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16,098 | 2d9cf12c747434e8ee97c881d78c3218539715ee | A former Miss Iceland has claimed the $2million reward for the tip which led to the arrest of fugitive crime boss James 'Whitey' Bulger. Anna Bjornsdottir, a 57-year-old yoga instructor who starred in 1974's Miss Universe, tipped off police after recognising Bulger, one of America's most wanted people who had been on the run for 16 years, on a television news report. She is said to have become friendly with the mobster's long-term partner Catherine . Greig in Santa Monica, California, after the two women took a shared interest in a local stray . cat. Now and then: Bjornsdottir in a recent picture taken outside her home in Iceland, left, and in 1974, right . Bulger, 82, and longtime girlfriend Greig, 60, were arrested in June with a stash of about 30 firearms and $822,000 in cash hidden in the walls of their apartment. Just days before the arrest, the FBI had launched new televised public service announcements about the pair, aimed at female viewers who might have seen Greig. To evade authorities, the couple had moved from Boston to California, where they assumed the aliases Charles and Carol Gasko. Bulger was rarely seen by neighbours and known as a frail old man, no longer strong enough even to accompany his 'wife' on her morning stroll with their dog. In fact, with hundreds of thousands of dollars and a hoard of weapons stashed inside his flat, the Boston gangster was second only to Osama bin Laden on the FBI's 'Most Wanted' list for his alleged role in 19 murders. Captured: The tip led to police finding James Whitey Bulger, left, and longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig, right . The changing faces of Bulger: This poster shows the various crimes he is alleged to have been involved in . The notorious fugitive now faces a possible death penalty for his alleged crimes as a mobster. Bulger was notorious for leading the . violent Winter Hill Gang, a largely Irish mob that ran loan-sharking, . gambling and drug rackets in the Boston area. He was nicknamed 'Whitey' for his . shock of bright platinum hair and wanted for his alleged role in 19 . murders, including the killilngs of businessmen in Florida and Oklahoma. Mrs Bjornsdottir received the huge reward in June, the FBI said, after she recognised Bulger in a news report when she was at home in Reykjavik, Iceland, and called authorities. Arrest: This is an undated FBI handout photo released Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1998, showing reputed Boston mobster and fugitive James J. "Whitey" Bulger . The FBI had revealed in September that it had . paid $2.1 million to 'more than one individual' for information that led . to the arrests of Bulger and Greig, but had not given any more details. According to the Boston Globe, Bjornsdottir collected $2 million of the $2.1 . million in FBI rewards for her tip. A call to the FBI's Boston office . was not immediately returned on Sunday. Bulger . had fled Boston after hearing from a corrupt FBI agent that he was . about to be indicted. Greig joined him a short time later and has been . charged with harbouring Bulger as a fugitive. Past . Boston FBI officials had used Bulger as an informant for years against . other organised crime factions and, later investigations found, . tolerated or enabled his own ongoing criminal activities in what an . appeals court in a related case earlier this year termed an 'unholy . alliance.' Bulger, who for years led the Boston-based Winter Hill Gang, faces charges that include 19 alleged murders from the 1970s and 1980s. Both Bulger and Greig have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Through her husband, Bjornsdottir declined to comment. She had moved to Southern California in the late 1970s and appeared in cosmetics commercials. More recently the yoga instructor and graphic designer had befriended Greig after noticing her feeding a local cat, the paper reported. | Tipster is 57-year-old former Miss Iceland Anna Bjornsdottir .
Said to have bonded with mobster's moll over a stray cat .
Called FBI after recognising Bulger in news report . |
35,854 | 65cee63ab369b5ae66476edd7e37fc2baeea492b | Andy Murray has confirmed he will bid for a fourth Queen's Club title this summer at the AEGON Championships in London. The British No 1 has won the event three times in the last six years and another victory on the grass courts of west London this summer would bring him level with John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick as four-time champions. Murray said: 'I’d love to win the tournament again. I’ve had some great moments on those grass courts. It's where I won my first professional match and my first title in Britain. Andy Murray takes a post-ice bath in the jacuzzi following his practice session on Monday . Murray hits a backhand during his practice session ahead of the Australian Open on Monday . Murray takes a breather on a courtside chair as coach Amelie Mauresmo (left) has a word . Physio Mark Bender (right) checks Murray's heart monitor during his hit on the Rod Laver Arena . Murray poses with the trophy after winning the AEGON Championships in June 2013 . 'When you see the names on the trophy, it shows how difficult it is to win. The year I won Wimbledon, it came a few weeks after winning at Queen’s, and it’s perfect preparation.' Murray is currently training in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open, which begins next Monday, and took to the Rod Laver Arena court for the first time this year on Monday for a practice session with coach Amelie Mauresmo. Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov will also return to defend his title at Queen's this summer after beating Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in a thrilling three-set final last year. Dimitrov said: 'I have always had a special relationship with everyone at the AEGON Championships, right from when I was given two wild cards early on in my career, to last year when I lifted the trophy for the first time. Grigor Dimitrov has his eye on the ball as he hits a slice backhand during practice on Monday . Dimitrov (right) jokes with coach Roger Rasheed as he prepares for the Australian Open . Dimitrov holds on to the trophy after winning the grass-court event at the Queen's Club last year . 'It is one of my favourite tournaments and winning the title last year was one of the best moments of my career so far. I am really happy that I will be coming back to defend my title and I look forward to playing in front of the great British crowds again.' The tournament takes place from June 15-21, which is a week later than its usual slot in the calendar due to the extended grass-court season. Ticket information for the AEGON Championships is available at www.aegonchampionships.com . | Andy Murray has confirmed he will compete in the AEGON Championships .
Murray is bidding for a fourth title at London's Queen's Club .
Grigor Dimitrov will also return to defend his title .
Click here for more tennis news . |
2,705 | 07eaca8b87dc6b8a82c12618471dcda577531128 | By . Mark Bryans . Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo has hit out at suggestions Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will leave the team at the end of the season. Both former world champions have reportedly claimed they could depart the Italian marque following a largely disappointing year. Raikkonen, who rejoined the team from Lotus in September, has amassed just 27 points but speculation around a potential retirement has been quashed. On his way? Fernando Alonso is rumoured to be leaving Ferrari at the end of a struggling season . For two-time world champion Alonso the question is whether he will remain loyal to Ferrari despite that lack of competitiveness at the front of the field but Di Montezemolo has praised both men and insists they will honour their contracts next season. 'We are lucky to have two great champions, who are working with the whole team to get back to being competitive again,' he told the official Ferrari website. 'Of course, as is the case every summer, there is unfounded gossip about alleged problems with senseless rumours bandied about, such as the ones relating to Alonso's contract. We know that the summer heat always produces silly stories. Disappointing: Kimi Raikonnen has collected just 27 points on his return to the Italian race team . 'Our drivers must now relax in order to return in top form. The season is still long and we need Fernando and Kimi to be in great shape.' Alonso has finished in the points in every race so far this season but has yet to record a victory and sits fourth in the drivers' standings - 87 points behind leader Nico Rosberg. Ferrari have not won the constructors' championship since 2008, with Raikkonen the last driver to win the title for the team a year earlier. But Di Montezemolo believes the right steps are being taken to put the team on a more even keel with the likes of Red Bull and Mercedes, who have dominated the previous five seasons. Prancing pony: Ferrari currently sit third behind Mercedes and Red Bull in the constructor's table . 'We are making in-depth changes on both the organisational side, in our approach and culture,' he added. 'We have taken important decisions and have made significant progress, even if, at the moment, the results of all this work are not always visible. 'The aim is to get back to being as competitive as we were before in the shortest possible time, while at the same time putting everything in place so that we can embark on another winning cycle.' CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen have reportedly claim they would leave Ferrari at the end of the season .
Italian F1 team president Luca Di Montezemolo has dismissed rumours .
Raikkonen has only collected 27 points in a disappointing season .
Alonso is yet to record a Grand Prix victory in an uncompetitive car . |
132,682 | 3794f4a145eafc34b7ef0173f557df3171bd88fd | By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 19:51 EST, 17 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:55 EST, 18 February 2013 . Battle: Iain Duncan Smith claimed ministers will 'shut the door' to migrants wanting to come to Britain to live on benefits . Ministers will ‘shut the door’ to migrants wanting to come to Britain to live on benefits, Iain Duncan Smith claimed yesterday. He said he was determined to tighten the rules around eligibility for welfare benefits before a predicted influx of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria next year. The Work and Pensions Secretary also suggested new rules to stop so-called benefit tourists could be applied to all migrants, even those from the rest of the European Union. The measures could include requiring people to show they had put down roots here before claiming state help. Under the ‘habitual resident test’, migrants could in future be required to show they had leased a home in this country for a year before being entitled to benefits. Changes could also require contributions to have been made before some benefits can be claimed for the first time. In a direct challenge to the EU, Mr Duncan Smith said: ‘My view of life is simple – we make sure our door is shut to those who want to come and claim benefits and is open to those who want to come and contribute and work and make this economy good and strong.’ He acknowledged he faces a ‘big battle’ with the EU, which is already threatening to sue Britain over existing rules on how quickly migrants can claim benefits. The issue is wrapped up in the free movement of labour rules, which are jealously guarded by Brussels. But Mr Duncan Smith said ministers were building a powerful alliance with countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany, which also want to see changes. Stop benefits tourists: The Work and Pensions Secretary is determined to tighten the rules around eligibility for welfare benefits before a predicted influx of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria next year . Mr Duncan Smith said he had held talks on the issue with Home Secretary Theresa May . He revealed Britain is also doing . battle with Brussels over the ‘completely crackers’ rules that see . £1million a week in welfare payments sent to children who live abroad . while their migrant parents work in this country. He suggested that both issues would form part of David Cameron’s demands as he tries to claw back powers from the EU. The planned crackdown will be discussed at Chequers this week by the Prime Minister, Chancellor George Osborne and the Tories’ new election chief Lynton Crosby, who wants to put immigration and welfare at the heart of the 2015 election campaign. Mr Duncan Smith said he had held talks on the issue with Home Secretary Theresa May. Whitehall fears that any move targeted at Romanian and Bulgarian migrants, who will be free to come and work in this country from the end of the year, would be certain to be ruled illegal by the EU. But Mr Duncan Smith told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show he was confident he could win a battle with Brussels about wider rules governing the rights of migrants to claim benefits. | The Work and Pensions Secretary wants to tighten rules around eligibility for welfare benefits .
There is a predicted influx of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria next year .
Iain Duncan Smith suggested new rules could be applied to all migrants . |
65,851 | baf248b6fc3cdb95f1652d51247a7664821fd8be | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:28 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:08 EST, 7 March 2014 . A Maryland man who is believed to have abducted his 11-year-old daughter after killing her mother, is facing a murder charge. The search for Timothy Virts and his daughter, Caitlyn, has become a nationwide operation, with police believing his daughter could be in danger. Virts is wanted in connection with the death of his wife, Bobbie Jo Cortez, who was found with multiple cuts to her upper body on Thursday morning. Manhunt: Timothy Virts, who is wanted for murder, is believed to have abducted his daughter, Caitlyn . The FBI believe Virts, 38, may have left the state and taken Caitlyn with him after Ms Cortez's body was discovered at her Dundalk home. An autopsy was due to take place on Friday, and police have not said what used to inflict the injuries. Police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said probable cause for the murder charge was based on physical evidence and interviews with people in the house at the time Ms Cortez was killed. Caitlyn's twin sister and Ms Cortez's young son, as well as two other adults, were also living at the home. Armacost said Virts had been staying there too, for the past several weeks. The FBI said that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland has charged Virts with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Getaway car: Virts is believed to be using this 1999 Dodge Durango that has Maryland plates . Search: Police are trying to track down Virts, who is believed to be using a car belonging to the husband of his alleged victim . The agency said it is searching nationwide for Caitlyn and Virts and is working to put up digital billboards across the country on the search. An Amber Alert issued in Maryland was expanded late Thursday to include West Virginia. A police spokesman told WUSA9 they believed Virts had connections to West Virginia and were 'doing our due diligence' to follow tips. Authorities said anyone who sees Caitlyn, Virts or the vehicle Virts is believed to be driving should call 911. Virts may be armed and is dangerous. Victim: Bobbie Jo Cortez was found in her home, covered in multiple cuts, on Thursday . He may be driving a black 1999 Dodge Durango with Maryland plates 5AJ4458. The car is registered to Ms Cortez's husband, Daniel Williams Cortez. Mr Cortez, 38, is currently being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on sexual assault charges. Police said they do not believe he has anything to do with the murder of his wife. | Timothy Virts is wanted for murder after body of Bobbie Jo Cortez was found on Thursday .
38-year-old is believed to have fled with his daughter, Caitlyn .
Virts is believed to be using a car owned by his alleged victim's husband, who is in jail facing sex assault charges . |
154,518 | 53aff123a2b0c0e651cb68665f9e44b251149833 | (CNN) -- You pay for checking your baggage, for snacks and for extra legroom. Word is one airline has even toyed with charging you to use the toilet. So it makes perfect sense to some fliers that heavier passengers should pay for spilling over into the next seat. Earlier this year, United Airlines formalized a policy that charges some larger passengers for a second seat. Frequent flier Ross Murphy, 54, has been sandwiched between larger fliers in coach, and he believes they should have to shell out for a second seat. "They have a right to sit in the seat next to me," said Murphy, who travels cross-country at least 15 times a year to watch his sons' sporting matches. "But they don't have a right to sit in my lap." A growing number of airlines are forcing bigger passengers to pay more as they cope with the costly and uncomfortable quandary that arises when obese passengers cannot squeeze into a single coach seat. With airlines trimming flight schedules -- meaning fuller passenger loads this summer -- the issue is bound to spur some awkward encounters. Chart: Compare some of the common airline fees . "It's a growing problem, no pun intended," said George Hobica, president of AirfareWatchdog.com, a site that is part of Smarter Travel Media LLC, which provides airfare deals and advice. "Everyone suffers. The obese people suffer and the people who are skinny and get spilled over on suffer as well." U.S. obesity rates have mushroomed during the last 25 years, but the width of a coach airplane seat has changed little, remaining between 17 and 18 inches in most commercial planes. More than one-third of Americans fall into the obese category, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This makes traveling in tight spaces vexing for airlines trying to bolster profits by selling the maximum number of seats. The Federal Aviation Administration does not regulate seat width, but it does require passengers be able to sit belted and with both arm rests down to comply with safety standards. In April, UAL Corp.'s United Airlines formalized a policy that says passengers who are unable to safely fit into one seat must pay full price for a second seat. They may receive it free if the plane has vacant seats. Flight attendants on the airlines are responsible for making sure passengers are fitting in their seats and may ask a heavier passengers requiring two seats to pay extra. Robin Urbanski, a spokeswoman for United, said the company received 700 complaints in 2008 from passengers who were upset because a larger passenger encroached on his or her seat. "This new policy was created for the comfort and well-being of all our guests on board," Urbanski said. A survey conducted this year by Europe's low-fare airline Ryanair found a third of the 100,000 passengers polled believed a "fat tax" should be instituted, requiring heavier passengers to pay more. Most U.S. airlines have a policy or plan for dealing with heavier passengers, though some are not formalized like United's. Officials worry heavier passengers squished into one seat may pose a safety hazard when a plane must be evacuated during an emergency. Southwest Airlines has had a "customer of size policy" for more than 20 years, requiring passengers to buy a second seat on a full plane if their body crosses the armrest boundary. The company will issue refunds if unoccupied seats are available, which they say is the case 97 percent of the time. Airlines with open seating policies such as Southwest find it easier to relocate passengers in need of an extra seat. On all airlines, passengers can buy first-class or business-class seats, which are wider. But those tickets cost more than a coach seat. Experts at Boeing Company, an aircraft manufacturer, say 17-inch seats can accommodate 95 percent of the traveling public. They say studies have found most seat space invasions happen because of wider shoulders and not derrieres. Still, some larger passengers who need more than one seat believe being charged extra is discriminatory and the airlines are not accommodating the growing American waistline. "The airlines need to be making bigger seats," said Peggy Howell, a spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, a group based in San Francisco, California. "It's not safe to be cramming us into two seats." Lawsuits have been filed by heavier passengers and by those who complain about large passengers encroaching on their space. The courts have ruled the airline policies are within their rights. In the United States, there aren't any discrimination laws to protect obese people, attorneys say. (In some employment discrimination cases, attorneys have been able to win by proving obesity was a genetic disease beyond the person's control.) In 2003, the issue of passenger weight surfaced when a commuter plane crashed on takeoff from Charlotte, North Carolina, because of excess weight and a maintenance error. The accident prompted the FAA to increase the estimated weight per passenger by 10 pounds, including 20 pounds of carry-on luggage. For example, the average weight for a passenger traveling in the summer (including carry-on luggage) went from 180 pounds in 1995 to 190 pounds in 2003. "We realized after that accident that the weights we were using probably didn't reflect the current state of the American traveling public," said Les Dorr, a spokesman with aviation safety at the FAA. In 2004, a CDC scientist studied the effects of obesity on the airline industry. The scientist calculated his findings based on data revealing the average weight of an American had increased by 10 pounds in the 1990s. He estimated the extra weight cost airlines $275 million extra for fuel in 2000. The figures are likely higher today, with fuel costs rising. Scott Cluthe, 57, who works in the radio industry in Houston, Texas, a city known for its obesity epidemic, said average-sized passengers should not have to incur the higher fuel cost caused by the airline's heavier customers. "A small child needs to pay for a flight, so why wouldn't an obese person?" said Cluthe, who flies several times a year, mostly in coach, for personal trips. "I'm not a discriminatory person, but we have to look at the reality of the situation. It's getting a little crowded in here." Some larger passengers don't mind paying for the second seat. Other heavier fliers argue while tall passengers pay a fee for legroom, the fees are only a fraction of the price of a entire seat. Air France offers obese passengers booking a second seat up to 33 percent off the ticket price, depending on the type of seat and availability. Mike Vasey of Cheyenne, Wyoming says even some normal-sized people can't fly comfortably when they are packed in the cabin like sardines. Vasey, 45, who considers himself a large guy at 400 pounds and over six feet tall, usually pays for two seats. "I'd rather be comfortable first ," he said, "and worry about discrimination later." | Obesity rates have grown in the last 25 years but plane seat sizes remain the same .
A growing number of airlines are creating polices to deal with heavier passengers .
Heavier passengers cost more fuel and space, say some passengers .
National Association of Fat Acceptance says it's unsafe to cram passengers . |
180,565 | 75be7442a9f1abead78ca2a58deb5e90bb41309f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:57 EST, 18 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:57 EST, 18 May 2012 . A police officer has been reprimanded after tweeting that he had ‘arrested the offenders’ over the attack of a 94-year-old woman in her bed. Great-grandmother Emma Winnall was found unconscious and covered in blood when carers came to check on her on Tuesday morning last week. She had a fractured skull, a broken arm and wrist and a partially severed finger. The beating was so severe that the frail widow's palms were bruised from her attempts to protect herself, while blood had splattered on to the walls behind her bed. Battered: Emma Winnall was assaulted as she slept at her home in Moseley, Birmingham, some time between 9pm on April 30 and 9am the next morning. West Midlands Police said a woman, 56, and a man, 28, were arrested at their home in the Hall Green area of Birmingham just before 6.30am on suspicion of assault. They have been taken to a police station in the West Midlands. But PC Sanghar, who uses the name PC0318HSANGHAR, then tweeted: ‘Folks. I am happy to now tell you that I was part of the team today who arrested the offenders who assaulted Emma Winnall.’ An hour later he added: ‘Folks the arrest is brilliant but guilty by suspicion (as per law) so we still need help please from all of you.’ West Midlands Police last night apologised and said the tweets by PC Hanif Sanghar were 'wholly inappropriate'. Chief Inspector Sally Seeley from West Midlands Police, said: ‘The man and woman arrested in connection with the attack on Emma Winnall are suspects. They are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 'Like most people, the officer who tweeted about his role in the double arrest, was shocked by the violent nature of the attack on Mrs Winnall and was keen to update people with the latest development in the case. Mrs Blencoe and her brother John Winnall make their public appeal for information . ‘It is clear that in doing this, he used terminology which was wholly inappropriate. ‘The officer has been advised and the tweets removed. We apologise for any confusion or distress his comment caused.’ Mrs Winnall’s son John yesterday told how his mother would probably never return to her home. Mr Winnall, from Birmingham, added: ‘My mum is not very well today but she was better last week. ‘I doubt she will go home now. She will probably go to a care home or something when she leaves hospital. ‘She was saying to me last week that she doesn't want to go home because she doesn't think she would be able to sleep. We are all just thankful she is safe and alive.' Crimestoppers offered a £5000 cash reward in a move backed by West Midlands Police. Mrs Winnall, who lives in Moseley, Birmingham, worked at the city’s small arms factory during the Second World War. She relies on a wheelchair to get around, and has lived alone since her husband Frank died in 2006, aged 91. She has five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, some of whom have been by her side in hospital since the assault. Mrs Winnall's flat in Moseley, Birmingham, where she was brutally attacked as she slept . | Great-grandmother Emma Winnall found unconscious and covered in blood .
West Midlands Police apologise for PC Hanif Sanghar's tweets on the case . |
228,856 | b4529fed5af3587d433343b274ac170478e5a6e1 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:40 EST, 14 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:59 EST, 14 May 2013 . A U.S. diplomat was expelled from Russia on Tuesday after the Kremlin's security forces said that he tried to recruit a Russian agent. The FSB counter intelligence service claimed Ryan Christopher Fogle was caught red-handed seeking to recruit a Russian . intelligence officer. The Russian agency displayed evidence that they claimed to have found on Fogle including wigs, packets of cash, a knife, map and compass, and a letter promising millions for 'long-term cooperation'. Scroll down for video . Seized: Ryan Christopher Fogle was arrested and taken to FSB headquarters at the Lubyanka, Moscow, and later handed over to the U.S. embassy in keeping with diplomatic protocols . Capture: A man named as Ryan Fogle sits at the receiving office of the Federal Security Service in Moscow on Monday . The FSB, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB, identified the diplomat as Fogle, a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, detaining him briefly overnight. It alleged Fogle was a CIA officer trying to recruit a Russian counter-terrorism officer who specializes in the volatile Caucasus region in southern Russia, where the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects had their ethnic roots. Fogle was handed over to U.S. Embassy officials, declared persona non grata and ordered to leave Russia immediately. He has diplomatic immunity, which protects him from arrest. The State Department would only confirm that Fogle worked as an embassy employee, but wouldn't give any details about his employment record or responsibilities in Russia. Some officials also referred inquiries to the CIA, which declined comment. Fogle was the first American diplomat to be publicly accused of spying in Russia in about a decade. While relations between the two countries have been strained, officials in both Washington and Moscow sought to play down the incident. Arrested: The U.S. diplomat - suspected by Russia of being a CIA agent - was named as Ryan Christopher Fogle . Seized: The FSB claimed a third secretary in the political section of the U.S. Embassy had attempted to recruit a Russian secret services official . The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul to appear on Wednesday in connection with the case. McFaul said he would not comment on the spying allegation. Russian officials expressed indignation the U.S. would carry out an espionage operation at a time when the two countries have been working to improve counterterrorism cooperation. 'Such provocative actions in the spirit of the Cold War do nothing to strengthen mutual trust,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Russia's Caucasus region includes the provinces of Chechnya and Dagestan. The suspects in the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings - Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his elder brother, Tamerlan, who was killed in a manhunt are ethnic Chechens. Tamerlan spent six months last year in Dagestan, now the center of an Islamic insurgency. U.S. investigators have been working with the Russians to try to determine whether Tamerlan Tsarnaev had established any contacts with militants in Dagestan. Despite the end of the Cold War, Russia and the United States still maintain active espionage operations against each other. Last year, several Russians were convicted in separate cases of spying for the U.S. and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. But Tuesday's case had espionage elements that seemed more like Spy vs. Spy than Ludlum and le Carre. Detained: The FSB said Fogle was in possession of two floppy wigs, three pairs of glasses, a map of Moscow and a folding knife when he was detained . Russian state TV showed pictures of a . man said to be Fogle, wearing a baseball cap and a blond wig, lying . face down on the ground. The man, without the wig, was also shown . sitting at a desk in the offices of the FSB, the Federal Security . Service. Two wigs, a compass, a map of Moscow, . a pocket knife, three pairs of sunglasses and envelopes of 500 euro . notes (each bill worth $649) were among the items the FSB displayed on a . table. The FSB also produced a typewritten . letter that it described as instructions to the Russian agent who was . the target of Fogle's alleged recruitment effort. The letter, in Russian and addressed . 'Dear friend,' offers $100,000 to 'discuss your experience, expertise . and cooperation' and up to $1 million a year for long-term cooperation. The letter also includes instructions for opening a Gmail account to be . used for communication and an address to write. It is signed 'Your . friends'. 'If this is genuine, then it'll be . seen to be appallingly bad tradecraft - being caught with a . ''How-to-be-a-Spy 101'' guide and a wig. 'He would have had to have been . pretty stupid,' said Mark Galeotti, a professor at New York University . who studies the Russian security services. Samuel Greene, director of the Russia Institute at King's College London, called the evidence bizarre. Stash: He was detained with 'special technical devices, written instructions for the person he was recruiting, a lot of cash, and things to help change one's appearance,' according to the FSB . Statement: 'Recently, the US intelligence service has made repeated attempts to recruit the staff of Russian law enforcement agencies and special services,' according to the FSB . 'I wouldn't have thought that spies . gave each other written instructions,' he said in a telephone interview. Greene also noted that the FSB had displayed Fogle's official . diplomatic ID, suggesting he was carrying it along with the spy . paraphernalia when he was detained. 'Maybe this is what the CIA has come . to, maybe the propaganda folks in the Kremlin think we are this stupid, . or maybe both,' he said. A five-minute video produced by the . FSB and shown on state TV showed a Russian official speaking to what . appear to be three U.S. diplomats who had come to pick up Fogle in the . FSB office. The official, whose face is blurred, . alleged that Fogle called an unidentified FSB counterintelligence . officer who specializes in the Caucasus at 11.30pm on Monday . He then said that after the officer . refused to meet, Fogle called him a second time and offered 100,000 . euros if he would provide information to the U.S. The Russian official said the FSB was . flabbergasted. He pointed to high-level efforts to improve . counterterrorism cooperation, specifically FBI director Robert Mueller's . visit to Moscow last week and phone calls between President Obama and . Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'At a time when the presidents of the . two countries are striving to improve the climate of relations between . the two countries, this citizen, in the name of the U.S. government, . commits a most serious crime here in Moscow,' the official said. State Department spokeswoman Jen . Psaki confirmed that an officer at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was . briefly detained and released. Mission: The website of the American embassy in Russia informs that its Political Section is engaged in 'bringing to the attention of the Russian government the US position on the issues of foreign policy and security' 'We have seen the Russian Foreign . Ministry announcement and have no further comment at this time,' said . Psaki, who was in Sweden with Secretary of State John Kerry. Little was immediately known about . Fogle. A third secretary is an entry level position at the State . Department, the lowest diplomatic rank in the foreign service. Putin has stoked anti-American . sentiments among Russians in recent years in what is seen as an effort . to build support at home. He also appears to have a genuine distrust of . Russian nongovernmental organizations that receive American funding, . which he has accused of being fronts that allow the U.S. government to . meddle in Russia's political affairs. Hundreds of NGOs have been . searched this year as part of an ongoing crackdown by the Russian . government. Questions: A letter the agent carried suggested the US government was willing to pay up to $1 million a year plus bonuses to his unidentified potential Russian recruit, if the letter released by the FSB is genuine . Galeotti said the public exposure of . Fogle suggests a political purpose behind the detention. He said these . kinds of spying incidents happen with some frequency, but making such a . big deal of them is rare. The arrest of Ryan Fogle is just the latest twist in the long history of spying between the U.S. and Russia. Famously, . 10 Russian sleeper agents were arrested in June 2010 and accused of . pretending to be ordinary Americans while secretly plotting against the . country. The best-known is Anna Chapman, above, who has become a major celebrity in her home country since being deported from the U.S. In . the Cold War period, however, U.S.-Soviet espionage was often a matter . of life and death - in 1985, military officer Arthur D. Nicholson was . shot dead by a Soviet sentry while spying in East Germany. One . of the war's major crises was caused by the shooting down of an . American spy plane in 1960 and the subsequent capture of its pilot. 'More often, the etiquette is that . these things get dealt with quite quietly — unless they want to get a . message out,' Galeotti said. 'If you identify an embassy staffer . who is a spy for the other side, your natural impulse is to leave them . be, because once you identify, you can keep tabs on them, see who they . talk to and everything else.' 'There's no reason to make a song and dance, detain them, eject them,' he said. Greene said Fogle's detention should . be seen as part of Putin's confrontation with the opposition and not as . something likely to have a major impact on U.S.-Russia relations. 'I think this is mostly for domestic . consumption in Russia so that people say, ''look at these naughty . Americans trying to meddle in our internal affairs and spy on us,''' Greene said. 'But everybody's got spies everywhere so I don't see this . as a major issue.' In Washington, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell also said the incident was unlikely to hamper U.S.-Russia relations. 'I'm not sure I'd read too much into . one incident one way or another,' he told reporters, and pointed to . Kerry's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sweden on . Tuesday evening. 'We have a very broad and deep . relationship with the Russians across a whole host of issues, and we'll . continue to work on our diplomacy with them directly.' Alexei Pushkov, who heads the . international affairs committee in Russia's parliament, wrote in a . Twitter post that the spy scandal would be short-lived and would not . interfere in Kerry and Lavrov's discussions aimed at bridging deep . differences over the civil war in Syria. 'But the atmosphere is not improving,' Pushkov commented. Release: Fogle was held overnight before being released to U.S. officials and expelled from Russia . | U.S. diplomat, named as Ryan Christopher Fogle, arrested on Monday .
Russia claims he was attempting to recruit a secret services agent who specialized in Caucasus region where Boston bombing suspects had roots .
Letter allegedly found on Fogle offers agents $1million per year to defect .
U.S. ambassador summoned to Russian foreign ministry on Wednesday .
Photos of Fogle's belongings show .
he was in possession of two wigs, three pairs of sunglasses, a .
microphone, knife and large bank notes . |
214,503 | a1c0323f1803e372b2dc482acea3b3d4a40bdc8b | Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta, nursing a knee injury, will miss Sunday's La Liga clash with Villarreal, his club confirmed on Saturday. 'Iniesta will miss tomorrow's game against Villarreal with an injury to his left knee,' Barcelona said in a statement. Neymar, who missed the opening day victory at home to Elche through an ankle injury, has been passed fit. Not fit: Iniesta (left) played on the opening day against Elche but has picked up a knee injury . Missing: Iniesta will miss the trip to Villarreal along with Luis Suarez, who is still banned . 'I am hoping that the team begins to settle which is something that will happen with games,' Luis Enrique, who is starting his first season as Barca coach, told a news conference on Saturday. 'We are looking sharp after a week where we have trained well. We know our rival (Villarreal) well and they are a strong team in the league. They had a good preseason in terms of performance and results. 'The game will not be easy for us but we are prepared and at the moment each match is a test for us. All teams with a new coach need time to adapt but that is something that I am not asking for.' Return: Neymar is now back in training and should make his first appearance of the season for Barca . Eager: The Brazilian forward will be itching to get back to competitive football after a difficult summer . | Iniesta has a knee injury which prevents him travelling with the squad .
Neymar yet to play for Barcelona this season .
Brazilian has recovered from back injury that kept him out of World Cup final but has been struggling with ankle trouble .
Barclona won their opening day fixture 3-0 against Elche . |
170,087 | 6822290b9a695ef5de6dbdb8de4c1d89939a760b | Pro-Ukrainian fighters almost killed themselves attempting to destroy a key road transport route in the pro-Russian breakaway Donetsk Oblast region - after misjudging the amount of explosives to use. Filmed as they position themselves behind sandbags, the men's laughter soon turns to panic as the explosives cause far more damage than they had intended, and rocks rain down on them. They run and cower as the skyline erupts into flames. The . massive explosion had been designed to destroy a road bridge connecting . the towns of Gorlivka and Dzerzhinsk. Scroll down for video . Pro-Ukrainian fighters almost killed themselves after using too much explosives to destroy a key road transport route in the pro-Russian breakaway Donetsk Oblast region . The men can be seen positioned behind sandbags. But their laughter soon turns to panic as the explosives cause far more damage than they had intended . They run and cower as the skyline erupts into flames. The massive explosion had been designed to destroy a road bridge connecting the towns of Gorlivka and Dzerzhinsk . The men, described by leaders in the breakaway Donetsk republic as terrorists, first set up the explosives and watch from behind piles of sandbags. The footage then shows huge chunks of rock also raining down around them as they flee in panic. The blast was so severe it also scattered debris onto the railroad between Nikitovka and Dileevka at a point around a kilometre from the Mayorskaya railway station. Aleksey Ivanov, 34, was involved in the cleanup operation in an attempt to get road traffic and train traffic moving again. The footage shows huge chunks of rock also raining down around them as they flee in panic . The blast was so severe it turned the sky orange and scattered debris onto the railroad between Nikitovka and Dileevka at a point around a kilometre from the Mayorskaya railway station . He said that it was clear from the video that the men had been taken by surprise by the force of the explosion. He said: 'The blast may well have caused serious injuries although we obviously haven't got any official line on that as these people were terrorists and they aren't going to check themselves into a local hospital.' Separatists in the Donetsk Oblast region declared independence from Ukraine on 7 April, 2014, following the Crimean crisis. The decision was backed up in a referendum the followed on May 11, although tt has not yet been officially recognised as a separate republic by any foreign country. Since then the region has been plunged into civil unrest, punctuated with a spate of terrorist attacks which many in the area believe are a prelude to an attempt to take back the region. In recent days three bridges have been blown up in the Donetsk region. A motorway bridge on the Rostov-Kharkov highway, a railway bridge at the settlement of Novobakhmutovka; and a bridge at the settlement of Zakotnoye were destroyed last week. A woman walks by a house destroyed after yesterday's bombardments carried out by Ukrainian armed forces in the village of Maryinka, 20 km southwest of Donetsk . A man stands in a house destroyed by bombardments by Ukrainian armed forces in a village near the city of Marinkao . A man looks from a window of his apartment, damaged by shelling, in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine . Workers clean up barricades from a street in the center of Slovyansk. Pro-Russian insurgents last week retreated from the strategic city of Slovyansk . A woman stands by her wrecked home. Fighters from the D.P.R (Donestk People's Republic) and civilians from Donestk prepare for a possible siege of the city by the Ukrainian Army . Members of a Russian investigative committee examine a house after shelling in Donetsk . Railway lines have also been blasted on the Skotovataya-Yasinovatay section of Donetsk railways. Two bridges across the Seversky Donetsk River and the Tepla River have also been blown up in the Luhansk region. National Security and Defense Council's spokesman Andrei Lysenko said that they had also discovered incidents where mines have been laid on highways and surfaced roads which although probably targeting military columns move also risked killing civilians. At least one armored carrier has already been blown up by a mine at the settlement of Krasnaya Zvezda, Donbass. Lysenko said tackling the terrorists was a tough job, adding: 'We cannot control the whole border between Ukraine and Russia.' | The men's laughter soon turns to panic as rocks rain down on them .
The pro-Ukrainian fighters run and cower as the skyline erupts into flames .
Had been designed to destroy bridge between Gorlivka and Dzerzhinsk .
In recent days three bridges have been blown up in Donetsk region . |
38,860 | 6dd62d10845bc7ff71f9e8d55a20cea31f821cc0 | By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 07:57 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:37 EST, 23 August 2013 . A stockbroker with a crippling . bone disease who has smoked more than 130,000 joints in his lifetime . credits the relaxing drug for his long life. Irvin . Rosenfeld, 60, says he would not be alive if he hadn't been issued with 12 daily government-supplied . marijuana cigarettes for more than 30 years, for the treatment of the . rare bone disorder, multiple congenital cartilaginous exostosis. Mr . Rosenfeld, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the longest surviving patient to be assigned to the . federal medical cannabis program, which began during the HIV epidemic in . the 1970s, and is sharing his experience with lawmakers in a push to . get it legalised. Patient Irvin Rosenfield, pictured four years ago, campaigns for the legalisation of medical cannabis. He is taking his story to Kentucky lawmakers next week . He . said he was diagnosed with the rare disease, which causes lumpy bone . formations to grow along lengths of existing bone causing significant . pain, at age 10. After numerous operations and unsuccessful treatments, he discovered in 1971 that smoking a joint helped relieve his pain. Mr . Rosenfeld was one of a small number of lucky patients to be signed up . to be studied as part of a 'Compassionate Investigational New Drug' program with marijuana. The . Florida resident is now one of only four remaining survivors on the . program and he is taking his story to law-makers in Kentucky in a the . latest drive to get the treatment legalised. He told wlky.com: . 'As the longest-surviving federal medical cannabis patient in the . country, the federal government has been giving me this tin can of . medical marijuana, 300 marijuana cigarettes for every 25 days, for over . 30 years. So, I'm living proof how well cannabis works as a medicine.' More than 200 bone tumours had grown, painfully stretching . muscles and veins, and causing dangerous haemhorrage. Since he began . the treatment, he says he's not needed any other pain treatment and no . new bone growths have formed. Colorado . is the first to decriminalise possession of the herb. The state has . allowed those over 21 to possess an ounce of cannabis legally. Life saver: Cannabis-therapy, says Irvin Rosenfeld, has saved his life after being assigned to the US federal medical marihuana program in 1982 . Twelve . other states are also in the process of considering loosening the laws . around cannabis possession and use, including Kentucky. Senator . Perry Clark and members of the group Kentuckians for Medicinal . Marijuana brought Rosenfeld from Florida to Kentucky for their campaign. Rosenfeld's . medical history has been studied by the government for the last 30 . years and Mr Clark and the group want him to address senators and . representatives at the interim joint committee on health and welfare, on . Wednesday, at the capitol annex. The . IND program with cannabis was closed to new entrants by the George H. W. Bush administration, in 1992, due to the growing number so AIDs . patients and the subsequent demand to be assigned to the program. From the age of 10, Mr Rosenfeld has suffered with a rare and painful bone disease which causes growths on his bones, like this one pictured . At its peak, the program had thirty active patients. Mr . Rosenfeld is one of four survivors, and the only one to have the rare . bone disorder. The other patients who have been treated with cannabis . since the early 1990s, suffer from multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and . nail-patella syndrome. On his website, Mr Rosenfeld says thanks to the program he has had a full life and has achieved a lot. 'I . work in investments for my clients, both conservative and speculative. My two major hobbies are playing softball on Sunday mornings with my . guys, and either sailing at Shake-A-Leg Miami, or teaching disabled . and/or disadvantaged kids and adults how to sail. 'However, . my major passion in life is trying to get medical cannabis legal for . all patients. That is why I wrote my book and have this website. 'I have been able to do accomplish all of this, because I have the right medicine,' he says. Mr . Rosenfeld, who has been married for 35 years, says he strives to . educate people of the benefits of the drug, which be believes 'should be . allowed to be used under a physician’s care'. | Irvin Rosenfeld has been issued with federal medical cannabis since 1982 .
He suffers from rare bone disease exostosis which causes severe pain .
He's led a full life, still plays sport, and campaigns for legalising cannabis . |
214,371 | a19af63a4d02d803d26935badef7ce0d8bdbf25f | (CNN) -- Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa, whose hands and feet were amputated in a bid to save her from a deadly and little-known illness, died early Saturday, two friends of the model told CNN. Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa died Saturday after undergoing multiple amputations. "Unfortunately Mari couldn't resist any longer. She passed away at 3 a.m. today," Henrique Fontes, executive director of Miss World Brazil, said in an e-mail to CNN. Renato Lindgren, a friend of the model who runs a blog dedicated to her, confirmed da Costa's death. On his blog, Lindgren wrote that he and other friends were going to the hospital. "On behalf of all the family, we are grateful for the support and the affection that the entire world has sent to us," he wrote. Da Costa, 20, had fought a pernicious disease that has ravaged her body and forced doctors to perform the amputations and extract part of her stomach as well as both kidneys. She had been breathing through a respirator, officials at Dorio Silva Hospital in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo said Friday. Da Costa suffered from necrosis, or the fast deadening of tissue, caused by septicemia. Septicemia, triggered by a bacterial infection, causes insufficient blood flow that can lead to organ failure. Da Costa first sought medical advice after feeling ill in late December. Hospital officials said she was transferred to Dorio Silva on January 3 in "septic shock," a serious medical condition caused by an inflammation. Da Costa was first diagnosed as suffering a urinary tract infection. By the time the infection was detected, it had developed into septicemia. Doctors decided to amputate first her hands and then her feet after the condition reduced the amount of oxygen being delivered to her limbs. Just less than one month ago, da Costa was a healthy young woman well on the way to achieving her dream of becoming a world class model. She placed sixth in the Miss Bikini International competition in China last year and took first place for the "Best in Swimsuit" category. In 2007 and 2008, she came fourth in the contest to become Brazil's entrant for the Miss World pageant. Thiago Simoes, da Costa's fiance, said she was on her way to international stardom, signing with prominent model scout Dilson Stein, who brought Brazilian models, including Gisele Bundchen and Luize Altenhofen, to the world stage. "All the agencies were very interested in knowing her. I know for a fact that they would have loved her because Mariana is beautiful," Stein told Brazil's Tribuna newspaper. Simoes told CNN that da Costa woke up from a coma 10 days ago and told him how much she wanted to be alive. "She told me she was praying to stay alive, that she still had a lot to do on this earth, that she wanted to go on with her plans," he said. "She comes from a humble family and she was the main breadwinner," said Simoes, who refuted rumors that da Costa was dieting and that might have affected her health. "She never dieted, never took pills...she is a very simple, very warm human being," he said. A doctor who recently published an article in The New England Journal of Medicine on the disease, told CNN that little was known about the illness, although it is the tenth leading cause of deaths in the United States. "We know a lot about what happens once a patient contracts the illness but we know very little about what causes it," said Dr. Greg Martin of Emory University in Atlanta. Martin said sepsis is a "response" to an infection that can cause the immune system to lose its balance. "Basically, the immune system goes haywire after contracting an infection and begins to overreact," he said. Men are more susceptible than women, Martin said. News of da Costa's condition spread quickly throughout Brazil and then worldwide. A message on her Web site said that the volume of traffic had caused it to crash, and that the site had received more than 15,000 hits in two days. "The whole world, I repeat, the whole world is touched by the case of Mariana," it said. The message said they had received "e-mails of solidarity from all corners of the world: Australia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, France, Italy, USA, Russia, etc." CNN's Hilary Whiteman and Helena de Moura contributed to this report. | NEW: Brazilian amputee model Mariana Bridi da Costa died early Saturday .
Da Costa's hands, feet were amputated after she contracted septicemia .
Da Costa placed sixth in the Miss Bikini International competition in China . |
184,221 | 7a9fee2bad42251c967e5cdd57c035005f67f74d | (CNN) -- On Sunday, during the inauguration ceremony, and followed by endorsement of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani presented Majlis [the Iranian parliament] with a list of proposed cabinet members. A look at candidates shows that after eight years of the chaotic and catastrophic presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, things are getting back to normal. This could also mean that the old guard is in charge again. Senior ruling elites (the average age of Rouhani's new cabinet is 57) are celebrating their victory after surviving Ahmadinejad pressures to uproot them. Read more: Rouhani takes over as Iran's president . After nearly two months of heated discussion and wild speculation about the makeup of Rouhani's cabinet, the list of the proposed ministers can finally predict Iran's future. A close aide to Rouhani, Hesamodin Ashna, wrote on his public Facebook page: "This cabinet has been designed to return peace to the government of the country. The presence of veterans indicates difficult crisis that must be resolved. It takes at least two years to find out what in the past eight years has caused this country to fall apart." The economic orientation of the new administration is clear. The appointment of Mohammad Nahavandian -- head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines -- as the presidential Chief of staff, sends the message that the new government will be relying on the private sector. And the composition of the cabinet seemingly shows Iranian liberals will be at the helm of the economy. However, there is still speculation about the political proportions of the new administration. A mistake that many political critics make is trying to determine the political weight of the cabinet based on the overused dichotomy of principlist-reformist, neglecting that such a categorization can no longer describe the political arena of Iran, particularly in the post-election era. Read more: Rouhani feels limits of office . Now, let's look at a few facts. All 18 proposed ministers have good relations with Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Council who became known as the kingmaker in this election. Some of these candidates are even considered Rafsanjani's apostles. Sixteen of them have held prominent positions in the administration of Mohammad Khatami, the former reformist president who is out of favor with the hardliners and was not even invited to Rouhani's inauguration. More interestingly three of these proposed ministers, Mohammad Akhoundi, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and Ali Rabiei, were three of the most important members of the Mir-Hussein Mousavi campaign in 2009. (This candidate is still under house arrest with his wife after protesting the vote result and leading the Green Movement). Naturally such a makeup of the cabinet drew criticism from the radicals in the principlists' camp. But more interestingly, radical reformists, particularly the activist and journalist body associated with them, have criticized Rouhani for his cabinet picks. Why? Because the position of the three sensitive ministries of culture, intelligence and interior were not given to pure reformists. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance was offered to Ali Jannati -- the son of 87-year-old head of the Guardian Council Ahmad Jannati -- who unlike his father has good relations with Hashemi Rafsanjani and during the presidency of Khatami was Iran's ambassador to Kuwait. In an interview conducted less than a week ago he uttered almost everything that a reformist would say. Jannati said he did not believe in censorship before publication of books. Censoring has been the standard procedure in the past three decades of publication in Iran. He also promised that if a newspaper criticizes the administration it would not land in hot water. Read more: Presidential elections without buzz . Despite being a principlist, Seyyed Mahmoud Alavi, the candidate minister of intelligence has mostly trodden his own path. Less than two years ago he was disqualified from running for Majlis by the Guardian Council for "lacking practical commitment to Islam and the regime." In a recent interview, Alavi had the courage to openly say "there is a security atmosphere in the country at present and individuals are not at ease to speak [their minds]" and promised that the situation would change. Unlike the candidates for culture and intelligence ministries, Abdolereza Rahmani Fazli, the proposed interior minister whose job description includes appointing the 31 governors, has not revealed his view points. A principlist, Rahmani Fazli is very close to the speaker of Majlis, Ali Larijani. Therefore, many radical reformists have criticized Rouhani for giving a share in his cabinet to Larijani. An unofficial campaign has also started lambasting the speaker of Majlis as the sole obstacle to reforms in the country. It appears that certain political currents in Iran are repeated like short cycles. About 12 years ago, the reformists launched a campaign against Hashemi Rafsanjani and his cohorts including Hassan Rouhani to blame him for all the country's problems in order to prevent his election to the sixth parliament. Demonizing Rafsanjani actually turned out to hurt reformists most as they lost a powerful ally, who could have helped them in furthering their agenda and paved the way for the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 2005 election. Portraying Larijani as the new wicked could have similar sequels. Larijani has already shown that he wants a relationship based on give and take. In the aftermath of the 2009 presidential election, despite pressure by hardliners to condemn popular protests, he remained silent as long as he could. In the beginning, he even tried mediating between the defeated candidate Mousavi and the supreme leader. It is only natural for the new president whose campaign slogan was "solving things with prudency" to choose negotiation to strengthen the position of his camp instead of resorting to confrontation and exclusion. The boldest step Rouhani has taken is nominating Mohammad Javad Zarif as foreign minister. Zarif's candidacy has been heavily opposed by the hardliners who insist this choice means that the new administration is serious about reducing tensions with the West, particularly with the U.S. Some have claimed that Rouhani's cabinet does not create strong hope of a political opening in Iran. But the reality is that the winds of change began blowing two months ago immediately after the election by the republication of two highly circulated reformist magazines that had been banned. And even though Mohammad Khatami was not allowed to attend the inauguration ceremony, his pictures have once again found their way to the front page of the newspapers. However, it appears that the threat of the radicalization of the supporters of change is stronger for the new administration than the pressure from extremists. Two weeks ago, one of the most prominent anti-regime figures in the country, 81-year-old Ebrahim Yazdi -- who has been sentenced to eight years in prison -- stressed in an interview with a reformist paper that Rouhani's administration should not be expected to perform miracles: "He has to arrange the melody of desired change with the increasing tolerance and endurance levels of the opponents of reform," he said. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ali Reza Eshraghi . | President Hassan Rouhani has presented Iran's parliament with a proposed cabinet list .
Ali Reza Eshraghi says it suggests a return to the old guard, after Ahmadinejad .
16 proposed ministers had positions in the government of reformist Mohammad Khatami .
However, three key posts were not given to pure reformists, Eshraghi says . |
139,381 | 4037872da7fec06b4d2d9a3cd3b72e49c28e4df1 | Click here to read Martin Samuel's full column. The funny thing is, some folk still wonder if Manchester United will get back to the top. It’s when. Not if. It is an absolute inevitability. And not long-term, either. Next season, maybe. If not, the year after. Louis van Gaal will bring the title to Old Trafford. That is what modern football demands, that is what the rules dictate. UEFA decided several years ago that they wanted football to remain exactly as it was that day, and introduced regulation to facilitate a natural order. They called it Financial Fair Play. And as on that day Manchester United were the biggest club in England, that is how they shall remain. Lionel Messi (centre) shows some frustration during Barcelona's match against Atletico Madrid on Sunday . Messi celebrates after scoring for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid in the La Liga clash . So, now, if Lionel Messi is available there is one club that can buy him. Not afford him, mark you. Manchester City, Chelsea and a number of others could afford him if their owners were allowed to invest speculatively in their business. Roman Abramovich or Sheik Mansour might calculate that acquiring Messi would be a catalyst for the next stage of development; not just in what he might bring as a footballer, but in the global statement such a move would make. They might decide that, despite the astronomical cost, the end would justify the means if what it gave Manchester City or Chelsea was a rapidly expanded fanbase and increased marketing potential. But then a man in a suit would step in and say no, or impose a punitive fine or, worse, a ban from major competition. This leaves one club with the potential to make Messi’s numbers add up. It is unlikely Messi will arrive at Old Trafford, either way. Much of what is being said in Barcelona appears to be a power play, or contractual brinkmanship. Messi rails against false speculation one moment, and then uses the platform of the Ballon d’Or to announce that he does not know where he will be next season. Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal walks down the touchline after defeat by Southampton on Sunday . Cristiano Ronaldo (left), Lionel Messi (centre) and his girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo sit beside each other at the FIFA Ballon d'Or award ceremony in Zurich on Monday night . All is not well with Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, apparently, and Messi wants an improved deal. The clever money says that he will get what he wants on both counts: a different coach and a new contract. If not Messi for United then, what of Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale? Actually, the names are incidental. The bottom line is that there are some calculations that are beyond all bar one club. Even by bringing in Angel di Maria, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera and Radamel Falcao on loan in one window, Manchester United demonstrated a financial capability that outstripped all rivals, particularly having failed to qualify for the Champions League. No other club could take a hit of £50million, as United did, and continue investing in this way. Obviously, United need Champions League football from here to finance any grand plan, yet the mathematics of the Messi deal bring home the lopsided logic of FFP, effectively delivering the hope of success to a privileged few. Southampton — incredible interlopers this season — should be able to cement their position, or at least build on it, with ambitious transfer dealing in the January transfer window, having defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford. Barcelona fans show their support for Messi by displaying a banner at the Nou Camp on Sunday . While UEFA would closely monitor this new investment, however, Manchester United — and United alone — could plan a bid for Messi that might top £275m, including a £195m buy-out clause. So what chance do Southampton have, long-term? That 1-0 win on Sunday? Means nothing. Dropping down to fourth place? A tiny bump in the road for United. We are not witnessing the beginning of the wilderness years because UEFA will not allow it. The worst that can happen is a temporary delay on the road back to the top. Manchester United can never be mediocre again. It is unthinkable they will ever go 26 years between titles, as happened from 1967 to 1993. Manchester City are out of the running for players like Messi, and they know it. Their accounts are already under extreme scrutiny from UEFA and the purchase of Wilfried Bony from Swansea City is as close as they can manage to a spree. There is also much talk about Chelsea and Messi but that is moot, too. A frosty relationship with manager Jose Mourinho is said to have thawed, but who cares? Mourinho knows the reality. The club accountant will have the final say on Messi, not him. Jose Mourinho gestures towards Messi during Inter Milan's Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in April 2010 . Asked about the deal last month, Mourinho said: ‘I have no chance of that with Messi. At this moment there is Financial Fair Play and we have to follow certain rules, certain numbers and we have no conditions to buy a super, amazing player paid with super, amazing numbers.’ He is too confident in his ability to regard ultimate defeat as unavoidable, but it certainly seems that way. If Van Gaal is as good a coach as his record suggests, this, coupled with Manchester United’s financial supremacy only has one outcome, with or without Messi. | There is only one club that can buy Lionel Messi if he is available .
FFP means Chelsea and Manchester City are out of the running .
United demonstrated a financial capability that outstripped all rivals .
READ: Messi and the truth about the Barcelona power struggle . |
141,605 | 431efb24c755f61998c1f6e30c3ffd78dd946566 | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 12:09 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:42 EST, 15 November 2013 . A former Royal Marine Commando has broken his own record for Britain's deepest ever freedive. In a competition in the Bahamas, Michael Board, 42, swam to a depth of 328ft (100m) using only a fin on his feet for propulsion and a rope to make sure he stayed in a straight line. The dive was deeper than the height of the Elizabeth Tower, otherwise known as Big Ben, and meant Micheal held his breath for nearly three minutes. Micheal Board, 42, originally from London, has broken his own freediving record by reaching a depth of 328ft (100m) using only a fin on his feet and a rope to keep him in a straight line . During the dive Board's lungs would have been crushed to a quarter of their normal size, which made him black out on a previous attempt just a few days beforehand . During the dive Board held his breath for nearly three minutes. On land the former Green Beret can hold his breath for six minutes and 32 seconds . At that depth the air in his lungs would have become compressed, crushing them to a quarter of their normal size, which can lead to blackouts. Speaking after the event the freedive instructor said: 'The dive felt good. I was obviously apprehensive having blacked out in my previous attempt a few days before but I changed a few things for this dive, took a little less weight down, and had less pre-dive nerves. 'Not everything went right though, my nose-clip was not tight enough and I was losing air on the descent so I almost ran out of equalisation before the bottom and only just made it. 'However the ascent felt strong, the light was much better which really helped right at the end of the dive when surfacing.' The previous record, set by Micheal in January this year, was 315ft (96m). He managed to dive to 100m on that occasion but was disqualified because his nose peg fell off. The freedive instructor became interested in the sport while scuba diving and after realising he could hold his breath for longer than his friends . Micheal has actually reached 100m three times before but was disqualified when his nose peg fell off, ruptured an eardrum, and blacked out . The freedive instructor now lives in Gili Trawangan in Indonesia with his girlfriend Kate Middleton who holds the New Zealand record for Constant Weight freediving . Michael, who now runs a diving school in Indonesia with his girlfriend Kate Middleton (no relation to the Duchess), became interested in free diving while working as a scuba diving instructor. He used to get into contests with his friends to see who could hold their breath the longest and found he was quite good at it. So good, in fact, that on the surface he can hold his breath for six minutes and 32 seconds. He said: 'I wanted to do more of it and learned to become a freediving instructor. I've been doing if for four-and-a-half-years now.' The last freedive records not to be held by Michael was 298ft (91m) and held by Dave King, a geography teacher from Brighton who set it in 2009. The world record holder for free immersion diving is William Trubidge, from, New Zealand, which stands at 397ft (121m), nearly twice the height of Tower Bridge. The previous record holder before Micheal was held by Dave King, a geography teacher who set it in 2009 . The Suunto Vertical Blue freediving competition is an annual competition which takes place at Dean's Blue Hole, the world's deepest known blue hole with saltwater . The current world record for freediving stands at 121m, nearly twice the height of Tower Bridge, and was set by William Trubidge, from, New Zealand . Board's record-breaking dive was his fourth attempt at reaching the 100m mark. The Brit failed in his first attempt at last's years Suunto Vertical Blue, where he was disqualified for taking too long to complete the necessary surface protocol. His second try was this year at the world championships in Kalamata where he had trouble equalising and ruptured his eardrum, which took eight weeks to heal. His third attempt, a couple of days before his record-setting dive, saw him suffer a small blackout on the surface, before eventually succeeding with his forth. The former Green Beret says he spends most of the year in Gili Trawangan in Indonesia where he runs the Freedive Gili school with Kate, who holds the New Zealand record for Constant Weight freediving. He added: 'I have my own 25m pool there and unlimited depth but it is open water diving so conditions are not always ideal like here in the Blue Hole. 'However it does allow me to maintain dive fitness and flexibility throughout the year.' | Michael Board, 42, originally from London, broke his own record .
At 328ft his dive was deeper than the height of Big Ben .
His lungs were crushed to a quarter of their regular size .
He blacked out on a previous attempt just days before .
World record stands a 121m, twice the height of Tower Bridge . |
87,522 | f859c4b5c39653753b21c575a98d525fc47c16bf | By . Daniel Bates . and Ml Nestel . Louise Woodward should take parenting classes 'for the sake of her own child', the family of Matthew Eappen have said . Louise Woodward should take parenting classes ‘for the sake of her own child’, the family of the baby boy she was convicted of killing in America 16 years ago have suggested. The former nanny, who is seven months pregnant, needs to learn to control her temper before her own child arrives, they say. Woodward was jailed for 15 years in 1997 for killing eight-month-old Matthew Eappen at his home in Boston. Her sentence was reduced to time served - . 279 days - when her second degree murder conviction was overturned for . involuntary manslaughter, and she returned to the UK. Matthew’s aunt Mary Wong said yesterday that Woodward had a ‘right to have a child’, but added: ‘For the sake of her own child I hope she is a better parent. ‘For the sake of her family I hope her parenting skills have come a long way... I think that she needs to have parenting skills and support for her baby.’ Mrs Wong, 52, added: ‘I hope no harm comes to the child.’ She said there was ‘nothing Louise does’ that could take away the time Matthew spent with his parents Debbie, 48, an ophthalmologist, and anesthesiologist Sunil, 47. She said: ‘Debbie is a good person. She’s . tormented by what happened but I don’t think that she wishes any evil . things on Louise or her family or the child. Debbie’s reaction is going to be very personal to her.’ Feelings about the case still run high in America too. Matthew's aunt Mary Wong said his mother Deborah (pictured left with husband Sunil Eappen and son Brendan) is still tormented by his death . Woodward was jailed for 15 years in 1997 for killing eight-month-old Matthew Eappen at his home in Boston but her sentence was reduced when her second degree murder conviction was overturned . A . decade after it was resolved Woodward was dubbed ‘the most notorious . criminal in Massachusetts’ by an American magazine - beating a drug . dealer who had topped the FBI’s most wanted list. Matthew’s paternal grandfather . Koodathummuriel Eappen, 75, a doctor, told the Daily Mail: ‘I really . don’t want to stir up bad memories other than wishing her well and . hoping that she looks after her baby well. ‘Her temper is probably more mature now so that she is able to control the baby’. Elaine Whitfield Sharp, Woodward’s lawyer . during her trial, was among the few who said that she welcomed the news . of the pregnancy - and still thought that Woodward was innocent. Miss . Sharp, who is originally from Chester but lives in Boston, was in 1998 . secretly recorded saying she thought her client was a ‘duplicitous . monster’, but appears to have softened her views. Woodward, 35, is now a dance teacher and is expecting with her husband, businessman Antony Elkes . She said: ‘I’m very happy for her and I think she will make a great mother. She deserves it. ‘I think she is a kind and very gentle person. She loves animals, she was very kind to children. ‘Everyone deserves a second chance, and everyone deserves a chance at happiness’. A neighbor of the Eappen's disagreed though. The woman who gave her first name Kate, has three children who were the same ages as the Eappen kids. Asked about the family's loss Woodward's future plans to mother a child, Kate quickly condemned Louise Woodward. 'I think justice did not occur,' she said. Kate agreed that the Eappen family since moving into the neighborhood 13 years ago have been the best neighbors. 'They are both exceptional people both professionally and personally. You wont find any nicer, kind-hearted people.'Unfortunately, as both families grew-up together on the same leafy street, Matty's loss is even more pronounced. 'They lost a child and they live with it everyday,' she said. 'Matty's always in their thoughts.’ Woodward, 35, is now a dance teacher in Bridgnorth, Shropshire and is expecting with her husband, businessman Antony Elkes, 32. Woodward has declined to talk about her . pregnancy and said she wants to maintain her privacy’, though she has in . the past spoken of how much she wants a family. | Woodward, who is seven months pregnant, was convicted of killing Matthew Eappen in 1997 when she was 19 .
His aunt said she hopes Woodward is 'a better parent' to her own child .
Mary Wong said Matthew's mother is still 'tormented' by his absence . |
106,974 | 15fbc0da262d5d9e4709a56b4a8fd74cb33c798a | Plans to protect seahorses in Dorset and around the Isle of Wight have been shelved so yachtsman can moor their boats . Plans to protect seahorses and other sea life were shelved yesterday so yachtsmen can moor their boats. Officials said establishing marine conservation zones in Dorset’s Studland Bay and around the Isle of Wight would have had major implications for sailors, including restrictions on where they could anchor. The decision – by environment ministry Defra – was condemned by campaigners. Joan Edwards, of The Wildlife Trusts, said anchors break fragile eelgrass, which is the habitat of many underwater species. There will now be a consultation exercise on the establishment of 23 conservation zones – 14 fewer than first planned. Studland Bay is two miles from Sandbanks, Britain’s most expensive strip of coastal real estate. It is also the only place in the UK where both native seahorse species – the spiny seahorse and the short-snouted seahorse – are known to breed. Close to Poole Harbour, the bay is the only place in the UK where both native seahorse species - the spiny seahorse and the short-snouted seahorse - are known to breed. Numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years. In 2009 a survey recorded 40 spiny and two short-snouted seahorses in the bay, but last year researchers could only find a single juvenile male swimming there. The eelgrass which grows in the bay is also home to endangered undulate rays, native British oysters and a huge variety of vulnerable fish and molluscs. Joan Edwards, head of living seas at The Wildlife Trusts, told the Daily Mail: ‘People sail their yachts out of Poole Harbour and come to Studland for a gin and tonic. ‘The damage is done when they chuck their anchors over the side. It breaks the fragile eelgrass, which is the habitat for many, many species.’ In a report on the decision, Defra officials said locals had complained their businesses would be hit by restrictions to watersports. They wrote: ‘The designation of the site is expected to impact on commercial fishing, local port and harbour activity and recreational boating activities, with high costs associated with the port and harbour sector and recreational boating.’ They said imposing such a zone on the area would cost the local economy £80,000. But Mrs Edwards dismissed the costs, saying: ‘£80,000 would not buy a shed in that part of the country.’ A yachting ban would not needed, she said. Boats could instead tie up to floating buoys rather than dropping anchors which damage the sea bed. Three more planned conservation zones were also shelved around the Isle of Wight because of similar impacts to yachting and recreation, which Defra estimated would cost the economy a combined £290,000. Yachting associations have long denied they are part of the problem. Close to Poole Harbour, Studland Bay, near the Sandbanks, pictured, is the only place in the UK where both native seahorse species - the spiny seahorse and the short-snouted seahorse - are known to breed . Jon Reid, spokesman for the Boat Owners’ Response Group, said in September: ‘Studland Bay has been used by generations of boat owners, going back the last 70 years and eelgrass has always been there. ‘Why is there suddenly an issue now? There is a huge body of evidence that states this type of eelgrass is very resilient and if damaged it puts on a growth spurt to recover.’ The 14 proposed conservation zones dropped by Defra also including four in the Irish Sea, where officials are concerned about the impact on commercial fishing, four off the Welsh coast which will be deferred to the regional authority, and two others for which they need more information. Each will be reconsidered in the next round of licences in 2016/17. Just 27 marine conservation zones currently exist in English waters. Experts say 127 experts are needed. Defra said the proposed 23 new sites would cover more than 3,800 square miles, protecting important seabed habitats and species. | There had been plans to establish marine conservation zones in Dorset .
Would have protected species, including the UK's only native seahorses .
But plans were shelved so yachtsmen can moor their boats nearby .
Decision - by DEFRA - condemned by environmental campaigners . |
241,670 | c4c97cac9246d548d36a443368dd5eac00c004b8 | Jailed: Leopold McLean, 49, shot his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend outside her home in November 2010 . Mayor Bloomberg's bodyguard has been jailed for seven years for attempted murder in a love triangle shooting. Leopold McLean, 49, shot his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend outside her home in November 2010. The shooting took place after the veteran NYPD officer had dropped off Mayor Bloomberg’s daughter Georgina at home after a Knicks game. McLean spotted LePaul Gammons outside his girlfriend Assia Winfield’s Jamaica, Queens home. He shot him twice in the buttocks and back using his service weapon as Gammons ran away . McLean and Winfield called 911, claiming Gammons had broken into her house and had a knife. But the detective failed to mention that he had fired at Gammons, reported the New York Post. Gammons was violating a protection order the night he showed up at Winfield’s home. During the trial, Winfield said that while she was dating McLean, she filed complaints against Gammons. She . also admitted that she still continued to call him, visited him in jail . and accepted two cars he bought for her adult daughter. Tension: McLean spotted LePaul Gammons outside his girlfriend Assia Winfield’s Jamaica, Queens home . McLean was just two months short of getting his pension following a 19-year police career. Gammons is currently imprisoned at Rikers Island for a forgery conviction. 'Common sense would have told you to . take Assia Winfield into her house, call police, tell them what . happened, what Gammons looked like, what direction he went in, that he . was armed with a knife, and all vital information for your fellow . officers,' Queens Supreme Court Justice James Griffin told the former . cop. 'You suffer more than most defendants. Your career as an officer is over.' | Leopold McLean, 49, shot his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend outside her home .
Shot him twice in the buttocks and back using his service weapon .
Detective failed to mention that he had fired at Gammons . |
196,960 | 8aeacc09d5cf655a352e7400062f910e41cc7645 | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 11:00 EST, 9 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:37 EST, 9 May 2012 . A successful businessman with a 'Jekyll and Hyde character' has been jailed after systematically abusing two girlfriends he met through Facebook. Keith Turner, 43, from York, physically and mentally abused the two women in a series of humiliating and frightening incidents which included him spitting in their faces, throwing one victim’s shredded clothes in the road and posting a fictional profile on an adult website so that men turned up at one victim’s home, expecting sexual favours. He even undid the seatbelt of one of his victims - both in their forties - while driving his Lamborghini and slammed on the brakes. The women finally took out harassment orders against Turner and only realised he had targeted them both when they met through a counselling website for the victims of domestic violence. Keith Turner, 43, from York, physically and mentally abused the two women in a series of humiliating incidents which included him spitting in their faces, throwing one victim's shredded clothes in the road (pictured outside court yesterday) The court heard how Turner had smashed one victim’s laptop and destroyed both of their phones. On other occasions, he drove in a frightening manner, terrifying his victim, and scratched the other’s car with his keys. He later apologised at the home of one of his victims, where he was viewing white supremacist websites. Turner purchased an ex-USSR gas mask on eBay, joined neo-Nazi website Combat 18 and showed one of the women pictures of swastika tattoos. Hull Crown Court heard Turner, the owner of VW Relics Ltd in East Yorkshire, became controlling and obsessively jealous about the victims’ former partners soon after starting to see the women, whom he met online through a shared interest in cars. The court heard how Turner had smashed one victim's laptop and destroyed both of their phones . Turner undid the seatbelt of one of his victims in his Lamborghini while driving and slammed on the brakes (file photo of car similar to Turner's) The court heard Turner would impress them with his motor . business, Lamborghini and boat moored at York. He would take them to the . river or outings to pubs and car shows at Donnington Park. But both women described his sudden . mood changes when they were near other men or when they would not reveal . their previous sexual encounters. Turner met both women through the social networking site . Turner was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to two counts of causing a person to fear violence by harassment. The court was told the first victim - a 44-year-old woman - was in a relationship with Turner for about ten months between November 2010 and August 2011. Judge Jeremy Baker QC said: 'As that . relationship developed, it’s apparent that you had a somewhat Jekyll and . Hyde character because soon thereafter, you subjected her to . distressing, damaging, socially isolating, humiliating and frankly . violent acts.' He began seeing a 46-year-old woman for two months from September 2011. Incidents inflicted on his first victim included: . Incidents inflicted on his second victim included: . Sentencing Turner, Judge Baker said the perpetrators of domestic violence often had 'two personae' - one seen by the outside world and another darker side only seen by their partners. He said: 'That’s clearly the situation in this case. You repeatedly apologised for your actions and went on to repeat the same or worse offending to these victims.' He noted that Turner had seven previous convictions including common assault, actual bodily harm, and battery. Steven Crossley, for Turner, said his client had asked him to apologise to the court and his victims for his behaviour. Judge Baker said: 'These matters involve some degree of physical violence. The victims have altered their lifestyles to avoid contact with yourself. They have been left feeling anxious. 'In my opinion, the case is so serious that it’s right that you are punished for this case by way of a term of immediate imprisonment.' | Keith Turner, 43, given 16-month prison sentence .
He posted fictional profile on adult website so men turned up at one victim's house expecting sexual favours .
He spat in their faces, destroyed their phones and threatened one with metal rod .
He joined white supremacist website Combat 18 .
Became 'unnaturally jealous' when the couple were at a motoring event at Donington Park. When she called for help on her phone from the ladies’ toilets, he stormed in and destroyed her phone .
Picked up a metal rod giving the impression he would hit her .
Undid her seatbelt in his Lamborghini while driving and slammed on the brakes .
Held a seatbelt over her throat while driving and punched her, then threatened to strangle her, bruised her, smashed her phone and ripped open her clothing .
Humiliated her while shopping, asking a shop assistant for a brush so she could sweep the floor and dropping his wallet on the floor so she had to pick it up .
Spat in her face on multiple occasions .
Made her cry by jabbing her in the arms with his car keys. Pushed her in a car saying 'you won’t disrespect me again'
Shredded her clothes and scattered them along the roadside .
Posted her details on a dating website and wrote to her employer .
Smashed her laptop and phone and called her 'a slag and a whore'
Went to the home she shared with her 18-year-old daughter where he claimed he had a crossbow in the boot of his car .
Scratched her car with his keys and spat in her face .
When she was wearing a towel, he insulted her appearance. He tried to grab the towel from her and take photos, saying he would post them on a dating website. He kicked her in the calf and verbally abused her .
Made a profile for her on an adult website asking men - some of whom attended her house - to contact her for sexual favours. |
159,366 | 5a014c1a8e05b2ee97803017189c273c287d5355 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Angry: Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, pictured, has launched a $56 million lawsuit after his plans to build a basketball and barn on his sprawling property in the Hamptons were rejected . Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick has launched a $56 million lawsuit after his plans to build a basketball court and barn on his sprawling property in the Hamptons were rejected. The billionaire is furious after the zoning, planning, and farming advisory boards refused to allow the development on the 40-acre Bridgehampton property he bought in 2003 for $15 million. To display the extent of his wrath for the Southampton Town municipal boards, he's launched two separate federal lawsuits against not only the boards but their individual members, according to The New York Post. 'He's basically saying this is war - he's had enough,' one of the sued parties told The Post. 'When you own a property like that you don't like to be told what you can or can't do on it.' The source described the unusual act of going after board members as 'intimidation. Plain and simple.' It's not unusal for the boards to be sued as a whole when rich Hampton homeowners don't get their way when it comes to zoning. The finance boss filed a $36 million suit against the zoning board last week in Eastern District federal court for the basketball rejection specifically. He claims in the suit that his purchase of the land gives him the land rights to a single-family home and 'recreational' uses. But the zoning board said no. 'It is our position that a basketball . court is not a compatible recreational use of an agriculturally . protected area,' Devitt Spellman Barrett attorney David Arntsen told The . Post. The billionaire is furious after the zoning, planning, and farming advisory boards refused to allow the development on the 40-acre Bridgehampton property he bought in 2003 for $15 million . The multimillion dollar suit came on the back of a $20 million one Lutnick filed against the Southampton Town planning board and farming advisory board earlier this year, taking aim at the rejection of a sizable barn. The boards claimed a proposed 11,200 square-foot barn was too big and would only be approved if it was reduced to just 2,400 square-foot. According to the New York Daily News, Lutnick did downsize the structure and offered to move it to a different location on the estate. Lutnick's lawyer David Neufeld told the Daily News the officials were being 'unbelievable.' 'If you're offended by a basketball court 40 acres away, there aren't many places on Suffolk County that you could live,' Neufeld said. 'It's pretty unbelievable what they (Southampton officials) can do.' The mansion on the property includes a swimming pool, spa and tennis court. The banking boss also wanted to build a 3-acre apple orchard, and a vineyard. | Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick has launched two lawsuits worth $56 million over his 40-acre property in Bridgehampton .
The billionaire is furious after the zoning, planning, and farming advisory boards refused to allow the development of the court and a 11,200 square foot barn .
One of the sued parties said his decision to sue individual board members was 'Intimidation. Plain and simple' |
141,128 | 427a9d5ef6eb0fc60d5f45011a64957fd03e38d8 | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- In the beginning the question was whether we could do it at all. Around-the-clock news? Was there even enough news to fill 24 hours? Those were the questions being asked when I joined the staff of CNN on February 4, 1980, five months before the network went on the air. I had come to CNN from the Atlanta Journal via a six-year stint at UPI. Aside from knowing how to write a five-minute newscast for the broadcast wire, I knew nothing about television. That day I was told I would be the broadcast industry's first full-time copy editor. Even at the networks, it seemed, producers had read scripts, but with 24 hours of news, editors had been added to the team. Down to the last few minutes before we went on the air at 6 p.m. on June 1, 1980, there were doubts about whether we could do it. Ted Kavanau was the fast-talking, endlessly energetic vice president whose job was not only to get us on the air but make our shows interesting. As the clock ticked down, he called the show team into the back where the executive offices were located. "Listen," he intoned. "We don't know if this is going to work or not. But do not worry. If it doesn't work, we will all go to TV stations and hire one another." And on that cheery note, out we went to produce the first show. We had been asked to tie our futures to the dreams of Ted Turner, someone many considered to be a mad man. Not only were we ready, but eager. As Turner was dedicating the news channel to America, I was marking up seven-part scripts with a black copy pencil in the newsroom downstairs. And by the end of that first hour, I knew the answer to the question of whether CNN would survive. Civil rights leader Vernon Jordan had been shot and was in a Fort Wayne, Indiana, hospital. That day his friend, President Carter, flew to Fort Wayne to visit his bedside. When Carter came out of Jordan's room and stepped up to the waiting microphones, CNN was live. The three broadcast networks would air portions of Carter's remarks later on their 30-minute evening newscasts, but CNN was live as it happened. As I listened to Carter speak, I thought to myself, "You know, this is going to work." And it did. Cell phones were still a few years away. There was no Internet, but people could look at CNN and see history unfold before their eyes. A cartoon in the New Yorker magazine from that time showed a dead bird, its feet in the air and a CNN cameraman capturing the event. "A sparrow falls," said the caption, "and CNN goes live." There were countless important events in those first years. The arrival of the hostages who had been freed by Iran in 1981, the chaos following the shooting of President Reagan that year, and those unforgettable images as the Challenger blasted off into a clear blue Florida sky in January 1986 only to explode a few moments later. A breakthrough moment came with the start of the Persian Gulf War. That war produced something called "CNN Syndrome." As video of bombs falling on targets and reports from the field streamed in, people were reluctant to be away from their televisions. They carried pocket radios into business meetings to listen to CNN Radio. They were unwilling to be unplugged, and it was more than exciting to be a part of it. In 1993, CNN created its own internal wire service, The CNN Wire, and I was one of three members of that fledgling staff. We were to be the repository of what CNN knew because our charge was to cover the major story of the day. In 1994, it included a slow chase down a Los Angeles freeway. When caught, O.J. Simpson was charged with murdering his wife, Nicole Brown-Simpson. My colleague Anne Brown and I watched and filed dispatches on every day of the trial. In 1996, I went to Moscow to cover the first democratic election of a Russian president. Boris Yeltsin danced on the stage at Rostov-on-Don and swept past the Communists to win. Then followed four trips to Israel to cover elections there. One evening my colleague Izzy Lemberg invited me to visit his home in Abu Tor, a mixed neighborhood in Jerusalem where Israelis and Palestinians live. The cab driver was a little reluctant but took me anyway. On the terrace roof of Izzy's home that summer evening we ate cool slices of watermelon and sipped Israeli wines. As darkness fell, an arc of lights was visible on the horizon. "That is Amman, Jordan," Izzy said. "It's only about 70 miles away." Soon bright flashes of light began to appear off to the right, beyond the Mount of Olives. Izzy and his wife Rickie seemed to pay no notice. What was that, I wanted to know. "Oh, that, just the Israelis practicing tank fire in the Jordan Valley," Izzy said. Normal life in Israel. One of my most memorable days at CNN was a day of tragedy, April 19, 1995. A national desk editor had received a call from a CNN affiliate in Oklahoma City. The station had heard on a police scanner that an explosion had occurred at the federal building and planned to send a reporter and a microwave truck. I called the Oklahoma City police to find out what was going on. I asked if there had been an explosion at the federal building. "Yes," the dispatcher told me, "and it's bad." She slammed down the phone, but with that confirmation I wrote the first bulletin of many I would write that day. Within the next 10 minutes, the first video of the scene was streaming in -- the mushroom cloud of black smoke, the façade of the building collapsed into the street. As the lead writer on the story, it was my job to take that stream of facts, update the story as developments came in, and try to keep the story as coherent as possible. At times that day, it felt as if I had grabbed a live wire as the death toll inched toward 168. The stories of survivors began to flow in. And then there were the questions. Who did this and why? About 80 minutes after the blast, Timothy McVeigh, the man who would ultimately be convicted of the worst act of homegrown terror in American history, was arrested in a routine traffic stop in Perry, Oklahoma. In 1997, I would go to Denver to cover his trial. My worst day at CNN was an even worse day of tragedy. September 11, 2001, when almost 3,000 people died. That Tuesday morning began routinely. An editorial meeting had started on the 6th floor of the CNN Center when word came from the New York bureau that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Like many, I thought it must have been a small private plane and wondered how it got so close. Then the first video came in from CNN affiliate WABC with the Trade Center's North Tower ablaze. I sat down and wrote a bulletin. My colleague, international desk editor Lynn Felton, and I were watching a monitor when a plane entered the frame and struck the South Tower. Did we really see what we just saw? I wrote another bulletin. Then, as we tried to understand the magnitude of what had occurred, a third plane, at the Pentagon. Another bulletin. Then a fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Another bulletin. That short span -- between a few minutes before 9 a.m. until just after 10:30 a.m. -- was the longest period of time I have ever experienced. The seconds ticked down as if they were made of lead. We were under attack, and it wouldn't stop. But, of course, the story was just beginning to unfold. Very soon, the twin towers would collapse in roiling clouds of smoke and ash. A lead writer's job when a story begins is to give the facts as quickly, clearly and concisely as possible. But as the day progresses, it is the writer's job to pull back, look at the larger picture, include some context, and say, if possible, what this means. My final lead that day talked about terrorists striking the twin symbols of America's financial and military might, the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The only routine thing about September 11 was at the end of the day when the lead writer who was to replace me tapped me on the shoulder. I logged off the computer, stood up and stumbled away -- spent both emotionally and physically in a way I had never been before. On the day of Ted Turner's last visit to his office in the CNN Center, my old friend and colleague Will King, who like me was there on day one, happened to ride the elevator down with Turner. As they crossed the bridge over the food court, Will tried to express to Turner what his vision had meant to us, how proud those of us who were there at the beginning had been to be a part of it. Turner thanked him and headed down the escalator. Then the mad man turned, threw up his hand, and shouted back to Will, "Keep the spirit!" This week, more than 32 years after I joined CNN -- after being a part of thousands of stories, working with thousands of people, and forming friendships that have lasted a lifetime -- I will sign off of my computer for the last time and retire. It has been a great career. As I leave I am as convinced today as I was early on that there is no better front seat to history than to be a part of CNN. And as I slip down the escalator, I plan to turn back and wave to all the colleagues I'm leaving behind, confident that the spirit lives on. | Randy Harber retires this week after a career that goes back to the first day of CNN .
He says the 24-hour news channel quickly overcame doubts that it was needed .
Harber: Ted Turner's innovation found an audience as events demanded constant attention .
He says his 32-year career provided a front row seat to history . |
67,475 | bf709e239a1262f44f8f76df674f1186f68a89d8 | (CNN) -- At Sepideh's home in the Iranian capital, the television is more often switched to "America's Next Top Model" and "American Idol" than the news. Not that the 22-year-old college student wants anyone to think her superficial, but it's her way of coping with the ominous -- the heated rhetoric of war with Israel and the United States. "My friends and I don't talk about politics or the thought of a war," she says, laughing. "I stopped watching the news all together. It's too depressing." Sepideh is not unlike millions of Iranians who, like their neighboring Iraqis did in early 2003, fear war is looming. Israel would face challenge in bombing Iran nuclear sites, experts say . Some are less worried than others -- a Tehran fast food worker says Israel has been threatening Iran for years and this time is more of the same bluster. Still, all the bellicose talk from national leaders and punishing international sanctions trickling down to average Iranians who are paying higher prices for food and basic commodities, has cast an uneasy pall over life's routine. Israel has threatened to bomb Iran to end or at least set back Iran's nuclear ambitions. Iran insists its nuclear program is strictly for energy purposes and has said it will not hesitate to strike back at its enemies. U.S. President Barack Obama has stated Iran developing nuclear weapons is not acceptable and that Washington "will always have Israel's back." That sort of talk is unsettling to Sepideh, who like others in this story did not want their full names used for fear of repercussion. She tries to go about life focusing on her education and hanging out with friends in tony Tehran coffee shops. She buys Hollywood at the local bazaar and swoons over Johnny Depp. In many ways she is not unlike her American counterparts except that Sepideh lives in the Islamic Republic and her government is considered an enemy of Washington. She thinks longingly about moving to America one day. In her country, she feels, she will never be able to freely express herself or her passion for art, music, films. She cannot fathom why the United States would consider an attack Iran. Opinion: Israel's 'Iron Dome' system isn't enough protection . "I understand why America doesn't like our government. They don't agree that they should impose Islam on our society but that should not give them a reason for war," she says. Her parents worry that the bombing of Iran would create another situation like Iraq in 2003. They are especially concerned because Sepideh's brother is 17 and because of Iran's mandatory conscription, he will have to serve in the military after high school. "If there were a war, no doubt my brother would be in danger," she says. The family has applied for visas through Sepideh's aunt in California. Sepideh prays every night that they will be granted. "I have faith in (Barack) Obama's policies," she says. "I think he is a smart man who in the end will make the right decision to not start a war with Iran." Nevertheless, a sense of panic is on the rise in cities and towns across Iran over the prospect of guns and no butter. Tighter sanctions drove down the Iranian currency, the rial, and Iranians gobbled up gold, American dollars and even real estate in order to protect their savings. Food prices have soared, too, prompting some to stockpile basic items in case an even darker day looms over the horizon. This week the strangling of Iran's finances got tighter. SWIFT, the world's largest electronic banking system, agreed to cut off Iranian banks and individuals on the European Union's sanctions list. Starting at noon Saturday, Iran will be severed from the main vehicle for monetary transactions. Iran's business partners, including vital crude oil customers who account for half of the government's revenues, will have to find an alternative way to pay. Beyond staggering inflation and a plunging national currency, analysts fear Iranians now could face shortages of essential goods like food and medicine. Retired elementary school teacher Shikoufeh, 67, lives in the city of Isfahan, just south of Natanz, an uranium enrichment facility for power plants or potentially for bombs. In her modest two-bedroom apartment, she cares for her two grandchildren because her daughter was forced to go back to work to make ends meet. She takes the children for walks in a nearby park and wonders what would happen if Israel conducted military strikes against Iran's nuclear plants and military installations. "Iranians are educated, fun-loving people," she says. "We are against war and against aggression." She wishes Americans knew more about the rich history of her country -- art, music, poetry -- and about the turmoil Iranians have survived. "I honestly think they look at us as terrorists, like the ones that are portrayed in the movies,' she says. "They think we wear burkas like they do in Afghanistan, and don't allow women to drive like in Saudi Arabia. Iran is different, we are different. We want peace like anyone else in this world." Shikoufeh's anxiety is heightened on Sundays when she heads to the fruit and vegetable market. Last week, the price of tomatoes went up so much that she could not justify buying them. The butcher told her he hadn't seen profit in two months -- who can afford to buy meat anymore? She tried to buy U.S. dollars recently but the bank informed her of limits on how much she could exchange. "I always like to save some dollars in my house, just in case," she says. Nowruz, the Persian new year, is coming up March 20, but Shikoufeh says this year, the traditional meals and large get togethers will be a lot simpler. "I'm worried that our beautiful country will become similar to what the Americans did to Iraq," she says. "I pray to God they don't. I love America and love Americans. They are lovely people. But I don't understand the need to meddle in our country's issues." She says she is willing to live with Iran's problems, if only she could have a guarantee of no war. "That would be the end to our livelihoods and the little freedom we have now," she says. Back in Tehran, Amir, 39, says he is more concerned about facing economic hardship than dodging missiles and rockets. "It's all bluffing and political nonsense," says the university English instructor about threats from Israel and the West. "This happens every few years between Iran, Israel and the U.S. This is normal," he says. "In a month it will quiet down again and in two years it will flare up again. This is the political wheel, always spinning. Obama has said he doesn't want a war with Iran, and we all know Israel cannot proceed with a war alone." Amir sees money as his number one problem. He resents having to rely on his parents for support but he, his wife and child are forced to stay in an extra apartment at his parents' home. Even though he has a degree and good job, his salary is no match for the prices at the market. "My advice to my country is to open our doors to the world," he says. "Let's show them that we have a right to nuclear technology, and that we are not making nuclear weapons. The Western nations always want to have their hands in other countries. I'm pretty sure unemployment and crime is high in America. Shouldn't they be focusing on that?" The tension within Iran is affecting people outside its borders, too. Tina, 36, and Shermineh, 34, fled Iran with their mother after the 1979 revolution and have not been back since. They have not seen their grandparents since they were babies. Tina says her grandmother weeps on the phone every week when they speak over the continents and oceans. To see her granddaughters again would help her die a "blessed old woman." The sisters, who live in Los Angeles, planned to return to their homeland for the very first time for the Persian new year. They booked their tickets and arranged their trip to Tabriz, the city where her family used to live. "I was most excited about seeing all the places my mom talks about," Tina says. That included the house where her mother was born. But a few weeks ago, once news broke of Israel possibly planning a spring strike, Tina's mother canceled the trip for her daughters. "I understand its for our safety, but I am really disappointed," Tina says. "I hope one day this political mess will clear up and we can go. I'm not giving up, but when I turn on the news, it doesn't seem like things are getting better." For now all that Tina and her sister will have to wait to see what the future bodes. As will all of Iran. | Tehran college student Sepideh refuses to watch the news .
She worries about war coming to her homeland .
Anxieties are heightened by dismal economic prospects .
Upcoming Persian new year celebrations are sure to be more muted . |
154,265 | 535e039d8aac389ff9d8f863fda27cfa21eb805c | For District Attorney Sam Sutter, prosecuting fallen NFL football star Aaron Hernandez carries a kind of pressure unprecedented in his six years of service. "Probably my career ... will be defined more by this case than all of the other things we've done," the top law enforcer in Bristol County, Massachusetts, told CNN. "To that extent, there is added pressure. I can't say in any way that we shirk from it. We welcome it." A crush of cameras and journalists follows Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end, each time he appears in court, including Thursday, when a grand jury indicted him on a first-degree murder charge in the execution-style shooting death of friend Odin Lloyd. Hernandez, who is being held without bail, has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Michael Fee, calls Hernandez an innocent man and says "there has been an incredible rush to judgment in this case." According to a biography on his office's website, Sutter has worked to solve old homicides and "has employed a series of new and aggressive strategies to attack the problem of gun violence." He was elected in 2006 and re-elected four years later. The Democrat lost a bid for Congress in 2012. Neither Sutter nor Fee can speak to the evidence because of a court-imposed gag order. "We have won 14 out of our last 15 murder trials," Sutter said. "I think that's a pretty darn good record." The next step in Hernandez's case is his arraignment, during which he'll be informed of the crimes he is charged with. Hernandez also faces five weapons charges. Co-defendant Ernest Wallace, who was allegedly in the car with Hernandez the night Lloyd was killed, also was indicted. He was charged with being accessory after the fact to murder. The grand jury also has indicted Tanya Singleton, Hernandez' cousin, for contempt of court. She's charged with refusing to testify before a grand jury, despite being granted immunity. Lloyd's body was found June 17, riddled with five bullets in an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez' luxury home in North Attleborough. From there, it's roughly a 20 minute drive to the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium. Authorities have said Hernandez, Carlos Ortiz and Wallace picked Lloyd up from his Boston apartment. Sources have told CNN that Ortiz, who is facing a weapons allegation, is cooperating with authorities. Sutter won't say whether Ortiz is getting a special deal. "Mr. Ortiz is charged with a serious crime," Sutter told CNN. "Whether or not he's indicted remains to be seen, but right now, he's not getting a pass." In search warrant affidavits for her home, investigators allege Singleton helped Wallace escape by buying him a bus ticket to Florida. Sutter said Singleton's refusal to testify is "definitely unusual." "We'll see what she does. But I'm not gonna comment on her position, her defiance," Sutter said. Singleton's lawyer, Peter Parker, declined comment to CNN. His client has pleaded not guilty. CNN legal analyst Paul Callan suggested that Singleton's decision may indicate she's either extremely loyal or may be worried about something. "Her refusal of immunity is very surprising," he said. As the case moves to Massachusetts Superior Court, Hernandez continues to be held without bail. No trial date has been set. | Former NFL player is charged with first-degree murder, weapons charges .
He's charged in connection with the slaying of Odin Lloyd, 27 .
Hernandez has pleaded not guilty .
DA says his career likely will be defined by case . |
210,175 | 9c3004aa72c0a0fc218373ecad4966fac74835c8 | Scientists are inviting you to take part in "waking up" a comet-chasing probe that has been in hibernation in space for nearly three years. The spacecraft is due to reactivate itself from an internal alarm clock on Monday but to celebrate the event the European Space Agency (ESA) is asking people to film themselves shouting "Wake up, Rosetta!" and then share their video clips on a dedicated Facebook page. Visitors to the page can vote for their favorites and the top 10 will be transmitted towards Rosetta and out into the universe beyond. Behind the fun lies a ground-breaking mission, which, if successful, will notch up a series of notable firsts. Rosetta will be the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and to place a lander on the surface as it approaches and then swings around the sun. ESA says the mission's objective is to help understand the origin and evolution of the solar system and investigate the role that comets may have played in seeding Earth with water. Named after the Rosetta stone --- a block carved with ancient scripts that led to Egyptian hieroglyphs being deciphered -- the €1 billion ($1.36 billion) space mission was launched in 2004. Since then, ESA says it has been around the sun five times as controllers line it up to meet comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August this year. For the last 31 months it has been in hibernation for the coldest part of the journey that took it close to the orbit of Jupiter. After mapping the comet's surface it will release the lander Philae in November and monitor changes as it gets closer to the sun. ESA project scientist Matt Taylor said if the project is successful it will advance the knowledge about comets. "It's the first time we've made a rendezvous with a comet -- that's never been done before -- and it's going to be the first time we've escorted a comet past its closest approach to the Sun," he told CNN. "The cherry on the cake is that we also deploy the lander to probe the surface of the comet. "With these firsts it will enable us to make a quantum leap in our understanding of comets -- where they come from, their consistencies. "Previous missions have only flown past comets at high speed. Rosetta will get within 5km (3.1 miles) when we deploy the lander and will be in pace with the comet -- we will be really up close and personal with it." Taylor explained that the spacecraft was designed to be put in hibernation because even with massive solar panels the size of a basketball court, Rosetta would not have enough power to complete its mission without this energy-saving strategy. The lander is equipped with harpoons to attach itself to the comet, which is about 4km (2.5 miles) long, and then drill about 20cm (8 inches) into the surface to analyze the chemical components. Often described as "dirty snowballs," comets are known to contain a lot of ice but scientists want to learn more about their exact composition. Barry Kellett, an astronomer and research scientist at the UK's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, explained that when comets approach the sun, the ice melts and is turned into an ionized gas tail. The dust produces a separate, curving tail. "Astronomers believe comets are made of pristine solar system material before the solar system was formed," he said. "They are the left over bits that never became a planet." Some think that Earth may have received its water from comets, or even the chemicals that make up the building blocks of life on our planet. "When Earth and Mars formed it would have been very hot so they would have formed dry," said Kellett. "And it was certainly very hot when Earth was hit by something that made the Moon. The only things we know that have a large amount of water on them are comets." He said if Rosetta can establish the composition of this comet then "the question of where life came from might be better answered than before." Rosetta's target comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is known as a short-period comet. It reappears every six years as its orbit brings it close to the Sun. Halley's comet has a period of about 76 years and is not due to return close enough to Earth to be visible until 2061. Others only return after thousands of years. Recently, comet ISON was mostly destroyed in its close encounter with the sun in November last year but it did provide scientists with fresh data in the process. Follow @CNNLightYears on Twitter for more space news . | Rosetta will be the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and to place a lander on the surface .
ESA says the mission objective is to help understand the evolution of the solar system .
After mapping the comet a lander will be deployed to the surface .
Some believe Earth may have received its water from comets . |
137,986 | 3e77d30d7e15ccecc4089ddf0addd8ea17df71e7 | Video footage has emerged of the moment Reese Witherspoon got into a drunken confrontation with a police office which resulted in her arrest for disorderly conduct. The one and a half minute film, taken from the patrol car's dash camera and posted on TMZ, shows Reese slurring and screaming at a police officer in Atlanta, Georgia following her husband Jim Toth's arrest for DUI. Reese was arrested for on April 19 after disobeying an officer's order to stay in the car. After repeated requests from the police officer and her husband to stay quiet, her antagonistic exchange with the police officer ended in her being handcuffed and charged. Furious: The moment captured on the police car's dash camera which shows Reese Witherspoon (bottom right) arrested for disorderly conduct . In the video, an agitated Reese attempts to protest after husband Jim was handcuffed after failing a field sobriety test. The officer told the actress several times to sit down and stay in the car, much to her chagrin. 'I'm pregnant and I need to use the restroom,' she calls to the officer . - something she told GMA on Thursday morning was untrue. Seemingly unable to listen, Reese gets out of the car and begins arguing with the officer who promptly arrests her. Hands behind your back: Reese was enraged at her arrest and accused the officer of harassment . Do you know my name? Reese was incensed when the officer did not appear to care that she is a famous movie star . Officer: 'Get back in that car. I'm not going to repeat myself again. If you get out of the car again, I'm going to arrest you.'Reese: I'm pregnant and I need to use the restroom.'Officer: 'There ain't nowhere to use it out here. If I tell you again, I'm going to arrest you. Reese: 'Do you know my name sir?'Officer: 'Don't need to know.'Reese: 'You don't NEED to know my name?'Officer: 'Not quite yet."Reese: 'Oh really? Okay. You're about to find out who I am.'Reese: 'You are harassing me as an American citizen. I have done nothing against the law.'Officer: 'Yes you did, you didn't obey my orders.'Reese: 'I have to OBEY your orders?'Reese: 'I'm now being arrested and handcuffed?'Reese: 'I'm a U.S. citizen ... I'm allowed to stand on American ground and ask any question I want to ask. You better not arrest me.'Reese: 'I'm being anti-American?'Officer: 'Yes, please sit down.'Reese: 'Wow! Interesting. Reese: 'You're harassing me as an American citizen' Officer: 'I tried.'Jim Toth: 'I'm sorry. I had absolutely nothing to do with that.' 'Do you know my name sir?' she asks the policeman, who responds with a curt, 'Don't need to know.' 'You don't NEED to know my name?' an incredulous Reese asks. 'You're about to find out who I am.' Clearly furious at being handcuffed, the actress begins to indignantly accuse the officer of harassment. 'I'm a U.S. citizen... I'm allowed to stand on American ground and ask any question I want to ask,' she screams. 'You're harassing me as an American citizen. You better not arrest me.' Even more damming for the Oscar winning actress was her husband's rather embarrassed reaction to her outburst after Reese is handcuffed. 'I'm sorry. I had absolutely nothing to do with that,' Toth told the officer. Meanwhile, Reese pleaded 'no contest' to charges stemming from her disorderly conduct arrest two weeks ago. The actress was not in the Atlanta court to hear her lawyer Bruce Morris enter the plea on Thursday. She was ordered to pay a $213 fine on the charge of 'physical obstruction of another,' according to TMZ who released an explosive video of the star's arrest. However, Toth was in court to enter a guilty plea for driving under the influence. The judge told him: 'Consider yourself fortunate you didn't injure your passenger [Reese] and didn't kill anyone' Toth, . a talent agent for CAA, received no jail time, but must perform 40 . hours of community service and attend an alcohol education programme. He has also been placed on probation for 12 months. Mug shot: Reese and Jim Toth pictured shortly after their arrests on April 19 . Likes to party: Reese's husband, CAA agent Jim Toth, is said to get loud when he drinks . Just hours earlier, Reese appeared on Good Morning America in her first interview since her arrest. Speaking publicly for the first time . about the incident, she said: 'It was just one of those nights - we went . out to dinner and had one too many glasses of wine. 'We thought we were . OK to drive but we definitely were not. We are just so sorry this . happened. We know better than that. It's something that will absolutely never happen again. 'I . had no idea what I was thinking that night. I saw him arrest my husband . and I just panicked. I said all kinds of crazy things to the officer. I . even told him I was pregnant. I am not pregnant!' Subdued: Reese looked rather less animated back on the set of her film The Good Lie on Thursday in Atlanta, compared to her performance in the dashcam video . When asked . what she said to her children about the incident, the actress told ABC: . 'The worst part was having to speak to the kids. 'We . are so embarrassed by it but we just had to tell them that when you . make a mistake, you have to take responsibility. We were honest with . them.' She has two children aged 13 and nine with her first husband Ryan Phillippe and an eight-month-old baby with Toth. Reese said: 'It was just one of those nights - we went out to dinner and had one too many glasses of wine. We thought we were OK to drive but we definitely were not' Exit: Reese smiled from behind sunglasses as she left ABC's studios after her appearance on GMA . The officer on the scene claims that the actress became clearly agitated and eventually disobeyed his verbal commands. He . reported: ‘Mrs Witherspoon began to hang out the window and say that . she did not believe that I was a real police officer. I told Mrs . Witherspoon to sit on her butt and be quiet.’ When asked by George Stephanopoulos if she learned any lessons from the incident, she joked and said: 'When a police officer tells you to stay . in the car, you stay in the car. 'I think I've played a lawyer so many times in . movies I think I am a lawyer sometimes. Clearly I am not.' | Actress disobeyed police officer's instructions to stay in the car .
Incensed Reese said: 'You're about to find out who I am'
Apologetic husband says: 'I'm sorry, I had nothing to do with that'
Reese fined $213 after pleading 'no contest' to charges stemming from her disorderly conduct arrest .
Toth plead guilty to DUI charge and will do 40 hours of community service . |
195,945 | 8996b0ff472b56a53e6c28b9b49d17d25e587660 | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 11:04 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:33 EST, 29 October 2013 . Tragic: Mother-of-two Katrina-Rose Black died in the fire in her Burnley home on Sunday . Senior detectives are investigating a mysterious house fire that killed a mother-of-two - just three years after she survived another blaze. Katrina-Rose Black, 21, who gave birth to her second child in February, was killed by flames that broke out at her home in Burnley at 11.30pm on Sunday night. Neighbours heard an explosion and ran into the street where they saw Miss Black at her first-floor bedroom window banging on the glass and pleading for help. Three fire engines were called to put out . the blaze, which blew the front door off its hinges, but they could not . save Miss Black. A post mortem examination found her death was 'unexplained', and the fire service could not find a cause for the fire. Today it emerged that neighbours rescued Miss Black from a blaze . in her previous home in February 2010. Two people poured water over Miss Black, then 17, as she lay unconscious, before taking her to hospital where she was treated for smoke inhalation. She recovered and police found the fire was not suspicious. However, after days of forensic tests, a Forces Major Investigations Team (FMIT) has been appointed to explore Sunday's blaze, which remains a mystery. Today, reports claim Miss Black had been involved in a dispute with a man for the past few months. The FMIT will now examine Facebook and text messages sent between the pair. According to local media, a man sent her a Facebook message in August saying: 'Rosie . please unblock me im sorry for the messages I was very drunk last night . how am I supposed to get intouch with u if I need u about anything.' A post mortem examination on Miss Black's body, removed from the property at around 3pm on Monday, did not determine a cause of death, although it ruled out rumours she was pregnant with her third child. Forensic investigators combed the terraced house in Hapton, near Burnley, removing a door and other items for testing. Horrific: The front door was blown off its hinges in the house fire at 11.30pm on Sunday . During the fire, smoke was seen billowing from the house before the door was blown off its hinges. A witness said: 'One of the neighbours heard an explosion. They said they saw a girl up at the bedroom window but she couldn’t smash the window. 'There was a man on the street saying "she’s upstairs and the house is on fire". 'Everyone came out of their houses and were telling her to smash the window and jump out but she couldn’t. It was a terrible scene. 'It was the early hours of Monday morning when we saw the ambulances and blue lights.' Tributes: Flowers were left outside the house of mother-of-two Miss Black, who gave birth in February . The neighbour added: 'She was a smiley girl, she used to speak . to my my mum and then when she passed away Rosie came over to pass on . her condolences. She was a caring girl. 'She had a little one but I wouldn’t see him often, I did see her with another child. A man used to come and go - but I don’t know if he lived there. 'She had asthma, it must have been quite bad - one time paramedics were called to her house.' Another neighbour said: 'My brother said he had heard banging and then her screaming and that’s when he called the emergency services. It’s just shocking that a young girl could die like this.' A third said: 'When we heard the sirens, we just thought it was a chip pan fire and it would get dealt with in half an hour. Investigation: A Major Investigations Team is looking into claims she was feuding with a man . 'Most of the street were out when I came outside. I could not believe how bad it was. 'I don’t know how the firefighters could go in, it was so intense. The flames were coming out of the windows. 'We waited and thought we would see a rescue, but nobody came out.' Lancashire Police said: 'The death is . being treated as unexplained because we do not know how the fire . started. The fire has caused extensive damage to the house and an . investigation is now underway to establish what happened. 'A team of officers are working on the investigation, including officers from the Force Major Investigation Team.' A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'The cause is the fire currently unknown and a joint investigation between us and the police has been launched.' | Katrina-Rose Black, 21, died in the fire 8 months after birth of second son .
Mother-of-two survived a blaze in her previous Burnley home in 2010 .
Police investigating claims she had been feuding with a man for months . |
46,276 | 82601f01b4d11a1ae5e74fef1ab9f6f9f32a8be7 | Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Thai police Wednesday linked a powerful explosion at a suburban Bangkok apartment building to anti-government protesters. The death toll from Tuesday's blast grew to four as investigators recovered an unidentified body from the debris at the site, the country's emergency center said. Nine people also were injured. Initial forensic evidence suggests the bomb was made from about 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of TNT and was being assembly at the apartment before it exploded, according to Gen. Wichean Potephosri, the national police chief, who said evidence found at the scene may link it to four other recent bombings. The country's Crime Suppression Bureau said the room where investigators believe the bomb was assembled was rented by an anti-government supporter from Chiang Mai, who is wanted on an arrest warrant in another bombing case. Tuesday's blast damaged the first and second floors of the Saman Meta Apartment building in Nonthaburi province, just outside the capital, Bang Bua Thong police said. The building has been sealed off while police collect forensic evidence, but authorities have said there is evidence of an explosive material at the site. The anti-government protesters are known as "Red Shirts" -- so named for the color of their clothing. On Tuesday, the Thai government extended an emergency decree in Bangkok and three provinces has been extended. The decree allows authorities to detain suspects without formal charges up to 90 days. The emergency rule was imposed in April after anti-government protests crippled much of Thailand. The extension of the emergency rule also come after another protest in September where more than 10,000 anti-government demonstrators gathered in the heart of Bangkok's shopping district to mark the fourth anniversary of a bloodless coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. That peaceful demonstration lasted about four hours as one of the city's main intersections was again flooded with "Red Shirt" demonstrators. But that demonstration was a far cry from the bloody protests where Red Shirts amassed in the same area from March to May until a crackdown by the government's security forces left 91 people dead and more than 2,000 injured. | Police point to anti-government protesters in bomb blast .
Police are investigating an explosion in suburban Bangkok .
Investigators are combing the blast site . |
23,917 | 43e0fba26233b29ceb25a93d686a798bed2ba25c | (CNN) -- Tears flowed and hugs were traded on Thursday in an Oklahoma maternity ward as four nurses saw for the first time the baby whose birth they helped safeguard during a direct hit by Monday's tornado. "Look how handsome your boy is," said one of them, when she saw the 4-day-old boy. But baby Braeden's birth came only after a very close brush with the twister. His mother, Shayla Taylor, was already in labor when the tornado turned toward Moore, Oklahoma. She was so far along -- dilated and going through contractions -- that in spite of the approaching storm, there was no way to evacuate her. "She couldn't move," said Alyson Heeke, nurse supervisor at Moore Medical Center. "She'd had an epidural anesthesia, which meant that it numbed her enough that she couldn't walk." As the tornado came closer, the medical staff moved Taylor into a hallway, then to a windowless operating room that offered more protection. "Her baby was not doing the best," said charge nurse Cindy Popejoy, "so I really needed a way to monitor her baby to see how the baby was tolerating the labor process -- especially since she was so far dilated. So the only place to do that would be the OR." With the twister bearing down on them, the four nurses -- Popejoy, Heeke, Barbara Brand and Bonny Stephens -- covered their patient with blankets, pillows and even their own bodies. "We actually were on the floor," said Heeke. "Bonny the scrub-tech was kind of leaned over her a little more. We had blankets and pillows all around her. We were holding onto each other -- and the bed." Within minutes, the hospital was hit with massive force. Taylor said she did not know whether she and the baby would survive, but she kept praying. "I knew we were getting hit directly," she said. "I felt the floor start shaking. It feels like an earthquake." The outside wall of the operating room was ripped off, but everyone in the room survived. Afterward, debris was lying everywhere, including heavy equipment and lighting fixtures strewn across the floor. There was wreckage in every direction, there was a gaping hole where the wall once stood, and the baby-warmer was silhouetted against the open sky. "I opened my eyes, I could see I-35," said Taylor. "And I could see the movie theater." But Shayla's husband Jerome -- who had taken cover downstairs with their 4- year-old son Shaeden -- did not know whether she had survived and did not know how to find her. "They were saying 'No, everyone's out of the building,' " he said. "And I was like 'No, my wife - my wife is upstairs." He soon found her, and she was transported on a flat board down a stairwell and through the debris. Shayla Taylor was closer than ever to giving birth. She was taken to the nearby hospital in Norman and gave birth within hours. Braeden weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces. "He probably will sleep through anything now," Heeke said with a smile. Shayla Taylor is herself studying to become a nurse. Seeing these nurses put a patient's welfare ahead of their own, she said, has made her more committed than ever to becoming a caregiver. "Those nurses are amazing," she said. Students, teachers from tornado-leveled school say goodbye . A mother's instincts saves her three sons -- here's how . Piece of a children's book reflects the loss . | Shayla Taylor was already in labor when the Moore tornado roared toward her hospital .
It was too late to move her; her four nurses sprang into action to protect her .
As her labor intensified, "I knew we were getting hit directly" |
171,681 | 6a32a828c03551d0f93af9ba1279254016cf9b55 | With the European champions coming to town and giving Liverpool a lesson in a 3-0 defeat, fans at Anfield will have found it hard to take any positives home with them. Here's five things we've learnt about Liverpool from their Champions League struggles: . It might be time to give Rickie Lambert a go... Many thought a mouth-watering tie against the Champions League holders might be the sort of occasion that would get Mario Balotelli performing to his potential. Instead, the enigmatic Italian attempted just 17 passes and had zero shots on target before being hooked at half-time after swapping shirts with Pepe. It was always going to be a tough evening for the 24-year-old as a lone striker, but he wasted any promising moves started by his team-mates and his hold-up play was non-existent. Maybe it’s time to give Rickie Lambert a run in the side. He would at least look interested if nothing else. Mario Balotelli warms up alongside Rickie Lambert - Daniel Sturridge is still missing through injury . Balotelli underwhelmed in the first half and was hauled off by Brendan Rodgers at half time . Liverpool's centre back pairing just isn't working . The Anfield club’s first-choice centre backs Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel are undeniably strong in the air, but the pair look too similar to form an effective partnership on the deck. Both are aggressive and their tendency to dive into tackles leaves huge holes in and behind Liverpool’s back line. In the Premier League Liverpool play a high defensive line, which often allows opposition attackers a clear run on goal when the centre backs have committed themselves. They tried to compensate for this against Real Madrid’s myriad of attacking talent by playing deeper, but neither Skrtel nor Lovren looked comfortable in a more passive, covering role and Ronaldo and Co ran rings around them. Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel are very similar in style and haven't gelled well at the back for Liverpool . Three points from three games leave hopes hanging by a thread . The atmosphere at Anfield before kick-off may have been as electric as ever, but at the moment it’s the only thing that remains from Liverpool’s European glory days – besides Steven Gerrard, of course. Granted, they were playing the Champions League holders on Wednesday night but the Galacticos had never so much as scored against the Merseyside club before, let alone beaten them. This time it was emphatic - Liverpool's first ever home European defeat by three goals. Then there was the 1-0 defeat at Basel earlier in the month, as well as the laboured victory over Ludogorets in September. They’re halfway through the group stage and Liverpool’s Champions League status is already hanging by a thread – probably not the return to the big stage Gerrard had in mind. Steven Gerrard has been around for some of Liverpool's greatest European nights - this wasn't one . The Kop were in fine voice to begin with but were silenced by Real Madrid's first-half show of strength . The opening 22 minutes looked strong, but they tired . Liverpool were long odds to beat Madrid before the match, and understandably so, but their performance in the first 22 minutes may have had the bookies squirming in their seats. The Reds made an excellent start and surged into Real’s penalty box on numerous occasions, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener knocked them for six and they looked too exhausted to claw their way back into the game. Clearly, Sunday’s hard-fought win over QPR took a lot out of them – eight of the starting XI at Loftus Road began the match with Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Liverpool set about re-investing the money from Luis Suarez’s transfer in numerous players after it was adjudged that the size of their squad would not allow them to compete effectively in four competitions this season. However, the foreign signings are struggling to adapt to the pace and physicality of the English game, and it’s now clear how invaluable a player with the work-rate and engine of Suarez really is. Philippe Coutinho was a key part of a strong start from Liverpool but they suffered later on . Raheem Sterling was among eight players to start here and at QPR in a 3-2 win on Sunday . A return to Europe's top table might have come too soon . Has the Champions League come too soon for Liverpool? It’s what the club and the fans were desperate for during their three-year absence from the competition, but their demolition by Real Madrid showed just how far off the pace they are. In order to bridge the gap between them and the current European big guns, they will need to re-establish themselves as a Champions League club and put together a long run in the competition, giving them the opportunity to build the level of squad required. However, with a decent run in this year’s tournament looking unlikely and their Premier League form shaky, Liverpool’s return to the Champions League might be their last appearance in the competition for some time. Liverpool have won five European Cups but perhaps their return to this competition came too soon? Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show and his world-class ability made it tough for Liverpool . | Rickie Lambert could be an option to replace disappointing Mario Balotelli .
Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel seem too similar at the back as a pair .
Their Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread now .
Liverpool looked strong early on, but they tired after big game on Sunday .
They showed a return to the Champions League may have come too soon . |
107,525 | 16ae4e4034d3575069bf39d02fb4bb41b8b0f4d8 | The man leading the hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has revealed search experts are considering 1,000 possible paths it could have taken. Martin . Dolan of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said his team were faced with an 'intimidating' and 'unprecedented' challenge as they prepare to launch a year-long off shore search for the missing craft. The . aircraft vanished on March 8 with 239 passengers and crew on board . after it departed Kuala Lumpar in Malaysia to Beijing in China. Scroll down for video . The man leading the hunt for the missing . Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 has revealed search experts are . considering 1,000 possible paths it could have taken. The Australian government has released an updated map showing the new, smaller search area for MH370 . Over . the past six months, international experts searched for the aircraft . using a range of data in a bid to narrow down the crash site. Mr Dolan told the Telegraph that a 'reasonably clear picture' of . the plane's trajectory was emerging, even if there were . still approximately 1,000 possible paths it could have taken. He said: 'There is an infinite possible number of tracks that . the aircraft could have flown along, but for practical purposes there . are about 1,000... from the point of its turning south.' Extensive . aerial searches failed to spot any wreckage from the airliner, but . experts have studied radar and satellite data in a bid to close in on . the crash site. Mr Dolan . said new seabed surveys have also produced some interesting findings . including hard objects that seem inconsistent with their surroundings, . although there is no guarantee that this is the aircraft. He told The Times: ' There is nothing that has screamed out and said "I look like an aircraft". 'It's still a hell of an area. The area is horribly, horribly complicated.' Experts have spent the past six months remapping large areas of the sea floor to facilitate the search . Australian deputy PM Warren Truss, right, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian transport minister Dato' Seri Liow Tiong Lai in Canberra to agree to fund the renewed search . Mr Dolan earlier wrote on his blog that the new search will concentrate on a 60,000 square kilometre area of the southern Indian Ocean. 'The complexities surrounding the search cannot be understated. It involves vast areas of the Indian Ocean with only limited known data and aircraft flight information. 'While it is impossible to determine with certainty where the aircraft may have entered the water, all the available data indicates a highly probable search area close to a long but narrow arc of the southern Indian Ocean. 'The search will be a major undertaking. The complexities and challenges involved are immense, but not impossible. 'The best minds from around the world have been reviewing, refining and localising the most likely area where the aircraft entered the water, which is why we remain confident of finding the aircraft.' Last month the Malaysian and Australian governments signed a memorandum of understanding where they both agreed to fund the renewed search effort. | Experts warn 'infinite number of tracks aircraft could've flown along'
Comes as team's prepare for a year long off shore search for missing craft .
Search will concentrate on 60,000 square km area of southern Indian Ocean . |
223,663 | ad971a568d1f543998ac27e03fd80aea7cbef5e4 | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 16:10 EST, 22 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:50 EST, 24 October 2013 . Jailed: Youth baseball coach David Scott Engle has been sentenced to 25 years for child pornography . A youth baseball coach who amassed thousands of child pornography images and videos was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday. David Scott Engle, a divorce lawyer from Lake Lucerne in Washington, will now stand trial on child rape charges after investigators found dozens of videos of him allegedly raping two boys. The 50-year-old, who was arrested in November after buying child pornography online, also had a collection of 450 images showing the clothed genitals of the boys he coached. Engle was sentenced on federal child pornography charges but allegations that he raped one boy 'countless' times over six years remaining outstanding in state court. When police searched his house and a storage unit they found the stash of home-made and bought child pornography, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The baseball coach for 11 and 12 year olds had gone to great lengths to have contact with children, and amassed an extensive collection of child pornography featuring boys the same age as the ones he coached, the court was told. Before his arrest, Engle had coached a youth baseball team, was president of Maple Valley Pony Baseball and Fast Pitch, served on two regional baseball organizations and one baseball business. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marci Ellsworth said the former coach abused the trust parents placed in him. 'While [Engle] was purportedly serving as a role model and mentor for these young boys, he was sexually interested in them,' Ms Ellsworth said in court papers. 'When [he] was taking pictures and shooting video of baseball games, his camera was focused on the players’ crotches, not on their batting stance, pitching arms, or any other aspect of their athletic performance.' Engle pleaded guilty in July to federal child pornography charges and admitted possessing hundreds of videos of children being sexually abused. Now he has been sentenced on those charges, the child rape case can proceed with any state sentence following on from the 25-year term just handed to Engle. King County prosecutors have charged him with three counts of child rape over allegations that he was shown raping a boy in several videos. About 1,400 photos and 40 videos allegedly show Engle raping one boy, and three videos show abuse of a second child. 'Betrayal of trust': The court heard the Maple Valley coach went out of his way to have contact with children . In one Engle filmed himself watching baseball on TV as the boy he was raping struggled and told him 'No'. The assaults only stopped after his arrest. 'This . is a heart-wrenching betrayal of trust of the victims and the . community,' U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan said in a statement. Engle was caught after postal inspectors joined an international investigation into a website dealing in child pornography. He spent $2,300 on videos and photos sent to him by the company between 2005 and 2011, according to Q13Fox, but when police raided his home they found child pornography well beyond the purchases he made from the website they had been investigating. His 'collection of child pornography consisted predominantly of young boys in the same age range as those [he] coached in youth baseball,' Ms Ellsworth told the court. She added: '[Engle] had many pictured of the boys he coached – including nearly 450 pictures of their clothed genital regions – which, although … not pornographic in nature, are nonetheless disturbing.' | David Scott Engle jailed for 25 years over child pornography charges .
50-year-old divorce lawyer now faces trial over rape allegations . |
188,169 | 7faae5508d94dd7cbc10e2d371c9fc9afabbd1c8 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 09:36 EST, 28 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:53 EST, 29 April 2013 . A plane which crashed in a field killing the pilot may have been flying in a group of replica historic aircraft, it emerged today. Investigators are continuing their examination of the scene to establish why the small civilian aircraft crashed at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, Hampshire, at 4.55pm yesterday. Aviation enthusiasts said they believed the aircraft involved was a replica First World War Fokker. Probe: Investigators look at the aircraft wreckage at the Army Aviation Centre in Middle Wallop, Hampshire . Plane: Aviation enthusiasts said they believed the aircraft involved was a replica First World War Fokker . The pilot, the only person aboard the aircraft, died at the scene, and the incident is now being investigated jointly by Hampshire Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Witness Nick Bayes, from Andover, Hampshire, said he saw about 12 planes in the air when the accident happened, some of which seemed to him to be flying close together. He told the BBC: ‘I was returning home and saw a large number of replica aircraft doing circuits over the airfield. There were maybe a dozen or so in the air. ‘It was unusual because they were so close together. If it was not a display itself, it looked like they were practising for a display.’ Wreckage: The incident is being probed jointly by Hampshire Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch . Incident investigation: The pilot, the only person aboard the aircraft, died at the scene in Hampshire . He said that he did not see the crash itself but he saw smoke coming from where the aircraft came down, adding: ‘The whole incident is very tragic.’ 'It was unusual because they were so close together. If it was not a display itself, it looked like they were practising for a display' Witness Nick Bayes . An AAIB spokesman said: ‘The branch is aware of the incident and inspectors are investigating.’ A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: ‘Police are currently working with the AAIB to establish the cause of the crash and anyone with further information is asked to contact Hampshire Constabulary.’ The pilot has not yet been formally identified while police officers attempt to trace the next of kin. | Small civilian aircraft crashed yesterday in Middle Wallop, Hampshire .
Aviation enthusiasts believe plane was replica First World War Fokker .
Witness says he saw 12 planes in air which were flying close together . |
210,211 | 9c3c3d3cfdfcfe9faa952c2f58850bbb10246901 | (CNN) -- It was an odd sight in Ethiopia's capital this week: a standing ovation for Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the man whom Ethiopian forces had removed from power in neighboring Somalia two years ago. Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Somalia's new president, answers questions at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa. He once led the Islamic Courts Union, which ruled much of Somalia in 2006 before it was routed by the Ethiopians. Now, Ahmed is the leader of Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government -- and two days after his election to the post of president, he was welcomed with open arms at an African Union summit in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Two years after the invasion and the guerrilla war it provoked, Somalia has in some ways come full circle. Islamist militias control the country's capital and other key cities; the transitional government is trying to establish a foothold from outside the country; and Ahmed -- commonly known as "Sheikh Sharif" -- is in a position of power. But several analysts who have studied the region say the new government is in a much stronger position to establish itself inside Somalia and restore order to a country that has been mired in chaos for the past two decades. "The ascendancy of Sheikh Sharif provides an opportunity to create an inclusive coalition governing from the center outwards," said John Prendergast, co-chairman of the Enough Project, who studies the Horn of Africa for the Center for American Progress think tank. The transitional government is currently stranded in Djibouti, unable to return to Somalia after its base in Baidoa was seized last week by Al-Shabaab, a radical Islamist militia with ties to al Qaeda. Ahmed now stands at a crossroads between quelling the militia, which once was aligned with the ICU, and including more moderates in his future government, Prendergast said. "The fulcrum for change is in the hands of Sheikh Sharif's government," he said. "If he is able to put together an inclusive government -- even if it's only on paper, even if it's only in Djibouti -- I think it will quickly defuse any fervor of support for Shabaab." See a list of Somalia's key players » . Rise of Al-Shabaab . Al-Shabaab fighters took control of Baidoa hours after the remaining Ethiopian forces withdrew under a June 2008 cease-fire deal. Rashid Abdi, a Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group, said the loss of Baidoa is "a clear indication that the transitional federal government has lost any grip -- whatever grip it had -- in Somalia." But Prendergast said the radical Islamist militia will most likely lose support among Somalis now that its "rallying cry" of getting the Ethiopian forces out of Somalia is gone. "What the Islamists did was, they wrapped themselves up in the mantle of Somali nationalism and, for the last two years, they have hitched their star to throwing the Ethiopians out," he said. Prendergast predicted that Al-Shabaab fighters "will sustain themselves for awhile and temporarily expand, but I don't envision it to be a long-term prospect at all." Last year, the United States put Al-Shabaab -- which means "The Youth" -- on its list of terrorist groups. Analysts say Al-Shabaab models itself after the Taliban's puritanical Islamic rule. See a timeline of recent events in Somalia » . Stig Jarle Hansen, a Nairobi, Kenya-based expert on Somalia for the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, said Al-Shabaab fighters have been trained in Afghanistan, and the group has "clear connections" to al Qaeda. There has been evidence that the group has extended its reach into the United States, as well. The FBI is investigating what appears to be a massive recruitment effort by Al-Shabaab in the United States' Somali communities, particularly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where more than a dozen young men of Somali descent have gone missing in recent months. One member of Minneapolis' Somali community, Shirwa Ahmed, 27, blew himself up in an apparent suicide bombing in northern Somalia in October. Also, hours before U.S. President Barack Obama took the oath of office in January, the FBI was warned of a possible terrorist attack by Al-Shabaab that was timed to coincide with his inauguration. Prendergast said he expects Al-Shabaab's overseas ties to dry up now that its "clarion call" against Ethiopian forces is no longer valid. "Now that that fight is over, I don't see that money continuing, and I don't see the recruitment from Somalis like places from Minneapolis to continue successfully," he said. And Ken Menkhaus, a Davidson College professor and former adviser to U.N. missions in Somalia in the 1990s, said the militia's efforts to govern the territory it holds in southern Somalia has had mixed results, alienating many Somalis by imposing hardline Islamic law. Al-Shabaab now has to justify its continued presence "on the basis of what it's for -- and what it's for is not very popular among Somalis," Menkhaus said. The group is fraught with internal divisions and has already clashed with other militias over control of key neighborhoods in Mogadishu, he said. But if Al-Shabaab did manage to establish a government, there would be a "genuine fear" that al Qaeda could try to gain a foothold there. "It would guarantee proxy wars and conflicts between Somalis and non-Somalis that would just perpetuate this conflict," Menkhaus said. Military intervention in Somalia? The United States has conducted periodic airstrikes against Islamist leaders since 2006 and has long viewed Somalia as a possible haven for al Qaeda. But military intervention would not only be unpopular, it would only empower Al-Shabaab by handing it back its "raison d'etre," Prendergast said. "You don't immediately confront a group like this -- they are at their high point," he said. "You fight it politically and draw support slowly and patiently ... for clans and organizations in Somalia that don't really want them there. "Area by area, they'll kick them out, unless they make the mistake of sending U.N. troops." Susan Rice, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told U.S. senators during her confirmation hearing that the situation in Somalia "has the potential to pose a serious and direct threat to our own national security." But she also expressed skepticism about the wisdom of sending in a U.N. peacekeeping mission to replace an existing African Union force, calling instead for more efforts by Somalia's neighbors and the international community to promote national reconciliation. J. Anthony Holmes, director of the Africa program for the Council on Foreign Relations, said there is "little appetite on the ground for sustained engagement" in Somalia. But because of its clan-based society, it is unlikely the country would emerge as "a breeding ground for terrorism," he said. Holmes said U.S. policy should focus more on longer-term issues -- such as addressing humanitarian and economic issues in the impoverished Horn of Africa country, where years of civil war and near-anarchy have left 1 million people displaced and 3 million needing food aid. The U.S. intervention in Somalia in the 1990s, in which Somali militiamen killed 18 American service members during a failed attempt to capture a Mogadishu warlord, had a chilling effect on U.S. policy toward Africa. Author and policy-maker Jared Cohen writes in his book, "One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide" that the "catastrophe in Somalia was the catalyst for this unspoken decision not to intervene in places like Rwanda." As the new Obama administration gets its Africa policy in place, Washington is in a good position to exert some leverage in Somalia, Prendergast said. Previous U.S. counterterrorism efforts worked "at cross-purposes" with efforts to promote long-term stability and provide humanitarian aid, according to Menkhaus. He recommended that Somali leaders be given room to either marginalize or co-opt the opposition on their own. "I personally think that they will, if left to their own devices," Menkhaus said. "But Somalis are never left to their own devices." CNN's David McKenzie and Matt Smith contributed to this report. | Moderate Islamist is new leader of war-torn Somalia .
Moderate leader has chance to form inclusive government, analyst says .
Radical Islamist group still controls parts of Somalia .
With departure of Ethiopian troops, radical Islamists lose rallying cry . |
113,447 | 1e69ac9caa388d972a1329b506bc12f9375cde51 | (CNN) -- The tragedy of the train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, has brought home just how small our world has become. Oil that was drilled in North Dakota's Bakken oil fields is loaded onto rail cars and passes through a small Canadian community and shatters their world in an instant. All my thoughts and best wishes go out to the families and emergency responders in the midst of this human and environmental catastrophe. Everyone is touched by this man-made disaster -- 20 killed, 30 missing -- because so many communities have a rail line running right through the middle of town. Here in North Dakota, like all over the U.S. and Canada, towns grew up around the railroad lines. They brought people in to help settle the state and shipped the farm and manufacturing products to other parts of the world. But the increase in the amount of volatile crude oil being transported by rail from North Dakota's Bakken fields has brought a new and troubling set of problems to the debate about our continued dependency on fossil fuels, and particularly oil, as an energy source. Railroad engineers did not have transporting oil in mind when they laid out the routes. They did not avoid population centers, rivers, or environmentally sensitive areas. They were only concerned with getting from Point A to Point B in the most efficient manner possible. In fact, trains carrying oil tanker cars run just two blocks from my office, right through the heart of Bismarck, North Dakota. Rail is the most efficient way to move freight, and Sierra Club is a big fan of rail for transporting people and conventional freight. But moving extreme fossil fuels, like Bakken shale or Alberta tar sands, is a different story entirely. These fuels are "extreme" because they are more toxic and more carbon intensive than conventional oil. They are also more dangerous to transport than conventional sources of oil. Production in the Bakken fields has increased nearly 10 times since 2011. To move all this crude, oil rail companies are running longer, heavier trains. And they are running them farther than ever before, bringing crude to refineries on the East, West and Gulf coasts. The regulatory framework for train safety wasn't designed for crude oil trains, and the rail and safety infrastructure is out of date and not up to the task. A state transportation safety spokesman in Maine this week said that the Lac-Magantic disaster is "on the same parallel as a tractor-trailer accident. It's private commerce and we don't get involved." This catastrophe proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that the transportation of Bakken shale requires much more vigilant oversight. It's too early to draw conclusions from the ongoing catastrophe in Lac-Megantic, but there's one simple lesson that we should not ignore. Bakken shale, tar sands, and other extreme fossil fuels threaten our towns and our communities. We can't afford the additional cost, in safety or pollution that these fuels bring. And with growing efficiency and with renewable sources of energy, we don't need them. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Wayde Schafer. | Wayde Schafer: Many communities have rail lines running right through them .
Schafer: North Dakota crude oil loaded onto trains causes a tragedy in Canada .
N.D. oil production rose by 10 times since 2011, more and and heavier trains needed .
It's too dangerous, he says. Trains go through towns and weren't designed for oil . |
139,912 | 40e76ccfe51b3f55b02628c6c861b68d8923399c | (CNN) -- "The Wolf of Wall Street?" Give me a break. If you've been to the movies lately, you may have seen a trailer for a Martin Scorsese film with that name. It's the title of the first book in a two-volume memoir by former stock swindler Jordan Belfort, upon whom the film is based. The trailer appears to portray Belfort as a player in a small part of lower Manhattan that's become the world-famous icon of capitalism. It opens with dizzying shots of famous symbols such as the Wall Street sign and the bronze Charging Bull statue, a favorite photo backdrop for tourists. There's a hilarious scene with Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, hamming it up with one of his early mentors, played by Matthew McConaughey, at a window table in a restaurant with fabulous city views. You think Wall Street big shots might go there. And if you haven't caught on yet, the camera moves to Belfort on his yacht, which happens to be bobbing in a harbor with the World Financial Center in the background. "The Wolf of Wall Street" might turn out to be great entertainment, which is what Hollywood is for. And maybe Belfort really did dock his 167-foot yacht near the Financial Center at least once before it sank in a Mediterranean storm. But don't fall for the scenery. As Nadine Belfort, his second wife, said during an argument portrayed in his memoir, "My husband, the Wolf of Wall Street! It's almost too ridiculous for words." For starters, almost all of Belfort's lucrative criminal career took place in a less glamorous locale than those opening scenes. After seven months in his first job in the securities industry, pitching stocks over the telephone for a genuine Wall Street-based firm, Belfort left there after stocks crashed in 1987 and headed east. His intention, he says in the memoir, was to bring "my own version of Wall Street out to Long Island instead." The Expressway to his schemes . To convey what Belfort's professional life in this "version of Wall Street" was really like, the film trailer should start with shots of Long Island Expressway traffic and segue to a scene in a Greek diner near Lake Success, Long Island, population about 3,000, near the border with Queens. Belfort's firm, Stratton Oakmont, was headquartered there. In his memoir, he says he had breakfast at the diner with another mentor three times a week. Employing hundreds of brokers, Belfort's Long Island version of Wall Street was a huge, infamous example of a type of thievery known as a "pump and dump" scheme. In the scheme's first stage, Belfort and his partner, Daniel Porush, secretly got control of stock in small companies that Stratton took public. Then Stratton brokers, working banks of telephones, called individuals throughout the United States, using scripts that included wildly optimistic predictions about how high the stocks' prices would go. When enough people had finally been fooled into buying the shares, the price really did rise as a result. Ignoring instructions from ordinary investors who wanted to sell, Belfort and other insiders cashed in at the peak, dumped all their stock into the market for a huge profit, and left the people they'd duped holding nearly worthless stock. Trying to impress potential victims, brokers at Stratton and many other so-called "boiler rooms" said they were calling from "Wall Street." In fact, their only real connection with Wall Street was that some of the stocks they sold were traded at exchanges there, and the boiler rooms' "clearing firms" (companies handling the mechanical details of stock trades) might be there. The tactic evidently worked. Altogether, individual investors, many of them retirees, were cheated out of about $250 million by Stratton Oakmont by the time regulators managed to close it in 1996. There was a book in 1929 called "The Wolf of Wall Street," based on a B-movie by that name about a fellow who cornered the market in copper. That helps me believe someone really did call Belfort that at least once. But during more than a dozen years following Belfort's story for Newsday, I never once heard him referred to as "The Wolf." Not by his friends, enemies or ex-employees, and certainly not by the legions of regulators trying to close him down. Joseph Borg, director of the Alabama Securities Commission, headed a long investigation of Stratton in the 1990s. He told me he hadn't heard it either. He thinks Belfort invented the "Wolf "nickname himself. "I have to give him credit," Borg says. "He's not stupid." Not 'Wolf,' but something else ... A word I did often hear to refer to boiler-room operators was something farther down the food chain -- "cockroach." The brokers themselves used it. Belfort made it into a verb when he testified in the trial of Stratton's accountant years after Stratton closed. After it became obvious that regulators were about to shut Stratton down, he, Porush and some advisers decided to "close Stratton's doors ... and cockroach," he said. In his memoir, Belfort explains what he calls the "Cockroach Theory," saying it meant setting up satellite firms when regulators got close to a big boiler room, moving brokers there in batches and continuing to operate as before at the new location. For regulators, he wrote, closing a crooked brokerage suddenly became "like stepping on a cockroach and squashing it, only to find 10 new ones scurrying in all directions." It's a real pity that the "Wolf" movie trailer doesn't give you some idea about who these victims were. Decidely middle class, unsophisticated investors, they included Dorothy and Louis Dequine, 88-year-old Florida residents. They lost $252,000 in 1994 after a Stratton broker replaced their holdings with worthless stocks without authorization. Claude Stemp, a Vietnam veteran, lost $62,000 in a 1996 Stratton swindle, and had to take out a second mortgage on his house to afford care for his ailing mother. When he saw the fictional movie "Boiler Room" a few years later, Stemp said, "I just about cried." Many of the swindled await their money . Despite Belfort's lucrative movie and book deals, and earnings from a new career as a motivational speaker, many of these victims are still waiting for restitution. When Belfort was sentenced in 2003 to four years in prison, Judge John Gleeson ordered him to pay about $110.4 million to a victims fund, in installments equal to 50% of his monthly gross income, after his release from jail. If any major changes in his financial circumstances took place, the percentage Belfort had to pay could be adjusted up or down. After I asked for an update on the fund in early October, lawyers in the office of Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, replied that Belfort had only contributed about $11.6 million to the victims' fund so far -- about one-tenth of the required total. In a court filing with many details about Belfort's current income whited out, Lynch's office asked Gleeson to find Belfort in default, saying that according to his tax returns and other available information, the payments he has been making are "insufficient." They said that in 2011, for instance, Belfort paid $21,000 in restitution, although he made more than $1 million for the motion picture rights to his memoir, as well as more income from a motivational speaking corporation he half-owns. Belfort's attorneys responded that he doesn't deny he still owes money to victims, but that his position is his obligation to pay 50% of his income to them ended when his term of "supervised release" from prison expired in April 2009. They said that for the past two years, he's been trying to arrange a "forbearance" agreement with the government to "pay 100% of the profits of the movie and the two books," but that his offer has been turned down. "Before you accuse me of anything, you should learn the facts," Belfort said in an e-mail last week. "I have been trying to settle this case forever and have been completely stonewalled. I can even show you the settlement offer from the government, on their letterhead, asking for only 50% of my books, after I offered 100%." On Friday afternoon, the government asked to withdraw its pending motion to hold Belfort in default on his payments to victims. Oral argument in the case had been scheduled to begin Nov. 22. In a court document, Beth Schwartz, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said the delay would give both sides "an opportunity to explore a resolution" of certain issues, and that "Mr. Belfort joins in this request." The movie, originally scheduled for mid-November, is now set for release on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, the website for "Jordan Belfort's Wolf of Wall Street Sales Training," his motivational speaking company, features a video of DiCaprio doing a bit of speaking himself. "There is nothing quite like Jordan's public speaking and his ability to train and empower young entrepreneurs," DiCaprio says. "Jordan stands as a shining example of the transformative qualities of ambition and hard work, and in that regard, he is a true motivator." Enjoy the show. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Susan Harrigan. | Upcoming film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, playing Jordan Belfort as the "Wolf of Wall Street"
Susan Harrigan: The real "wolf" was a stock scammer who defrauded innocent investors .
She says he has not fully paid restitution, but gained $1 million on movie rights to his book .
Harrigan: DiCaprio recorded a video endorsing Belfort's motivational speaking . |
165,987 | 62a42ba1b37a82727a3df13d628cc81799ec7ebc | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 01:29 EST, 10 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:55 EST, 11 May 2013 . Paedophile: West Yorkshire Police insist there was no cover-up over Jimmy Savile's sex crimes . A police report clearing officers for failing to expose Jimmy Savile as a paedophile during his lifetime was yesterday dismissed by victims as a ‘cover-up and a bag of lies’. The cosy relationship between Savile and his local force involved regular Friday coffee morning chats with officers at his flat in Leeds, along with invitations to a VIP lunch with senior officers and to open a police station gymnasium. Despite police being contacted by Surrey colleagues in 2007 about a sexual abuse inquiry involving Savile, he was still used the following year to front two crime prevention campaigns in his home city. Savile even offered the use of his home to police controlling crowds at a Robbie Williams concert in a nearby park, the report revealed. The internal inquiry by West Yorkshire Police investigated alarming allegations about missed chances to expose the celebrity DJ over several decades. They included claims a police officer knew about rumours of Savile taking girls to a barge for parties during the 1960s and that the vice squad investigated Savile during the 1980s for indecent assaults on two girls as well as being aware of rumours he was a ‘pervert’. Savile himself recalled an incident in his personal diary of how a police officer visited his club in Leeds one night and spoke to him about a teenage girl ‘absconder’. If she turned up he promised to return the girl but ‘keep her all night first as a reward’. Savile wrote that he did take her to police the next day and implied officers failed to challenge him because of his close relationship with the force. The report team could find ‘no records’ to back this account. Celebrity: Police used Savile's fame to promote their publicity campaigns even after accusations . The report concluded: ‘There is no . evidence that he was protected from arrest or prosecution for any . offences as a result of his relationship with WYP, or individual . friendships with officers.’ The review team ‘did find mistakes . were made in how WYP recorded and handled some intelligence relating to . Savile’, and added: ‘WYP has been unable to fully establish all the . facts.’ Although several matters have been . referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, several of . Savile’s victims condemned the 59-page report. A 52-year-old man, who was attacked . by Savile when he was a teenager, said: ‘There is clearly a cover-up . going on. 'The police knew what was happening and were protecting him at . the time. ‘The police are now running around . like headless chickens trying to appear as though they are acting on . these allegations but the fact of the matter is something should have . been done a long time ago. ‘I hope no one believes for a second what is published in that report. It’s a complete whitewash.’ A 56-year-old woman, who Savile tried . to rape at a party when she was 19, said: ‘As far as I’m concerned the . report is nothing more than a bag of lies. 'I find it impossible to . believe it wasn’t covered up by those he worked with and by the police.’ Alan Collins, a lawyer representing . 40 victims, accused police of having ‘collective myopia’ and said the . report ‘doesn’t add up’. Temporary West Yorkshire Assistant . Chief Constable Ingrid Lee admitted police had ‘let the victims down.’ She added: ‘The police are not infallible, the police are human beings.’ Host: Many officers attended coffee mornings at Savile's flat in Leeds, the report said . Nine of Jimmy Savile's West Yorkshire victims were under 10 at the time and one of them was only five. As part of today's report, West Yorkshire Police analysed the characteristics of the 68 victims who have come forward in the force area so far. These victims have reported 76 crimes between them, 72 of them taking place in Savile's home city of Leeds. The youngest victim was five and the eldest was 45. The report said nine victims were under 10; nine victims were 10 to 13 years old; 30 were aged 14 to 17; and 20 were adults. Of the 68 complainants, 49 were female and 19 were male. Most of the offending took place in the 1960s and 70s but two claims related to the 1950s and three were made in the 2000s. Of these offences, eight were alleged rapes. Four of these complainants were women but four were men. Other offences detailed by his victims have been recorded as sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, indecent exposure and common assault. Honour: Savile in 1996 after being knighted by the Queen for his broadcasting and charity work . Investigation: Ingrid Lee took charge of the review of Savile's relationship with West Yorkshire Police . Jimmy Savile's details were recorded as part of the hunt to find the Yorkshire Ripper, in the 1970s, but no evidence has been found that he was a 'person of interest' to the inquiry. Questions were raised about the broadcaster's relationship with the Ripper investigation last year when a retired senior officer claimed the disgraced DJ was a suspect in the notorious case more than 30 years ago. But today's report from West Yorkshire Police concluded it could find no evidence of this being true. The review found that many records have been destroyed, but detectives had found huge numbers of record cards with information about thousands of men who had been spoken to. The report said: 'Searches of the paperwork relating to the investigation have identified four index cards relating to Savile. They contain scant information and do not indicate whether Savile was a "person of interest" to the enquiry team. 'The information held was his name, date of birth, home address and various reference numbers. It was not possible to establish the relevance of the reference numbers as a large proportion of the investigation paperwork had been destroyed in the 1980s.' But the review said: 'One card does make reference to Savile offering his services as an intermediary for the police, should the "Ripper" wish to make contact.' | West Yorkshire Police report claims police did not protect Savile .
But one officer said Savile 'gets so many of these type of complaints'
Police would attend 'Friday Morning Club' meetings at Savile's home .
Victims' lawyer attacks police report saying, 'It doesn't add up' |
185,855 | 7cb4de72978523ea1b154a56a57846ccd1054941 | By . David Kent . The new United States away kit for the World Cup in Brazil has caused uproar among fans, with critics comparing the shirts to the French flag. Designed by Nike, the jersey features three different-colored bands, starting at the top with blue, white, and red to represent the American flag, according to a company press release. The away kit also includes red shorts and red socks. However, fans have taken to Twitter to express their disapproval -- and many are comparing the new jerseys to the French flag, as well as those of the Netherlands and Russia. VIDEO Scroll down for USA highlights vs Mexico in the new kit . New threads: Clint Dempsey models the new USA away kit, which some have compared to both the French flag and even popsicles . Eye sore?The jersey's color scheme has caused outrage and confusion among fans . Patriotic: Former USA international Alexi Lalas looks happy to wear the new away kit . Not the response expected: Fans on Twitter have questioned whether the new USA away strip released by Nike was an April Fool's Day joke . 'Is this April Fool's? Trying to look like France?' one user wrote. 'Away US soccer kit is alright but reminds me of France, Russia, Dutch. Not American and neither is that lighter blue! #USMNT' another tweeted. 'The new #usmnt jersey is basically the flag of France upside down...way to screw it up Nike,' one said. 'Wanna see the new #USMNT jerseys? Google "Netherlands Flag"' another user wrote. The famed French flag features panels of blue, white, and red going from left to right. The Dutch flag, however, features panels of red, white and blue going from top to bottom. The new away jersey has even been compared by USA Today to frozen popsicles. Despite the bad reception the kit received from fans, captain Clint Dempsey is a fan of the shirt. Spot the difference: Striker Sydney Leroux sports the new away kit...but does she resemble a Triple Rocket? Man mountain: NFL player Ndamukong Suh models the jersey to lend his support . 'I like the patriotic design and color scheme and I think it will look great on the pitch,' Dempsey said. 'Hopefully they will serve us well as we head into a competitive group.' USA will need all the help they can get after being drawn in the same World Cup group as Ghana, Germany and Portugal. Women's team striker Sydney Leroux was also supportive of the design. 'The new kits fit really well, look great and most importantly, are really comfortable, especially when we are running all over the field for 90 minutes in all sorts of different weather,' Stryker said. See any similarities? Both the French (left) and Dutch (right) away jerseys look different from the new USA away shirt . Russian style: Russia's flag has been compared to the new USA away strip but does not appear to have much of a likeness . Despite fans' objections, the away jerseys for three nations will look different from the ones for the USA. The French away jersey is white with light gray stripes. The Dutch away jersey will be blue with an orange Netherlands badge. Both teams' jerseys are also designed by Nike. The Russian away jersey, designed by Adidas, features an outline of the earth, which looks like a series of blue stripes. A company press release says it is supposed to represent the view that Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, saw Earth in 1961. The rest of the jersey is white, with an emblem of the double-headed eagle. At least one fan seemed to have a hopeful approach to the new US jersey on Twitter. 'So the new USA home and away kits are absolutely terrible...but you know what makes a good kit is a kit you win in #USMNT.' | New jerseys from away kit feature top-down colored bands in blue, white and red .
Fans have taken to Twitter to compare the jerseys to the French flag .
'It's basically the flag upside down,' one wrote .
'Not American and neither is that lighter blue' another said .
Shirt also compared to a frozen popsicles .
USA have Ghana, Germany and Portugal in their World Cup group .
Captain Clint Dempsey a fan of the 'patriotic design' |
218,998 | a774ef305cf2b5d107112924be3ccac3cd8f421c | By . Snejana Farberov and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:10 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:21 EST, 31 October 2013 . An emaciated pit bull described by humane society officials in Louisiana as the worst case of abuse they’d ever seen has staged an amazing turnaround in just two weeks. Vets at Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter feared for the 3-year-old pup, named Athena, when she arrived on Oct. 15. Then Athena was on the brink of death, too weak to lift her head and weighing just 25lbs - less than half the body weight of a healthy dog her age. Scroll down for video . Pit bull Athena has gained 14lbs since she was taken into care and adopted by Joana Castay, right . Heart-rending sight: Athena, a 3-year-old pit bull, came to the Jefferson SPCA weighing only 25lbs, with all her bones clearly visible through her skin . ‘I thought she was dead. I couldn't even believe she was breathing,’ shelter director Robin Beaulieu told Nola.com. ‘I'm surely no stranger to cruelty, but I'd never seen a dog in her condition.’ She committed to paying all the medical bills for the animal if a home could be found for the dog who has been named after the Greek goddess of wisdom. Later that day, the dog was transferred to Metairie Small Animal Hospital, where veterinary assistant Joana Castay saw her and decided to adopt her. The sweet-faced pit bull has made a startling recovery in the ensuing two weeks and while still too thin, the dog is back on her feet and thriving with the attention she is receiving. A little over two weeks ago vets didn't think that Athena would make it as she was barely alive - extremely malnourished and dehydrated, infested with hookworms and heartworms . Skin and bones: Athena was so emaciated and riddled with ailments that she could not even lift her head . The positive changes in Athena is . attributed to ‘food, love and deworming’ by Castay. At first, Athena was fed chicken and canned dog food, which she could only manage in small portions. ‘It . was definitely a workout for her to eat,’ Castay told Nola.com. ‘She . would eat a little, take a break for 30 minutes or an hour, and then eat . some more.’ Athena . spends her days at the hospital, but every night goes home with Castay . and has integrated well with other two dogs - Beans and Carley. ‘I . can't believe how easily she has looked to us for safety and love after . her trust in people was broken,’ said Cathay. ‘She just seems so . grateful.’ Athena . is a little weary of men and still hides when Castay's boyfriend comes . to visit, although he is more friendly with her cat Voodoo. Foster mom: Veterinary technician Joana Castay decided to bring Athena inot her home for the duration of her recovery . Horrific neglect: Athena suffered from anemia and dehydration, an infection in her uterus, as well as heartworms and hook worms . Since being rescued, Athena gained almost a pound a day and by Thursday her weigh was up to 39 pounds, 11 ounces. ‘She eats three times a day, and now she eats all her food in one sitting,’ said Castay. Athena . still has to overcome a very severe case of heartworms, but needs to . get stronger and gain another 10 or 15 pounds before the treatment can . start. It will then take three months to complete, said Castay. Once she reaches a healthy weight, which is around 60lbs for female pit bulls. ‘To see that in her eyes, how grateful she is, to be loved, that's a special thing,’ said Castay. Those who would like to help with Athena's mounting medical costs could donate money on the fundraising site JustGive.com. Athena spends her days at the hospital, but every night goes home with Castay and has integrated well with other two dogs - Beans and Carley . Resilient: Although some staffers at Metaire . Small Animal Hospital feared that Athena won't make it, the 3-year-old . canine pulled through . | Vets didn't think Athena would live when she was dropped off at the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter a little over two weeks ago .
But the brave pit bull is back on her feet and has gained 14lbs already . |
214,732 | a201acc5a637f33dcd2e8ae9135a173c736647a3 | A U.S. Marine accused of killing a transgender Filipina appeared in court for the first time Friday to ask a court in the Philippines to downgrade his murder charge. The Marine, Joseph Scott Pemberton, is being held at a . U.S. facility at the main Philippine army base — charged with the murder of Jennifer Laude who was found dead on Oct. 11 in a . hotel in Olongapo City, northwest of Manila. Philippine government officials say Pemberton attacked Laude in a motel room after finding out she was a transgender woman. She had apparently been strangled and drowned in a toilet bowl. Scroll down for video . Private First Class Joseph Pemberton (left) is charged with murder in the death of Jennifer Laude (right) Pemberton is seen in a cell phone picture taken inside the courtroom by the victim's sister Marilou Laude . A handcuffed Pemberton appeared in court wearing a black . suit and striped tie. He sat quietly, flanked by U.S. security . officers, as his lawyers asked the court to suspend proceedings in a standard trial tactic. The court is expected to decide Monday if a judge will grant Pemberton's request to soften his murder charge to homicide. The murder charge, which requires premeditation, carries a maximum 40-year prison sentence, compared to 20 years for homicide. Protesters jeer as the convoy of vehicles transporting Pemberton leaves the court after his Friday appearance . Protesters chanting 'Justice for Laude' demonstrate outside the courtroom where Pemberton appeared for the first time . Laude's sister, Marilou, had mixed emotions on seeing Pemberton for the first time. 'I wanted to ask him why he killed my brother,' said Marilou, whose transgender sibling was born Jeffrey eventually became Jennifer. 'I wanted to bang his head against the wall. I wanted to be angry, but I am also afraid.' Pemberton remains in U.S. custody while his trial gets under way. On the right, he is transported to his U.S.-managed detention facility . The U.S. embassy this week rejected a foreign ministry . request to hand Pemberton to Philippine authorities, citing the . Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Legal rules on the treatment of erring servicemen are laid . out in the 1998 pact signed by Manila and Washington to allow . U.S. forces to hold military drills in the Philippines to test . the readiness of the allies. A group of anti-U.S. activists gathered outside the . court to demand justice for Laude. Dozens of news cameramen and . photographers also waited for Pemberton, who was brought to . court in a convoy of heavily-tinted SUVs. | Marine Joseph Pemberton sat quietly during his first court appearance in the Philippines as his lawyers asked the court to downgrade his charges .
Pemberton is charged with murder in the death of Jennifer Laude, who prosecutors say was strangled and drowned in a toilet bowl .
A judge is expected to decide on Monday if he will soften the charges against Pemberton from murder to homicide and halve his maximum sentence .
Prosecutors say Pemberton killed Laude at a motel after finding out she was not born a woman . |
211,556 | 9df57d258b8e75a3045faa1834ef2e33660fb4e3 | By . Adam Shergold . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:32 EST, 6 November 2012 . Biggest in Europe: The proposed brothel in Vienna will 'cater' for 1,000 guests every day, with 150 prostitutes on call around the clock (file photo) An Austrian businessman has unveiled plans to open Europe's largest brothel - complete with a round the clock supply of 150 sex workers and even parking space for coaches. The £12m project, known as the 'FunMotel', will be located near the capital Vienna and have capacity for 1,000 'guests' a day across 147 rooms. It will be surrounded by a three-metre high fence to ensure privacy and offers traditional hotel features such as restaurants, gym and beauty facilities as well as sex services including 'swinger parties, gang bangs and porn stars.' The precise location of the new mega-brothel, expected to open its doors - or is that curtains - in 2014 remains a secret so as not to alarm local residents. The developers, Vienna-based 8Quadrant, say the 'number of females' and the 'affordable prices' will 'ensure absolute satisfaction for male customers.' Peter Laskaris, the businessman behind the project, said the 'four-star facilities' will be the sex industry's shift from 'grocer to supermarket.' He told the Austrian newspaper Der Standard: 'We've deliberately spread false information about the location to avoid trouble before we had the authorisation to go ahead. 'But it will be situated in a location that doesn't bother anyone.' All that is known is that the 'FunMotel' will be located somewhere in Lower Austria, the state which surrounds the capital. New Viennese regulations requiring brothels to have official licences have meant locating the brothel in the city centre is impractical. Local authorities and the police have already given their consent to the project. Prostitution in Austria is both legal and regulated. Red light: The brothel, which will be called the 'FunMotel' already has the support of Viennese police and local authorities (file photo) There has been a mixed response to the news. Sandra Frauenberger, councillor for women's issues on Vienna's city council, said moving prostitution indoors 'was a priority because off the streets work is safe work.' However, Green party spokeswoman Birgit Hebeim said 'the women and their problems dissolve into thin air because they are no longer seen.' | Four-star hotel and brothel complex will be located just outside Vienna and combine sex services with traditional hotel facilities like a gym and beauty salon .
The 'FunMotel' has been approved already by local police and authorities, and is expected to open in 2014 . |
230,731 | b6c8db41af84427efbccbd72bb2c0fb70fd6e768 | Amardip Bhopari, 28, (pictured) slept with the 16-year-old in her car, on an industrial estate and even in a school classroom after embarking on the fling . A female teacher had sex with a 'vulnerable' pupil and plied him with booze and presents has been jailed for two years. Amardip Bhopari, 28, from Streetly, Birmingham, slept with the 16-year-old in her car, on an industrial estate and even in a school classroom after embarking on the fling. She met the youngster while working at a school for pupils with learning disabilities and sent him sexual texts after he gave her his phone number. Bhopal was jailed for two years after admitting three counts of sexual activity with a child at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday. Judge James Burbidge QC said: 'I do not suggest you sought him out as vulnerable. 'However as a teacher you owed him a duty of care that all teachers must owe to a child. 'You had sex with him in public places, on an industrial estate and hotels and you also provided him with experiences that, as a 16-year-old, meant that he would be attached to you.' Hugh O'Brien-Quinn, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant started working at the academy in December 2012. During an art lesson taken by Bhopari the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wrote his number on a piece of paper and gave it to her. When Bhopari rang the number later that night they had a 'sexual' conversation which continued over the next week. Just before Valentine's Day 2013 Bhopari lured the teen to her art classroom where she performed a sexual act on him. They continued their relationship on an industrial estate near the school and had sex several times in her car and at her home. On the youngster's birthday Bhopari took him to a Formula One hotel where they stayed all day drinking vodka. Birmingham Crown Court (pictured) where teacher Amardip Bhopari was jailed for two years on Friday . Mr O'Brien Quinn told the court that despite the youngster telling her he was not looking for a relationship she continued to pester him with messages asking to meet up. On one occasion she took him to Drayton Manor Park where she 'paid for everything he wanted' and allowed him to drive her car even though he did not have a licence. Even when the boy, who suffers from ADHD and dyslexia, started a relationship with a girl his own age and called off the affair Bhopari refused to accept it. John Smitheman, defending, said Bhopari, who had left the academy as a result of the matters being discovered, was full of remorse. She had got a job at the school without any teaching qualifications where it appeared she was a great success. He said 'She fell in love with this young man, they had a relationship. She knew that it was wrong but it happened.' Bhopari was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. | Amardip Bhopari, 28, met boy at school for pupils with learning disabilities .
Court heard she sent him sexual texts after he gave her his phone number .
Pair had sex in her car, on an industrial estate and even in her classroom .
On youngster's birthday she took him to a hotel where they drank vodka .
On Friday Bhopari was jailed for two years at Birmingham Crown Court . |
154,305 | 53692db367bfef3e53f87382bf21e872ea883856 | The US Navy today christened the USS Gerald Ford, costliest and most deadly aircraft carrier ever built. The $13billion warship is the first in the Navy's newest generation of aircraft carriers. It was launched in a grand ceremony Saturday from the Newport News, VA., naval yard. The Ford is expected to stay commissioned for five decades and will enter the fleet in 2016. Scroll down for video . I christen thee, the USS Gerald Ford: Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald R. Ford, right, christens the USS Gerald R. Ford . Hooyah!: The USS Gerald Ford has been christened and is ready to move out . The giant 1,106-foot USS Gerald R. Ford is be able to launch 220 airstrikes per day from its two runways, hold 4,000 sailors . and marines while appearing virtually invisible to enemy radar. 'She is truly a technological marvel,' Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert said at the ceremony 'She will carry unmanned aircraft, joint strike fighters, and she will deploy lasers.' The staggering number of airstrikes, about one every six minutes, is capable because the ship's deck uses electromagnetic force to propel the jets forward, according to WTKR. Pressurized steam is used in older ships. Electromagnetic force is used to propel roller coasters, the station noted. The gear used to snag jets as they land will be software controlled, a significant bump from the systems currently used. Pomp and circumstance: It's not everyday the most expensive aircraft carrier ever built is launched . All hands on deck: An honor guard of boy scouts from the local area and Michigan welcome visitors for the christening of the USS Gerald R. Ford . Soon to be set free: The $13billion ship will soon set sail . President Ford's daughter Susan Bales Ford spoke shortly before smashing a champagne bottle on the ship's bow. 'Dad, their message fills this shipyard,' she said. 'You kept your promise. You healed the nation. You gave the American people a president that was a shining beacon of integrity at the helm.' 'And as demonstrated by Capt. (John) Meier and by the crew and by this mighty carrier, the American people are forever grateful to you. And Dad, I'll always be proud,' she added. Other speakers honoring Mr Ford included former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The Ford - with a new nuclear power plant, electromagnetic catapults and an enhanced 5-acre flight deck - will leave dry dock and head to a pier at Newport News Shipbuilding next week. The Navy says construction on the ship is about 70 percent complete and will finish up in 2015. It will then undergo a series of sea trials before it is commissioned and becomes operational. The Navy also plans to buy another three such carriers, at a cost of $43 billion, to complete its fleet. But the project to build the most advanced aircraft carrier every made has come at a high price, with costs overrunning to the tune of nearly $3billion and major delays. Beci . Brenton, spokesman for Huntington Ingalls Industries, the maker of the . ship, told FoxNews.com: 'The structure has been rearranged to . accommodate new technology and meet all of the Navy’s operational . requirements. From head to toe: The USS Gerald Ford is decked out in patriotic colors . Big day: A massive crowd is on-hand to help dedicate the equally gigantic ship . Finishing touches: Workers tend to a few last minute details before the ceremony begins . The $13billion USS Gerald R. Ford will be one of the most fearsome weapons in the Pentagon's arsenal . Superpower: The new generation of aircraft carriers incorporates a host of top secret technology which is designed to secure dominance of any battlefield . Deadly: USS Gerald R. Ford will hold 4,000 sailors and marines and is designed to be virtually invisible to enemy radar . The . ship’s structure and exterior are now 100 per cent complete, Brenton . said. But internal connections and features inside the ship are still . being added. The ship began construction in Newport News, Virginia, in 2007, but is unlikely to enter sea trials until 2016. The carrier would be fully capable by February 2019, according to a critical watchdog report. Delays . ranging from between two and a half and four and a half years in . testing three of the ship’s most important new advances: its dual band . radar, arresting gear and the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System . that will catapult jets off the carrier have become serious issues. Power: The USS Gerald R. Ford is the new generation of aircraft carriers capable of launching 220 airstrikes a day . Rising costs: The USS Gerald R. Ford is expected to cost taxpayers more than £13billion when it is finally completed . New generation: The giant 1,106-foot ship is currently under construction at a dry dock in Newport News, Virginia, but will not be commissioned until 2016 . And . the spiralling costs come at a time when the Navy is seaching for ways . to plug a $14 billion cut in the upcoming fiscal year as a result of the . automatic federal budget cuts known as sequestration. The state-of-the-art carrier has provoked strong criticism from some quarters, including the government's own watchdogs. In . a report earlier this month the Government Accountability Office wrote: . 'Key ship systems face reliability shortfalls that the Navy does not . expect to resolve until many years after [Ford] commissioning, which . will limit the ship’s mission effectiveness during initial deployments . and likely increase costs to the government.' It added: 'The Navy faces technical, design, and construction challenges to . completing Gerald R. Ford that have led to significant cost increases.' National . security experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, . the Brookings Institution, have also called into question the value of the aircraft in future conflicts. 'I’m not persuaded they’re worth twice what the old carriers cost,' Michael O’Hanlon, of Brookings, told FoxNews.com. Christening: Relatives of former U.S. President Gerald Ford salute a model of a new aircraft carrier named the USS Gerald R. Ford during a naming ceremony at the Pentagon in 2007 . State-of-the-art: This graphic illustrates the cutting edge technology in the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier . | USS Gerald R. Ford will cost $13Billion when finished .
Carrier will be equipped to launch 220 airstrikes per day .
Ship holds 4,000 sailors and marines and is virtually invisible to enemy radar .
Project faces criticism after becoming beset by delays and cost overruns .
Navy plans to buy another three carriers, at a cost of $43 billion . |
67,088 | be512eda0d44ab467bb95442d40667477bef4e9c | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama announced that 300 companies -- including Apple, Wal-Mart and others -- have signed a pledge to help the long-term unemployed by making sure they don't have barriers in their hiring practices. This is good news, but it won't solve the problem. The best we can hope for is that the companies now will make special efforts to seek out and employ those who have suffered long-term joblessness. That's a nice start, but feel-good gestures won't cut it when there are almost 4 million Americans who have been out of work for more than six months. That's a big number. What's disconcerting is that the current long-term unemployment is more serious than in previous economic downturns. Data from previous business cycles show people suffering from long-run joblessness at worst accounted for about 20% to 25% of the unemployed. In recent months, that percentage has jumped to nearly 40% -- an all-time record! Indeed, America is beginning to look like Europe. It used to be that long-term unemployment in the U.S. was only a fraction of Europe's, but the latest data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development show that the United States has caught up to many of Europe's welfare states. That's not a race we want to be part of, much less win. So what's the solution? There's no silver bullet, but economic growth is the single most important key. All forms of unemployment get worse when the economy is weak. But when the economy is booming, the job market gets better for everybody -- including those who have been unemployed for long periods. Unfortunately, economic growth hasn't proven easy. The recession may have ended officially in the summer of 2009, but we're still suffering through a sluggish economic cycle. Recent improvements in the overall employment rate are in large part the result of people dropping out of the labor force, and the problem of long-run unemployment has barely budged. To boost employment, we need the kind of strong growth America enjoyed during the Reagan and Clinton years, when millions of new jobs were created and the unemployment rate fell dramatically. To get there, we need a return to the types of free-market policies we got under Reagan and Clinton: a lower burden of government spending and less intervention from Washington. Unfortunately, we've been moving in the exact opposite direction. Under both Presidents Bush and Obama, the size and scope of government has expanded, and the United States -- which had the world's third-most free-market economy when Bill Clinton left office -- has now dropped to 17th in the Economic Freedom of the World rankings. We also need to make sure the unemployed don't get lured into long-term dependency. One glaring example of misguided big-government policy is the argument to endlessly extend unemployment benefits. That sounds compassionate, but according to economists such policies discourage the unemployed from aggressively seeking new jobs. There is also persuasive evidence that employers are reluctant to hire people (regardless of any "pledges" they may sign) who have been out of work for lengthy periods, which makes the President's preferred approach of more unemployment benefits akin to an overprotective parent who hinders a child's development. Moreover, Obama's proposed hike in the minimum wage would actually counteract any good his pledge would do. Why? Increasing the minimum wage is the equivalent of sawing off the bottom rungs on the economic ladder. Simply stated, businesses create jobs when they think a new employee will help the bottom line. Artificially raising the cost of workers -- particularly those with marginal skills -- is a recipe for creating more unemployment. The president's effort to get companies on board with hiring the long-term unemployed should be applauded, but he shouldn't for one second think that it will solve the problem. In fact, too many of his other proposals would serve only to exacerbate the problem the long-term unemployed are facing. Instead, Obama should take a page out of the Reagan and Clinton presidencies and take action to get to the root of unemployment: economic growth. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daniel J. Mitchell. | 300 companies pledged to aid Obama initiative to help the long-term unemployed .
Daniel Mitchell: This is a nice gesture, but nearly 4 million Americans need jobs .
He says economic growth is key and free-market polices are what we need .
Mitchell: The unemployed should not get lured into long-term dependency . |
68,816 | c322b118ddc91053e13364c15da5ec6d155d725d | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 06:13 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:57 EST, 8 March 2013 . Brian Lynch, 44, has not been seen since 3pm yesterday when he went missing in Preston city centre . A prisoner serving a life sentence for murder is on the run after he disappeared while on day release. Brian Lynch, 44, has not been seen since 3pm yesterday when he went missing in Preston city centre. He was jailed in 1988 for the killing of 21-year-old Chi Yeung Yip in Clayton, Manchester. Lynch was moved last December to serve the remainder of his sentence at HMP Kirkham, in Lancashire. Detective Inspector Jon Clegg said: 'We do not believe that Lynch is a risk to the public but we are nevertheless very keen to trace him and return him to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. 'Although he could still be in Lancashire, there is a possibility he may have travelled back to the Greater Manchester area and so we would ask the public to be vigilant and report any sightings to the police - any details the public may have could be crucial.' Lynch is described as 5ft tall, of stocky build, with blue eyes, short, cropped ginger hair and an unshaven complexion. He was wearing black trousers, a black jacket and dirty grey suede and leather trainers. Anyone with information should phone 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Lynch was transferred to HMP Kirkham in Lancashire last December to serve his sentence and went missing on a day trip to Preston city centre . | Brian Lynch, 44, has not been since 3pm yesterday in Preston .
Lynch was jailed in 1988 for killing Chi Yeung Yip in Clayton, Manchester .
Prisoner was moved to HMP Kirkham, Lancashire, last December . |
246,332 | cad3dd3e44c9f6ad66eed08d1b3ae73dc5b84e58 | A film about the life of Paul Gascoigne which could be called 'Gazza - British Raging Bull' is reportedly close to being announced. An Oscar-nominated production team are said to have lined up a movie about the ups and downs of the England legend, including his playing days and his battle with alcohol. Gascoigne is understood to want actor Sean Bean to play him and the film is already at the 'planning stage', according to sources. A film about Paul Gascoigne's life which could be called 'Gazza - British Raging Bull' is reportedly close . Gascoigne (left) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates his 35-yard goal during the FA Cup semi final in 1991 . Gascoigne is understood to want Sean Bean to play him, and the film is apparently at the 'planning stage' 'An initial contract has been signed. We're working with a well-respected production company who have been nominated for an Oscar in the past,' a source told the Daily Star. 'Paul has had an incredible life and we know they'll do it justice on screen. He's very excited.' The newspaper reported that 55-year-old Bean may be ruled out of playing the lead role due to his age. Other suggestions are Danny Dyer and Jack O'Connell. The former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur player won 57 caps for England, before retiring in 2004. Gascoigne has recently been on the mend following a three-day emergency detox in October. He told The Sun: 'I was doing well, but every day was like Groundhog Day - doing the same thing - and I started drinking again. 'I was going to the gym, going shopping then going home. I just had a little blip. I messed up. But when that happens to me the whole world sees it.' Sportsmail contacted Gascoigne's representatives for comment on Saturday morning. Gascoigne (left) is understood to want Sean Bean (right) to play him in the potential film . Danny Dyer (left) and Jack O'Connell (right) are also said to be contenders for the part . The former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur player won 57 caps for England, before retiring in 2004 . | Reports have suggested movie will be called 'Gazza - British Raging Bull'
Paul Gascoigne is understood to want actor Sean Bean to play him .
Danny Dyer and Jack O'Connell are also said to be contenders for the part . |
171,284 | 69afb76dfdf2dfeceda17bc499ed901e32765e7e | By . James Gordon . The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden welcomed a new baby giraffe to the world early this morning - and this one is a girl. The zoo says 7-year-old mother Tessa gave birth to her calf at 5:40 a.m. Monday. The event was featured live on Twitter. It’s Tessa’s third calf in three years. She gave birth to Lulu in 2012 and to Zuri in 2011. Zuri broke her leg . in a stall at 7 weeks old and had to be euthanized. Scroll down for video . Mother and daughter: 7-year-old giraffe Tessa stands next to her new calf born early on Monday morning . Welcome to the world: The zoo posted photos of the big arrival online but the baby isn't expected to be on public view for several days . Tessa and her mating partner, Kimba, have both been at the Cincinnati Zoo since 2008. 'We’re incredibly excited to welcome another giraffe calf at the Cincinnati Zoo,' said Thane Maynard, Executive Director at the Cincinnati Zoo. 'Both Tessa and the baby are doing well and will spend time bonding indoors over the next few days. Tessa is a great mom and the calf appears healthy and strong.' Looking good: Tessa delivered a healthy, 125-pound female calf in her indoor stall. While Tessa and the calf spend time bonding indoors, the Zoo will allow guests to view the pair through the viewing glass . Bonding: Tessa and the baby are doing well and will spend time bonding indoors over the next few days. Tessa is a great mom and the calf appears healthy and strong . 'It never gets old. It's always exciting,' said Mike Dulaney, the zoo's curator of mammals, who witnessed the birth. 'Whenever a new life comes into the world like that, especially one that's six feet tall, it's pretty impressive.' The birth of a female is welcome news for breeding purposes, since a single male can mate with a group of females to produce many young. No giraffes have been imported to the U.S. since 1984. Last year 47 giraffes were born in North American zoos, according to Laurie Bingaman Lackey, who manages the giraffe population for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. The zoo is holding a public naming contest for the newborn. Entries will be accepted through the facility’s Facebook page beginning Tuesday and ending Thursday. I'm coming out: Tessa became restless early this morning as she went into labor and prepared to give birth (standing up!) The calf's lefs can be seen protruding from Tessa's body . According to the zoo’s Twitter account, all the other giraffes -- including proud pap 'Kimba' -- looked on while Tessa gave birth to the new calf. Zookeepers said they’ve spent the last month prepping the indoor and outdoor giraffe areas for the new baby. The zoo said when a baby giraffe is born; it drops to the ground head first – about a 6-foot drop. The landing doesn’t hurt the calf, but it does cause it to take a deep breath. The new calf was expected stood and began nursing within an hour of delivery. Giraffe calves typically weigh about 125 pounds at birth and are approximately six feet tall. | Mother, Tessa, finally gave birth standing up after a 15-month pregnancy .
Baby giraffe weighs 125 pounds and stands almost six feet tall!
Birth of a female is great news for breeding purposes .
No giraffes have been imported into the U.S. since 1984 . |
76,883 | da0eeb760edb219a8528038011f5f2376bc79729 | EXCLUSIVE By . Chris Greenwood . The high-profile prosecution of a man suspected of . mugging the husband of millionaire Tamara Ecclestone has been abandoned. Jay Rutland, 32, was left with nasty cuts to his face . when he was ambushed by two men after stopping his black Ferrari. The former jet-setting playboy was robbed of a £50,000 . Rolex and £20,000 bracelet by at least two thugs. Case abandoned: Jay Rutland, 32, pictured here with pregnant Tamara Ecclestone in Switzerland, was left with nasty cuts to his face when he was ambushed by two men. The case against a suspect has now been dropped . It later emerged that the isolated petrol station . forecourt is a notorious spot for drug dealers and the entire fracas was caught . on CCTV. But now, the Daily Mail can reveal the case was dropped three months . after the 21-year-old suspect was arrested and charged. The prosecution was quietly discontinued without a public . hearing when lawyers wrote to the defence to say they would offer no evidence. This was despite the fact several court hearings had . already taken place, including one in which the defendant pleaded not guilty. The suspect was originally traced after dropping his . mobile phone during the scuffle and the victim picked it up and handed it to . police. But prosecutors said this was the only evidence linking . him to the crime and it would not have been enough to secure a conviction. Abandoned: The case against one of Tamara Ecclestone's husbands suspected attackers has been ditched because of a lack of evidence . Mr Rutland failed to identify his attacker when he . attended a police identity parade and investigators said the CCTV footage was . of poor quality. The robbery took place in July last year as Mr Rutland . drove back into Central London along the A12 from Essex. CCTV footage showed him driving on to the entrance of a . repair shop before a scuffle took place in Wanstead, East London. The attack took place in a poorly lit area behind a . petrol station that forms part of its forecourt. Minutes later a figure could . be seen searching the ground with a torch. Mr Rutland said he was driving home when his fuel gauge . started flashing, so he stopped. He went to relieve himself in a corner when he . was approached by two men. He said they threatened, assaulted and robbed him, . leaving him with a cut above one eye that required medical treatment. Motor repair shop owner Dave Dodds, 69, whose camera . captured the fracas, said at the time: ‘It's a drug drop-off area at night. ‘I've come back here late when I've forgotten something . and found people here. I've even got video of a gun being handed over.’ A 21-year-old man, of Manor Park, East London, spent . three months on remand after being charged with robbery and possession of a . knife. The robbery happened in Wanstead in East London last summer as Mr Rutland drove along the A12 from Essex . Mr Rutland said two men threatened, assaulted and robbed him, leaving the 32-year-old with a cut above one eye that required medical treatment . Prosecutors said the only evidence linking the suspect to the crime was a mobile phone, which would have not been enough to secure a conviction . A spokeswoman for Mr Rutland said: ‘Mr Rutland respects . the decision of the CPS. Clearly he is disappointed that the proceedings didn’t . result in a conviction.’ Mr Rutland and Miss Ecclestone, 29, daughter of . billionaire Formula One mogul Bernie, are expecting their first child in the . spring. A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesman said the . suspect was charged last July pending evidence that lawyers expected to become . available. But the case was abandoned in October because there was . ‘insufficient evidence to continue’. He said: ‘With the exception of a mobile phone found at . the scene, there was no substantial evidence that could have linked the suspect . to the alleged offending. ‘The mobile phone, while significant, could not (in the . absence of any other evidence) conclusively establish who had been present. ‘There was no CCTV or automatic number plate recognition . evidence that could identify the suspect and he was not selected by the . complainant during identification procedures. ‘In light of this, we decided to discontinue the case.’ | Jay Rutland, 32, was left with a bloodied face after attack in East London .
Attack happened in a notorious drug-dealing spot .
Suspect was traced after dropping his mobile phone . |
12,840 | 2464ca3a779e35ed4baacc9572b1ecd472cf0d5b | (CNN) -- The FBI and the CIA are being criticized for not keeping better track of Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the months before the Boston Marathon bombings. How could they have ignored such a dangerous person? How do we reform the intelligence community to ensure this kind of failure doesn't happen again? It's an old song by now, one we heard after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and after the Underwear Bomber's failed attack in 2009. The problem is that connecting the dots is a bad metaphor, and focusing on it makes us more likely to implement useless reforms. Connecting the dots in a coloring book is easy and fun. They're right there on the page, and they're all numbered. All you have to do is move your pencil from one dot to the next, and when you're done, you've drawn a sailboat. Or a tiger. It's so simple that 5-year-olds can do it. But in real life, the dots can only be numbered after the fact. With the benefit of hindsight, it's easy to draw lines from a Russian request for information to a foreign visit to some other piece of information that might have been collected. Opinion: Agencies often miss warning signs of attacks . In hindsight, we know who the bad guys are. Before the fact, there are an enormous number of potential bad guys. How many? We don't know. But we know that the no-fly list had 21,000 people on it last year. The Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, also known as the watch list, has 700,000 names on it. We have no idea how many potential "dots" the FBI, CIA, NSA and other agencies collect, but it's easily in the millions. It's easy to work backwards through the data and see all the obvious warning signs. But before a terrorist attack, when there are millions of dots -- some important but the vast majority unimportant -- uncovering plots is a lot harder. Rather than thinking of intelligence as a simple connect-the-dots picture, think of it as a million unnumbered pictures superimposed on top of each other. Or a random-dot stereogram. Is it a sailboat, a puppy, two guys with pressure-cooker bombs or just an unintelligible mess of dots? You try to figure it out. It's not a matter of not enough data, either. Piling more data onto the mix makes it harder, not easier. The best way to think of it is a needle-in-a-haystack problem; the last thing you want to do is increase the amount of hay you have to search through. The television show "Person of Interest" is fiction, not fact. There's a name for this sort of logical fallacy: hindsight bias. First explained by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, it's surprisingly common. Since what actually happened is so obvious once it happens, we overestimate how obvious it was before it happened. We actually misremember what we once thought, believing that we knew all along that what happened would happen. It's a surprisingly strong tendency, one that has been observed in countless laboratory experiments and real-world examples of behavior. And it's what all the post-Boston-Marathon bombing dot-connectors are doing. Before we start blaming agencies for failing to stop the Boston bombers, and before we push "intelligence reforms" that will shred civil liberties without making us any safer, we need to stop seeing the past as a bunch of obvious dots that need connecting. Kahneman, a Nobel prize winner, wisely noted: "Actions that seemed prudent in foresight can look irresponsibly negligent in hindsight." Kahneman calls it "the illusion of understanding," explaining that the past is only so understandable because we have cast it as simple inevitable stories and leave out the rest. Nassim Taleb, an expert on risk engineering, calls this tendency the "narrative fallacy." We humans are natural storytellers, and the world of stories is much more tidy, predictable and coherent than the real world. Millions of people behave strangely enough to warrant the FBI's notice, and almost all of them are harmless. It is simply not possible to find every plot beforehand, especially when the perpetrators act alone and on impulse. We have to accept that there always will be a risk of terrorism, and that when the occasional plot succeeds, it's not necessarily because our law enforcement systems have failed. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bruce Schneier. | FBI, CIA criticized for not keeping better track of Tamerlan Tsarnaev before attack .
Bruce Schneier: Connecting the dots seems easy in hindsight, but in real life, it's not .
He says there are an enormous number of potential bad guys .
Schneier: If a terrorist plot succeeds, it doesn't mean law enforcement systems failed . |
273,984 | eee276e2ab00fdc2f688becce3f2ffd495e79dc1 | (CNN) -- The Department of Homeland Security this week announced it is opening the largest immigrant family detention facility in the United States, amid concerns from immigrant-rights groups. The center in Dilley, Texas, was opened on Monday to house the surge of "family units," or women and children who say they fled extreme violence in their native Central American countries to seek asylum in the United States. The privately contracted facility sits on 51 acres and will have 2,400 beds at a cost of $260 million per year to taxpayers, according to local reports. "The regional refugee crisis in Central America demands a humanitarian response by the United States, not a show of force," a coalition of immigrant-rights groups said this week in an open letter to President Barack Obama. "These mothers have faced unimaginable suffering and danger and have come to the U.S. seeking protection, often with close relatives in the U.S. who are willing and able to provide for them. They are not evading law enforcement; they are seeking out Border Patrol officers," the letter added. 5 immigration myths debunked . In a statement at the opening of the detention center, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said the facility promotes and highlights "the border security aspects of the executive actions President Obama announced on Nov. 20." "We will continue to work with the governments of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to address with them the conditions in those three countries that are the 'push' factors for illegal migration from there to here, and to repatriate those of their citizens who came here illegally." Johnson added. Johnson said the Obama administration also intends to go forward with an "in-country refugee program" in the three countries, a program announced last month by Vice President Joe Biden. The program will "allow parents who are lawfully present in the United States to request access to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for their children still in those three countries," Johnson said. DHS: More Central Americans apprehended than Mexicans . There are at least three other family detention centers in use by the federal government to house detained immigrant families, including centers in Karnes, Texas, and Berks County, Pennsylvania. A facility in Artesia, New Mexico, is expected to close in the coming weeks, and hundreds of immigrants staying there will get preference for relocating to the Dilley facility. Funding for the centers will expire in late February 2015 if Congress fails to act on a DHS request for supplemental funding for fiscal years 2014 and 2015, Johnson said. Immigrant-rights groups have been vocal in their opposition to the centers, which sprouted this summer as a result of the unprecedented influx of undocumented immigrants from Central America. Beyond the border: Getting there and then what? Earlier this year, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund claimed guards working at the Karnes facility requesting sexual favors in return for money. "This is unjust and a repudiation of our nation's values and historic commitment to justice for all," said Leslie Holman, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "Doesn't that tell the administration that these most vulnerable of human beings deserve protection rather than warehousing as prisoners?" 24 states now suing Obama over immigration . | Facility in Dilley, Texas, will have 2,400 beds and cost $260 million per year .
Rights group: Crisis "demands a humanitarian response ... not a show of force"
DHS head: U.S. will continue to work with 3 Central American nations on "push" factors . |
118,350 | 24cb7687b7065adde5b773925579b04bbd43c9d2 | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 03:17 EST, 28 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:18 EST, 29 May 2013 . A cat left to die in a ditch by callous owners must wear woolly jumpers to survive because her fur was so matted and tangled rescuers had to shave it off. The cat, who has been named Freida the Throw Away Kitty, was last month found underweight and abandoned in a ditch in rural Maine, a mile from the nearest house. She was taken in by animal rescue charity Forgotten Felines of Maine, who said: 'She was emaciated and matted and weighed less than 2lbs. She did not walk to that ditch by herself. Scroll down for video . Forlorn feline: Freida the Throw Away Kitten was last month found underweight and abandoned in a ditch in rural Maine, a mile from the nearest house . Cute: Tiny Freida, who despite her size is actually a grown up cat, was taken in by animal rescue charity Forgotten Felines of Maine. The charity is appealing for funds to help to pay for her vets bills . Costly cat: The group, which describes itself as a 'small grassroots organization' has already stumped up over $1,000 towards vets bills for Freida, who is suffering from a range of health problems . 'Thank God for the man [who found her] taking a walk that day. He saved her life.' The group, which describes itself as a 'small grassroots organization' has already stumped up over $1,000 towards vets bills for Freida, who is suffering from a range of health problems. Because her tangled fur was so painful and irritating they were forced to shave most of her body and she not wears jumpers to keep her warm and protect her sensitive skin. For days after she was found she ran a high fever and her anaemia meant that vets were unable to draw more than a single cc of blood at a time for diagnostic tests. Although she is in fact fully grown, her health problems mean she looks like she is still only a tiny kitten. Social media star: Freida's plight has been highlighted by a Facebook fan page which at the time of writing has so far attracted over 1,500 likes. She is pictured on the page wearing a range of jumpers . Matted: Because her tangled fur was so painful and irritating they were forced to shave most of her body . She needs your help: Freida pictured shortly after her rescue. She is suffering from a malfunctioning liver and an enlarged gall bladder that mean she will need a lifetime of care . Forgotten Felines is now appealing to the public for more cash to help Freida, who they say will need a life time of care. 'She has Multifocal portal venule hypoplasia and arteriolar hyperplasia (reduplication); mild bile ductular hyperplasia,' volunteers said on a Facebook page set up to highlight the forlorn feline's plight. 'In essence her liver doesn't work. Her gall bladder is hundreds of times larger than it should be. 'Freida needs much more vet care and treatment and we really need your continued support. If you think Freida should have a chance live please help us help her.' for more information about Freida, and to find out how you can help her, visit her Facebook fan page or the FundRazr page set up to support her care. | Freida was discovered underweight and abandoned in a ditch in rural Maine, a mile from the nearest house .
She is suffering from a range of health problems which means she will now need a lifetime of medical care .
Animal rescue charity is appealing for the funds to help look after Freida . |
200,631 | 8fb7ac2940257fe9b4704bdd6c7be1dc76cde865 | (CNN) -- As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie fights back against the biggest political controversy of his career, he's under fire, as expected, from opportunistic attacks from the left. Begala: Three reasons bridge scandal will stick . Cupp: Christie apology hits all the right notes . But there are plenty within his own party who may also be pleased to see the tough-talking Republican governor get a bit of a comeuppance. The party's conservative base has never warmed to Christie. And he angered other Republicans with his 2012 Republican National Convention speech that was more about him than the party's nominee Mitt Romney. And some will never forgive him for his public embrace of President Barack Obama who was surveying damage in New Jersey from Superstorm Sandy just days before the presidential election. Archives: Christie, Obama set to meet again on Jersey Shore . Christie took the first steps Thursday toward rehabilitation -- apologizing profusely and announcing that he had fired two close aides connected the closing of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge -- the nation's busiest -- to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, for not endorsing him in his re-election bid last year. The lane closings caused massive traffic jams in Fort Lee. Christie drops swagger amid heat of scandal . With scandal, Christie loses his top enforcer . Following Thursday's news conference, a top national tea party leader questioned whether Christie had put the controversy behind him. "Governor Christie held some subordinates accountable. Time will tell whether this is enough," wrote Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder and national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots. Judson Phillips, who heads the Tea Party Nation, went a step further. "This incident is proof that once again the most dangerous place on the earth is the spot between Chris Christie and his presidential ambitions," Phillips told CNN. "I strongly suspect there will be litigation as a result of this and the beauty of litigation is the truth will come out. I strongly suspect there is much more to this than what Chris Christie let on in his news conference." Grassroots conservatives are skeptical of Christie because of his praise for Obama over the federal government's assistance to New Jersey for Sandy damage, and because of his criticism of some congressional Republicans over their initial reluctance to support federal relief aid to Garden State following Sandy. Christie has also angered conservatives with his willingness to work with Democrats on such issues as immigration reform, and his criticism of some on the right, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a tea party favorite who's a possible rival for the 2016 GOP nomination. Christie heralds NJ DREAM Act as message to Washington . Will Christie's immigration bill haunt him in 2016? Thursday, following the Christie news conference, Paul seemed to take a dig at Christie, saying, "I don't know who e-mailed whom, who works for whom. I have been in traffic before and I know how angry I am, and I'm always wondering, who did this." Erick Erickson, co-founder of RedState.com and leading voice on the right, wrote Wednesday in an article titled "The Politics of A-Holes" that "There's more here and it is going to be the problem that haunts Chris Christie." And Breitbart's Matthew Boyle, who's also influential among conservatives, tweeted Wednesday that "Chris Christie is not a conservative. Don't delude yourself into thinking he is." But the conservatives couldn't resist an opportunity to get in a dig at their real nemesis. "The contrast between Barack Obama and Chris Christie in terms of owning a mess and fixing it is now pretty stark," tweeted Erickson. "This could end being a positive for Christie though. People like accountability. They're not getting that with Obama," wrote Boyle on Twitter. Jenny Beth Martin made the same point in her statement, writing, "We're still waiting for President Obama to hold anyone accountable." Christie's re-election team actively sought out the endorsements of Democratic officials, such as Fort Lee's mayor, in its push to win a major gubernatorial victory as a prelude or launching pad to any 2016 White House bid. They succeeded, as Christie won in a landslide over little known state Sen. Barbara Buono. But the current controversy, born during that re-election drive, gives opponents an opportunity to spin Christie persona of a tough-talking politician into one of a political bully who's not above petty politics. "This is the other side of the double-edged sword that is Chris Christie's heavy-handed persona and governing style. At one level there's an appeal about it, but underneath it you sense it could blow up," Republican communications strategist Keith Appell told CNN. "The boss sets the tone for those around him and beneath him. I don't think this is the last story we're going to see about problems with Christie's governing style, and even GOP establishment power brokers and money people will be concerned about how this plays in the 2016 primaries and caucuses -- where the GOP field will be more substantive than it was in 2012," added Appell, a senior vice president at CRC Public Relations, a Washington public relations firm that has had many conservative and Republican clients. While there's concern, there doesn't seem to be a groundswell of conservative criticism right now. "I do not believe there's going to be any retribution from conservatives over this," Jon Brabender, a Republican strategist and a longtime senior political adviser to former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, a 2012 presidential candidate, told CNN. "I haven't heard a single person tell me that the news is great because it's going to hurt Christie. I don't think there will be a piling on by conservatives." Christie, who's now criss-crossing the country, campaigning for fellow GOP governors as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, is seen as prime target of Democrats, especially since three national polls, starting with a CNN/ORC International survey in November, showed Christie as the early frontrunner among possible 2016 Republican contenders. And national and state Democrats have been relentless the past two months in highlighting the George Washington Bridge controversy. But the bigger concern for Christie going forward is not Democrats, but opponents in his own party. | The GOP's conservative base has never warmed to Christie .
Christie's public embrace of President Obama in 2012 hurt him with Republicans .
GOP Sen. Rand Paul, a tea party favorite seemed to take a dig at Christie .
But a GOP strategist says: "I do not believe there's going to be any retribution from conservatives over this" |
268,037 | e723c27bed230b6454cfedbdf1ccd259439b69c9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:46 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:54 EST, 26 December 2013 . A 14 year-old boy who was left paralysed after suffering from a brain tumour has baffled doctors by making an unexpected recovery and getting his black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Daniel Kimmins underwent emergency surgery just days before his seventh birthday when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After the operation he was left paralysed down the left hand side of his body - which doctors warned could be permanent. Daniel Kimmins, 14, from Bath, has fought against the odds to make a full recovery from a brain tumour and gain his black belt in Tae Kwon Do . Daniel Kimmins underwent emergency surgery just days before his seventh birthday when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour . Daniel Kimmins on his seventh birthday, in September 2007, which he spent in hospital . But now Daniel has fought against the odds to make a full recovery and gain his black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Daniel, from Bath, took up the martial art when he was six years old and within a year he had earned his yellow belt. But the youngster was forced to give up his favourite hobby after a brain tumour left him fighting for his life. Daniel, pictured left in hospital on his seventh birthday and right, now, was forced to give up his favourite hobby after a brain tumour left him fighting for his life . Now Daniel has bounced back, despite doctors warning his parents that he wouldn't pull through, and is now proudly wearing a black belt to his Tae Kwon Do lessons. His mum, Heidi, 47, from Bath, said: 'After his operation Daniel couldn't move the left side of his body and he had lost the ability to speak - which is something the doctors warned may happen. 'We were never given any hope. We were always of the impression that he wouldn't recover from the tumour. 'No one thought he'd make it - he was so poorly not even the doctors thought he would pull through. But slowly but surely he got back to himself. Daniel Kimmins and his mother Heidi Kimmins - he baffled doctors by making an unexpected recovery . 'Now he has learnt to walk and talk all over again and he is able to do all of the things he did before he had the tumour, which makes me unbelievably proud of him.'Heidi, an accountant, took her son to his GP after he complained of persistent headaches, where they were referred to the Royal United Hospital in Bath. But before their referral came through Daniel, who goes to Ralph Allen School, in Bath, was taken to A&E after he was seriously ill in the night. The student returned to his beloved hobby two years after his diagnosis and has since earned his green, blue, red and now his black belt . Daniel Kimmins in hospital with his friend Esme, in 2006 . Nurses told Heidi it was nothing more than a virus but the mother put her foot down and insisted on seeing a specialist. Two days later Daniel was undergoing surgery at Frenchay Hospital, in Bristol, to have a large brain tumour removed. Heidi said: "They wanted to send him home but I knew something was wrong and luckily there was a consultant around who was able to have a look at him. 'He said that Daniel needed a MRI scan which showed that he had a large tumour on the brain. 'Two days later he had an operation which lasted seven and a half hours to remove it. The staff were absolutely amazing.' Daniel says: 'I got my black belt a few weeks ago now, it was absolutely amazing. I went with three of my friends and one of their mums and they all got theirs too.' Right, Daniel pictured with his mother Heidi . After his operation the youngster underwent 13 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, causing his weight to plummet. Daniel was in a wheel chair for more that two years and he had to learn to crawl, walk and talk all over again. The student returned to his beloved hobby two years after his diagnosis and has since earned his green, blue, red and now his black belt. When he returned to the martial art Daniel was a lot weaker than he was before his illness and his class mates and teacher would hold his hands to help support him. His mother said: 'I was so pleased when he said he wanted to go back to Tae Kwon Do. 'I think it was a really good form of physiotherapy for him and it really helped him build up his strength and get back on his feet. Daniel Kimmins showing off the moves that have just earned him a black belt in Tae Kwon Do . 'He now now takes part in adult classes twice a week - even though he's only tiny. I'm so proud of him.' Though Daniel appears to have made a miracle recovery he still struggles with his balance and stamina and often has to work twice as hard everyone else. Daniel Kimmins said: 'I started judo to get a hobby really because all of my other friends had hobbies and I didn't, but I discovered I really enjoyed it. 'When I was poorly I had to give it up. I went back two years after I was diagnosed and just gave it my best shot. 'When I went back everything was a bit different, mainly because there were new people in the class and I found it a lot harder to do things than I had before. 'I got my black belt a few weeks ago now, it was absolutely amazing. I went with three of my friends and one of their mums and they all got theirs too.' | Daniel Kimmins underwent surgery just days before his 7th birthday .
Told by doctors he could be permanently paralysed .
Had to give up his hobby, Tae Kwon Do .
Two years later, took it up again - and is now a black belt . |
14,893 | 2a49e384128130f425ce8ecd0a00f9d01df7d21a | A stray puppy with a plastic jug stuck on his head has been rescued and finally freed from its headpiece. The Bohannons from Magnolia, Texas, said they saw the dog around their property for two months before they managed to pin him down. The jug, which was open on both ends, was part of a gravity pet feeder on the family's farm. Scroll down for video . Rescue mission: A stray puppy with a plastic jug stuck on his head has been freed from its headpiece . On the run: The Bohannons from Magnolia, Texas, said they saw the dog around their property for two months before they managed to pin him down . Snip: Audra Bohannon's believes the pooch - nicknamed Lucky Bucky - got stuck while looking for food . Lost and found: She planned to take the pup to a veterinarian Tuesday to see if the German shepherd mix has an identifying microchip . Audra Bohannon's believes the pooch - nicknamed Lucky Bucky - got stuck while looking for food. KPRC-TV reports Bohannon planned to take the pup to vets Tuesday to see if the German shepherd mix has an identifying microchip. He's believed to be about five months old. Bohannon says she saw the dog around her property but could never catch him. In the meantime she took him scraps of soft food that he could lick up. 'He was slowly starving but he was eating just enough to live,' Bohannon said. Finally on November 22 she was able to catch the pup after she spotted him sleeping and called her brother for help. The dog was captured and the jug cut off in a videotaped rescue. 'It's OK baby, it's OK,' Bohannon is heard saying in a bid to comfort the dog. Bohannon said he was infested with fleas and a 'little skiddish' but didn't have any injuries. Her brother and sister-in-law hope to adopt Bucky if an owner doesn't step forward. | The Bohannons from Magnolia, Texas, said they saw the dog around their property for two months before they managed to pin him down .
He was caught on November 22 with the rescue mission caught on camera . |
114,993 | 206767c27a7a2bf96d04b81c059cb9a699ead9c3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:03 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:56 EST, 7 March 2014 . Suspect: This booking photo released by the Volusia County Division of Corrections shows Ebony Wilkerson, 32, who is accused of driving a minivan carrying her three young children into the ocean in an attempt to kill them . The pregnant South Carolina mother who drove a minivan containing her three children into the ocean in Florida has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, investigators said Friday. The woman, 32-year-old Ebony Wilkerson, from Cross, South Carolina, was booked into Volusia County Jail after undergoing a mental evaluation in a hospital Thursday. Her children are currently in state custody. Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson announced this afternoon that Wilkerson is facing three counts of first-degree attempted murder and three counts of aggravated child abuse involving great injury. ‘She did intentionally try to kill the children,’ the sheriff’s told reporters during the press conference. Wilkerson made international headlines Tuesday when she drove her minivan into the ocean on a Florida beach with her three children, ages three, nine and 10, in the car. Good Samaritans and lifeguards came to the kids' rescue, rushing into the water to remove them from the vehicle as it filled with water. In . response to questions about Wilkerson’s mental state, the sheriff . stated Friday that investigators have found no information suggesting . that the suspect was suffering from any psychiatric or emotional issues. Johnson . explained that the decision to charge Wilkerson in connection to the . incident was based on several factors, including interviews with . witnesses and the woman’s own children, who told deputies that their . mother drove the minivan straight into the surf. Scroll down for videos . In this image made from video and released by Simon Besner, lifeguards rescue children from a minivan that their mother drove into the Atlantic Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Florida . Race against time: The rescuers managed to grab all the children from the car as it was submerged in the surf . Johnson added that when questioned by police, Wilkerson claimed that she had tried to drive out of the ocean, but eyewitnesses insisted that she was going in the opposite direction and then tried to hamper the rescue efforts, suggesting intent to kill them. ‘She tried to stop one of the beach rangers from getting into the window,’ Johnson said. The sheriff also revealed that Wilkerson's young son tried to fight his mother in a bid to gain control of the steering wheel. ‘She actually told them, "close their eyes and go to sleep, mama's taking him to a better place,"' the law enforcement official told the press. Wilkerson, who is 27 and a half weeks pregnant with her fourth child, was described by officials as calm, cooperative and 'very lucid.' Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson announced attempted murder and aggravated child abuse charges against Wilkerson . Sheriff Johnson , right, with investigator Sgt. Richard Forton, center, talks with the media on Friday . Wilkerson was stopped in her vehicle by police officers two hours before she . drove into the ocean. Her sister called police worried since Wilkerson . had been talking about demons. The officers found her lucid and let her go, Police Chief Mike Chitwood said. According . to Wilkerson's sister, Jessica Harrell, the 32-year-old woman was . trying to escape from an abusive spouse when she drove from her home in . South Carolina to stay with her in Florida. 'Her . husband beat on her, so she came down to my house from South Carolina,' said Jessica Harrell in a call to a 911 dispatcher just hours before . Wilkerson attempted to end her life by driving her minivan into the . surf. Harrell, 28, asked the . operator to send officers to perform a welfare check because her . sibling appeared emotionally distraught. 'She's . talking about Jesus, that there are demons in my house, that I'm trying . to control her, but I'm trying to keep them safe,' Harrell said on the . call. The woman revealed that she made an attempt to take Wilkerson to a hospital the day before, but the 32-year-old left. Unstable: The pregnant South Carolina woman who drove the minivan carrying her three young children into the ocean surf had talked about demons before leaving the house . A lifeguard carries one of the three children rescued from the minivan . Frantic: Stacy Robinson, left, was the Good Samaritan who ran into the water and carried the two older children out of the surf after hearing their cries for help . When . officers caught up with Wilkerson and interviewed her, the woman . allegedly told them that she was heading to a shelter for abused women. She also added that she was going to her ‘safe place.’ Wilkerson . was let go because she did not meet the criteria to be detained under . the Florida Mental Health Act, which allows people to be involuntarily . committed if they appear to present a danger to themselves. In the 911 call, Jessica Harrell said that she had tried to take her sister to a shelter, but it had no vacancies. Police in Myrtle Beach said Wilkerson filed the domestic violence report March 1, accusing her husband of sexually assaulting her. Court records uncovered by the Post and Courier indicate that Wilkerson was married to Lutful Ronjon, 31, of Cross, who was arrested in May 2005 on domestic battery charges. The report stated that Ronjon beat up his wife during an argument about receipts while the couple were vacationing in Myrtle Beach. The battery charge was later dismissed after Ronjon underwent a domestic violence pre-trial service program. The Post and Courier in Charleston also found that Wilkerson was involved in a deadly crash in Delray in February 2007. On . the day of the accident, Wilkerson was going northbound on Interstate . 95 when she switched lanes and slammed into the rear of a Nissan . operated by Douglas Krane, of Fort Lauderdale. Desperate: Tim Tesseneer, in the bright jacket, was driving along the beach with his wife when they spotted the boy trying to climb out of the car and call for help . Pushing them away: Footage shows Wilkerson (on the far left) appear to push the lifeguard away from her door as she gets out of the car without being helped- but leaves her three children trapped inside . Running to the rescue: Three lifeguards helped the Good Samaritans and are seen trying to bring the car in from the surf after the children had been saved . What remained: Just moments after the children were taken out of the car, it flipped over completely and waves tore through it . Emergency responders: The Good Samaritans led the charge but then beach patrol took over . The . impact sent Krane's car skidding across the road and into a concrete . barrier. The driver's wife, Jennifer, suffered critical injuries in the . collision and died several days later. Wilkerson . was cited for improper lane change, lost her license for a year and was . ordered to serve 132 hours of community service, according to court . records. Witnesses to the dramatic rescue Tuesday reported hearing Wilkerson's children - . two girls and a boy, aged three, nine and 10 - screaming that their . mother was trying to kill them. Two hours earlier, police officers stopped Wilkerson and questioned her at her sister's request. 'The children were in the back seat, . they were buckled in and were not in distress. Although the sergeant . said she looked like she had some mental illness, she did not fit the . criteria for going into custody under the Baker Act.' 'If . she made any statements that she was suicidal or homicidal officers . would have taken her into custody,' said Volusia County Sheriff Ben . Johnson. Help: The woman's sister called police and . warned them that she was talking about demons, prompting them to do a . welfare check but they released her because she was lucid . The . children were turned over to welfare authorities. Officials said they would be . released to a relative in Orlando once released from Halifax Hospital . where they are being treated for minor injuries. Sheriff Ben Johnson said it's too early to say whether Wilkerson will . face criminal charges. 'They have been through a very rough ordeal,' Florida Department of Chidren and Families spokesman John Harrell said. 'We would not want to have the children placed in an environment in which they would not be cared for.' Tourists on the beach caught the horrifying ordeal on camera, and the footage shows that the 31-year-old mother was physically able to escape the vehicle. In video taken by Simon Besner, a . tourist from Canada, the woman can be seen outside the van as lifeguards . try to pull her children from the vehicle. Witnesses . described her hopping out of the car window as her screaming children . remained seat-belted in the back. Waves nearly pushed her . under the van. 'It was a bit terrifying,' said Besner. In the video, several men frantically . try to get to the third and youngest child through the hatchback and the driver's . side door as waves lap over the front of the minivan. The small child is eventually pulled to safety. Defending their actions: Sheriff Ben Johnson said that his deputies had to let her go because they had no legal justification to hold her . Another tourist described watching with horror. 'My . friend pointed out that there was a car getting really close to the . beach and actually started driving on the water,' Taylor Quintin . visiting the area from Vermont told Local 6. 'I saw a kid in the back waving his arms around screaming, 'Help us! Help us!' And the car kept going deeper.' 'That's . when I saw a guy from the beach run over next to the car and take out . two small children and walk them back up. Another guy ran out and . brought a little toddler out of the car'. Many added that there was no way the incident was an accident. 'When she first was drifting into the ocean, we thought maybe an accident,' Donna Pratt told the broadcaster. | Ebony Wilkerson, 32, charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder and three counts of aggravated child abuse .
Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said she told her kids to close their eyes and go to sleep as she drove into the surf .
Police say they found no evidence that Wilkerson had any mental issues .
Wilkerson's relatives were alarmed on Tuesday when she started talking 'about Jesus and how there were demons in her house'
Police pulled her over and did a welfare check but she told them she feared her husband and was going to a domestic violence safe house .
Rescuers pulled her three children- ages 3, 9, and 10- from the car .
Wilkerson's husband,. Lutful Ronjon, was charged with battery against his wife in 2005 .
Wilkerson was involved in 2007 car crash that left a woman dead . |
286,011 | fe951e9e3a999091532322a493eadf8ed798defe | Police say they are growing increasingly concerned for a man who was reported missing after he failed to return home from watching a football match in a pub. Colin Pine, 55, from Washington in Tyne and Wear, went out to watch the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland on Sunday. He was last seen in the Swan pub in Felling, Gateshead and it is believed he spoke to his wife around 6pm to say he was going to get the bus home. Colin Pine, from Washington Tyne and Wear, who went missing on Sunday evening after going to watch the Tyne-Wear derby at a pub in Gateshead . It is thought he left the pub at 9pm but after he failed to return, he was reported missing in the early hours of Monday morning. Officers think he either caught a bus from the Heworth area of Gateshead to go home to Washington or he may have attempted to walk. Today, police stepped up their search for Mr Pine and were seen scouring Albany Park, close to his home in Washington. They also used police horses and a helicopter while they carried out their search. Today officers from Northumbria Police were seen scouring Albany Park near to Mr Pine's home in Washington, Tyne and Wear . Police believe Mr Pine either got on a bus in the Heworth area of Gateshead or attempted to walk home back to Washington . Sunderland Area Command Superintendent Ged Noble said: 'At this stage it's believed he either got on a bus from the Heworth area to head home to Washington, or he walked from The Swan public house, so our focus at this time spans across the two areas of Gateshead and Washington. 'We're extremely concerned for Mr Pine's welfare, and obviously his family are desperate to hear from him. 'This is distressing at any time of year, but so close to Christmas makes it particularly difficult. 'I'd appeal for anyone who saw Mr Pine in the surrounding areas of The Swan, on public transport or walking between this area and Washington, as well as in his own local area around Albany, to get in touch. 'No matter how insignificant you may think the information is, it could prove vital in piecing together Mr Pine's movements." A map showing the pub in Gateshead where Mr Pine was last seen and his home address in Albany, Washington . The Swan pub in the Felling area of Gateshead where Mr Pine had been watching Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland . Officers are checking CCTV in the area and have spoken with a number of witnesses who were in the pub on Sunday. Mr Pine is described as five foot, six inches tall and of stocky build. He was last seen wearing a black fleece, a navy blue t-shirt, blue jeans and black walking boots. Anyone who sees him or who knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Northumbria Police on 101. | Colin Pine went out to watch a football match in a pub on Sunday afternoon .
The 55-year-old was last seen in the Swan pub in Felling, Gateshead .
Believed he had called his wife to say he would be getting the bus home .
But failed to return to his house in Washington, Tyne and Wear .
Police say they are growing increasingly concerned for Mr Pine's welfare .
Today officers were seen scouring a park close to his home . |
251,677 | d1c31caba7b6203606ec16969169a42d6619181c | By . Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 04:37 EST, 5 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:05 EST, 5 September 2012 . A coroner yesterday urged parents to stop their children using adult video games after a boy of 14 hanged himself after playing Call of Duty. Callum Green regularly played the Certificate 18 game with his stepfather despite it featuring gruesome scenes of soldiers trying to kill each other. The boy’s behaviour deteriorated and, after being grounded by his mother following a row, he was found hanging by his school tie from his bunk bed. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Callum Green hanged himself after he had played the controversial video game Call of Duty . Scary: Call of Duty has an 18 certificate and is one of the gorier video games on the market . At the inquest, coroner John Pollard . issued a warning to parents to ensure children do not have access to . adult-only video games. He said: ‘The age limitations on these . various computer games are there for a very valid reason and I do see . the evidence of inappropriate computer games. ‘It’s very important that young . children don’t play them or have access to them. I make a plea with . parents to keep a very close eye on their children in that way.’ Earlier this year, Norwegian mass . killer Anders Breivik claimed he had ‘trained himself’ to kill his 77 . victims by playing Call of Duty. Discovery: The home of schoolboy Callum Green near Stockport, where he was found after a family row about being 'grounded' French terrorist Mohammed Merah also . played Call Of Duty before killing three soldiers and four civilians – . including a rabbi and three children – in Toulouse in March. The violence in Call of Duty has been . criticised by the London Jewish Forum, the British Muslim Forum and . Church of England ministers. Yesterday’s inquest was told Callum, . of Brinnington, Stockport, frequently played the game with his . stepfather, David White. Devastated: Emma Green, mother of Callum, admitted she had alowed him to play Call Of Duty but not other games . Callum’s mother, Emma Green, admitted she knew . about the game’s age restriction but had allowed him to play. She said: ‘Callum was 14, 15. He was . very mature. Kids play worse games than that. He was allowed to play . Call of Duty but not other games. He was only allowed a few hours on the . PC. ‘Does that make me a bad parent . because I let him play those games? I banned him from other games where . they slash their throats and stuff, I stopped him playing that, but Call . of Duty I didn’t.’ The court heard the schoolboy had . argued with his parents after repeatedly asking his 13-year-old . girlfriend whether she wanted to have a baby with him. She said: ‘He . kept asking if I would have a kid with him and I said no, I’d only just . turned 13. He said he wanted to get away from home.’ Days before he died, Callum was . grounded by his parents because he had not returned from his . girlfriend’s home until 11.20pm. On the afternoon of his death he had . been off school with a sprained ankle and had argued with his younger . sister when she came home. A plate had been smashed in the . kitchen and Callum had gone to his bedroom to use his computer, although . his family believed he was only surfing Facebook and YouTube. At around 4.50pm, his mother went upstairs and found Callum hanging by a tie from his bunk bed. Recording an open verdict, Stockport . coroner Mr Pollard told the family: ‘For whatever reason and it is, I’m . afraid, somewhat mysterious, Callum just decided that he was going to . put the tie around his neck and suspend himself from the bunk beds. ‘Was that with the intention of killing himself or just to give you a shock, we don’t know.’ Miss Green said her son had never given any indication of wanting to harm himself or being unhappy. Teachers at Callum’s school, Audenshaw High, said they could find no evidence that he had been bullied there. Statement: Coroner John Pollard, left, has . issued a warning to all parents after about ultra-violent games like . Call Of Duty, played famously by mass murderer Anders Breivik, right . For . confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90 or . visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. VIDEO: Watch the latest Call of Duty trailer: WARNING not suitable for children . | Callum Green had been on his PC before he killed himself last year .
He was grounded, and also wanted to run away with his girlfriend, 13, and have a baby, an inquest was told .
'The age limitations on these various computer games are there for a very valid reason,' coroner John Pollard warned .
Mass murderers Anders Breivik and Mohammed Merah were avid players of Call Of Duty . |
227,742 | b2e1b6a948db3b26c5cce665eca635cba8d20c1d | (CNN) -- A Maryland funeral home has lost its license after investigators found about 40 bodies stacked on top of each other, leaking fluid, in a garage, a state official said. The state Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors revoked the license of Chambers Funeral Home & Crematorium in Riverdale, Maryland after an April 26 visit to the site. Hari Close, president of the the state funeral board, told CNN Tuesday that some of the bodies were cadavers who had been donated to a local university for research. Other bodies came from other funeral homes, Close said. The bodies were supposed to be cremated, but investigators were alarmed at how they were stored in the garage while they awaited cremation. "Even somebody who donates their body to science, they still should be treated with dignity," said Close. "Not to mention the health and safety issues with the body fluids flowing out." William Chambers, co-owner of the funeral home, told CNN-affiliate WJLA said that he hopes to work with the state to resolve the alleged violations. When investigators inspected the funeral home they were warned by an employee, who told them, "Don't get upset about all the bodies in there," according to documents released by the state funeral board. Inside the room was a "large pile, approximately 12 by 12 feet, of body bags containing human remains strewn on the floor of the garage in front of a removal van. There was visible leakage from the body bags as well as a pungent odor," the documents said. "The investigator also observed writing on some of the body bags," they said. "However, fluid leakage from the body bags caused the writing to smear and become illegible. As a result, it was not immediately possible to determine the identity of the remains." There will be a hearing at the end of the month to determine whether the funeral home will get its license back, Close said. CNN's Patty Lane contributed to this report. | Investigators found about 40 bodies stacked atop each other awaiting cremation .
Maryland board revoked license of Chambers Funeral Home & Crematorium .
Room contained body bags of human remains strewn on the floor of the garage . |
209,443 | 9b35d719ff4b1ae3dfb09a77a19af80b5e046455 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 10:34 EST, 27 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:42 EST, 28 March 2013 . The auction house Christie's is selling a rare fragment of femur bone from the extinct dodo. The bone, estimated to be worth between £10,000 and £15,000, is thought to be the first belonging to a dodo to come to auction since 1934. The bird was first recorded by Dutch sailors in 1598 on the island of Mauritius. By the late 17th century, less than 100 years later, it had been hunted into extinction by humans. The auction house Christie's is selling a rare fragment of bone from the extinct dodo . The section of femur bone, estimated to be worth between £10,000 and £15,000, is thought to be the first belonging to a dodo to come to auction since 1934 . The bird was first recorded by Dutch sailors in 1598 on the island of Mauritius. By the late 17th century, less than 100 years later, it had been hunted into extinction by humans . The dodo bone is one of the few pieces of the extinct bird in private hands . James Hyslop, Head of Travel, Science and Natural History, at Christie's, said: 'As an icon of extinction, the dodo is second to none. From its appearance in Alice in Wonderland to the expression ‘dead as a dodo’, the bird has cemented its place in our cultural heritage. 'This exciting discovery is one of the few pieces of dodo material in private hands, and it is a privilege, and humbling experience, to have been entrusted with the bone. 'It is a reminder of the effect humans have on the natural world, and presents a rare opportunity to engage with this now lost and most enigmatic bird.' Christie's described the bone as 'a reminder of the effect humans have on the natural world' Scientists have met to discuss the possibility of bringing back 24 animals back from extinction . But a real life Jurassic Park is not an option, it is said, because dinosaur DNA is just too old. The so called 'de-extinction' of a number of species was discussed at a TEDx conference in Washington DC sponsored by National Geographic. They included the dodo bird, the Elephant Bird, last seen in 1904 in Florida, and the Quagga, a plains zebra which once lived in South Africa. The last wild one was shot in 1870 and the last in captivity died in 1883, the Journal reports. The teams chose the animals using a number of criteria, and discussed the ethics of bringing them back to life. Another marvel of the natural world, is also in the sale - a fossilised egg from the Elephant Bird (Aepyornis maximus) - measuring more than 100 times the average size of a chicken egg. The extinct Elephant Bird, a native of Madagascar, was the largest bird ever to have lived. The egg - expected to reach between £20,000 to £30,000 stands at 8¾ inches (21cm) in diameter and 12 inches (30cm) in height. Similar in stature to a heavily-built ostrich with long legs and talons, it grew to around 11 to 10 feet in height and is thought to have been hunted to extinction in Madagascar between the 14th and 17th centuries. Fragments of eggs can be found in the Southern part of the island, but whole examples such as the the lot to be sold by Christie's are extremely rare. Also forming part of the lot is a recently discovered fine view of Port Louis, Mauritius, a lost work by William Hodges - the official artist on Captain Cook’s second voyage around the world during the 1770s. This lost Mauritius painting probably dates from his voyage home from Hodges tour of India in 1785 and could fetch up to £100,000. A 1939 enigma machine, widely used during World War II to encrypt and decode messages sent between the German military and their commanders, is also estimated to reach £60,000. | Christie's is selling a rare fragment of femur bone from the extinct dodo .
The bone is estimated to be worth between £10,000 and £15,000 .
Lot also includes fossilised Elephant Bird egg- 100 times size of chicken egg . |
279,977 | f6b6059be0fb58ea754eb52c3ac7447d4a30e4b3 | Tea, that most ordinary of beverages, was once so highly prized that traders, travelers and seafarers risked their lives to bring the precious cargo from China to the rest of the world. Now, a small but growing band of tea aficionados is traveling across the country in pursuit of tea at its source, fueled by an appreciation of China's ancient tea culture and traditions and a more modern interest in green methods of cultivation and artisanal production. Tea tourism within China is still a relatively new phenomenon, gaining traction in the last few years and generally associated with an educated and upwardly mobile Chinese middle class. For Chinese people, traveling for tea brings with it a certain cachet. "In most public schools, there is no formal education about tea, so one's knowledge of the subject proves you have traveled, and studied about tea on your own," says tea guide Michael Wang. "In others' eyes, you are not only educated but cultivated." 'Understanding begins with a single cup' Tea expert and guide Tracy Lesh specializes in bringing Chinese tea culture to foreign travelers and expats within China -- a small portion of her clientele are Chinese people who appreciate her depth of knowledge. Lesh began arranging tea tours more than five years ago when she realized there was a growing interest in learning not just about the tea itself, but the culture surrounding it. "Americans are overwhelmed and undereducated about Chinese tea culture," she says. "Many aren't aware of the benefits of loose-leaf teas and are mainly drinking teas blended with fruits and flowers. It takes a lifetime to appreciate tea, but understanding begins with just a single cup." Chinese tea tourists tend to have a different focus than Westerners when it comes to visiting a tea area. Wang says non-Chinese look for a sense of adventure and don't mind hiking into the tea terraces. They have a strong interest in seeing production methods firsthand and picking tea for themselves, but don't yet understand the culture of tea. "Foreigners have difficulty understanding the delicate taste of xian (savory) and huigan (sweetness) in tea," Wang says. Chinese visitors, on the other hand, place an emphasis on relaxing and drinking tea without the need to hike into the tea plantation or pick leaves. They often use artisanal teas as gifts for building good business relationships and are interested in learning gongfu tea -- a refined way of serving tea involving proper vessels, brewing techniques and atmosphere that takes patience and skill to master. Like good wine, tea's final flavor is influenced heavily by terroir -- the microclimate in which it's grown. For those interested in taking a tea tour, below are three starting points, corresponding to three of China's most well known teas, each different in climate, geography and taste. Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea . Located just south of Hangzhou province's beautiful West Lake, Longjing is home to China's most celebrated green tea, which is the color of jade and has the fresh aroma of chestnuts and cut grass. The best time to visit the area is during China's Qing Ming Festival (usually April) when most picking and roasting take place. Longjing's tea villages and plantations -- many are open to the public -- are connected by a cycle pathway and bus route. Longjing is home to the China National Tea Museum. Among the temples, pagodas and gardens lining the shores of nearby West Lake sit many small tea houses where longjing tea can be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere. Hangzhou is reached by high-speed train from Shanghai's Hongqiao Railway Station. Trains run every 30 minutes and take one hour. Tracy Lesh and Michael Wang arrange small group tea tours to the Longjing tea terraces year round (shanghaiandbeyond.com; +86 159 009 03998). China National Tea Museum, 88 Longjing Road, West Lake, Hangzhou; +86 571 8796 4221; open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., May-October 7; 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., October 8-April 30; . closed Mondays; free admission . Wuyi Mountain oolong tea . Oolong tea, a fragrant partially oxidized tea midway between green teas like longjing and black teas like pu'er, has its origins in southern China's Fujian province. The most famous of Fujian's oolongs, da hong pao or "big red robe" tea comes from Wuyi Mountain, a UNESCO-protected natural heritage site rich with rare and animal life, centered around the pristine Nine Twists River. Genuine da hong pao is picked from just a few ancient tea trees high on Wuyi Mountain and is unobtainable to all but the wealthiest and most influential, but oolong plantations in the surrounding hills produce wonderful teas too. Like wine, the terroir of these teas is demonstrated by oolong's floral notes, which are subtly different according to the orientation, altitude and soil mineral content of the hillside on which the tea is grown. Nearby is the well preserved medieval tea-trading town of Xiamei and further afield are Fujian's famed tulou -- ancient rammed earth roundhouses that hold up to 400 families inside. Wuyi Shan has its own airport with daily flights to and from major Chinese cities. China Base Travel runs three-day Wuyi Mountain and oolong tea tours year round. Wuyi Shan UNESCO World Heritage Site; daily from 7:30 a.m.; admission RMB 235 ($38) for a two-day pass . Southern Yunnan's pu'er tea . Pu'er, a fermented and aged black tea with a complex, earthy taste, is considered the pinnacle of all Chinese teas. Usually pressed into cakes, it's allowed to age so that its complexity and depth of flavor increase over time (as does the price), again drawing comparisons to wine. Pu'er has a fascinating trade history. Tea was carried, often on foot, overland on the ancient Tea Horse Road linking Yunnan and Tibet in exchange for the Tibetan mountain ponies sought by the Chinese for their hardiness. The area of southern Yunnan where pu'er is produced lies adjacent to Myanmar, Laos and the Mekong River. The region features an enormous protected native jungle and wild elephant reserve, a tropical and medicinal botanic garden, hills terraced with tea plantations and areas filled with wild tea trees that are hundreds of years old. There are daily flights to the regional capital, Jinghong, from all major Chinese cities, or you can fly directly into the smaller Pu'er airport (known as Pu'er Simao). Pu'er tea tours can be arranged through Jinghong's Mekong Café. Sanchahe Nature Reserve and Banna Wild Elephant Valley is 48 kilometers north of Jinghong; daily, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Menglun Botanical Garden in Menglun is located 70 kilometers east of Jinghong; daily, 7 a.m.-midnight . | Tea tourism in China is relatively new, but growing in popularity among foreign and domestic travelers .
Like wine, tea's final flavor is influenced heavily by terroir -- the microclimate in which it's grown .
Three top areas for tea lovers are Longjing, Wuyi Mountain and Yunnan . |
2,111 | 0628f5382d6db2f174002f55db5b68c7638d9683 | By . Damien Gayle . Villagers in Cameroon are living in fear of Boko Haram militants who have been launching raids across the border from Nigera to snatch children, a report claims. Hundreds of troops have been dispatched to the country's north, which shares a long border with Borno, the Nigerian state at the heart of the group's Islamist insurgency. But despite the deployment of some of Cameroon's most-elite units, whole villages have been cleared out and schools torched by Boko Haram raids. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in a video he sent taunting the Nigerian government over the kidnapping of the girls from their boarding school dormitory in April . Villagers told Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford that Boko Haram fighters made daylight raids to snatch young boys to force them to take up arms as child soldiers. One boy described how he was confronted by militants while out working in the fields. After he refused their invitation to join them the situation became tense but he was able to run away. Cameroon shares a 1,243-mile border with Nigeria that is mostly unmanned. Nigeria has accused Cameroon of failing to stop Boko Haram using its territory as a safe haven. But Cameroon's Defence Ministry spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Badjeck, rejected the claim. 'They are not in Cameroon. Why would we allow that? This is bad for Cameroon,' he told Sky New. 'We are suffering too at the hands of Boko Haram.' Cameroonian army soldiers deploying in Dabanga, in the country's north, as part of a reinforcement of its military forces against Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, which has been making sorties over the border . Members of Cameroon's army elite Brigade d'Intervantion Rapide (Quick-Response Brigade) patrol the border town of Amchide as part of operations against Boko Haram, who locals say are snatching young boys . A Cameroon Air Force Alpha Jet parked following a surveillance flight over the northern border . A military pilot checking a map following a surveillance flight over the northern border . Founded in 2002, Boko Haram was a more or less a peaceful political group that sought the establishement of an Islamic government in Borno state, an area ruled by the Islamic Bornu Empire before colonisation. It turned to violence in the face of a Nigerian government crackdown in 2009 and, in April, soared to worldwide notoriety after kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, a town in Borno. Hundreds have been killed in attacks by the group this year alone. On Tuesday, at least 14 people were killed in the bomb attack in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, which struck football fans watching the World Cup. Witnesses said a tricycle taxi was driven into the outdoor area before the bomb went off. Cameroon shares a 1,243-mile border with Nigeria stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Chad and including Borno State, the region of Nigeria which is at the heart of the Boko Haram insurgency . Some of the victims killed by a bomb explosion targeting football fans watching the World Cup in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, lie in the morgue in the town's government hospital . Police said the death toll was 14, with 26 people wounded. One hospital worker told the BBC however that he had counted 21 bodies. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Boko Haram was suspected. Police assistant superintendent Nathan Cheghan said rescue workers were being careful for fear of secondary explosions, often timed to kill people who rush to the scene of a bomb blast. Last month an attack on a market place in the city of Jos, Plateau State, which used precisely that tactic to kill 118 in car-bomb blasts timed 30 minutes apart. Other recent attacks include the slaughter of at least 200 civilians in three remote communities in Borno on June 2, a bombing at a football field in Mubi, Adamawa state, which killed at least 40, and attacks on the Borno towns of Gamboru and Ngala, in which as many as 336 are thought to have been killed. | Cameroonian military rejects claims country is a safe haven to terrorists .
Nigeria and Cameroon share 1,243-mile border from the ocean to Lake Chad .
Elite battalions have been sent to Cameroon's north to fight Boko Haram . |
245,576 | c9daf9d6728888d5a69d4ae5db107175ce2527b7 | By . Ollie Gillman For Mailonline . Politics has quite literally gone to the dogs in one Minnesota village, where a seven-year-old pup has been named mayor. Duke, a Great Pyrenees, won the mayoral election in Cormorant this weekend by a landslide, taking all but two or three votes. The dog, who is often seen eating hamburgers and chips in the village's pub, will be officially sworn in on Saturday. Scroll down for video . Sworn in: Duke, a Great Pyrenees, won the election in Cormorant, Minnesota, this weekend by a landslide . New village mayor: Duke, who is seven years old, was treated to five hours of grooming after his victory . All 12 Cormorant villagers paid $1 to vote in the election, with at least nine voting for Duke. Duke won the ceremonial role after a tightly fought campaign against local store owner Richard Sherbrook. Mr Sherbrook, who voted for Duke himself, said: 'I'm going to back the dog 100 per cent. He's a sportsman and he likes to hunt. He'll really protect the town. 'There's no question that he'll do a good job representing the community.' Duke was treated to five hours of grooming after his victory and will receive a salary of a year's supply of free dog food from Tuffy's Pet Food store in the nearby village of Perham. Mayor in Minnesota: All 12 Cormorant villagers paid $1 to vote in the election, with at least nine voting for Duke . A video of Duke shows him wearing a mayoral hat, but it is not clear if he will have to wear it for all official business. Villagers say Duke, who is yet to make an inaugural address, has already started making changes in Cormorant. David Rick, who voted for the dog, said: 'What he does is when the cars are coming through town, they're hitting town at 50mph, and he slows them down. He follows me wherever I go.' Tricia Maloney also voted for Duke and said: 'He doesn't know how to handle this publicity. He won by a landslide. He's used to coming to the pub and getting some burgers and some fries or something.' Pigasus for President: A 145lb hog called Pigasus was nominated as a Presidential candidate in 1968. Just as a man was reading a nomination speech on behalf of the hog, it and seven conspirators were arrested. Vote goat: The McGillicuddy Serious Party entered a goat in the Waiheke Island election. A hedgehog also tried to run as an MP for the party but was unsuccessful in being nominated. Democratic dog: Bosco, a Labrador-Rottweiler mix, served 13 years as the mayor of Sunol, California. He was invited to speak in front of the Chinese consulate after the Tianamen Square protests in 1989, and was dubbed the face of freedom and democracy. Cat got your vote: Hank the cat was entered as a joke candidate for the 2012 Senate election in Virginia, but came third with 7,300 votes. Monkey business: Tiao, a monkey, got 400,000 votes in his attempt to become mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1988. Sadly votes for him did not count, but he would have come an honorable third. | Duke the dog takes 75% of the vote in Cormorant mayoral election .
Great Pyrenees dog aged 7 celebrated with five hours of grooming .
Animal is often seen in the village pub eating hamburgers and chips . |
55,981 | 9eb0a82326e9040fe38429aa123ae23bde3a281e | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor and Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:03 EST, 19 June 2013 . Boast: Aides to Culture Secretary Maria Miller highlighted her children ahead of an internet porn summit . Maria Miller has been criticised for claiming she understands the need for internet porn controls because she is the ‘only mother at the Cabinet table’. The Culture Secretary’s aide made the comment ahead of yesterday’s Whitehall summit on the issue. Mrs Miller, who is married with three children, said at the weekend: ‘As a mother, I am determined to protect my children from the depravity of internet porn.’ The Cabinet’s other women – Home Secretary Theresa May, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and International Development Secretary Justine Greening – have no children. Labour’s media spokesman Helen Goodman said it was a ‘foolish’ choice of words. She added: ‘The job of Secretary of State is to stand up to the industry, not to start talking about her personality and family situation.’ Mrs Miller today hosted a summit in Parliament with senior figures from internet, communications and computing firms including Google, Microsoft and BT. The meeting agreed a new approach to tackling online child abuse images with a beefed-up role for the internet watchdog. Mrs Miller said they had agreed a ‘fundamental change’ to the way the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) works, with the industry-funded body set to adopt a role actively seeking out and blocking child pornography. The main UK internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed to provide extra funding for the IWF, understood to amount to £1 million, to help it take on the extra duties. Under current arrangements the IWF only acts on content that has been reported to it rather than proactively seeking out illegal images. Representatives from Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook, BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Vodafone, O2, EE and Three were summoned to the meeting. The Culture Secretary said illegal child abuse images had caused concerns ‘particularly in recent months’. Checks: The Internet Watch Foundation is to have a beefed up role in actively seeking out and blocking child pornography (file picture) The parents of murdered children April Jones and Tia Sharp have called for more action to tackle child porn on the internet as the Government and technology giants agreed a new crackdown. In interviews with Channel 5 News, five-year-old April's parents Paul and Coral Jones and 12-year-old Tia's father Steven Carter both agreed their children's killers were spurred on by sick images found online. Mark Bridger, who killed April in Mid-Wales, and Stuart Hazell, murderer of Tia in south London, were both found to have accessed child and violent pornography and some experts argue there is a clear link between their obsessions and their actions. Mr and Mrs Jones told Channel 5 News that they want Prime Minister David Cameron to get personally involved in the fight against child abuse online. Mrs Jones said: 'April was a fighter from the word go and I promised her I'll do this for her."I said I'll help other children, so their family don't have to go through this, their brothers and sisters. 'It's not just us it affects, it affects brothers and sisters as well. 'I just want it stopped and I think the Government should put more pressure and get it done now.' Mr Clark has told Channel 5 News that stopping indecent images of children from being published online could have saved his daughter Tia, who was brutally murdered by Stuart Hazell. He said: 'You're fuelling the beast and it needs to be stopped, it should have been stopped a long time ago when these people were setting up companies they should be looking at, right, what would be the outcome of indecent images of children?' Mark Bridger, who killed April Jones, . and Stuart Hazell, murderer of Tia Sharp, were both found to have . accessed child and violent pornography and some experts argue there is a . clear link between their obsessions and their actions. Mrs . Miller added: ‘I think any parent or anybody who is a resident in this . country wants to see illegal child abuse images dealt with, and dealt . with swiftly.’ But aides to the minister last night actively highlighted the fact that she is the ‘only mother in the Cabinet’. Helen . Goodman, Labour’s shadow media minister, said: ‘I think that was . foolish. It would be much better to come to Parliament and say this is . what we are thinking than briefing that you are the only mother in the . Cabinet. I don’t think we care about that.' Ms Goodman claimed the package agree was a 'damp squib'. She added: 'The job of Secretary of State is to stand up to the industry not to start talking about her personality and family situation. ‘We are not interested in how much people care. We are interested in how effective they are. There is not caring and wringing your hands if you don’t make some change.’ She added that it was ‘really shocking’ that Mr Cameron only had one mother in Cabinet. The remark risks being seen as insensitive towards her Cabinet colleagues. Home Secretary Theresa May, the most . senior woman in British politics, last year revealed her sense of loss . at not being a mother. She said: ‘It just didn’t happen. I mean, this isn’t something I generally go into, but things just turned out as they did. ‘You look at families all the time and you see there is something there that you don’t have,’ she told the Daily Telegraph. Other Cabinet ministers without children include Justine Greening, Eric Pickles and William Hague. In 2010 Mr Hague revealed how his wife Ffion has suffered ‘multiple miscarriages’. He said: ‘I have made no secret of the fact that Ffion and I would love to start a family. ‘For many years this has been our goal. Sadly this has proved more difficult for us than for most couples.’ It was also noted that Faith minister Baroness Warsi, who attends Cabinet but is not a full member, has a daughter. A Tory colleague said: ‘Maria has been briefed against and is probably defending herself from the recent continuous background attacks. ‘However her language was a little bit sloppy, protecting vulnerable people and enhancing online safety measures is a matter for all policy makers, whether they are a mother, father, grandparent, aunt uncles or simply a constituency MP.’ | Aides to the Culture Secretary highlighted her children ahead of summit .
Risked looking insensitive towards four childless Cabinet minister .
Meeting with Google, Microsoft and BT agrees to beef up web watchdog . |
122,394 | 2a3522bfbf217a050249b23b64d6b92e311798fa | A Royal Navy warship seized cocaine worth at least £10 million from a yacht in the Caribbean - just 24 hours after helping in the aftermath of a hurricane. HMS Argyll immediately switched from conducting relief duties in Bermuda, where she had been assisting authorities with damage caused by Hurricane Gonzalo. Crew of the ship's Lynx helicopter spotted the yacht in the Atlantic and alerted HMS Argyll, which sped toward it and forced it to stop. The seized drug bales on board HMS Argyll following a successful anti-narcotics operation by the Royal Navy in the Caribbean . HMS Argyll's Lynx helicopter hovers overhead while the ship's boarding team approaches the vessel suspected of carrying drugs . A search by the US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, working from HMS Argyll, uncovered 10 bales of cocaine. The drugs, which had a wholesale value of £10 million, were confiscated before the two crew members were taken into custody. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: 'This is yet another clear demonstration of the flexibility and versatility of the Royal Navy. HMS Argyll and her crew are playing a key role in disrupting the drugs trade which blights the UK as these sailors carry the confiscated drugs . 'HMS Argyll and her crew are playing a key role in disrupting the drugs trade which blights the UK. The British people should be proud of the work that they undertake on our behalf.' The bust was HMS Argyll's second in two months, having seized £21million in cocaine in August. The Type 23 frigate, based in Plymouth, Devon, is operating as part of a 15-nation collaboration to deny criminal organisations access to regions of Central America. The focus of the collaboration is to prevent the illegal movement of drugs from South America to the western world. The Type 23 frigate, based in Plymouth, Devon, is operating as part of a 15-nation collaboration to deny criminal organisations access to regions of Central America . HMS Argyll's Commanding Officer, Commander Paul Hammond, said: 'I am extremely proud of my ship's company; we put in a significant effort to assist the citizens of Bermuda and to sail and immediately conduct a slick interception of a drug smuggling vessel demonstrates dedication and the utmost professionalism.' Able Seaman Specialist Alex 'JR' Hartley added: 'Life on board is hectic at the moment, I was involved in working ashore to help the locals in Bermuda after Hurricane Gonzalo and the next day I drove one of our boats out to intercept a yacht with drugs on it. 'This is just typical of our deployment to be honest, life is challenging but rewarding on board HMS Argyll right now.' | HMS Argyll and crew are playing a key role in disrupting drugs trade which blights UK .
Bust was HMS Argyll's second in two months, having seized £21m in cocaine in August .
Argyll is operating as part of a 15-nation collaboration to deny criminal organisations access to regions of Central America . |
46,877 | 8414b0151a8e187fa69dcaa3c29f837c31c8f5dc | (CNN) -- Lake Providence, Louisiana, is the parish seat of the "most unequal place in America," meaning it has a higher rate of income inequality than any other parish or county. And until somewhat recently, the poor side of town was missing a key Google Maps feature. I visited the place last year for a CNN Change the List story, and it was immediately obvious the barrier between rich and poor is both economic and geographic. There's an oxbow lake -- Lake Providence -- that divides a largely rich white neighborhood from a primarily poorer black one. I was surprised to find there's not all that much interaction between each side of the lake, which I found reflective of a national "empathy gap." After the story published, a reader flagged for me the fact that, at the time, you couldn't search the poor side of Lake Providence using Google Street View. The poor side of town was invisible in that way. I noticed last week that that's now changed, praise be to Google! I'm not sure why, since the company's press office hasn't answered my questions about it. But I'm pleased, no matter what the reason. I think one issue with poverty in America is that it's too often unseen, regardless of what columnist Paul Krugman thinks. That Google left the poor side of Lake Providence without Street View probably wasn't intentional, but it was highly symbolic. I'm glad that neighborhood is now included -- not so people can gawk at it but so it's on even technological footing with the richer side. And so it exists. Here's how Google explained the omission in November: "We try to cover as many streets as possible but occasionally we miss the odd one or two -- for example there may have been road work that day, a street may have been inaccessible or simply because of human error our drivers may have missed a street," a spokeswoman said in an email to me. "It's also possible that we did drive a certain street, but discovered that when processing the imagery, the photographs collected did not meet our high quality imagery standards due to unforeseeable challenges like shadows, poor visibility conditions, etc. Hopefully we can come back and photograph it at a future date." "It wasn't for any reason about the demographics or anything like that -- or it being a poor area," spokeswoman Susan Cadrecha added at the time. "That does not factor into our decisions in any way to map areas. We're constantly updating this imagery and we're constantly trying to make it as accurate as possible. ... We want the whole world to be mapped, that's our eventual goal. We want people to be able to explore different areas." In other Lake Providence news, volunteers this year finished painting a hopeful mural near the center of town. It shows an image of Dede Willis, a college student who was featured at the start of the video I produced with CNN's Edythe McNamee. Pretty amazing. I hope to learn more about progress in Lake Providence in coming months. And the Census Bureau tells me it is scheduled to release new data on income inequality by county in December, which may offer new insight. | East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, has the highest income inequality in the nation .
The parish seat, Lake Providence, has a lake that divides rich from poor .
CNN's John Sutter says Google Street View previously did not show the poor side .
He writes that that's since changed; he applauds Google, whatever the reason . |
233,555 | ba5df8f44dd5109fe34509e7bf811d2767249816 | By . Daniel Mills . Forget Sydney's beaches and harbour or Melbourne's pubs and cafes, because the nation's best place to live and work is our often mocked national capital. That's based on data from one of the world's most respected economic bodies, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, using a 'well-being' index that compares factors such as the environment, income and health and safety of citizens in 362 regions around the world. The territory received three top 10 scores, more than any other region included on the list, for safety, income and civic engagement. Even its lowest score, for the environment, was still a massive 9.1. Of all the eight indicators, Canberra total score was 77.7 out of a possible 80. Scroll down for video . While living conditions in Canberra might be top class, it has built up a reputation as a boring city with little to do . Canberra is truly the place to visit all-year round. During summer it's dry and desolate while in the winter months it is one of the coldest places in the country . As the political heartland of the country, Canberra, along with six other of our state's and territories received top score of 10 for its civic engagement - meaning Australia is more in tune with its political system than just about anywhere else. The high number of voter engagement, about 95 per cent, was taken from the 2013 Federal Election and largely reflects the fact that voting in Australia is mandatory. Australia had the highest average voter turnout of any other region based on the previous national election. Voter turnout is defined as the ratio between the number of voters to the number of persons with voting rights. The statistics also confirmed the capital has a higher average income than the 360 regions identified, and it terms of its murder rate - that's practically non existent. Canberra has the lowest murder rate across Australia averaging just one in 100,000 people. It's commonly confused that Sydney, and not Canberra, is referred to as Australia's capital city. Despite its knockers, Canberra seems to be making its place on the world stage. A New York Times article recently told its readers that while it does not compare to the 'glitzier city of Sydney' and 'there are no beaches or iconic opera houses' it does have 'big-sky beauty, breezy civic pride and a decidedly hipster underbelly.' The best way to enjoy Canberra, the Times said, is 'with deep intakes of mountain air and an ear tuned to the calls of sulphur-crested cockatoos and crimson rosellas.' Unlike most cities, Canberra was purposefully built as the nation's capital and the road network is built with an incredibly high number of roundabouts . Income 10/10 . Safety 10/10 . Civic Engagement 10/10 . Health 9.9/10 . Accessibility to services 9.6/10 . Jobs 9.6/10 . Environment 9.5/10 . Education 9.1/10 . It also recommended going for a bicycle ride which loops one of the capital's premier attractions, it's lake. But it isn't just any lake, it was named after Chicago man, Walter Burley Griffin, who designed the capital built in the centre of Melbourne and Sydney. Tasmania's score for education is 5.6, putting it in the bottom 27 per cent of the OECD regions. The ACT is high on the list, in the top 19 per cent, but when it comes to the country's natural environment, look no further than Tasmania, NSW and QLD which all score a perfect 10 out of 10. The Northern Territory doesn't fare quite as well as its neighbouring state's and territories, scoring just 4.1 for health and 1.4 for safety.Its health score is in the OECD's bottom 29 per cent, while its safety score is in the bottom 13 per cent. Canberra and the ACT can count itself a lucky place to live, with a higher average income, civic engagement and better safety than some of the 300 regions on the OECD list . The war museum in Canberra, it was revealed recently, was Australia's number one tourist attraction . Lake Burley Griffin was named in honour of Water Burley Griffin, the Chicago-born architect which designed the capital city from scratch . Tasmania, along with Queensland and NSW, scored 10 out of 10 in the environment category . The Northern Territory doesn't fare quite as well as its neighboring states and territories, scoring just 4.1 for health and 1.4 for safety . | The ACT scored a top of 77.7 out of 80 based on eight well-being indicators .
It scored 10-out-of-10 for Safety, Income and Civic Engagement .
The OECD ranked indicators from more than 360 other regions in the world .
Northern Territory fared Australia's worse region on safety and health . |
182,534 | 785fdf8087e2f676beaae3947513ebd110dc27f0 | Wayne Rooney has been starving for goals in 2015, but the Manchester United captain showed a hunger of a different kind on Thursday night. The 29-year-old was seen out on a dinner date with his wife Coleen as they ate out at their favourite restaurant Wing's Chinese. Wing's Restaurant is a popular haunt for Rooney, who has held his last two birthday celebrations there, and over the past few weeks has been helping the venue get some publicity after starring in an educational video in the build up to Chinese New Year earlier this month. Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney and wife Coleen ate out at Wing's Chinese restaurant on Thursday . Rooney took part in a recent Q and A session at the restaurant with fans about playing for United . The fans were keen to know who are the best players that Rooney has played with among other things . The striker also posed with the restaurant's golden dragon mascot, tried his hand at paper cutting and lion dancing, before chatting to fans about his career in a recent Q and A session with some fans during a recent promotional campaign for establishment. Rooney has only netted just once in 10 games since the turn of the year - as Louis van Gaal's side have struggled in the final third recently. The Red Devils skipper has been largely used in midfield by Van Gaal this season, but he was deployed up front in their 2-1 defeat away at Swansea on February 21. Defeat for the OId Trafford outfit was compounded by the fact that they were overtaken by Arsenal into third place in the Premier League too. Van Gaal and Rooney will be looking to get United's Champions League ambitions back on track when they host Sunderland at home on Saturday afternoon. Rooney (centre) has only scored one goal in 10 appearances since the turn of the year for United . The 29-year-old (right) looks crestfallen as United slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Swansea on February 21 . | Wayne Rooney went on a dinner date with his wife Coleen on Thursday .
Rooney has only scored once in 10 matches for Manchester United in 2015 .
29-year-old started up front as United lost 2-1 at Swansea on February 21 .
Red Devils host Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon . |
56,649 | a0854eaebd234fb990c1e9b096b8ba8bbe673b1d | (CNN) -- It wasn't the best day for Trekkers. After a successful online campaign that propelled "Vulcan" - the most well-known planet from "Star Trek" - to the top of a poll to name two moons orbiting Pluto, fans found out on Tuesday that the moons would be named "Kerberos" and "Styx" (which placed second and third) instead. The SETI Institute explained that despite the popularity of "Vulcan" (in large part due to a Twitter campaign by "Trek's" own William Shatner and endorsed by castmate Leonard Nimoy), the name was not new to the world of astronomy. "The (International Astronomical Union) gave serious consideration to this name, which happens to be shared by the Roman god of volcanoes," SETI stated in a press release. "However, because that name has already been used in astronomy, and because the Roman god is not closely associated with Pluto, this proposal was rejected." (IAU rules state that the moons must be named after characters from the underworld of Greek or Roman mythology.) The name was given to a hypothetical planet, which was believed to exist near Mercury, but that theory has since been discredited. Shatner made no bones about his displeasure with the decision on his Twitter feed. "I'm sad," he tweeted. "So they name a moon Kerebus because there's already a Cerebus asteroid but a mythological planet knocks out Vulcan?" He went on, "Star Trek fans have had it rough. First JJ (Abrams) blows up Vulcan and now SETI finds a loophole to deny it from coming back!" Whose tech is better: 'Star Trek' or 'Star Wars'? He also said, "I think they used us for promotional purposes! They're probably Star Wars fans!" "Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!" tweeted Nicole Motillaro. "My poor Pluto doesn't get its Vulcan moon." However, others cheered the decision. "Hurray for the preservation of astronomical history!" wrote astronomer Mike Brown, who is so famous for helping to downgrade Pluto below planetary status that he goes by @plutokiller on Twitter. In the meantime, the members of the band Styx were positively giddy. "Styx is proud to accept this new heavenly chart position as we add orbiting Pluto to our ever expanding touring map," guitarist and songwriter Tommy Shaw told Ultimateclassicrock.com. "As always we have our fans to thank for it and I predict a new Styx T-shirt in the making!" So there must certainly be mixed feelings for those who enjoy "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Mr. Roboto" equally. Shields up! Scientists work to produce 'Star Trek' deflector . | The SETI institute named two moons orbiting Pluto 'Kerberos' and 'Styx'
Despite winning online poll, the name 'Vulcan' was not chosen .
'Star Trek's' William Shatner professed outrage at the decision on Twitter .
The band Styx, however, was delighted with the news . |
55,241 | 9c8280d720f67b049306a377f436592e43fb601c | London, England (CNN) -- With competition still fierce in the jobs market, some people might be tempted to beef up their resume by buying a fake degree. The problem of fake degrees is nothing new, but the Internet has made it easier than ever to obtain a bogus qualification. George Gollin, a board member of the U.S.-based Council for Higher Education Accreditation, told CNN he estimates that more than 100,000 fake degrees are sold each year in the U.S. alone. Of those, around one third are postgraduate degrees. He added that a bogus degree will typically cost $1,000. By trade, Gollin is a physics professor at the University of Illinois. He first became interested in degree mills after being spammed with offers of fake college degrees. According to a story in Wired Magazine, his interest turned to outrage after he stumbled upon news of a forensic psychologist who had purchased her degree. "Here's this person who's untrained doing therapeutic interventions," he told Wired. "I thought, 'Jesus, this is really bad.'" The institutions that sell these fake qualifications are known as either diploma mills or degree mills. Diploma mills issue fraudulent diplomas supposedly granted by real universities, while degree mills pose as real universities. According to Gollin, setting up a degree mill is simply a matter of creating a Web site that looks like it belongs to a genuine university. The Web site includes a way for customers to pay for their qualifications online and a place for prospective employers to contact to verify the degree is genuine. Some degree mills award degrees on the basis of the buyer's supposed "life experience," while others require a small amount of coursework. One degree mill required about a week's worth of coursework to earn a masters degree. Gollin said this token coursework is largely for the customers' benefit -- to help them convince themselves they have earned their qualification. While some people might be duped into believing they are obtaining a legitimate qualification, Gollin said that almost everyone buying from a degree mill knows they are getting a fake. "Anyone who's had any contact with a real college curriculum knows how hard you have to work," Gollin told CNN. "If you can get a whole PhD over the course of one week and you don't know that's not legitimate, then you're just dumb." But for some, knowingly buying a fake degree is an easy way of improving their job prospects. "Generally, fake degrees are usually bought for economic advantage for people who are seeking promotion or seeking to get jobs where the employer wants them to have a degree," Gollin told CNN. Those people come from all walks of life. Gollin gave the example of one American who bought a Bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering, and who's now working in the control room of a nuclear power plant. He also cited a U.S. degree mill that sells fake PhDs to real medical doctors for $10,000, and added that unqualified doctors have been jailed in the U.S. after attempting to practice medicine with a medical degree bought online. According to the story in Wired, Gollin was instrumental in the case brought against a degree mill which operated various bogus universities, including Saint Regis University. The "Saint Regis" degree mill was estimated to have made $7 million from selling fake qualifications to more than some 9,600 customers in 131 countries, according to Wired. In 2008, the couple behind the Saint Regis degree mill were each jailed for three years. In the U.S., and other countries, it is illegal to issue what purports to be a university degree without the approval of a government agency. But degree mills are often set up in such a way that makes it very hard to track down the people running the operation. Gollin warned that degree mills are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often carrying official-seeming accreditation that makes them appear to be genuine universities. The catch is that the accreditation is supplied by bogus organizations -- "accreditation mills." If it's difficult for the authorities to keep tabs on the degree mills, it can be even harder for employers to spot if a potential employee has fake qualifications, but Gollin said there are steps that employers can take to guard against fraudsters. Many countries have government-run web sites where you can easily check if a university is officially accredited. But because diploma mills offer fake degrees from real universities, it is essential that employers also check with someone at the university that the degree was actually issued. If someone claims to have an advanced degree for which they should have written a thesis, they should be able to produce a copy of that thesis. If they can't provide contact details for their graduate studies advisor, be suspicious. But separating the real from the fake becomes even more complicated if a job candidate has a qualification obtained overseas. Not only can it be hard to verify that a foreign university is genuine, Gollin said there have been cases of professors at real universities in West Africa selling degrees on the side. He added that some legitimate U.S. universities are unwittingly partnering with degree mills that operate abroad. Gollin said, "This is a very sophisticated problem and I think it will continue to be a concern as international education becomes more significant." | Degree mills sell bogus qualifications online, often without requiring any study .
An expert says at least 100,000 fake degrees are sold in the U.S. each year .
Degree mills can be highly sophisticated and hard for authorities to shut down . |
89,112 | fcf072ab0dce324e030b245941cbdbba58ce22a1 | A mother has told of her heartbreaking victory in a landmark court case which allowed her to end the life of her severely disabled daughter. Twelve-year-old Nancy Fitzmaurice was born blind and unable to walk, talk, eat or drink unaided. She suffered from meningitis, septicaemia and fluid on the brain. Before the right-to-die ruling – a first for a child without a terminal illness and not on life support – her mother Charlotte wrote in a statement to the court: ‘My daughter is no longer my daughter. Scroll down for video . Nancy Fitzmaurice's mother, Charlotte (right) , has spoken of the heartbreak of letting her disabled daughter die . Ms Fitzmaurice, 36, gave up her job as an NHS nurse so she could stay by her severely disabled daughter's side . Nancy was born blind and suffering from fluid on the brain, meningitis and septicaemia, which left her unable to talk, walk, eat or drink . ‘She is now merely just a shell. The light from her eyes is now gone and is replaced with fear and a longing to be at peace.’ Miss Fitzmaurice, 36, added: ‘Today I am appealing to you for Nancy as I truly believe she has endured enough. For me to say that breaks my heart. But I have to say it.’ The judge granted the request in August and Nancy died 14 days later. Her case saw London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital – which had provided her with round-the-clock care – fight on behalf of the girl’s parents to give them the right to end her life. The ruling sets a precedent as it is the first time a child breathing on their own and not suffering from a terminal illness has been allowed to die. Miss Fitzmaurice, who had given up work as a nurse to be her daughter’s carer, said: ‘Nancy was screaming and writhing in agony for 24 hours a day and it broke my heart to see her like that. ‘Not being able to help her or ease her suffering was too much to bear. ‘She wasn’t my angelic child any more, she was just a shell. I wanted to have beautiful memories of Nancy, not soul-crushing ones.' Doctors only discovered that Ms Fitzmaurice was carrying Group B Streptococcus two days before Nancy was born. If they had known earlier, they could have easily treated the baby while she was in her mother's womb . After a routine operation went wrong, leaving her daughter in agonising pain, Ms Fitzmaurice and Nancy's father, David Wise (right), took the decision to let her die . Nancy's quality of life was so poor that she depended on round-the-clock hospital care and was fed and watered through a tube . She added: ‘Sitting at her bedside and holding her hand, it killed me that there was nothing I could do to help her. All of the nurses were in tears as they witnessed her screaming and doubling over in pain. ‘All I wanted was for my daughter to die with dignity with me by her side, holding her hand.’ Two days before giving birth in July 2002, Miss Fitzmaurice, from Ilford, Essex, was told her daughter was likely to be severely ill as she carried Group B Streptococcus. If caught early the condition is easily treatable in the womb with antibiotics, but the mother-to-be was told that as it had gone untreated, it would harm her unborn child. At ten days old, Nancy had to have a shunt – a small tube with a valve – fitted to drain fluid in her brain. A High Court judge ruled that Nancy, pictured being held by her grandmother Elaine Hewitt, should have her fluids withdrawn . The operation for kidney stones had left Nancy 'screaming and writhing in agony for 24 hours a day', Ms Fitzmaurice said . Her illness was so severe doctors warned she would die before her fourth birthday. Despite that outlook, Nancy survived far beyond the age of four. But a routine operation in May 2012 to remove kidney stones left her with an infection and specialists told her parents there was nothing more they could do. She became immune to the strong pain relief cocktail of morphine and ketamine, leaving her in agony. It was then that her mother and father David Wise met the ethics board at Great Ormond Street Hospital to beg them to put an end to Nancy’s suffering. While doctors agreed to stop feeding her, they were not able to withdraw all fluids and said it could take months for her to die. After her fluids were withdrawn by doctors, it took two weeks for 12-year-old Nancy to die . Ms Fitzmaurice misses her daughter every day, but says she knows it was 'the right thing to do' Heartbroken: Ms Fitzmaurice said the 'absolutely horrifying' day her daughter died was the hardest of her life . The hospital agreed to take Nancy’s case to the High Court, to argue that she deserved the right to a quicker, less painful death. On August 7 this year, Mrs Justice Eleanor King read Miss Fitzmaurice’s plea and declared it was in the mother and daughter’s best interests to withdraw fluids. ‘The love, devotion and competence of her mother are apparent,’ the judge said. ‘In her own closed world [Nancy] has had some quality of life. ‘Sadly that is not the case now. Please can you tell Nancy’s mother that I have great admiration for her, and please express my deep condolences to her.’ Nancy died two weeks later, on August 21, with her family at her side. Her mother said: ‘The last day was the hardest of my life. It was absolutely horrifying. ‘I miss my beautiful girl every day and although I know it was the right thing to do, I will never forgive myself. ‘It shouldn’t have to be a mother’s decision to end their child’s life.’ Mr Wise, a 47-year-old businessman, added: ‘It was heartbreaking to see my daughter like that. Nancy never spoke so we never knew how she felt. She couldn’t tell us what she was going through and it was the hardest decision we’ve ever made.’ | Nancy Fitzmaurice was born blind, with meningitis and other complications .
She was unable to talk, walk, eat or drink and needed round-the-clock care .
Doctors told Nancy's parents she would struggle to make it to age of four .
Devoted mother Charlotte Fitzmaurice gave up her job to look after Nancy .
A routine operation left Nancy, aged 12, in constant, agonising pain .
Ms Fitzmaurice made the heartbreaking decision to end her daughter's life .
High Court judge made legal history and ruled hospital could let her die .
Doctors withdrew Nancy's fluids and she died two weeks later .
'It was the right thing to do, but I will never forgive myself,' mother says . |
99,015 | 0b847a4380e6939c0413099eb55875c5712fa83b | Want to emulate Ollie Proudlock's bulging biceps or achieve a stomach as toned as Lucy Watson's? Now you can, thanks to Made In Chelsea's official fitness DVD. The stars of TV's poshest show - and a host of top trainers - joined forces for the E4 show’s first official fitness programme, MIC:FIT. FEMAIL caught up with the cast to find out the secrets they swear by for staying in shape. Ollie Proudlock, Binky Felstead, Spencer Matthews and Lucy Watson are hoping to help kick-start your 2015 fitness regime and promise that their plan 'isn't about losing weight, but about turning fat into muscle'. Scroll down for video . From left to right, Binky Felstead, Spencer Matthews, Ollie Proudlock and Lucy Watson have joined forces with the UK's top trainers to create their very own fitness DVD, MIC: FIT and reveal their workout secrets . The DVD, which promises to reveal the cast members' secrets to 'looking hot with a hectic lifestyle and how they keep fit when not partying in Chelsea', was a Christmas bestseller. So why did these four cast members make the cut to showcase their athletic prowess? 'We all love our fitness and go to the gym a lot, so we thought it would be fun,' explains Binky. The programme features four high-energy 20-minute workouts, one from each of the cast members. Get the Chelsea look: The foursome are hoping to help kick-start your fitness regime with their top tips . Want bodies like ours? Of course you do! Former flames Lucy and Spencer get sweaty in the DVD . First up is Binky Felstead, who shares her favourite Tabata Wake Up Call Workout - a four-minute intense routine she promises is fun while it burns lots of calories. 'I used to be a gymphobic,' she said. 'But now I love working out and prefer having a personal trainer so I can get it out of the way first thing in the morning.' Meanwhile, Spencer pretends he’s not in pain while working up an energising sweat with a 20-minute High Intensity Interval Training routine, also known as HIIT. This routine is designed to work on the abs, arms and legs by alternating periods of short, intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. Judging from his delighted grin in the campaign shots, he abs-solutely loves it - but that's not what his castmates say. 'Spencer 100 per cent found doing the DVD the hardest because he wasn't in the best shape but he's reached that now,' they said. Fit Felstead: Binky (left) shares her favourite Tabata Wake Up Call Workout with Ollie Proudlock (left) Spencer (left) tackles Binky's (right) 20-minute High Intensity Interval Training routine, also known as HIIT . Despite Lucy’s claims she’s biologically incapable of sweating, she proves otherwise with her Beach Body Workout that uses just the body's weight without any equipment. It focuses on getting all the right bits toned before you put on that bikini or beachwear - something the actress-turned-model knows all about. And then there's hipster Proudlock, who introduces a special yoga and Pilates-inspired workout called the Chelsea Morning Power Stretch. It not only works on the core but also helps the boyd recover from the more strenuous routines, he said. 'It's really good for those who want to stretch out their muscles,' he said. Proudlock and Binky have created workout with personal trainers they think will keep you fit while having fun . The fit four think that toff Mark Francis Vandelli could do with using their DVD the most and say they've all been squeezing in 20-minute sessions daily over the Christmas break. The Chelsea clan are currently filming for the latest series, which - quite fittingly - saw Binky dating a personal trainer, Proudlock rocking crucifix earrings, Spencer living up to his lothario status and Lucy getting up in everyone's grill. So what's on the agenda for 2015? 'I need to pass my driving test, it's my third time,' admitted Binky. Charitable Proudlock wants to rescue a dog, take up singing lessons, hang out with his family more and be 'more decisive', while Lucy wants to prioritise her friends and family over work. The trio also have big plans to develop their personal brands. Proudlock will be adding a womenswear range to his Serge DeNimes line, Binky wants to add skincare and perfume to her Binky London cosmetics range and Lucy plans to develop her jewellery collection further. Ollie introduces a special yoga and Pilates-inspired workout called the Chelsea Morning Power Stretch . MIC:FIT is released on DVD and Digital HD through Universal Pictures on 1st December. Pre-order your £19.99 copy now and join the conversation at #MICFIT . | The reality TV foursome created a DVD for a New Year exercise routine .
They say co-star Mark Francis Vandelli needs MIC:FIT the most .
Programme's £19.99 official fitness DVD was a Christmas bestseller . |
41,285 | 747430a224df7b2c40bf373f801c1fb3d9864595 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 08:07 EST, 19 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:45 EST, 19 August 2013 . A couple proved a real match of the day when the groom surprised his bride-to-be by arranging their wedding for during half-time of a Premier League football game. Jade Barker, 23, was eagerly anticipating tying the knot with fiance Levi Stone, 23, when she turned up at Stoke City FC's Britannia Stadium on the morning of her wedding. Levi had been tasked with arranging the entire surprise ceremony as part of a TV documentary and had decided to hold the entire thing at his beloved football team's stadium. Levi and Jade Stone said their vows in front of thousands of football fans during half time of a Premier League football match . Even though their big date had fallen on Stoke's clash with Tottenham Hotspur that didn't stop determined Levi from giving his bride her special day. The pair enjoyed VIP seats of the action as stunned Jade sat in the stands wearing her lavish white wedding dress. And at half time the pair got to tie the knot and said their vows in front of 28,000 screaming football fans on the pitch to chants of: 'You don't know what you're doing!' The blushing bride was even made to wear football boots so as not to damage Stoke's hallowed turf with her high heels. The newlywed couple then enjoyed a lap of honour of the ground before settling down to watch the second half. Stoke went on to lose the game 2-1. Levi had been tasked with arranging the entire surprise ceremony as part of a TV documentary and had decided to hold the entire thing at his beloved football team's stadium . The pair, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., and 150 guests then danced he night away on a special Astroturf dance floor complete with goals and cardboard cut-out footballers. Jade admitted that although her original thoughts were 'what the hell are we doing here?' she thoroughly enjoyed her big day. Jade, a lifeguard trainer, said: 'I didn't know what was going on but I trusted him. He did amazingly. We both got what we wanted. 'My dress was amazing and he got a lads wedding at the stadium. 'The worst part of it was being away from him for so long. 'I didn't think about all the people watching because I hadn't seen him for three weeks so I was just so happy to be back with him saying our vows. 'Although when we got there I did ask "what the hell are we doing here?" I couldn't believe I was at a football match on my wedding day. 'The worst part was walking through all the Spurs fans and I heard some people chant "you don't know what your doing." 'But I wanted to marry him wherever it would be and I wouldn't change any of it for the world.' The pair's story is about to hit the screens in the BBC Three show Don't Tell The Bride, which sees men organise their weddings behind their partners' backs. Producers give the groom £12,000 to plan a wedding in just three weeks while the bride moves back in with her parents and is allowed no contact with her fiance. Levi explained his risky reasoning behind choosing his beloved Stoke City FC as the wedding venue. Levi, who works as a project manager, said: 'I've been watching Stoke City for about 10 years. 'It's like my church so I thought it would be a perfect venue. 'Firstly it was brought up at the pub as a joke but then me and and my best man Damien started to seriously consider the idea. Even though their big date had fallen on Stoke's clash with Tottenham Hotspur that didn't stop determined Levi from giving his bride her special day . 'Some parts were stressful but I was optimistic and organised so it I managed to stay on top of it. 'We both knew that we wanted to get married and we never wanted a long term engagement so it worked perfectly.' Jade came up with the idea for Levi to apply even before he had proposed. Levi popped the question on March 21 and the pair tied the knot on May 12. Best man Damien, 22, added: 'Every minute of the planning was such a laugh and the actual day was amazing.' The show airs on BBC Three tomorrow at 9pm. | Jade Barker, 23, married Levi Stone, 23, at Stoke City FC's Britannia Stadium .
Levi arranged the unusual ceremony for TV show Don't Tell The Bride .
Jade had to swap heels for football boots .
Completed honour lap as fans cheered 'you don't know what you're doing'
Stoke lost to Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 . |
131,499 | 36091ea7376df2917f851f3d8b87bd736d1ccb80 | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- When Atlanta police officers Bryan Ernest and Bernatt Collins get a burglary call, they know that the house they walk into will probably be stripped, right down to the materials inside the walls. Calls to Atlanta, Georgia, police are increasing for vacant homes ransacked by burglars. They are part of a special burglary detail formed to watch the increasing number of vacant houses resulting from unpaid mortgages. Drawing their guns, the officers approach an empty house and shout "Atlanta police!" before entering. It's a burglary call, and they have to expect the worst. But the officers usually get to a home long after the thief has gone, leaving Sheetrock hanging from the walls like shredded cardboard, giant holes in the ceilings and exposed wiring minus its valuable copper parts. Watch foreclosed homes gutted by thieves » . "This is all copper that they are taking out down the walls," Ernest said. "You can see where the outlets were, any bit of copper they take." The Atlanta Police Department doesn't know how many homes have been hit. The police are not keeping records that differentiate between thieves who steal from occupied homes and those who rip out copper and appliances from vacant houses, many of them the result of the nation's foreclosure crisis. See foreclosures across the country » . Across the country, law enforcement officials report that more empty houses are being burglarized. Developers are unable to sell newly built homes, and landlords have trouble renting properties. Atlanta is one of the few police departments that has formed a special vacant home burglary team. Rising copper prices are driving some of the thievery, but that's not all the burglars are taking. Wanda Vaughn and her mother, Vera, operate a contracting service. Banks and homeowners hire them to fix what's been broken and/or replace stolen items after a thief strikes. Sometimes they replace everything in a home and board it up to prevent more burglaries. Wanda Vaughn has seen water heaters ripped out and dumped on hardwood floors and carpet. "This has to be torn out and replaced," she said while walking through a burglarized house in Atlanta. "The baseboards have to be torn out because of mold on all the carpet padding and subflooring." Estimated damage: between $15,000 and $20,000 for only about $40 worth of copper. "They took the stove, the refrigerator, the cabinets, everything, including the kitchen sink!" Vaughn said. Although some areas Ernest and Collins have patrolled over the past year are areas typically targeted by criminals, the burglaries are becoming more prevalent in affluent neighborhoods. "The neighbors have been calling and saying they are hearing banging or seeing a vehicle that's parked at a house that's supposed to be vacant," Ernest said. Some thieves carry book bags full of copper. Others push baby carriages and shopping carts full of stripped building materials. "Whatever they can push or pull to get this stuff out, they use," Collins said. County and city code enforcement departments often have difficulty locating homeowners. Some live out of town, and others have abandoned the houses after being unable to make mortgage payments, police said. House investor Bob Forbes said it's a constant battle when a home he owns is burglarized. Forbes usually installs steel cages around the air conditioning units outside the houses, but thieves take the air conditioner apart and pull the smaller pieces through the cage, leaving an empty concrete slab and padlock dangling off the bars of the cage. "In one house, I betcha I replaced the air conditioning condensers three times, and they kept coming back," he said. "If you don't have somebody in the house, it's going to happen. In one house that was about to close escrow, the plumbing was perfect. I came in the next day, and the plumbing, including the toilets, was gone!" | Vacant homes across the country are being burglarized at a high rate .
Many homes have been left empty by homeowners who cannot rent them .
Atlanta Police Department has special team to fight the special kind of burglary .
Materials like copper are being stripped from the buildings and sold by thieves . |
132,193 | 36f57d17fa500e9679e478a61865f310934c3247 | GAINESVILLE, Georgia (CNN) -- When 19-year-old Reid Overton wants to smoke a cigarette on his college campus, he has to walk to a distant parking lot and get into his car, but he doesn't seem to mind. "Even as a smoker, I don't like to walk past a cloud of smoke," he says. Reid Overton, a freshman at Gainesville State College in Georgia, heads to his car when he wants a smoke. Overton is one of 5,300 students at Gainesville State College, an hour north of Atlanta, Georgia. A 4-year-old ban prohibits anyone from using tobacco products on campus, including students, faculty and visitors. A smoke-free campus was the brainchild of longtime college president Martha Nesbitt, herself a former smoker. "It's just a healthier place to be," says Nesbitt, "because as you go in a building, you're not going to have to go through smoke. When you walk out, you don't see cigarette butts littered around. It's just a cleaner, healthier campus." Nesbitt reports there haven't been any problems enforcing the ban. Signs are posted around campus, and the policy is prominently displayed on everything from the school Web site to admissions applications. The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation reports nearly 60 college campuses around the United States have smoke-free policies that affect the entire campus. Other schools have limited restrictions, banning smoking indoors in residential housing and student facilities. Nesbitt believes her college is one of the first to fully prohibit the use of tobacco products. Watch more on efforts to curb smoking on campus » . The American Cancer Society says the movement is catching on. "The trend toward a smoke-free country is going on everywhere," says Daniel Smith, president of the American Cancer Society Action Network. "I think college campuses are simply reflecting the same trend we're seeing in society." With the 30th anniversary this week of the nationwide Great American Smokeout, the cancer society is pushing a smoke-free college campus initiative. It encourages campus coordinators to hold competitions and distribute survival kits that include gum and support information. The group is trying to convince students that if they can quit for a day, they can quit for good. According to the cancer society, the prevalence of smoking in the United States is highest among college-age students, ages 18 to 24. While other age groups are decreasing their tobacco use, the cancer society says college students are smoking at a greater rate. Those statistics worry Smith. "We know that 30 percent of all cancers are caused by smoking," he says. He blames the addiction rates among young adults on heavy marketing efforts on college campuses by tobacco companies. "Many people might initially think it's cool. But when they're educated about the health effects, by that time, they are addicted, and it's very hard to quit." Overton isn't all that worried about cutting back on his pack-a-day smoking habit, but he says that long walk to his car has provided some added benefits. "It doesn't encourage me to quit, but it does encourage me to cut back some." That's welcome news for some of his nonsmoking classmates. "I'm not forced to be around all of the smokers," says freshman Matthew Bradford, 19. "I'm not breathing it in all of the time, and it's nice to get some fresh air when you get out of class." E-mail to a friend . Judy Fortin is a correspondent with CNN Medical News. | American Cancer Society: Trend of smoke-free colleges is growing .
Nearly 60 U.S. colleges have smoke-free policies that affect entire campus .
Cancer society: U.S. smoking prevalence highest among people ages 18-24 . |
273,273 | ee003eec25f6a9df2381aa2abd3bb1472ad8f533 | (CNN) -- One poker player gave new meaning to the saying "throwing money down the drain." Christian Lusardi, 42, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, flushed $2.7 million worth of counterfeit poker chips down the toilet in a room at Harrah's Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey state police said. He was arrested over the weekend, police said. Lusardi disposed of the fake chips he was using during the Winter Poker Open's "Big Stack, No Limit Hold 'Em" event at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, police said. Tournament personnel found 160 of the counterfeit poker chips -- each with a value of $5,000, for a total of $800,000 -- among the genuine casino chips, police said. The discovery in clogged sewer pipes prompted Harrah's to notify Borgata officials. The counterfeit chips forced officials to suspend the event for 24 hours. Soon after, the tournament was canceled. "This was a very unusual occurrence. It's the first time in Borgata's 10 years that anything like this has happened," Joe Lupo, senior vice president of operations at Borgata, told CNN. Authorities found Lusardi Friday at a motel in Atlantic City. Legendary gambler accused of marking cards in California casino . "We are very pleased that the New Jersey State Police Casino Gaming Bureau has apprehended a suspect," Lupo said. "While this is a very positive development, the investigation by the Division of Gaming Enforcement and the State Police is ongoing." Police say Lusardi introduced the counterfeit chips into the tournament on multiple occasions. Lusardi obtained $6,814 in winnings during the tournament. Lusardi was charged with rigging a publicly exhibited contest, criminal attempt, and theft by deception. He was being held on $300,000 bail, with no option to pay 10%, at the Atlantic City Jail, police said. The poker tournament began in mid-January with more than 4,800 people enrolled. When it was canceled Friday, 27 people remained in the tournament. Gambler gives $10K reward to Vegas cabbie who found his $300K . | A poker player used fake chips in the Winter Poker Open in Atlantic City, cops say .
Christian Lusardi, 42, flushed the chips down a hotel toilet, clogging the pipes, cops say .
Tournament officials had to cancel the event with 27 of 4,800 players left . |
58,331 | a5648015932545eb049bc7b9798d752c6b00d20d | They eat three full meals a day, drink from a cup, they've grown teeth and can walk and talk, but these three-year-old triplets are still breastfed by their mother once or twice a day. Davina Wright, 45, has been breastfeeding her triplets - Willow, Connor and Summer - since they were born and will continue as long as she is physically capable. Ms Wright, who lives in Hong Kong with her husband Jason, was doing 30-40 feeds a day when their two daughters and son were first born but has since scaled back to just morning and night. Scroll down for video . Davina Wright, 45, has been breastfeeding her triplets - Connor, Willow and Summer - since they were born and will continue as long as she is physically capable . 'They each have their own room and I go in to each of them individually and it is a lovely bit of one-on-one time,' Ms Wright told Daily Mail Australia. 'At three years old they are basically just fed to sleep, not that they actually fall asleep, it's more like 'fed to calm/sleepy'. 'In reality it is only about 10-15 minutes of their day, their hectic, chaotic, loud, busy, competitive, triplet day, where they get to sit quietly by themselves with mummy.' Ms Wright also breastfeeds first thing in the morning and she says the three toddlers are highly competitive as they fuss over who has to wait to be nursed. 'My kids walk and talk and eat solid food and drink from a cup and are independent and have a full set of teeth... all the things that people point out as reasons for weaning, but in actuality a child can do all these things and still be breastfed,' she said. Ms Wright says her triplets eat solid food and have a full set of teeth but she still breastfeeds morning and night to spend one-on-one time with each of her children . The three toddlers can be highly competitive as they fuss over who waits to be nursed, according to Ms Wright . 'I think the weaning down of feeds during the day was partly because we got so busy… there was play and stimulation and they just asked for it less. 'I really only say no to them now... when we are out in public. I say that we will wait until we are home for that now, simply because I am aware of how many eyes are on us.' The Wrights, who lived in New Zealand when the triplets were born, tried several plans before finally working out how to breastfeed three hungry mouths and still manage to sleep. 'We finally settled on (Jason) sleeping in the nursery with the two girls and bottle feeding them my breast milk at night,' she said. 'I would sleep in our bedroom with the third one and breastfeed him. Then after every feed I would pump the breast milk, which became the next nights feeding for the girls. Davina and her husband Jason gave birth to triplets after two rounds of IVF when they lived in New Zealand . 'As they got older they got much quicker at feeding and instead of 30-40 minutes, they would be done in 15-20, and then as they got older it still only takes 10 minutes.' Ms Wright, who has two adult daughters from her first marriage, breastfed them until they self-weaned at 13 months. 'I set myself the goal of two years with the triplets, not fully sure that we would get that far, and definitely not thinking we would still be going at three years old,' she said. 'But they are still happy with it and I am still happy with it and it works for our family so we keep going. Ms Wright used to feed 30-40 times a day when the triplets were newborns. But she has since cut scaled back to just twice a day . Ms Wright says a breastfeeding relationship is between a mother and child and they are the only people who should have a say in how long it continues . 'It has been everything to their lives, it has slowly changed to being a very small part of their lives, and one day it will be a distant memory in their lives. 'A breastfeeding relationship is between a mother and child and they are the only people who should have a say in how long it continues. The beauty being that every mother gets to decide for herself.' 'I know that extended, or natural-term breastfeeding isn't for everyone, and that is okay. I would say to people if it's not for you then don't do it, simple as that.' | Davina Wright still breastfeeds her triplets Willow, Connor and Summer .
The 45-year-old was doing 30-40 feeds a day when they were born but has since scaled back to just morning and night .
She says breastfeeding is a chance for one-on-one time with her children .
Ms Wright says she knows extended breast-feeding isn't seen as the norm but believes a mother and child should determine how long it goes for . |
230,593 | b69b3fe98f8e2a6a2a4c14a9d8ea595985369808 | These incredible photographs show the moment a pair of frogs camouflaged themselves against a leaf to help protect their precious eggs. The amphibians can barely be seen at a quick glance as they cling to the green foliage at the La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica. The stunning images of the reticulated glass frogs, which were taken by British wildlife photographers Michael and Patricia Fogden, show the animals watching over their unhatched offspring. The stunning images of the reticulated glass frogs, which were taken by British wildlife photographers Michael and Patricia Fogden, show the camouflaged animals as they watch over their unhatched offspring in Costa Rica . Glass frogs lay their eggs out of water to stay away from predators and often pick leaves overhanging streams so that when the tadpoles hatch they drop into the water. Once hatched, the tadpoles hide among leaf litter . The tiny male - who measures just 19 - 24mm in length - has been keeping guard over the eggs and has even been moistening them with water in dry weather. Mr Fogden said the animals choose to lay their eggs out of the water to stay out of the reach of predators which lurk there. He said: 'They pick leaves overhanging streams so that when the tadpoles hatch they drop into the water. 'Once in the water, the newly hatched tadpoles swim to the edges of the stream and hide themselves amongst the leaf litter. 'The dad looks over them during the day and protects the eggs from parasitic wasps, flies, and small predators like ants and spiders. 'In temperate zones most frogs lay their eggs in water, leaving their tadpoles to develop without any parental care so it would be very unusual there. The amphibians can barely be seen at a quick glance as they cling to the green foliage at the La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica. The Fogdens made the trip in breeding season to take the images . 'Several species of frogs in tropical rainforests use this or a similar strategy but it is unusual for the male to attend the eggs throughout daylight hours.' Mr Fogden, who, along with his wife, divides his time between Norfolk in the UK and Ecuador in South America, said they timed their visit to the research centre to tie in with the frogs' breeding season. He said: 'The frogs are well camouflaged, especially in the dappled light of the forest canopy, but we knew the sort of place to search for them. 'Glass frogs live along rainforest streams so we were wading knee-deep in fast-flowing water, searching for frogs and clutches of eggs hidden under leaves. 'We timed our visit to be there in the rainy season, the time when these frogs breed. The tiny male frog - who measures just 19-24mm in length - has been keeping guard over the eggs and has been moistening them with water in dry weather. He will protect them from predators such as wasps and flies . 'The day before there had been torrential rain and by nightfall hundreds of frogs had gathered to breed at rivers, streams and ponds. 'It was an amazing experience to be among them and the noise was deafening - a cacophony of whoops, croaks, peeps and trills. 'The males of each species was oblivious of all else except making their presence known in order to attract a mate.' | Frogs camouflage themselves against leaf to protect unhatched offspring .
Male keeps an eye out for precious eggs and waters them in dry weather .
Photographs taken at La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica . |
154,424 | 53907388a0fb63893ad37be98b6f1c21bb6c71d0 | (CNN) -- It is the scenario Brazil had always feared -- the $11 billion party where the neighbors come round and trash your newly spruced up home. Anybody but Argentina, that is the message which is heard loudest in Brazil ahead of Sunday's final against Germany in Rio de Janeiro at the Maracana stadium. Not since 1986 has Argentina triumphed in the World Cup, but that wait could be over should Lionel Messi and co. see off the Germans. Brazil was humiliated by Germany 7-1 in the semifinal -- but an Argentine World Cup final victory might just trump that as an exercise in despair. After defeating the Netherlands on penalties, Argentina is targeting its a third World Cup win after reaching its fifth final. In 1978, Argentina, which hosted the tournament, defeated the Netherlands 3-1 after extra time in the final in Buenos Aires to spark spectacular scenes of celebration. Mario Kempes was the hero, scoring twice against a Dutch side which had lost at the same stage four years earlier against the Germans. Eight years later, Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, reached the final once again where West Gemany was the opposition. In a tight game, Maradona's wonderful pass released Jorge Burruchaga to fire home a dramatic 84th minute winner as Argentina prevailed 3-2. The Germans side, coached by Franz Beckenbauer, got its revenge four years late when it won 1-0 in the final at Italy 1990. Andreas Brehme's late penalty won a game marred by Argentina's ill-discipline and the sending off of two of its players. Maradona, who was then playing at Italian club side Napoli, was left in tears as the Germans danced on the field of Rome's Olympic Stadium with the trophy it had so badly coveted for a third time. It would be 20 years until the two teams met again in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Maradona, in his role as coach, watched on in horror as his side was thrashed 4-0 and star player Lionel Messi failed to sparkle. Thomas Muller opened the scoring with Miroslav Klose, now the World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer, adding two and Arne Friedrich the fourth. It is Muller which Argentina will have to watch at the Maracana on Sunday with the Bayern Munich star enjoying another impressive tournament. The 24-year-old has already scored five goals in Brazil and is one away from joining Colombia's James Rodriguez as the top scorer on six. Germany, which was beaten in the semifinals in 2006 and 2010, last reached the final in 2002 where it was beaten by Brazil. "We've got to give our all on Sunday," Klose told reporters. "I know how it feels to lose a final. I want to lift that trophy into the air." Many of this current crop have grown up together with the likes of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, midfielders Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil all progressing from the youth setup. Six of the team which won the European Under-21 Championships in 2009 are set to start against Argentina with Benedikt Howedes, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels all in the defense. While Joachim Low's side produced a spectacular performance to dismantle Brazil, it has not had a particularly easy ride to the final. After thrashing Portugal 4-0 in the opening fixture, it was forced to come from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against Ghana. A nervy 1-0 win over the USA ensured it finished top of Group G and booked a last-16 tie against Algeria. While Germany was widely expected to win, it was only after extra time that it managed to find a breakthrough. Substitute Andre Schurrle and Ozil scored the goals and although Algeria got one back late on, the Germans held out for a tense victory. The quarterfinal against France, played in the heat of Rio, was a rather turgid affair with Hummels' early header enough to secure a 1-0 win. The 7-1 win over Brazil was achieved after Germany raced into a 5-0 lead by the interval following a mediocre defensive display from the host nation. So poor was Brazil's performance that Muller revealed how the German players made a decision to ease off in the second half so not to embarrass its opponent. "With the score the way it was, we said we should avoid being arrogant and to refrain from humiliating the opponent," he told reporters. "But that's something obvious. Yes, there was this agreement and it came from the players themselves." There's little chance of Germany letting up against Argentina when the tournament's top two go head-to-head. Alejandro Sabella, who will leave his role as coach after the final, has led his side through to the final following a hard-fought campaign. In all of its three group games, only one goal separated Argentina from its rivals. After beginning with a 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina was made to sweat until the very last minute against Iran before Messi curled home a stunning winner. Against Nigeria, it was given a real fright before edging home 3-2 courtesy of Marcos Rojo's close-range effort. Having topped Group F, Argentina progressed to face Switzerland which was defeated by a goal just two minutes before the end of extra-time. Another 1-0 victory secured a semifinal place as Gonzalo Higuain's strike ensured Belgium was put to the sword. The semifinal showdown against the Dutch was a dull affair with neither side managing to produce its best football. Sergio Romero, the Argentine goalkeeper, became the hero after saving two penalties in the shootout before Maxi Rodriguez struck the winning kick. It sparked wild scenes of jubilation, not just in Sao Paulo but across Argentina where 40 million people celebrated the nation's Independence Day with extra fervor. "Brasil, Decime Qué Se Siente" — translated to "Brazil, Tell Me How It Feels" -- is the song that has been sung throughout the tournament by Argentine fans confident of their team's success. Much of Argentina's success will depend on Messi -- a man who has already scored four goals in the tournament and will captain the side in his 93rd international appearance. Messi's achievements are well known -- 381 goals in 466 matches for Barcelona, three European Champions League titles and six Spanish La Liga triumphs only tell half the story. Now he is aiming to add to his 42 international goals by inspiring Argentina to the biggest prize of all -- and the one which will surely make him one of the greatest players of all time. No European country has ever won the World Cup in South America -- if Messi gets his own way, that statistic won't change any time soon. As for millions of Brazilian football fans, who had so desperately sought a sixth world crown, Sunday is the party invitation they had could have done without. Rizzoli to referee final . When it comes to famous football referees, Pierluigi Collina -- now retired -- might be the most famous of them all. FIFA chose another Italian, Nicola Rizzoli, to take charge of Sunday's final. The 42-year-old architect from Bologna refereed three games prior to the final, including two involving Argentina, as well as the 2013 Champions League final. | Germany faces Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final .
Argentina has not won tournament since 1986 .
Germany's most recent victory came in 1990 .
Third time teams have met in World Cup final . |
284,147 | fc24e1a45e464b6d9ea62ed3de094e6dc79991b3 | With her floppy hat, designer boots and chic coat, Harper Beckham captured the hearts of parents everywhere on her way to New York Fashion Week recently. Yet some eagle-eyed mums and dads also spotted a business opportunity: with Victoria and David lookalikes forging lucrative careers mimicking the couple, surely the market was ripe for Harpers as well? Indeed, Susan Scott’s Lookalikes agency has 32 Harpers on its books, with a rush of approaches from new hopefuls. We picked our top ten Harpers — and here they are, as cute as buttons, looking just like the famous little fashionista. Spot the difference: The real Harper Beckham, left, and lookalike Emilia Robbins, from Wrexham, right . Mum can't tell them apart . Emilia Robins, three-and-a-half, lives in Wrexham, North Wales, with mum Gemma, 28, dad Simon, 35, who run a camper van building firm, and brother Mason, six. Gemma says: . When I show pictures of Harper to Emilia, she says ‘That’s me, Mummy. Who’s that strange man or woman holding me?’ That’s how uncanny the resemblance is, even she can’t tell her and Harper apart. And if someone were to put pictures of them side by side I think I would struggle to say who was who. Emilia attracts a lot of stares, which she likes because she’s a confident, friendly girl. I’ve heard the Beckham children are very polite and I’m proud to say Emilia has lovely manners, too. Emilia really is a little cracker. I’m not a pushy mother, so I will only put her up for things she wants to do, as long as I don’t have to pretend to be Victoria — I don’t think anyone would fall for that. Seeing double: Susan Scott’s Lookalikes agency has 32 Harpers on its books, including Annabel Wanner-Halder, left, and Phoebe Lowe, right . Modelling will pay for university . Annabel Wanner-Halder, three-and-a-half, lives in Beaconsfield, Bucks, with mum Jo, 40, dad Simon, 43, both IT consultants, and sister Amelia, two. Jo says: . My mum was the first to notice how much Annabel looks like Harper. Last year, we were on a flight to Madrid when the air stewardess touched me on the arm and said ‘Your daughter looks just like Harper Beckham.’ So a year ago, Mum sent her photograph to a lookalike agency and they signed her up. Any money Annabel earns will go into a savings account for university. I’m mystified how Annabel came by her looks: I’m more Geri Halliwell and Simon looks more like Griff Rhys Jones. It’s bizarre we should have produced almost identical daughters. Strangers stop us in the street . Phoebe Lowe, three, lives with mum Naomi, a nursery nurse, and brother Joshua, eight, in Worcester. Naomi says: . Ever since Phoebe was tiny, strangers have approached me in shops and parks to comment on her resemblance to Harper. I’d always act surprised. It was touching seeing Harper with her big brother because Joshua loves his little sister, too. It’s not just the long light-brown hair that makes Harper and Phoebe so alike, it’s their dark eyes, lips and the shape of their faces. So on a whim, I decided to send a picture to the agency a few days ago. I wish our daughters weren’t the only thing Victoria and I have in common: I’ve got a huge crush on David! Decoy: Bobbi Hutchins, left, lives near close to Harper's grandparents, and Sienna Gibbs-Cook, right . We live next to Harper’s granny . Bobbi Hutchins, three, lives near Hertford with stay-at-home mum Karlie, 30, and dad Paul, 31, a computer maintenance worker. She has a brother Paul, two, and sister Cameron, 11. Karlie says: . People used to say I looked like Posh Spice because I have long straight brown hair and a turned-up nose — so it’s no surprise Bobbi is a dead ringer for Harper. It’s a great honour — she’s gorgeous. I joked to my husband that Bobbi was being trained to be a decoy for Harper, because her grandparents — Victoria’s parents — live nearby. I’ve been to their house as a child, when they sold some furniture. They let us see their trophy room full of Victoria’s platinum CDs and David’s football trophies. I’d love to say her brother dotes on her the way the Beckham boys adore Harper, but they mostly squabble. She's made thousands of pounds . Sienna Gibbs-Cook, four, lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, with Sophie Cook, 33, a stay-at-home mum, dad Lee Gibbs, 37, a printer, and sister Tahlia, ten. Sophie says: . When Sienna was two, I was shopping in Waitrose when I was asked by another customer if I was Harper Beckham’s nanny. She has appeared at several corporate events — usually with a David and Victoria lookalike — and in newspapers and magazines. We put all her earnings into a savings account which she can access when she is 18. There are several thousand pounds in it already. Of course, Sienna has no idea who Harper is, but she loves the little boots and coats she wears on photoshoots. She loves travelling on the train, too, so every time we go to an event it’s like a little holiday for her. We’re all very excited whenever she is in the paper — and, if I’m honest, she’s a bit spoilt. Like father, like daughter: Left, Amelia Bricknell's father looks like David Beckham, and right, Colby Brander-Stark dresses in sophisticated clothes like Harper . Daddy looks like Becks, too! Amelia Bricknell, three, lives in Grays, Essex, with stay-at-home mum Sarah Johnson, 31, and dad James Bricknell, 36, a printer. Sarah says: . My friend rang me last week and said: ‘I’ve realised why I always feel like I know Harper Beckham — she looks just like your Amelia!’ Amelia has always looked like Harper. When she was pictured in that black dress sitting on her dad’s knee, then at the airport being carried by big brother Brooklyn, the resemblance was uncanny. Some friends say James looks a bit like David! David and Victoria are good role models. A fashionista at the age of two . Colby Brander-Stark, two-and-a-half, lives in Radlett, Hertfordshire, with mum Hilary, 32, a Metropolitan Police controller, dad Michael, 32, a police officer, and brother Leo, five. Hilary says: . Colby is 12 months younger than Harper, so when I see photographs of her in the newspaper, I think ‘That’s what my daughter will look like next year.’ They even have the same Bugaboo buggy; black with a pink hood. Like Victoria, I like dressing my daughter in sophisticated clothes — shirts and leggings in black and grey, rather than Mickey Mouse tops. Friends are always texting and emailing me pictures of Harper and writing ‘Colby!’ in the subject line. I didn’t have any reservations about signing Colby up to a lookalikes agency because it’s not like saying ‘My daughter’s so pretty she should be a model’. Everyone wants their daughter to be a model, but not everybody’s child looks like a celebrity, it just so happens mine does. Ambitious: Sienna Maunsell, left, already likes to wear high heels while Violet Stringer, right, wants to be Rapunzel when she grows up . Already in high heels . Sienna Maunsell, three, lives with stay-at-home mum Jennifer, 28, dad Michael, 28, a printer, brother Keane, nine, and sister Emelia, one, in Manchester. Jennifer says: . I didn’t know who Harper Beckham was when a friend of my mum’s said she looked like Sienna. I’ve no idea who she gets her looks from as sadly neither my husband nor I look anything like the Beckhams. Michael likes to play football, but that’s the only similarity. Sienna is a little fahionista in the making. She likes wearing my high heels and even paints her nails. Pink is her favourite colour. It does get a bit messy. Like Harper, she is a bit of a Daddy’s girl and has Michael wrapped round her little finger. She’d rather be Rapunzel! Violet Stringer, three, lives in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, with mum Macey, 37, a handcrafter and dad Nick, 45, who runs outdoor markets. She has six siblings; Freddie, two, Savannah, 11, Harrison, 12, Alexander, 16, Rebecca, 14, and Jordan, 18. Macey says: . I sometimes see pictures in magazines of David and Harper and wonder what he’s doing holding my little girl. Like Harper, Violet has long hair — she wants to be Rapunzel when she grows up, and she loves dressing up. You’ll usually find her in a dress and wellies. I think it’s flattering she looks like Harper. Violet also loves her dummy, but I only let her have it in the car. Sian Stafford, three, enjoys her dummy just as much as Harper, but her mother plans on getting rid of it soon . Dummy double . Sian Stafford, three, lives in Romford, Essex, with full-time mum Marie, 29, dad Dean, 29, a roofer, sister Louise, nine, and brother Zack, 18 months. Marie says: . Physical resemblance is not the only thing Sian has in common with Harper — she also still has a dummy. I’ll get rid of it before she’s four because I’m worried about it damaging her teeth. I don’t suppose the Beckhams are concerned because they can afford the very best orthodontic treatment. I think David and Victoria are good role models because, despite their careers, they still manage to spend a lot of time with their children. And I joke to friends that having a daughter who looks like theirs is the next best thing to having the Beckhams’ fame and fortune. | Harper's floppy hat, designer boots and chic coat captured the hearts of parents everywhere on her way to New York Fashion Week .
Yet some eagle-eyed mums and dads also spotted a business opportunity .
Susan Scott’s Lookalikes agency has 32 Harpers on its books, with a rush of approaches from new hopefuls . |
285,875 | fe688c32f43c04ef0f06871162e550e8aea183d1 | BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) -- The light from the cell phone screens allowed surgeons to complete an emergency appendix operation during a blackout in a city in central Argentina, reports said on Saturday. Leonardo Molina, 29, was on the operating table on July 21, when the power went out in the Policlinico Juan D. Peron, the main hospital in Villa Mercedes, a small city in San Luis province. "The generator, which should have been working correctly, didn't work," a hospital spokesman, whose name was not given, told TN television news station. "The surgeons and anesthetists were in the dark... A family member got some cell phones together from people in the hallway and took them in to provide light," he said. Ricardo Molina, 39, Leonardo's brother, told La Nacion newspaper that the lights were out for an hour and his brother's anesthesia was wearing off. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | Surgeons complete emergency appendix operation with light from cell phones .
The power went out in the main hospital in Villa Mercedes, central Argentina .
The hospital's generator, which should have been working correctly, didn't work . |
68,250 | c19f809a67ec918cac9bc9c94d7828d075bbb3ab | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:50 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:57 EST, 18 December 2013 . 'I'm no angel, but I've never harmed a soul': Florida truck driver Dicky Joe Jackson (pictured) was jailed for life with no parole for selling meth to help pay for his son's bone marrow transplant . It is a case that could well have inspired the morally ambiguous plot to the hit TV series Breaking Bad. A father has spoken from his prison cell 18 years into a life sentence with no parole about how he was convicted for selling crystal meth to help pay for his son's life-saving medical treatment. Florida truck driver Dicky Joe Jackson, now 55, hit out at the harshness of his term, saying: 'I know that what I did was not right or legal, even in a . life and death situation, as ours was. 'I’m no angel, but I have never harmed a soul. 'There are people in . here doing less than me for contract killings and child molestation.' Jackson was serving his second sentence for drugs offences in 1989 when he learned that his two-year-old son Cole had been diagnosed with an extremely rare autoimmune disease. Known as Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, the condition causes recurrent viral infections, lowers blood platelets and causes suffers to bleed and bruise easily. Doctors said Cole probably had less than three years to live unless he had a bone marrow transplant. Luckily his 12-year-old sister, April, was a match - but the operation would cost $250,000 and the family had recently lost their health insurance, he said in an interview with online magazine Salon. The family managed to raise $50,000 with a huge fundraising campaign that encouraged celebrities including the band Alabama and Ronald Reagan to donate memorabilia for an auction. They secured a further $50,000 from a children's charity, but then struggled to find the rest. Dilemma: Jackson's predicament is similar to that facing the fictional Walter White (above), a chemistry teacher who cooks meth to support his family after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer in Breaking Bad . Admitting . he was 'desperate' and that the ordeal had 'made a crazy person out of . me', Jackson accepted the offer from a local meth dealer to drive . payloads of the drug from California to Texas for $5,000 a time. But a year into the arrangement, in 1995, Jackson was arrested for selling half a pound of meth to an undercover officer. The judge later found him guilty of . conspiring to possess, or possessing, with intent to distribute 81.5kg . of the drug and handed him three life sentences without parole. He had previously been convicted of possessing half-a-gram of meth, which he would use to keep him awake on long drives, in 1988. Jackson was convicted after being caught selling half a pound of meth to an undercover officer (file picture) Then a year later, he served a 12-month sentence for transporting a kilogram of cannabis. Nevertheless, . some feel he has become a victim of America's draconian drugs laws . which currently has 3,278 inmates serving life terms with no hope of . parole, often for relatively minor offences. His predicament is similar to that facing the fictional Walter White, a chemistry teacher who cooks meth to support his family after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer in Breaking Bad. Jackson has now exhausted all his appeals and also had a request for clemency from President Barack Obama turned down. The report does not say what happened to his son. | Dicky Joe Jackson, 55, was told his son Cole, 2, had rare disease in 1989 .
He needed a bone marrow transplant and luckily his sister was a match .
Family raised $100,000 from huge fundraising drive but money dried up .
Jackson accepted an offer to drive meth for dealer at $5,000 a journey .
He was caught selling drug to undercover officer and sentenced to life .
Previously convicted of possessing meth and transporting marijuana . |
172,665 | 6b75e9909ed3bf4bb96c12148ba34a37a0bdd6da | The Prince of Wales, comedian Russell Brand and vlogger-turned-author Zoella all feature on a list of the 500 most influential people in Britain today. The annual Debrett's 500 list covers 24 categories across society including politics, advertising, architecture, food, sport, education and journalism. Established personalities such as Tony Blair and Richard Branson are joined by new faces such as Oscar hopeful Eddie Redmayne. Scroll down for video . Russell Brand's book Revolution has put him squarely in the influential literature list with Hilary Mantel . Other new entries include actor Idris Elba, Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, television presenter Clare Balding, musicians Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, and digital sensation Jamal Edwards. Russell Brand joins fellow authors Hilary Mantel, Ian McEwan and Kate Mosse on the influential literature list, after publication of his anti-government treatise Revolution. The guide writes: 'Those who deplore the histrionic celebrity’s woolly-minded populism and woeful grasp of economics are deceiving themselves if they think he lacks influence.' It adds, 'Whether he is considered a revolutionary or just an irritation, Brand’s influence over the masses is a force that cannot be denied.' YouTube vlogger and author Zoe Sugg - better known as her online alter ego Zoella, is named in the 'New Media' list along with her boyfriend, fellow YouTuber Alfie Deyes and prolific tweeter, Stephen Fry. Prince Charles is included on this year's list in a surprising category of architecture. Zoe Sugg, aka YouTube's Zoella, joins the 'New Media' influential list alongside her boyfriend Alfie Deyes . The guide, which describes the Prince of Wales as a 'pioneer for sustainable development' explains: 'Perhaps seen by some as a controversial influence over the realm of architecture, Prince Charles is an undoubted influence none the less. Victoria Beckham, the Duchess of Cambridge and Cara Delevingne all make it on to the most influential fashion list along with Kate Moss and David Gandy. Debrett's outlines Kate Middleton's power: 'Her commitment to British brands sees sales of household labels soar – what she wears one day sells out the next. 'Whether playing volleyball in wedges or hockey in heels, fashion’s favourite royal combines understated, conservative charm with youthful elegance as an ambassador of British style.' In art Banksy, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry and Damien Hirst are included on the list. The youngest personality on the list is 17-year-old activist Malala Yousafzai, while the oldest is wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, aged 88. There are 147 women on the list. The Prince of Wales is a controversial figure in architecture and a 'pioneer for sustainable development' Joanne Milner, chief executive at Debrett's, said: "We are delighted to announce this year's Debrett's 500. It's a fascinating mix of people, and not entirely who you might expect. 'Every individual, though, demonstrates outstanding qualities of influence, achievement and inspiration. 'I think now is the perfect time to consider how we can inspire the next generation of influencers, so that we can ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, has an equal opportunity to succeed.' Seen as a guide for the upper classes, Debrett's has launched a foundation which aims to support social mobility in a bid to ensure that the next generation of leaders and influencers are from all backgrounds. | Comedian and Revolution author Russell 'is a force that cannot be denied'
Zoella is named in the 'New Media' list alongside boyfriend Alfie Deyes .
Prince Charles is recognised for his power in architecture . |
149,278 | 4d07d24676cbba98611cbf453c080460ee4f666d | (CNN) -- Barcelona confirmed on Saturday the transfer of Arsenal midfielder Alex Song for $23.5 million, subject to a medical. "FC Barcelona has agreed a deal with Arsenal FC for the transfer of Alex Song to the Camp Nou. The fee is 19 million euros," declared a statement on the club website. "The Cameroon international midfielder will sign for the next five seasons with a release clause of 80 million euros," the statement added. Song is scheduled to have a medical in Spain on Monday before being officially presented on Tuesday. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger explaiend the club's decision to sell song after his side's 0-0 draw with Sunderland. "We have Wilshere coming back, I believe in one and a half months. We have Diaby back, we have Rosicky not far away and we might bring another midfielder in as well," he told the club website. "Song expressed a desire to go to Barcelona." Song is the second member of the Arsenal first team to leave the club this week after last season's top scorer Robin Van Persie moved to Manchester United on Friday. | Barcelona announce that a fee has been agreed with Arsenal .
Midfielder is due in Spain for a medical on Monday .
The Cameroon international will move for $23.5m .
Song follows Robin Van Persie out of Arsenal . |
27,128 | 4cee35667ad10fbbdf152cb1b8e6f10540306ea6 | Oscar Pistorius' father has been accused of racism by South Africa's governing ANC after he appeared to blame high levels of violent crime against whites on the party. Seeking to explain why his murder accused son kept at least one handgun - and had applied to own six more - Henke Pistorius said 'you can't rely on the police'. 'It speaks to the ANC government, look at white crime levels, why protection is so poor in this country, it's an aspect of our society', he told the Daily Telegraph. Strong words: Oscar Pistorius's father Henke, right, has blamed South Africa's ANC government for failing to tackle crime against white people . Distance: The Olympic athlete's uncle Arnold: 'Oscar and the rest of the Pistorius family distances itself from the comments' The comments, made on Sunday to the Telegraph's Southern Africa correspondent Aislinn Laing, have prompted official fury. Jackson Mthembu, spokesman for the . governing African National Congress, said it 'rejects with contempt' the . claim that the government was not willing to protect white people. 'Not only is this statement devoid of . truth, it is also racist', Mr Mthembu said. 'It is sad that he has . chosen to politicise a tragic incident that is still fresh in the minds . of those affected and the public.' Oscar Pistorius, 26, has been charged . with premeditated murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, 29, . after he shot her three times while she cowered in his bathroom. The star athlete claims he killed her . by accident and ever since he was granted bail, his team of PR . representatives have worked hard to present him as a grieving victim of . circumstance. The case has already starting to . divide opinion in South Africa. However, until Henke Pistorius' comments, race played no issue. Both Pistorius and Miss Steenkamp are . white. No doubt aware of the negative impact . Henke Pistorius' comments may have, Oscar Pistorius' PR team yesterday . rushed to distance the athlete from the growing row. Pistorius is charged with the premeditated killing of his girlfriend - he fired four shots through a locked toilet door at his home in South Africa, but said he believed he was shooting a burglar . 'Oscar Pistorius’ family is deeply concerned about the comments made by Oscar’s father', the family statement's read. It went on: 'The comments doesn’t represent the views of Oscar or the rest of the Pistorius family' 'We are acutely aware of the fact that . we are only at the beginning of a long road to prove that what happened . to Reeva Steenkamp was a terrible accident and that Oscar never . intended to harm her, let alone cause her death. Henke Pistorius, Oscar's . grandfather Hendrik, and his paternal uncles Arnold, Theo and Leo have . been reported to own a combined total of 55 shotguns and handguns. Despite this, Henke Pistorius said, . he, his fathers and brothers 'have been brought up in a way that we . value the lives of others very highly.' Contrary to Henke Pistorius' claim . that whites are disproportionately impacted by South Africa's high . levels of violent crime it is the country's black population that is . bears the brunt of the problem, official statistics show. Pistorius is charged with the . premeditated killing of his girlfriend - he fired four shots . through a locked toilet door at his home in South Africa, but said he . believed he was shooting a burglar. He is next due to appear at Pretoria Magistrates Court in June . ahead of an eventual trial expected later this year. Meanwhile American . writer Michael Sokolove has told The Mail on Sunday how he spent time . with the the Olympian in the run-up to the London 2012 Paralympics and . was shocked at his obsession with weapons. Oscar Pistorius, pictured left with girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at an awards ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa, last year, is accused of killing the model, pictured right, with a gun . Facing trial: Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa . Pistorius . bragged to him that on the previous night he had heard a noise, reached . for the handgun under his bed and gone downstairs ready to confront an . intruder before realising it was a false alarm. He then showed Sokolove the gun in a wooden box ‘almost like a jewellery case’. Sokolove said: ‘Oscar liked this 9mm semi-automatic very much. The gun was important to him. 'He . often felt vulnerable in his own home, and knowing that it was on the . floor beside his bed, fully loaded, made him feel safer. 'I never suspected he would hurt someone else. He treated people with respect.’ | Henke Pistorius: 'Look at white crime levels, why .
protection is so poor'
Statement: 'Pistorius family distances itself from the .
comments'
ANC: 'This latest racist slur is not assisting these families'
Comments ill-timed as international spotlight focusing on his son's case .
Pistorius charged with the .
premeditated killing of Reeva Steenkamp . |
105,637 | 143bfc445d1459724cf6e9de7a1d333f0fe87712 | (CNN) -- Chris Aire is known as "the King of Bling," the jeweler to the stars whose dazzling creations are worn by the likes of Angelina Jolie, 50 Cent and Shaquille O'Neal. But although he might be regularly rubbing shoulders with Hollywood superstars, famous musicians and elite athletes today, there was a time when the Nigerian-born designer could only dream about approaching a celebrity. More than two decades ago, Aire used to hang outside five star hotels and trendy bars in Los Angeles in the hope of showing his designs to a potential star client. "I had my little coach bag," remembers Aire. "I had everything in it 'cause seriously I didn't know any of these guys. So walking up to them you really have just a minute -- if even that -- to say 'yo, this is what I've got,'" he adds. "I had instances where people thought I was selling hot items -- 'this dude out here man, he's got some stolen stuff.'" Read this: Africa's first design museum . But after a year of frequenting celeb hotspots, exhausting his savings in the process, Aire's big break finally came following an L.A.-based encounter with Gary Payton, the NBA star playing for the Seattle Supersonics at the time. "I was just hanging out at a hotel waiting for him because I knew he was going to be there," remembers Aire. "And when he came down, the press rush that he had, he would have been justified in saying, 'hey man get out of my way." Instead, Payton invited Aire to go later that year to a charity event in Miami and show him his creations. There was only one problem: Aire had no money. Undeterred, Aire decided to max out his credit card and buy an airline ticket to Miami, even though he couldn't afford a return flight to L.A. But when he got to Florida, Payton was so impressed with his designs that he immediately placed a $50,000 order, buying a platinum basketball pendant for himself and other jewelry for his friends. "That sale transformed my life," says Aire. "Not only did I pay for the flight ticket, I had enough to start building and doing a bunch of my own collection." 'Leap of faith' The son of a successful Nigerian businessman, Aire grew up in the West African country's Ivue Uromi region. His father wanted him to go into the family oil business, but instead Aire left Nigeria aged 18 to go to college in the United States. But while working on getting his education, Aire had also to find a way of supporting himself. His first job was flipping burgers in a fast-food restaurant overnight. Read this: Tribal beauty of vanishing life . "I would work from 10 pm to 6 am in the morning and then I'll go home, get a couple of hours nap and then go to school at nine," recalls Aire. "I was at school from 9 until about 4 pm -- and then I went home, got ready and repeated that again, five days a week." After graduating from college, Aire tried his luck briefly as an actor and singer, before making his foray into jewelry with the help of a friend whose father was a jeweler. Starting from the bottom, Aire worked his way up, learning the craft and understanding everything about gold, diamonds and other colored gem stones. After six years of apprenticing under his friend's father, Aire had managed to save $5,000. He then decided it was time to strike out on his own and form his own company. "It was a leap of faith and I took that leap of faith," says Aire. "I was very confident in my faith because I believe whatever it is that puts the inspiration in your mind has within it its own fulfillment." 'Massive wealth' Since then, Aire has managed to build a thriving company whose A-list clientele is a roll call of cinema and music superstars. In 2004, Aire made fashion history when he became the first jeweler to stage a runway show at New York Fashion Week. His sparkling creations include a diamond encrusted cuff -- priced at $1.7 million -- and a $500,000 diamond-coated guitar for hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean. But even though he mixes with the rich and famous, Aire has not forgotten where he came from. He frequently visits Nigeria and is optimistic about the future of both his country and his continent. "I think there is going to be a time when Africa, starting with Nigeria, becomes the envy of luxury market," he says. "There's massive wealth here but the Western impression of Africa has always been a country of people in need of charity, in need of aid, but Africa really is the last frontier." Aire also believes that people in the continent should support local designers and luxury brands, which in turn can speed up the growth of African businesses. "We have to embrace our own so that the next Louis Vuitton or Chanel comes out of Africa. So we are positioning ourselves to be that breakout brand from Africa." | Chris Aire is a famous jeweler whose A-list clients include movie and music stars .
Born and raised in Nigeria, Aire moved to the U.S. at a young age to follow his dreams .
His sparkling creations have earned him the title, "King of Bling"
Aire urges people in Africa to support their local designers and luxury brands . |
19,446 | 372681f061759f91f56ed5ff0586babec98e1150 | The toughest group in the African Cup of Nations begins on Monday and Algeria, a surprise package at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, take on South Africa in Equatorial Guinea. Algeria, 18th in the FIFA world rankings, are the highest placed team in the tournament and one of the early favourites to win the competition. But South Africa know that beating them would send out a huge statement to Senegal and Ghana, who also compete against each other in Group C's other fixture. Here, Sportsmail's Adam Shergold profiles the two teams ahead of the showdown. Algeria coach Christian Gourcuff speaks to his side in a training session before the South Africa game . ALGERIA . Nickname: The Greens/The Desert Warriors . Colours: All white with green trim . Coral odds: 4/1 . How did they qualify? Winners of qualifying group B . Tournament record: They won the competition in 1990, beating Nigeria 1-0 in the final on home turf in Algiers. FIFA Ranking: 18 . Coach: Christian Gourcuff – French coach who replaced Vahid Halilhodzic back in August. The 59-year-old from Brittany had previously coached at Lorient, Le Mans, Rennes and Al-Ittihad. Algerian fans show their support during the recent friendly match with Tunisia . Leicester's Riyad Mahrez (No 7) fights for the ball with Tunisia's Jamel Saihi . Nabil Bentaleb in action for Algeria against Russia at the World Cup finals last summer . Captain: Madjid Bougherra - The centre-back will be well known to fans of Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Rangers having spent time at all three of those clubs. He achieved most success in Glasgow, winning three Scottish Premier League titles, a Scottish Cup and a League Cup. The veteran of 65 international caps for Algeria now plays for Al-Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Any other recognisable players: A fair few – Nabil Bentaleb, the Tottenham midfielder, Riyad Mahrez, the Leicester player, Sofiane Feghouli of Valencia, Djamel Mesbah at Sampdoria and Foued Kadir at Real Betis. British-based players: Bentaleb and Mahrez only. SOUTH AFRICA . Nickname: Bafana Bafana . Colours: Yellow with green trim . Coral odds: 20/1 . How did they qualify? Winners of qualifying Group A . Tournament record: Winners of the competition once, in 1996, when they beat Tunisia 2-0 in Johannesburg. FIFA Ranking: 52 . Coach: Ephraim Mashaba – had been involved in South Africa’s under 23 and under 17 set-ups before being installed as the senior team boss for the fourth time in July last year. Mashaba, who has the nickname ‘Shakes’, had two previous caretaker spells and a permanent position between August 2002 and November 2003. Thuso Phala is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring for South Africa against Zambia on January 4 . South Africa coach 'Shakes' Mashaba greets the crowd at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg . Tokelo Rantie (centre) takes on two Zambian players during the recent friendly match in Johannesburg . Captain: Dean Furman – the Doncaster Rovers midfielder, 26, will lead the team at the tournament. The former Rangers and Oldham Athletic player has 25 caps for his national team, having made his first appearance against Brazil in a friendly back in September 2012. Any other recognisable players: Tokelo Rantie plays for Championship side Bournemouth and has 26 caps and seven goals for the national team. British-based players: Furman and Rantie only. | Group C is widely considered the hardest in the African Cup of Nations .
Algeria are a favourite to win the competition in Equatorial Guinea .
They begin their tournament against South Africa on Monday .
Click here for more AFCON 2015 news . |
208,054 | 995e8bfe975a4f515ecab5c29a01359d610537e9 | Prince Harry and the Duke of Cambridge have paid tribute to the charity set up in their mother's name and revealed that she would have been 'proud' of its achievements. The Diana Award, which aims to tackle bullying and social exclusion, was set up two years after the late princess' death in 1999. Now her sons have spoken out about their mother's charitable legacy, wishing the Diana Award a Happy 15th Birthday and praising its 'energy and passion'. Scroll down for video . Proud: The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry said their mother would have been 'proud' of the Diana Award . Writing in a joint foreword for a book celebrating the organisation's decade and a half, the two continued: . 'We believe, when encouraged and supported, that young people have the ability to change society for the better. 'We know that our mother - in whose memory this award was established - felt the same and would be proud of its achievements to date.' Along with working to tackle problems such as bullying and social exclusion, the Diana Award also runs training, mentoring and anti-bullying ambassador programmes. Its awards are presented to young people, including volunteers, carers and fund-raisers, who have a monumental impact on the lives of others. Much loved: William and Harry with their mother Diana, Princess of Wales on the Buckingham Palace balcony in 1986 . Close: Diana, seen here with an infant William in 1983, dedicated much of her time to children's charities . 'Having met young people working with the charity in Newcastle and in London, we were struck in both cases by their deep and lasting sense of social responsibility,' added the princes. 'These young people were working hard to tackle the social issues that affected them - such as bullying or social exclusion - and the Diana Award empowered them to do more.' Among those being handed Diana Awards at a reception at 11 Downing Street today were Ellie Louise Harris-Beard, 13, and Kyle Lewis, 18. Miss Harris-Beard, from Kidderminster, was handed the Diana Champion Fundraiser Award for helping to set up the charity Cords4Life to encourage umbilical cord donation. Her brother Charlie was treated using stem cells from an umbilical cord in 2011, although he tragically lost his fight against leukaemia last year. 'I was quite shocked,' said the schoolgirl of the moment she heard that she was to be given the award. 'I didn’t know what to say. It’s exciting.' Miss Harris-Beard, who has raised £25,000 for charity so far and was handed her award by JLS star, Oritse Williams, said she now plans to organise a fundraising ball. Close: The two princes remain close to each other and their father and support each other's work . All together: Most recently, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Charles turned out for Harry's Invictus Games . Encouraging others to take up fundraising, she advised people to 'just go and do it and do the best you can.' Her mother Fiona Harris-Beard said: 'Considering what we’ve been through, losing Charlie, I’m so proud of her. She’s so determined.' Fellow award winner, Kyle Phillips, 18, from Cardiff, got his Diana Champion Volunteer Award for his tireless volunteering. Along with a part time role at a greengrocer, Mr Phillips volunteers for more than 500 hours a year at school and leads a group to improve the literacy and numeracy of young boys - many of whom have behavioural or learning difficulties. 'It’s a great honour,' he said after receiving his award. 'It’s a real privilege to be recognised. I’m really just trying to help the youth in my community. Inspiring: William and Harry say they have been inspired by the Diana Awards volunteers they have met . 'Where I’m from, people think that it’s very stereotypical being a teenager - gangs and smoking - but I want to show them it’s not like that. 'I get up at six o’clock every morning and go to work and finish at 8.30 and make my way over to the school. My mum’s really proud of me. She loves what I do and how I help out others.' His mother Jane Phillips added: 'It’s not every day you get the opportunity to go to Downing Street. I’m extremely proud.' Prime Minister David Cameron, who is patron of the Diana Award, added his voice to the chorus of royal praise for the charity. 'I am honoured to be a Patron of this wonderful living legacy to the late princess which recognises young people for their contributions to society,' he said in a statement. 'I want to congratulate everyone involved on this special 15th anniversary and I look forward to seeing thousands more young people recognised and inspired in the years and decades ahead.' | William and Harry have paid tribute to the charity set up in Diana's name .
The Diana Award aims to tackle bullying and social issues among children .
Princes said their mother would have been 'proud' of its achievements . |
164,996 | 615c6f5e07a006b64ce49f630d2ffde4af6fea56 | (CNN) -- Venezuelan federal authorities on Thursday dispatched their "best investigators" to track the kidnappers of Major League Baseball catcher Wilson Ramos, the country's justice minister said. Ramos, a rising star for the Washington Nationals, was snatched from his family home in central Venezuela by gunmen Wednesday night, a team spokeswoman said. The 24-year-old emerged as the Nationals' top catcher this past season. He had a .267 batting average with 15 home runs and 52 runs batted in. This past year was his rookie season, and he was back in his home country playing for the Aragua Tigers in Venezuela's winter league. The Nationals could not confirm the kidnapping, but they published a statement citing Tiger's spokeswoman Kathe Vilera. Ramos was kidnapped by four armed men from his home in Santa Ines, in Carabobo state, Vilera said on Twitter. "It's sad, worrisome and true that Wilson Ramos was kidnapped," she wrote. The vehicle believed to have been used in the kidnapping was found in the town of Bejuma, about 60 miles from where Ramos was kidnapped, the country's justice and interior minister, Tareck El Aissami. "The best investigators we have" are on the case, he said. The federal agency in charge of the case said they had assembled the police sketches of two of the alleged kidnappers. "Prudence and an even head are important in this difficult moment that the Ramos family is going through," Tigers President and General Manager Rafael Rodriguez said in a statement. "With God's help we will end up well in this complicated situation." Unlike most Latin American countries, it is not soccer that rules in Venezuela, but baseball. A number of Venezuelan players make it to the major leagues in the United States. But along with the success and paydays in the United States, Venezuelan natives and their families have faced threats at home. The targeting of baseball players by criminal groups is not unheard of in Venezuela, but Ramos' case could be the first time that a player himself was kidnapped. In 2009, the 11-year-old son of Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba, as well as his brother-in-law, were kidnapped for ransom. The pair were released the next day, reportedly with no ransom paid. Former major league pitcher Victor Zambrano's mother was also kidnapped that year, and rescued in a police operation. The brother of Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Henry Blanco was kidnapped and killed in 2008. The trend of Venezuelan ballplayers being at risk goes back at least to 2005, when the mother of former big-league pitcher Ugueth Urbina, was kidnapped and held captive for months. The FBI on Thursday informed the government of Venezuela that it is prepared to assist in Ramos' case if asked to, an FBI spokesman said. So far the government of President Hugo Chavez has not requested U.S. assistance. Currently the FBI is not involved because Ramos is not a U.S. citizen and the crime did not occur in the United States, so Washington authorities have no jurisdiction to investigate the case unless asked. The U.S. State Department has warned of the increasing cases of kidnappings in Venezuela. In 2009, the number of reported kidnappings in the country doubled from the previous year, and police admit that many cases don't get reported. CNN's Terry Frieden and Mark Bixler contributed to this report. | NEW: Police have two sketches of the suspects .
Wilson Ramos was kidnapped from his family home in Venezuela .
He was playing in a winter league in Venezuela .
Ramos finished his rookie season with the Washington Nationals . |
134,062 | 3952896b9156a43e6e2193cb3ae8a71a0cff6923 | Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- The detained captain of a Chinese trawler was released by Japan and returned to his home country, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Zhan Qixiong, who had been held by Japanese authorities since September 8, arrived safely early Saturday morning in Fuzhou, the capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, according to Xinhua. The captain left Japan with officials from China's Foreign and Agriculture ministries. "We decided to suspend the charges in consideration of the Japan-China relationship," said the Japanese prosecutor in the case. In China, the captain's wife, Chen Tingting, said she was thrilled. "We are so happy, we are just really very happy to hear the news," she said. His home is Jinjiang city, in Fujian. The captain was arrested off the disputed Diaoyu Islands, in the East China Sea, after his vessel crashed into two Japanese patrol boats. He was accused of obstructing Japanese public officers while they performed their duties. "The Japanese side bears full responsibility for the current situation, and it shall bear all the consequences that arise," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Tuesday in New York, as China escalated demands for the captain's release. Wen was in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Word of his release quickly followed the arrest of four Japanese nationals in China. The four are being investigated for entering a military zone without authorization and videotaping military targets, Chinese state media said. Neither country linked the captain's case with the arrest of the four Japanese nationals, however. The four Japanese nationals were sent to China for a Japanese government project to reclaim World War II chemical weapons left by Japan's Imperial Army, their company said Friday. A Chinese national also is missing and presumed arrested with his Japanese co-workers on Wednesday in northern Hebei Province. They work for Fujita Corp., a mid-size Japanese construction company that Goldman Sachs Group acquired in April 2009. Japan's foreign ministry officials said Friday that China had informed them of the arrests, but they had no information about any charges or why the Japanese nationals had been detained. "Currently, the case is being investigated," is all that Chinese security authorities in Shijiazhuang said in a statement, the state-run China Daily reported. But Beijing had plenty to say about Japan detaining the Chinese fishing captain. Japan "illegally arrested" him and his crew of 14, China said. Beijing says the Diaoyu Islands and most of the South China Sea belong to China, disputing neighboring countries' claims. In Japan, the islands are known as the Senkaku. The clash over territorial waters and islands -- and the natural resources that go with them -- is a flash point in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan earlier this month freed the fishing captain's crew. China's Foreign Ministry said that Japan had "seriously damaged Sino-Japan bilateral relations" with the arrest of the captain and his crew. In response, China halted talks with Japan about increasing civil flights and expanding aviation rights between the two countries. Officials and nationals on both sides also canceled trips to each other's nations. CNN's Jo Kent contributed to this report. | NEW: The captain has arrived in China .
China had warned of "consequences" if he was not freed .
Four Japanese nationals were arrested in China on Friday . |
188,800 | 8087c9d66eeb2bad5a300b9b8822fda478e50921 | A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Sunday that will allow the only abortion clinic operating in Mississippi to stay open -- for now. The Jackson Women's Health Organization filed for the action in response to a new state law that would require a clinic's abortion providers to be certified OB/GYN practitioners, and for those physicians to all have privileges at an area hospital. The law, which took effect Sunday, puts the clinic at risk, as all its doctors do not have such privileges. The judge's order blocks enforcement of the law at least until the next hearing on the matter, which is scheduled for July 11. "I'm jubilant," said Diane Derzis, clinic owner and president. "It means the constitutional rights of women to make their decision, for the time being, is in place." Officials at the Jackson clinic say they are working to comply with the law. All of its doctors are OB/GYNs who travel in from other states. But only one can practice at a local hospital. They say they are trying to gain privileges at Jackson-area hospitals, but that the cumbersome process and red tape forced them to file for a reprieve. "Disappointing" is how Gov. Phil Bryant described the decision, according to spokesman Mick Bullock. The governor "plans to work with state leaders to ensure this legislation properly takes effect as soon as possible," he said. State Rep. Sam Mims, who sponsored the legislation, said "we will speak with our attorneys regarding our game plan," in response to the judge's order Sunday. Bryant signed the bill into law in April after the Republican-dominated legislature overwhelmingly passed it. Mississippi is one of the toughest states on the abortion-rights movement. The state has laws requiring a 24-hour waiting period, as well as parental consent if the patient seeking an abortion is a minor. Mims previously told CNN the intent behind the legislation was to ensure that women undergoing abortions are receiving care from a certified, professional physician. "If something goes wrong, which it might -- we hope it doesn't, but it could -- that physician could follow the patient to a local hospital. That's the intent. And what happens afterwards, we'll have to see what happens," he said. But Derzis believes that the real intent of the newly elected Republican majority was to end abortion in the state, not to improve women's health care. "This is not about safety. This is about politics. Politics do not need to be in our uterus," she said. | Jackson Women's Health Organization filed for the action in response to a new state law .
The law requires abortion providers to be OB/GYNs and have area hospital privileges .
The order blocks enforcement of the law at least until a hearing scheduled for July 11 .
"We will speak with our attorneys regarding our game plan," legislation's sponsor says . |
234,743 | bbe9bf4376f8eddba383b31e91ae60dbd71c5a9e | By . Chris Waugh . Follow @@ChrisDHWaugh . Belgium are two for two so far in this World Cup and they took time out from training ahead of their final group match with South Korea to attend a charity event for children in Brazil. Captain Vincent Kompany, Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj were among the players to wear glasses at a project in Mogi das Cruzes. The Eyes for the World Association aims to provide adaptable glasses - cheaper than conventional spectacles - for poor children who are visually impaired. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Thibaut Courtois shot stopping ahead of South Korea match . Pose: Belgium's Anthony Vanden Borre and captain Vincent Kompany (right) wear adaptable glasses . Hand: Daniel van Buyten looks on as Adnan Januzaj (right) tests the glasses in Mogi das Cruzes . Smile: Kompany poses with kids who are visually impaired as the charity aims to provide them with cheap glasses . Spectacles: The squad pose for a photo during their visit to the Eyes for the World Association event . Autograph: Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois does a signing session for the kids . Charity: Januzaj meets with local kids during the charity event in Mogi das Cruzes . And the players wore the unusual glasses, which resemble something for Where's Wally, to show their support for the project. They also signed autographs for the children and posed for photos. Belgium play South Korea in Group H on Thursday aiming to progress as groupwinners. They won their first match against Algeria 2-1 and beat Russia 1-0 in their second game. Volley: Marouane Fellaini (centre) aims to take a shot during a training session in Mogi das Cruzes . Preparation: Belgium players train ahead of their Group H encounter with South Korea . Cycle: Kompany rides along during a training session in Mogi das Cruzes for Belgium . Struggle: Chelsea Romelu Lukaku (left) has been poor so far in this tournament for Belgium . Pointing the way: Courtois talks to some children and signs autographs at the charity event . VIDEO The Street Child World Cup . | Belgian squad were in Mogi das Cruzes meeting local children .
They wore glasses to support the Eyes for the World Association .
The charity aims to provide cheap glasses for poor children .
Belgium are top of Group H following two victories from two matches .
They face South Korea on Thursday in their final group game . |
78,542 | de8fed7b9a671910aa954325dd46a08aacb6c7ac | By . Keith Gladdis . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 26 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:28 EST, 27 September 2012 . TV star Justin Lee Collins subjected his girlfriend to a humiliating nine-month campaign of verbal and physical abuse, a court heard yesterday. Among a series of bizarre demands, the comedian allegedly forced Anna Larke to help him compile a detailed dossier of her former lovers. He also made her sleep facing him in bed and ordered her to throw away DVDs featuring actors she was attracted to, it was claimed. Justin Lee Collins as he arrives today at St Alban's Crown Court where he faces charges of harassment against his former partner . On top of this, it was alleged that . Collins told Miss Larke to close down her Facebook account, stop using . Twitter and abandon her email address. The court was told he even banned her . from looking at other men, saying: ‘When you’re with me you look at the . ****ing ground, you look at a tree ... you don’t look at any other . ****ing human being.’ Anna Larke, Collins' alleged harassment victim . Miss Larke also alleged Collins, who . appeared in the West End musical Rock of Ages, has a problem with . ‘people of colour’ accusing her of sleeping with men from ethnic . minorities. The father of two is accused of . assaulting and harassing Miss Larke, 38, after he moved in with her in . January last year following the breakdown of his marriage. He denies a . charge of harassment by causing Miss Larke fear of violence between . January and August last year. St Albans Crown Court heard Collins, . who found fame with Channel 4’s The Friday Night Project, initially . showered Miss Larke with ‘beautiful gifts and lovely dinners’ and even . put £1,000 into her bank account. Former PR worker Miss Larke said: ‘It seemed like no big deal between being with the love of my life and being on Facebook.’ But she claimed Collins, 38, soon . began a campaign of verbal and physical abuse against her saying she was . a ‘sex addict’ who was ‘riddled with’ sexually transmitted diseases. The jury of nine women and three men . was told Collins compiled a dossier of Miss Larke’s previous sexual . encounters in a notebook. Peter Shaw, QC, prosecuting said: ‘She . felt it was a disgusting thing to have to do and she was worried that . she would lose him by doing it. But he told her it would help the . relationship and help him deal with her past. ‘When Mr Collins was satisfied that . Miss Larke had provided a sufficient amount of information he signified . his satisfaction with the word: “Done”.’ Speaking about the notebook Miss Larke . told the court he had wanted a full account of her previous sexual . activity. Collins pictured in 2011 with his former girlfriend Anna Larke after he split from his wife . She thought it was ‘weird’ but went along with it because she . ‘worshipped the ground he walked on’ and didn’t want to lose him. Miss Larke said Collins demanded to know who she was speaking to on her phone or who she was texting. ‘He knew everything about me,’ she said. ‘It was the ultimate power really.’ The court heard how Collins had first . met Miss Larke in 2006 when he was the presenter of the Golden Joysticks . video game awards and she was a public relations worker. They had an ‘intimate’ relationship . that was ended by Collins when he was exposed by the News of the World . in 2008 for cheating on his wife with a woman other than Miss Larke. Collins is the former host of the Friday Night Project. The court heard he 'insisted' that his girlfriend 'sleep facing towards him' The prosecution claimed Collins . contacted Miss Larke again in November 2010 via Facebook and he left his . wife shortly afterwards and moved from Bristol to Kew in South-West . London. She said that he claimed to be unhappy in his marriage and told . her he had had ‘six one-night stands’. After Miss Larke moved in with Collins . he allegedly began to try to control her – even insisting she throw out . DVDs featuring actors she might be attracted to. She told the court she . had been forced to dump a box set of the series Smallville because she . had once fancied the actor who played Superman. Miss Larke, a recovering alcoholic, . also said she was sleep deprived because Collins insisted she always lay . in bed facing him. She said he would wake her and criticise her if he . woke and found she had turned away from him. Jurors heard the comedian, pictured at an earlier court appearance, assaulted and harassed his former partner during their nine-month relationship . She added: ‘He would make me stay . awake until he went to bed. This was sometimes four or five in the . morning. He used to say if I fell asleep before him I was running the . risk of him texting other women.’ The court was told Collins would . physically assault Miss Larke by slapping her, grabbing her arms, . pulling her hair and spitting on her face. In a videoed police interview played to the court she said: ‘Anything would trigger it, there was such a temper on him.’ She said when he hit her in the face ‘my whole jaw and teeth were killing me and I would get bruises’. St Albans Crown Court where the court heard Collins made his former girlfriend recount every sexual experience she had ever had for a notebook he kept as part of a campaign of domestic abuse . In July 2011 Miss Larke said they had gone to a pub and she had suggested Collins cuddled her like a couple who were nearby. This allegedly caused Collins to fly . into a rage and when they returned home Miss Larke recorded his tirades . on a mobile phone. The jury was played the recordings in which Collins . can be heard calling her a ‘****ing slag’ and a ‘dirty vile whore’. Collins was a ‘very depressed and . angry man’, said Miss Larke. She said he once claimed he wanted to jump . off Clifton suspension bridge in his home town of Bristol. Miss Larke also claimed Collins left . her in fear of her life. During her police interview she claimed he . said: ‘Tell anyone what I have done and I will kill you and I’ll kill . myself.’ The case continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | 'If he awoke to find she had turned away he would wake her and criticise her'
Collins 'made girlfriend throw away her DVD collection on the basis she found some of the male actors in the movies to be attractive'
Comedian 'assaulted and harassed his girlfriend during their nine-month relationship in campaign of domestic abuse'
He made Anna Larke close her email, Facebook and Twitter accounts .
Miss Larke said Collins had 'destroyed her life' and she had stayed with him because she 'worshiped the ground he walked on'
'It made me feel horrible and disgusting but I was so in love with him', Larke . |
249,371 | ceb2c09d27ed0e03a0026130fbaf38c3924639f6 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 03:44 EST, 25 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:19 EST, 25 October 2012 . One lucky lottery winner won enough money to buy several homes but has been able to stay in his taxpayer-funded council house . When most people hit the jackpot, they tend to splash their cash on frivolous shopping, plush sports cars and luxury homes. But one lucky lottery winner - who had the money to buy several pads wherever he so desired - is still living in a council house in Stroud. This means that despite his mega-win, his lifestyle is still being partly footed by the taxpayer. And he is entitled to stay in his local authority property, paying subsidised rent and no mortgage, as a lifetime tenant. The man in Gloucestershire - who has not been named - is said to have won a 'significant' sum but council rules prevent him being forced to move out . of social housing and buy his own place. The news comes at a time where there are more than 3,200 people who cannot afford their own homes on the council house waiting list in the Stroud area. Stroud District council tenant Margaret Marshall said she thought it was vastly unfair and that the lottery winner should move on. 'If I won then I'd go, because other people need homes,' said Mrs Marshall, who has lived at her address in Nailsworth for over 30 years. 'Otherwise, I might buy it, then they could build another with the money,' she said. The revelation of the winner's decision to stay in their home came at Stroud District Council's housing advisory panel. 'We had someone who won on the lottery a large, significant sum,' the council's housing advice manager Sue Leighton-Boyce told the meeting. 'They are still our tenant although they clearly had enough money to go out and buy several homes.' Councillors were discussing a review of their council homes allocation policy after a Government consultation suggested ending lifetime tenancies. Stroud, pictured, where there are more than 3,200 people on the council house waiting list . A further suggestion was that households with a gross income above £60,000 shouldn't qualify for social housing. The Government's Localism Act has given local authorities the ability to choose renewable tenancies instead. 'We have had another lady who married a very nicely-off gentleman,' said Ms Leighton-Boyce. 'They chose to live in their council house but he has another property, has a house abroad, a yacht abroad. In January Gareth and Catherine Bull scooped £41million but the couple said they had 'no plans' to move out of their home . 'Tenants were quite miffed about this and said why can't you do anything? Why are you still allowing them to live there?' she said. 'Under the current rules they have their tenancies for life,' she said. The council's rainbow political alliance are expected to decide about tenancy issues at their next executive on November 8. Tory Councillor Debbie Young, former cabinet member for housing, said renewable five-year tenancies would allow these situations to be reviewed. 'This lottery guy has highlighted the issue that people don't have to give up their properties even when they don't need them,' Mrs Young said. 'Surely this person's conscience should be pricked now?' In 2010 the Daily Mail revealed that 43,000 social households earn more . than £50,000 a year - at a time when more than 4million people in real . need were on waiting lists. Under reforms implemented in February last year, the scandal of people living in taxpayer-funded council homes, despite earning tens of thousands of pounds a year, was brought to a close. Ministers confirmed that council housing for life would no longer be possible for new tenants, with people being asked to sign shorter tenancies to enable them to be thrown out if their salary rises too high. And the government introduced new 'affordable rents', set at different rates according to how much the tenant can pay. But the lifetime rules do not apply to those well-off tenants living on existing tenancies - which means thousands of wealthier people can still enjoy their council properties. In January, Gareth and Catherine Bull from Nottinghamshire scooped £41million but the couple said they had 'no plans' to quit work or move out of their home, which is not a council house. Mr Bull, a self-employed builder, and Mrs Bull, who works in health insurance, said their home was already their 'dream home' and they did not want to move. They announced they would splash out on one particular luxury - a new carpet for their upstairs landing. When Matt Topham and his fiancée Cassey Carrington won £45million on the lottery in February, they said they would buy themselves the home of their dreams. Surprisingly, the couple bought a small £249,000 house on a cul-de-sac in Nottinghamshire. The 22-year-olds were said to be 'delighted' with their new home, despite living between a housing estate on side side and a busy main road on the other. | Gloucestershire man - who has not been named - can stay in taxpayer-funded council house for life due to local authority property rules .
Government ended scandal of wealthy people living in council homes last year but the reforms to not apply to those given home before new rules . |
236,003 | bd8691f42cf95d0946dda640c8b42a6a1d8d5287 | By . Rachel Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:37 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:04 EST, 18 July 2013 . A girl with a rare genetic condition has finally spoken her first words thanks to a diet that involves eating four tubs of cream cheese a week. Three-year-old Fields Taylor from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, suffers from a disorder called Glut1 Deficiency Syndrome, which affects her ability to speak. But miraculously, after starting a high-fat, low-sugar diet - which includes eating almost a kilo of Philadelphia a week - she has finally spoken her first words. Mother Stevis Taylor, 34, is pictured with her daughter Fields, who suffers from extremely rare condition called Glut1 Deficiency. It it means her brain is starved of energy because her body cannot transport enough glucose to it . There is no cure for Glut1, which affects just 25 people in the UK, but children can be helped with a special diet called the Ketogenic Diet. Delighted mother, Stevie, 34, said: 'The first time I heard Fields say "Mum" it was just wonderful. 'I didn't really believe that something so simple as changing her diet could make such a big difference. 'The amount of Philadelphia she goes through is a bit mad but the effect it's had is amazing.It's just fabulous to know that she does have a voice inside her and we can finally communicate.' Fields suffers from an extremely rare syndrome called Glut1 Deficiency (GD1). Fewer than 300 cases have been reported since the disease was identified in 1991 and there are only 25 known cases in the UK. GD1 is a genetic condition that primarily affects the brain and . is caused by a defect in the SLC2A1 gene, which is responsible for . making a protein called the glucose transporter protein type 1 (GLUT1). This protein is responsible for transporting glucose (a simple sugar) from the blood into the cells for energy. Symptoms of Glut1 Defiency Syndrome can be alleviated by the Ketogenic Diet which is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. Field's eats over a kilo of cream cheese a week and must also drink 50ml of a special oil four times a day to boost her fat intake . This causes the brain to be starved of energy which can result in a variety of symptoms. Most, but not all, patients develop seizures within the first few months of life. These seizures are very difficult to treat with the common anti-seizure medications. Other symptoms include learning disabilities, stiffness, difficulty in coordinating movements, speech abnormalities, fatigue, muscle twitches and headaches. Mother Stevie said that at first she was dubious about the diet. But within weeks she said she could see it working - that Fields was more alert and her 'personality seemed to come out a bit more' There is no cure for the condition but many people have reported a great reduction in symptoms from the Ketogenic Diet. The diet is a very . restrictive calorie-limited, high-fat diet. No sugar is allowed and . minimal carbohydrate is included. The diet is so precise that children on it must avoid even topical ingredients – such as medications or toothpastes – that might contain sugar. Strict compliance with this diet . causes the liver to produce ketones which are used by the brain as an . alternative fuel source. Ketones are measured with a blood monitoring machine that requires pricking the child's finger. Ketone levels must be regularly checked because if they are too high a patient may go into a coma. Stevie said: 'At first I was pretty dubious about the diet - I didn't see how food could make such a big difference. Mother Stevie (pictured with husband David and daughter Fields) said that after several weeks on the diet something miracualous happened. She said: 'One morning I was in the kitchen and all of a sudden I heard this little voice shout "mum". 'I dropped what I was doing and ran into the direction of Fields and just couldn't believe what I was hearing.' 'But within weeks you could see it working, she was more alert and her personality seemed to come out a bit more. 'Then, one morning I was in the kitchen and all of a sudden I heard this little voice shout "mum". 'I dropped what I was doing and ran into the direction of Fields and just couldn't believe what I was hearing. 'There's been times that I never thought I'd hear her speak. I was just over the Moon. G1D prevents glucose, the brain's main energy source, from reaching it.This in effect starves the brain, leading to a number of symptoms include seizures, muscle twitches, learning disabilities and in Field's cases, speech problems.The Ketogenic Diet is a very restrictive, calorie-limited, high-fat diet. No sugar is allowed and minimal carbohydrate is included.Strict compliance with this diet causes the liver to produce ketones. These ketones are then used by the brain as an alternative source of energy. Children must be strictly monitored when on the diet because too many ketones can trigger extreme fatigue and even coma in extreme cases. 'Now she's started shouting for the dog and saying bigger words - she said the word dinosaur the other day - I nearly cried.' Stevie explained that it was difficult to get Fields to comply at the outset but that cream cheese has really helped make it bearable for her. 'Philadelphia really has been our saving grace - she just loves the stuff. She'll pile it up on crackers and it gives her loads of energy,' said Stevie. 'I do get funny looks when I give her a tiny piece of toast with layers and layers of butter on but the diet has really worked wonders for her. 'It doesn't affect her weight either as she uses up every bit of fat she eats, she doesn't store any of it.' Stevie, and husband David, first noticed something may be wrong with their daughter when she was just 15 weeks old. Stevie said: 'I'd had a normal pregnancy and normal birth but Fields got to 15 weeks old and she started with a twitch in her wrist. 'I went to the GP who said she would book us an appointment at the hospital. 'I was just waiting in the waiting room to find out when that appointment would be and all of a sudden she had a seizure. 'I was petrified. Your worst thoughts go through your mind. She just went really vacant, like she was going into another world. Field's parents are now hoping that, thanks to the diet, her condition will improve even further. They went to a Glut1 conference in America last week and there were children there that were walking. Steie said: 'It's a huge goal for Fields to reach, but she's progressed so far in such a short time.' Fields was rushed to hospital, where she had another seizure, and further tests were carried out. After a week in hospital she was diagnosed with epilepsy. 'When they told us she had epilepsy we accepted it and tried to get on with it. But then I started noticing that other children Fields' age were doing more advanced things than she was. 'So we told the hospital and last March she had some genetic tests done. 'I didn't really think anything of it, and when we went back to the hospital in January this year for an appointment I just thought it was a routine check up. 'I was gob smacked when they told us that there was deletion in one of her chromosomes, and that she had Glut1. I'd never heard of it before.' Fields is now thriving thanks to the new regime which has cut out carbohydrates and massively upped her intake of fats . The only way to treat the condition is by starting the Ketogenic Diet which Fields was put on in April. Her parents are now hoping that, thanks to the diet, her condition will improve even further. Stevie said: 'We went to a Glut1 conference in America last week and there were children there that were walking. 'It's a huge goal for Fields to reach, but she's progressed so far in such a short time. 'We know she can do it.' Emma Williams MBE is the CEO and Founder of Matthew's Friends, a Ketogenic Dietary Therapies Charity. Emma said: 'The Ketogenic Diet is really the only treatment there is for Glut 1 DS and sadly there are still patients in the UK that have been diagnosed with Glut 1 DS that are then put on a long waiting list for the treatment - this is not acceptable as there should be no waiting list for these patients. 'The longer they are without treatment the longer their brains are being starved and the more damage can be done. 'Fields' story just highlights the difference the correct treatment can make to a person and the Ketogenic Diet can work wonders in these patients and those with drug resistant epilepsy.' | Fields Taylor has a rare condition called Glut1 Deficiency Syndrome that affects just 25 people in the UK and 300 people worldwide .
Condition prevents brain from getting the energy it needs and can cause seizures, speech problems as well as physical and learning disabilities .
There is no cure for the syndrome but children can be helped with a .
special high-fat low-carbohydrate regime called the Ketogenic Diet . |
132,237 | 3704962c816f12b961f955b8ee5a9b581172020d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:00 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:51 EST, 10 October 2013 . An accountant has grown the world's biggest melon and smashed his way into the record books with his mammoth 350.5lb fruit . Chris Kent, from Sevierville in Tennessee, entered his prize fruit into the 2013 Pumpkin and Fall Festival in Hamilton in Ohio and came away victorious for the second time. The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth - a sanctioning body for contest of giant fruits and vegetables - was conducting one of its annual weigh-offs and declared his giant melon was an incredible 42.5 lbs heavier than the previous world record, set by Gabriele Bartoli in Italy in 2012. Record-breaking: An accountant has grown the world's biggest melon and smashed his way into the record books with his mammoth 350.5lb fruit . Victory: Chris Kent, from Sevierville in Tennessee, entered his prize fruit into the 2013 Pumpkin and Fall Festival in Hamilton in Ohio and came away victorious for the second time . 'This one is, without any doubt, the world's largest watermelon, in terms of length and circumference,' Mr Kent said. 'There's never been one grown that's been this big. But is it heavy enough to break the world record? I don't know.' Mr Kent added: 'You can eat them. They're not as sweet as a store-bought watermelon though. The flesh inside is a little more coarse and it's not as sweet.' Verdict: The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth declared his giant melon was an incredible 42.5 lbs heavier than the previous world record, set by Gabriele Bartoli in Italy in 2012 . Proud: Mr Kent poses with his record-breaking offering . Rumours of another mighty melon were rife at this year's contest but at 316lb it was not big enough to steal the title from Mr Kent. 'I'm extremely excited about it,' he said. 'It's a relief. I'll be able to sleep tonight.' It's the second time he has entered into the record books with his colassal fruit. In 2010, his 291-pounder shattered the previous world record of 268lbs. He has become somewhat of a celebrity in the fruit and vegetable growing network in the US, and now worldwide. Now Mr Kent plans to produce another champion melon by packaging and selling the seeds to other giant growers. Seeds from a record-setting champion could go for as much as $40 for a pack of three to four seeds. 'There should be over 1,500 seeds in here,' he said. 'We all share seeds and trade them back and forth. They have auctions in the winter time to raise funds for the clubs and stuff. 'There's a lot of camaraderie among growers worldwide now, with the internet and stuff but there's also a competitiveness about it.' | Chris Kent is from Sevierville in Tennessee .
Entered his prize fruit into the 2013 Pumpkin and Fall Festival in Hamilton .
It is the second time he was won the prize in Ohio . |
228,562 | b3f231b537e333d551301d52c218be18a0622e1c | Formula One driver Jean-Eric Vergne has revealed he was admitted to hospital after the Australian Grand Prix due to an extreme weight-loss regime for the 2014 season. The 23-year-old driver has been on a strict diet regime to meet new weight regulations this season. Frenchman Vergne, who drives for Red Bull's junior team Toro Rosso, says he needed hospital treatment after the season opener in Melbourne as a direct result of his dieting. Concern: Jean-Eric Vergne says he was admitted to hospital after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix . 'The weight difference between myself and my teammate was making me lose four tenths (per lap),' Vergne told French media. 'I did a diet this winter but you get to certain limits that the body can no longer take,' said Vergne. 'I was in hospital between the Grand Prix in Australia and Malaysia because of a lack of water and a little bit of lack of everything. I was very weak. On track: The Frenchman, who drives for Toro Rosso, described the weight regulations as 'stupid' Adrian Sutil, who is one of the . tallest, and subsequently heavier drivers on the grid, revealed he would race without a water bottle in yesterday's Bahrain Grand . Prix in a drastic bid to keep his weight to a minimum. Jensen Button: 12st . Nico Hulkenberg: 12st 8lbs . Adrian Sutil: 12st 8lbs . Lewis Hamilton: 11st 3lbs . Jean-Eric Vergne: 10st 8lbs . Kevin Magnussen: 10st 7lbs . Felipe Massa: 9st 2lbs . Vergne, who was came in 21st position on Sunday, admitted the issue has been discussed among his fellow . drivers, but a resolution is yet to be found. 'Frankly, the situation is stupid', added Vernge. 'Some lighter drivers want to keep their edge, and we have not reached a solution. 'Formula One cars are very difficult to drive and we need all of our skills. Being forced to lose weight is not good.' Vergne said that while the minimum car-plus-weight limit was raised by the FIA this season for the new turbo V6 rules, the 692-kg figure is still far too low. Out of juice: Adrian Sutil will race without a water bottle at Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix . Mercedes' Nico Rosberg, said he is dieting and 'has eaten no sugar since early December' According to the rules cars are weighed with the driver in the cockpit and fellow F1 DRIVER Lewis Hamilton has previously spoken of the need . for drivers to slim down due to turbos and hybrid systems being heavier . than engineers expected. 'It’s hardcore what people are doing,' admitted Hamilton. 'I’m . OK but for the really heavy drivers, I can’t imagine how it is for . them. There’s a minimum they can physically get to without cutting their . arm off. 'You can go into qualifying a little bit dehydrated. I heard someone was doing that, exhausting themselves. Lewis Hamilton celebrates after winning the 2014 Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. He has spoken of the need for drivers to slim down due to turbos and hybrid systems being heavier than engineers expected . 'And then the next day they can drink some more because the race is different. It’s like jockeys do.' Mercedes' Nico Rosberg, said he is also dieting to reduce his weight. 'I had to make the sacrifice if I want to balance the car perfectly,' he said. 'The diet alone is easy, but training with little food is hell,' Rosberg told Germany's Bild am Sonntag. 'I have eaten no sugar since early December -- for my dream I'm living like a monk'. Clayton Green, Manager of the Human Performance Programme at McLaren previously told The Telegraph: 'The minimum weight limit of the car this year is 691kg. With the changes in technology, teams are struggling to get the cars down to the minimum limit - but they want to be as close to it as possible. 'Any extra weight equates to time per lap and they don’t want to give anything away to competitors. So we want everything as light as possible - including the driver.' | Racer, 23, has been on a strict diet regime to meet new weight regulations .
Minimum limit of car and driver combined raised to 692 kilograms .
'I was very weak' he said speaking of his admission to hospital this winter .
Vergne came in 21st position on Sunday at the Bahrain Grand Prix . |
133,565 | 38b73f92222fc71e80ee18933c3ec65e4a005eb1 | By . Emma Glanfield for MailOnline . Outrage has erupted at a popular college after it emerged halal meat is regularly being served to students without them knowing because it is 'cheaper'. Since the summer, Chichester College, in West Sussex, has been dishing up halal chicken and lamb to unsuspecting diners at their main refectory. The move came after a sudden rise in the number of Middle Eastern students at the college, which has been rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted and takes pupils aged between 16 and 19. Scroll down for video . Since the summer, Chichester College, in West Sussex, (pictured) has been dishing up halal chicken and lamb to unsuspecting students at the campus' main refectory because it is cheaper to buy in than the alternative . One outraged diner, who didn't want to be named, said: 'I feel very strongly about food labelling and the consumer should know what they are eating. 'Personally, I'm against halal slaughter because it's not only cruel but it spoils the quality of the meat. 'During the animal's struggle toxins are released, spoiling the meat. 'I feel that it's a personal choice of an individual whether or not they choose to eat halal. 'It's disturbing that food establishments are not informing their customers of the meat they are serving.' Halal meat comes from the traditional Muslim method of slaughtering but is controversial because animals are killed by having their throats cut then having their blood drained. Diners have been left outraged after not being told about the use of halal meat which is controversial due to the method used in slaughtering the animal. The college said it 'never had any intention to avoid telling customers' Aramark, the contractors which run the canteen, are under no legal obligation to inform the customers whether the meat is halal or not. A statement from the college said: 'The decision to purchase this is because the aim is always to provide good quality food at as reasonable a price as possible. Halal slaughtering involves cutting through the large arteries in the neck with one swipe of a blade, while a Muslim butcher recites a religious verse. All blood is then drained away since the consumption of blood is forbidden under Islamic law. Under Islamic law, an animal must be slaughtered by having its throat cut while it is conscious. In comparison, the non-halal method involves taking animals to an abattoir where they are stunned before being killed. It means the animal is unconscious when it is killed and has an instantaneous death, as opposed to enduring what animal rights activists claim is drawn-out pain and suffering. Once the animal has been killed at the abattoir, it is removed and taken to be hung and butchered. 'At the moment, halal meat prices have come down but regular meat prices have risen. 'There has never been any intention to avoid telling customers when meat is halal and customers who have asked have been informed of this.' It comes amid an ongoing row about halal meat and the way it is packaged and presented to customers. Supermarkets and restaurant chains face being forced to label food containing the meat after it was revealed how millions of customers are being left in the dark about what they are eating. Leading supermarkets, popular restaurant chains and dozens of academic premises have been switching to halal meat because it is more cost-effective but, it has been revealed, have not been informing customers. At least ten top higher education establishments - including Oxford University and the University of Manchester - have been secretly serving up meat from potentially unstunned animals. In Manchester, 85 per cent of all meat served is unlabelled halal meal, while all the chicken served at Sheffield and Exeter - which is halal - is not marked as so. Cardiff and Lincoln were also found to be among the universities serving significant quantities of the meat, without telling consumers. Christchurch College, Oxford University, was among the top universities which admitted to serving halal meat . The findings were unearthed through a Freedom of Information request which was sent to 126 establishments. However, just 25 responded - meaning the problem could be more widespread than currently thought. In May, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg demanded better labelling using a designated 'halal' logo. He said that while he personally had 'no problem' eating halal meat, produce should be clearly labelled because 'consumers want to know more about how the food arrived on their plate.' | Chichester College has been serving halal to students without telling them .
Has been using halal chicken and lamb because it is cheaper than alternative .
One diner said: 'It's disturbing that food establishments are not informing us'
College said: 'There has never been any intention to avoid telling customers' |
282,074 | f96203825855e41add7658ef05e30d369c071f0d | (CNN) -- For the fourth weekend in a row, The Hunger Games easily led the domestic box office, holding off three new wide releases from the top spot. Lionsgate's $90 million blockbuster adaptation earned $21.5 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period, marking a slim 32 percent drop from last weekend. All told, The Hunger Games has earned $337.1 million after 24 days and seems headed for a final domestic total of about $375 million. The only other 2012 releases likely to reach those sorts of numbers are franchise films The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Internationally, The Hunger Games isn't yet the franchise-launching blockbuster that it is Stateside, but it is performing quite well week-to-week. The film is nearing the $200 million mark overseas, and as of Sunday, its worldwide total stands at $531 million. That figure should only climb with each subsequent sequel. The Farrelly brothers' latest comedy, The Three Stooges, debuted in second place with an unexpectedly strong gross of $17.1 million. While that figure isn't gargantuan, the slapstick romp fared better with ticket buyers and critics than anyone expected, since ads for The Three Stooges, which highlighted the goofball physical comedy of the original 1930s film series, had many people thinking the film was a dud. Fox spent a reported $30 million on the comedy, which stars Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, and Chris Diamantopoulos, and marketed it to comedy-craving men and young boys eager for a family option other than Mirror Mirror. This strategy proved effective: according to CinemaScore, the film played to audiences that were 59 percent male. Stooges earned a lackluster "B-" CinemaScore grade, though — crowds under 25 gave the film an "A-" and crowds 25 and up gave it a "C" — which could hurt its box office longevity. Still, this should prove to be a minor winner for Fox. After three years on the shelf following MGM's demise, Joss Whedon's horror/comedy The Cabin in the Woods finally got its release, and over its debut weekend, the film scared up $14.9 million — a respectable result. Lionsgate faced a difficult challenge in marketing Cabin without giving away the film's plot, which is most effective when kept under wraps. Encouragingly, the film, which Lionsgate acquired for slightly less than $20 million, ticked up from $5.5 million on Friday to $5.7 million on Saturday — a rare increase for frontloaded horror films and fanboy flicks (Cabin is both of these things). This may have been the effect of strong word-of-mouth and stellar critical reviews overall (the film stands at 93 percent "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes), although audiences polled by CinemaScore didn't prove overly enthusiastic. They gave the film a harsh "C" grade. Increasingly, CinemaScore grades don't seem to line up with critical opinions — this recently happened with Drive, which critics loved, but audiences issued a "C-" grade. Only time will tell whether word-of-mouth proves a boon or an anchor for Cabin, but it has a shot at becoming a mid-level sleeper hit. In fourth place, Titanic 3D sank by only 33 percent to $11.6 million in its second weekend. After ten days, the 3-D re-release has pulled in $44.4 million, passing the re-release total of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, which earned $43.3 million total despite a strong $22.5 million start. Titanic should sail right past Beauty and the Beast 3D's $47.5 million gross over the next few days, and finish around $65 million. While that's lower than The Lion King's $94.2 million re-release total, and a bit less than many were expecting, Paramount spent just $18 million to convert the picture, so the the re-release will prove profitable — especially as a launching pad for the Titanic Blu-ray, set to hit stores soon. American Reunion rounded out the Top 5 with $10.7 million, a 50 percent decline from last weekend. Universal's sequel has grossed $39.9 million against a $50 million budget, but given steep drops like this one, Reunion will end up the lowest-grossing title in the American Pie franchise. Down in ninth place, Guy Pearce/Maggie Grace thriller Lockout started its run with a weak $6.3 million out of 2,308 theaters. The action film earned a "B-" CinemaScore grade. In limited release, Weinstein's buzzy documentary Bully, which finally got a PG-13 rating after cutting a few F-words, earned a moderate (given the amount of press it has received) $534,000 from 158 theaters. The film has earned $814,000 after three weekends. Meanwhile, Blue Like Jazz, the Kickstarter-funded adaptation of Donald Miller's religious memoir, grossed an okay $281,000 from 136 locations. Because Jazz was funded by fans, the Roadside Attractions-distributed feature has minimal negative costs. Among milestones, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island crossed $100 million domestically this weekend. The film, which stars The Rock, has earned over $315 million worldwide. Denzel Washington thriller Safe House passed $125 million. And 21 Jump Street reached $120 million, and is now set to pass The Vow as Channing Tatum's highest earner in 2012. Check back next week to see how The Lucky One and Think Like A Man fare, and follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute box office news! 1. The Hunger Games -- $21.5 million . 2. The Three Stooges -- $17.1 million . 3. The Cabin in the Woods -- $14.9 million . 4. Titanic 3D -- $11.6 million . 5. American Reunion -- $10.7 million . See the full story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | 'Hunger Games' has dominated the box office since its release .
The film beat out new releases 'The Three Stooges' and 'The Cabin in the Woods'
'Titanic 3D' came in fourth place . |
199,401 | 8e21c5e046bf32156aff1608368d02736a0dc563 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:50 EST, 14 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:50 EST, 14 January 2013 . More than 700 patients at the Buffalo Veterans Administration Center may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C because of accidental reuse of insulin pens, according to a hospital statement and published reports. Authorities told The Buffalo News there is a 'very small risk' for the diabetic patients who may have been exposed to the reused insulin pens - but not the needles - between October 19, 2010 and November 2012. The VA memo obtained by the News said the problem was discovered by a routine pharmacy inspection last November 1. The News first published the report on its website Friday. Big mistake: Staff at the Buffalo Veterans Administration Center (pictured) re-used insulin pens on patients from October 19, 2010 to November 1 . More than 700 exposed: While the pens were re-used, the veterans hospital staff changed the needles, rendering the risk of infection very low, according to a doctor (stock image). The VA also notified western New York members of Congress of the possible exposure. In a statement to The Associated Press, VA spokeswoman Evangeline Conley said the hospital 'recently discovered that in some cases, insulin pens were not labeled for individual patients.' She added that 'although the pen needles were always changed, an insulin pen may have been used on more than one patient.' Conley said that once this was discovered the hospital took 'immediate action' to ensure the insulin pens were being used according to pharmaceutical guidelines. Taking up the fight: Rep. Chris Collins, a Republican who represents the Buffalo area, said that even with a fresh needle, contamination could have occurred if bodily fluid flowed back into the insulin pens . Insulin pens used by diabetics to inject insulin can be disposable or reusable with replaceable needles and cartridges. But according to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, even reusable pens should not be used on more than one patient. The VA told local lawmakers that of the 716 patients at the facility who may have been exposed to the reused insulin pens 570 are still living, according to The Buffalo News. “I was horrified,” the wife of a Marine Corps veteran who was possibly exposed told The News. “I started crying, figuring what could be wrong with my husband. I trusted the VA. He trusted the VA. To find out they weren’t labeling the insulin pens, and they were sharing them – it’s horrifying.” After seeing the VA's memo, Rep. Chris Collins, a Republican who represents the Buffalo area, said he spoke with Dr. Robert A. Petzel, undersecretary for health at the Department of Veterans Affairs. 'His thought was that it's a very, very low chance of passing infection,' Collins said. 'But it's not out of the realm of possibility, and that's why they're testing everyone,' Collins told the News. Collins said that even with a fresh needle, contamination could have occurred if bodily fluid flowed back into the insulin pens. The VA said it is offering free blood tests to rule out any infections. | The hospital only re-used the pens - and not the needles .
'I started crying,' says the wife of a Marine Corps. veteran .
Doctor says there's 'a very, very low chance,' of transmission for diabetic patients .
Of the 716 patients possibly exposed, 570 are still alive . |
101,166 | 0e60cc7a32e66011c1a5c90c08e4e8591c9525ea | (CNN) -- This is what party modernization looks like. Last Friday, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio announced he is now a supporter of the freedom to marry. What changed his thinking after voting against gay rights in the past? Finding out that his son -- a Yale sophomore -- was gay, and realizing that sexual orientation is not a choice but an innate quality. "I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn't deny them the opportunity to get married," he said. Portman's change of heart is significant because he is the highest-ranking elected Republican in America, who is currently in office, to endorse same-sex marriage. But he joins a growing number of Republicans who have already done just that. Indeed, Portman is just the latest addition to an increasingly common occurrence in Republican politics at the county, city and state level. To date 208 elected Republican state legislators have voted to legalize same-sex marriage in 13 states: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. Only nine states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage, but GOP elected officials have voted for marriage when it came up for vote in their legislative chambers in Illinois, Wyoming and Rhode Island, though the law hasn't yet passed in those states. Sutter: Gay people live in 50 Americas . The conservative argument for marriage includes a recognition of the traditional value of marriage as a stabilizing force in society. Another, economic argument holds that married individuals tend to accumulate more wealth than single individuals (putting them at lesser risk of state dependency), not to mention that marriage produces more government revenue through taxation. California's ban on same-sex marriage cost San Francisco $37.2 million per year in receipts, according to Ted Egan, chief economist in the San Francisco Controller's Office. The elected officials who support same-sex marriage are surfing a rapidly rising tide among Republican rank-and-file. A new ABC/Washington Post Poll shows that 52% of Republicans younger than 50 support same-sex marriage. There are good reasons for this. Conservative faith traditions argue rightly for strict religious protections in the law so that churches, synagogues and mosques aren't forced to perform ceremonies inconsistent with their religious teachings. But Americans' diverse religious backgrounds have the Golden Rule in common, and conservatives in favor of civil marriage argue that it is consistent with faith traditions for Republican policies to treat others, including gays and lesbians, with the same level of respect and fairness under the law that we wish for ourselves. Constitutional conservatives point to the role of the courts in protecting fundamental rights. They argue that marriage is such a right, enshrined in the constitution, and one that cannot be subject to the whims or tyranny of a majority of voters, even if they were to wish to limit the freedoms of gay and lesbians. More and more Republicans are recognizing and respecting the essential dignity of individuals who are gay and deserve the full rights of citizenship, just like their straight brothers and sisters. Opinion: Gay marriage, then group marriage? These are the messages that last November brought Republicans and independents to the voting booth in Maryland, Maine and Washington, where same-sex marriage was approved for the first time by voters, not courts or legislatures. Minnesotans, who rejected a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in November, are now poised to legalize marriage this legislative season, with the historic distinction of bipartisan support: Republican State Sen. Branden Petersen is a co-sponsor of the bill. The timing of Portman's announcement is no accident. In less than a week, Theodore Olson, George W. Bush's solicitor general and a charter member of the conservative Federalist Society, will argue before the United States Supreme Court that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Accompanying him is an amicus brief, signed by 135 prominent Republicans, (I was also a co-signer) making the conservative case for same-sex marriage, an effort organized by former Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman. It's hard to imagine that the justices aren't taking notes on our country's rapid transformation on this issue. The final safe haven within the conservative movement for anti-gay bigotry -- the American Conservative Union's CPAC convention, held last week in Maryland -- received more than a few hearty smackdowns. The editors of National Review, the conservative movement's founding publication, chided CPAC's exclusion of gay conservatives, which was followed by a convention panel hosted by the Competitive Enterprise Institute entitled, "A Rainbow on the Right: Growing the Coalition, Bringing Tolerance Out of the Closet" (full disclosure: I spoke on that panel). Listen: Voices from the Southern closet . Finally, the conservative intellectual pillar Charles Murray took the CPAC stage to argue that the conservative movement must accept same-sex marriage if it wishes to win elections in the future. The data are inescapable: 62% of all Republicans believe in either same-sex marriage or another form of legal recognition of same-sex relationships and 73% of Republicans support employment nondiscrimination protections for gays and lesbians. At this point, the support for same-sex marriage from former Vice President Cheney, former first lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Colin Powell is icing on the cake. In the words of Portman, this is less a partisan issue than a generational issue. Portman embodies the formula for GOP modernization: a conservatism that unapologetically applies the principle of individual freedom consistently to both fiscal and social policy. The senator has breathed new life into a national party grasping for traction with young Americans. To regain relevance, the beltway's Republican establishment organizations owe a debt of gratitude to leaders like Portman, Peterson and New York Rep. Richard Hanna for representing their family's and friends' right to equal freedom and opportunity. They, and others like them, are making the case for a relevant modern conservative movement. Pro-marriage-freedom Republicans are on the right side of history and in time their courage and contributions will help erase the stain of bigotry that holds the conservative movement back and stops us from connecting to a rising generation of Americans. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Margaret Hoover . | Margaret Hoover: Sen. Rob Portman most recent GOP'er to support same-sex marriage .
She says conservative values, golden rule allow more in GOP to accept change .
She says more in GOP see marriage as stabilizing force, good for economy .
Hoover: To regain relevance with voters, the GOP must reject bigotry that holds it back . |
15,000 | 2a989bb208aafba6d5137b0d11fa8e643acab677 | Sarah Donaghey’s dreams of motherhood were shattered when she was told the only cure for her cervical cancer was a hysterectomy. However, the 27-year-old now has a chance of having a baby because her mother, 49-year-old Linda Donaghey, has offered to be a surrogate. Ms Donaghey, a sales administrator from Leeds, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of the cancer when she was just 25 . Linda Donaghey, 49, (left) has offered to be a surrogate for her daughter, Sarah Donaghey, 27 (right) She was devastated when she was told that the only way to save her life would be to remove her womb. However, she was given a glimmer of hope as surgeons were able to save her ovaries which tests last February revealed were still producing eggs. Within months of her hysterectomy, Ms Donaghey and her partner, Stuart Simpson, 26, started to research surrogacy. Ms Donaghey told the Sunday Mirror: ‘Our biggest worry was that even if the surrogate is pregnant with a baby that is biologically ours, legally she is the mum. We worried she wouldn’t be able to give up our baby.’ She explained how she was discussing the problem with her mother, when the grandmother-of-three said that she would act as a surrogate. She . told the Sunday Mirror: ‘I didn’t have to think twice about it. I found . it heart breaking that she’d had to go through such a terrible ordeal . at such a young age. The family's local authority will not pay for their IVF treatment because Ms Donaghey's partner, Stuart Simpson, already has a daughter, Lola (pictured). Ms Donaghey has always dreamed of having a large family of her own . A six-year-old Ms Donaghey is pictured playing mother to her doll. She later thought her cancer had shattered her dreams of parenthood . She added: ‘Some friends think I am mad but I didn’t have to think twice about offering to have a baby for Sarah. I just see it as some early babysitting.’ However, the family has now hit another setback as their local authority has informed them that they will not pay for the IVF treatment required to allow Linda to carry Sarah and Stuart’s child, because Mr Simpson already has a daughter, Lola, from a previous relationship. As a result, they now face a race against time to raise the £7,000 needed before Mrs Donaghey reaches her 50th birthday, after which doctors will be reluctant to allow her to be a surrogate. To help raise money visit www.gofundme.com/ivf-funding-sarahstuart . | Sarah Donaghey, 27, is unable to have children after having a hysterectomy .
The administrator has spent life dreaming of having children of her own .
Now her mother, Linda, has offered to be surrogate mother to her baby .
Linda's friends think she's mad but she says she didn't have to think twice . |
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