harm her. Some of the most dramatic testimony came from Jennifer Hudson. The singer, who won an Academy Award for her role in the 2007 film 'Dreamgirls,' was the first witness to testify. 'I tried to keep my distance from William Balfour,' she told jurors when asked if she was ever friends with Balfour, whom she'd known since junior high school. But Balfour's attorneys suggested that someone else committed a crime in the family's three-story house in Englewood on Chicago's South Side. Utter tragedy: The body of Jennifer Hudson's missing nephew was found in the back of a white SUV, three days after he had vanished . The way they told it, someone other than Balfour targeted the family because of alleged crack-cocaine dealing by Hudson's brother. But when it came time to present evidence, Balfour's attorneys only called two witnesses in 30 minutes of testimony and never presented any evidence to support that theory. Even if the suggestion did not sway jurors, it did underscore the violence that plagues the family's small neighborhood on the city's South Side, a community where children grow up knowing the sound of gunfire, a sound so common that residents often don't even bother reporting it to cops. A high school dropout and member of a street gang, Balfour had a long rap sheet for drug offenses and automobile theft when he was arrested and convicted for attempted murder and vehicular hijacking. After seven years in prison he was released in 2006. A few months later he married Julia Hudson, at about the same time Jennifer Hudson was starring in 'Dreamgirls.' Balfour had a falling out with his wife and moved out of the house. Just months later he was back in jail, charged in the Hudson family slayings. House of horrors: Memorials were placed outside the home of Darnell Hudson Donerson; she was found shot to death in the living room, and her son Jason was gunned down in a bedroom . | William Balfour had been convicted of all counts - including murders of singer's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew .
Faces mandatory sentence of life in prison .
May address court before sentence is handed down .
Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson attended every day of court testimony . |
75,000 | d49db7262e321bbacf40757eb4a57f918325e7c7 | Premier League clubs are screening African football players who have returned from international matches for Ebola, amid the Ebola crisis on the continent. Cheick Tiote, Papiss Cisse and Wilfried Bony are among the players who will be checked for the virus, after competing in African Nations Cup qualifiers. It comes as health officials announce that airport screening for the killer disease, which was put in place at Heathrow earlier this week, will be extended to Manchester and Birmingham. Scroll down for video . Cheick Tiote (left) and Papiss Cisse (right) are among the players being closely monitored following their return from international qualifiers in Africa, where the Ebola crisis is deepening . Swansea City's Wilfried Bony, who plays for Ivory Coast, will also be tested after competing in West Africa . Although no players have travelled back to the UK from the worst-affected parts of West Africa, the potential spread of the killer disease is being 'closely considered' by various club medics. Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew said the club had a 'strategy' in place to closely monitor cup hopefuls Tiote and Cisse, who returned to Tyneside after representing the Ivory Coast and Senegal respectively. Wilfried Bony, who plays for Swansea, will also be put through tests after returning from playing with the Ivory Coast, his club confirmed. But Manchester City FC said the club would 'not be engaging publicly in any discussion' about Yaya Touré and Ebola for patient confidentiality reasons. A spokesman did confirm the Ivory Coast captain was back at the training ground yesterday. Speaking about his two players, Pardew said: 'We'd be naive not to have concerns. We have a strategy for when they return and making sure they and their families are taken care of. 'They're essential to us and our doctor has looked into the problems that might arise and also protection for them and to make sure we do our very best to help them.' Midfielder Tiote has been in DR Congo with the Ivory Coast, while Cisse was with Senegal in Dakar this week. Neither country has an outbreak. Pardew continued: 'The two boys who travelled to Africa are not back yet but reports are that they're both well. Manchester City FC has refused to say whether Yaya Touré - the Ivory Coast captain - was screened for the virus on return from the African continent . 'Of course it's a worry when you've got players such a long way away, you're just looking at your phone hoping no messages come thorough that are negative. We've been lucky this time around.' A spokesman for Swansea insisted the checks being given to Bony were no different to those given to all players returning from international games. But he said the club was 'well aware' of the Ebola situation. He said: 'Out of our players, it is only Bony that has returned from Africa. The club is well aware of the situation, but the doctors are quite relaxed about it. 'He will go through normal fitness checks and medical tests which any player returning from an international game would go through.' A football source said yesterday that the Premier League was not 'particularly concerned' about any risk of the deadly virus being brought back. Manager Alan Pardew said Newcastle FC would be 'naive' not to take precautions following the Ebola outbreak . They said: 'Players are probably more closely monitored health-wise than any individuals in the country. They are surrounded by doctors and their levels are tested daily. 'It has crossed the minds of the Premier League and certainly club doctors, but none of the players have gone out to countries affected by Ebola - unless you count the US.' A Premier League also told MailOnline that it had not issued any advice on Ebola because guidance was already available from health officials. He said it was up to each individual club to decide how best to look after their players. West Ham United refused to comment on whether there were procedures in place for the return of Cheikhou Kouyaté, who represents Senegal. When asked about Senegal player Mohamed Diamé, who competed in the qualifiers, Hull City also said it would not comment. Another player who is believed to have competed in international qualifiers in Africa include Sadio Mané from Southampton. The club was not available for comment. The returning players were competing in qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations, due to be held in Morocco in January. There have been fears the competition could be postponed if the deadly virus is not contained, while Ghana also revealed it has been approached about staging the competition if Morocco withdraws. Health officials began screening arrivals at Heathrow on Wednesday. Downing Street said the regime is poised to be rolled out across Gatwick and the Eurostar terminal . The screening techniques include a form for passengers to fill in, asking about potential symptoms of the virus . The Ghanaian sports minister said he had been contacted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which was also said to have been in touch with the South African Football Association. Up to a million spectators are expected to travel to watch the African Cup of Nations. Pardew added: 'That's something that will play out as we go along. That kind of decision is a big, big one and I'm sure the countries will make that rather than club managers. 'It's something to be concerned about and we have to be on our guard.' Agents for Tiote and Cisse refused to comment. Agents for Toure and Bony were unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone midfielder Michael Lahoud, who plays in the US for Philadelphia Union, said team-mates from the national side had felt humiliated by their treatment by opponents. Sierra Leone have been forced to play home African Cup of Nations qualifiers in neutral countries because of the Ebola outbreak. He said rival fans chanted 'Ebola' at the team and some opponents refused to shake hands or swap shirts after the game. Dele Adebola, the former Birmingham City and Coventry City striker, was last week forced to deny that he has Ebola. The Nigerian forward, who currently plays in the Northern Premier League for Rushall Olympic, had been constantly asked on Twitter if he had the disease by those who thought his name sounded similar to the deadly virus. After several tweets and jokes poking fun at his name, Adebola finally responded: 'Guys please stop asking if I have ebola. 'I do not have it. But I thank you for caring about my health and wellbeing :-) Dele.' He told BBC Sport: 'It is really causing a lot of tension and friction.' He has not been involved with the national side this month as it is the climax of the MLS season in the US. On Wednesday, Public Health England began screening passengers arriving at Heathrow Terminal 1 after taking indirect flights from West Africa. It is expected to roll out across Gatwick and the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras, London, next week. Public Health England announced the regime will then be implemented at Manchester and Birmingham, once measures at the other ports of entry have 'settled'. In his weekly message to staff, Duncan Selbie said: 'Next week the focus will be on Gatwick and St Pancras and, once settled there, we will then move to include Manchester and Birmingham. 'I appreciate very much that we are taking people away from their normal work, and please be assured that we are thinking hard and listening carefully to those on the ground to see how we can make this more sustainable. 'What I am certain of is that we have the people who know how to keep the country safe and that is exactly what we will do.' The process involves being questioned to establish any potential exposure to the disease. The person also has their temperature taken. They are then declared free to go, referred for further assessment, classed as low risk and sent away with information to monitor their own condition, or classed as higher risk and actively monitored. Authorities were heavily criticised on the first day of screening at airports when it emerged checks were not compulsory and only those who 'show symptoms of the virus' were being spoken to. David Cameron, who yesterday chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra contingencies committee on the outbreak, will use an EU summit in Brussels next week to push for more funding and assistance for the poverty-stricken countries which are struggling to contain outbreaks. Mr Cameron has urged other European countries to introduce Ebola screening regimes at airports, warning they 'must do more' to halt the spread of the killer disease. At Thursday's Cobra meeting the Prime Minister voiced doubts about the quality of protection in place in Europe, saying other governments should emulate the checks brought in by the UK. It is estimated the death toll from the Ebola crisis will rise to more than 4,500 lives this week from among 9,000 people infected by the deadly disease. Dr Isabelle Nuttall of the World Health Organisation said the new numbers also show the outbreak is hitting health workers hard, with 2,700 infected and 236 dead. She told reporters in Geneva that cases are doubling every four weeks, and the effects of the crisis are increasingly being felt beyond its epicentre in West Africa. | Players have been taking part in African Nations Cup qualifiers this week .
Newcastle's Alan Pardew said club would be 'naive' not to have concerns .
'Strategy' in place for Ivory Coast's Cheick Tiote and Senegal's Papiss Cisse .
Ivory Coast's Wilfried Bony will also be put through tests by Swansea City .
Manchester City refused to say if Yaya Touré would be tested for Ebola .
Public Health England introduced screening at Heathrow earlier this week .
Officials say regime will extend to Birmingham and Manchester airports .
There are already plans to roll out screening at Gatwick and Eurostar . |
228,017 | b33ecca4fbd3026f2cad23fbce2aa06ae68219d6 | PARIS, France (CNN) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy became faint while jogging late Sunday morning and was taken to a hospital, the presidential office said. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is often seen jogging with bodyguards. He did not lose consciousness, and initial tests showed nothing abnormal, said a statement released by the president's office. His heart will be monitored until Monday morning, which is standard procedure in such cases, the statement said. In the meantime, according to the statement, he is resting and keeping in touch with his advisers. Sarkozy, 54, had been jogging with bodyguards for about 45 minutes near the Elysee Palace, the official residence of the president, when he fell ill, the statement said. After being seen by the Elysee doctor, Sarkozy was taken by helicopter to the military hospital Val-de-Grace. Watch more on Sarkozy's trip to hospital » . No further announcement was expected until morning, the statement said. Sarkozy exercises regularly and is an avid jogger. Earlier this month, he was photographed jogging through Central Park in New York during his trip to the United States. CNN's Jim Bittermann contributed to this report. | NEW: Sarkozy resting, talking with advisers at hospital, president's office says .
NEW: Initial tests show nothing abnormal, according to president's office .
French President taken to hospital after becoming faint while jogging .
Sarkozy is an avid jogger . |
261,696 | deed9123276b103c6c408bc1e751e51d294db73f | By . Corey Charlton for MailOnline . A football player has died of a head injury after being hit by a rock apparently thrown by his own fans at a top-flight league game in Algeria. A police investigation has been opened into the death of Albert Ebosse, a striker from Cameroon who died in hospital on Saturday night after succumbing to a head injury. He was hit by the rock as players left the field following a 2-1 loss for his club, JS Kabylie. Ebosse had scored his side's equalizer from a penalty in Saturday's game before they went on to lose 2-1 at home to USM Alger in the northern city of Tizi Ouzou. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Cameroonian striker Albert Ebosse died after being hit in the head by object thrown from stands . The 24-year-old Ebosse, the leading goal-scorer in the Algerian league last season, was apparently hit by the rock hurled from a section of JS Kabylie supporters angry at their team's loss. Ebosse was struck as players walked off after the game and fans began throwing rocks at them. He was taken to the hospital around 500 meters away from the stadium, where he died. 'We expect exemplary sanctions to be taken against this grave act of violence,' Issa Hayatou, the president of the African confederation, said in a statement. Algeria's interior ministry ordered that a police investigation be opened into Ebosse's death, JS Kabylie said in a statement on the club's website. Ebosse 'succumbed to a head injury,' JS Kabylie said. There were no immediate reports of any other players being hurt. The president of Algeria's professional league said he was present at the game but left minutes before the incident. 'I am still finding this tragic death hard to grasp because I was at the stadium just minutes before this tragic incident and Albert Ebosse was still running in all senses of the word before my eyes,' Mahfoud Kerbadj said. Ebosse converting a penalty during the game against USM Alger, after which he was struck by a rock thrown from the stands . Ebosse, right, shaking hands with Algeria's prime minister Abdelmalek Sellal after his team was defeated during the Algeria Cup final on May 1 . Ebosse pictured left during his team's warmup before the game, and right during the Algeria Cup final in May . The Algeria Football Federation and the professional league both ordered emergency meetings over Ebosse's death. Officials from JS Kabylie and the match officials were summoned to a special meeting on Monday, league president Kerbadj said, and the stadium where the incident took place was closed until further notice. Algeria Football Federation President Mohamed Raouraoua said he hoped that 'the perpetrators of this unspeakable act are severely punished.' Ebosse joined Kabylie last year and became an immediate success, scoring 17 goals last season as his team finished second to USM Alger, the opponents on Sunday, in Algeria's top league. Algiers team USM Alger also offered its condolences. 'JS Kabylie's Cameroonian striker has lost his life after being hit in the head by something launched from the stands,' USM Alger said. 'This terrible news is saddening for football in our nation and in Cameroon and arrives like a bombshell.' Ebosse's body was transferred to a military hospital in preparation for it to be flown home to Cameroon, his club said. | Football player Albert Ebosse killed when hit by rock thrown from stands .
Cameroonian 24-year-old was playing for club JS Kabylie in Algeria .
Police investigating the incident in which rock was thrown by his own fans .
Ebosse succumbed to a 'head injury' after he was taken to hospital . |
238,123 | c02fdbf8c737f69425910bf6cbb852abb5a0d08f | By the time the summer of 1974 rolled around, America was ready for a break. The Vietnam War had ended for the United States the year prior, but the emotional and psychological toll at home had just begun. The lifting of the 1973 oil embargo in March 1974 eased economic tensions and allowed Americans to hit the open roads once again. And, let's not forget the Watergate scandal. By the summer of 1974, the fate of most of the president's men had been decided, and the Supreme Court had rejected President Richard Nixon's claims of executive privilege, paving the way for his resignation August 9. It was a time of weariness and confusion, which was reflected in the music and films of 1974. But it also was a period of transition for America as the progressive values that emerged in the 1960s around political awareness and women's rights continued to flourish. A shift in pop culture also was under way, from Beatlemania and Flower Power to disco and what Tom Wolfe dubbed the "Me" decade. Browse through the gallery above for a look back at the summer of 1974. Do you remember life in the 1970s? Share your memories in the comments! | Historians view the 1970s as a transitional era in the United States .
In 1974, Americans were weary from the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal .
Ahead of them was disco and the "Me" decade . |
216,774 | a4a179c6167e977f786f470dea9b4d82c9e76880 | By . Sunni Upal . Follow @@RSUpal . Shane Warne thinks Kevin Pietersen will shine on the big stage when the pair line up for a star-studded Rest of the World team against Marylebone Cricket Club as part of Lord's 200-year anniversary celebrations. Pietersen's England career appears to be all but over, but he will be back in the middle at Lord's on Saturday and the 34-year-old has admitted that he still hasn't given up on playing international cricket again. Warne said at a press conference in the famous Long Room: 'KP is an absolute match-winner. VIDEO Scroll down to watch KP in the nets as he claims he wants to play for England again . All smiles: Shane Warne has backed Kevin Pietersen to shine on the big stage at Lord's on Saturday . Showdown: Warne and Sachin Tendulkar will lead star-studded teams in Lord's' 200-year celebrations . 'He is a superstar and a wonderful player. He is fantastic to watch, I'm sure he will turn it on on Saturday and smash it all over the park. He has played well over the years at Lord's in his time with England and hopefully he can do that on Saturday.' The Australian spin-bowling legend, who has been a fierce critic of Alastair Cook's England captaincy, will lead the Rest of the World team on Saturday. 'I think you can always improve as a player and as a captain,' Warne said. 'Some people are naturally a leader and some people it doesn't suit them. Famous: Warne and Tendulkar address the media in the Long Room on Friday . Walk: Tendulkar didn't score a century at Lord's before retiring last November . 'Ask Ian Botham, one of the best all-time cricketers but he always said captaincy wasn't for him. 'You can improve but you are either a leader or you are not and if you are not a leader and you try to force something it doesn't really work.' Sachin Tendulkar, meanwhile, will captain the MCC team. The Indian great never scored a century at Lord's during his illustrious career before retiring in November. Star studded: Brett Lee and Brian Lara will also be part of the all-star cast at lord's on Saturday . Primed: Pietersen shared this image of his shirt and message on Instagram . He said: 'I have enjoyed my time with the family, I started practising 10 days ago and it is nice to be back in the gear and hitting a few balls - I'm still trying to find the centre of the bat.' Tendulkar and Warne are part of an all-star cast to celebrate the 200th year of the present Lord's ground. The MCC team also includes the likes of Shiv Chanderpaul, Rahul Dravid and Brian Lara while the Rest of the World side features Adam Gilchrist, Muttiah Muralitharan, Virender Sehwag and Shahid Afridi. Sachin Tendulkar*Shivnarine ChanderpaulRahul DravidAaron FinchBrian LaraBrett LeeChris Read†Saeed AjmalShaun TaitUmar GulDaniel Vettori . Shane WarneTino BestPaul CollingwoodAdam Gilchrist†Muttiah MuralitharanKevin PietersenVirender SehwagShahid AfridiPeter SiddleTamim IqbalYuvraj Singh . | Pietersen and Warne will play for Rest of the World against MCC at Lord's .
Warne hails Pietersen as a match-winner and superstar .
34-year-old Pietersen admitted he hasn't given up on international career .
Sachin Tendulkar to captain MCC team on Lord's 200-year celebration . |
183,287 | 7967725a11e8869eb212e90efe8936f6cdecaf3e | Distasteful: Meaty Trumps' 'British Nonces' boasts 54 vile child-abuser playing cards . A 'disgusting' Top Trumps-style card game featuring Britain's most notorious paedophiles and child killers and ranking their crimes is available to buy online. Meaty Trumps' 'British Nonces' boasts 54 vile child-abuser playing cards and participants must battle it out comparing attributes such as 'slipperiness' and 'cockiness'. Among the pack are Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris, Cyril Smith and Roy Whiting - who was given a life sentence for murdering eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2000. Other attributes on which players can out-trump their opponents are 'physical threat', 'offences'. 'nonceoriety' and 'remorse' - for which most score lowly. Each card also includes a small bio giving players a taste of the sick crimes that destroyed many victims' lives - and the game is being advertised as suitable for 14-year-olds. Underneath Cyril Smith's card, it reads: 'Big Cyril', Mr Rochdale, bully MP, glutton, predatory paedophile knighted on 1998, guest lecturer on the QE2, protected by MI5, never charged - organiser of industrial-scale child abuse.' Smith receives a a slipperiness rating of 99 out of 100 and a physical threat rating of 95 - making him a sure winner for any player lucky enough to be dealt his card. The pack features Sir Peter Hayman, a respected diplomat and Army officer who hid a secret life as a member of the Paedophile Information Exchange. Hayman also scores highly in the distasteful categories with a 100 out of 100 rating for 'cockiness'. A mock-up of the 'disgusting' Top Trumps-style card game featuring Britain's most notorious paedophiles -which is available to buy online . Sick: A Top Trumps-style card game featuring Britain's most notorious paedophiles and child killers and ranking their crimes is available to buy online. Among the pack is Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris, above . Also among the British Nonces pack is Max Clifford - jailed for eight years in May for a string of indecent assaults against girls and young women. Clifford is notably scored a zero in the 'remorse' category following his antics during his trial - specifically when he jokingly snuck up behind a Sky News reporter who was reporting on the case outside Southwark Crown Court. When Clifford was sentenced, Judge Anthony Leonard referred to the footage and said: 'I find your behaviour quite extraordinary and a further indication that you show no remorse.' Jill Appleyard - abused by Clifford when she was just 14 years old - has slammed the Meaty Trumps creation. A Christmas advert for the 'British Nonces' game appears on Meaty Trumps' website along with other alternative Top Trumps sets such as 'Tory Scum' The vile Cyril Smith is one of the highest scoring cards in the British Nonces Meaty Trumps pack . She told the Sun: 'It's disgusting, especially selling it to teenagers. I was hoping people would take the subject of child abuse more seriously.' The mother of two, 62, waived her anonymity to speak out about the abuse she suffered at the hands of the former PR guru. Yesterday Amazon removed the game from its website but it is still available for £8 on the Meaty Trumps site and on a website called Brown Cartel. Other Meaty Trumps sets include 'Killer Diseases', 'Recreational Drugs' and 'Tory Scum'. The game's creator Vyvyan Lutyan told The Sun: 'The game is not intended to be fun, it is a grim game which holds up a satirical mirror the British Establishment.' Paedophile Peter Hayman (left) and murderer of Sarah Payne, Roy Whiting (right), are also featured . Standing firm: Meaty Trumps has defended their 'British Nonces' Top Trump style card game on Twittter . Other cards that can be matched up feature David Smith (left) and shamed former PR guru Max Clifford (right) Speaking in an interview on the Brown Jewel website, he said: 'There are undoubtedly loads more noncing revelations to come out, I’m sure. 'I did intend to do a pack about the British Royal Family too but I can’t work out a way to make it gel yet. These first two packs really gel.' He also tweeted: 'It is a grim game and a satirical piece of situationist art about the power structures which cultivate & protect paedos.' Several child protection charities have also criticised the card game. A spokesman for Kidscape said: 'The producers of such a disturbing 'game' have reached the depths of bad taste. 'This item does not deserve to see the light of day, as it represents a gross insult to all the victims of child abuse and a complete disregard for their lifelong pain and suffering. 'I would hope that everyone will have the good sense to steer clear of such abhorrent merchandise.' Other Meaty Trumps sets being promoted in the run up to Christmas are 'Tory Scum' and 'Ruinous Corporations' | Company Meaty Trumps makes alternative versions of classic card game .
Latest release 'British Nonces' ranks UK's most notorious paedophiles .
Among the 54-card pack are Jimmy Savile, Cyril Smith and Rolf Harris .
Max Clifford sexual abuse victim has slammed the game as 'disgusting'
Kidscape charity called game a 'gross insult to all victims of child abuse' |
63,316 | b3d36a363a32bdcfaadae9fa7d5610789bc82874 | A multi-millionaire stakeholder in Laura Ashley has been accused of 'playing games' with the High Court after he failed to turn up to his own £440million divorce hearing. Mr Justice Holman said it was the second . time that Khoo Kay Peng, 74, 'just has not turned up' to a preliminary . hearing of the dispute in the London court's Family Division. The judge said Dr Khoo had breached a . High Court rule by not appearing to for the hearing over his prospective divorce from his estranged wife Pauline Chai, 66, who is a former 'Miss Malaysia' model. No show: Multi-millionaire Khoo Kay Peng, 74 (right) was accused of 'playing games' with the High Court after he failed to turn up to the hearing of his £440million divorce from his estranged wife Pauline Chai (left) Lawyers for Dr Khoo said the businessman was on a flight from Paris to the Far East and could not be contacted. 'He should not be on a plane. He is playing games... For the second time, he just has not turned up,' said Mr Justice Holman. 'It is treating this court with contempt. That's the position,' he added. The judge said 'this man owns a chunk of Laura Ashley' and added: 'It is very serious. It is very serious... I don't feel he is showing the respect he should be showing.' Glamour: Pauline Chai, pictured as a former Miss Malaysia in 1969. She now lives in the UK . A lawyer for Mrs Chai - who has previously said she has 'nothing' financially and wants 'many millions' from Dr Khoo - told the court: 'It is no surprise to us.' Mr Justice Holman has heard the couple's marriage broke down after 43 years together. The couple also disagree over where their divorce battle should be staged. Dr Khoo, who is based in Malaysia, says litigation should take place there. Mrs Chai, who lives in Britain, says it should take place here. The judge has heard that Dr Khoo has run up legal bills of nearly £750,000, and Mrs Chai more than £1 million. He says the litigation seems 'out of control' and has urged the couple to 'sit down together and negotiate'. 'These parties are engaged in these phenomenally expensive jurisdictional skirmishes here and in Malaysia and what they should be doing is talking,' said Mr Justice Holman. 'This rule [is] about getting people in front of the court so they can be faced up to the realities.' Tim Bishop QC, for Dr Khoo, said his client feared that appearing in an English court hearing might 'prejudice Malaysian legal proceedings. 'How can it make a difference?' said Mr Justice Holman. 'It's rubbish. It's rubbish. It's ridiculous.' Richard Todd, QC for Mrs Chai, said his client thought that Dr Khoo had a wealth of £440 million. 'We hear nothing from Dr Khoo about valuation, about what he is worth. We have to try and work it out," he said. 'Mrs Chai has nothing at all,' he added. | Mr Justice Holman criticised Khoo Kay Peng for not attending High Court .
He accused the 74-year-old Malaysian of treating the court with contempt .
Pauline Chai is seeking half her husband's alleged £440million fortune .
The divorce could eventually end up as Britain's largest ever settlement . |
178,817 | 73823676de28ed437c0b9649c9791b0fa7fb152a | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 18:31 EST, 7 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:31 EST, 7 August 2012 . Clutching a mug and newspaper in a suburban coffee shop, meet married mother-of-four Kate Pippinger - the new face of the pro-marijuana movement. She is the actress starring in a short ad due to be released tomorrow by New Approach Washington - a group calling for legalization and regulation of the drug - who are hoping to target women aged 30-50. The clip opens with Mrs Pippinger's remark: 'I don't like it personally but it's time for a conversation about legalizing marijuana.' Scroll down for video . Campaign makeover: Kate Pippinger has appeared in the latest advert by New Approach Washington who are calling for the legalization of cannabis . Advocate: Mrs Pippinger begins the video by saying that she doesn't smoke pot but that it's time to talk about legalizing for the good of the general public . Mrs Pippinger is a paid actress who was specifically chosen to front the new $1million advertising campaign because she believes in the issue. Alison Holcomb, campaign director for . New Approach, told MailOnline that Mrs Pippinger fitted the demographic of 'soft supporters open to the idea of legalization'. Ms Holcomb said: 'We wanted a messenger who clicked with the viewer, a mom who is concerned about the issue in general.' New Approach Washington believes that police resources . are wasted going after adults who use marijuana and that a tightly . regulated system would take money away from drug dealers and benefit the general public. A tax-regulated drug system would filter money into improvements for healthcare and schools, advocates claimed. Professional cause: New Approach Washington is made up of doctors, lawyers, drug experts and concerned parents, according to their website . Deeply critical: Ed Holmes, police chief of Mercer Island in Washington State, condemned the group saying that marijuana led to people committing crimes they would not normally commit . New Approach has launched the pro-cannabis campaign in order to pass Initiative 502 - a measure to license and regulate marijuana production, . distribution and possession for those over the age of 21. The legislation would decriminalize the drug and tax sales of marijuana. The TV ad will be aired in the . Seattle area and run until August 25. The coalition is made up of . doctors, lawyers, drug experts and parents, according to their website. However Mercer Island police chief Ed Holmes was highly skeptical of the plan. He told ABC:'I don't know how it makes good sense to legalize something that serves no purpose other than to cause impairment. 'People say things they otherwise . wouldn't say, they do things they otherwise wouldn't do, they commit . crimes they otherwise wouldn't commit.' Those who live in Washington State will be able to vote on Initiative 502 in the November 6 elections. | Campaign group New Approach Washington 'targeting women aged 30-50' with new advert .
Police chief says: 'I don't know how it makes good sense to legalize something that serves no purpose other than to cause impairment' |
30,797 | 578c3526fb213c6702afc33c5504d92d2f589f8a | Britain's Ben Ainslie became the most decorated Olympic sailor in history with his fourth successive victory -- and then declared it was his last involvement at the Games. The 35-year-old came ninth in Sunday's medal race but, crucially, finished ahead of his main rival for the gold medal -- Denmark's Jonas Hogh-Christensen. Pieter-Jan Postma, from the Netherlands, had an opportunity to leapfrog both Ainslie and Hogh-Christensen but a poor last stretch saw him finish fourth overall. France's Jonathan Lobert took the bronze. It marked a fairytale ending for Ainslie, who had trailed Hogh-Christensen through the majority of the competition, only to take gold at the last in front of a vociferous crowd at Weymouth, on England's south coast. Follow the action on day nine with our London 2012 live blog . But he said he was unlikely to defend his crown for a fifth time at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. "It's times like this you are supposed to come out with something clever but I can't think of anything," Ainslie told the host broadcaster, after eclipsing Denmark's Paul Elvstrom as the sport's best. "I am speechless. I am just so glad for everyone who has supported me over the last four years. It has been an amazing Olympics. "After six races I was in a bit of trouble. Thankfully I turned things around and got it right when it counted. This was one of the hardest courses I have raced on and I don't want to do anything like that again. "You can never say never but I don't think I can sail one of these again, it's killing my body so I don't think you will see me in Rio. But it's the best way to bow out at a home Olympics." Ainslie claimed a silver medal in the Laser class at the Atlanta Games in 1996 and then gold four years later in Sydney. He switched to the heavyweight Finn division at Athens in 2004 and took another gold, which he successfully defended in Beijing. Ainslie endured a disappointing start to the regatta and didn't beat Hogh-Christensen until the seventh race but maneuvered himself into contention in the last of the fleet races. The Briton kept himself ahead of his Danish rival but slipped down the field and was dangerously close to losing his gold when Postma challenged New Zealand's Dan Slater for second place. But Postma clipped his rival's boat and had to take a penalty turn, ending his hopes and handing Ainslie another Olympic triumph. It came as a relief to Ainslie, who had been expected to deliver in front of his home crowd. "It's been incredibly hard -- there's a huge amount of pressure to perform at a home Games," he added. "It's been the hardest couple of weeks of my life but you just have to get on with the job. "I learned to sail for fun so it's been a long road but I have had a lot of support over the years and I am just so glad to have done it." Earlier in the day, Team GB's Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson were piped to the Star gold medal by Sweden's Max Salminen and Fredrik Loof. Percy and Simpson, who won the two-hand Star class in Beijing four years ago, went into the final race leading but could only finish eighth, leaving the door open for the Swedes. The Brazilian pair of Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada took the bronze medal. | Britain's Ben Ainslie takes his fourth successive sailing gold in the Finn class .
Ainslie finishes ahead of Denmark's Jonas Hogh-Christensen in final medal race .
The 35-year-old becomes the sport's most decorated sailor with a haul of five medals .
Sweden's Max Salminen and Fredrik Loof win the Star gold medal . |
31,841 | 5aa34ac06adaec4436e0911af1d88fcc12b5dbc2 | Ed Miliband is under pressure to use his conference next week to present Labour as a credible alternative government . Ed Miliband is today warned by a string of senior Labour figures that he needs to up his game and spell out why and how he thinks he can be Prime Minister. Ahead of his party’s annual conference this weekend, Mr Miliband is also warned that London Mayor Boris Johnson could be his rival as Tory leader by 2015. There is growing unease that after two years in charge, the Labour leader has failed to present his party as a credible government in waiting. Alan Johnson, who Mr Miliband chose as shadow chancellor, today bluntly warns Mr Miliband has not done enough to prove he is up to the job. ‘Whilst I personally don't believe that a prime minister who is more popular than his party can deliver an election victory, it does suggest that Ed Miliband has to do more to demonstrate that he is a leader,’ Mr Johnson wrote in The Guardian. In part due this is due to the ‘age-old problem of opposition parties who struggle to make the news and a leader who has never been tested in the difficult job he aspires to’, Mr Johnson added/ . Meanwhile Douglas Alexander, the shadow foreign secretary, admitted Labour are still the ‘underdogs of British politics’ despite being ahead in the polls. Mr Alexander, who ran David Miliband’s leadership campaign, said the party needed to wake up to the threat posed by Boris Johnson. ‘I think it’s time that we take Boris seriously,’ he told the New Statesman. Labour's shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said his party had to start taking Boris Johnson (above) seriously . Mr Alexander added: ‘It is not yet a probability but it is a possibility that [Boris] will lead the Conservative Party into the next general election. ‘He’s managed to put a smile on voters’ faces quite regularly. People feel he doesn’t play by the rules and doesn’t conform to type.’ In a survey this month, Mr Johnson was named Britain’s most respected politician with a ‘net respect’ rating of +25 points. Former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson today warned Ed Miliband had to prove he is up to the job of being leader . Ed Miliband was on -29, well below David Cameron’s -18 points. In what has been seen as a challenge to Mr Miliband’s authority, Harriet Harman told the Spectator that she wants to be the second most powerful figure in a Labour government. The deputy leader told The Spectator: ‘It is my ambition to be deputy prime minister when we are next in government. Unfinished business.’ Mr Miliband’s relationship with the unions will also be thrown into the spotlight next week, when the party conference is urged to condemn the public sector pay freeze which the leadership has said it supports. The Tories have identified Labour reliance on union funding as a key weakness of Mr Miliband’s leadership. Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor, was heckled at this month’s TUC Congress when he said that pay was not the first priority when jobs were being lost under the Government's spending cuts. Unison has submitted a motion to Labour's annual gathering in Manchester which attacks the public sector pay freeze and complains that a £250 increase for lower paid workers, announced by Chancellor George Osborne, had only been paid to a minority of employees. It reads: ‘Conference condemns the prolonged pay freezes that mean public sector workers have had their real terms pay cut dramatically and notes that most of the lowest paid have not received the £250 rise that Osborne promised. ‘Conference believes that depressing workers' living standards in a recession is self-defeating and contributes to economic stagnation.’ | Ex-Home Secretary Alan Johnson says Ed Miliband still has to prove he is up to the job .
Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander warns Boris Johnson could be his rival at the next election .
Harriet Harman demands to be Deputy Prime Minister if Labour win power .
Unions prepare to challenge Labour leadership over support for public sector pay freezes . |
232,283 | b8c761d635f3838542aa4de312d0facd7e1eadf4 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 20:55 EST, 6 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:41 EST, 7 February 2013 . The brother of a developer believed to have been held hostage for eight months has revealed he was threatened at gunpoint during his captivity. Property tycoon Kevin McGeever, who vanished last summer, was found wandering barefoot on a rural road in the west of Ireland last week and looked like he had 'just been released from a concentration camp'. His brother Brendan revealed his kidnappers repeatedly pushed a gun to his forehead and handed him notes warning him he had two more days to live. Kevin McGeever, pictured with his partner Siobhan O'Callaghan, was discovered wandering barefoot after his eight-month ordeal . 'They put a gun to his forehead one time and he said "do it now, do it now, I've made my peace with my God, I'm ready",' said Mr McGeever. 'And that happened quite a few times, that wasn't just the once.' The developer, originally from Swinford in Co Mayo, had been living in a gated mansion in neighbouring county Galway when he disappeared last June. The emaciated 68-year-old had a long beard, hair and finger nails when found and in a malnourished and dehydrated state near Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, on Tuesday, January 29. He had lost several stone in weight and remains in hospital in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, where he has been interviewed by investigators. Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said the investigation is in its 'early days' and that gardai were considering out all of the aspects of the case. Mr McGeever came face to face with his . brother who looked like 'a weather-beaten 90-year-old man who was just . released from a concentration camp'. The brother does not believe his tycoon sibling will ever recover from his ordeal and will remain in hospital for a long time. Mr McGeever's home, 'Nirvana', in Craughwell, Galway. The property tycoon was kept in a darkened room and threatened several times, his brother claimed . 'It's like asking someone who's just released from a concentration camp when do you think you'll be going back to work,' he said. 'You've no idea what's going on inside his body, but I would say a lot of organs in there have never experienced anything like this before. 'He's the fittest guy I know for his age. He used to be 14 stone, now he's about half of that.' Mr McGeever said initially he was not worried about his brother's whereabouts as he often travelled around the world. He made a fortune building houses, first in his native county and then abroad, including Dubai, and fronted KMM Commercial Properties. But the family became concerned after two texts, one from England and one from Germany, were sent to his partner Siobhan O'Callaghan saying he was sorry he had to leave. He was discovered carrying a torch and a mobile phone by a local woman as she drove near the Cavan-Leitrim border last week after he had been thrown from the back of a van. It is understood he had been kept in a darkened room or container and survived on water and a daily sandwich which was given by his kidnappers, who kept their faces covered and only communicated by writing notes. Mr McGeever said he has no idea why the developer was taken, but stressed his brother has rubbished claims he was abducted by the Russian mafia as 'nonsense'. He maintained he has no reason not to believe his brother's story. 'When you look at somebody lying in a bed in the condition that he is in now, anybody that would have any doubts about anything would be totally convinced,' he added. During the boom times in Ireland – the era of the so-called Celtic Tiger economy from 1995 to 2007 – Mr McGeever sold luxury homes in Dubai to wealthy clients, including some from Britain. He also owned one of Ireland’s biggest mansions, a £3million property which was nicknamed Nirvana by locals in the west of the country and is surrounded by immaculate lawns. He drove a Porsche and travelled in a helicopter which had his initials KMM emblazoned across it. | Kevin McGeever, found on January 29, was told he had 'days to live'
Survived on water and a daily sandwich and has lost 'half his body weight'
Brother believes the property tycoon will never recover from his ordeal . |
137,437 | 3dbff54a2ae60b497aab241e473a971325d820bf | (CNN) -- With nothing more than a piano, a little black dress and a microphone, Adele rouses crowds using her emotions and her voice. It's her modus operandi, and it's likely how viewers will see the British songstress perform at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. The awards show will be Adele's first time taking the stage since she underwent laser microsurgery on a benign polyp on her vocal cords in November. That, in addition to the fact that she's credited with the music industry's 2011 uptick, means all eyes will certainly be on her. Nominated for six Grammy Awards, including nods for album of the year and song of the year, Adele surprised fans when she tweeted about her impending performance. Keith Caulfield, the associate director of charts at Billboard, said he expects the singer to captivate viewers on Sunday night, just as she did at the BRIT Awards in February 2011 and then again at the MTV Video Music Awards in August. "On the off chance that she has a bum note, everyone has survived from a not great performance," Caulfield said. "I don't expect anything less than really good." And still, a simple performance will be enough, he added. "You don't see pyrotechnics and fog behind Adele," Caulfield said. "She doesn't need that. ... There are no bells and whistles. It's just her, great song writing, a beautiful voice and great charisma." Having already spent 18 weeks atop Billboard's Hot 200, sold more than 6 million albums and spawned three chart-topping singles, Adele's ballads have also become anthems for scorned lovers everywhere. "Every year, some album ends up at No. 1," said David Bakula, Nielsen's senior vice president of analytics for entertainment. "There's always going to be something that rises to the top. But when it's this unique and sales are this unprecedented, it's special." Album sales rose in 2011, marking the music industry's first uptick since Usher's "Confessions" sold 8 million units in 2004. And Adele is partially to thank for the boom. Sales from her two albums -- her 2008 debut, "19," and "21," her sophomore album, released early last year -- accounted for 2% of all industry album sales in 2011. "19" sold 460,000 units in 2009, the year Adele won two Grammys for the album. But, more than three years after its release, the singer's catalog title had its best week in December, selling 71,000 units, Bakula said. And so Adele finished out 2011 with two of the year's best-selling albums. "It does take a very special artist, and a very special song and album release, to move the type of quantities we're talking about here," Bakula said. According to Nielsen SoundScan, "21" is the first album to sell more than 1 million digital copies in a year. "People say, 'How can there still be 100,000 people who don't have this album?' ... It just shows the latent demand for great music out there," Bakula said. And there's a good chance that after Adele performs at the Grammys, the numbers will continue to grow throughout 2012, he added. "Every day, more and more people are just discovering her, or just being convinced that they should buy her album and not be content with listening to her on Spotify or YouTube," said Caulfield, the associate director of charts at Billboard. Speculation was heavy as to whether the British chanteuse would be able to perform at the Grammys after her surgery. Since the debut of her sophomore album, there have been breathless reviews and almost constant praise heaped upon the single-named singer. She's even crossed over into meme territory in the form of a "S*** Adele says" video. During her February 2011 appearance on E!'s "Chelsea Lately," Adele said she sees the constantly evolving interest in her music firsthand at her shows. "I love seeing the way people respond to my music," she said. "I love it when, like, a husband or a partner gets dragged along who doesn't want to be there, and you've got to win them over because they're giving you the evil (eye). ... And by the end, they're hugging their girlfriend ... or crying. I love it." Because her vocal cord issues forced her to cancel the remainder of her 2011 appearances, she wasn't able to convert the disillusioned partners that might have been present at her shows. After falling ill, Adele stayed off the radar to rest up, Caulfield said, adding, "Meanwhile, her singles are going to No. 1, her albums continue to sell -- that's the kind of career an artist would kill for. ... Everyone else is slogging around ... doing TV shows and concert tours." Bakula agreed, referencing artists such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, who made their presence known in 2011 with advertisements and various appearances. Yet, Adele's singles are still permanent fixtures on the radio, but not in the same way that Bruno Mars and the Black Eyed Peas are, Yahoo.com music columnist Paul Grein said. "(Some pop artists) live and die by their latest hit single," Grein said. "And Adele, even though she's having big hits, too ... you have the sense that her career probably won't always be as a big radio star." She could be compared to someone like Sade, he said, "who has had hits, or not had hits, but has sold albums throughout a very long career." Regardless of how we're hearing her music, Caulfield said, many people are finding it "refreshing that it isn't necessarily programmed for your enjoyment." In fact, some people have said her music is actually programmed to play in the background while you weep. And there's a "Saturday Night Live" sketch to prove it. One Boston Globe writer even profiled a few people brave enough to admit to crying along to Adele's "Someone Like You." "(Adele) really struck a chord at the right time," Bakula said. "As soon as people heard it, it was gold. Well, platinum, in this case." | Adele will perform at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night .
It will be her first performance since undergoing surgery on a benign polyp .
The British singer's sales have helped give the music industry a boost . |
128,644 | 323a55e167e0214f2b3fdc19a21b9d88bfa093b1 | (CNN) -- My cousin Aaron abruptly typed me the news while we were texting back and forth about other matters: a Kansas City Chiefs football player killed his girlfriend, then went to the team's practice facility and committed suicide in front of his head coach and general manager. Left behind was the couple's 3-month-old daughter, who was in another room when her mother was shot multiple times. Like so many Americans, we were stunned. We would learn later that player was Jovan Belcher, 25-year-old starting linebacker for the Chiefs, a man and an athlete spoken of in the highest regard by everyone from his high school teammates and coaches to his fellow professional football players. They, too, were stunned. Indeed, what would lead a man who, by all accounts, loved family, friends and football and had overcome great odds to make the National Football League as an undrafted pick out of the University of Maine to take such shocking actions? A man raised by a single mother, he had achieved so much in such a short period that he had widely been considered a great role model for what could be done through hard work, grit and determination. A gun control halftime show: Should Bob Costas have spoken out on Belcher suicide? Since the killing and suicide are so fresh, so recent, we do not really know what might have driven Belcher to such extreme and horrific actions. But the knee-jerk reactions have been rampant on the social networks. "Coward" is a term being used to describe Belcher. But that is too easy, far too simplistic, and name-calling never solves a problem. Belcher was a man living in the supersized macho world of football, a world in which many of us American males reside, be it football or not. Too many of us have been taught manhood in a way that is not healthy. Be tough, men do not cry, man up -- these are the things I've heard my entire life, and I now cringe when I hear this relayed to boys or younger men by teachers, coaches, fathers, mentors and leaders. Or we use derogatory and sexist or homophobic words to describe men or boys who do not meet the "normal" of what a male is supposed to be. Some of these male authority figures mean well, or are simply repeating what they were socialized to be or to do, and do not realize that they are unwittingly teaching that manhood has little room to express hurt, disappointment and sorrow. Yes, they had been arguing, Belcher and his girlfriend, but in my work as an activist, including around gender violence prevention, I've seen the tragic pattern across our nation of men who, in the heat of rage, have killed their girlfriends, wives or lovers, as if they had no other vocabulary or emotion to deal with the disagreement or the break-up. We cannot forget Kasandra Perkins in this story. Because when men behave in this manner, it also says, bluntly, that the life of a woman is of no value whatsoever. Just the fact that much of the media has focused on Belcher and barely mentions Perkins by name speaks to this truth. In the late 1990s, after achieving some level of success from my years on MTV's "The Real World" and as a feature writer for Quincy Jones' Vibe magazine, I descended into a dark period that included excessive drinking, painful bouts with anxiety, stress and depression, and, yes, I thought often of committing suicide. I had been fired from Vibe. I had a terrible time coping with life back then, and I kept much of it to myself because we live in a world where men are not encouraged to express the hurts we feel. News: NFL Chiefs play after murder-suicide . That is the problem for so many of us. We do not talk about much of anything, except sports, women and sex. Everything else is routinely ignored. Or repressed. Until we explode. What eventually helped me get through those dark years, years that too were riddled with violence -- toward myself, toward others -- in various forms, was a renewed commitment to my spiritual foundation, a return to therapy in a very serious and consistent way, and surrounding myself with people, including men, who were willing and able to give me the safe space to talk about anything and everything. For the past several years, I have privately advised and counseled several professional and amateur athletes, and entertainers, all men, all grappling with very warped definitions of manhood. The recurring theme over and over is fear of expressing themselves fully, fear of letting others down, fear of not being the tough and rugged men they were told they had to be. And on the inside so many of them are damaged as a result. The very definition of manhood they've embraced is more an emotional prison than anything else. This is probably why the one scene that is locked in for me is of Belcher thanking his coach and general manager for what they did for him. Then walking away and shooting himself in the head. We must struggle, harder than ever, as men, as boys, as a nation, to reach the point where a heart-to-heart conversation is the first and only option, not a gun, not gun violence. The lives of Jovan Belcher and Kasandra Perkins will have been in vain completely if we do not go deeper within ourselves to teach and show our sons, our husbands, our boyfriends, our fathers, our men and boys, that there is another way. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kevin Powell. | Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend, then shot himself in front of team's staff, police say .
Kevin Powell: We don't know what drove him to these desperate acts .
Powell: In my own life, I fell into depression, thoughts of suicide after setbacks .
He says we have to teach men to find ways to cope with life's challenges . |
92,650 | 032931bc20fff812dd32321ae95e8a36cadb16ba | Actor Bill Nighy has revealed he measures his life in Champions Leagues and has an obsession with his own mortality which sees him 'think about death 12 times a day'. The 65-year-old, famed for his roles in Love Actually and State of Play, said he hoped not to retire, but to instead one day go to bed and not wake up. An avid football fan, he has also revealed how he spends his free days drinking coffee and walking through London before settling in to watch recorded football matches on Sky Plus. Scroll down for video . Actor Bill Nighy, pictured with Dame Judi Dench in their latest film The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, has said he measures his life in Champions Leagues and thinks about death '12 times a day' In an interview with The Observer, he was asked if he could imagine ending up in a retirement home like that depicted in his latest film, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. He replied: 'I’m hoping not to retire. What do we hope for? Go to bed and don’t wake up, I suppose.' He added: 'I probably think about death 12 times a day. I measure my life in Champions Leagues. How many do I have left?' His latest film, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, follows on from the slow-burning success of 2012's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Nighy stars in the movie alongside Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel and Richard Gere, and plays one of several pensioners who have moved to a retirement hotel in India run by Patel's character Sonny. Nighy found a new audience in 2003, playing the ageing singer Billy Mack in the film Love Actually, in which Keira Knightley and Hugh Grant also appeared. Since then, he has been inundated with film work including roles in the Pirates Of The Caribbean and The Girl In The Cafe. In 2008, he split from his long-term partner, actress Diana Quick, after 27 years. The two met while Nighy was performing at the National Theatre, in 1981 and have one daughter together. Although they never married, Ms Quick once described him as her 'de facto husband' or POSSLQ - Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters. The Golden Globe winning actor hopes to one day go to bed and not wake up, rather than retire . Nighy is set to star as Sergeant Wilson in the highly-anticipated upcoming film adaption of Dad's Army. Filming is currently underway for the contemporary version of the classic BBC television comedy series about the bumbling members of a Home Guard unit during the Second World War. Acting alongside him in the star-studded cast is Sir Michael Gambon, who will play Private Godfrey. Dad's Army, which originally ran from 1968, sees all of its most memorable characters brought back for the movie makeover, including Captain Mainwaring (Toby Jones), Pike (Blake Harrison) and Fraser (Bill Paterson). But the Hamish McColl screenplay writes in numerous new female characters, including Rose Winters, played by Hollywood royalty Catherine Zeta Jones. | Actor Bill Nighy reveals he thinks about his own mortality '12 times a day'
The avid football fan also said he measures his life in Champions Leagues .
He said: 'What do we hope for? To go to bed and not wake up, I suppose'
Acclaimed British actor is to star in upcoming adaptation of Dad's Army . |
252,002 | d22943d6e9f01fdb8f355d2dd90024a9473278ce | Acquitted: A jury took less than three hours to find Annie Merrilees not guilty of murdering her boyfriend . A former Harrods shop assistant who stabbed her boyfriend has been cleared of murder after telling jurors he was a violent cocaine user who had beaten her for three years. Annie Merrilees, 25, said nightclub bouncer Dean Williamson punched her in the face and banged her head against a gas boiler on the day she stabbed him in the heart. Jurors at the Old Bailey took less than three hours to find her not guilty of murder and manslaughter after she told them she grabbed the knife in self-defence in their shared flat. The mother-of-two sobbed as she told the trial: ‘I never intended to kill him. ‘I was upset about what he did to me but I loved him. He loved me too.’ Ms Merrilees’ relatives wept tears of joy as she was cleared today. Dressed in a black floral top and black trousers, she mouthed ‘thank you’ at the jurors before she was released from the dock. Judge Christopher Moss QC told her: ‘You are free to go’. Police found Mr Williamson, 31, dying on December 17 last year at the flat the couple shared in Chadwell Heath, Essex. The trial heard the couple had both been drinking. When police spoke to Ms Merrilees she initially tried to claim her partner turned the knife on himself. But she later changed her story in a prepared statement through her solicitor, admitting she had stabbed her boyfriend but insisting it was in self-defence. Prosecutor Peter Finnegan conceded Mr Williamson was ‘a man with a history’ and was a heavy drinker and cocaine user. But he told the jury Ms Merrilees was also a drug-taker who was ‘in the habit of getting involved in abusive slanging matches’ with her partner. ‘It was not just a one way street - it was both of them,’ Mr Finnegan added. ‘Some of the neighbours would say she was rather worse than he was'. Ms Merrilees, however, said she had been repeatedly assaulted by Mr Williamson during their three-year relationship. Relationship: Annie Merrilees (left) said her boyfriend Dean Williamson (right) had beaten her for three years . Prosecutors said Ms Merrilees (left) also got involved in 'slanging matches' but she said: ‘I believed I was going to be violently assaulted. I picked up a knife because I was in fear for my safety. I wanted Dean (right) to leave' She said Mr Williamson had grabbed her by the throat, pulled her by the hair, punched her in the face and even attacked her when she was almost eight months pregnant. ‘I didn’t leave because I always hoped that he would get better,' she told the court. 'I loved him'. She said she was attacked on the day of the incident, leaving her with bruises to her head and face. That night he forced his way into the flat, she said, and refused to leave. ‘He became very aggressive,' she said. 'I was extremely concerned for my safety. ‘I believed I was going to be violently assaulted. I picked up a knife because I was in fear for my safety. I wanted Dean to leave.' After the stabbing, she said: ‘He just went silent. I went into the living room and sat on the sofa. ‘He sat down. Then all of a sudden he dropped on the floor. That’s when I knew it was really serious. Ms Merrilees (left with her boyfriend and right outside the Old Bailey) was told she was free to leave the court . ‘As he was on the floor I was screaming.’ Mr Williamson had criminal convictions and had previously been a suspect in an armed robbery, but the case was dropped, the court heard. Katie O’Brien, a friend of the couple who returned to the flat with them on the night of the stabbing, said they had been arguing violently and at one stage Mr Williamson had his hands around his girlfriend's throat. Ms O’Brien said she went into the bathroom and did not see the stabbing itself. She then saw the bouncer 'stagger into the living room and then he fell on the couch holding his left chest,’ said Mr Finnegan. Mr Williamson gasped: ‘Stabbed, Kate. Stabbed’. He died a day after he was airlifted to hospital for open heart surgery. Ms Merrilees told the jury: ‘I accept I caused the injury to Dean Williamson. At all times I was in fear that I would be seriously injured by him. ‘I didn’t want him to kill me. ‘At no point was it my intention to kill Dean Williamson.' | Old Bailey jury cleared Annie Merrilees, 25, after less than three hours .
Then-boyfriend Dean Williamson died after incident in Chadwell Heath, Essex .
Murder trial heard nightclub bouncer, 31, beat her regularly for three years .
She initially told police he stabbed himself but later changed her story .
On the day he died he had repeatedly banged her head against a gas boiler .
She insisted she acted in self-defence and mouthed 'thank you' to jurors . |
93,600 | 045ca9315c2214591cc86d1f343526ecd2d7a3e3 | By . Mike Dawes . Northampton prop Silesi Ma'afu has been handed a one-week ban and order to pay £500 costs after punching Leicester hooker Tom Youngs in Friday's Aviva Premiership semi-final. The pair were involved in a punch-up . during a heated encounter which saw Ma'afu sent off for his attack on Youngs, who was sin binned for his involvement. Youngs later posted a picture of the duo's punch-up along with the tweet: 'Good shot mate, go well in the final #rocky.' Heavy hit: Salesi Ma'afu (left) and Tom Youngs (right) were involved in a punch-up on Friday . Down and out: Youngs (left) was floored by Ma'afu (right) with a left hook during the fracas . The ban means Ma'afu will miss the Amlin Challenge Cup final against Bath on Friday but will be eligible for the Premiership final against Saracens on May 31. Meanwhile, Leicester Tigers fly-half Owen Williams must wait to discover if he is to be punished for making contact with the eyes or eye area of Saints centre Luther Burrell in the same match, after his hearing was adjourned. Both decisions were announced by Premiership Rugby on their official Twitter account. Seeing red: Northampton's Ma'afu (left) was sent off for punching Youngs in their 21-20 win vs Leicester . Chin up: Youngs took to Twitter to wish Ma'afu all the best in Northampton's final against Saracens . | Salelsi Ma'afu handed one-week ban and £500 fine at disciplinary hearing .
Ma'afu and Tom Youngs were involved in a punch-up during Northampton Saints' 21-20 win against Leicester Tigers .
Ma'afu was sent off, while Youngs was sin binned, at Franklin's Gardens .
The pair tweeted each other in good spirits . |
193,836 | 86e8c65f8c513de2506de554dea221e4a61f1bd3 | (CNN) -- Three years after the killing of Mexican journalist Armando Rodriguez, his colleagues said they are more determined than ever to write about the nation's drug cartels despite the risks. "Those who ordered the killing of Armando were wrong because those who are left are more seasoned and we are working," said Luz del Carmen Sosa, a reporter for El Diario de Juarez newspaper who took over Rodriguez's crime beat after his death. "Those who believed we were going to take step back, they were wrong." On November 13, 2008, Rodriguez -- called "El Choco" by his colleagues because of his chocolate skin tone -- was about to take his two young daughters to school when a man approached the garage of his house and fired 11 shots into his chest. His daughters, one of whom witnessed the attack, have not spoken publicly since the incident and did not attend a memorial event for their father on Sunday. Rodriguez's wife declined an interview request from CNN. His colleagues believe he was targeted because of his coverage of drug cartels in the border town of Ciudad Juarez. Before his death, Rodriguez was among the first journalists to write at length about the violent shift in the city. He was a high-profile reporter for the most-read paper in the city, covering a dangerous beat. It was a job his friends believe cost him his life. Local reporters now look at the killing as the first of many targeting journalists for their work. Since 2000, 74 journalists have been killed in Mexico -- 14 since 2010. On the third anniversary of his death, his newsroom colleagues gathered Sunday to pay tribute and "remember Choco ... friend, journalist, family man and a great man," the paper's editorial assistant Pedro Torres said at the public event. His colleagues criticized the investigation into his unsolved killing, saying it is an example of the hundreds of unsolved murders throughout the city -- widely considered to be one of the most violent in the world. Sandra Rodriguez Nieto, an El Diario reporter, said she believes that someone is "hiding those responsible" for Rodriguez's death. It's a charge prosecutors with the Chihuahua State Attorney General's Office have denied. Early in the investigation they announced the detention of a suspect in the shooting, but never released details about who they held. The lack of information led to speculation among El Diario's newspaper staff that there was a cover up. Making matters more complicated were attacks on the investigators working on the case. In July 2009, a convoy carrying José Ibarra Limón, the first federal prosecutor designated to Rodriguez's case, was riddled with bullets by unknown assailants. The following August, Pasillas Paul Fong, the secretary of the Seventh Agency who would inherit the case, was executed. Days later, a third investigator took the case, only to flee Juarez soon afterward. "This is a situation that hurts, an unacceptable situation," Torres said. Of the five publications in Juarez, El Diario de Juarez is the most popular paper in terms of circulation and has made a reputation for aggressively covering drug violence. In September 2010, two of the paper's photographers were attacked -- one was killed. A clear motive was never established, but investigators at the time did note the car carrying the two young journalists was registered to the son of the inspector of the State Human Rights Commission, Gustavo de la Rosa Hickerson. Some believe the journalists were not the intended targets of the attack. On the same day friends and family buried the slain photographer, the newspaper published an open letter to the drug cartels operating in Juarez. The letter, written by the editorial staff, pleaded for an end to violence against journalists. No newspaper in Juarez had ever published an editorial directly addressed to the cartels; and no other paper has done so since. "You are, at present, the de facto authorities in this city," the letter said, "because the legal institutions have not been able to keep our colleagues from dying." In the wake of Rodriguez's death, del Carmen Sosa said she has no fear and was ready to take full responsibility for her work, even if it means death. She said she operates under the same mantra as her predecessor. "Unlike Armando Luis Carlos (Rodriquez), I'm alive," del Carmen Sosa said. "I try to be responsible with my journalism and I have no fear." In 2010, she was presented with an award for her courageous reporting. "I can only thank God every day ... because we need justice not only for Armando but for all the homicides in this city," she said. | Since 2000, 74 journalists have been killed in Mexico -- 14 since 2010 .
Mexican journalist Armando Rodriguez dies in 2008 .
There are questions about the investigation of his death .
Other journalists pledge to continue to report about drug cartels . |
150,917 | 4f1dcfd592a190301419e96daf4bf297b1612c0c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . It's not just Victoria Beckham, pictured, who can't resist splashing out on a new handbag - 50 per cent of women in the UK bought a new bag last year . It’s not just the Victoria Beckhams and Paris Hiltons of this world who can’t resist splashing out on a new handbag. More than half of British women have admitted to buying at least one new handbag last year, according to new research. And young women as well their mature counterparts both prioritise purchasing the accessory over every day essentials such as underwear. The report by consumer analysts Mintel shows that a total of 21 per cent of women say they have bought a handbag just to accompany a new outfit from the same store. And 16 per cent of women who have bought handbags in the last twelve months admit to having bought on impulse. When it comes to buying fashion accessories, including handbags, it seems most women still cannot resist a bargain, with over half (59 per cent) of them motivated by sales or discounts. And while low price remains key for many consumers, women aged 25-34 place the least importance on price, with just 47 per cent buying on sales or special offer compared to 56 per cent of 16-24s and 56 per cent of 35-44s. Tamara Sender, senior fashion analyst at Mintel, said: ‘While consumers have become considerably more prudent with their money as a result of the recession, women have continued to spend on fashion items, with handbags the main driver of sales.’ ‘The fact that younger women place more importance on handbags than on everyday essentials such as underwear is good news for the fashion industry - because as this fashion conscious generation grow up, they will continue to invest more as their earnings increase. More than a third of women aged between 16 to 24 (38 per cent) said they spend their extra money on handbags while 36 per cent bought underwear. And it is not just young women willing to splash out on the perfect accessories, those aged between aged 45 and 54 also see handbags as one of the most desirable fashion accessories, prioritising handbags (29 per cent) over underwear (26 per cent). More than a third of women aged between 16 to 24 said they spend their extra money on handbags while 36 per cent bought underwear, according to new research by consumer analysts Mintel . Miss Sender added: ‘Overall, handbags account for the largest share of the fashion accessories market and have seen the strongest sales in the sector, up 11 per cent between 2012 and 2013, to top £1.2 billion. Overall, the fashion accessories market grew by 4.7 per cent in 2013 to reach £2.5 billion.’ And it is not just women with a love of handbags in the UK, nearly one in 10 (8 per cent) of men spent money on a ‘manbag’ in the last year. While a new fashion trend is a key purchasing incentive for 14 per cent of women, the figure shoots up to 23 per cent amongst men. In addition, 22 per cent of male consumers claim to be motivated by innovation when they purchase a new bag for example bags with speakers for playing music. | Consumer report found 16 per cent of women bought handbag on impulse .
Study found 21 per cent bought new handbag just to accompany new outfit .
Nearly one in 10 of British men have purchased a 'manbag' in last year . |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.