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56,491 | a0169fe0d184783b349227bacb6257050be87b6d | (CNN) -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame is about to get a lot bigger. The hall's selection committee on Saturday -- meeting in New Orleans, on the eve of Super Bowl XLVII -- selected six former players and one coach to join the ranks of the NFL's best. They were all bigger than life, literally and figuratively, in their heydays -- from towering, 6-foot-9 inch Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden to the "Big Tuna," the moniker given to legendary and well-traveled coach Bill Parcells. "Surreal. Speechless," Ogden said, on his Twitter page, moments after the announcement. "Still can't believe it." The original Raven -- as the team's first draft pick after it relocated from Cleveland to Baltimore -- literally stands above everyone else in the Class of 2013, by virtue of his height and 345-pound frame. On the field, the UCLA grad stood out enough to be named All-Pro six times and earn Pro Bowl honors in 11 of his 12 seasons. Another big name, and big personality, who will be joining him is Warren Sapp. The University of Miami product terrorized linemen and quarterbacks while racking up 96.5 sacks over his 13-year career with the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although some better know him for his brash trash-talking, wide smile and love for the camera, including on the 2008 season of "Dancing With the Stars." "Warren played the game with incredible ability and passion," Buccaneers co-chairman Bryan Glazer said of the 1999 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl XXXVII champ. "He ... helped to redefine the tackle position." Two other defensive stars will be joining Sapp in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. One is another defensive tackle, Curley Culp, who made six Pro Bowls during his 14 seasons between 1968 and 1981 with the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions. Going farther back in NFL history is linebacker Dave Robinson, who amassed 27 interceptions in his career, much of it with Vince Lombardi's great Green Bay Packer teams. After narrowly missing out in recent years, wide receiver Cris Carter finally will make the trip to Canton -- just 120 miles from where he first emerged at Ohio State University. In his 16 NFL campaigns, most of them with the Minnesota Vikings, he was consistently among the league's top wideouts with eight straight seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and 130 total touchdowns. His selection stirred rejoicing among Vikings' fans, with team owner Zygi Wilf calling the current ESPN analyst "one of the most beloved players in franchise history." "In terms of catching the football, I haven't seen anybody in my time better than Cris Carter," former Vikings assistant and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy said, according to the Vikings' official website. Just over five years ago, Larry Allen was a dominating presence with the San Francisco 49ers, with whom he played after 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Now the mammoth offensive lineman -- measuring in at 6 feet, 3 inches and 325 pounds -- has another honor to his name as a hall of famer, in addition to having been named to the NFL's All-Decade teams for the 1990s and 2000s. "Larry is one of the greatest players in Cowboys history, and arguably the very best guard to ever play the game," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, whom Allen has tapped to give his induction speech. Parcells is this year's other honoree, a man who never played in the NFL though he nonetheless became one of the league's most recognizable names in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. A graduate of Wichita State University, he was drafted in the seventh round by the Detroit Lions but opted for a carer in coaching. He took stints at several universities before jumping to the NFL. Parcells led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, then took the New England Patriots to the title game in January 1997 (where they lost), before finishing up his career with stops with the New York Jets, Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. "Bill Parcells has been thought of as one of the all-time greats for a long time, so it is with great pride that we can officially refer to him as a Hall of Famer," said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who coached under Parcells with the Giants and Jets before succeeding him in New England. "He deserves all the recognition he is getting." The seven inductees were chosen Saturday by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's selection committee from a list of 17 finalists -- with late longtime Cleveland Browns and Ravens owner Art Modell, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis and wide receiver Tim Brown among those narrowly missing the cut. The honorees will be enshrined on August 3, in a ceremony expected to include 130 others who have been so honored over the past 50 years. Already blown away by his name being called, Ogden said he expects the feeling will only get better when he gets to Ohio, according to a story on the Ravens' official website. "It will be one of the best moments of my life," he said. | NEW: Bill Belichick lauds his ex-boss and 2013 inductee Bill Parcells as an "all-time great"
NEW: Cris Carter caught footballs better than "anybody in my time," ex-coach Tony Dungy says .
NEW: Larry Allen is "arguably the very best guard ... ever," Cowboys owner Jones says .
This year's other inductees are Jonathan Ogden, Warren Sapp, Curley Culp and Dave Robinson . |
273,198 | ede5c44f35bf06dca7be431395f88afb0738feab | By . Marcus Townend, Racing Correspondent . A clutch of top Flat jockeys escaped costly bans on Monday after the Starter and Advance Recall Flag man were blamed for a false-start, void-race fiasco at rain-lashed Epsom. Eight riders, including Ryan Moore and James Doyle, potentially faced a penalty which would have ruled them out of the final Classic, the St Leger at Doncaster. But Epsom stewards decided that the reason for the failure for the jockey to respond to a false start in the third-race, the Totepool Supporting The Sport You Love Handicap in which Humidor passed the post first, lay with officials. Fiasco: James Doyle leads Humidor to victory after eight runners ignored a false start at Epsom on Monday . While the Advance Flagman, responding to the Starter, waved his yellow Flag when Taurus Twins broke the stalls early, he took steps to his right and the jockeys claimed the did not see him with visibility poor. He also failed to blow his whistle as is required by the rules. As the operating procedures were not followed, the stewards decided that no action would be taken against the riders. A report was forwarded to the British Horseracing Authority. While some bookmakers stuck to their void race rules by re-funding stakes, others decided to pay out on the result. | Eight runners completed the five furlongs despite a false start being called .
James Doyle, riding Humidor, was first past the post in the race at Epsom .
The Starter and Advance Recall Flag man were blamed for the fiasco .
An incident report has been forwarded to the British Horseracing Authority .
Some bookmakers stuck to void race rules by re-funding stakes, while others decided to pay out on the result . |
63,360 | b3f397ca9f6e2f2a48cc2502cdfe251ca9cba09b | They were traveling to raise awareness about the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Instead, it seems, they encountered violence. Eight people on an Ebola team were killed in southeastern Guinea, near the country's border with Liberia, a government spokesman said in a statement Thursday. Among them were health care workers and local journalists. Residents in the small town of Womey threw stones at the Guinea Ebola team when they arrived earlier this week, forcing them to flee, spokesman Albert Damantang Camara said. Some members of the group were able to safely reach the nearby town of Nzerekore, he said, while nine others went to find refuge around Womey. Only one of the nine was found alive, hiding near the town. The Guinean government has strongly condemned the killings and vowed to hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice. Camara said security forces have been deployed to support the ongoing investigation, and six people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The fight against the spread of the Ebola virus "should be an opportunity for Guineans to set aside their differences and stand welded in this national effort," he said. Ebola outbreak: Ways to help . This is not the first time violence has flared in West Africa amid the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. There have been other reports of teams from Medecins Sans Frontieres, the Red Cross and local ministries of health being pelted with rocks as they try to enter areas affected by the virus, MSF's Dr. Marc Forget told CNN. Earlier in the outbreak, a team from Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, had to stop working in Guinea because local residents believed they had brought the virus with them. In August, Ebola patients were forced to flee a health care facility in Monrovia, Liberia, as it came under attack by armed assailants. No one was injured in the attack, but the men stole mattresses and equipment, Liberian National Police spokesman Sam Collins said. "It was an attack from people afraid of Ebola," Collins told CNN. "Everybody is afraid." Sierra Leone starts nationwide lockdown . The outbreak, primarily spreading in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, has killed more than 2,600 people. Health officials have said the number of Ebola cases is growing too fast -- that they need more supplies, more health care workers and a better system to trace the virus. President Obama recently announced that the United States will be sending troops and materials to build field hospitals, as well as additional health care workers and medical supplies to the region. Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams, the U.S. Army-Africa commander, will lead the U.S. military's response -- officially called Operation United Assistance. He arrived in Monrovia two days ago with a 12-person assessment team, Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said Friday. The assessment team will be "evaluating what our deployed U.S. military personnel will need in terms of support infrastructure to sustain the operations for up to six months or however long U.S. military assistance is required," Kirby said. Both he and U.S. President Barack Obama have said the Department of Defense is prepared to devote up to $1 billion in resources to fight Ebola, saying it's a matter of national security. | Ebola team traveling to raise awareness in Guinea comes under attack .
Local residents threw stones, which forced group to flee .
Eight people were killed and six have been arrested . |
183,052 | 7918ae57efe70a538ea7f88b4cc522693b4a92bc | By . Lizzie Parry . A thief was found with cigarette lighters, six watches, cutlery, nail clippers and a pen in his stomach after complaining of pains while in custody. Dariusz Piotrowski attempted to evade being brought to justice by swallowing the proceeds of his crime. The 39-year-old was in custody in Warsaw, Poland's capital, after being caught fleeing the scene of a house burglary. Dariusz Piotrowski was found with cigarette lighters, six watches, a fork, a spoon, nail clippers and other stolen goods inside his stomach, after complaining of pains when he was arrested . While he was being held in custody in the cells, Piotrowski complained of stomach pains, prompting officers to call in the police surgeon. Following an examination the doctor ordered an X-ray, baffled at the cause of the discomfort. But the surgeon was amazed at what the scan showed. The X-ray revealed a number of foreign objects inside Piotrowski's stomach, prompting medics to take the 39-year-old into theatre to remove the items. The operation took several hours and at the end of the procedure, cigarette lighters, six watches, a fork, a spoon, a pair of nail clippers and a pen were left on the surgical table. So unusual was the find, that the case has become an example of strange medical cases in the Polish Anaesthetics' Society, which posted the details on its Facebook page. The caption alongside a picture of the stolen goods, read: 'The patient ate them. 'The . patient was referred by the court to undergo psychiatric treatment . after it was proved the swallowed watches were stolen.' The 39-year-old was arrested in Warsaw, Poland. Doctors spent hours in theatre removing the objects, which Piotrowski stole during a house burglary . A police spokesman said: 'Officers lost sight of him briefly after chasing him, but then found him hiding in the bushes of a garden of a nearby house. 'It was while he was crouched down in the shrubbery that he probably took the opportunity to try to mask his crime by eating the objects he had stolen.' One officer said: 'It was a good job he wasn't standing next to any magnets. You have to imagine that he swallowed these things down without any fluid to help them on their way.' It is understood Piotrowski has told investigators that he has been able to swallow 'unusual' objects all his life - a strange ability that has aided him in his life of crime. | Dariusz Piotrowski was arrested as he fled the scene of a house burglary .
39-year-old was being held in the cells at a Warsaw police station when he complained of stomach pains .
A police surgeon ordered an X-ray and discovered a haul of stolen goods .
Doctors spent hours removing the plundered goods .
Piotrowski is said to have told officers he has been able to swallow strange items all his life, aiding his life of crime . |
33,297 | 5ea833017720e2b6db944b5093d28316287603c6 | Two car bombs killed at least 31 people, including 20 children, in central Yemen's Radaa city when suspected al Qaeda fighters targeted Houthi militants Tuesday, senior security officials and locals told CNN. One car bomb struck a Houthi gathering point, but the other did not make it to the target and instead blew up next to a bus that was carrying children home from school, officials said. All the killed children were under the age of 12, said Osama Sari, a prominent pro-Houthi activist. Eleven Houthi fighters were killed, an Interior Ministry official said. Eyewitnesses told CNN that the death toll within Houthi lines exceeded 18. At least a dozen others were injured, among them six in critical condition, medical sources in Radaa told CNN. Radaa was an al Qaeda stronghold that fell to Houthi fighters after clashes in October that killed hundreds from both sides. Al Qaeda has since intensified its attacks on Houthi targets, conducting daily attacks killing hundreds of Houthis and innocent civilians. Houthis follow the Zaidi sect of Islam and are considered Shiite Muslims by al Qaeda, a Sunni Muslim terrorist network. Sari said that most of the killed were children and that the attack holds the hallmarks of al Qaeda. "The suicide car bombs were supposed to directly hit the Houthi camp. When they failed to reach the core target, many innocent children lost their lives," Sari said. | One car bomb hit Houthi militants; another exploded next to a school bus, officials say .
Both bombs, apparently from al Qaeda fighters, were meant for Houthi militants, officials say .
Houthis, al Qaeda have been fighting in Yemen for months . |
84,813 | f09c3201bcddfd7b3d0728bdd6b47105b30fb921 | Manchester United fans have been banned from taking tablets and laptops into Old Trafford because of terror fears. The club say they are reacting to 'security advice', with electronic devices over a certain size, including iPads, banned. An FAQ on the club website read that 'the scale of Old Trafford and profile of Manchester United mean that the risk at this venue is unique.' VIDEO Scroll down to see 'Van Gaal: Manchester United is the biggest club in the world' Restriction: Manchester United fans have been banned from taking tablets and laptops into Old Trafford . Fanbase: 'The scale of Old Trafford and profile of Manchester United mean that the risk at this venue is unique' The latest restriction joins other prohibited items at the 76,000-seater stadium, and is designed to ensure the safety of supporters. Mobile phones and small lens cameras will be permitted should they be small enough, while a statement said the restriction was in line with electronic equipment checks at airports. United are heading into a new era with Louis van Gaal at the helm, and welcome their first visitors of the Premier League season on Saturday in Swansea. New start: Louis van Gaal will take charge of his first Premier League game at the stadium on Saturday . The club hosted Valencia in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, but did not reveal to The Sun how many items were confiscated. Meanwhile, the Premier League and Greater Manchester Police told the BBC that they had nothing to do with the ban. But Manchester United's rival Arsenal issued a statement: 'Our ground regulations haven't changed. Our stadium management team are happy with our procedures.' | Club are reacting to 'security advice' to ban tablets and laptops .
Any electronic device over a certain size restricted, including iPads .
Club say the size of Old Trafford means the risk is unique .
Restriction is in line with electronic equipment checks at airports . |
80,965 | e57905033d98e77f7a648a59f80c2ef2254c8abe | (CNN)Eight crew members are missing after a cargo vessel overturned off the coast of Scotland, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution said late Saturday. The search for the crew was suspended Sunday night with no sign of them, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said. A search operation that included a helicopter, coast guard rescue teams and a fixed-wing aircraft was unsuccessful, the agency said. The coast guard in Shetland was notified at 2:30 p.m. that the hull of the Cemfjord was found 11 miles east of Pentland Skerries, the RNLI said. Photographs showed the vessel in a vertical position, one end jutting from the water. Meanwhile, 25 crew members were airlifted from a boat that ran aground off the coast of southern England, below Southampton, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency reported. Helicopters lifted the crew from the car carrier, which listed dramatically to one side. The ship ran aground on Bramble Bank near the Isle of Wight. | Search suspended for 8 missing crew members of a ship .
25 crew members airlifted after car carrier runs aground off southern England's coast . |
184,776 | 7b59c1baec1f401c55e7162d653214c1ce2749ec | (CNN) -- One year ago, Taliban gunmen in Pakistan boarded a school van and shot Malala Yousafzai, then 15, for speaking out for girls' education. Malala survived the tragedy, and her courageous story of a teenage girl who would not be silenced inspired tens of millions more in the fight for girls' rights. As Malala said in July during her historic address at the United Nations, "I raise up my voice -- not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard." And as the world marks International Day of the Girl on Friday, it is worth remembering all those young girls, the same age as Malala and some even younger, whose voices go unheard: the millions of child brides around the world robbed of their youth and their rights, including the chance at education. The world will never know the talent it loses to early forced marriages. Most of the world's child brides reside in Malala's home region of South Asia. In her native Pakistan, almost one-fourth of the country's girls find themselves in unions or marriages by age 18. India, Pakistan's neighbor to the east, has more child brides than any other country in the world, with 47% of all of the country's more than 600 million girls married before their 18th birthday. In Bangladesh, 66% of girls end up becoming child brides, the third-highest rate in the world. The tradition of child marriage, reinforced by poverty, instability and a lack of resources, has proven hard to fight even in this era of globalization. Education has proven to be one of the most potent weapons in the fight against child marriage. According to Girls Not Brides, a global partnership to end child marriage, a girl who receives seven or more years of schooling will marry an average of four years later. In Mozambique, around 60% of girls without an education are married by 18, compared with 10% who complete secondary schooling. That number drops to nearly zero for those who are able to reach higher education. When a girl can become a student instead of a bride, her family benefits. A study in Pakistan measuring returns on education showed that extending a girl's schooling by one year led to a 13% to 18% increase in her wages. Data from a Population Reference Bureau study put that number at up to 20%. A baby born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to live past the age of 5. And child vaccination rates quadruple when mothers are educated. When girls become brides, on the other hand, schooling is often not an option. Even if husbands and their families permit the girl to go to school, the immediate push to have children makes girls much more likely to drop out. Pregnancy is the leading cause of death worldwide for girls ages 15 to 19. Child brides have precious few paths to earning an income and to contributing to their family's economic health, leaving girls ensnared in a vicious cycle of poverty. Domestic violence and HIV transmission also increase dramatically when girls marry at a young age, further threatening both the girls and the well-being of their children. For every Malala you meet there are many more whose stories will never be known -- girls robbed of their chance to pursue their dreams and to go to school simply because they are girls. That is not just their loss; it is ours. Girls are a precious natural resource. And we don't have talent to waste. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. | Gayle Lemmon: Pakistani student Malala Yousafzai raised her voice for girls' education .
Lemmon says girls in South Asia are married as children at high rate and are denied an education .
She says educated girls make more money, their babies live longer, their families benefit .
Lemmon: If married early, girls have higher mortality, HIV rates and poverty . |
11,765 | 2166bee5ceb34d46c9b95861d2772ecfadda84a4 | By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Reporter . Prosecutors said Monday they will not file criminal charges against a Northern California sheriff's deputy who shot and killed a 13-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun he mistook for an assault rifle. The parents of Andy Lopez decried the decision, saying 'it is impossible' to accept and they felt as though their son 'had been killed again.' The teen's death last year heightened racial tensions in a mostly Latino neighborhood of Santa Rosa, a city of about 170,000 residents around 50 miles north of San Francisco. The shooting parked protests and criticism that the officer acted too quickly. Scroll down for video . Off the hook: The Sonoma County District Attorney announced Monday that she would not be charging Sheriff's Deputy Erick Gelhaus (right) in the October 22 fatal shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez (left) Mistake: Deputy Gelhaus told investigators that he believed the eighth-grader was carrying an assault rifle, and only later found out that it was a toy BB gun . Grief-stricken parents: Lopez's parents Rodrigo (left) and Sujay (rught) seen leaving a news conference on November 4, 2013. In a statement issued Monday, the Lopez family said the decision not to press charges is like experiencing Andy's death all over again . Deputy Erick Gelhaus, 48, fired multiple rounds in response to what he believed was an imminent threat of death, Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced at a news conference. 'While in the lawful performance of his duty, Deputy Gelhaus was faced with a highly unpredictable and rapidly evolving situation,' Ravitch said. 'He believed honestly and reasonably that he was faced with a do-or-die dilemma.' 'While this was an absolute tragedy it was not a criminal act,' Ravitch said. Ravitch displayed photographs of the pellet gun found next to Lopez and a real assault rifle to highlight similarities in appearance. Ourtage: Dozens gathered outside the press conference today to protest the decision . Gelhaus shot Lopez on October 22 as the teen walked near his home with the pellet gun. The deputy told investigators he believed the gun was real and opened fire out of fear for his life. At least one witness said he heard the deputy order Lopez to drop the pellet gun before shooting, Ravitch said. Gelhaus fired eight times, striking the eighth-grader seven times with his department-issued 9 mm handgun. The district attorney said Gelhaus had 18 rounds in his gun and stopped shooting when he felt the threat had ended. Lopez was declared dead at the scene. 'This disheartening decision leaves the family feeling as though Andy had been killed again today,' Lopez parents said in a prepared statement released by their lawyer, Arnoldo Casillas. Casillas represents the family in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco against the county and Gelhaus, which has been on hold pending the outcome of the district attorney's investigation. Casillas said he will petition the court to restart the litigation. Scorn: Human rights attorney Jonathan Melrod spoke after the decision, saying 'the militarization of the police is evolving into "us versus them"' Casillas said 'it is impossible' to accept Ravitch's conclusions and that he and the family are asking federal officials to investigate. After the announcement today, dozens gathered to protest the decision . Human rights attorney Jonathan Melrod spoke, saying Lopez was shot 't because he was a kid carrying a toy gun where kids play. The militarization of the police is evolving into "us versus them."' The FBI said it is looking into the shooting to determine if any civil rights violations occurred. The district attorney forwarded her report to federal investigators. FBI agent Brian Weber said investigators have 'collected and reviewed documents and other evidence produced in connection with this matter and is working with the United States Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.' Weber declined further comment. Dangerous place: Part of what factored into Deputy Gelhaus's decision to open fire was that Lopez's neighborhood has been plagued with gun violence. Above, a scene of the neighborhood after Lopez was shot . Those who have protested the shooting said the deputy did not give ample warning before opening fire. Investigators have said 10 seconds elapsed between the time Gelhaus and a trainee reported a 'suspicious person' and then reported shots fired to dispatchers. The trainee did not open fire. Ravitch said her office's findings will not alleviate the pain felt by Lopez's family or the community. Sonoma County Sheriff Steve Freitas said an internal investigation also concluded Gelhaus and his partner acted appropriately and that the department would now evaluate the incident to determine if 'there are things we can do differently going forward, or to improve performance in general.' Freitas called for passage of a state Senate bill introduced in January that would require pellet guns to look clearly different from those that fire bullets. After a long delay, District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced today that she will not be filing criminal charges against Erick Gelhaus, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy who shot and killed 13-year-old Andy Lopez. This disheartening decision leaves the family feeling as though Andy had been killed again today. It is impossible to accept Ravitch’s conclusion that Gelhaus shot and killed Andy in response to what he 'honestly and reasonably believed was an imminent threat of death to himself or others.' No reasonable officer in such circumstances could believe he was encountering anything but a teenager with a toy gun on a sunny afternoon in a residential area.Erick Gelhaus’ exaggerated and careless response deserves a truly transparent and impartial evaluation. Ms. Ravitch’s conclusion is a mockery of justice and confirms that her office cannot meaningfully sit in judgment of local law enforcement. This cowardly political decision sends the tacit message that law enforcement officials who use excessive force in Sonoma County will not suffer meaningful consequences and, instead, will enjoy immunity from local prosecution.The family, through their attorney, will petition the U.S. District court for the immediate lifting of the stay of the proceedings as to Erick Gelhaus and thereby allow the civil case to move forward as to him and Sonoma County.The family will also urge the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Attorney’s office to conduct an impartial investigation as to the shooting and killing of Andy Lopez.Lastly, for those who share their anguish over this decision, the family asks that the Sonoma County community to continue to observe peace. | Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy Erick Gelhaus shot dead 13-year-old Andy Lopez on October 22, 2013 .
On Monday, District Attorney Jill Ravitch released a 52-page report explaining her office's decision not to press charges against the deputy .
The 23-year police veteran was patrolling Lopez's neighborhood when he came across the eighth-grader with what looked like an AK-47 .
Deputy Gelhaus ordered Lopez to drop the weapon, but Lopez instead turned towards the squad car with the toy gun in his hand .
He then fired eight rounds at the boy, and Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene . |
88,136 | fa1a8d4c62bd954238364391eea351bd9ef2ce5d | The mother of three young children found abandoned and locked inside a Washington home has admitted to using meth and told the court she is pregnant with a fifth child. Amanda Foley and Mark Dorson, both 33, were arrested this week after their children were found on Saturday alone locked in a filthy run-down Lake Stevens house, starving and shivering in 40-degree temperatures. The children, aged seven, three, and 11 months, were living 'among animal feces and human excrement', according to court documents. Scroll down for video . Deplorable: A 7-year-old girl, 3-year-old boy, and 11-month-old boy were found abandoned by their parents in this unheated and filthy home in Lake Stevens, Washington on Saturday . Amanda Foley broke down in court on Wednesday when a judge told her she would have no contact with her kids, who were transferred to foster care . Arrested: On Wednesday, parents Mark Dorson (left) and Foley (right), both 33, appeared in Snohomish County Court where they were ordered held on $100,000 bond on child abandonment charges . Police said that when they entered the home, they were overwhelmed by a strong smell of ammonia, according to King 5. The infant had had a temperature of 94.1 degrees and was found to be suffering from hypothermia and dehydration, court documents said. He was 'in the 2 per cent for his body weight'. Foley broke down in court on Wednesday when a judge told her she would have no contact with her kids. The parents appeared in Snohomish County, Washington Court where a judge ordered them held on a $100,000 bond for charges of felony criminal mistreatment and abandoning a child. Becky Hensley, the stepmother of Foley's oldest daughter, who didn't live in the home, told King 5 that the mother 'should be crying'. Hensley, a mother of five, said Foley would call her eldest daughter once every three months. The couples' children were saved from the deplorable conditions after a woman stopped by the family's house in Lake Stevens to collect a debt from Dorson. Run down: Above, a view of the family's now-condemned home in Lake Stevens where the children were found on Saturday . When she found the couple's seven-year-old daughter and three-year-old son unattended in the downstairs portion of the house, she called police. Officers who arrived on the scene found the sister and brother huddled together under a blanket on a couch to keep warm in the unheated home, surrounded by garbage, according to a police affidavit. 'The condition of the home looked like it was being torn down, with drywall missing, insulation missing, water coming through the ceiling,' Lake Stevens Commander Dennis Taylor told KOMO. 'There was only an empty snack-size potato chip bag and an empty Pringles can. There was no sign of any food; no empty wrappers, no empty cans, certainly no food in the home,' Cmdr Taylor added. Police were eventually able to coax the girl to open the door, and she insisted that her parents were upstairs sleeping. While police didn't find the parents upstairs, they did discover the couple's 11-month-old son in a bedroom - which was locked and unreachable by the two older siblings. While all three children appeared to be malnourished and struggling to keep warm in the unheated house, it was the infant who was in the worst condition according to police reports. Resecued: The children were discovered Saturday by a woman who stopped by the house to collect a debt from Dorson. Above, investigators wearing respirators and covered shoes look over the filthy home . Cold: The 7-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy were found huddled under a blanket on the couch to keep warm in the unheated home. Animal feces and other trash were found littering the home . The baby barely reacted to touch when officers arrived on the scene, and after being rushed to the hospital, doctors pronounced that the boy was suffering from hypothermia and dehydration. Thankfully, the boy reacted well to treatment 'and is doing much better now' according to Cmdr Taylor. The two other children were also treated at the hospital, and the siblings have now been placed in foster care. 'If it weren't for the person who was owed money; if it weren't for their insight to call us, we'd be dealing with a much more tragic situation,' Cmdr Taylor said. 'It's 40 degrees inside the home because there's no heat; no insulation. It's very possible the one child could have perished from hypothermia.' It’s still unclear how long the three children were left alone at the home, or if their parents had returned to the home since going missing. However, the couple never attempted to contact authorities and it took until Tuesday for police to track them down and arrest them at a business in nearby Monroe, Washington - about 30 minutes south. Locked away: The youngest child, an 11-month-old boy, was found locked in an upstairs bedroom, unreachable by his two older siblings . New home: The infant was treated for dehydration and hypothermia and is recovering. All three children have been transferred into foster care . Authorities say the parents have been investigated by Child Protective Services on several occasions in the past, when their eldest daughter continually showed up unkempt and hungry to school. Her school had also informed CPS when she failed to show up for school for a week straight. There were concerns about the girl's 'health and well-being, her attendance, her hygiene,' Jayme Taylor, director of communications for the Lake Stevens School District told King 5. She added that the school noticed she smelled so badly that she was offered a change of clothes by staff. Shellie Cooper, the mother of a friend of Dorson, called CPS 18 months ago after her son saw the conditions of the house. Cooper said the kids 'weren't being fed' and were 'locked in their rooms'. However, neighbors were completely unaware that the children were being left alone or the state that the house was in. They did, however, confront Dorson about the condition of the exterior of the home when it started to stick out in the community. Criminal history: Dorson and Foley both have extensive criminal records. Dorson was sentenced to prison in 2002 for shooting and wounding a man while Foley was convicted of stealing an SUV . 'He pretty much threw attitude, and said he was doing the best he could. And we said "OK, well, it needs to be taken care of,"' Neighbor Matt Eberharter told KIRO. The stench in the house was so bad that investigators had to don respirators and plastic boots to look over the home a few days later, and a building inspector has now condemned the house as uninhabitable. While there was running water in the home, inspectors also found mold and water damage, in addition to dangerously disabled smoke alarms, exposed wires and uncovered light fixtures. According to court records, both parents have had several run-ins with the law. Dorson was sentenced to prison in 2002 for shooting and wounding a man, while Foley graduated from drug court in 2009 and was later convicted of stealing an SUV. The woman who discovered the children living in the filthy conditions on Saturday says she paid Dorson for car repairs that he never followed through with. Dorson's Facebook shows him working to upgrade several cars, many of them parked outside the home where he allegedly abandoned his children. Collecting a debt: The woman who discovered the children says she paid Dorson for car repairs he didn't follow through with. His Facebook page shows several pictures of him updating cars, many of them parked outside the home where he allegedly abandoned the children . | Girl, seven, and brothers, aged three and 11 months, found in a run-down Lake Stevens, Washington home on Saturday .
Infant, locked in bedroom and unreachable by siblings, was treated for hypothermia and dehydration at hospital .
Parents Mark Dorson and Amanda Foley, both 33, were tracked down on Tuesday and held on $100,000 bond .
They face charges of felony criminal mistreatment and abandoning a child .
Their children have been placed in foster care .
Foley broke down when judge told her she wouldn't have contact with kids . |
103,435 | 116251e32c9cc817825efb5b39a07c2fddea6035 | For the second time this week, a winter storm was barreling towards the Northeast but thankfully looked set to dump a relatively small amount of snow. From late on Wednesday through to Thursday night, snowfall will ramp up, bringing up to six inches of snow in eastern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Several inches of snow was expected in Providence, Rhode Island, Boston and Portland, Maine. Across New York and northern New England, a dusting of snow was expected in the next 48 hours. Scroll down for video . Late on Wednesday, the clipper will be pushing out of the Midwest and moving into the Northeast, bringing minor snow when compared to the substantial snow totals of the last week or two . Several inches of snow was expected in Providence, Rhode Island, Boston and Portland, Maine . Lindsay Harding treads through the light snow on her way to work on Wednesday morning in Fort Collins, Colorado. The storm was moving east later on Wednesday . From this evening, an Alberta Clipper will move from the Midwest into the Northeast, Accuweather reported. The storm will intensify offshore on the east coast after merging with an area of low pressure. The amount of snowfall was still predicted to be less than in recent weeks across the region. Temperatures reached the low 30s on Wednesday in New York but the temperature will drop later in the week with most of the Northeast in teens and 20s by Friday. However another storm could blow into the U.S. from Canada on Saturday over the Great Lakes area then sweep into the Northeast on Sunday. The worst of the snowstom was expected to blow off shore late on Thursday with the Northeast having a relatively lucky escape compared to recent weeks . Although the temperature climbed on Wednesday it was expected to drop towards the end of the week . The snow storm had mostly shoved off coast by late Friday afternoon but temperatures were plummeting again just in time for the weekend . The amount of snowfall in the Northeast was still predicted to be less than in recent weeks across the region . | Several inches of snow was expected in Providence, Rhode Island, Boston and Portland, Maine in the next 48 hours .
Eastern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine could see up to six inches . |
20,233 | 396da68c3fb5113ba5dcbcd96e3f309aa4c45086 | (CNN) -- Today, former Senate candidate and Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina announced a new initiative called the Unlocking Potential (UP) Project, which will organize conservative and Republican women in key states to educate and turn out voters. According to Fiorina, the UP Project will engage women at the grassroots level to help conservatives close the gender and technology gap. It will utilize cutting-edge technology and techniques to target, persuade and turn out female voters in six key states with competitive 2014 Senate races: Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Virginia. This morning, I spoke with Fiorina about the effort and whether or not she has any future plans to run for office. S.E. Cupp: Is this a direct response to the Democrats' "War on Women" campaign strategy? Carly Fiorina: Yes, exactly. And the idea really came to me when I spoke at CPAC earlier this year. In my speech, I took on the "War on Women" directly, and the response was overwhelming. I heard from so many women saying this is what they needed. It can help deliver their messages and provide resources to get them mobilized. Cupp: It sounds like you're talking about dispatching an army of women to go door-to-door. I can't decide if that's a retro approach or a modern one. Fiorina: Well, I think one of the things that we learned in both the Obama campaign and the tea party movement -- so, truly polar opposites -- is that they engaged people on the ground in a very personal manner, with personal outreach. And that's what works. And it particularly works with women. They are persuaded by other women they know. Cupp: So, no parachuting in at the last minute, running an ad, and expecting women to turn out? Fiorina: No. All the data says that people are most persuaded by people they know. We are going to engage people in the communities where they live and work, train them where they are, and measure the results so we know what's working. That matters a lot. Cupp: So is it old-fashioned grass roots campaigning? Fiorina: Well, it's modern in that we're using technology to train our messengers and broaden our messages. But the politics of personal relationships still matters the most. Cupp: So Democrats will merely say, "Candidate X opposes the Paycheck Fairness Act. Candidate X is against women." It won't matter, by the way, if Candidate X is a woman herself. How should conservatives combat this? Fiorina: I think in some cases we just have to take on the facts. There are plenty of laws in place today that a woman can look to if she's truly discriminated against at work, where she's actually earning less for the same job as her male counterpart. So the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- these are tokens. They're gestures. They don't truly help women advance. We can't avoid the factual arguments, because they're on our side. Cupp: Are women single-issue voters? Fiorina: Absolutely not. Of course, there are some people -- men and women -- who truly vote on single issues. But they are not a majority, and certainly not a majority of women. Women make up 53% of the vote, and their views are as broad and diverse as are men's. Most women care about jobs and the economy, and the polls bear this out. And you know, even when the issue is life and choice, most women think that abortion after five months is egregious. Cupp: So what hasn't the GOP been doing right to target women voters? Fiorina: It's not a question of doing things wrong. It's a question of leaving things out. First, all of the ads that run are very helpful, but they're not as helpful as an effective grassroots plan. Sometimes we talk at a high level about policies and principles, but we need to bring it down to a personal level. We talk a lot about less taxes and less regulation -- as principles. But if you're a single mom with two kids and you're trying to open a hair dressing shop, it's going to take you over a year to deal with all the regulations to do that, and you have a tax code that's thousands of pages long. You might get discouraged. We're destroying more businesses than we're creating in this country. Cupp: Do Republican male candidates need "sensitivity training"? Fiorina: (Laughs) Sometimes men know these are sensitive, hot-button issues and so they're afraid to deal with them. And some, not many, really do put their foot in their mouth. It's not that women don't listen to men. They do. But they also listen to other women. So it's less about who's doing something wrong and more about what's missing. We need to be more empathetic and less judgmental. We need to be more optimistic. Cupp: Do Republicans need to nominate a woman to defeat Hillary? Fiorina: I don't want to say that necessarily. If a woman emerges, that's terrific. But we can't let this ridiculous charge stand. We just can't. We have to deal with it head on for 2014, never mind 2016. Cupp: Any plans to run again yourself? Fiorina: You never know! I never close off any possibility in life. And when people encourage you to do it you have to think about it. But right now I'm focused on the UP Project and getting candidates elected for 2014. | S.E. Cupp interviews former Senate candidate Carly Fiorina about her new initiative .
Fiorina is launching Unlocking Potential (UP) Project, which will focus on female voters .
Utilizing the latest technology, it will rally GOP women in key states for the Senate race .
Fiorina's project is a direct response to Democrats' "War on Women' campaign . |
218,354 | a6add319701152505d896047add2d6474f6d6044 | Supporters are now calling for the daily pill to be made available on the NHS . Sexual health campaigners have urged healthcare workers to consider offering a HIV prevention pill to healthy individuals who are at substantial risk of infection. The guidelines, issued by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Public Health Service, involve the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, when at-risk individuals take a daily dose of the drug to reduce their risk of HIV infection. Supporters are now calling for the daily pill to be made available on the NHS. A trial is already taking place in Brighton to see whether PrEP will lead to a reduction in the use of condoms and its impact on the spread of other sexually transmitted diseases. The two-year PROUD trial involves 550 gay men and it is hoped it will convince authorities in the UK to introduce the drug on the NHS. The idea builds on a landmark 2010 study that found Gilead Sciences Inc's Truvada - a pill already widely used to treat the human immunodeficiency virus - was more than 90 per cent effective at preventing HIV infections among test subjects who took the drug as prescribed. According to the new guidelines, healthcare providers should consider PrEP for anyone who meets specific risk criteria, such as being in a relationship with an HIV-infected partner or having sex without condoms with partners known to be at risk for HIV, such as injecting drug users. The guidelines offer the first comprehensive guidance from the CDC. But critics have warned the pill could lead to complacency around condom use. Yusef Azad, director of policy at the National Aids Trust, told The Independent: 'Before we get it on the NHS, which is what I think we should have, we should make sure through the PROUD trial that we're confident about some of these unanswered questions.' In 2011, there were 6,280 new diagnoses of HIV in the UK. At the end of 2011, around 96,000 people were living with HIV. It is estimated that around a quarter of people who have HIV don't know that they have it.Of the 6,280 new cases of HIV in 2011, around 48% were infected through heterosexual sex, and 48% through sex between men. A view of HIV within the blood-stream. According to the new guidelines, healthcare providers should consider PrEP for anyone who meets specific risk criteria . HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the body’s immune system (our natural defence against infection and disease). In late-stage HIV infection, also known as AIDS, the weakened immune system means the body is more vulnerable to life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia and cancer. The virus is passed on through exchanging bodily fluids such as semen, blood, or vaginal secretions. The CDC now estimates as many as 275,000 uninfected gay men and 140,000 heterosexual couples, in which one partner is HIV-infected, could benefit from PrEP. Some 1.2 million people in the United States live with HIV, and new infections are estimated at 50,000 each year. | The guidelines involve the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP .
Supporters are now calling for the daily pill to be made available on the NHS .
Trial is already taking place in Brighton involving 550 gay men . |
249,197 | ce77853e63db049b4108c40551a36d0f64c86ee7 | (CNN) -- Qingdao, famously known as the home of Tsingtao Beer and fine beaches, has found another way to attract tourists -- plants. The coastal city on China's eastern Shandong Province is hosting the 2014 International Horticultural Expo. The Expo, which opened on April 25, is expected to attract 12 million visitors before it closes on October 25. With the theme "From the Earth, For the Earth," it features gardens and pavilions specially constructed on one end of the Laoshan Mountain, one of the most sacred Taoist destinations in China. "This event is an opportunity to promote the image of our city, exchange experiences on horticultural techniques and products across the globe and raise public awareness on ecological and environmental protection," said Expo organizer Zhu Yuetao. Once a mining region, the Expo area has been transformed into a 241-hectare Disneyland-style complex featuring exhibits, water parks, rides and live performances. "People from all over the world will come to Qingdao, and when they see what I have seen, they will be delighted," said Tim Briercliffe, secretary general of the International Association of Horticultural Producers. "Millions of people will be inspired and the benefits will be enjoyed today and by future generations." Rare plants on display . Qingdao has invited plant lovers and garden experts from 37 countries and regions, as well as Chinese provinces and cities, which have set up various pavilions. It's even attracted the participation of the North Koreans, who have brought samples of Kimilsunglia and Kimjongilia orchids, named after late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Another pavilion displays nearly 2,000 rare or new strains of plants, including specimens from tropical and temperate zones. Another special attraction is the Swedish pavilion, which highlights the life of Swedish scientist Carl von Linne, father of modern botany and taxonomy. Visitors can hit up the Ice Bar, which recreates a visit to Sweden's famed Ice Hotel. "The whole bar is made of ice and inside you will be given provisional parkas and gloves so you can lift a nonalcoholic drink from a glass also made of ice," said Lars Freden, Sweden's ambassador to China. "The Expo is one of the biggest exhibitions in China now, and I personally love Qingdao." Freden first visited the city in 1980. From 'shabby' mines to ecological wonders . Organizers say the Expo is meant to promote innovation in city planning and popularize a healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle. A section of the Expo is dedicated to eco-friendly technologies, such as an energy-saving water recycling system and waste-processing technologies. A botanical garden was designed to operate with a low carbon climate control system to regulate temperature for various plant-growing climates. The Expo is credited with transforming the site, which used to be dotted with mining pits notorious for degrading land and vegetation. "By turning this shabby mining zone into an ecological city, we hope that both the city and the public will be more aware of how to maintain the balance between people and nature," said Jiang Zehui, a Beijing-based official who attended the opening ceremony. Organizers say events such as the Expo benefit tourists and local residents alike. "As you can see, the trash is gone, the road is clean," said Wu Zhiqiang, an urban planning professor of Shanghai's Tongji University and the chief Expo designer. Wu was one of the main designers of the Shanghai Expo in 2008. Visitor info . Tickets to the Expo range from 60 yuan (about $10) for evening admission to 120 yuan for single-day admission. Tourists can also get group and student passes. Cable cars and electric golf carts are available for a fee. For more info on displays and events visit Qingdaoexpo2014.org. | Chinese coastal city Qingdao hosting 2014 International Horticultural Expo .
Expo ends October 25; 12 million visitors expected .
The Expo's 241-hectare Disneyland-style complex features exhibits, rides and live performances . |
40,521 | 72582b5ad93b922c3cb56a9791e650dfa76a3d8d | Sony CEO Howard Stringer is to step down after six years, the company revealed today. Sony is struggling to maintain its standing due in part to its TV division's battle to keep up with Samsung . Welsh-born Sony CEO and President Sir Howard Stringer is to step down after six years, the company said today. Sony said on Wednesday that Vice President Kazuo Hirai will take over the roles of CEO and president on April 1. Hirai is currently president of Sony's consumer electronics division, and is best-known for the launches of the company's successful PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles. Stringer will retain the chairman’s post. The company is now struggling to regain its standing in the consumer electronics sector in which it was once a driving force. Sony has been losing money in its television division as it loses ground to South Korean rival Samsung. Sony signalled last March that Hirai would be Stringer’s successor by promoting him to head consumer products and services, which makes up the bulk of Sony’s $85 billion in annual sales. Early last month, Japanese media reported that Hirai was due to take the president’s post as early as April. Sony has forecast a fourth year in a row of net losses for the year ending on March 31. Analysts gave a consensus forecast of 8.8 billion yen ($115.41 million) in operating profit for the fourth quarter of last year and 8.2 billion yen for the full financial year to March. Stringer's successor Kaz Hirai is currently president of Sony's consumer electronics division, and is best-known for the launches of the company's successful PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles. He is pictured here with PSP Go . Sony said it would brief the media on the management changes on Thursday, when it is also due to announce its October-December earnings. | Stringer to step down on April 1 .
Former PlayStation chief Kazuo Hirai to take over .
Company heading for fourth year of net losses .
Sony's TV division struggling against rival Samsung . |
263,518 | e15071f4882b3f34f97b7cc9b97849033b960e62 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 05:36 EST, 14 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:36 EST, 14 January 2013 . A team of amateur astronomers from around the world has discovered evidence for 42 alien planets, including a Jupiter-size world that could potentially be habitable, it was revealed today. The team, organised online via the planethunters website, analysed data from Nasa's Kepler Space telescope. An artist's impression of of the view from a moon orbiting the planet PH2b. Scientists says Moons like the one depicted in the film Avatar may be among the most common places to find alien life, . Moons like the one depicted in the film Avatar may be among the most common places to find alien life, scientists believe. Astronomers came to the conclusion after identifying up to 15 new planets orbiting the life-friendly 'habitable zones' of stars. All are giant gaseous worlds similar in size to Jupiter or Neptune. While such planets would not themselves be suitable for Earth-like life, they could be circled by moons on which there are forests, oceans and living creatures, researchers now believe. Pandora, the fictional moon in Avatar, is just such a world. So far only one of the 15 newly discovered objects has been confirmed as an exoplanet with 99.9% certainty. The rest still fall into the category of 'candidate' planets while further evidence is collected. The confirmed planet, known as PH2 b, orbits a sun-like star in the constellation Cygnus several hundred light years away. Astronomer Dr Chris Lintott, from Oxford University, a member of the international team behind the discovery, said: 'There's an obsession with finding Earth-like planets but what we are discovering with planets such as PH2 b is far stranger. 'Jupiter has several large water-rich moons. Imaging dragging that system into the comfortably warm region where the Earth is. 'If such a planet had Earth-size moons, we'd see not Europa and Callisto but worlds with rivers, lakes and all sorts of habitats: a surprising scenario that might just be common. James Cameron's Avatar was set on a moon filled with lush forests - and researchers say it could be more real than its director thought. 'It may be that the most common habitable worlds are moons around Jupiter and Neptune-size planets rather than rocky planets as in our own solar system.' Members of the public helped astronomers identify the candidate exoplanets by logging onto the planethunters.org website on their home computers. The Planet Hunters project invites 'citizen scientists' to spot graph patterns signifying the tell-tale dip in brightness as planets pass in front of their parent stars. Follow-up work with the Keck telescope in Hawaii provided the proof that PH2 b is almost certainly a genuine planet. More than 40 volunteers are credited in a paper on the research published online by the Astrophysical Journal. One, retired police office Roy Jackson, 71, from Birtley near Gateshead, said: 'It is difficult to put into words, the pleasure, wonderment and perhaps even pride that I have in some small way been able to assist in the discovery of a planet.' Another, electronics engineer Mark Hadley from Faversham, said: 'Now when people ask me what I achieved last year I can say I have helped discover a possible new planet around a distant star. How cool is that?' Planet Hunters lead scientist Professor Debra Fisher, from Yale University in the US, said: 'We are seeing the emergence of a new era in the Planet Hunters project where our volunteers seem to be at least as efficient as the computer algorithms at finding planets orbiting at habitable zone distances from the host stars. 'Now, the hunt is not just targeting any old exoplanet; volunteers are homing in on habitable worlds.' Avatar featured a world with an entirely alien ecosystem - and experts now say that moon like Pandora could be the best place to look for alien life . Before the latest finds, 19 other exoplanets had already been located in habitable zones. Also known as the 'Goldilocks zone', this is the orbital path where temperatures are not too hot or cold but "just right" to permit liquid surface water. Dr Ji Wang, another Planet Hunters scientist from Yale University, said: 'We can speculate that PH2 b might have a rocky moon that would be suitable for life. 'I can't wait for the day when astronomers report detecting signs of life on other worlds instead of just locating potentially habitable environments. 'That could happen any day now.' | Online team analysed data from Nasa's Kepler telescope .
Amateur planethunters discovered 15 of the new planets that could have habitable moons . |
55,374 | 9cf17d8828b0bdaaf1e2e12d9bdc4135da2d43a4 | New York (CNN) -- A judge in Manhattan sentenced Faisal Shahzad to life in prison Tuesday for the botched Times Square car bombing, as the 31-year-old Pakistani-American defiantly warned in court to "brace yourself, the war with Muslims has just begun." "The defeat of the U.S. is imminent, inshallah," Shahzad said during the sentencing. Inshallah means "if God is willing." Speaking in a 14th-floor courtroom with a view of Lower Manhattan and the area where the World Trade Center towers once stood, Shahzad said Muslims have been defending their people and their lands. If that makes them terrorists, "then we will terrorize you," he said, imploring people to embrace Islam. U.S. District Judge Miriam Cedarbaum, who sentenced Shahzad to the mandatory sentence of life in prison, noted that he failed to show remorse for his actions. She also said that the sentence was an "adequate deterrent to those inclined to follow the defendant and to protect the public against the crimes of this defendant." White House spokesman Nick Shapiro noted the trial held in a civilian court effectively handled the case. Republicans have criticized the Obama administration for seeking to prosecute terrorists in civilian courts instead of military panels. "We are pleased that this terrorist has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison, after providing substantial intelligence to our interrogators, and a speedy civilian trial," Shapiro said. "His trial served no propaganda purpose for al Qaeda, and only underscored the strength of our justice system. The case shows once again how our values and the rule of law can keep us safe against those determined to do us harm on behalf of terrorist organizations overseas." During Tuesday's sentencing, Cedarbaum asked Shahzad about swearing to defend Americans when he became a naturalized citizen. "I swore but I didn't mean it," he said. Shahzad interrupted the judge's sentencing several times. He pointed to the ceiling and said "Allahu akbar," or God is great, and he said he didn't care about the sentence. "My sentence reflects life in this world, not life in the hereafter," he said. "I'm happy with the deal that God has given me." Saying he appears to be someone "who is capable of education," she said she hopes he will spend time in prison thinking of whether the Quran wants you to kill people." The Quran is Islam's sacred book. "The Quran gives us the right to defend ourselves," he said. Cedarbaum said he has the right to appeal the sentence. Shahzad put his hands behind his back, and U.S. marshals cuffed him and led him out of court. The sentence drew immediate reaction in addition to the White House comment. Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, issued a statement saying the sentence was appropriate, calling Shahzad a "remorseless terrorist who betrayed his adopted country." Janice Fedarcyk, assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York office, said the sentence "means Shahzad will never pose that threat again." New York Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, "it's only right that Shahzad forfeit his freedom for life for having tried to forfeit the lives of New Yorkers forever." U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, said the sentence sends a clear message. "Let this be a warning to others who would attempt to attack us: You will be caught; you will be held to account; and justice will be brought down upon you," Schumer said. Shahzad pleaded guilty in June to all 10 counts in an indictment against him. At the time, he told the court, "I want to plead guilty 100 times because unless the United States pulls out of Afghanistan and Iraq, until they stop drone strikes in Somalia, Pakistan and Yemen and stop attacking Muslim lands, we will attack the United States and be out to get them." Charges against Shahzad included attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, conspiracy and attempt to commit international terrorism, among others, authorities have said. Shahzad is accused of attempting to set off a vehicle bomb in Times Square on May 1, according to documents filed in federal court. Prosecutors said Shahzad carefully selected his location as a highly populated target and intended to strike again if he wasn't caught the first time. The bomb failed to detonate and he was arrested two days later while trying to leave the country on a flight bound for Pakistan from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. In a sentencing memo submitted to a federal court Wednesday, prosecutors painted a picture of a young man determined to target Americans on a large scale. According to the memo, Shahzad used webcams accessible on the internet "as part of his effort to maximize the deadly effect of his bomb." The memo says Shahzad found webcams online and studied the real-time video feeds of different areas in Times Square to determine when and where he could inflict the most damage. Prosecutors said Shahzad "wanted to select the busiest time for pedestrian traffic in Times Square because pedestrians walking on the streets would be easier to kill and to injure than people driving in cars." Federal prosecutors also contended in the sentencing memo that Shahzad believed the bomb would kill about 40 people and that he "was prepared to conduct additional attacks until he was captured or killed." According to the document, at the time of his arrest, Shahzad waived his Miranda rights and stated that "if he had not been arrested he planned to detonate a second bomb in New York City two weeks later." At a June court appearance, Shahzad admitted to receiving five days of weapons training in Waziristan, in Pakistan. Prosecutors said Shahzad spent 40 days beginning in December 2009 in the tribal region that straddles Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he lived with members of the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP. According to the court documents, he worked with an experienced bomb trainer affiliated with the TTP for five days. In addition, Shahzad was given $5,000 to help fund the mission and agreed to appear in a TTP video glorifying the planned attack. The roughly 40-minute video, according to its description in the memo, features Shahzad quoting from the Quran while the other side of the screen is filled with images of Times Square after the botched bombing. Toward the end of the video, the memo quotes Shahzad as saying, "I have been trying to join my brothers in jihad every day since 9/11 happened. I am planning to wage an attack inside America." | NEW: White House pleased with sentence and civilian court trial, a spokesman says .
A defiant Faisal Shahzad says "war with Muslims has just begun"
Judge Miriam Cedarbaum noted that he failed to show remorse for his actions .
Cedarbaum sentences Shahzad, 31, to a mandatory life sentence . |
51,460 | 91ad4a0bbcaa55a53c41d823ee755af218599638 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- With Sen. Hillary Clinton beside him, Sen. Barack Obama emphasized the challenges women in his family had overcome as he reached out to female voters at a fundraiser Thursday. Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton appears together during a fundraiser in New York Thursday. The New York event was the third in which the former rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination have appeared together this week. In an attempt to close any remaining rifts with Clinton's backers, Obama has asked his supporters to help Clinton retire her roughly $22 million of campaign debt. Obama and Clinton have appeared together five times since Obama secured the Democratic presidential nomination in June. During the "Women for Obama" event, the Illinois senator recounted how his mother, a single mom who put herself through school, once had to "swallow her pride" and accept food stamps to feed her family. He also recalled how his grandmother worked her way from secretary to the vice president of a bank. "But I also saw how she ultimately hit a glass ceiling -- how men no more qualified than she was kept moving up the corporate ladder ahead of her," he said. Obama highlighted the struggles of his wife to balance the responsibilities of her job and parenting -- and admitted that he was somewhat complicit in the situation in which most of the parenting duties fall to his wife. Watch Obama talk about the women who shaped him » . "As the son, grandson and husband of hard-working mothers, I don't accept an America that makes women choose between their kids and their careers," Obama said. "We take it for granted that women are the backbone of our families, but we too often ignore the fact that women are also the backbone of our middle class. "And we won't truly have an economy that puts the needs of the middle class first until we ensure that when it comes to pay and benefits at work, women are treated like equal partners," he said, urging a commitment to equal pay for women. He urged "standing up for paid leave, and paid sick leave, because no one should be punished for getting sick or dealing with a family crisis." Later on Thursday, Obama traveled to Fairfax, Virginia, to unveil a plan meant to increase women's economic security. The plan includes a tax credit of up to $1,000 for families, an increase in the minimum wage and tax cuts to help working women pay for child care, among other provisions. Clinton, who introduced Obama, urged her supporters to back the Illinois senator, saying, "It is critical that we join forces. The Democratic Party is a family -- sometimes dysfunctional." Watch Clinton make her case for Obama » . "We shared this remarkable journey, and I could not be prouder to have this opportunity in front of so many of my friends and supporters to express my confidence in his candidacy and my commitment to ensuring that he will take the oath of office come next January 2009," she said. Obama, in turn, praised Clinton for her historic presidential run, saying, "While this campaign has shown us how far we have to go, we also know that because of what Hillary accomplished, my daughters and yours look at America and themselves a little differently today." Watch why Obama and Clinton are appearing together » . Despite the public calls for unity, some of Clinton's supporters have been hesitant to fall in behind Obama. With Clinton's debt yet to be paid off, some of her supporters are balking at the idea of donating to Obama -- especially if he does not choose her to be his running mate. "I certainly know there are lots of people who are withholding their money," said Lynn Forester de Rothschild, one of Clinton's "Hill-raisers" who raised over $100,000 for the former first lady. Watch why some Clinton backers are balking » . "This is a hard decision for me personally because frankly I don't like him. I feel like he is an elitist. I feel like he has not given me reason to trust him," Rothschild said. That sentiment may be sending some Clinton fans into Sen. John McCain's court. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released last week, the number of Clinton supporters who say they plan to defect to the Republican presidential nominee's camp is down from a month ago -- but numbers of those who say they plan to vote for Obama are also down. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, spent two days in New York this week with disaffected Clinton supporters. "It's not unexpected that they wouldn't just automatically shift over to Obama, because they're not the typical Democratic supporters that just automatically shift over," she said. "They need to be wooed. They need to be won over." | Democratic nominee pledges to make it easier to balance work and family .
Obama urges equal pay, help with child and health care, paid sick leave .
Sen. Clinton joins Sen. Obama at "Women for Obama" fundraiser .
Many Clinton supporters still are not ready to back Obama . |
114,157 | 1f47db6ae79eb49d3f6beffb09b34087601802a4 | At least 21 people were reported dead and thousands of homes swept away by Typhoon Hagupit as millions more in the Philippine capital braced themselves for its arrival today. More than a million people fled their homes as the typhoon approached the country from the Pacific, fearing a repeat of a super storm last year that left more than 7,000 dead or missing. Most of the dead drowned as flood waters rose in Borongan, the main town in Eastern Samar, where the typhoon made its first landfall, said the Philippine National Red Cross. Scroll down for videos . Wet: A Filipino man negotiates a flooded rice field in Albay province, eastern Philippines, as the country hunkered down from a battering by Typhoon Hagupit, the most powerful storm to hit the so far this year . Struggle: A resident wades in floodwaters bought by Typhoon Hagupit in Camarines Sur province, where people had today begun returning to their homes after the worst of the typhoon passed over the weekend . Recovery: Men, women and children were cleaning up in the coastal village of Legazpi, Albay province . Repair work: A man carries a dirty plastic sheet from his house after strong waves battered Legazpi . Chipping in: Boys salvage belongings from the still turbulent waters as they return to their homes in Legazpi . The predicted path of tropical storm Hagupit, churning towards the Philippine capital Manila on Monday . In Metro Manila, a coastal megalopolis of 12million that often endures deadly flooding, evacuation efforts were in full swing as forecasters warned of downpours from dusk. However Hagupit weakened from a typhoon as it moved slowly across the central Philippines, fuelling cautious optimism the disaster-weary nation may avoid another calamity involving hundreds of deaths. 'We are on 24-hour alert for floods and storm surges... it's the flooding that we are worried about,' said Joseph Estrada, mayor of Manila, the original city of two million within Metro Manila. Thousands of people from the shanty towns perched along Manila's coast and riverbands were crammed into schools and other evacuation centres throughout the city. Schools were suspended, the stock market closed, office and government workers told to stay at home and dozens of flights cancelled. President Benigno Aquino led the preparations as part of a massive effort to keep people safe. Last year 7,350 people died when Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated large parts of the central Philippines in November. Millions of people living in the direct path of Hagupit over the weekend were sent to evacuation centres or ordered to remain in their homes. Devastation: Children play in the remains of a house destroyed by Typhoon Hagupit in Dolores, Samar, in central Philippines, where the storm first made landfall and where most deaths have been reported . Aftermath: Thousands of homes are feared to have been damaged or swept away by the fierce storm . Picking up the pieces: A typhoon victim recover clothes in the remains of her house in Dolores . Survival: A girl scoops rice from a pot outside a house destroyed in Can-avid, Samar province . Still to come: People carry their belongings towards an evacuation center in Atimonan town, Quezon province, south of Manila as they take cover from the advancing storm today . Places of safety: A family struggle through the winds as they make their way to the evacuation centre in Atimonan. More than a million people have fled their homes as part of the evacuation efforts . Livelihood: A fisherman inspects his small banca after heavy rain and strong winds batter Atimonan . The storm was the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, with gusts of up to 130mph when it made landfall on Saturday night. Thousands of homes were destroyed, power lines were torn down, landslides choked roads, and flood waters up to one storey high flowed through some towns. Gwendolyn Pang, secretary-general of the Philippine National Red Cross, told Reuters: 'We have confirmed reports that 21 people died in Eastern Samar, 16 of them in Borongan.' Borongan, capital of Eastern Samar province, is one of the main cities along Samar's east coast that faces the Pacific Ocean and just 30 miles south of where Hagupit struck . Ms Pang said it was impossible to say whether the death toll would climb, with full damage assessments from some areas that were hit yet to come in and the storm still travelling across the country. Defences: A man on his bike looks through the sandbags stacked up on Roxas Boulevard, along Manila Bay . Emergency measures: Sandbags bearing the initials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority . Last ditch efforts: MMDA workers help to build defences ahead of the expected arrival of the storm in Manila . Vulnerable: Residents are seen at their shanty house built right on the sea wall of Manila's port area . Rickety: Most of the city's shanty town residents have been evacuated from their homes ahead of the storm . Fragile: Shanty houses hang right across the waters of Manila's port . Before the reports of the deaths, presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte and other government officials were optimistic that evacuations had saved many lives. 'Preemptive evacuation was carried out and warnings by authorities were taken seriously,' Ms Valte told AFP. In Tacloban, a city of 220,000 people that was one of the worst-hit during Haiyan, heavy winds destroyed homes but authorities said there were no casualties over the weekend. 'There is a collective sigh of relief... we were better prepared after Yolanda,' Tacloban vice mayor Jerry Yaokasin told AFP on Sunday, referring to Haiyan by its Philippine name. However just as crucially, Hagupit's winds were significantly weaker than Haiyan, which was the strongest storm ever recorded on land. There was also no repeat of Haiyan's tsunami-like storm surges. Hagupit's sustained winds dropped to 87mph on Sunday, then continued to weaken after leaving the eastern Philippine islands and passing over the Sibuyan Sea southeast of Manila. Its winds were down to 68mph on Monday and were expected to weaken further as it passed just south of the capital in the evening, according to local weather agency Pagasa. However Pagasa said the winds were still capable of doing major damage to homes, and heavy rains were expected within Hagupit's 280-mile-wide weather front. | Most dead reported in eastern province where the storm made landfall .
More than a million people have been evacuated from their homes .
The weakened storm is expected to hit Metro Manila from dusk . |
236,084 | bd9e4b53bd76a96288731ad5b4bc059b7fe26df1 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Donald Trump had some hair trouble as he toured his newly acquired Scotland golf course by helicopter today - but his swirled dyed-blonde mop remained on his head, putting paid to rumors he sports a toupee. The property tycoon's fair locks blew in every direction as the 68-year-old's namesake chopper's propeller sent a huge gust of wind his way. Trump was visiting Turnberry in Ayreshire, one of the world's most iconic golf resorts that he purchased last month and quickly renamed 'Trump Turnberry.' He said he added his name to the resort not for his 'ego' but to make the course 'more successful.' Windy: Donald Trump had some hair trouble as he arrived by helicopter to the his newly acquired Scotland gold course on Wednesday . No toupee: His swirled dyed-blonde mop of hair remained on his head, putting paid to rumors he sports a toupee . He has pledged to spend more than $170 million to renovate the hotel that overlooks the famous course and said there will be some potential changes to it over the next few years, particularly holes nine to 11. The cost of the purchase has not been revealed but the tycoon said the hotel is debt-free and there is no mortgage on the property. At a press conference in the Turnberry hotel today, Mr Trump said he discussed the name change with 'important people' in Scotland and the world of golf and said he would not have changed it if he thought it would have a negative impact. Sitting at a large bay window overlooking the famous Ailsa course with a Trump-branded helicopter on the hotel lawn, he said: 'I looked at the name change in the form of logos and it looks so incredible. Thumbs up: Donald Trump poses beside his helicopter prior to taking a flight over his recent acquisition . You're fired: Donald Trump gives his trademark 'You're Fired' as he stands in front of the Turnberry hotel with the famous links behind him . 'One of the things that I think is good (about the Trump organization) is we have tremendous success, our buildings are tremendously successful, so if you add it, I'm not doing it for ego, I'm doing it because it's going to make the place more successful. 'If I thought it was going to hurt Turnberry I wouldn't use the name but it's going to make this great resort much more successful than it has been and that's the primary reason I'm doing it. 'If I thought it would have a negative impact, I would not do it. I want to see incredible success for this resort beyond anything else.' He added: 'I actually asked some people that are very important in Scotland, although I won't get them in trouble by saying their name, but I've spoken to very important and very powerful political people and I said "what do you think of the idea of Trump Turnberry?" Comb over: Donald Trump addresses the media on his recent acquisition, with his locks combed over his forehead . Support: Donald Trump's son Eric, right, sat alongside his father as he addressed the media on his recent acquisition while his wife Melinda, left, looked on . 'Everyone said that they would love it, I spoke to the higher-ups in the world of golf and one of them said it used to be called Westin Turnberry when the Japanese owned it, I think Trump Turnberry sounds much better.' Mr Trump was joined at the press conference by his son Eric and golf course architect Martin Ebert who highlighted the changes that could be made to the course. Turnberry is on the rota of courses that can stage the Open Championship and Mr Trump said that was a factor is his decision to purchase the resort. 'It's a magnificent tournament, I've watched it for so many years and never missed it,' he said. Crowd pleaser: Trump does his 'You're Fired' act at his newly purchased Turnberry Golf Course . This is Trump's second Scottish course . 'It's just an honor to be associated with the Royal and Ancient (golf governing body) and the tournament potentially. 'It's already had four Opens and the women are coming next year, which I consider very important, and I think the greatness of this course will lead to others, it has to. 'We have now the greatest canvass in all of golf so ultimately people can't avoid it.' It is Mr Trump's second Scottish course, following on from his Aberdeenshire resort which opened in July 2012. Plans for a second golf course, club house and hotel on the same site remain on hold amid a bitter dispute over a proposed wind farm adjacent to the resort, but Mr Trump said the current course is a success and has been a 'big boost' for Aberdeen. | The property tycoon had some hair trouble as he toured his newly acquired Scotland golf course by helicopter today .
But his swirled dyed-blonde mop remained on his head, putting paid to rumors he sports a toupee .
Trump was visiting Turnberry in Ayreshire, which he purchased last month and quickly renamed 'Trump Turnberry'
The course is one of the world's most iconic golf resorts . |
181,668 | 77360f1a3866db8fdaa7786398f5a1963dc8509c | Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten has spoken out about an eating disorder that could have claimed her life. The 30-year-old actress from Hull started starving herself at the age of ten when she fell under the grip of body dysmorphia. 'I have a vivid memory of getting out of the bath when I was ten and looking down and at my body and asking my dad, "am I fat?"' she revealed on today's This Morning. Scroll down for video . Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten smiled and waved at the cameras as she arrived at the ITV Studios today to share her story on This Morning of how an eating disorder could have killed her . The soap star told presenters Eammon Holmes and Ruth Langsford that her eating disorder was a mental health illness. She wasn't trying to be thin out of vanity or because she was influenced by pictures of slim celebrities in magazines. 'It started when ten years old, I was reading the Beano and Dandy back then,' she said. 'My feelings towards myself were changing, I was getting bullied at school. 'The onset of puberty played a massive factor as I went from being a tomboy full of personality and bubbly. 'I remember going through puberty and all of a sudden the boys I had played football with, I was playing kiss chase with, and then girls started to get jealous. I couldn't control what they said about me but I could control what was happening inside me. 'It's heartbreaking to say it but I remember looking in the mirror and thinking if there's less of me, there's less of me for people to see and hurt.' Gemma, pictured on This Morning, said her eating disorder began when she was just ten-years-old . The actress was joined on the ITV show by her boyfriend, actor Andy Barnes . Gemma's weight plummeted to four-and-a-half stone and it was then that her parents Dennis and Marg intervened and made her seek help. 'I was killing myself in front of my family, it caused a lot of heartache for all of us,' she admitted. She was sent to a children's psychiatric unit but she said 'it wasn't the right place for me personally, it was a very scary time.' Elaborating on this point in today's Mirror, she said: 'The memories of my time in hospital were very bleak and full of despair. I found myself in quite scary situations. I had things thrown at my head, I'd have people discussing in detail how they were abused, people cutting themselves in front of me. It was horrendous. 'I wasn't showing signs of psychosis, I was just a young girl suffering from an illness and, yes, it was a mental health illness but it is very different to somebody who is schizophrenic or who cuts herself. 'It all went wrong because it focused on getting the calories down me and not dealing with the reason I was struggling with an eating disorder. Gemma, pictured eight in a scene from Emmerdale, joined the soap in 2011 and is now using her public profile to raise awareness of eating disorders . Young women from the age of 12 are most likely to develop an eating disorder (file photo) 'In the end my parents made the decision to take me out of there when they found out what was going on.' It wasn't until her 20s that she was fully on the road to recovery and finally able to beat the eating disorder. 'The turning point was at 20 when my best friend killed himself. I looked around at the funeral and saw how devastated everyone was and I thought "I'm doing same, I can't do this anyone, I have to get better",' she recalled on This Morning. Gemma was not being over-dramatic, according to the charity Beat, eating disorders claim more lives than any other mental illness – one in five of the most seriously affected will die prematurely from the physical consequences or suicide. Gemma, who appeared on This Morning to promote Eating Disorder Awareness Week is now thankful she got the help she needed before it was too late. She started having therapy and says she's now fully recovered. She said: 'I'm fine now and I am speaking out about it as I want people to look at me and see I am not ashamed I had an eating disorder and now I'm well.' Gemma joined the cast of Emmerdale in 2011 and is now in a relationship with actor Andy Barnes, who joined her on the This Morning sofa today. She said it's thanks to the support of her friends and family that she survived and she urges other sufferers to seek help as soon as possible. 'My message is for people to talk about how they are feeling and not feel shame,' she said. | Actress, 30, from Hull, started starving herself age ten after being bullied .
Admitted to children's psychiatric unit when weight fell to over four stone .
Wasn't cured until turning 20 and having therapy .
She's now urging others to seek help before it's too late . |
42,619 | 782c4bdaee73189103d2e05748717b3ea0e89e5d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:05 EST, 1 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:50 EST, 1 April 2013 . South Korea will strike back quickly if the North stages any attack on its territory, the new president in Seoul warned on Monday, as tensions ratcheted higher on the Korean peninsula amid shrill rhetoric from Pyongyang and the U.S. deployment of radar-evading fighter planes. North Korea says the region is on the brink of a nuclear war in the wake of United Nations sanctions imposed for its February nuclear test and a series of joint U.S. and South Korean military drills that have included a rare U.S. show of aerial power. The rogue state announced on Saturday it was entering a 'state of war' with South Korea in response to what it termed the 'hostile' military drills being staged in the South. Scroll down for video . Ready for action: South Korean tanks cross a pontoon bridge on the border with North Korea . Yesterday, its top . decision-making body said nuclear weapons are 'treasure' and the . 'nation's life' and will not be traded for billions of dollars. But there have been no signs of . unusual activity in the North's military to suggest an imminent . aggression, a South Korean defence ministry official said last week. 'If . there is any provocation against South Korea and its people, there . should be a strong response in initial combat without any political . considerations,' President Park Geun-hye told the defence minister and . senior officials at a meeting on Monday. The . South has changed its rules of engagement to allow local units to . respond immediately to attacks, rather than waiting for permission from . Seoul. Stung by criticism that its response . to the shelling of a South Korean island in 2010 was tardy and weak, . Seoul has also threatened to target North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and . to destroy statues of the ruling Kim dynasty in the event of any new . attack, a plan that has outraged Pyongyang. Tension: South Korean artillery near the border with North Korea during a . military drill yesterday. The South said it would 'strike back quickly' if the North attack . South Korean helicopters soar over a line of armored vehicles during exercises along the border between North and South Korea today . The South has changed its rules of engagement to allow local units to respond immediately to attacks, rather than waiting for permission from Seoul . Seoul . and its ally the United States played down Saturday's statement from . the official KCNA news agency as the latest in a stream of tough talk . from Pyongyang. North Korea stepped up its rhetoric . in early March, when U.S. and South Korean forces began annual military . drills that involved the flights of U.S. B-2 stealth bombers in a . practice run, prompting the North to puts its missile units on standby . to fire at U.S. military bases in the South and in the Pacific. The . United States also deployed F-22 stealth fighter jets on Sunday to take . part in the drills. The F-22s were deployed in South Korea before, in . 2010. On its part, North . Korea has cancelled an armistice agreement with the United States that . ended the Korean War and cut all hotlines with U.S. forces, the United . Nations and South Korea. Park's . intervention came on the heels of a meeting of the North's ruling . Workers Party Central Committee where leader Kim Jong-un rejected the . notion that Pyongyang was going to use its nuclear arms development as a . bargaining chip. Preparation: South Korean tanks cross a pontoon bridge during an exercise near the demilitarized zone in Hwacheon, South Korea today . South Korea's new president promised a strong military response to any North Korean provocation after Pyongyang announced that the two countries were now in a state of war . The United States has responded to the threats by sending F-22 Raptors to join South Korean military exercises (file photo) 'The . nuclear weapons of Songun Korea are not goods for getting U.S. dollars . and they are ... (not) to be put on the table of negotiations aimed at . forcing the (North) to disarm itself,' KCNA news agency quoted him as . saying. At the . meeting, Kim appointed a handful of personal confidants to the party's . politburo, further consolidating his grip on power in the second full . year of his reign. Pyongyang . took part in nuclear disarmament talks for five years aimed at paying . it off in return for abandoning its atomic weapons programme. Those . talks fell apart in 2008. Some experts say the talks gave the North . grounds to pursue a highly enriched uranium programme that took it . closer to owning a working arsenal. Songun . is the Korean word for the 'Military First' policy preached by Kim's . father who used it to justify the use of the impoverished state's scare . resources to build a 1.2-million strong army and a weapons of mass . destruction programme. Escalation: North Korea said on Saturday it was entering a 'state of war' with South Korea in response to what it termed the 'hostile' military drills being staged in the South . Anger: North Korea is furious at the recent UN sanctions imposed for its February nuclear test . White House National Security Council . spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said North Korea's announcement that it was . in a state of war followed a 'familiar pattern' of rhetoric. China has repeatedly called for restraint on the peninsula. However, many in South Korea have . regarded the North's willingness to keep open the Kaesong industrial . zone, located just a few miles (km) north of the heavily-militarised . border and operated jointly by both sides, as a sign that Pyongyang will . not risk losing a lucrative source of foreign currency by mounting a . real act of aggression. The . Kaesong zone is a vital source of hard currency for the North and . hundreds of South Korean workers and vehicles enter daily after crossing . the armed border. It . was still open on Monday despite threats by Pyongyang to shut it down. Closure could also trap hundreds of South Korean workers and managers of . the more than 100 firms that have factories there. North Korea, led by Kim Jong-un, has stepped up its fighting talk with a series of warnings and threats in recent weeks . On Saturday, North Korea declared it was entering a 'state of war' with the South . The . North has previously suspended operations at the factory zone at the . height of political tensions with the South, only to let it resume . operations later. The . United States has sent F-22 stealth fighter jets to join South Korean . military exercises in a show of support for Seoul as it urged North . Korea to restrain itself from making threats against the South and its . allies. Yesterday, the North's top decision-making body said nuclear weapons are 'treasure' and the . 'nation's life' and will not be traded for billions of dollars, the . latest in a series of provocative statements from the rogue state. '[North Korea] will achieve nothing by . threats or provocations, which will only further isolate North Korea and . undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in . north-east Asia,' the US said in a statement. | North Korea said that nuclear weapons are 'treasure' and 'the nation's life'
Has claimed region is on the brink of nuclear war in wake of UN sanctions .
The US urges the rogue state to restrain itself from threatening the South .
Stealth jets joined the annual joint defence drills between US and the South .
The rogue state said it was entering a 'state of war' with South Korea . |
83,770 | ed9c82180a09e101a5c5fc661e346820713dd131 | (CNN) -- Roger Federer came from behind to beat Tomas Berdych to win his third Madrid title and equal Rafael Nadal's record of 20 Masters titles. Federer won 3-6 7-5 7-5 to continue a rich vein of form that has seen him lose just three times in 48 matches over the last eight months and ensure the Swiss will take Nadal's No. 2 ranking on Monday. The 16-time grand slam champion's ranking rise is significant because Federer could avoid playing No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Nadal until the final of the French Open -- the second major tournament of the tennis season, which starts on May 28. "It's been a great spell and I couldn't be more happy right now coming off a break winning right away," Federer following his first ATP Tour tournament after a third-round exit in Miami in March. The Swiss star struggled in his opening match before beating big-serving Milos Raonic in three sets, and grew in confidence on the controversial blue clay while Nadal and Djokovic fell by the wayside. Serena thrashes No. 1 Azarenka in Madrid final . "I was worried about getting through the first round and was not even thinking about who was going to be my second round opponent," Federer said after claiming his fourth title this year and 74th overall. "I was very realistic coming into this event. Confidence is coming back. I was away and it didn't take much for me to get my confidence back, especially now that I've been playing so well for the past nine months." Berdych got off to the best possible start in Sunday's final, breaking Federer straight away for a 2-0 lead. The Czech had a chance to secure the first set when Federer was serving, before Berdych closed it out on his own serve in the ninth game. However Berdych's service let him down at a key point in the second set's 12th game when he double-faulted, allowing Federer to pull level. Berdych squandered two break points at the start of the third set, and Federer sealed victory on his fourth match point after two hours and 38 minutes. Federer has now lost just four times to Berdych in 15 meetings, though the Czech player had won three of their past five matches, including a win in the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinals. The tennis circuit shifts to Rome next week and a return to the reddish clay for the rest of the clay court season. That is likely to be a welcome relief for Nadal and Djokovic, who had been vocal in their criticism of Madrid's blue clay surface, particularly after their shock exits at the hands of Fernando Verdasco and Janko Tipsarevic respectively. | Roger Federer beats Tomas Berdych 3-6 7-5 7-5 in Madrid final on Sunday .
Federer equals Rafael Nadal's record of 20 Masters titles .
The 16-time grand slam champion will take Nadal's No. 2 ranking on Monday .
Clay court season shifts to Rome ahead of the French Open . |
140,386 | 4187a07e7f9e4043b04739dccf7aa848b9b0c9f9 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- In 1968 the Lotus Formula 1 team broke new ground. Rather than racing in a livery related to national flags or emblems, the team took to the circuit with cars in the color-scheme -- and wearing the logo of -- Imperial Tobacco's Gold Leaf brand. Lewis Hamilton's helmet bears the "Striding Man", symbol of Johnnie Walker for nearly 100 years . Since then Formula 1 and sponsorship have walked hand-in-hand, sponsorship money being a significant -- and in many case major -- source of revenue. But what do sponsors get out of Formula 1? Johnnie Walker, a Scotch whisky brand of Diageo, is in its third season of sponsoring the McLaren Mercedes team. Ben Anderson is Johnnie Walker's Global Brand Director: "Specifically for us we're looking at doing two things. At a brand level we're trying continually to develop the equity in our brand image. And that's by getting involved with international, stylish events like Formula 1. "And secondly it's a fantastic vehicle for us to get our responsible drinking message across. When we went into Formula 1 it was on those two bases." Johnnie Walker is the world's best-selling Scotch whisky (and the world's second-best selling whisky after the Irish whiskey, Jameson). Sold in 180 countries and consumed at a rate of 154 glasses per second (or five bottles per second; nearly 160 million bottles per annum), it is a truly global proposition. "You can imagine that when we wanted to get into a sponsorship property we needed something that gave us the global scale and global reach and Formula 1 was really the only possible sporting event that we could get this reach," continues Anderson "it's a huge annual event." With such a global presence, Johnnie Walker doesn't need Formula 1 to grab brand awareness. Rather it piggybacks on Formula 1's appeal -- and the brand appeal of McLaren Mercedes in particular -- to position itself as a youthful and dynamic proposition. "In terms of which team you go for we analyzed the teams and there was really only one potentially for us to get involved with and that was McLaren," says Anderson, "because we share so many similar characteristics. Both our teams are successful. Since they entered Formula 1, 41 years ago, no team has won more races than McLaren. "We're the best and biggest global Scotch player, we've won more awards than any other Scotch whisky. So there's a similarity there. Both brands are innovative. That fit of values -- these brands have a kind of status -- Mercedes, McLaren, Johnnie Walker." But it's not just about presenting the brand. Formula 1 offers Johnnie Walker a chance to entertain its clients in a unique way. "Ron Dennis says that Formula 1 is one of the last gladiatorial sports -- like chariot racing," says Anderson, "it's exciting, it's something you can get close to and experience in a really authentic way. And we found that it's a great asset to our corporate entertaining calendar. "We tend to take customers from specific markets to specific races, both in seeing what the brand looks like at its best in a contemporary, fashionable, international setting such as Formula 1 races are. Be they in Monaco, Sao Paolo or Shanghai, having deeper relationships with our customers is one of the benefits we get out of it." Formula 1 isn't Johnnie Walker's only sporting sponsorship. It also sponsors golf -- a sport that --Tiger Woods aside -- is rarely associated with youth and dynamism. But while its perception in Europe is one of "a walk in the country ruined", in the Asia-Pacific market it has the associated glamour and spirit of Formula 1. The Johnnie Walker classic has run in Asia for 17 years now and Johnnie Walker also sponsors the Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland (Gleneagles is also a Diageo property). Anderson relates a piece of Gleneagles trivia: its golf course was designed by a descendant of Johnnie Walker. Key to the brand message that Johnnie Walker -- and Diageo -- is trying to get across is responsible drinking. Diageo runs worldwide campaigns on this message, including the "Drink Aware" campaign in the UK and "Think B4U Drink" campaign in Australia. But aren't motor sports and drink strange bedfellows? "Responsible drinking and Formula 1: a lot of people say, can you explain that to me for a second?" says Anderson, "I'm always delighted to answer that particular question because responsible drinking is a critical part of Diageo's message." The message has been reinforced by having formula McLaren world champion, Mika Hakkinen, work as a taxi driver at various Grands Prix. "Recently I happened to be in Monaco with [Hakkinen]. 'Why are you driving a taxi promoting responsible drinking?' people ask. The very fact that you're putting that question into people's minds is unbelievably powerful." And then when you explain that a Formula 1 driver is a great athlete who is in control, but that you cannot be in control if you're drinking and driving. It's a powerful message that really resonates with consumers. "If governments do responsible drinking messages, it's probably ignored to be honest, if companies do it, it's less impactful. But Mika is still a hero amongst many young people it really does resonate with them and it changes their behavior and their attitude to something which is critical to Johnnie Walker, to Diageo and to me." E-mail to a friend . | Formula 1 seen as a young and dynamic sponsorship opportunity .
Global reach of the sport is seen as an advantage .
Corporate hospitality helps Johnnie Walker get closer to its customers . |
25,380 | 47e14c854bfbd6b8a9148389ca948e25ec197881 | By . Keith Gladdis and Andy Dolan . PUBLISHED: . 18:44 EST, 17 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:02 EST, 18 February 2013 . Second wife: Jonathan Agnew, pictured with his second wife Emma, has spoken out about his relationship with his children from his first marriage . The familiar voice appeared to break as Jonathan Agnew spoke about his two daughters from his first marriage. ‘My relationship with my kids is the one sad area of my life,’ the cricket commentator lamented yesterday in an emotional moment on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Agnew, the voice of BBC cricket, told presenter Kirsty Young of the ‘tough time’ he had maintaining his relationship with Jennifer and Rebecca after his divorce from their mother Beverley. The 52-year-old former England fast bowler, affectionately known as Aggers, went on to say he wanted to ‘stand up’ for absent fathers in broken families who want to play a part in their children’s lives. And he described how he and his second wife Emma had made a ‘conscious effort’ to ensure that her former husband maintained a relationship with his children from that marriage. Yesterday, however, the first Mrs Agnew insisted it is the BBC cricket correspondent’s ‘own fault’ that he doesn’t have a better relationship with Jennifer, 27, and 24-year-old Rebecca. She said: ‘He has had the opportunity to see and be with his children any time he chooses. He’s been in control of that. So, if he hasn’t taken part in their lives that’s been his choice. ‘He’s never been stopped from seeing his children and I don’t think I’ve made it difficult at all.’ Mrs Agnew, 56, who owns a child care centre in Leicester, said her former husband has provided for her children financially but has not been there emotionally. She said: ‘I think he feels if he’s done financial stuff he’s done his bit as a dad, but actually kids just want some time. ‘He thinks he can buy them a nice Christmas present and they don’t need to be spoken to for a few months.’ Perhaps the most stinging criticism came from Agnew’s own daughters who claim to have felt like ‘an embarrassment’ to their father once he remarried. Rebecca, who works with her mother, said: ‘If it wasn’t for Mum we wouldn’t have a relationship with him. 'We’ve felt very unimportant since Dad married Emma – pushed out. We always felt like an embarrassment. We’ve both wanted to be part of his life but we’ve just never felt involved.’ Jennifer, a veterinary nurse, added: ‘Because we didn’t have much of a relationship when we were young, it’s difficult now we’re adults. ‘He doesn’t know anything about me now. He has a much better relationship with his stepchildren than he does with us. Family group: BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew, 52, with his daughters Jennifer, 27, (right) and Rebecca, 24, and second wife Emma (far left) 'He’s been forgiven for a lot. He’s been given multiple chances.’ Test Match Special broadcaster Agnew was apparently astounded that his daughters were not among those listening to him on the radio. Mrs Agnew said: ‘He said to me once, “My children have no idea who I am and what I do” – because they didn’t listen to the cricket on the radio. 'I said, “You are their dad and what you do is irrelevant”. He thought his children should listen to the cricket to know what he did but it’s not really the kind of thing girls like is it?’ Mrs Agnew said she ‘gave up everything’ to be with the cricketer after meeting him when he was on tour with his county team Leicestershire in her home country of Zimbabwe. He joined Test Match Special in 1991 and Mrs Agnew said their ten-year marriage, which ended in 1993, was ‘difficult’ because he would be abroad for months covering games. Young father: Jonathan Agnew with his first wife Beverley and baby daughter Rebecca in 1986 . She added that her former husband has let his daughters down ‘repeatedly’ over the years, missing school pick-ups, parents’ evenings and sports days. Mrs Agnew said: ‘Jennifer had a school concert when she was about ten or 11. He only came back from abroad that day. Happy: Jonathan Agnew pictured with his second wife Emma . 'He turned up at the concert, came late, sat down and his daughter sang one of her four songs and he got up and walked out because he was tired. ‘I was looking at her face and the disappointment... It would have been better had he not come at all. You can’t explain that to children.’ Agnew married Emma in 1996 and became stepfather to Charlotte, 22, and 19-year-old Thomas. The commentator said yesterday he was ‘proud’ that he and Emma had helped her first husband, Brian Dodds, keep in contact with his children. He told how Mr Dodds, a solicitor who died of motor neurone disease in 2005, would enjoy family meals with them and even go on holiday with them. But his first wife insists she too had done all she could to help her daughters keep in contact with their father. She said: ‘I even went and had Christmas dinners with them where I joined his new family so the children could see him, which was a very uncomfortable situation for me. I had to bury my pride on many occasions.’ Mrs Agnew added: ‘His relationship with his children is on and off. They’re both adults now so they’re old enough to have their own relationship. 'Jenny’s just been for a job interview which he knew about but hasn’t bothered to ask about. ‘He always said I should remind him of these things. It’s not for me to be his secretary. He can pick up the phone.’ | Jonathan Agnew had 'tough time' maintaining relationship with daughters .
He is father to Jennifer, 27, and Rebecca, 24, from first marriage to Beverley .
But Beverley said that his lack of relationship with the pair is his own fault . |
184,164 | 7a8c1b27063e6115f9042438ffcf086045a444de | By . Alexandra Klausner . A 12-year-old girl survived being shot by two teenagers who were 'trying to aim at another target' at a playground in The Rockaways in Brooklyn, New York on Friday. Police responded to a call after 5 p.m. about a shooting on the basketball court. When they arrived found the young teenage girl, Aliyah Vargas, 12, who'd been shot in her left thigh. The Gothamist reports that Dwight Henderson, 18, is charged with attempted second degree murder, assault, and criminal use of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, and resisting arrest. Suspected weapon: Cops confiscated the suspected weapon used to shoot Aliyah Vargas, 12, in a Brooklyn playground on Friday night . The scene: Police responded to a call of a shooting on the basketball court at Beach 59th and Shore Front Parkway . Geena Hill, 16, was charged with third degree criminal possession of a defaced weapon, and second degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm. Police believe the shooters were aiming at another target and that the male suspect, Dwight Henderson, shot Vargas. Police apprehended the suspects who originally fled the scene after they searched the area. They saw a teenager who fit the description of the shooter standing with the girl on a nearby street corner handing her a weapon. Police recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun from the two of them. Both of the teenagers live in Rockaway. Police were already in the area monitoring a basketball tournament. The New York Daily News reports that investigators believe the shooters were aiming at someone other than Vargas. The motive for the shooing is still being investigated but witnesses say that gun play has become a problem in the area. The Mail Online contacted police who were not available for comment. The victim is in stable condition at North Shore LIJ hospital. The New York Daily News spoke with resident Tashshawna Shim-hue, 23, who said she saw cars speeding down the street after the shooting. 'It’s getting ridiculous over here,' she said. 'I’ve been here all my life and I think this is the worst I’ve ever seen it.' Gun problems: A witness says that the Rockaways has a gun problem that's worse than she's seen in years . | Aliyah Vargas, 12, was shot in her left thigh on Friday night and is in stable condition .
Dwight Henderson, 18, an Geena Hill, 16, were charged in relation to the shooting .
Police don't know the motive for the shooting but they believe the teens were aiming for another target .
Police recovered a loaded 9 mm handgun from the two suspects . |
104,861 | 134902f998ed1f96b01dbff855b39bd182254dc1 | By . Katie Davies . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 23 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:29 EST, 23 February 2013 . A drug offering hope to late-stage breast cancer sufferers was approved by the government yesterday. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Kadcyla, which is said to work as a 'smart bomb' on a strain of the disease which is believed to effect one fifth of sufferers. It is a combination of the well-known Herceptin and a chemotherapy drug called DM1. Wonder drug? On Friday the Government approved Kadcyla, a new breast cancer drug which it is hoped can extend the lives of advance stage sufferers of the disease . DM1 is too powerful to go straight into the blood stream but Herceptin works as a carrier delivering it to the cancer cells directly. The drug has been proven effective on HER2-positive breast cancer, a protein which advances cancer growth, adding several months onto the life of many women who were facing death. It was trialled on 991 women with advanced stage HER2-positive breast cancer and found to extend their lives by and average of 5.8 months compared to standard chemotherapy. According to the FDA, 20 per cent of breast cancer sufferers suffer from HER2 protein breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second most deadly type of cancer among American women. This year estimates say 232,340 will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 39,620 will die as a result of the illness. Makers . of the drug, Genentech, put out a statement saying the drug will be . available in two weeks but NBC reports it is expensive at a cost of . $94,000 for a 10 month course. The company said it would help patients who couldn't afford to make the payments. 'People . who do not have health insurance, or who have reached the lifetime . limit set by their insurance company, might qualify to receive Kadcyla . free of charge,' it said in the statement. Hope: Genentech, the makers of Kadcyla, say the drug on average added almost 6 months onto the lives of advanced-stage breast cancer sufferers . The company say the release is the first of several cancer drugs which they are working on which adopt this 'smart bomb' approach . Chief medical officer and Head of Global Product Development, Hal Barron, said: 'Kadcyla is an antibody-drug conjugate representing a completely new way to treat HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, and it helped people live nearly six months longer. 'We currently have more than 25 antibody-drug conjugates in our pipeline and hope this promising approach will help us deliver more medicines to fight other cancers in the future.' | Kadcyla, a drug which can work on up to 20 per cent of breast cancer sufferers, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration .
Makers Genentech say the drug added almost six months onto the lives of late-stage cancer sufferers in a clinical trial .
It works as a smart bomb carrying a powerful chemotherapy drug which can't enter the bloodstream directly straight to the cancer cells . |
272,500 | ecf57774449638f19d8886e12544629de9764bfc | (CNN) -- It is not uncommon to see tourists and residents in Beijing frequently check their smartphones and laptops to get the city's latest air quality readings, such is the problem with pollution. This year has been particularly bad as the Chinese capital has been blanketed by smog on most days. The gritty, dangerous air has shrouded buildings and caused flights delays. To be fair, it is not always doom and Beijing-style gloom -- the city does enjoy good days too, as the gallery above shows. But these better days seem few and far between. Recent data from measurements of particulates in the air, indicated levels fluctuating between "very unhealthy" and "hazardous," according to the US Embassy's Beijing Air, an air-quality monitoring apps. On a few occasions the numbers were so bad they were deemed "beyond index." Taking action . In July, China unveiled The Action Plan for Air Pollution Control (2013--2017), which calls for 1.7 trillion yuan ($230 billion) to be spent on air pollution controls over the next five years. In a separate initative, to help reduce smog, Beijing will begin testing a new automobile pollution tax this year, the first Chinese city to do so. The pollution tax will be collected at the city's gas stations and will be added on to the standard gas prices. Beijing is also adding more than 1,000 electric taxis this year. These measures may not be nearly enough, but they're still music to the ears of Beijing's 17 million residents who have been spluttering in the city's bad air. | Beijing's smog has been particularly bad this year .
China's Action Plan for Air Pollution Control calls for $230B to be spent on pollution controls .
The rare clear day provokes a frenzy of picture taking in the capital . |
149,055 | 4cba0ee755d8a31bbcc40be00c6f5ccb7dbf86ba | The former wife of the disgraced . financier Danny Porush has spoken about how she watched him transform . from a wholesome husband into a bragging criminal. Mother-of-three . Nancy Porush has revealed how life dramatically changed after her . crooked ex took up a life of fast money, which led to him being . prosecuted and jailed for 39 months. Miss . Porush said: 'As a broker, Danny was raking in huge amounts of cash and . spending it like crazy. Wolf of Wall Street: Jordan Belfort (right) has served his time and now seems to have resumed living the good life. Here, he's pictured with former colleague Danny Porush (left) in their 1990s glory days . 'I saw him morph from a nice wholesome guy into . showy narcissist whom I hardly recognized anymore', the NY Post said. 'Danny . changed with money; he’d frequently stay out late at night, saying he . had a business meeting in the city that he couldn’t get out of. I was a . young mom with two babies. 'I’m not stupid or naive — but I really didn’t know what was going on. I was home watching “Sesame Street” with our sons. Miss . Porush claims her ex even had her sign confusing documents. What she . failed to realise was that he was putting assets in her name as part of . the fraud he was committing. Pictured: Josh Shapiro once profited handsomely from the fraud portrayed in The Wolf of Wall Street, but now says he's trying to repay a public he's wronged . She . said: 'There were many victims Danny defrauded — but I was one of them. And the government validated that. Legally, I too was a victim. I . sold off everything to support my family — teaching yoga and pilates, . selling clothes, skin care, anything to provide for the kids.' Her outspoken . comments came after a man once employed by the real Wolf of Wall Street . revealed just what working at the dodgy Long Island firm Stratton . Oakmont described in the film was like. Josh Shapiro, 41, found himself . caught up in the 1990s in a life of Quaaludes, prostitutes, and fooling . investors under the guidance of infamous brokers Jordan Belfort and . Danny Porush. Now . Shaprio has revealed to the New York Post that working for the men . fictionalized by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill was a nightmare and . that the snake oil salesmen have gotten off way too easy for their shady . ways. ‘These people were some of the worst people that I have ever met in my life,’ Shapiro told the Post. Shapiro . arrived home to Long Island from the Marines in 1993 and soon got a job . at Stratton Oakmont after his physician father suggested he enter the . business co-owned by his partner’s son, Danny Porush. Let the good times roll: Josh Shapiro worked for the real Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the film (pictured), and says the drugs, hookers, and cash were plentiful . 'I was blown away by the intensity': Shapiro was taken in by the lavish lifestyle and was soon making tens of thousands of dollars per month. Pictured is a still from the film . ‘I was a little hesitant at first. I had no interest in stock brokerage. I didn’t know anything about it,’ he told the Post. Porush is fictionalized in the film as Donny Azoff, played by Jonah Hill. When Danny Porush told him he could make $100,000 per month, Shapiro leaped onboard. ‘I was blown away by the intensity,’ he said. ‘You could feel the pulse when you walked into the place.’ Soon, he realized that pulse was fueled with rampant drug use, among other vices. ‘He would come out at other times, completely stewed out of his mind on Quaaludes. Stand on the desk, then fall onto the floor. ‘Or . he would come out angry, pick up a computer — and these are the old CRT . monitors — and smash it on the floor as hard as he possibly could. And . be like, “You’re all a bunch of f- -king losers unless you push this . f- -king stock!” Fictionalized: Shapiro worked for Jordan Belfort beginning in 1993. Belfort is played by Leonardo DiCaprio (right) in the film. Jonah Hill, left, plays Danny Azzuro--reportedly a stand-in for the real-life Danny Porush . From . lowly cold-calling pitch man, Shapiro worked his way to broker. He would . spend his days speaking with investors from states away, urging them to . buy whatever worthless stocks Stratton Oakmont was peddling. ‘You got the account, and then you . started selling them on our IPOs — very enticing initially, but if you . bought, you lost. There was no way to win,’ Shapiro said. But . even with this knowledge in mind, Shapiro said he was kept in the game . with a steady supply of $500-an-hour hookers, Mexican Quaaludes, and . sports cars courtesy of Belfort and Porush. It was great, Shapiro said, until his conscious caught up to his freewheeling ways. ‘I . got to the point where I realized there was no way you could win. To . this day, I still remember two clients’ names who lost all their money . because of me. I think they’re dead now, but I did think about making . amends. Now it’s too late,’ he said. Shapiro left the firm, which was soon . shut down by the FBI. Belfort and Porush were prosecuted. But Shapiro . isn’t convinced they’ve truly done their time. 'Revered like nothing else': Shapiro says Belfort (pictured) was behind the scenes, but a god, and that 'it was all his idea' Money to burn: Shapiro says the brokers would rip up $100 bills as a motivator for fledgling pitch men. Pictured is a still of DiCaprio from the film . ‘Madoff . got years in prison, and these guys have gotten off easy — 22 months . for Belfort, 39 months for Porush — for ripping off $200 million,’ he . said. Now, Shapiro is . out of the finance game completely and works as a physician assistant. He says he’s trying to help people instead of harming them. ‘When . I am giving back, I get a good feeling,’ he said. ‘I feel like I am . absolving myself. But the guilt follows you a little bit, still.’ It all crumbled: Eventually, the shady deals caught up with the brokerage. Stratton Oakmont was shut down by the FBI just months after Shapiro left. He's now a physician assistant. pictured is a still of DiCaprio . | Investors Jordan Belfort and Danny Porush made millions in the 1990s .
The FBI shut them down the duo's Long Island brokerage and now makes an honest living as a physician's assistant .
'Gotten off easy': Shapiro says Belfort and Porush deserve more than the handful of years they served in prison . |
13,306 | 25ce2b3b03ff802020bc65061da39c6db839f2ec | Beijing (CNN)Legislators in China's far-western Xinjiang province have passed a law to prohibit residents from wearing burqas in public, state media reported, in a continued campaign against what authorities view as religious extremism. The new ban in Urumqi was approved by local legislators last month, and given the greenlight by the regional legislature at the weekend. The ordinance name suggests it targets outer garments covering someone's full body including the face, which is called a burqa in some Islamic traditions. A spate of recent violent incidents has rocked Xinjiang, a resource-rich region long inhabited by the Turkic-speaking, largely Muslim Uyghurs. The arrival of waves of Han Chinese, the country's predominant ethnic group, over the past decades has fueled ethnic tensions. Chinese officials have blamed the recent attacks on Uyghur separatists -- whom they also label "religious extremists" -- seeking to establish an independent state. Last August, another city in Xinjiang banned people wearing Islamic-style clothing and large beards from riding public buses during a provincial sporting event, according to state media. News reports at the time said Karamay city authorities targeted veils, large beards, as well as three types of Islamic dresses -- including those with the star and crescent symbol. Dozens of bus stations in the city were said to be manned by security personnel to conduct checks and report violators to the police. While the measures in Karamay didn't openly single out Uyghurs, exiled Uyghur rights groups have condemned them, calling the ban a "green light" for racism and discrimination. Those restrictions came shortly after after authorities in Xinjiang banned students and civil servants from fasting during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. Amnesty International has said Uyghurs face widespread discrimination in employment, housing and educational opportunities, as well as curtailed religious freedom and political marginalization. Other critics, including exiled Uyghur activists, have attributed the rise of violence in Xinjiang to Beijing's increasingly repressive rule there -- a claim the government vehemently denies. European rights court rules in favor of French burqa ban . | Xinjiang province passes law to ban wearing burqa in public .
A spate of violent incidents has rocked Xinjiang, long inhabited by the largely Muslim Uyghurs .
Arrival of waves of Han Chinese over the past decades has fueled ethnic tensions . |
273,636 | ee78945c0e2c0a54242f7e5c9ec181fe8b61a0c7 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 10:36 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:15 EST, 10 July 2013 . A 12-year-old boy who collapsed and ended up in a coma after attempting a bizarre craze called ‘thumb blowing', it was revealed today. Sam Thomas, of Newquay, Cornwall, copied an online video showing people how to put their thumbs in their mouth, squeeze their chest and blow through their fingers until they hyperventilate. He blacked out while trying to perform the dangerous stunt with friends, before managing to get back to his feet and staggering to school. But he soon felt pins and needles and started to feel faint. In hospital: Sam Thomas, of Newquay, Cornwall, copied an internet video showing how to put your thumbs in your mouth, squeeze your chest and repeatedly blow through your fingers until you hyperventilate . Sam’s parents Celia, 43, and Robert Thomas, 47, rushed to the school to find their son’s body was ‘shutting down’ - and he was taken to hospital where doctors feared he would suffer brain damage. They had to put Sam in a medically-induced coma while they ran further tests. He was in the coma for 36 hours and has since recovered - but his family have issued a warning against the craze. Mr Thomas said: ‘I picked him up and he had no blue in his eyes, they were all black. There was nothing I could do to help him. He didn’t know who I was, he couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk. ‘We went to the doctors and they called an ambulance. They needed to know more about what happened as they were really worried.’ His family sat at his bedside as doctors waited to see if he had suffered permanent brain damage. Mrs Thomas said: ‘He needed neurological rest but they couldn’t assure us he was going to be OK. We didn’t know if he was going to wake up knowing us. It was a long 36 hours. Treatment: Sam blacked out while trying to play the dangerous stunt with friends, before managing to get back to his feet and staggering to school. But he soon felt pins and needles and started to feel faint . ‘The next day they came to wake him but . he took a while to come round and he didn’t talk for a while. We had . never heard of this "thumb blowing" craze before - that’s also what was . really worrying. ‘We were in disbelief that this could be so dangerous. It’s caused death before and many more children have suffered brain damage. Children at that age don’t understand things like this. 'He had no blue in his eyes, they were all black. There was nothing I could do to help him. He didn’t know who I was, he couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk' Robert Thomas, father of Sam . ‘There’s no fear or danger. It’s really important children understand the risks and we’d encourage parents to talk to their children about this. I’m not angry or cross, because children are children. But no one wants to go through the 36 hours we did.’ Sam is slowly recovering from his ordeal but has had to cut down on playing sports. His parents are now warning other youngsters of the perils of copying dangerous fainting games they see online. Various versions of the stunt are listed online - known by a variety of names. They involve hyperventilating or squeezing the carotid artery in the neck. A spokesman for Sam’s school Newquay Tretherras Academy said it had acted ‘instantly’ to warn pupils not to try the stunt. | Sam Thomas, of Newquay, Cornwall, copied an explanatory online video .
Said to put thumbs in mouth, squeeze chest and blow through fingers .
Blacked out while trying stunt with friends before staggering to school .
But he soon started to feel faint before his body started 'shutting down' |
238,130 | c031a9c44cba1f8762d612572214d77017961872 | Google Street View, the interactive panorama feature within Google Maps, has shared eye-level images of Antarctica, gone inside NASA's Kennedy Space Center, floated down rivers in the Amazon and strolled the halls of famous museums. Now the company is going underwater. The company on Wednesday added panoramic undersea images of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the waters off the Apo Islands in the Philippines and underwater life around the Hawaiian islands. The stunning photos capture fish, plants, turtles and other marine critters going about their business in faraway oceans. Now anyone can get an immersive view of the seas without getting wet or worrying about the bends. Zoom in to check out a manta ray's belly, join a school of fish or study intricate coral up close. More Australia wildlife news: Albino whale puts on show . The photos are part of a partnership with the Catlin Seaview Survey, an ambitious project focused on documenting the world's reefs using high-resolution 360-degree images. Catlin is working to create a thorough archive off the world's reefs that scientists can use to study the effects of climate change. By documenting reefs with photographs, it will be possible to determine the impact increased water temperatures and acidity will have on the areas over time. "If you want to reach millions of people worldwide, the first place you knock on the door is Google," said Richard Vevers, project director of the Catlin Seaview Survey. The partnership with Google (which also involved a live Google Hangout with a diver and a sea turtle earlier this year), is an attempt to get people invested in the fate of these ecosystems and the role the oceans play in sustaining the planet. For the 99% of people who have never been diving, a panoramic photo is a vivid introduction. "It's about introducing to the wide number of people on this planet the impact we're having on these coral reefs," said Vevers. "Until we make coral reefs and the important ecosystem in the ocean relevant to people on the planet, we're not going to get action." Google has used cars, trikes, snowmobiles and people outfitted with custom cameras to capture 360-degree images around the world. For this project, the images were taken by a camera custom-designed for the Catlin Seaview Survey, the SVII, whose design was inspired by sharks. The rapid-fire camera can be controlled by a tablet in watertight housing, and it records GPS data as well as the exact angle at which the photo was taken. To capture images at greater depths, between 30 and 100 meters (about 98 to 328 feet), the group plans to send down special remotely operated vehicles outfitted with remote-controlled digital single-lens reflex cameras. Nearly 90% of the Great Barrier Reef is below 30 meters of water. So far, the project has taken 15,000 panoramic photos underwater, and each of those is made of three separate shots. They hope to have between 50,000 and 100,000 panoramic photos by the end of next year. Future sites will include Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Coral Triangle, an area where coral reefs retreated to after the last ice age. Only the most interesting images will be used for Google Maps, but all will be accessible to scientists through the project's main site. "One of the central concepts of this activity is to bring people on this jouney with scientists," said Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, director of the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland. The Street View (perhaps Reef View?) ocean project was first announced in February. Since it launched in 2007, Google Street View has captured 20 petabytes of data in 48 countries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that 95% of the ocean is still unexplored. | Google and the Catlin Seaview Survey are capturing underwater imagery .
Images of the Great Barrier Reef, Philippines and Hawaii are viewable on Google Maps .
The project will help scientists monitor the effects of climate change on reefs . |
267,958 | e708d9c49656f74b39493aa0e0186e9485af914e | Editor's note: Morieka Johnson writes about pets, fashion and money-saving ideas for MNN.com. You can follow her and many other green writers on Twitter @MotherNatureNet. (MNN.com) -- While dogs offer wet kisses to just about anyone within licking distance, the feline persuasion prefers that you earn their purrs and cuddles. Since the American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimates that about 38 million U.S. households have cats, plenty of people are working overtime to please their feline houseguests. Are you ready to join the ranks? Here are a few tips for how to adopt a cat: . Prepare for a long-term love affair . "There is this general thinking that cats are no-fuss pets, which couldn't be further from the truth," says Gwen Sparling, owner of Camp Kitty boarding facility in Atlanta. She notes that cats live from 15 to 20 years, which equates to thousands of litter box cleanings as well as other expenses. Annual expenses for veterinary care, food, toys and preventatives also add up quickly. Expect to drop around $1,000 for the privilege of kitty cohabitation. If you're ready to handle the time and financial commitment, it's time to find a match. MNN: Cat called for jury duty in Boston . Consider the source . Millions of adoptable cats await the chance to pounce on your freshly laundered socks. Start your search with a walk through the county animal shelter or by browsing Petfinder.org. Cats adopted from a shelter typically are up-to-date on their shots and have been spayed or neutered for less than $100. From kittens to fully matured cats, calico to tiger stripes, the options are endless. Rescue groups provide another route to finding the perfect cat. These nonprofit organizations typically pull adoptable pets from local shelters and place them in pet-friendly surroundings to help them find a forever home faster. "A rescue group is probably more familiar with the cats they have and therefore are able to answer any questions you may have about the cat's personality," says Sparling, who fosters cats at her facility for Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends. "I recommend that those adopting a cat for the first time adopt from a rescue group because the group can also be a great resource should you have any questions in the future." Both options save a life because they create space for another cat to find a forever home. Often rescue groups go one step further by agreeing to take the cat back if things don't work out. MNN: A documentary from a feline point of view . Get expert (matchmaking) advice . "Sometimes people have been known to come into the shelter with a cat in mind but, once the counselor has met with them and discussed their environment, they have gone home with an entirely different cat," says Samantha Shelton, executive director and founder of Furkids pet rescue, Georgia's largest cage-free, no-kill cat shelter. (The organization also shows love to homeless dogs through a network of foster homes.) Shelton shares the story of one woman who sought a kitten for her older cat. Counselors pointed her in a different direction, suggesting an easygoing adult cat instead. "A kitten would be like a toddler wanting to play with the old cat and would eventually end up annoying the cat and upsetting the balance in the home," Shelton says. "The adoption was a great success because the adopter was willing to consider our advice, which comes from eight years of successfully placing well over 5,000 animals." Speaking of toddlers, Sparling and Shelton advise against mixing young cats with young kids. "A child could easily kill a kitten because he doesn't know his own strength or how to properly handle a kitten," says Sparling, who suggests that households with children opt for an adult cat that has a history of playing well with youngsters. Shelton adds, "As a general rule, most shelters will not adopt kittens into homes with children under the age of 6." Start things off on the right paw . Once you do find the best match, these tips from Sparling and Shelton will ensure that your feline roommate settles in with no problems. MNN: Study reveals physics of how cats drink . Set aside bonding time: Cats love routine and they enjoy companionship, says Shelton, who suggests bringing a new cat home during a time when you have a few days to help it adjust to new surroundings. Create a "safe room" for the cat: Place the cat's litter box, food, water and bed in a designated space, preferably near a window. Shelton said this is particularly helpful when cats are being introduced to a canine companion or other cats in the house. "This will help the cat feel secure in a new environment," she says. "If other cats or dogs exist in the home, place the cat in a room that will allow some access under the door so the animals can sniff and stick a paw out if they like." She says the furry roommates should live separately for a few days. "Once the cat is feeling confident, you can then begin the introductions." Introduce the cat to canine roommates ... sloooowly: If your dog is cat-friendly, the introduction should still happen very slowly. Shelton also said it helps to have an outgoing cat, but patience is key. "Our adoptions of a cat into a home where a dog exists have gone very successfully because of a slow introduction," she says, adding that it also helps to install a baby gate to allow the cat a safe getaway. Avoid a cat-on-cat catastrophe: There is a reason that cats are described as finicky. Sparling stresses that you use caution when introducing new felines to the family: "Many people will adopt a new cat, then throw it into a room with the resident cat and let them work it out. Bad idea!" Sparling says it can take days and even weeks for your cat to accept the idea of a new kitty on the block. To ease the transition, she suggests keeping them separated at the beginning. Also, regularly swap their blankets so each becomes familiar with the other's scent. "When they do finally meet, make sure there is a cat tree or a shelves in the room so each cat can have a high spot," she says. "Some cats get along great from the beginning and some will hate each other for the rest of their lives. It all comes down to the cat's personality." In other words, there will never be a dull moment in Catville. MNN: How one feline mascot saved the trains in Japan . Get the good stuff: An investment in high-quality cat food, is an investment in the long-term health of your cat. "You will avoid some of the health issues that stem from poor food, such as urinary track issues," Shelton says. "By feeding a higher-quality diet, I think you can expect to pay $30 to $40 a month, depending on how many cats you have in your home." The same applies to kitty litter, and there are several green options available that use corn, pine and even old newspapers. Maintain the preventatives: Flea saliva can cause an allergic reaction in cats. Keep your kitty itch-free by combing it frequently and using regular flea treatment. And check out more tips on avoiding allergies, because no one wants to be around an angry -- or itchy -- feline roommate! © Copyright 2011 Mother Nature Network . | Cats live from 15 to 20 years, which equates a lot of expenses .
Expect to drop around $1,000 for the privilege of owning a cat .
Start your search with a walk through an animal shelter or by searching Petfinder.org .
Households with kids should opt for an adult cat that has a history of playing well . |
110,107 | 19f5e13f007afcc1d41689e1d4b86911683ba51d | A seaside ice cream shop is celebrating 85 years in business - despite serving only one flavour to customers since it opened in 1928. A family code of honour has seen Notarianni's parlour in Blackpool serving homemade Italian vanilla through four generations - even turning down sums of up to £1million offered by corporate agents for the secret family recipe. Despite competitors offering flavours like mint chocolate chip, pistacchio and Swiss chocolate, the parlour has vowed to keep its 'vanilla only' rule. True original: Founder Luigi Notarianni first served his homemade vanilla icecream in 1928 . Keeping it in the family: Luca Vettese now runs Notarianni's, on Blackpool seafront . Retro: Notarianni's signage first appeared in 1928 . The shop was founded in 1928 by Luigi - . an immigrant from southern Italy - and became a popular haunt thanks to . his Italian-style ice cream. Lugi's great-grandson Luca Vettese today serves the same ice cream from Notarianni Ices on the resort's seafront. 'There is an old saying, if something ain't broke don't fix it and it's true,' says Luca, 21, who runs the parlour with father Michael, 55. 'The recipe for our vanilla ice cream has been with with the family for generations and we would never disclose it to anyone else. 'We do have people coming in trying to buy it off us for anything up to a million pounds but we would never sell it for any price. The recipe has passed down from and it will be inherited by my children if I have any - and they will be sworn to secrecy too. 'There are . only three of us alive who know the recipe, myself, my dad Michael and . my grandad Guissippe. It's so good that it's not even written down. 'We joke to customers that we have to travel on separate airplanes in case anything happens and the recipe gets lost.' Luigi died in 1972 aged 78 and it passed the business onto his daughter Luigina and her husband Guisseppe Vetesse in 1972. They . passed the business onto their son Michael in 1985 and Luca came into . the business at the age of 16 in 2009. Luigina died last year aged 85 . whilst Guiseppe, now 87 lives in retirement in Great Yarmouth. The shop sells up to 40 gallons of vanilla ice cream every day in the nine months of the year it is open. Notarianni's old menus - but the ice cream recipe remains a closely guarded secret . Popular: A little boy enjoys a cone on Blackpool prom in 1955, left, and right, Notarianni's first ice cream parlour opened on Central prom circa 1935 . Notarianni's Waterloo shop circa 1947. Ice-cream lovers flock from all over the county to sample the secret icecream recipe . Between March and up until the last day of the Blackpool Illuminations in November, customers can be seen queuing down the street. 'Grandad often rings to check up on us and check we are making the ice cream recipe correctly - but he trusts us with the recipe - he knows we will never defer from my great-grandad Luigi's recipe. 'We get old guys in their eighties coming in who remember my great-grandad and say the icecream reminds them of bygone times and takes them back to their childhood. 'We will never introduce any new flavours because vanilla is what we have been known for for generations. Three generations: Wtih Luigi in the picture behind, Michael with his children Luca and Maddalena today run the shop . Back in the day: Luigi Notarianni and his wife Messalina with a staff member outside the Waterloo road branch in 1960 . 'People say it is better than what you get in Italy. We serve it the old fashioned way too, we don't use scoops we use paddles.' Luca will not reveal what makes their ice cream so successful, but says, the ice cream is freshly home-made using local milk, eggs and butter to create a creamy texture 'unlike any other'. The parlour also sells Knickerbocker Glory, ice cream sundaes and its own version of an Eton Mess called Notties Mess. 'We're . very proud of our ice cream and long may it carry on,' Luca adds. 'The . pressure is on me to carry it on to the next generation.' | Notarianni's ice cream parlour in Blackpool has been run by four generations .
Still attracts ice cream lovers from all over the UK despite only selling vanilla .
Even offers of £1 million for the secret family recipe have been turned down . |
58,628 | a6475513528576390bed8a47c745b33e688b684c | (CNN)Four black bears that died in the New Hampshire woods last year overdosed on chocolate bait, wildlife officials said this week. A necropsy by the University of New Hampshire showed the bears -- two adult females and two cubs -- died from too much theobromine, a chemical compound in cocoa that's toxic to animals. The bears were found dead in September within 50 feet of where a hunter said he placed 90 pounds of chocolate and doughnuts as bait, officials said. Andrew Timmins, wildlife biologist for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and his team presented their findings to the state's fish and game commission on Wednesday. It's an awful way to die, Timmins said. Too much theobromine in a bear's system can cause severe illness, inducing vomiting, hypothermia, seizures, coma, respiratory and heart failure. Chocolate is popular among commercial bear hunting guides because it's inexpensive and easy to get, Timmins said. But, given the recent deaths, the practice should end, he says. No recommendations have been finalized, but Timmins says the most effective way to prevent these deaths would be to remove chocolate from the woods. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department does not have rules regarding what foods are best to use as baiting material, but Timmins says with the new toxicology report on the black bears deaths, the department may look into such regulations. The death of these four bears is the largest number of documented black bear deaths related to chocolate consumption that Timmins is aware of, he said in an interview with CNN. The only other known case was in Michigan in 2010, when a black bear cub died after eating chocolate. "Not all animals that eat chocolate will automatically die, but it is clearly evident that wild animals can consume enough chocolate to reach a lethal dose," Timmins said. Although trapping bears is not allowed in New Hampshire, hunters are allowed to bait them. Hunters will attract bears to a location by using bait and then take a bear with a firearm or a bow, according to Timmins. The problem arises when hunters use the chocolate to lure these animals. "We have no way to control how much chocolate a bear will consume at a bait site." Similar to dogs, the lethalness of chocolate depends on the amount it ingests to reach toxic levels. Bear baiting is a hotly contested topic, but Timmins says it is an important tool to help maintain the bear population in New Hampshire, which has seen a rise in the past 20 years. "We don't want to allow a bear population where people start to lose appreciation for them and they are seen as pests. That is what happened with deer. We want bears to be seen in a positive light," he said. Bear hunting season runs from September through mid-November and includes a four-week baiting season in September. Like deer or moose, bears are hunted for their meat. There are an estimated 5,700 black bears in New Hampshire, an optimal level for the state, officials said. Bear cub found dead in NYC's Central Park . | Four black bears were found dead in the New Hampshire woods after a chocolate overdose .
A hunter was said to have left about 100 pounds of chocolate out as bait .
Wildlife experts in New Hampshire are looking at possible ban with such bait . |
119 | 005fd0fe0dda2d0e94cc8279b91cef2c0fb4a704 | By . Claire Ellicott . A young patient who died of dehydration at a leading teaching hospital phoned police from his bed because he was so thirsty, an inquest heard yesterday. Officers arrived at Kane Gorny's bedside, but were told by nurses that he was in a confused state and were sent away. The keen footballer and runner, 22, died of dehydration a few hours later. Hospital: Kane Gorny, 22, pictured with his mother Rita, needed drugs to regulate his hormone levels after successfully beating brain cancer. However, during a hospital stay nurses forgot to give him his medication . A coroner had such grave concerns about the case that she referred it to police. Yesterday an inquest was told how Mr . Gorny died after blunders and neglect by 'lazy and careless' medical . staff at St George's Hospital in Tooting, South London. His mother Rita Cronin, a civil . servant told Westminster Coroner's Court that staff tutted at her and . repeatedly refused to listen to her concerns that her son hadn't been . given vital medication. At one point he became so desperate . and upset that staff sedated and restrained him – and on the night . before his death, his mother said, he was not checked on by medical . staff, despite being in a room on his own. Following his death, a nurse allegedly . inquired whether the family, from Balham, South-West London, was . 'finished' and asked a matron in front of them whether she could 'bag . him up'. Mr Gorny, who worked in Waitrose and . was training to be a locksmith and shoe repairer, had survived a . malignant brain tumour in 2008. Inquest: Rita Cronin, left, and Kane's father Peter Gorny arriving at their son's inquest. Rita told the court she had tried to convince the staff at the hospital her son needed urgent attention but they insisted he was alright . The cancer affected his pituitary . gland, which controls the body's mechanisms, such as fluid levels. Part . of his treatment included a course of steroids to regulate the fluid . levels in his body. These drugs, however, weakened his bones and he was . in hospital for a routine hip replacement. Doctors told him that, without regular medication to control his fluid levels, he would die. When he arrived at hospital for the . hip operation, nurses assured the family they would give him his . medication and said: 'Don't worry, he's in good hands – we'll look after . him.' But, despite the repeated reminders . and insistence by both Mr Gorny and his family, staff failed to give him . the tablets and he became severely dehydrated after being refused . water. In an interview with the Daily Mail in . 2010, Miss Cronin said of the nurses who treated him: 'They were lazy, . careless and hadn't bothered to check his charts and see his medication . was essential. He was totally dependent on the nurses to help him and . they totally betrayed him.' Yesterday Miss Cronin told the inquest . she received a distressed phone call from her son on May 27, 2009, in . which he told her he'd called the police because he was so desperate for . a drink. Help: Police raced to St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London (pictured) but were turned away by staff . She then went to the hospital where . she found him 'confused and angry', shouting at staff and behaving in an . uncharacteristically abusive manner. Despite this, one doctor asked if he . was 'coming off the booze' and another asked if he was 'always like . this'. Miss Cronin said: 'He sounded really, really distressed. He said . "They won't give me anything to drink". 'He also said "I've called the . police. You better get here quickly: they're all standing around the bed . getting their stories straight".' When Miss Cronin arrived, she . recalled: 'They weren't doing anything. They seemed out of their depth. It felt like the two locum doctors were nervous about calling anyone . more senior than them.' The inquest heard Mr Gorny was . restrained by security guards and sedated with strong medication to calm . him down. Later, he was put into a side room and left alone. Miss Cronin said she sat in his room . for three hours the night before he died without a single nurse checking . on him or giving him vital medicine. 'He was starting to enjoy his life . again, even though he had pains in his hip.' Kane's mother Rita Cronin . She said she told a nurse who walked . past the room that Mr Gorny had not had his medication. When Miss . Cronin volunteered to return to the hospital should he wake, another . nurse allegedly told her: 'You don't need to do that. If he makes noise, . I'll close the door and then he won't wake everyone up.' She added: 'I later realised that her comment was unbelievable but I was so distraught that it didn't register.' The morning of her son's death, May . 28, 2009, Miss Cronin arrived at the hospital early to find him . delirious with swollen lips and a swollen tongue. She recalled: 'I then heard three . nurses outside his room and I said: "There's something wrong with my . son. He doesn't look right." 'The nurse said to me "He had a good night. There's nothing wrong with him and he's just had breakfast and a chat with us." 'I thought: "How could he have had breakfast? There's no evidence (of breakfast)." 'The nurse carried on her handover then I interrupted again and said: “He's not right.” 'The other nurse then tutted and said: . "She's already told you he had a good night." And with that the three . of them walked off.' Miss Cronin said she then noticed that . her son hadn't been given his medication because the packet was still . on the table by his bed. She told the locum doctor about her concerns, but the doctor said it wouldn't do him any harm. A doctor doing the rounds then checked . on Mr Gorny. Miss Cronin said: 'He took one look at him then he started . calling to everyone “Get in there quickly”. 'It suddenly dawned on me he hasn't . had his medication, hasn't had his bloods done, nobody's given him a . drink, nobody's bothered to put his drip back on him. 'Nobody's done anything since yesterday afternoon when he became aggressive.' She said there was a 'flurry of . activity' and everyone 'had a very sad look on their face' as they . battled to save her son's life. Miss Cronin said: 'The main doctor came . out and you could tell he was really angry. He said: “You need to go and . see your son. He's dying.” The couple then found their son lying . in blood and fluid-soaked sheets and a nurse came in and asked them to . help her to change them. The same nurse later came into the matron's . office and asked whether they were 'finished', adding: 'Can I bag him . up?' The death certificate said Mr Gorny died of a 'water deficit' and 'hypernatraemia' – a medical term for dehydration. Mr Gorny had radiotherapy and . chemotherapy following his diagnosis of brain cancer. He was eventually . given the all-clear and led a normal life until his mother noticed he . was having trouble with his hip. As he waited for the surgery, his life started to return to normal. 'He was out and about like everybody else,' said Miss Cronin yesterday. 'I always used to make him take his . tablets for the next morning, just in case he stayed at a friend's house . – and he knew the importance of his medication. We all did. 'He was starting to enjoy his life . again, even though he had pains in his hip. He was upset he was having a . hip replacement - he was worried he would be in a wheelchair when he . was 50.' Nurses at the hospital were said to have been offered counselling as a result of Mr Gorny's death. The inquest continues. The case is still being considered by the Crown Prosecution Service. | Nurses forgot to give Kane Gorny his medication and he became so delirious he called 999 .
His mother said she spent hours trying to convince staff he needed attention but was told he was alright .
Alarm finally raised an hour before his death when a doctor realised how serious his condition was . |
269,344 | e8df835adefe3530cd67113fa990da5965dd0074 | By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 11:32 EST, 26 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:13 EST, 26 September 2013 . Accused: Vladimir Antonov, former chairman of Portsmouth FC and former director of Snoras Bankis accused of being the main mover in an 'asset-stripping' fraud that crippled the bank . Ex Pompey chairman Vladimir Antonov was the 'prime mover and shaker' behind a 'colossal' €500million fraud which forced the bank he controlled to be nationalised, a court has heard. Antonov, 37, and business partner Raimondas Baranauskas, 55, are fighting attempts to extradite them to Lithuania where they are accused of asset stripping at Snoras Bank. London-based Antonov and Lithuanian Baranauskas, both major shareholders in the bank, are accused of . stealing €470million (£396million) in assets and $10million (£6million) cash and squirrelling it away in a network of . foreign bank accounts. They tried to cover their tracks by . forging documents which they gave to the country’s central bank to give . the impression Snoras 'had its head above water,' the court heard. But . the company was left a shell of its former self and had to be . nationalised after the audacious fraud, which spanned three years from . August 2008 to June 2011. If the pair, both former directors of the bank, are found guilty of the fraud in they face a substantial prison sentence. John . Hardy QC, appearing for the Lithuanian government, told Westminster . Magistrates' Court: 'The case itself is very simple. These two gentleman . were shareholders in, and held senior managerial positions in Snoras . Bank. 'The long and short of the case is that between 2008 and 2011 they asset stripped the bank. 'Mr . Antonov was, we will see, the primary mover, Mr Baranauskas profited to . a lesser extent, but both these gentleman had bank accounts in a Swiss . bank which has branches in Germany and Zurich. 'Over . the course of the period, securities and cash funds were transferred . from Snoras’ accounts, either owned or at least controlled and managed . by both these gentleman, in vast quantities. 'The core of this case are those unlawful transfers which are known here simply as theft.' He . added: 'There are 33 transfers of either cash funds or securities from . accounts in the name of Snoras bank to accounts owned, managed or . controlled by Mr Antonov or Mr Baranauskas. 'They . stole a colossal amount of money and forged documents purporting to . show that the money had not left Snoras accounts, and gave those . documents to the central bank to give the impression that Snoras had its . head above the water. Antonov, left, and partner Baranauskas, right, are accused of stealing €470million (£396million) in assets and $10million (£6million) cash and squirrelling it away in a network of foreign bank accounts . Accused: Vladimir Antonov (L) former chairman of Portsmouth FC and former director of Snoras Bankis accused of being the main mover in an 'asset-stripping' fraud that crippled the bank . 'But in fact as a result of the actions of these gentleman it was below the water.' Both men deny the allegations, which they claim are part of a political 'conspiracy on the part of the Lithuanian authorities and central bank'. But this was dismissed by Mr Hardy who said it is in fact a 'straight forward and massive case of alleged fraud of a major bank'. He said: 'On or about 22 June 2011 Mr Antonov became de facto chairman of Portsmouth Football Club. He resigned from that position on 29 November. 'You may remember, and this is not to be held against Mr Antonov in any way, but Portsmouth Football Club is a basket case economy. 'But when Mr Antonov resigned he cited from the government in Lithuania. We say that in reality this is a legitimate form of interference if ever there was one.' Snoras . bank employed more than 2,300 people across 250 branches with more than . one million customers before it was nationalised in 2011, the court was . told. The bank owned a 34 . per cent stake in the Lithuania Morning newspaper, the country's best-seller which was part of a media group which also owned a television channel and news website. Antonov and Baranauskas, who are both . fighting extradition, are each accused of five offences of fraud and . theft and are on conditional bail. Their full extradition hearing before District Judge John Zani is expected to last nearly two weeks. James . Lewis QC, defending Antonov, told the court his client would not . receive a fair trial in Lithuania and the European arrest warrants had . been issued for 'political reasons'. 'The pressure is on the Lithuanian authorities to secure a conviction,' he said. 'That . pressure is so great it will not be resisted. The current government of . Lithuania want to remove Mr Antonov for political reasons.' Mr . Lewis said there was an 'anti-Russian sentiment' in Lithuania which had . not been dispelled by the country’s current Conservative government. The Lithuania Morning had run a story from WikiLeaks cables . revealing the Lithuanian government's concerns about Russian influence . in the former Soviet state's mass media, Mr Lewis said. Mr Lewis told the court that politicians in Lithuania 'consistently exploited' a feeling of hostility towards Russian influence. 'One certainly sees the will there to replace political opponents in the media,' he said. An investigation commission in Lithuania - which has similar powers to a British parliamentary select committee - looked into the nationalisation of Snoras bank and found 'no evidence of a decrease in assets,' Mr Lewis said. 'The allegation against Mr Antonov and Mr Baranauskas is they stole securities,' he said. 'You will hear, and it is the case, that they were transferred from an Austrian bank to a Swiss bank and these securities were still in control of Snoras bank. No one said they are gone or they have disappeared.' Both men sat at the back of court in smart suits as the case against them was outlined. They both deny any dishonesty. The extradition hearing, which is expected to last two weeks, continues. | Ex Pompey chairman Vladimir Antonov, 37, and Raimondas Baranauskas, 55, are fighting extradition to Lithuania .
They are accused of asset stripping at Snoras Bank, which they deny .
London court heard how they 'stole €470m in assets and $10m in cash'
Pair deny fraud; fighting extradition on grounds they won't get fair trial . |
77,041 | da772ec57b01b39711a984f7fa72a1946e89b699 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 10:12 EST, 4 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:59 EST, 4 July 2013 . A heavily-pregnant woman critically injured in a car crash woke up three days later - to find her baby boy had been born. Wei Liu, 30, and her boyfriend Geng Yu, 24, were on their way home in a taxi when it was struck by a Golf car. Wei, who was eight months pregnant, suffered serious injuries in the car crash in Ancoats, Manchester, and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Reunited: Wei Liu woke up three days after being seriously injured in a car crash and met her baby boy Lucas for the very first time. The mother and baby are now both recovering well at home . Meeting for the first time: This picture was taken the moment Wei Liu got to hold baby Lucas for the very first time shortly after waking up in hospital . Together again: Doctors carried out an emergency caesarian on Wei Liu after the car crash - but warned her boyfriend Geng Yu, pictured left, there was a chance neither would survive . Doctors at Manchester Royal Infirmary warned her boyfriend he may have to decide between saving the life of his partner or that of their baby. They performed an emergency caesarean in the A&E room to deliver baby Lucas a month early before operating on Wei and placing her in an induced coma. Wei had suffered a severed artery above her heart, fractured ribs which had pierced her liver and a shattered pelvis, leaving doctors uncertain if she would survive her injuries. But she made a remarkably recovery and woke up three days later to meet her baby boy for the first time. Bonding: Wei Liu, pictured giving baby Lucas a kiss, said she feels incredibly lucky that both her and her baby have survived . Crash scene: Wei Liu and her boyfriend Geng Yu were on their way home in a taxi when it was struck by a Golf car - leaving them both with serious injuries . And after 40 days in hospital Wei, a shop assistant at Selfridges, was allowed home. She said: 'The last thing I remember is the taxi turning across Great Ancoats Street as I was on the phone to a friend. 'The . next thing, I woke up with people all around me. I had something in my . mouth so I couldn’t speak but I realised my belly had gone smaller and . my baby was gone. 'Because I couldn’t talk I kept just touching my belly and heard people saying "your baby is fine". 'I found out later the doctors had told my boyfriend to be prepared because they hadn’t seen that many people survive things like this before. Injuries: Wei Liu suffered a severed artery above her heart, fractured ribs which pierced her liver, a fractured cheekbone, broken foot and shattered pelvis, in the smash but, incredibly, both her and her baby survived . 'I think at one point he was asked if he . would rather save me or the baby. My heart had stopped beating for a . few seconds and they thought I was dead. 'A few days later I woke up again and Geng was there in a wheelchair. That was when I got to hold Lucas for the first time. 'I still can’t work out how I survived. I just feel so lucky to be alive and that Lucas is okay.' On the mend: Wei Liu still needs a wheelchair to get around because of the injuries to her pelvis and she is also still suffering from memory loss . Wei also suffered a fractured cheekbone, broken foot and a huge cut across her head, which needed 48 stitches. She is now back at her Ancoats home and is recovering well, but remains in a wheelchair and has memory problems. Geng was also injured in the crash on May 3, needing surgery for a punctured lung, broken ribs and injuries to his feet. He said: 'I didn’t know what to do when they said I might have to choose between Wei and the baby, I was in so much pain. 'I . just didn’t want to go to the operating theatre myself until I heard . the baby had been born - when I heard him cry I started crying too. I am . devastated I missed him being born but so happy he and Wei are alive.' Intensive care registrar Dr Tuheen Huda was part of a team of doctors fighting to save both Wei and her son. Dr Huda said: 'Their survival is entirely testament to the fact that we have had a really good major trauma system set up. 'In . Wei’s case we checked her baby and found its heart rate was dropping, . and found a major blood vessel coming from her heart had been cut in . two. Her and her baby’s lives really were in serious danger. 'But . after surgery, within a few days she was ready to be awakened. Her . mother had come over from China and I took her off the ventilator and . introduced them, then about an hour later we brought her baby in so she . could see him for the first time. It was incredibly emotional.' The driver of the Golf, a 19-year-old man, was . arrested by police at the scene of the crash on suspicion of causing . serious injury by dangerous driving and other driving offences. He . remains on police bail until July 8. Thank you: Wei Liu, 30, thanked doctors at Manchester Royal Infirmary for saving both her life and that of her baby Lucas . | Wei Liu was 8 months pregnant when she was seriously injured in a crash .
Doctors at Manchester Royal Infirmary performed an emergency caesarean .
Wei suffered a severed artery above her heart, fractured ribs which had pierced her liver, a fractured cheekbone, broken foot and a shattered pelvis .
She was put in an induced coma for 3 days before waking to meet her son . |
17,637 | 31fa38617e884b8a4a78dc88417a84786a74d9b8 | These pictures show the incredible sights in Kathmandu when 35,000 Nepalese gathered in a field outside Kathmandu to break a world record for the biggest human flag. The previous record for the largest human national flag stood at 28,957 participants and was set just six months ago at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. The flag was ‘created’ by Sports Board Punjab. Anything Pakistan can do its near neighbour Nepal can go one better. Just over 700 miles separate Lahore from central Kathmandu in Nepal where today the flag record was comprehensively smashed. More than 35,000 gathered together today at the Tudikhel open ground to create the Nepalese flag. Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular. According to its official description, the red in the flag stands for victory in war or courage, and is also the colour of the rhododendron, the national flower. The flag's blue border signifies peace . Aerial view of the Nepalese national flag, formed by more than 35,000 people at the Tudikhel open ground in central Kathmandu . Thirty-five thousand Nepalese hold coloured cards above their heads to form the shape of their national flag to smash the world record formerly held by Pakistan . The Tudikhel open ground in central Kathmandu is transformed into a large flag holder as 35,000 Nepalese break the world record for the biggest human flag . And there it is, the Nepalese flag created by 35,000 Nepalese holding coloured pieces of card above their heads in central Kathmandu . It's a record breaker! Thirty-five thousand Nepalese smash a Guinness World record held by Pakistan to create the world's largest human flag . Nepalese arrive to participate in an attempt to break the record for the largest human national flag, in Katmandu, today. One of the organisers, Ashish Chaulagai, said that more than 38,000 people were estimated to have formed Nepalís flag, shaped as two red triangles with a blue border. Nepal is the only country whose flag is not quadrilateral. The last record was set in Pakistan by 28,957 people. Nepalese hold cut-outs on their heads as they participate in an attempt to break the record for the largest human national flag, in Kathmandu, Nepal . Nepalese girls wait to enter a field where they will participate in an attempt to break the record for the largest human national flag, in Katmandu, Nepal . Participants toss placards into the air after completing an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Human National Flag at Tundhikhel in Kathmandu . We've done it! Nepalese celebrate their victory in breaking the record and show their dedication oh, oh, oh, dedication oh, oh, dedication, that's what they've got . A Nepalese holds high the Nepalese national flag, as others celebrate after participating in an attempt to break the record for the largest human national flag . Traffic moves past a field where Nepalese are participating in an attempt to break the record for the largest human national flag, in Katmandu, Nepal . | Thirty-five thousand Nepalese break the world record for the biggest human flag .
Previous record held by Pakistan who managed a mere 29,000 participants in their record attempt .
Nepal is the only country whose flag is not quadrilateral . |
27,731 | 4e981275e429838dcbf9a87a822d610b5e105622 | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 13:06 EST, 19 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 19 July 2013 . Mark Lancaster (above), 40, preyed on the vulnerable women by setting up scam website Sponsor A Scholar in the hope of seeking out 'cheap sex' and fulfilling his 'sordid fantasies' A ‘creepy’ computer geek who posed as an academic to dupe needy students into having sex with him on camera in exchange for bogus £15,000 scholarships has today been jailed for 16 months. Mark Lancaster, 40, preyed on the vulnerable women by setting up scam website Sponsor A Scholar in the hope of seeking out ‘cheap sex’ and fulfilling his ‘sordid fantasies’. The explicit website offered to put students in touch with potential ‘sponsors’ who would pay their tuition fees in exchange for sex. Girls were told they would be rewarded with higher sums of money if they undertook ‘more unusual’ sex acts, Southwark Crown Court heard. Lancaster gained their trust by pretending to be a respected academic before luring them to ‘interviews’ at a private rented apartment in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. During one ‘practical assessment’ last September, an 18-year-girl was provided with a schoolgirl outfit and high heels before Lancaster asked her to pose for photographs, telling her: ‘The golden rule is the sexier you look in the pictures, the bigger scholarship amount you can get.’ The teenager, who is now 19, said she felt ‘no option’ but to have sex with Lancaster, filmed by secret cameras hidden in the ceiling and corners of his bedroom and bathroom. The Kenyan national went through with sex with him to avoid burdening her single mother with the cost of her studies, describing how she felt ‘gross’ afterwards. But she was later told by Lancaster that she had failed the assessment but had another opportunity to ‘try again’. Lancaster was working as a computer contractor for the Foreign Commonwealth Office at the time of the offences and in the past has been employed by IBM, Fujitsu and the Ministry of Defence. Lancaster gained students' trust by pretending to be a respected academic before luring them to 'interviews' at a private rented apartment in Milton Keynes, Bucks . The pervert was exposed following undercover investigations by Channel Four News and the Independent newspaper. ‘He was accomplished in the use of computers and computer technology and set up a website called Sponsor A Scholar, the purpose of which was targeting vulnerable female students seeking funding for their education, principally at university level,’ said prosecutor Lisa Wilding. ‘The defendant would be the assessor and they (girls) would be required to have sex with him so he could determine whether they were suitable for a sponsor. ‘There were no sponsors and no scholarships and the entire elaborate plan was concocted by this defendant purely for his own sexual gratification. ‘Thanks must be offered to the journalists because it was through investigative journalism that the defendant was revealed and his activities and the website were brought to an end.’ Judge Peter Testar described Lancaster’s activities as a 'pitiless deception'. ‘For the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, you set up a complex scam. What was involved was offering to put needy young women in touch with so called sponsors who would pay them up to £15,000 a year. ‘It’s plain, as the complainant acknowledged, that what was expected of the young women who responded to the advert on your website was they should provide sexual services. ‘A lot of organisation went into this - the setting up of the website, the arrangement of accommodation and the fitting out of that accommodation with concealed cameras. ‘The complainant concedes frankly when she saw the website that she realised perfectly well what would be expected of her, were she to be given the sponsorship, was sexual services. ‘You led her to believe this was a stepping stone on to a sponsorship. ‘This was an elaborate lie and a thoroughgoing and pitiless deception. ‘The appropriate sentence is one of 16 months' imprisonment and it would be quite wrong to suspend that.’ Wearing a dark suit, white striped shirt and blue patterned tie, Lancaster stared straight ahead throughout the entire hearing and remained expressionless as he was led out of the dock. Patrick Harte, defending Lancaster, conceded his behaviour was ‘incredibly creepy’ and in pursuit of his ‘sordid fantasies’, adding: ‘It was cheap sex he was looking for and that’s what he thought he got. ‘He is devastated by the effect he has had on the victim. He did know the filming was wrong and he has no desire to blame the victim. ‘As she said, it was a scumbag of a thing for him to do. While Lancaster’s wife has forgiven him, he has been ‘blacklisted’ by former colleagues in the technology industry and is now unemployed with little prospect of finding work. ‘It is a very unpleasant mess’, Mr Harte added. Lancaster, of Waterlooville, Hampshire, admitted voyeurism and sex trafficking. He must also sign the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years. | Mark Lancaster, 40, set up scam website Sponsor A Scholar .
Explicit site offered to put students .
in touch with potential ‘sponsors’ who would pay their tuition fees in .
exchange for sex .
He provided 18-year-old victim with schoolgirl outfit and high heels before asking her to pose for photos .
Lancaster jailed for 16 months . |
63,857 | b54b9565f699fc556e48ccca39f931b81ddd421b | Most people on a day trip to enjoy the picturesque beauty of the Isle of Wight would hop on a ferry. But when Princess Beatrice paid a visit she avoided the queues and bustle of Portsmouth sea terminal – not to mention a £17.20 return fare – by hitching a ride with the Royal Navy. The 25-year-old’s decision to hop aboard HMS Ranger, an Archer-class patrol boat, when she travelled to the island last week raised eyebrows, with one resident saying: ‘Why couldn’t she come on the ferry like everyone else?’ It is not known whether Prince Andrew, a former Navy Commander, pulled any strings to help his daughter hitch a lift, but insiders were quick to insist that the boat-ride did not place an additional burden on the taxpayer. Day tripper: Princess Beatrice avoided the queues and bustle of Portsmouth sea terminal - not to mention a £17.20 return fare - by hitching a ride with the Royal Navy to the Isle of Wight . Senior naval sources added that there were long-standing plans for the vessel to train in Isle of Wight waters. The 20-metre-long vessel, part of the 1st Patrol Boat Squadron, provides . navigation training to junior officers and university cadets out of HM . Naval Base Portsmouth. HMS Ranger deposited the sixth in line to the throne at the headquarters of the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes. It later collected her from the same place after she had finished her official engagement. Most day-trippers travelling between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight . would catch the ferry to Ryde or Fishbourne. Public transport does not . stop at Cowes. Beatrice’s schedule included stops at some of the island’s main historic . attractions, as well as some landmarks of particular personal . significance to the royal. Her first port of call was to Carisbrooke Castle – the home of her . former ancestor and namesake, Princess Beatrice, who served as governor . of the Isle of Wight until her death in 1944. On patrol: Royal Navy's HMS Ranger. It is not known whether Prince Andrew, a former Navy Commander, pulled any strings to help his daughter hitch a lift . The previous Princess Beatrice was the youngest of Queen Victoria’s . nine children and her lifelong companion. She was appointed Governor . after the death of her husband Prince Henry in 1896, and lived at . Osborne Cottage on the Osborne Estate until 1912, when she moved to the . Governor’s House at Carisbrooke Castle. Her trip was revealed in the week it emerged her uncle, Prince . Charles, spent more than £1.2million on official travel last year – . including £250,000 on hiring a private jet to attend Nelson Mandela’s . funeral. Angered by the news that the Royal Navy had allowed the princess to hitch a lift on June 16, one resident said: ‘When the Duke of Gloucester came over last year, he came down from London in his own car and then came across on the ferry from Portsmouth. First stop: Princess Beatrice visited Carisbrooke Castle - the home of her former ancestor and namesake, Princess Beatrice, who served as governor of the Isle of Wight until her death in 1944 . 'Prince Andrew must have pulled some strings with his old Navy chums.’ However a Navy source said that it was not a case of ‘Oh, you’re going Cowes, we’ll do a mission especially to suit you’. Despite the planned training in the area, sources declined to say whether the vessel was actually due to stop-off at Cowes, if Beatrice’s officials requested the stop or if the Royal Navy chief had offered one. A source told the Mail that the costs of the royal sightseeing visit – which was at the request of the local Lieutenancy – were covered by the Duke of York. ‘Princess Beatrice has a full-time job in the business sector, from which she was on annual leave.’ A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said the boat was on a ‘regular exercise’. | Princess Beatrice avoided bustle of Portsmouth - and the £17.50 return fare .
Hitched a lift on HMS Ranger when she made a trip to the Isle of Wight .
Insiders said the boat-ride didn't place additional burden on the taxpayer . |
279,060 | f58a030bc4b861e6ef3aeaccbc9480a9400e38b6 | By . Ruth Styles . With a kitchen crammed with Tupperware and a penchant for recycling outfits, the Queen is no stranger to thrifty living. And it appears that the monarch has found another way to keep costs down - by eschewing expensive scented candles and scenting Buckingham Palace using reed diffusers instead. Photos of the Queen's audiences with David Cameron reveal the presence of the diffusers, tucked away on a sideboard between porcelain ornaments and potted plants. Photos of the Queen's audiences with David Cameron reveal the presence of the diffusers . The diffusers, which use rattan reeds to disperse the fragrance of essential oils or perfume, last for up to four months - significantly longer than candles, which on average, burn for just 60 hours. 'Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell the brand that the Queen is using as the branding appears to have been removed,' explains perfume expert Lawrence Roullier White. 'But I'd like to think the perfect scent for her would be 'Sweet William' by British brand Urban Apothecary London.' He added: 'While diffusers are a luxury, Her Majesty is being quite canny financially as the average scented candle will burn for 60 hrs while reed diffusers can last up to four months.' Reed diffusers are becoming an increasingly popular way to scent the home thanks to their convenience and the ability to provide a constant source of fresh fragrance. They also dispense with the need for flame and matches, something that Roullier White believes the new great-grandmother would appreciate. 'There's is no need for a naked flame,' he explains. 'I suspect that this is why Her Majesty has chosen a reed diffuser to scent her drawing room - there are a lot of papers on her desk and she obviously feels more comfortable. 'She's probably more sensitive to fire after the blaze at Windsor Castle during her annus horribilis.' While . it's not hard to find diffusers with price tags large enough to make a . dent in even the most regal of bank balances, there are some more . affordable options around - not least Air Wick's cheap and cheerful . £6.99 offering. But if . you're looking for something a little more special, Lawrence Roullier . White reveals how to pick the perfect diffuser for your palace. Sicilian Lemon Reed Diffuser . 'Individual . scents work better in some rooms than others,' he explains. 'In the . bathroom and kitchen, fresh, clean smells work wonderfully. 'Lemon . or fig are great as they dispel nasty niffs, while citrus scents affect . the brain in a positive way and make us feel happy.' TOP PICKS: Sicilian Lemon or Fig both by Urban Apothecary London (£39, urbanapothecarylondon.com) 'Pungent . perfume can be a bit overpowering in the bedroom, so try something a . little more gentle. I love my own Clean Sheets diffuser - it smells of . fresh linen and does seem to be the one unifying smell that everyone . loves. 'Rose Arbour is . another good one as scientists have found that if you rest surrounded by . natural floral fragrance, you'll sleep better. TOP PICKS: Clean Sheets and Rose Arbour by Roullier White (£35 at www.roullierwhite.com) 'The hall and drawing room are where you'll entertain the most, so impress them with a super opulent scent. 'I . love Rigaud's luxury Cypress, which, admittedly in candle form, was . used by Jackie Kennedy to fragrance the White House and by the legendary . editor of American Vogue Diana Vreeland to scent her office. 'Choose . something a little fresher for the dining room so it doesn't compete . with the cuisine. Opale by Linari combines fresh lime, Asian tangerine, . plum and green tea and is ideal for this.' TOP PICKS: Cypress by Rigaud, £160, and Opale by Linari, £89, both at Harrods . | Reed diffusers, which last up to 4 months, used at Buckingham Palace .
Choice revealed in photo of weekly meeting with the Prime Minister .
Although many are expensive, Air Wick have budget version for £6.99 . |
223,270 | ad08a46bcb58375b0c0d81114b06ca8f60696739 | A Marine Corps reservist says he accidentally drove his truck across the U.S. border into Tijuana, Mexico, where he was arrested and charged with possession of three firearms and ammunition. All of the guns were legally registered in the United States. Surprisingly, however, in Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, firearm possession is almost completely outlawed. Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, a decorated Marine who served two tours in Afghanistan, had a shotgun, a handgun and a rifle -- all illegal in Mexico. He also had 400 pieces of ammunition. He is being held on weapons charges in a prison outside a town near Tijuana. I can imagine what some people might be thinking upon hearing this news. Wait -- Mexico has strict gun control laws? And anyone from the Southwest, or anyone who has ever been to Tijuana, might have followed that up with: . Wait -- Tijuana has laws? After all, many 19-year-old Americans go to Tijuana specifically because of the border town's legendary, shall we say, "relaxed" legal approach to minimum drinking ages and competitively priced prostitutes. But it's true: Although the Mexican Constitution is similar to the U.S. Constitution in that it guarantees some right to arms, Mexico's statutory ownership and permit laws have essentially regulated this "right" into a theoretical one. That's right, Mexico is actually tough on guns. Well, sort of. The controlling law is Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (LFAFE), or the Federal Firearms and Explosives Law. (For a terrific translation of the text into English, as well as an academic analysis of Mexican gun laws, check out David Kopel's Mexico's Gun Control Laws: A Model for the United States?) The short version: Tahmooressi, who has been held more than two months, faces some serious penalties for the firearms in his truck. Even possessing ammunition without prior authorization is prohibited in Mexico by federal law, with penalties of up to 30 years in prison. Mexico's message is clear: Firearms? No bueno. The incident has triggered a groundswell of support for the sergeant in the States. This raises an interesting issue, however. If Tahmooressi wasn't such a sympathetic figure, in fact, if he was anything other than a war hero, many of us might be asking different questions. Questions such as: . Who accidentally drives into Mexico with a truck full of firearms? Because if you strip away the good character, the remaining facts are not so good for Tahmooressi, especially from a criminal defense perspective. A Mexican prosecutor could focus on the basic facts: First, Tahmooressi drove his car across the border into Mexico; second, with firearms and ammunition in his truck. In Mexico, that's a clearly defined crime. On the defense side, it's been widely reported how easy it is to accidentally drive into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing. This could help negate his intent. Then there's the issue of Tahmooressi's war-related conditions, which may have contributed to his unfortunate choice of highway ramps. Tahmooressi suffered a severe concussion when a homemade bomb seriously damaged his vehicle in Afghanistan. His mother has said he suffers from "directional dysfunctionality," which means he frequently gets lost, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and hypervigilance -- conditions acquired during, and because of his service. And more to his credit, this Marine did make law-abiding decisions: His firearms were lawfully registered in the U.S., and he immediately called 911 from his cell phone for guidance when he'd realized his mistake. This country has rallied around Tahmooressi because he's exactly the kind of figure America rallies around: a good person caught in a bad situation. But what if this happened to someone else? What if this were just a trust-fund frat boy on spring break, who took a wrong turn in his parents' Volvo with an AK-47 in the passenger seat? Would there be the same outpouring of sympathy, if other facts remained the same? Apply the same facts to the fictional spring-breaker above, or one of the Jackass guys, or -- dare I say it -- Justin Bieber. Do you think most of America would be so mobilized? Whether we admit it or not, the level of popular support is often driven by the character of the person involved, and not the underlying facts. If "The Biebs" had made this wrong turn, we'd be saying good riddance -- and we wouldn't care what his mental health status was at all. Don't get me wrong: If I were president, I'd have already sent in Blackhawk helicopters to extract Tahmooressi -- but mercifully for the U.S., I'm not the President. He even attempted a prison escape. Of course, attorneys are ethically forbidden to counsel a crime like a prison escape, but I'm pretty sure we can silently root for one—especially when it's in a foreign jurisdiction. Mexico should be equally praised and criticized for its gun control legislation. In theory, as written, the statute attempts to restrict gun ownership to only the most responsible owners, or the most necessary purposes. In practice, however, we all know Mexico is hardly a gun-free, crime-free utopia. Tahmooressi is a responsible gun owner whose ownership did not comply with Mexican law. Now, his freedom depends on three factors, unrelated to the facts: . First, the Mexican government can choose not to prosecute. Prosecutors in the States have discretion to withdraw prosecution in the interest of justice. I hope their Mexican counterparts have similar interests: to secure justice rather than victory. Second, U.S. political pressure may help to secure his release. But if Tahmooressi benefits from either of these, it will be because of his good character and not the underlying facts. The underlying facts here are bad for this defendant. Of course, the third option is a safe escape from a Mexican jail ... but I didn't actually recommend that. | A Marine is in prison after driving into Tijuana with guns in his truck, illegal in Mexico .
Danny Cevallos: Penalties severe for entering Mexico illegally and breaking its gun law .
Cevallos: Many are rooting for him: Would they if he weren't a sympathetic character?
Cevallos: Maybe Mexico won't prosecute, or U.S. pressure will get him released . |
85,573 | f2b3ff40a778b128879045cc6fd1c3107fc5aa64 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 08:51 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:07 EST, 1 February 2013 . If thought winter was petering out this week, you may be in for a chilly shock. Parts of Britain enjoyed temperatures of up to 14C (57F) this week – a welcome reprieve after January’s heavy snowfall brought the country to a halt. But last night snow returned to northern England and Scotland – and forecasters say more is on the way. White: Snow in County Durham left over from January's storms as it is set to return in some areas . Disruption: A motorist driving past snow-covered banks in the North East today . Temperatures will plummet to -4C . (25F) tonight as a cold snap grips southern counties, while the snow . showers spread down the east coast from Yorkshire and Northumberland to . Lincolnshire and East Anglia. Tomorrow the mercury will rise . briefly before more snow is blown in from the west on Monday. Matt . Dobson, forecaster for MeteoGroup, said the snowfall will not match . January’s heavy blizzards – but warned that temperatures will fall very . low tonight. He said: ‘For southern areas it will be significantly colder than recently.’ Sign of spring: Snowdrops are blooming in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew despite the cold . The icy weather will be swept away by . a band of rain tomorrow, with temperatures jumping dramatically to 12C . (54F). But by Monday night the bitter cold snap will return with a . vengeance – and could bring more than 10cm (4in) of snow to the . Pennines and Cumbrian fells. Mr Dobson said: ‘On Monday night we will get strong or gale-force winds and they will bring some very cold weather. ‘We can expect snow showers of up to . 30cm (12in) over the Scottish mountains, with up to 10cm over the hills . in Yorkshire and Cumbria. Flooding: The recent thaw and heavy rains have led to dangerous conditions in low-lying areas . Extreme: Walkers in Cambridgeshire found their way blocked today after the River Ouse burst its banks . This radar map shows where snow and rain will fall across Britain this weekend . ‘On lower ground it will be much . lighter – probably a thin covering of snow and certainly nothing . compared to what we have already seen this year. ‘The south will see wintery showers on Tuesday, which may bring some snow, especially over higher ground.’ January’s heavy snowfall created . chaos across the country. Hundreds of schools closed, flights were . cancelled and roads and rail services hit. But for many parts of the country the worst disruption came when temperatures rose last weekend. Torrential rain over the weekend and at the start of the week, coupled with the thawing snow, led to . severe flooding in low-lying areas of the country. The Environment Agency still had 28 active flood warnings in place last night. | Snow set to hit North East, East Anglia and Scotland today .
Temperatures plunge as low as -4C as freezing weather returns . |
136,815 | 3cfdbf7e7bdb60e28cb0c12ab8e07afcbb5160b2 | By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 07:12 EST, 6 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:35 EST, 6 February 2013 . When Lottie Hankins was born with a smudge in the corner of her mouth, her parents thought nothing of it. But they were horrified after it developed into a tennis ball-sized tumour that meant she couldn't eat or drink. Now after years of pain, disbelieving doctors, name-calling, and surgery, little Lottie can finally smile. Her mother Julia, 39, said: 'She had her final plastic surgery on . her mouth last year and it's made such a difference. Now she has normal . lips like me, which is what she wanted. 'Amazing girl': Lottie's parents said their daughter (pictured left as a baby) never complained about the pain she suffered over the years. She loves her new lips created using plastic surgery (right) 'She's confident and happy, with no side effects from all the nasty comments from strangers in the street. 'She's one amazing girl.' Mrs Hankins, from Northampton, had a normal pregnancy apart from Lottie being born four weeks early. It wasn't until they she and husband Simon, 42, took Lottie home . that they noticed the red . mark near their baby's lip. They showed it to the health visitor who came to inspect Lottie and were reassured it was probably a Port Wine Stain birthmark. But it quickly grew bigger and then when Lottie was three months old she scratched it with her nail, leaving a nasty, weeping wound. Julia . said: 'We took her to the hospital but they said nothing was wrong with . her. Lottie was crying all the time. She wasn't feeding and was getting . thin. 'I knew it was infected.' Lottie was just a few days old when her parents spotted a smudge in the corner of her mouth . Medics discovered Lottie had 36 haemangiomas in total, including one on her nose (l), she had laser surgery to fade the birthmark (seen right with her sister Ellie) The couple were so desperate . for help that Julia's concerned grandfather, Joseph Parlett, offered to . pay for Lottie to see a specialist privately. They spoke to a nurse . at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London who told them to bring Lottie . in immediately after Mrs Hankins said she wasn't eating. It was then Lottie . was diagnosed with a haemangioma - blood vessels that grow and turn . into benign tumours - and she was immediately given morphine. Julia said: 'The doctor described the pain she was in was like someone cutting open her mouth with a knife. I was horrified. 'I'd been told there was nothing wrong by our local hospital so she'd had no pain relief. I felt awful.' Lottie was severely dehydrated and so was put on a drip and tube fed. Doctors had to remove her infected and scarred flesh because her mouth had become so painful.They also gave her steroids to help shrink the haemangioma. Her . condition eventually improved to the relief of her parents but then the . infection returned and she stopped drinking again. Two weeks later, she . was allowed home from hospital. But . at six months old, the tumour burst while Lottie was with her father . out shopping. She was rushed to hospital because it wouldn't stop . bleeding and she was treated with a special type of fibre glass. Lottie with her proud parents and sister . Medics . discovered Lottie had 36 haemangiomas in total, including one on her . nose and another on her liver. She was treated with steroids but these had no effect and her parents were forced to put up with stares wherever they went. Mrs Hankins, said: 'Normally, when you have a baby people tell you how beautiful they are but that didn't happen.Medics . discovered Lottie had 36 haemangiomas in total, . 'People would stop her buggy, look in and say horrid things like "look at your baby's disgusting face". 'I liked to take the girls on the bus into town and one day, when Lottie was 18 months old, I saw a lady watching me. 'As she got off, she said she felt sorry for my daughter and threw £5 at her. I was shocked. ''I would try and hide her face when we . were out. It wasn't because I was ashamed. To me, she was gorgeous but I . hated people staring. 'People couldn't see her for who she was because she had this huge growth on her face it was really upsetting.' Julia and Simon with Lottie as a baby. Julia said: 'To me, she was gorgeous but I hated people staring' At two years old, Lottie had her first laser surgery, which helped the birthmark to fade. But she needed further operations to remove the tumour. Mrs Hankins said: 'We didn't want it done to make her more 'acceptable'. We asked Lottie and it was her choice to go ahead with the surgery. She said: "I want normal lips like Mummy." 'Before her mouth and nose were wonky but now it's much better. Her face is more symmetrical. She's really happy with it. 'She will need check-ups now until her teens then another tidy up surgery but it finally feels like our nightmare is over.' Mr Hankins added: 'It was horrendous watching her go through what she did. As a parent, you want to take away their pain. 'She's never complained though. Lottie is very matter of fact and just gets on with things. For more information about haemangiomas, visit www.birthmarksupportgroup.org.uk . | Lottie Hankins was born with a small smudge in the corner of her mouth .
It developed into a tennis ball-sized tumour that prevented her feeding .
Strangers would make cruel comments about her to her parents .
Now seven, Lottie can finally smile after numerous operations . |
267,130 | e6020a2576db41bbad0bef9d3afe39a518041cf2 | Budget: Sally Shephard, pictured, bought a week's worth of fresh food for just £5.60, or 80p-a-day . A 29-year-old woman proved you don't need to break the bank to eat healthily - buying a week's worth of fresh food for just £5.60. Sally Shephard carefully planned her 80p-a-day menu and raided markets and supermarkets for the best deals on fresh ingredients. And she even had change spare for a pork pie at the end of the week. Miss Shephard, from Newcastle, said her aim was to live on the same budget as those who live below the international poverty line and raise money for impoverished communities in Kenya. Her three meals-a-day diet consisted of core ingredients such as carrots, onions and rice that were bought at the beginning of the week. And rather than indulging in costly alcohol or fizzy drinks, Miss Shephard washed her meals down with glasses of hot water. She said the meals, which included omelettes, potato cakes and soups, weren't that different to what she would usually eat, and said it proved it was always possible to eat healthily - even on a shoestring budget. Miss Shephard, who is due to become a special needs worker next month, said: 'I bulk bought bags of potatoes and rice and bought fresh fruit and vegetables from my local market. 'I was never hungry and I had loads of money left even after I'd bought myself the ingredients. 'My diet during those seven days wasn't that different to what I would have normally and I had good, big healthy meals.' On day four of the challenge, Miss Shephard used the £2.24 she had in change from her main buy at the beginning of the week to pick up spinach, a cabbage and six eggs from the market. And on day seven, Miss Shephard even had enough money to buy a pork pie that had been reduced to 45p. She finished the week with five potatoes, five onions, more than half a kilo of rice, a slice of bread, two thirds of the cabbage and some butter - and still had 9p in her purse. Day one . Breakfast - wholemeal toast with butter and a banana . Lunch - rice salad with onion and carrot . Dinner - carrot, potato and onion soup . Day two . Breakfast - wholemeal toast with butter and a banana . Lunch - carrot, potato and onion soup . Dinner - rice salad with onion and carrot and mushrooms gathered on a walk . Day three . Breakfast - two slices of wholemeal toast with butter, and a banana . Lunch - carrot, potato and onion soup . Dinner - carrot, potato and onion soup with slice of fried bread (fried in butter) Staple: Miss Shephard's carrot potato and onion soup, pictured, was a key part of her five-day menu. She bought all three vegetables in bulk for little over £2 at the beginning of the week . Day four . Breakfast - wholemeal toast with butter and a banana . Lunch - plain jacket potato . Dinner - omelette packed with onion, spinach and cabbage and a slice of fried bread . Day five . Breakfast - wholemeal toast with butter and a banana . Lunch - carrot, potato and onion soup . Dinner - potato cakes with onion and carrot and a poached egg . Day six . Brunch - two slices of toast, two potato cakes and a poached egg . Dinner - potato cakes with steamed cabbage, carrots and spinach . Supper - piece of toast with a potato cake . Day seven . Breakfast - two slices of toast, two potato cakes and a potato cake . Lunch - pork pie . Dinner - steamed cabbage, spinach and carrots bubble and squeak . Dinner: Miss Shephard made potato cakes (left) with onion and carrot and a poached egg for her evening meal on day five. Her meals were made from ingredients sourced from markets and supermarkets . Treat: At the end of the week Miss Shephard even had enough money to buy a pork pie that had been reduced to 45p, pictured, and still had 9p in her purse leftover . Miss Shephard said the challenge showed it is possible to live comfortably on low-cost ingredients, adding that there was 'no excuse' to eat unhealthy food as it is 'often so expensive in comparison'. While she admitted the menu did become slightly repetitive, she said the meals were also surprisingly tasty. 5kg potatoes: £1 . 10kg onions: £1 . Bag of carrots: 49p . Wholemeal bread: 49p . 1kg rice: 40p . Five bruised bananas: 5p . Butter: £1 . Spinach: 50p . Cabbage: 50p . Eggs: 70p . Pork Pie: 45p . She said: 'The potato cakes are a winner. I will be making them much more in the future. 'It has been a little repetitive but easily manageable and enjoyable. I have also surprised myself with how many tasty meals can be made with so few ingredients. 'I didn't have any fatty foods or anything processed at all. If anything my diet is much healthier as I have not been able to afford crisps, chocolate and alcohol.' The challenge, which lasted a week, has already helped Miss Shephard raise more than £1,000 for Mattumaini, a charity she set up. The project is dedicated to the development of the community in the slums of Nakuru, the fourth largest town in Kenya. Miss Shephard said: 'All you read about in the news is the Government giving money to people who are obese to help them lose weight. 'I don't think that's right and I've got a friend who lives below the poverty line so I thought I would try and prove you don't need a lot of money to live healthily. I found it surprisingly easy.' Chopped: Miss Shephard said the challenge showed it is possible to live comfortably on low-cost ingredients, adding that there was 'no excuse' to eat unhealthy food as it is 'often so expensive in comparison' Weekend boost: This hearty meal of two slices of wholemeal toast, two poached eggs and two potato cakes was just one of the clever meal that Miss Shephard came up with . Back to basics: Lunch on day four was just a plain jacket potato. Miss Shephard admitted that the menu did become slightly repetitive, but said the meals were also surprisingly tasty . | Sally Shephard raided supermarkets and markets for deals on ingredients .
She managed to make three balanced meals a day, all with fresh produce .
The 29-year-old completed challenge to raise money for charity in Kenya .
Miss Shephard said it proved you could eat healthily even on tight budget . |
250,413 | d01443b0d957e114003d7f09403ccfa345bc3b42 | London (CNN) -- A second former personal assistant to Nigella Lawson made drug use allegations against the celebrity chef Tuesday as she testified at her own fraud trial. Francesca Grillo and her sister, Elisabetta, are accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds from Lawson and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi. Francesca Grillo said she had not seen Lawson take drugs. But she told the Isleworth Crown Court in west London she had seen repeated evidence of drug use. "At the beginning of 2012, there were a few episodes when she came down and she had white powder in her nostrils," she said of Lawson. "She brushed it off and said it was makeup." Asked by her defense lawyer if that could have been the case, Francesca Grillo said it was "too white to be makeup." Lawson told her that when she was working on a new book, she needed to stay up through the night, Grillo said. The former personal assistant told the court that Lawson would have a runny nose for long periods of time, even in summer, and that she would have mood changes, going from very nice to "absent and grumpy." She also described finding rolled-up bank notes with traces of powder in Lawson's handbag and seeing the remnants of cannabis use around the house. Grillo said she spoke to Lawson's two children about her cannabis use. They told the former personal assistant that Lawson had trouble sleeping, so she would go downstairs and smoke with them because it helped her sleep. Elisabetta Grillo, in her testimony last week, also told the court that she had seen indications of drug use by Lawson but had never seen her take drugs. In her own testimony this month, Lawson confirmed she had taken cocaine half a dozen times, during two periods of her life, and used cannabis in the past. But she denied being a habitual user, saying, "I did not have a drug problem, I had a life problem." Saatchi had said in an e-mail that Lawson had used drugs regularly, but in his testimony before the court last month, he backed off that claim. In the e-mail, which the defense shared with the court at a pretrial hearing, Saatchi wrote that the two assistants would probably "get off" because Lawson was using cocaine and marijuana on a daily basis and "allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked." Lawson lied in court, former aide says . Luxury goods . The two sisters are accused of spending large sums on luxury goods on company credit cards they were supposed to use for household expenses. Both sisters deny the fraud charge. Questioned by the prosecution about her spending Tuesday, Francesca Grillo insisted that Lawson had approved her purchases. She admitted to having dresses, handbags and shoes from designers including Miu Miu, Christian Louboutin and Gucci. The prosecution outlined the alleged top 50 unauthorized transactions by Grillo, including trips to New York and European cities such as Paris, Milan, Berlin and Antwerp, with significant purchases in exclusive stores. In response, Grillo variously said that the trips were authorized by Lawson or that she couldn't remember the trip, who she went with or whether she was even on the trip herself. She suggested that other members of the family could have used her card. Grillo said that Saatchi had shouted, banged his fists on a table and threatened to "destroy" her when he accused her of fraud this summer. "You don't cross Charles Saatchi, everyone knows that," she said. Grillo said it felt "like a personal vendetta" against her. Elisabetta Grillo also said Lawson had authorized all her personal spending. Lawson 'ashamed' of drug use, court hears . | NEW: Prosecution says Francesca Grillo spent company money on trips, shopping .
Grillo tells the court she'd see Nigella Lawson with white powder on her nose .
Francesca Grillo and her sister Elisabetta deny defrauding Lawson and Charles Saatchi .
Both sisters say that their spending on personal items was approved by Lawson . |
272,708 | ed333a1f0bdbbf153ace6f3d680eb57b08a930ac | San Diego (CNN) -- What do zombies and androids have in common? They're almost human, but not quite. That disconnect is creepy, in a way that scientists are searching to understand. The uncanny valley is the idea that as a robot's appearance becomes more and more humanlike, we don't always respond to it more positively. Rather, there's a point on the scale between robot and human where we are repulsed. If it's mechanical but not entirely human, a robot seems disturbing. Why would that be? It would make sense that as human likeness increases in a robot, so would our comfort with it. But on a graph showing that relationship, there's a "valley" where this familiarity dips down into creepiness, and then comes back up again with more human characteristics. You may have experienced feeling this while watching animated movies that incorporate humanlike forms. It's also the reason that you might get freaked out by clowns or by photos of people with extreme plastic surgeries who don't look quite real anymore. Our brains come to an impasse when we see something that resembles a member of our species but just doesn't make the cut. Meet the huggable, semi-robotic and semi-creepy pillow phone . Some animators sidestep the issue: in the movie "WALL-E," for example, the main character has eyes but is not very humanlike otherwise; he is clearly a robot. His friend, EVE, looks like a white shape with eyes. Both express emotions clearly but don't try to mimic the human shape or form. And HAL 9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey" is just a red camera eye, but it too conveys feelings. But when you get more humanlike, things get weird. Some reviewers were put off by the characters in the film "Polar Express," for instance. Then there are the Na'vi in "Avatar," who have many physical human characteristics in addition to morphed features and tails. But they are also blue, creating a sense of "otherness" that may have made them less distasteful to viewers -- in other words, they were sufficiently un-human. Ayse Saygin, professor at the University of California, San Diego, is using cutting-edge brain science to understand this strange quirk of human nature. Although the idea of the uncanny valley has been observed, there has not been much rigorous scientific experimental work on it, partly because it's hard to get at the heart of the matter objectively. "Even if we don't actually define it in words, we may be able to find signals for it in the brain," Saygin said. Saygin and colleagues published a study last year using functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI), looking at what's happening in the brain that might explain the uncanny valley phenomenon. They hypothesized that, at least in part, the effect might result from a violation of the brain's predictions. When we anticipate one thing but see another, we get an error, and that error makes us shy away from the thing we're viewing. The researchers showed 20 participants some video clips of three "actors" moving in the same ways: a human, an android modeled after the human, and a stripped-down robot (the same android without its humanlike form). Although this is a small sample of people, it is typical for neuroimaging studies, which are expensive and time-intensive. Something interesting emerged in the results: "The network that normally processes your body movements is more active when you view an android," compared with when you look at a stripped-down robot or a human, Saygin explains. This could be because the brain has to combine conflicting information, she said. "Your brain's gonna be like, 'Hey, wait a minute, you told me this was a human, and now this area told me that this is not moving like a human. So, I have to really compute that,' " she said. "That's what we think the uncanny valley might be partially caused by, and we have seen some brain activity that looks like that." The uncanny valley phenomenon was put forth in an article in "Energy" in 1970 by Japanese robotics expert Masahiro Mori. But before that, Ernst Jentsch wrote about "the uncanny" in a 1906 essay, and Sigmund Freud followed up 13 years later. Yet the idea is largely based on anecdotes, and researchers such as Karl MacDorman, associate professor of human-computer interaction at Indiana University, are working on experiments to hone in on possible explanations. MacDorman briefly worked with Saygin in Japan. Roboticist sees improvisation through machine's eyes . In his view, the uncanny valley effect has to do with a mismatch in features of a single animation or robot, with some parts appearing much more humanlike than others. For instance, when a very human-looking head is placed on an obviously mechanical body, that can be creepy. So can a human face with robotic eyes. "When there are elements that are both human or nonhuman, this mismatch can produce an eerie sensation in the brain," MacDorman said. "It's when different parts of the brain are coming to different conclusions at the same time." There are other factors that may play in, however. The uncanny valley effect could have to do with uncertainty about whether a robotic character is truly alive or dead, and even play into our deep-seated fears of death. Alternatively, it may be part of cognitive dissonance, which happens when a person's beliefs are not in line with their behaviors -- for instance, a smoker who berates other smokers. From an evolutionary perspective, humans have developed an aversion to sickness, and a creepy-looking almost-human might tap into our internal system that warns us against sources of disease. In relation, we evolved to choose mates who are healthy, and weird robots may set off the same warning bells that told our ancestors to stay away from unfit sexual partners. MacDorman's current focus is on the uncanny valley with respect to empathy: that is, is the uncanny valley phenomenon related to a person's difficulty in identifying with particular computer-animated or robotic characters in films? Does it relate to the impression that these characters are somehow "soulless," and in what ways? Saygin's ongoing studies make use of electroencephalography, or EEG, which measures electrical activity along the scalp. While fMRI tells where in the brain activity occurs, EEG is better for looking at when -- that is, when in viewing agents with different degrees of humanness do people's brain patterns change. EEG is also much more portable and less expensive. Rather than a big scanner, it involves a cap worn on a person's head. Researchers may be able to understand the EEG patterns associated with the uncanny valley effect, and people's comfort with various robotic forms. Eventually, this information could be used to help robot developers or animators who don't want their creations to scare people. Charming, compelling social robots and their creators . "Instead of asking somebody, 'Do you like this robot?' we could get that information a lot more directly, and faster perhaps, if we can develop these technologies," she said. Have you ever experienced the uncanny valley effect? Share your thoughts in the comments. | Uncanny valley phenomenon: When humanlike forms make us uncomfortable .
This may be pronounced when some features are human and others not .
Brain imaging and EEG are being used to study the uncanny valley . |
40,466 | 723a26797341fc668844688fb9f07d64b7ad6e0d | The husband of a mother-of-two, who was been killed when she was apparently electrocuted by a faulty $4.99 charger, has spoken out about his heartbreak. The woman who died in her North Gosford home at 4pm on April 23 has been identified as Sheryl Aldeguer, 28, a nurse who moved to Australia from the Philippines for work. It is believed she was talking on her phone while it was plugged into the charger. Luigi Aldeguer told The Daily Telegraph his wife was speaking to a friend who was in Dubai when the incident happened. Authorities have issued a warning to consumers about knock-off USB-style chargers and are investigating distributors of the USB chargers after the woman's death. Scroll down for video . Sheryl Aldeguer, 28, was killed in April through a faulty phone charger. She is pictured here with husband Luigi . Mr Aldeguer has remembered his wife as considerate and was dedicated to her beliefs. 'She was the best mum and equally the best wife one could have,' he told The Daily Telegraph. 'Very sacrificial and the most understanding person in the world.' Mrs Aldeguer had just become an Australian citizen and was about to start work at Gosford Hospital. She hoped her husband and two young children would join her in the country soon, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Mrs Aldeguer was talking on her phone, which was plugged into a charger, when she died. The charger, which did not meet Australian safety regulations, had inadequate shielding causing 240 volts to 'arc' and pass from the charger through the phone into her body. It is believed that Mrs Aldeguer died instantly and her body, which had burns to the chest and ears, was found the following day by friends and her landlord. People have taken to Facebook to express condolences to Mr Aldeguer who lives in California. 'With all our love and our tears of sadness at losing her mixed with tears of happiness at having known her,' wrote Luis Chato Maneru the day after Mrs Aleguer died. Ella Aldeguer Favis wrote: 'Hold on to the two beautiful gifts Sheryl Aldeguer gave you. Living proof of the love and commitment you shared. Haven't stopped praying for you Luigi Aldeguer.' It is believed that the voltage arced and passed through the charger into Mrs Aldeguer's body while she was talking on the phone . Mrs Aldeguer had just become an Australian citizen and was a few days away from starting a job as a nurse at Gosford Hospital . Police closed down a stall in Campsie in Sydney's southwest last week after a friend of Mrs Aldeguer told police that the faulty charger had been bought there. Police seized a large amount of stock, including phone chargers, power boards and travel adaptors, which were found not to meet Australian safety requirements. NSW Fair Trading Commisioner Rod Stowe said the rip-off, cheap chargers seized by the commission were low quality plastic that could melt and did not have insulation on pins or approval marks. The accessory stall in Campsie faces fines of up to $87,500 and/or two years' imprisonment and Mr Stowe said it was very likely the commission would pursue prosecution. This is the only know fatality to date that seems to be connected to the devices, but Mr Stowe said the public needed to be informed immediately to avoid further deaths. 'It's a wake-up call to people who buy cheap electronic products without realising potential hazards,' said NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe. 'If the deal's too good to be true, it usually is and it can prove fatal.' Fair Trading Electrical Product Safety Expert Lynelle Collins said it had been five years since a similar death caused by a faulty electronic device but there was a serious risk of further deaths. 'Particularly with the Internet, people can buy stuff directly from overseas wholesalers that may not meet Australian safety standards,' she said. A large quantity of knock-off USB style chargers have been seized from a stall in Campsie after a woman was found dead with burns on her ears and chest in an apparent electrocution . The fatality is the first known death that seems to be linked to the knock-off charger devices, which do not meet Australian safety standards . Police initially suspected Mrs Aldeguer was killed by her laptop, which she was also using at the time of her death. As well as talking on the phone, Mrs Aldeguer was wearing headphones, which were plugged into her laptop. The laptop was also plugged into a charger. It is believed the voltage completed its circuit by travelling from the faulty charger into the phone, into her body, then through her headphones into her laptop and then through the computer charger back into the wall. Ms Collins said that even without the laptop the incident could have proved fatal. Police in the Brisbane Waters Local Area command are investigating the woman's death and did not want to release more information about the death. Consumers who have already bought non-approved USB-style chargers for phones or tablets are advised to bend the pins on the chargers and throw them away immediately. People are also warned not to use devices while they are charging or plugged in. Anyone with more information about the dodgy chargers should contact Fair Trading on 13 32 20. Police are warning consumers to bend the pins and throw away any rip-off USB-style charger they might have . | Sheryl Aldeguer, 28, was found dead in her home in Gosford .
She was electrocuted while talking on a phone plugged into a faulty charger .
Her husband, Luigi, said she was the best mother and the best wife .
Mother-of-two was a nurse in Gosford, her family were going to join her in Australia soon .
People are urged to destroy and throw away any non-approved chargers to prevent further deaths . |
176,534 | 708d8f9410655915935b5931f7c03bad795e401a | By . Phil Duncan . Follow @@PhilDuncanF1 . The Austrian Grand Prix stewards will re-open the investigation into Felipe Massa's 190mph crash with Sergio Perez on Friday. Perez was dealt a five-place grid penalty for this weekend's race in Austria following the dramatic last-lap collision at the Canadian Grand Prix. Both Perez and Massa were taken to hospital after the accident, with Massa blasting the actions of the Force India driver. In the wars: Felipe Massa was taken to hospital following his 190mph shunt with Sergio Perez in Canada . Impact: Perez was dealt a five-place grid penalty for his part in the last-lap collision in Montreal . 'I spoke to him at the medical centre,' said the Brazilian after both drivers were released from hispital following a series of precautionary checks. 'I was so disappointed with him. I said he needs to learn. I wanted him to put himself in my place. I had a huge crash. 'It's not the first time he had turned into somebody under braking. He has done this many times but he didn't say anything. He just turned left.' Perez however, has since maintained his innocence in the crash, and Force India will now present new evidence to the stewards at their hearing at 9am on Friday. Walking the track: Massa at the Red Bull Ring on Thursday . Championship leader Nico Rosberg refused to apportion blame on either driver, instead praising the safety standards within Formula One. 'I saw the replays after the race, but I don't really want to judge what happened,' said Rosberg. 'I trust that the stewards looked at it in great detail and came to the right conclusion. 'It shows the safety of these cars, and where we have come to. At the same time, it was also evident of the speeds in which we are going round at, too.' | Perez was handed a five-place grid penalty following the crash in Canada .
But the Mexican driver has always maintained his innocence .
And Force India will present new evidence to stewards at a hearing on Friday . |
207,162 | 9838f5adec14e0f360b44182955491bdc5a6be30 | A police captain in New Jersey has been arrested and charged with trying to run down a Newark city councilman with her car in what police are calling a domestic violence incident. Monique Smith, 43, an officer in nearby Irvington, rammed Newark City Councilman John Sharpe James with her car on Tuesday morning after an argument outside his house, according to Newark police. The attack came just hours after Smith was promoted to police captain at a ceremony at Irvington City Hall on Monday night. Domestic violence: Irvirginton police Captain Monique Smith (left) faces multiple charges after allegedly attacking John Sharpe James, a Newark city councilman . Police have not said what promoted the attack or what Smith's relationship with the councilman is - though investigators are calling it an act of domestic violence. Smith is charged with stalking, criminal mischief, harassment, possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and aggravated assault. Police say that Smith arrived at James' house at 11am and confronted him outside. James got into his car and drove to the home of his father - former longtime Newark Mayor Sharpe James. During on the drive there, Smith chased him in her persona vehicle and allegedly rammed James' car multiple times. When James and Smith arrived at his father's house, Mayor James was able to intervene and Smith left. She was arrested later at a different location. Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss told the Newark Star-Ledger that Smith has been suspended without pay. However, he defended the decision to promote her. 'She’s been a fine officer for many years in the Irvington Police Department,' he said. | Irvington, New Jersey, police Captain Monique Smith, 43, allegedly attacked Newark City Councilman John Sharpe James .
Police are calling the alleged attack a domestic violence incident .
Smith had just been promoted to captain the night before the alleged assault . |
249,984 | cf85ba293ec4c95f2388b3763fbf7d5cadb99ba7 | This is the secret weapon which Hitler hoped would help destroy London during World War II. Although 5,000 V1 rockets were launched by the Germans from France and Holland to bomb London, this is a rare Kamikaze-style version. Because the aim of the rockets was so random - the . bombs dropped when they ran out of fuel - 150 of them were modified with . a small cockpit so they could be flown accurately into targets. Dangerous: This is the secret weapon which Hitler hoped would help him to defeat the Allies in World War II . Lethal: This is a rare Kamikaze-style version of the V1 rocket which included a small cockpit so it could be flown accurately. It is pictured on display at the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum in Ashford, Kent . In a high-risk move, the pilot was meant . to bail out of the rocket at the last moment but it was ultimately a . suicide mission as the airspeed would have been 550mph. None of the piloted rockets ever flew in . anger, partly due to the lack of airmen willing to volunteer with the . exception of a few Hitler fanatics. This manned version of the fearsome flying missile, that was effectively a suicidal experiment by the Germans, has been owned by a British museum for over 40 years. The piloted rocket was sent back to Germany to be restored by experts there to the condition it was in when it was found and seized by the Allies at the end of World War II. Now complete after the £40,000 project, it is being returned by road to the museum in Kent. Only six of them exist today, including . the one that has undergone restoration. The other five are in museums in . France, Holland, Canada, the US and Germany. Rare: The piloted V1 rocket is pictured on display in Farnborough in 1945. Only 150 of them were made . Progress: The piloted V1 rocket receives some maintenance work at the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum in Kent . The V1 - or Fieseler Fi103R Reichenberg - is in full working condition, although it obviously does not contain one ton of explosives in the nose as it would have in the war. The V1 rocket was the world’s first cruise missile causing massive loss of life. The flying bomb was also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug and was developed at Peenemünde Airfield by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. They were designed for mass bombing of London and they were fired from launch sites along the French and Dutch coasts. The very first V1 was fired at London on June 13, 1944. During their peak, more than 100 a day were lunched towards southeast England. In order to try and stop the bombs from hitting targets, the British forces used guns and fighter aircraft to intercept the bombs. The launch sites and underground V1 storage depots were also targeted during strategic bombing. In total, the bombs caused about 22,892 casualties, almost all of these were civilians. Trevor Matthews, the founder of the Lashenden Museum near Maidstone, said: 'After 1945 the Fi103R initially made up part of an enemy aircraft exhibition at Farnborough. 'But because the British viewed the V1 as a munition and not an aircraft it was given to the army’s bomb disposal unit. 'We acquired it in 1970 from the army when our museum started up and we had itcosmetically restored then. 'But we have only been able to pull it out of a hanger when the weather has been okay to display it.'In 2000 we began a fundraising project to not only pay for its complete restoration but to also build a new display building for it. 'We found specialist restorers of wartime fighter planes based in Munich and the Fi103R was shipped over there four years ago. 'Since then they have restored it to how it was displayed at Farnborough in 1945. 'All . the instruments in the cockpit were missing when we bought it but the . specialists have sourced period instruments that are in working . condition. 'It is now in full working order, although you would never get permission to fly it.' The . V1 and V2 flying rockets - or Hitler’s vengeance bombs as they were . called - killed thousands of people and carried enough explosives to . wipe out several buildings. Restoration: The piloted V1 receives some maintenance work in 1970. It had recently been sent back to Germany to be restored by experts before heading back to the UK . Suicidal: In a high-risk move, the pilot was meant to bail out of the rocket at the last moment but it was ultimately a suicide mission as the airspeed would have been 550mph . But due to their random nature, Hitler experimented with the idea of getting an airmen to steer them in the direction of a target. Mr Matthews said: 'With a pilot you could aim it at a strategic target, like Buckingham Palace, until the last moment when they were meant to bail out. 'But it was totally kamikaze. 'The Germans dropped the idea in the end, largely because airmen realised it was a suicide mission. 'Also, at the time they were being tested the Allies were over-running their launch sites in France and then Holland.' The rocket is 28ft long, has a wingspan of 22ft and is fitted with an Argus 109-014 pulse jet engine.The museum is due to take delivery of it later this week. | 150 V1 rockets were fitted with cockpits so they could be steered into targets before pilots attempted to bail out .
But travelling at 550mph meant escape would almost be impossible and none were used in anger against the British people in World War Two .
Now a museum in Ashford, Kent has completed its restoration of a rare example - and although it will never be flown is considered airworthy . |
54,919 | 9b90d84ee9ba66e7c23517007c07f71ceedf0503 | (CNN)Ivory Coast are one step away from ending 23 years of painful African Cup of Nations memories after sweeping aside Democratic Republic of Congo in the semifinals. The Elephants have twice lost the final on penalties, in 2006 and 2012, but could be on course for its first title since 1992 after a 3-1 success in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Goals from two of its star players -- Yaya Toure and Gervinho -- were added to by Wilfried Kanon to seal a place in Sunday's showpiece. It signaled the end of DR Congo's fairytale run after it scored four goals in the final half an hour to defeat neighbors Congo in their last eight clash. Toure de Force . After a modest opening it was Ivory Coast talisman Yaya Toure who made the first decisive impact on the game, as he so often does for his club -- English Premier League champions Manchester City. The 31-year-old pounced on a loose ball after a run from teammate Wilfried Bony -- signed by City in January -- to lash a fierce shot into the roof of the net. It was his 19th goal for Ivory Coast and must surely rank of one of his finest. But having got themselves in front, Ivory Coast switched off moments later to allow DR Congo back into the match. A looping cross from the right was handled by Eric Bailly, allowing Dieumerci Mbokani to register his third goal of the tournament from the penalty spot. The striker, who plays for Dynamo Kyiv in Ukraine, should have put his side ahead 10 minutes later but failed to make proper contact with a cross that fell to him at the back post. It was to prove a costly miss. Ivory Coast immediately gained the upper hand and Gervinho saw his header diverted onto the crossbar by a brilliant Gabriel Zakuani clearance. But the AS Roma midfielder wasn't to be denied for long as an error in midfield saw Bony play him into the area, Gervinho slotting neatly into the far corner of the net. DR Congo came out revitalized after the break and Yannick Bolasie, who plys his trade with Crystal Palace in England's top flight, forced a fine save from Sylvain Gbohouo after a mazy run. But it proved to be only a brief flurry as Ivory Coast reasserted its control on the match. Gervinho and Toure both went close before defender Wilfried Kanon scored the vital third, knocking home from close range after Serge Aurier's header had been saved by goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba. Kidiaba made another save from Gervinho as Congo's desperate attempts to get back into the game left counter attacking gaps for Ivory Coast. Its players spilled onto the field to celebrate at the end of the match and they can now look forward to a clash in the final with either Ghana or tournament hosts Equatorial Guinea, who play Thursday. | Ivory Coast cruises into the African Cup of Nations final after victory over DR Congo .
Goals from Yaya Toure, Gervinho and Wilfried Kanon seals a 3-1 success in Bata .
Ivory Coast will face either Ghana or hosts Equatorial Guinea in Sunday's final . |
68,428 | c20af8b0f4bbbfaa7f702c302a911559b13b7a1b | (CNN) -- In staging their Fourth of July fireworks show, authorities in Ocean City, Maryland, have faced challenges in recent years from Mother Nature. Fireworks light up the sky over Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the city's 2008 Fourth of July festivities. In 2005, thick fog veiled the celebration. Spectators couldn't see the detailed patterns and colors of the fiery blasts -- they only saw the clouds and haze get brighter. Thunderstorms erupted the next two years, delaying the show in 2006 and then forcing its cancellation in 2007. That year, storms brought winds that were just too strong. "We start taking a hard look at the direction and speed of the wind when it gets to 15 or more knots [about 17 mph]," said Ocean City Fire Marshal Sam Villani. "At 20 knots, we consult the shooters ... to see if our perimeter is safe for the crowds. Twenty-knot [23 mph] sustained winds would probably be our cutoff." As millions gather across the United States on Saturday to celebrate America's birthday with fireworks displays, fire officials will be watching weather forecasts and preparing to make sure revelers are as safe as possible. They often start by banning spectators from a safety zone, or perimeter, around the launch site to protect them from drifting embers that can get as hot as 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. For that reason, fireworks launches over harbors, rivers and other bodies of water can often be larger in scale. "For a venue like New York Harbor, it is common for [launch] barges to be located on the water, well away from land," said Guy Colonna, division manager with the National Fire Protection Agency. "Even if the winds increase, it's possible...[for] the safety of the display not to be compromised." Fireworks shows originating on land have stricter standards for the size of the perimeter, depending on wind speed, because spectators are generally closer to the explosives, Colonna said. Strong winds can make safety trickier. According to the Boston Globe, hundreds of people at a 2005 Fourth of July fireworks show in Canton, Massachusetts were accidentally showered with glowing embers when winds shifted about 10 minutes after the event began. High winds can even cancel a fireworks celebration. Rain, however, will not necessarily stop a show, said Philip Butler of Fireworks by Grucci, a Long Island, New York-based fireworks production company that has choreographed shows for presidential inaugurations and the Olympics. Fireworks don't extinguish in the rain, and as long as operators "keep the powder dry," they will explode, Butler said. Moisture can cause them to change colors, though. "A brilliant blue may appear as a royal blue," he said. Weather challenges are nothing new for Grucci. In preparing for a large show in Dubai, the production company once faced 105-degree heat and a sandstorm. "They told us to simply kneel down and cover our heads with our capes and ride it out," Butler said. Ideal conditions for fireworks are calm winds, comfortable temperatures and clear night skies, Butler said. "When the sky is black and clear, it's like a painter's canvas for us." Some commonly asked questions about fireworks: . Do fireworks still work when it snows? Yes. For many New Year's Eve celebrations in cold-weather states, it's often snowing during fireworks shows. Fireworks production companies say the snow acts as a prism, reflecting and shifting the colors. What's the biggest danger that spectators face from fireworks? Statistics show the vast majority of fireworks-related injuries are caused by over-the-counter fireworks instead of burning debris from public fireworks celebrations. The risk of fireworks injury is 2½ times higher for children than for the general population, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. The biggest culprit? Sparklers. The National Fire Protection Agency advises against using your own fireworks. "Leave it to the professionals." For a Fourth of July weather forecast for your area, visit CNN.com/weather. | High winds and rainstorms can pose serious challenges to fireworks shows .
Severe weather affected fireworks three of past four years in Ocean City, Maryland .
Winds can cancel a fireworks celebration, although light rain often will not .
One fireworks company weathered a sandstorm before a show in Dubai . |
101,476 | 0eca761f74f544b8a9a8ee4399881402140df115 | (CNN) -- The city of Fargo, North Dakota, largely completed flood preparations early Thursday as a surging Red River rose nearly 3 feet in 24 hours. The waterway was well beyond its banks along the North Dakota-Minnesota line. "Thanks to our volunteers, we've been able to fill a million sandbags and place 700,000 around our city," Fargo spokeswoman Karena Carlson said early Thursday. "We're just buttoning up a lot of our clay levees and putting a few more sandbags in place, and we hope to be protected up to 40 feet." Several hundred volunteers worked with the National Guard in Fargo to fill those sandbags as the river rose. Flooding where you are? Share pictures, video . Fargo set a record in 2009 when the Red River hit 40.8 feet. As of 9:15 a.m. Saturday, the river stood at 36.56 feet, more than 18 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet and past major flood stage. "Fortunately, we started filling sandbags March 1st. We thought our crest was going to be the first or second week in April. It turns out our crest is going to be this week," Carlson said. "So we did it in just over two weeks." Floodwaters are forecast to peak at 38 feet Sunday afternoon. Last week, warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota, causing the Red River to swell. Upstream, snow and ice have yet to melt, causing water to accumulate near the two cities. Across the river in Moorhead, Tom Holmgren spent Wednesday filling sandbags as Minnesota State University gave students time off to help with the effort. "Most of my friends have put in at least a couple hours," said Holmgren, who said sandbagging has become a source of college pride. "I know there's a big push in just the college community that's like, 'Yeah, we're doing it. We're saving this town.'" One man refuses to leave his home . About 90 miles south of Fargo in Browns Valley, Minnesota, Kathryn Bartz said Thursday that she's grateful that a 40-year water diversion project is nearly complete. "Otherwise I believe we would have washed out a considerable amount of our town," said Bartz, a former town council member. Browns Valley suffered severe flooding from the winding Little Minnesota River in 2007, 1993 and 1943, and lesser floods many other years. Funding and property acquisition problems kept the diversion project -- consisting mainly of a canal to carry overflow around the town -- from being completed, Bartz said. A section of a new road that is part of the project washed out this week, but boulders and rocks were put in place to prevent further erosion, said Bartz, 66, who owns a hobby ranch outside of town. "That will be repaired when the water goes down," she said. "It's an inconvenience, but we are grateful that it has worked as well as it has." Meanwhile, in the Northeast, utility crews made steady progress restoring electricity after a nor'easter -- a powerful low-pressure system -- blasted the region over the weekend. About 40,000 customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut remained without power early Thursday, down from a peak of more than 500,000. "We recognize the hardship our customers face from being without power for days," said Jeff Butler, president of Connecticut Light & Power. "We appreciate everyone's patience as we continue to safely restore power as quickly as possible." The outages were caused mostly by power lines downed by Saturday's hurricane-force winds, which knocked over trees and utility poles. At least seven deaths were attributed to the storm, authorities said. CNN's Ed Payne and Jim Kavanagh and CNN Radio's Shelby Erdman contributed to this report. | NEW: Diversion project saves Minnesota town, resident says .
Volunteers, National Guard fill 1 million sandbags, mayor says .
River expected to crest Sunday 20 feet above flood stage .
Power restored to most of Northeast after weekend nor'easter . |
196,994 | 8af851d8d60c1670e4b4a31c9675ac5c722bece4 | By . Jack Doyle, Home Affairs Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 20:21 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:47 EST, 11 January 2014 . Furious Tory MPs last night rounded on European Commissioner Viviane Reding who accused David Cameron of deliberately spreading ‘populist myths’ about immigration and benefits tourism. Mrs Reding accused the PM of raising the issue deliberately to distract from the ‘real subjects’ of concern to British people. She said Mr Cameron’s actions were ‘destroying the future’ of Britain. Her comments were condemned as ‘unbelievable’ and ‘utter nonsense’ by Tory backbenchers, who accused her of being out of touch. Criticised: European Commissioner Viviane Reding, pictured, said David Cameron was spreading 'populist myths' about immigration and benefit tourism deliberately to distract from real subjects of concern to Britain . James Clappison, MP for Hertsmere, praised Mr Cameron for his approach and said Mrs Reding’s remarks were ‘wholly inappropriate’. ‘She has no business in commenting in those terms and no business in interfering with national immigration policies,’ he said. MP James Clappison said: 'She has no business commenting... and interfering with immigration policies' South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom, writing on the Spectator website, said the comments showed out ‘completely out of touch with voters’ Mrs Reding was. ‘Whilst I believe the UK will remain an open economy and society that welcomes hard-working and aspiring people from across Europe, to hide our heads in the sand and pretend that the free movement of people across the EU does not come with some negative consequences is utter nonsense. ‘The issue of immigration is one of the biggest concerns of taxpayers across many EU countries, and the impact on wages, access to benefits, and ‘social dislocation’ all need to be addressed in the context of large scale migration in the EU. She added: ‘Member states must be able to decide who should be allowed to access their welfare.’ Mrs Reding made her comments an online discussion. She claimed that ‘most of the things which are told to the people in Great Britain are myths, have nothing to do with reality.’ ‘Coming back to the subject which the Government of the UK has pushed to the agenda, probably in order not to make people speak about the real subjects in the UK, are this supposed invasion of foreigners coming to the UK and stealing the jobs and stealing the social security and the health money. ‘The free movement and supposed invasion by the people who want to take advantage of the social security and health is an invention of politicians who like to have populist movements in order to win in elections. The European Commissioner said: 'I'm frustrated about [British] political leaders. What is leadership if you just try with political movements and political speeches to gain votes? You are destroying the future of your people' ‘I’m mostly frustrated about the political leaders (of the UK). What is leadership if you just try with political movements and political speeches to gain votes? You are destroying the future of your people, actually.’ Mr Cameron has enraged the commission with his proposals to stop migrants from EU states claiming child benefit for children living in their home country. Tory MEP Daniel Hannan said instead of 'populism' the Eurocrat should have used the word 'democracy' The Government has also floated broader proposals to rein in EU free movement rules, a sacred cow for Eurocrats. Earlier this week Mrs Reding, who is vice-president of the EC, called for the EU to become a ‘United States of Europe’ with the Commission as its government. Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan said: ‘When Mrs Reding says ‘populism’, what she means is ‘politicians doing what their constituents want’, or as we call it in English, ‘democracy’. ‘The EU’s problem is not its people, but the unelected paleo-federalists like Mrs Reding with their 1950s visions of a European superstate.’ Tory backbencher Mark Reckless said he was ‘very surprised’ by the comments. The MP for Rochester and Strood told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was the EU which was ‘stoking up’ the row and that the Government’s approach had been ‘quite moderate’. ‘People in this country get social security benefit, but they spend it here, but very often people coming from Poland - and perhaps now from Romania and Bulgaria - are sending money home. I think it’s quite wrong that if a child is being schooled in Poland and with family there that they should be paid child benefit by the taxpayers of this country.’ He said the PM should be ‘much more assertive’ in its dealings with the EU. A government spokesman said: ‘Hardworking people expect and deserve a benefits system that is fair to British citizens and migrants who come here to work but is robust and tough on those who abuse the system and flout the law.’ | Viviane Reding said PM was deliberately spreading myths to win elections .
Her comments were condemned as 'unbelievable' by Tory MPs .
One said: 'She has no business in interfering with immigration policies' |
21,032 | 3bb1461afe7d62c95927bd96148319e2a427ce80 | Honolulu (CNN) -- Hawaii has the lowest voter turnout rate in the country. As part of a new CNN project called Change the List, I'm trying to create a conversation that could change that. But I'll need your help to make it work. Here's what you can do: In the gallery at the top of this story you'll find information about six nonvoters in Hawaii. They have some interesting reasons for not voting. One is a high school student who has specific political interests but says he feels too young and uninformed to participate in something as serious as voting. Hawaii: The state that doesn't vote . Another doesn't want Hawaii to be part of the United States, so she doesn't participate on principle, even though she could try to vote in leaders that would push against statehood. Another was driving to the polls during a recent election and turned back because she heard the winner of the presidential race announced on her car radio. Hawaii is six hours behind Eastern Time. When you find someone you like, send them a message on Twitter, YouTube, iReport, Instagram, Facebook -- wherever, as long as the post is public. Just be sure to include the hashtag you see on their images -- #CTL1 through #CTL6. CTL means "Change the List." You also can send video messages to the nonvoters in the comments section at the bottom of this page. Again, please tag them #CTL1, #CTL2, etc. I'm collecting the messages and will relay them to the nonvoters. You can see the responses other people have sent on these pages: . Messages to Paul . Messages to Michael . Messages to Nani . Messages to Skyler . Messages to Nanci . Messages to Tyler . Before I go, a half-desparate appeal to civility: These people kindly and bravely agreed to be part of this experiment. Please treat them with respect. Give a piece of your story: Why do you vote? Or why is it important to you that everyone takes part in our democracy? Personal attacks will not be featured on the site. OK, that hall-monitor moment is over. Sorry. Had to be said. After the election, I'll report back on which, if any, of these nonvoters changes their minds. Subscribe to the Change the List Tumblr for updates. And thanks for your help! | Change the List is a new project from CNN Opinion .
The effort is led by CNN's John D. Sutter .
We aim to bring change to places that need it most .
Our first project: Voter turnout in the United States . |
147,779 | 4b17cb2ac6de31b1797bb53a4f5f9872c353c8e3 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 09:14 EST, 24 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:13 EST, 24 February 2014 . Two giant pandas on loan from China for the next 15 years received a red carpet welcome in Belgium where they were greeted by Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo. Hao Hao, a four-year-old female whose name means 'Friendly', and Xing Hui ('Shining Star'), a male of the same age, landed around midday yesterday at Brussels airport after their journey in a pagoda-style cage onboard a cargo plane. Their plane, arriving after a 15-hour flight from Sichuan in southwest China, taxied into place through an arc of water from the hoses of Belgian firefighters. Scroll down for video . VIP treatment: Workers unload cargo containers carrying two Chinese pandas which have have been loaned to Belgium for 15 years after they touched at Brussels airport . Their plane, arriving after a 15-hour flight from Sichuan in southwest China, taxied into place through an arc of water from the hoses of Belgian firefighters . State visit: Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo carries a panda teddy bear as he greets four-year-old female Hao Hao at Brussel's airport . Jet-lagged: Xing Hui (pictured) and Hao Hao arrived after a 15-hour flight from Sichuan in southwest China . The pandas, each weighing over 110 kilos (242lbs), emerged to find around 100 journalists and dozens of children from a nearby school waiting to welcome them. 'We are very honoured and proud that China agreed to lend Belgium two of its national treasures,' said Di Rupo. The new arrivals were then whisked under police escort to the Pairi Daiza zoo in the town of Brugellette, 60 kilometres (37 miles) outside Brussels. Entry tickets to the zoo were entirely . sold out on Sunday, even though zookeepers had warned that Hao Hao and . Xing Hui will not be making any public appearances until they have . acclimatised and finished a period in quarantine, due to end on April 5. Main attraction: The zoo has spent some £8million to prepare a vast enclosure for its new stars . Celebrities: The pandas, each weighing over 110 kilos (242lbs), emerged to find around 100 journalists and dozens of children from a nearby school waiting to welcome them . High security: The new arrivals were then whisked under police escort to the Pairi Daiza zoo in the town of Brugellette, 60 kilometres (37 miles) outside Brussels . Child's play: A stuffed panda sticks out of the cockpit window of a cargo plane at Zaventem airport in Brussels . The zoo has spent some 10 . million euros (£8million) to prepare a vast enclosure for its new stars . in its 'China Garden', comprising a pool, cave and bamboo plantation. 'They . have flown over a thousand mountains and a thousand rivers to arrive in . Belgium,' said China's ambassador to Belgium, Liao Liqiang. The Belgian press has also reported . that one million euros per year is being paid as 'rent' for the pandas, . which have been a valuable tool for soft diplomacy and revenue . collection for China over the years. The . bears have their own Twitter feed and Hao Hao was named China's . favourite panda at the international Giant Panda Zoo Awards last year. First class: Giant panda Hao Hao enjoys meal in a special made suitcase during her journey on the plane . Bon voyage: Belgian officials meet Xing Hui prior to a ceremony to send off the two pandas at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Dujiangyan, Sichuan province . Hao Hao pictured before leaving the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Dujiangyan, Sichuan province . But their arrival has inflamed old tensions between Belgium's Walloon (French-speaking) and Flemish populations. French-speaking Mr Di Rupo has been accused by Flemish politicians of snubbing the country's oldest and most famous zoo, in Antwerp, when he helped to secure the pandas' visit to Belgium. Instead the pandas are to stay in the Pairi Daiza animal park near the city of Mons, where the mayor is none other than Mr Di Rupo. The 170-year-old Antwerp zoo insists its pedigree and prestige should have made it the first choice. Giant pandas are an endangered species, with only 1,600 left in the wild in China and 300 in captivity around the world. Giant pandas are an endangered species, with only 1,600 left in the wild in China and 300 in captivity around the world . Spacious: the pandas are heading to the 20-year-old Pairi Daizi zoo for the duration of their stay . | Four-year-olds Hao Hao and Xing Hui met on the runway by Belgium PM .
Hundreds of well-wishers watch as they are led under police escort to zoo .
Will not be shown in public until after their quarantine ends on April 5 . |
219,432 | a8095eb2e2783a7f976def42c27fe56046bbb9b1 | By . Ryan Gorman and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:44 EST, 21 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:44 EST, 21 November 2013 . Horrible: Curtez Graham, 18, raped a 65-year-old woman as revenge after he was sent to prison for twice burglarizing her home . An 18-year-old man raped a 65-year-old woman as revenge after he was sent to prison for twice burglarizing her home - and now he's going back behind bars. Curtez Deshawn Graham returned this past June to the twice-burglarized St paul, MN., home after being furloughed from prison and raped the woman after blaming her for his previous imprisonment, the victim told police. ‘B***h, you sent me to prison for 14 months,’ he snarled at the woman while standing naked in her bedroom menacingly holding a pair of scissors, said an affidavit cited by the Pioneer Press. Mr Graham removed his ankle bracelet while out of a St Paul juvenile correctional facility on work release and headed to the couple’s home after only nine days. The frightened couple woke up to see the crazed man naked and threatening to kill them with the scissors if they did not do as he said, according to the affidavit. He forced the man to tie himself up, revenge raped his helpless victim and then forced her to wash between her legs while taking a shower, the affidavit said. ‘We seldom see crimes as completely inhumane as this,’ prosecutor C. Ryan Tennison said in court. ‘This man raped the victim in her home in front of her loved one.’ The ex-con pleaded guilty Sept 30 first-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree burglary and kidnapping. Mr Graham will spend the next 25 ½ years in prison for his depraved actions. | Curtez Graham, 18, was previously sent to prison for twice robbing an elderly couple .
Once released on work furlough, he returned to their home and raped the 65-year-old woman . |
279,307 | f5da3814a48e3c8efacfcd65c0f62919d8c0e96f | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:30 EST, 2 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:13 EST, 3 December 2012 . A toddler's death during a visit with his father on October 21 in Virginia is prompting police to also more closely investigate the suicide of the man's mother and the shooting death of a onetime girlfriend in the past decade. Fifteen-month-old Prince McLeod Rams died during a three-hour, unsupervised visit with his father, Joaquin S. Rams of Manassas, police said. Manassas Police spokesman Lowell Nevill said that led police to further probe the 2008 suicide of Joaquin Rams' mother and the 2003 shooting death of his ex-girlfriend Shawn K. Mason. Prince McLeod Rams died during unsupervised time with his father Joaquin Rams on October 21. Police are now looking into the suicide of Rams' mother and shooting of his ex-girlfriend. The boy's mother, Hera McLeod, said the system failed to protect the boy after she fought vehemently to prevent the unsupervised visits, which were ordered by a judge in Maryland. Authorities have not yet determined how the boy died, and Rams has not been charged with a crime. But McLeod said the unusual confluence of deaths is not easily explained. 'Either he's the most unlucky bastard on this planet, or he's a killer,' said McLeod, who fled the relationship with her one-time fiance about two weeks after Prince was born. Joaquin Rams did not answer calls to his cellphone. His attorney also did not return calls seeking comment. Hera McLeod, the mother of Prince McLeod Rams, said Joaquin Rams was 'either the most unlucky b*****d on this planet, or he's a killer.' Hera McLeod said she has been given only a little information about her son's injuries. But she said the hospital called child protective services because of suspicious injuries, including dried blood in his nose and a bruise on his forehead. During a custody hearing for Prince Rams in March, investigators testified Joaquin Rams is a suspect in the killing of Mason, 22, who was shot in the head in her Manassas condo in 2003. In 2008, Rams' mother, Alma Collins, was found dead. Prince William County Police at the time ruled the death a suicide. While Manassas police say all the investigations remain a high priority, Prince William County police spokesman Jonathan Perok said investigators have so far not found anything to indicate Collins' death was not a suicide. But her son Joseph Velez - Joaquin Rams' half brother - said it makes no sense that his mother would have killed herself and said he has been interviewed by police investigating whether his mother's death was a homicide. 'My mother in her life never had a history of depression,' Velez said. He described his half brother as 'a monster,' describing how even at age 3, his younger brother attacked him on the head with a hammer he had hidden behind his back as he feigned a request for a kiss. Like Hera McLeod, Velez expressed frustration at police who failed to make a case in the slaying of Shawn Mason. Hera McLeod was a contestant on CBS show The Amazing Race in 2004 . And Alma Collins' sister, Elva Caraballo of Tarpon Springs, Fla., said she tried to tell Prince William County police of her suspicions about Collins' death, but detectives wouldn't return her phone calls. The most recent death occurred Oct. 21, when Hera McLeod turned over her young son to Joaquin Rams. Hera McLeod won custody of the boy in Montgomery County, Md., court. But the judge granted Rams visitation - first supervised, and then unsupervised. McLeod, an intelligence analyst who once was a contestant on the CBS reality competition 'The Amazing Race,' said she does not understand why the judge ignored her concerns for her son's safety. This was accompanied by evidence of Joaquin Rams' lack of fitness as a father: his involvement in running an online pornography business; the testimony from the Manassas detective that Rams is a suspect in his ex-girlfriend's killing; and a sexual encounter between Rams, 40, and a woman who said Rams raped her when she was 19. Rams said it was consensual. The Associated Press does not identify people who claim to be victims of sexual assault. In making his custody and visitation rulings, the judge said the suspicions about the deaths of Collins and Mason were no concern to him, describing it as 'smoke that's been blown that I can see through.' Hera McLeod said she wants to expose what went wrong and led to her son's death. 'I knew how bad this could get. ... If the laws are not designed to protect children, then they need to be changed,' she wrote about the custody ruling on a blog she maintains. 'In my son's case, it appears as though death was the only threshold for denial of visitation.' The Montgomery County Courthouse in Maryland, where a judge gave unsupervised visitation rights to Joaquin Rams . | 15-month-old boy dies during unsupervised visit to his father, Joaquin Rams .
Police now reinvestigating the suicide of the man's mother in 2008 and shooting of ex-girlfriend in 2003 . |
162,437 | 5e05d2059cb2e30911f01c1fdc12f913a5374522 | Zzzzp! goes the machine, quietly. Yeeeeow! screech the nerve endings in my cheeks as yet another searing rush of ultrasound energy whizzes through them. 'Are we still friends?' questions cosmetic nurse Esther Loughran, as she hands me a mirror to survey how much difference her 'miracle machine' has made to my face. We are still friends, but only because the agonising pain has stopped. I can't, however, guarantee that will be the case when the machine is switched back on. Ulthera isthe latest non-surgical face-lifting device that claims to 'shrink-wrap' your face from the inside, tightening sagging skin and kick-starting the growth of new collagen . I'm at Dr Rita Rakus's swish London clinic trying out something called Ulthera - the latest non-surgical face-lifting device that claims to 'shrink-wrap' your face from the inside, tightening sagging skin and kick-starting the growth of new collagen. It's loved by a host of stars including Friends actress Courteney Cox, and the before-and-after pictures on the company's website look impressive. Even the notoriously hard-to-please U.S. health watchdog, the Food and Drug Administration, likes Ulthera, deeming it the only non-invasive procedure to lift the skin on the neck, chin and brow. But here's the hitch: Ulthera is exceptionally painful. Painful enough to make a bunch of hardened beauty junkies - women who think nothing of having Botox without anaesthetic and barely flinch when their skin is flayed with a laser - literally weep. Just last week, a colleague (who is no wimp) left this same clinic in tears, unable to complete the treatment. Despite its efficacy - and its undoubted money-spinning potential - I know two cosmetic doctors who trialled the machine and decided they would never inflict that level of pain on their patients ('Everyone said it was horrific, excruciating,' says one). Alice receiving the Ulthera treatment, left, of which actress Courteney Cox is said to be a fan . In the U.S., clinics routinely prescribe their patients Valium before the treatment or even sedate them. So you will understand my apprehension, despite Esther's reassurances that most people are 'fine' with the machine. 'Comfort levels vary from patient to patient,' says the leaflet about the treatment. 'There can be some discomfort, but this is a sign that the collagen-building process has been initiated.' Having not been prescribed Valium, I've made do with taking doses of ibuprofen and paracetamol beforehand. The face is divided into sections for the treatment and so I've asked that we start under my chin, which is most in need of help - just in case that's all I can take. Alice after having her chin and right cheek done . Esther explains that unlike lasers, which zap the surface of the skin, Ulthera uses ultrasound waves to heat something called the SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system), the muscle-like layer of tissue under the skin. 'When you add heat to this muscle . layer it contracts and tightens,' says Esther. 'It is what plastic . surgeons do in theatre when performing a facelift. 'The heat also leaves a thermal coagulation point, or TCP, which will produce new collagen over the next three months. Collagen . production is also stimulated on the lower levels of the skin, meaning . there is an instant tightening and lifting effect.' With . a white make-up pencil, Esther marks out the zones on my face and neck . that she's going to treat before firing up the Ulthera machine. At . first, it feels fine, just a light prickling sensation and so I start . to relax a bit. But then she starts working on my cheeks. All I can say . is yeeeow! I know what you're thinking - that ultrasound is a gentle, comfortable thing, safe enough to be used to scan pregnant tummies - and so it is. 'At first, it feels fine, just a light prickling sensation and so I start to relax a bit. But then she starts working on my cheeks. All I can say is yeeeow' But when its waves are concentrated in a slightly different way, it becomes a different tool entirely. The . thing about pain is that everyone's threshold is different, and indeed . varies from day-to-day. I know if I'm tired, or had one too many glasses . of wine the night before, even having my legs waxed feels excruciating. I've tried a lot of beauty treatments . and, over the years, have graded them into a pain-scale ranging from . Botox (which rates at about a two - it's a series of tiny jabs and . really doesn't hurt) to having semi-permanent eyeliner tattooed along my . upper eyelash line (about a nine - intensely painful though also . mercifully quick). French women spend twice as much as British ladies on anti-ageing creams . Waxing, . I'd rate at about five. To begin with, Ulthera was a manageable three or . four, but it quickly rises to an agonising eight, causing me to screw . up my face and drum my heels on the couch. 'Try not to fight it,' says Esther soothingly. 'It makes it worse.' 'Maybe relax your shoulders,' adds Tracey, the publicist, who is watching. 'At least it's not as bad as childbirth.' 'Try deep breathing,' suggests Juliette, the photographer. So I attempt some of the focused breathing that I've been learning in yoga, which helps distract me a bit, until the next zzzp of ultrasound cuts me off mid-flow and we all get the giggles and start comparing birthing stories. I end up feeling a bit hysterical. We take a break and Esther hands me a . mirror. I'm amazed to find that already my jawline looks more taut, and . my whole cheek looks lifted on the side that has been treated. So only . one cheek's worth to go! By . now, I'm feeling fairly gung-ho, as I know we're nearly finished. I try . a more meditative approach to pain control, imagining I'm on a warm, . peaceful beach and that the flickering stabs from Esther cross-hatching . lines on my other cheek are happening somewhere else. Alice Hart-Davis, who tried the Ulthera and said she would do it again.... with Valium . The whole treatment takes the best part of an hour - it would have been longer, but thanks to prominent veins in my forehead, that area can't be treated (alas, as I was hoping for a quick brow-lift into the bargain). But I've still absorbed some 400 lines of ultrasound waves. I'm glad I didn't know how many there were before we started. And then I go home feeling a bit . spaced out from all the endorphins (the feel-good chemicals that the . body produces at times of stress or pain). Because the treatment works . below the skin's surface, there is no downtime. My . skin is a little red, but this goes within an hour, and the treated . areas feel stiff inside, as if the muscles have had a fearsome workout. I . think my jawline looks more defined than it did, but it will be months . until the full results show. So, . yes, I fear this is the most painful treatment you're likely to find. The question then is why would anyone submit themselves to this? Because . it works and the pain is fleeting. Would I do it again? For sure! Especially if I could get hold of some Valium ... Ulthera, from £750 per area, at Dr Rita Rakus, drRitaRakus.com. For more information, visit ultherapy.com . | Dr Rita Rakus offers Ulthera at her London clinic .
Actress Courteney Cox loves the face-tightening treatment . |
285,547 | fdfe459084ba07f2144ac823fa2952a285a439e2 | Earlier this week astronomers made the groundbreaking announcement that they had found eight new habitable planets using the Kepler space telescope - bringing its total up to 1,000. But will we ever have a chance to glimpse these planets in greater detail, either by telescope or perhaps by visiting them in the future? According to one of Nasa's top planet hunters, we will find a planet with oceans like Earth in the next 15 years - but visiting one would require us to overcome Einstein's law of special relativity. Dr Mather from Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland explained how the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope could find planets with oceans on them (illustrated). The giant tennis court-sized telescope will be used to scour the universe. His full interview appears in issue 34 of All About Space magazine . Dr John Mather is an astrophysicist at the Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, and the senior project scientist on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The giant telescope will be used to find the first bright objects that formed in the universe, figure out how galaxies evolved and find out how stars formed. But perhaps most excitingly, it will study Earth-like worlds beyond our solar system. ‘We hope to find a planet that’s Earth-like and measure its atmosphere to work out if it has enough water on it to make an ocean,’ he said in an interview with All About Space Magazine. Dr Mather's interview appears in the latest edition of All About Space magazine, issue 34 (shown), which is on sale now . ‘I think that will be in around ten to 15 years from now. ‘In that time we might be able to say: “I can see that star over there. [Its planet] has a climate that’s like Earth and it might have life on it.”’ While observing distant worlds is all well and good, actually visiting one at some point in the future poses somewhat of a challenge. And it’s something that Dr Mather thinks might be too much for us even with the help of artificial intelligence. To have any hope, one thing that will be important will be ‘defeating Einstein’ - namely, finding a way to overcome the limitations of light speed and space-time - or enlisting the help of robots. According to Einstein's theory of special relativity, nothing can travel faster than light - making interstellar travel all but impossible for humans. ‘We’re very fragile,’ said Dr Mather. ‘We’re not going to be able to travel in person very far without a lot of help. ‘I think robots are coming along very quickly. I believe robotic intelligence will come and we’ll have to decide whether we like them or not. ‘If they’re smart enough, then they can tell us what to do and where to go just as they did in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. ‘However, I think it’s also possible that we’re going to defeat Einstein and that it will still be too far for us to go to another solar system. ‘It’s not impossible but it’s pretty hard. That’s what I think.’ The giant JWST will be used to find the first bright objects that formed in the universe, figure out how galaxies evolved and find out how stars formed (left). Dr Mather (right) also said that in ten to 15 years 'we hope to find a planet that’s Earth-like and measure its atmosphere' to see if it has oceans on it . The JWST is the successor to Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope and will launch in 2018. It is the size of a tennis court and will be launched in a compact form before unfolding in space. Shown here is a full-scale mock-up of what it will look like when it unfolds . The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter (21ft) primary mirror. It is named after astronomer James Webb, who was the effective administrator for Nasa from 1961 through to 1968. He is widely heralded with persuading President Kennedy to fund the Apollo missions to the moon. The project is working to a 2018 launch date. It is a collaboration between Nasa, Esa and the Canadian space agency. The JWST will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of our universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system. But while travel to one of these distant worlds might be somewhat of an impossibility for now, Dr Mather is optimistic when it comes to the chances of finding life elsewhere. ‘How life came to evolve on our planet is strong evidence that life can evolve elsewhere in the universe,’ he said. ‘Intelligent life - that’s us - has only really turned up quite recently. We ourselves are made out of star material. ‘Stars that explode send chemical material into space. Some of it is recycled and some of it travels outside of our galaxy to make the next generation of stars that could have planets - worlds that could be like Earth. ‘So that’s the idea: stars explode and make future generations of stars and planets.’ Finding out if we are not alone in the universe - or at least detecting tantalising hints that we are not - will be one of the primary goals of the JWST. It will also be used to scour the universe, just like the Hubble Space Telescope, and with the ability to take images in visible light it will no doubt return fascinating vistas back to Earth. Each of the 18 hexagonal-shaped mirror segments on the JWST (shown) is 4.3ft (1.32m) in diameter. The giant telescope will be the powerful space telescope ever launched. It will be in an orbit about 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometres) from Earth to get the best views of the universe . Earlier this week astronomers revealed eight new planets had been discovered in the 'Goldilocks' zone of their stars, orbiting at a distance where oceans and life could exist. The discovery doubles the number of small planets less than twice the diameter of Earth which are believed to be in the habitable zone of their parent stars. Among these eight, astronomers say there are two that are the most similar to Earth of any known exoplanets to date. The two most Earth-like planets, known as Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b, both orbit red dwarf stars that are smaller and cooler than the sun. They have a 70 per cent and 60 per cent chance of being rocky, respectively. Its design, though, is radically different from that of Hubble. The JWST ‘doesn’t look like a standard telescope in a tube,’ Dr Mather explained. Instead, it will be a vast array of 18 hexagonal gold mirrors stitched together, which unfold after launch, to afford it our best ever view of the universe. Together with its vast sunshield, which prevents light from the sun ruining its optics, it is about the size of a tennis court. Thousands of astronomers will use data from the telescope after it launches in 2018 atop an Ariane V rocket. 'We’re doing this for the whole of humanity and 10,000 future users of the telescope,' explained Dr Mather. And many of those will be waiting with bated breath to find out if it can reveal fascinating new insights about potentially Earth-like worlds in other planetary systems. | Dr Mather from Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland said the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope could find habitable planets .
The giant tennis court-sized telescope will be used to scour the universe .
One of its key goals will be to observe worlds in other systems .
In ten to 15 years Dr Mather says we could find a planet with oceans .
But he says the only way to visit one would be to 'defeat Einstein'
This would mean finding a way to travel faster than the speed of light .
Earlier this week astronomers announced they had found eight new potentially habitable planets - and two are the most Earth-like ever . |
205,106 | 957cd89d94b1ae847dd3f655a010031592963f31 | By . Alasdair Glennie Tv Correspondent . TV presenter Noel Edmonds is preparing to buy the BBC with the backing of a group of wealthy investors to save it from ‘inevitable disaster’, he claimed yesterday. The former BBC star – who now hosts Deal or No Deal on Channel 4 – said renewing the corporation’s current licence fee agreement would be ‘as futile as giving medicine to a corpse.’ Instead, he wants to turn it into a not-for-profit broadcaster run along commercial lines and slim down its ‘bloated’ bureaucracy. Noel Edmonds rose to fame when he started out as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 - but now he has his sights set on a promotion after he has said that he would now like to part-own the corporation . The 65-year-old said he has assembled a group of rich backers under the name Project Reith, after the corporation’s first director general Lord Reith. He insisted they ‘could and would pay’ the market price of the BBC, as calculated by a team of advisers and former BBC executives. He said that finding the money to buy the corporation would not be a problem.’ Writing in The Sunday Times, Mr Edmonds said that he had meetings with business people across the globe and they all believed that a business model could be found to save the BBC. He said: ‘Believe me, these people can make it happen. If ailing British companies such as Rolls-Royce, Land Rover, British Airways and Cadbury can be turned around, there is still hope for the BBC.’ Mr Edmonds first found fame on BBC Radio 1 before hosting TV shows including Top Of The Pops and Noel's Hose Party. But he quit in 1999, publicly criticising the corporation’s management culture. In the past, he has refused to pay the licence fee in protest at the ‘threatening’ way in which it is collected. Yesterday, the star claimed the BBC could face a mass ‘licence fee revolt’ and could collapse if just five per cent of households refused to pay the £145.50 annual charge. Noel Edmonds blasted the 'bloated bureaucracy' at the BBC but said that there is still hope for the organisation . He said that he believes people 'deserve better' than the current organisation. 'BBC management has pursued an expansionist strategy that defies logic and the founding laws of commerce,' he said. He blasted the organisation for purchasing new buildings rather than focusing on quality television. My Edmonds declined to say how much it would cost to buy out the BBC, although experts have said its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, is worth about £2billion alone. A BBC spokesman said: ‘Long-term polling shows that the licence fee is the funding method with single most backing and it’s been rising. ‘Support for the licence fee is at 53% - way ahead of subscription and advertising. It’s the top choice for funding the BBC across all ages, classes and whether you are in a Freeview, Virgin or Sky household.’ | Television presenter claims he has backing of investors across the globe .
Has called proposed purchase 'Project Reith' after BBC's first director .
Blasted the broadcaster's licence fee and its 'bloated bureaucracy'
Thinks BBC should be a not-for-profit organisation .
If five per cent of licence-holders stopped paying it would fold, he claims . |
253,364 | d3f3e49418d88d6a5b36cbd240de3301e69da2f8 | The United States is carrying out the vast majority of coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State, a new Pentagon report reveals. The report shows that the U.S. pilots and drones have carried out 819 strikes against IS in Syria, compared to just 157 strikes from 10 ally countries, coming to 85 per cent of total strikes. And on Sunday there were yet more reports of strikes in and around IS's stronghold city of Raqqa in northern Syria. The U.S. partnered with Australia, France Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Canada in August to start a campaign against IS, after the terrorist group started beheading Western journalists and aid workers in televised clips. Scroll down for video . Ringleaders: A new Pentagon report has revealed that the U.S. is carrying out 85 per cent of the airstrikes on the Islamic State in Syria. Above, smoke rises from the Syrian border-town of Kobani on November 17 following a coalition airstrike . The Middle Eastern nations of Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, also lent their fighter pilots to the effort. It's perhaps unsurprising that the U.S. is carrying out the majority of the missions since it is the country with the biggest military, including about 4,800 attack and fighter plains and more than 13,600 other aircraft. That's compared to just 50 fight planes operated by the Royal Bahraini Air Force. Though the U.S. is leading the effort, little has been released by the Pentagon about the missions, including the accuracy of the strikes. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, a senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, raised questions about how effective the campaign against IS has been. 'We need more targeting capability,' Inhofe said. Overnight, the coalition carried out as many as 30 airstrikes in and near Raqqa, it was revealed. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the air strikes hit Islamic State positions in the northern outskirts of Raqqa city, including the 17th Division, a Syrian army base IS seized in July. The monitoring group gathers information on the strikes from activists on the ground in Syrua, who reported at least 30 strikes. The U.S.-led coalition began bombing Islamic State in Syria in September. Syria's nearly four-year-old civil war has continued unabated throughout the country. The Observatory said 19 people were killed including seven women and two children when Syrian government warplanes struck the town of Jassim in the southern province of Deraa on Sunday. Dozens of others were wounded and the death toll was expected to rise because a number were in critical condition, the Observatory said. Fighting also continued in the Kurdish town of Kobani, northwest of Raqqa on the border with Turkey, where Kurdish defenders have been holding off an assault by Islamic State fighters for more than two months. At least 62 people have been killed in fighting in Kobani, known as Ayn al-Arab in Arabic, since early on Saturday, the Observatory said. | New Pentagon report shows U.S. has carried out 819 airstrikes against the Islamic State, compared to just 157 from 10 other countries .
The U.S.-led coalition carried out 30 more airstrikes overnight, activists on the ground in Syria reported . |
164,939 | 61495ebd07e39a6066a419b497ea88c9db73cfcc | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 01:10 EST, 19 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:55 EST, 19 July 2013 . Splashing about in the water, playing on the sand, sitting on deckchairs and cooling off from the sweltering heat with the garden hose. These glorious photographs from the 1920s and 1930s show that while the outfits have changed, many ways of enjoying the sun are still rather similar. The newspapers showed what life was like in Scotland and the South West of England during heatwaves experienced by Britain almost 100 years ago. Wet wet wet: The Western Daily Press of Bristol from July 1929 showed youngsters finding 'a new use for the garden hose' and proving that 'you can have a "bathe" without going to the seaside' They are taken from the British Newspaper Archive and come as temperatures in Britain are expected to hit a seven-year high of 35C next week. The Western Daily Press and Bristol Mirror of August 1935 showed ‘competitors in the Bathing Beauty Competition’ in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The women were photographed walking along in a line in modest outfits with the council chairman and local hospital president at Weston Hospital Fete. Another picture from the same newspaper gave the rather bizarre sight of six nurses from Weston-super-Mare Hospital coming down a helter skelter. And in The Courier and Advertiser of . Dundee from July 1931, a group of five adults and children could be seen . playing rounders on the beach. The . caption said: ‘An exciting game of rounders, complete with the . regulation costume - beach pyjamas or bathing costume - on North Berwick . beach’. The Western Daily . Press of Bristol from July 1929 showed youngsters finding ‘a new use for . the garden hose’ by bathing 'without going to the seaside’. It also pictured a group of youngsters around a fountain, ‘waiting their turn' in a 'heatwave scene on Durdham Down’ in Bristol. And the Western Morning News and Daily . Gazette from August 1932 showed the ‘Opening of Salcombe Regatta’ as . the ‘West swelters in heatwave’. It . also featured a child playing with a bucket of water in the sand, . people sitting in deckchairs and children jumping into the water on . beaches in Plymouth. The . same newspaper also showed scenes four years later in August 1936 of . girls and boys having fun while taking part in a wheelbarrow race. They . were pictured in Perranporth, Cornwall, and their photograph was under . the newspaper’s headline of: ‘Heatwave frolics on the beach’. Fashionable: The Western Daily Press and Bristol Mirror of August 1935 showed 'competitors in the Bathing Beauty Competition' in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset . 'Frolics': The Western Morning News and Daily Gazette showed scenes in August 1936 of girls and boys having plenty of fun in a wheelbarrow race . 'Costumes for rounders': In The Courier and Advertiser of Dundee from July 1931, a group of five adults and children could be seen playing rounders on the beach . Hot hot hot: The Western Morning News and Daily Gazette from August 1932 showed the 'Opening of Salcombe Regatta' as the 'West swelters in heatwave' | Archived newspapers show what life was like in Scotland and South-West England during heatwaves .
Western Daily Press and Bristol Mirror of 1935 pictures 'competitors in the Bathing Beauty Competition'
Other pictures from the same area in 1929 shows youngsters finding 'a new use for the garden hose'
Western Morning News and Daily Gazette reports in 1936 on girls and boys in wheelbarrow race . |
23,055 | 416a3901d1b50e16f7c9677bf17d1e68b28f2594 | By . Deni Kirkova . Sophisticated dolls' houses boasting groundbreaking design are to be auctioned at Bonhams, London on Monday. The pint-sized masterpieces have been created by 20 of Britain's top architects - including Zaha Hadid - to raise money for UK children's charity KIDS. Property developers from Cathedral Group who commissioned the project briefed designers with just one requirement: each house had to include at least one feature that makes life easier . for a child with a disability. Morag Myerscough and Luke Morgan designed this house 'on a coral in the deep blue sea' with artists Ishbel Myerscough, Chantal Joffe and poet Lemn Sissay . Paintings on easel and stretched canvases reside in the mini property, perhaps in the art studio room . MAKE ARCHITECTS' Jigsaw House is inspired by puzzles: a large house was created, made up of many small houses, the result is 26 fully designed houses with a further 20 empty houses to combine and complement the structure . Each partner in the practice was encouraged to invent their own house, . filling each room with their own sensory expressions of play and colour . AMODELS' Elvis’s Tree House is based on a real playground in Southampton. The simple concept was to be as physically challenging as possible, because kids learn for themselves faster that way . The project is inspired by the dolls' house that British architect Edwin Lutyens designed for The British Empire Exhibition at . Wembley in 1922 - using a very traditional children's toy to display the . very best of modern architecture, craftsmanship, art and interior . design. Each architect was given a miniscule plot of land measuring 750mm square on . which to build their property. Laid out like architectural models, the mini marvels are as colourful and tempting as jars of sweets. In the spirit of the Lutyens' house, the architects and designers collaborated with their own artists, designers and furniture-makers. World-famous artists Grayson Perry, David Adjaye with Chris Ofili, Guy Hollaway with . Hemingway Design and Studio Egret West with Andrew Logan all contributed to the project with stunning miniature artworks. There are three days left to bid for the dolls' houses on adollshouse.co.uk until the auction on . Monday evening at Bonhams. Zaha Hadid's dolls' house has . currently attracted the highest bid so far of £10,500. On Sunday 10th Nov 11am-3pm and then on Monday 11th from 9am-3pm, the complete collection will be exhibited for the first and only time and auctioned at Bonhams in London’s New Bond Street. All proceeds go to KIDS. For more information, visit adollshouse.co.uk, spread the word #dollshouse . Hemingway Design and Guy Holloway's Jack in a Box starts off as a simple cardboard house (left), but when switched on, the inflatable structure inside begins to fill with air powered by an integrated fan. The dolls' house roof opens and the walls collapse to allow the organic structure (left) to grow out of the box . STUDIO EGRET WEST in collaboration with Andrew Logan made Puzzle House (left), when not in use it's a tidy colourful rectangular box, and when in play mode, the construction explodes into 7 separate pieces. HLM and JuJu Ross Design/A&J Hilliard Cabinet Makers: Sound [Play]ce (right) is an interactive tower - different sounds are generated by a marble running through the system . House for a Deaf Child by DRMM in collaboration with Richard Woods Studio and Grymsdyke Farm has been designed with the needs of a deaf child in mind and aims to support sign language . The exterior has adjustable pieces to give colour expression on the outside, and control of light and views from the inside . Multi-story was designed by DUGGAN MORRIS ARCHITECTS in collaboration with Unit 22 Modelmakers and in consultation with Christina, mother of high functioning autistic Louis (5); the house has a set of rooms arranged in either a stack or plan form . DRDH ARCHITECTS in collaboration with Norwegian artist Anne Katrine Dolven: Play House is a toy theatre, based on those popular in the 18th century. Its inner world is full of high-contrast color visible to the partially sighted . Zaha Hadid's dolls' house 'This Must be the Plac'e has currently attracted the highest bid so far of £10,500 . This Must be the Place by Zaha Hadid: Pieces can be assembled and dismantled in many combinations, to be re-assessed with each new composition ¿ voids are interpreted as new unique rooms or courtyards for dolls to inhabit. | The Cathedral Group commissioned 20 of the world’s top architects and designers to build houses .
Each house had to include at least one feature that makes life easier for a child with a disability .
On Monday they will be exhibited and auctioned at Bonhams, London, with all proceeds going to KIDS charity . |
124,817 | 2d5457f6f4377a7b894afc5a3334a9d240830779 | Playing quick paced action video games such as Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed can boost your ability to learn new motor skills, researchers have found. They say regular players seem to learn a new sensorimotor skills, such as riding a bike or typing, more quickly than non-gamers do. They say the skills are highly in demand, and useful for many careers - such as advanced surgery, for instance. Liverpool and England footballer Daniel Sturridge competing at the unveiling of the Call of Duty : Ghosts game: Now researchers say playing quick paced action video games such as Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed can boost your ability to learn new skills. A new sensorimotor skill, such as learning to ride a bike or typing, often requires a new pattern of coordination between vision and motor movement. With such skills, an individual generally moves from novice performance, characterized by a low degree of coordination, to expert performance, marked by a high degree of coordination. As a result of successful sensorimotor learning, one comes to perform these tasks efficiently and perhaps even without consciously thinking about them. The University of Toronto study discovered people who play action video games such as Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed seem to learn a new sensorimotor skill more quickly than non-gamers do. A new sensorimotor skill, such as learning to ride a bike or typing, often requires a new pattern of coordination between vision and motor movement. With such skills, an individual generally moves from novice performance, characterized by a low degree of coordination, to expert performance, marked by a high degree of coordination. As a result of successful sensorimotor learning, one comes to perform these tasks efficiently and perhaps even without consciously thinking about them, the researchers say. 'We wanted to understand if chronic video game playing has an effect on sensorimotor control, that is, the coordinated function of vision and hand movement,' said graduate student Davood Gozli, who led the study. In the early stages of doing the tasks, the gamers' performance was not significantly better than non-gamers. 'This suggests that while chronically playing action video games requires constant motor control, playing these games does not give gamers a reliable initial advantage in new and unfamiliar sensorimotor tasks,' said Gozli. Researchers set up two experiments. In the first, 18 gamers (those who played a first-person shooter game at least three times per week for at least two hours each time in the previous six months) and 18 non-gamers (who had little or no video game use in the past two years) performed a manual tracking task. Using a computer mouse, they were instructed to keep a small green square cursor at the centre of a white square moving target which moved in a very complicated pattern that repeated itself. The task probes sensorimotor control, because participants see the target movement and try to coordinate their hand movements with what they see. By the end of the experiment, all participants performed better as they learned the complex pattern of the target. The gamers, however, were significantly more accurate in following the repetitive motion than the non-gamers. 'This is likely due to the gamers' superior ability in learning a novel sensorimotor pattern, that is, their gaming experience enabled them to learn better than the non-gamers.' In the next experiment, the researchers wanted to test whether the superior performance of the gamers was indeed a result of learning rather than simply having better sensorimotor control. To eliminate the learning component of the experiment, they required participants to again track a moving dot, but in this case the patterns of motion changed throughout the experiment. Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare: Gaming experience enabled people to learn new motor skills better than the non-gamers in a test . The result this time: neither the gamers nor the non-gamers improved as time went by, confirming that learning was playing a key role and the gamers were learning better. One of the benefits of playing action games may be an enhanced ability to precisely learn the dynamics of new sensorimotor tasks. Assassins Creed Liberation, another game the team found helped give people the ability to develop new motor skills quickly . Such skills are key, for example, in laparoscopic surgery which involves high precision manual control of remote surgery tools through a computer interface. The research was done in collaboration with Daphne Bavelier who has appointments with both the University of Geneva and the University of Rochester. Their study is published in the journal Human Movement Science. | Regular players learn a new sensorimotor skills, such as riding a bike or typing, more quickly than non-gamers .
Games such as Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed singled out as most effective . |
182,095 | 77c30b70f29935bd26ffa9ad43e50d3e8033424b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:46 EST, 22 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:04 EST, 22 December 2012 . Agents from the FBI questioned the only known suspect in the Sept. 11, 2012 U.S. consulate attack in Benghazi that killed four diplomats, the suspect's Tunisian lawyer has told The Associated Press. Ali Harzi, a Tunisian, was detained in Turkey and extradited to Tunisia in October where authorities have said he is 'strongly suspected' of being involved in the bloody commando-style attack on the Libyan mission. Additionally, his lawyer, Anwar Oued-Ali, added FBI agents also asked Harzi about the U.S. embassy attack in Tunisia a few days after the assault in Libya, suggesting American authorities are probing a connection between the two incidents. Burning issue: Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in a six-hour, commando-style attack on the consulate in Benghazi . The Sept. 11 assault by armed men in . the Libyan city of Benghazi killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stephens and . three other American diplomats. Members of an Islamist militia, Ansar . al-Sharia, are suspected in the strike, but there has been little . progress in the Libya-based investigation into the attack. A few days later, a mob attacked the . U.S. embassy in Tunis, destroying property and an American school in the . area, resulting in four deaths. The attack was believed to be . instigated by a local group also called Ansar al-Sharia, but it is . unclear if it is connected to the Libyan organization. Killed: Ambassador Christopher Stevens (left) died of smoke inhalation, while agent Sean Smith (right) died in a . desperate battle with insurgents . Heroic: Former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty (left) and Tyrone Woods (right) were killed in a mortar attack . In early November, Republican senators . Lindsey Graham and Saxby Chambliss announced that Tunisia had agreed to . allow the FBI to interview Harzi, but it took another month and a half . to organize the interview due to legal questions over any infringements . on Tunisian sovereignty. In the end, three FBI investigators . using a Moroccan translator posed questions to Harzi for three hours . through the Tunisian judge presiding over the case. Harzi's defense team was not allowed . to attend the questioning on the grounds that he was being interviewed . as a "witness" rather than a defendant. Harzi is being charged by the Tunisians for "membership in a terrorist organization." Harzi denies the charges. Attack: A U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed in the terror strike that occurred on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 . Inferno: Armed attackers dumped cans of diesel fuel and set ablaze the consulate's exterior . Siege: The compound came under heavy mortar and gunfire during the attack, which lasted several hours . According to the timeline, around 9.40 p.m. Benghazi time on Sept 11, officials at the CIA's relatively fortified and well-defended base in Benghazi got a call from State Department officials at the U.S. diplomatic mission about a mile away that the less-fortified public mission complex had come under attack from a group of militants. Other official sources said that the initial wave of attacks on the diplomatic mission involved setting fires using diesel fuel. 9.40pm - CIA officials in 'The Annex' get a distress call from the consulate saying they are under attack. 10.05pm - Armed only with handguns, team of about six CIA security officers leave their base for the public diplomatic mission compound. 10.30pm - With bullets whistling overhead, the CIA team move into the compound after unsuccessfully trying to get heavy weapons and help from local Libyan allies. 11.10pm - A Defense Department drone, which had . been on an unrelated mission some distance away, arrived in Benghazi to . help officials on the ground gather information. 11.30pm - U.S. personnel who had been working or staying at the mission all accounted for, except for Ambassador Stevens. 11.40pm - Driving back to the secure base, the evacuees come under further fire. 12am - The installation itself comes under fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. 12am - A CIA security team . based in Tripoli, which included two U.S. military officers, lands at . Benghazi airport and begins plotting how to locate the missing ambassador. 1am - The patchy attacks on the base begin to die down after 90 minutes of fierce fighting. 4am - The . reinforcements from Tripoli take a convoy of . vehicles to the CIA base to prepare for evacuation. 4.30am - a fresh round of mortar attacks is launched on the base, killing two U.S. security officers. 5.30 - A heavily armed Libyan military unit . arrive at the CIA base to help evacuate the compound of U.S. personnel . to the Benghazi airport. From 6am - Roughly 30 Americans, as well as the bodies of . Stevens and the other three Americans killed during the attacks, were . loaded on planes and flown out of the city, several U.S. officials said. The dense smoke created by the fuel both made it hard for people at the compound to breathe and to organize a response to the attack. About 25 minutes after the initial report came into the CIA base, a team of about six agency security officers left their base for the public diplomatic mission compound. Over the succeeding 25 minutes, the CIA team approached the compound, and tried, apparently unsuccessfully, to get local Libyan allies to bring them a supply of heavier weapons, and eventually moved into the burning diplomatic compound, the intelligence official said. At around 11.10pm, a Defense Department drone, which had been on an unrelated mission some distance away, arrived in Benghazi to help officials on the ground gather information. By 11.30, U.S. personnel who had been working or staying at the mission had been rounded up except for Ambassador Stevens, who was missing, the intelligence official said. When they tried to drive out of the diplomatic compound to return to the CIA base, however, the convoy carrying U.S. evacuees came under fire. Once they got back to the CIA base, that installation itself came under fire from what the intelligence official described as small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. These patchy attacks went on for roughly 90 minutes, the intelligence official said. Around the same time, a CIA security team . based in Tripoli, which included two U.S. military officers, landed at . Benghazi airport. Upon its arrival, however, the team spent some time . trying both to arrange local transport and to locate the missing . Ambassador Stevens. After some time . trying to solve these problems, the security team that had flown in . from Tripoli eventually arranged for an armed local escort and extra . transportation, but decided not to go the hospital where they believed . Stevens had been taken. In part this was because they had reason to . believe Stevens was likely dead, and because security at the hospital . was believed, at best, to be 'uncertain,' the intelligence official . said. Not long before dawn, the . reinforcements from Tripoli managed to take themselves and a convoy of . vehicles to the CIA base to prepare for an anticipated evacuation. However, . just after they arrived at the CIA base, the official said, a new round . of attacks on that facility was launched, this time with mortars. Although the mortar attacks lasted only 11 minutes, two US security . officers were killed by a direct hit from one of the shells, the . intelligence official said. Finally, . a bit less than an hour later, a heavily armed Libyan military unit . arrived at the CIA base to help evacuate the compound of U.S. personnel . to the Benghazi airport, the official added. Over . the next few hours, roughly 30 Americans, as well as the bodies of . Stevens and the other three Americans killed during the attacks, were . loaded on planes and flown out of the city, several U.S. officials said. | Ali Harzi, a Tunisian, was detained in Turkey and extradited to Tunisia in October .
His lawyer said Harzi was also questioned about the U.S. embassy attack in .
Tunisia .
Three-hour interview follows months of asking on part of FBI .
The Sept. 11 assault killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stephens . |
249,893 | cf68ce8beb4200c2aa1c2c8556760476e3c54115 | Two Texas men who were convicted of raping and shooting a woman almost 30 years ago were exonerated yesterday after DNA tests in Dallas County implicated others in the crime. As Judge Susan Hawk apologised to James Curtis Williams and Raymond Jackson and declared them formally innocent of aggravated sexual assault, 10 other exonerated men watched in the audience. Williams and Jackson were convicted of attacking a woman outside a Dallas bar in November 1983 and sentenced to life in prison. The woman was forced into a vehicle at gunpoint, sexually assaulted, shot and left for dead in a field. Scroll down for video . Innocent: Judge Susan Hawk apologised to James Curtis Williams and Raymond Jackson and declared them formally innocent of aggravated sexual assault . Reunited: With James Curtis Williams and Raymond Jackson, Dallas County has now cleared 32 convicts in the past decade . ‘I hope that you feel like justice was served for you today,’ Hawk said. 'It's heartbreaking and to say I'm sorry is not enough. But I hope you both have very full and happy lives. Congratulations.' Williams and Jackson shook hands with Hawk and Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins, who also apologised. Dallas County has now exonerated 32 people since 2001, most of them during Watkins' tenure. Most of the cases, including Monday's, involved faulty eyewitness identifications. Watkins questioned the criminal justice system's fairness and whether black people were being mistreated. ‘I think we see the similarities in these men and the two that are being exonerated today that has not been addressed,’ he said. Wrongly-convicted: Raymond Jackson, left, and James Curtis Williams, right, spent nearly 30 years behind bars for a crime they did not commit . Charged: Marion Sayles, left, and Frederick Anderson, right, have now been charged with attempted capital murder for the 1983 Dallas attack . 'We need to address that here in Dallas . County, in our state and in this country. We are doing something wrong . with our criminal justice system and we need to fix it.’ Now the wrongly-convicted in Texas have joined forces to create the Texas Exoneree Project, helping newly released men rebuild their lives. 'You wish you can help get everybody get out of prison that don't supposed to be there, but you know you are not going to be able to do it,' Christopher Scott, who was wrongly convicted of a murder in 1997, told CBS. Scott was wrongly identified by a witness and served 13 years behind bars, until the real killer confessed. 'We have a lot of people say: "Man we know how you feel." Man, you don't know how I feel. The only person that know how I feel is the guy that has been in position like me. He know how that feel,' Scott told CBS. Williams and Jackson certainly do. Both men were included in a photo lineup in the 1983 case because they had been implicated in a separate sexual assault. Exonerated: Christoper Scott served 13 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit before the real killer confessed. He now helps run the Texas Exoneree Project . The victim picked them out of the photo . lineup and later identified them in court. They were convicted by an . all-white in January 1984. But DNA from the woman's clothing and a rape kit exam was preserved and later tested. The results implicated two other men, Frederick Anderson and Marion Doll Sayles. They have now been charged with attempted capital murder, which does not have a statute of limitations, authorities said. Jackson, 67, said he was already out on parole when the test results came back, clearing him and Williams. He did not blame the victim. 'She just made a mistake in identity, and I'm just thankful that they had DNA and kept ours,' Jackson said on Monday. Williams and Jackson pleaded guilty in the other sexual assault case and served shorter sentences for that. Jackson is still on parole for a robbery committed in 1970. He said he hoped to start a business. Williams said things were 'very complex,' but that his life had been greatly changed. 'It inspires me to do to the same, to go on with my life and do good to others,' he said. Watch video here . | Dallas County has now exonerated 32 people since 2001 .
The wrongly-convicted have joined forces to help one another . |
260,129 | dcd4e9caab7a730b2540218ab15812e41fd8be22 | (CNN) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is unapologetic about his government's response to opposition protesters during weeks of unrest in the South American country. Think about what the U.S. government would do if a political group laid out a road map for overthrowing President Barack Obama, Maduro said Thursday in an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "What would happen in the United States if a group said they were going to start something in the United States so that President Obama leaves, resigns, to change the constitutional government of the United States?" Maduro said, according to a CNN translation of his remarks. "Surely, the state would react, would use all the force that the law gives it to re-establish order and to put those who are against the Constitution where they belong." Maduro said that a minority group among the opposition is responsible for a "violent plan." That group, he said, has put the opposition in a "dire situation." The Venezuelan President spoke with Amanpour in an exclusive interview a day after the one-year anniversary of the death of his predecessor, President Hugo Chavez. The interview aired Friday on CNN. Weeks of anti-government protests have rattled Venezuela and drawn sharp responses from Maduro, who has called for peace while describing those opposing him as fascists and extremists. Demonstrators say they have taken to the streets to protest shortages of goods, high inflation and high crime. It's the biggest threat Maduro has faced since his election last year. One opposition leader who encouraged protests, Leopoldo Lopez, is behind bars, facing charges of arson and conspiracy. "He created a road map to topple the legitimate government," Maduro said. "So now he's in jail and he has to go through justice." Maduro said he supported Venezuelans' right to protest conditions in the country, which he said were not as bad as was being portrayed. For example, he said, unemployment has dropped from 25% to less than 10% over the past decade and extreme poverty has fallen from about 35% during the 1990s to 6% today. He made no apologies for continuing work on the goals spearheaded during the reign of his predecessor and lifted from the playbook that guided his mentor, former Cuban President Fidel Castro -- health care and education to all and the eradication of extreme poverty. Protesters have accused Maduro's government of violence that has claimed some 20 lives during the protests. Government officials have blamed Lopez and other opposition leaders for fueling the violence and not doing enough to stop it. Maduro said the unrest had not kept him awake at night. "I sleep like a child," he said. "Luckily, I have peace of mind, total peace of mind, and I have it because I know I've been loyal and I'm filling the legacy of this marvelous giant figure who is President Chavez, and it gives me peace of mind, and I do things with honesty to favor my people." Maduro said Venezuela has fine relations with the people of the United States. He cited trade union workers, artists, intellectuals and members of social movements as examples. But he acknowledged that relations between Washington and Caracas have been rocky. "There is sufficient evidence of U.S. agencies, of how you have conspired to put an end to this revolution, to destroy President Chavez," he said. Last month, Maduro expelled three U.S. diplomats form Venezuela, accusing them of conspiring against his government. In response, the United States last week expelled three Venezuelan diplomats. But Maduro held out hope for warmer relations. "We want to have a new type of relation, based on respect, equality among states and the recognition of what we are today," he said. He said he was confident that his recent appointment of Maximilian Arvelaez as his new ambassador to Washington, a position that's been vacant since 2008, would result in progress. "I'm certain that he will be very helpful to establish new levels of relations," he said. Washington has appeared far less enthusiastic about closer ties with Venezuela. A State Department spokeswoman said last month that the United States wants to develop "a more constructive relationship with Venezuela," but noted that wouldn't be easy. "We've said many months ago that could include an exchange of ambassadors," the spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told reporters. "But Venezuela also needs to show seriousness for us to be able to move forward. And recent actions, including expelling three of our diplomats, continue to make that difficult." That tense relationship could change, Maduro said. Asked what his message was for the United States, the Venezuelan President didn't hesitate. "My message is respect, dialogue, overcoming the visions that they have about Venezuela. Precisely, I made a decision to designate a new ambassador for the United States," Maduro said. "Don't go into a dead end in relation to Venezuela and Latin America. Our message to everyone in power in the United States is respect Venezuela, respect Latin America, and let's establish new levels of relations." CNN's Luis Arce contributed to this report. | NEW: "I sleep like a baby," President Nicolas Maduro says .
He says the U.S. government would respond the same way to plans to overthrow Obama .
Weeks of anti-government protests have rattled politically polarized Venezuela .
Maduro tells Amanpour he wants respect and dialogue from the United States . |
137,543 | 3de06f797272ce4457aa296b00c800b7a78005d7 | By . Mike Dawes . Wigan stand-off Blake Green will join 2012 NRL champions Melbourne Storm when he leaves Super League side Wigan Warriors at the end of the season. The . 27-year-old former Canterbury, Parramatta and Cronulla player, who . wants to return to Australia for family reasons. has signed a two-year . deal with Storm. Heading back Down Under: Blake Green will leave Wigan Warriors to jojn Melbourne Storm . On the move: Green (right) has signed a two-year-deal with the 2012 NRL champions . Green, . who was man of the match in Wigan's Grand Final win over Warrington in . October, has made 42 appearances so far after joining the Warriors from . Hull KR but is currently sidelined with a ruptured bicep. Meanwhile, . Melbourne have also announced that 27-year-old forward Junior Moors . will leave the club at the end of the season to play in Super League, . although they have not named his destination. The . Auckland-born Moors has made 11 appearances for Storm since joining . them from Wests Tigers last year including their 2013 World Club . Challenge victory over Leeds. The second rower represented Samoa in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. | Former Canterbury, Parramatta and Cronulla star seeked return to Australia .
Stand-off joined Wigan Warriors from Hull KR in 2013 .
The 27-year-old to leave for 2012 NRL champions at end of Super League season . |
76,903 | da1eb1e17e4b54ea1262e38ecdab89731da81e8d | A near collision between a passenger plane and an unregistered drone at Perth Airport has left investigators baffled, it emerged today. The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau released a statement confirming that they were unable to identify the operator of the craft nor any details about the object. The incident happened on March 19 and involved a Skippers Aviation De Havilland DHC-8 which was at 3,800 ft above sea level and preparing to land when the crew spotted a bright strobe light directly in the plane's path. The pilot of a Skippers Aviation De Havilland DHC-8 plane was forced to swerve when an unidentified object believed to be a drone, was spotted directly in front of the plane on March 19 . The plane was flying at 3,800 ft above sea level towards Perth at the time of the incident, despite regulations requiring drones to fly below 400 feet . The pilot swerved, missing the object by about 20 metres horizontally and 100 feet vertically, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in a report released on Monday. Crew believed that the light was attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle and the pilot described it as cylindrical in shape and grey in colour. As the airspace below 3,500 feet was military restricted airspace, the ATSB also spoke to the Australian Defence Force who confirmed it was not operating drones and was not aware of any operations at the time of the incident, which happened at 9.13am. The incident was followed by another three days later when the Westpac rescue chopper, carrying five crew, took off from Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital. A white light was spotted coming from a drone hovering 1,000 feet above Hunter stadium where a football match was underway. The incident has come during a time of increasing complaints about the poorly regulated drones, which can be easily bought online . The unmanned craft began to move directly toward the helicopter, requiring the pilot to take evasive action. The ATSB could not find the operators of the drone. 'These people might just be having some fun ... but they are breaking the rules,' investigations manager Neville McMartin said. Regulations set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, state that unmanned aerial vehicles must operate below 400 feet and at least 5 kilometres away from any airport. The incidents have come at a time when authorities are noticing an increase in incidents involving unmanned aircraft. ASA said the majority of complaints about drones relate to 'first person view' aircraft, which have a fixed video and are controlled by a person on the ground watching a live feed. The ATSB received its first report about an unmanned craft in October 2012 when operators lost control of an airship which drifted into the exclusion zone of Moorabbin Airport. In September 2013 a drone conducting aerial photography in regional Victoria came close to colliding with an agricultural plane. 'You can buy these things online and have them delivered to your home,'Mr McMartin said. 'These reports are a sign of things to come. There are a whole lot of issues we have to work through.' Commercial drone operators are required to be licensed by CASA. | The pilot of the plane was forced to swerve to avoid the object when crew noticed it directly in the aircraft's path .
The crew believe the object to have been an unmanned aerial vehicle .
The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau were unable to identify the object nor its operator after an investigation . |
270,263 | ea0544dbbb06c5de5d3a8514a3031ae9171706bd | Accused: Madison High School custodian Jamaal Winchester has accused the school's former vice principal Liz Wilson, pictured, of taking steps to have him transferred because he ended their affair . A high school custodian has accused the former vice principal of having him transferred because he ended their affair. Jamaal Winchester, 33, has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Liz Wilson, saying she stalked him and took steps to have him temporarily moved to another school with fewer working hours as punishment. 'The reason I was transferred was . because I rejected Ms. Wilson's advances,' he wrote in his filing with . the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). 'She knew I needed overtime hours and knew I . needed my job.' The Oregonian reported the pair worked together at Madison High School in Portland, Oregon. They secretly started dating in January and Winchester moved in with Wilson. He was in a long-term relationship with the mother of his children at the same time. But a month later, the district found out about the affair and the couple were called into the principal's office. That's when Winchester 'left Ms. Wilson’s house and returned to the mother of his children,' the complaint says. But Winchester, 33, alleges his former lover wouldn't let it go, and kept calling, texting and visiting him to get back together. 'Ms. Wilson approached Mr. Winchester nearly every day during work in the cafeteria to tell him that he should reconsider his decision about their relationship,' Winchester claims. 'One evening, Ms. Wilson called Mr. Winchester around midnight and, when Mr. Winchester did not answer, left a voicemail saying, 'What a n*****'.' This is Madison High School in Oregon where Jamaal Winchester claims the sexual harassment occurred . The couple briefly took up their relationship again. Then, in late February, when Winchester went to visit his children, Wilson allegedly followed him in a car. After confronting her, he moved out of her house. But Winchester said his fling continued to make contact, even though he insisted they just stay friends. He claimed Wilson continually approached him at school and claims his supervisor was aware of the 'harassment'. In March, Winchester and the mother of his children encountered Wilson and a friend at a restaurant. Wilson alleges Winchester and his companion yelled at her and called her a home-wrecker, according to The Oregonian. Wilson then filed a restraining order against Winchester. Although the claim was dismissed on April 1, Winchester says the damage was done. He had been transferred to another school and given 20 less working hours a week. Winchester was allowed to return to Madison on August 26. The custodian also alleges the district delayed his return to Madison in retaliation for the initial sexual harassment complaint. Wilson has been transferred to Marysville School, a Southeast Portland K-8 building, where she is the assistant principal. Winchester said the district painted Wilson's transfer in a positive light, whereas he felt humiliated. BOLI is investigating the case, which was filed in June. In a statement, Portland Public Schools Chief Human Resources Officer Sean Murray said the district 'addressed the matter appropriate to the circumstances with both employees at the conclusion of its investigations.' 'As this is a personnel matter, the district has no further information to provide at this time,' he wrote. Winchester’s attorney, Jon Weiner, said his client believed it was unfair he was being punished for ending the relationship. 'The district really aided and abetted that when the district had an opportunity to make everything right in a timely manner,' he said, according to The Oregonian. Weiner said Winchester will =pursue a lawsuit unless the district settles. | Madison High School custodian Jamaal Winchester filed a sexual harassment complaint against the Oregon school's former vice principal, Liz Wilson .
The Oregon pair began dating in January .
When the principal found out in February, Winchester moved out of Wilson's home and went back to the mother of his children .
Wilson filed a restraining order against her former flame after he allegedly yelled at her when they saw each other at a restaurant .
Winchester, who was subsequently transferred, claimed Wilson used her position to punish him .
Wilson has been transferred to Marysville School in Southeast Portland . |
228,865 | b456e40ff639578e8f68cc70aab7adae767cc8f8 | (CNN) -- You could likely count on one hand the number of writers who could scare the daylights out of you as effectively as they could cheer you up. And there aren't too many fingers on that hand representing those writers who could do both in the same story or even on the same page and convince you that they know what they're doing. Overheard on CNN.com: Ray Bradbury was 'very down to Earth,' or maybe Mars . Ray Bradbury, who died early Wednesday at age 91, knew what he was doing when he threw you into a dark place leaking menace and dread at every corner and when he lifted you into an enchanted realm bursting with magical properties. Favorite quotes from Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451' At times, these places -- light or dark, weedy or glistening -- were part of a distant past closely resembling Bradbury's Waukegan, Illinois, childhood of blessed summer evenings and portentous autumn twilights -- evoked most memorably in his 1957 autobiographical novel, "Dandelion Wine." At others, they were places conceived in a hypothetical future that often looked like a hyped-up version of the present day -- or at least whatever "present day" Bradbury happened to be writing. Top five Bradbury films . Think, for instance, of "The Martian Chronicles," a collection of short stories regarded as Bradbury's breakthrough when it was published in 1950, even though he'd been writing and publishing fantasy, horror and science fiction for at least a decade before. Bradbury imagined a red planet whose colonization by Earthlings brings upon its dry terrain both the sweetly nostalgic graces of early to mid-20th-century Americana and some of the harsher aspects of human nature -- disease, war, bigotry and so on -- over time wreaking irrevocable havoc upon the native Martians and their civilization. News: Sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury dies . Bradbury was hardly the first to use the medium of science fiction -- or as its more serious followers prefer, "speculative fiction" -- to engage social issues. But his success in bringing his futuristic Gothic tales to such publications as Esquire, the Saturday Evening Post and Mademoiselle broadened the audience for science fiction and elevated the genre's standing in the literary mainstream. My last conversation with Ray Bradbury . Wherever he was published, whatever he wrote about, Bradbury spoke to his readers in a style described by critic Gilbert Highet in his introduction to the 1965 collection, "The Vintage Bradbury" as "a curious mixture of poetry and colloquialism ... so brisk and economical that it never becomes cloying, so full of unexpected quirks that it is never boring." Interview: Sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury on God, 'monsters and angels' Some disagreed. Even Highet conceded in the same paragraph that he "occasionally" found Bradbury's writing "a little too intense and breathless." Still others griped that they found Bradbury's blend of robust affirmation and astringent gloom too glib and calculated to please as wide an audience of soreheads and romantics as possible. But Bradbury's more intelligent and incisive readers found greater resonance in his writing than his deceptively simple approach evoked on the surface. Rainn Wilson, others tweet tributes to Bradbury . One such fan was the Argentine fabulist and poet Jorge Luis-Borges, who in his introduction to his Spanish-language translation of "The Martian Chronicles, asked: "What has this man from Illinois done, I ask myself when I close the pages of his book, that episodes from the conquest of another planet fill me with horror and loneliness?" And there was nothing calculated or contrived about Bradbury's blend of optimism and pessimism. The man who once wrote a guide entitled "Zen in the Art of Writing" (1994) embraced all his contradictions -- light and dark, elegist and gadfly, dreamer and skeptic -- as one with a universe whose perils and possibilities he greeted with the same open-hearted wonder. "I prefer to see myself," he told an interviewer for the Paris Review in 2010, "as the Janus, the two-faced god who is half Pollyanna and half Cassandra, warning of the future and perhaps living too much in the past -- a combination of both. "But," he added, "I don't think I'm too overoptimistic." What did Bradbury mean to you? Share with us on CNN iReport! The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gene Seymour. | Gene Seymour: Ray Bradbury could mix menace with magical possibilities .
He says Bradbury drew on his Illinois hometown to juxtapose familiar things with the future .
But his approach, deceptively simple on the surface, held social message along with dread .
Bradbury died Wednesday at age 91 . |
13,706 | 26d61d853dc6c0589c6c44bc2494645354878d7c | By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 12:01 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:09 EST, 25 August 2013 . Health guru Hazel Walsh knows exactly what her clients desperate to lose weight are going through - as she has had to battle her own food demons to become the slim size 10 she is today. The 26-year-old, from Bradshaw, suffered from depression and bulimia when she was a dress size 24 weighing 18 stone - but she's turned her life around and now wants to help others do the same. Hazel used to comfort eat on cakes and cookies but - after having surgery to kick start her weightloss - she has now learnt how to eat healthily and exercise to stay in shape. Hazel at her heaviest: 18st and a dress size 24, left, and now a slim size 10 after losing more than 7st . Hazel started putting on weight as a teenager and was bullied as a result. Once she was humiliated when she was asked out on a date which she later found out was a dare to 'pull a fat girl'. She recalled of her youth: 'I was tall and gangly - 5ft 7in - then the weight started piling on so I was a target for bullies. 'I stopped being social and playing . sports and started comfort eating to try to isolate myself. I just ate more food - I started eating junk food, takeaways . and fast food. I always had cakes and cookies after school.' Drastic measure: Hazel has a £6,500 gastric sleeve operation in the Czech Republic to kick start her weightloss . Hazel admitted she suffered episodes of binge eating and bulimia and tried various diets that left her even more depressed when she failed to lose weight. She became so down she was prescribed anti-depression tablets. She said: 'The antidepressants . made me put on more weight so I stopped after two years and decided . something needed to be done.' At age 24, a size 24 and at her wits' end, Miss Walsh booked a £6,500 gastric sleeve operation in the Czech Republic. She started blogging about her experience at prettyfat.co.uk, documenting her . mental as well as physical recovery and progress as she shed more than 7st. Made a career out of her experiences: She has now trained to be a nutritionist so she can help others lose weight . She said: 'I know surgery is drastic . but I'd already tried every diet under the sun. I have been dieting . since I was about 15 and none of them did anything - or if they did the . weight went back on when I came off the diet. 'I started to write a blog about my . progress and I've had people contact me asking me about diet and . fitness. I was flattered that they asked me, so I thought I would do it . as a career. 'I started to learn all about . nutrition and fitness and signed up to a distance learning course last . year. I am just waiting for my diploma certificate in Level 3 Diet and . Nutrition which means I can advise others. I hope to do another qualification in fitness in the future too.' Hazel said she is now the happiest she has ever been and has launched her own business - healthyeats.co.uk - which she hopes will help others who were in the same position as she was. Help from someone who has been there: Hazel said her weightloss journey helps her know what her clients are going through . She said: 'I am now a size 10 and have lost just over seven stone and I now want to help individuals like me. 'I'll be offering advice on emotional eating, obesity and weight loss, binge eating, compulsive overeating, weight loss surgery and food intolerances. 'I'm aiming to provide clients with a meal plan that they can follow and recipes. I've done all the diets in the world so I know it's easy to be given a plan but when you come off it you put the weight back on so I want to try to teach them to plan what foods to eat and teach them to make healthy recipes.' | Hazel Walsh, 26, was bullied for being a size 24 .
She tried and failed to lose weight by following diets .
She opted for gastric band surgery and shed 7st .
After blogging about her journey she decided to make it her career .
She's trained to be a nutritionist and her launched her own business .
'I want to help individuals like me', she said . |
169,144 | 66d7b689d48fc59191753d0ec71f26c4dcfcf985 | It's no doubt tiring work roaming the sun-drenched plains of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Luckily for this lioness, nature provided the perfect spot to recharge her batteries. Russian photographer Petr Banny captured the amusing sight of the sleepy animal letting all four limbs hang down from a tree branch as she dozed in the afternoon sun. Do not disturb: Photographer Petr Banny got within 20 metres of the lioness but she didn't seem to notice . Branching out: Mr Banny said it was rare for lions to climb trees - at least while they were being watched . Mr Banny, who is an experienced safari travel guide for photographers, got within 20 metres of the animal to take the photograph and said he has never seen anything like it before. 'When I noticed her she was already lying on the tree', he explained. 'In my presence she was asleep for about 10 minutes, then she woke up and started changing poses. 'It was late in the day around 5.30pm and she was sleeping.' A brief paws: Mr Banny said 'if the tourists behave calmly, the animals do not pay attention to the people' Cat napping: The lioness eventually opened her eyes to find she was the centre of attention . Petr left Russia in 2002 to travel the world, embarking on photography tours in Japan, Zambia, Yemen and Colombia. He was on one such photo tour in Tanzania when he spotted the lioness. Petr, 42, added: 'In Tanzania wild animals get used to the tourists so if the tourists behave calmly, the animals do not pay attention to the people. 'Lions climbing the trees is a rare phenomenon - at least while they are being watched. 'Perhaps they do this because after seasonal rainfall, grass in the savannah is long so it could be easier for the lions to notice the prey when they are up on a tree. 'It means it can be a sort of observation point - and watching it made me smile.' Balancing act: Mr Banny said that lions sometimes use trees as an observation point when the grass is long . Sitting pretty: The lioness was asleep for 10 minutes before she changed her position . | The image was captured by Russian photographer Petr Banny .
He got within 20 metres of the lioness in the Serengeti National Park .
The sleepy animal lets all four limbs hang down from the branch .
Mr Banny said it was a rare sight to see a lion climb a tree . |
234,709 | bbdd5fd58d72a61e762bd046f7df882a22fd6cab | A masked jewellery store raider takes a tumble midway through an audacious gang heist in this incredible footage. The hapless robber manages to pick himself up and carry on with the raid, in which he and his accomplices made off with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of Indian gold jewellery stuffed into canvas bags. In a shocking sequence captured on CCTV a silver Mercedes SLK 230 smashes through the front window of Gems Jewellers in Coventry, West Midlands, to kick off the audacious raid. Going, going, gone: One of the raiders slips over on the shiny surface and takes an embarrassing tumble . After he clatters on to the polished tiles, two of his accomplices narrowly avoid running into him as they too struggle to keep their feet in their eagerness to get to the jewellery-laden display cabinets behind . The robber wastes no time in getting back up on his feet and carrying on with the audacious raid . The silver Mercedes SLK 230 smashes through the front window of the jewellers as the heist begins . The gang wielded hatchets which they used to smash the glass of the display cabinets holding the jewellery . Three bandits clad all in black then rush in behind the car, which was stolen and using false plates, while a fourth wielding a hatchet jumps out of the passenger seat of the apparently left hand drive vehicle as its driver reverses it back out again. The thugs are then seen from another camera furiously slipping and sliding on the hard polished floor, with one unable to keep his feet as two of his accomplices narrowly avoid running into him. Two of the raiders then leapfrog the counter and start smashing display cabinets with axes, just before thick white smoke begins to fill the room after the robbers set off a security device. No longer able to see what they are trying to steal, they are forced to flee in a stolen white Audi A3 Sport TDI. The gang still managed to make off with a number of canvas bags stuffed with jewellery. Following the raid, which happened at around 5.20pm on January 29, their getaway driver then sped them off towards Bell Green in the north of the city. Though the men were masked and dressed in dark clothing detectives still believe people will be able to name them from their distinctive walks, combined with possible boasts about their new found wealth. West Midlands Police Detective Constable Lee Buckler said: 'This was an audacious raid carried out just as rush hour traffic will have been starting to build and there were lots of witnesses . Three of the raiders burst charge across the tiled floor through the space where the front window used to be . They were carrying canvas bags which they greedily stuffed with expensive Indian gold jewellery . The masked robbers pile in behind the car and head straight for display cabinets holding what they were after . They furiously hack at the glass cases with hatchets, stuffing what they take into canvas bags . 'The raiders were masked when they committed the crime but having stolen hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of Indian gold jewellery, their new found wealth combined with their unique floor moves will undoubtedly give them away. 'As part of the investigation detectives have trawled hours of CCTV footage from cameras in the area and interviewed dozens of witnesses while forensic experts scoured the store and Mercedes abandoned outside. 'Some may think this is was a victimless crime but I want people to be under no illusion. 'These are dangerous and desperate men who threatened to shoot a man who was passing the store at the time they raided it. 'The driver of the getaway car also drove dangerously through the streets of Coventry to escape the scene. These men definitely deserve to be behind bars.' The owner of the shop was in the store at the time but was physically unharmed. Anyone with information which may help Det Con Buckler find the men responsible should call police on 101. Information can be given anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The gang were described as 'dangerous and desperate' by police after they threatened to shoot a man who was passing the store at the time they raided it, before making off at speed through Coventry . The raiders set off a smoke security device which clouded the jewellers and forced them to flee . Police are hoping the criminals' 'unique floor moves' shown in the footage will lead to their arrest . | The silver SLK 230 ploughed through the front of the store in Coventry .
Stolen vehicle with false plates followed by three raiders wielding hatchets .
Robbers struggled to keep their footing on the polished floor but managed to make off with gold-filled canvas bags in a white Audi A3 Sport TDI .
Police hope the criminals' 'unique floor moves' will lead to their arrest .
Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of Indian gold jewellery was taken from Gems Jewellers in the audacious heist, captured on CCTV .
Gang set off smoke emitting security device which forced them to flee . |
7,417 | 150397d3b2765e07aa2dcad08a626a2268887fa5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:21 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:27 EST, 13 January 2013 . The Church of Scientology has vehemently denied claims made in a sensational new book that Tom Cruise auditioned a host of Hollywood beauties including Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Bosworth to be his wife before settling on Katie Holmes. Allegedly disappointed by his split from Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz in 2004 after she failed to embrace Scientology, Cruise, 50, allowed senior members of the church to summon the unwitting stars to read for a non-existent part in the 'Mission: Impossible' series. According to 'Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison Belief', the Top Gun star initiated the unusual casting couch-style marriage interviews after a complaint to his sister at a Scientology church opening in Madrid that no one had been able to find him a new girlfriend. Actresses Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Alba (right) were reportedly auditioned by Scientologist's looking to find a new wife for Tom Cruise . Actor Tom Cruise attends the 'Jack Reacher' press conference at Conrad Hotel on January 10, 2013 in Seoul, South Korea . Actresses Kate Bosworth and Lindsay Lohan were also reportedly considered for the role of Tom Cruise's wife and were asked to attend casting for a bogus role in a new Mission Impossible film . The Hollywood mega-star also allegedly made the same complaint to Scientologist leader and his best friend David Miscavige after his three year relationship with Cruz ended, who according to the book wasted no time in beginning the search for a suitable Mrs. Cruise. Lawyers for Tom Cruise have vehemently insisted that no such conversations ever occurred while he was in Spain. However, the tell-all book, penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright, alleges that Scientologist matchmakers arranged for 'auditions' at the organisation's Celebrity Center in Los Angeles and invited the bevy of what were young and promising actresses. The book claims that each of the girls including hell-raiser Lohan, who was 18 in 2004, Alba, who is now happily married with two children and Johansson, were not chosen and in 2005 Cruise instead met Katie Holmes and then infamously jumped on Oprah Winfrey's couch. Marriage: Actors Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise arrive at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at Sunset Tower on February 26, 2012 in West Hollywood, California . Holmes, who is now 34, split from Tom cruise in 2012 and took primary custody of their child, Suri. The book also claims that prior to the auditions of the would-be stars, Cruise was hooked up with British-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi, who is now 32. Vanity Fair magazine's special correspondent Maureen Orth reported that Shelly Miscavige, the wife of David Miscavige was part of the search to find Tom Cruise a suitable girlfriend. The magazine contended that Boniadi was convinced by Scientology leaders that she had been selected for a project that would help further her religion and would lead to her meeting 'world leaders' and having an influential role in the church. Allegedly, top Scientology official Greg Wilhere told the actress to darken her hair, remove her orthodontic braces and that she break up with her long term boyfriend, who was also part of the controversial religion and with whom she was reportedly deeply in love. When she refused to do that, Wilhere allegedly showed Boniadi evidence that her boyfriend had cheated on her and that led her to break up their relationship. Tom Cruise allegedly became disappointed by the break down in his relationship with Penelope Cruz in 2004 and asked Scientologist leader David Miscavige (right) for his help . Tom Cruise during his much-maligned couch jumping episode in 2005 on Oprah as he declared his love for Katie Holmes . She was flown to New York to meet Cruise and he swept her off her feet with an amazing series of dates that included visits to the Empire State Building, dinner at Nobu, skating at the Rockefeller Center and nights spent at the Trump Tower. In fact, she so impressed Cruise that he asked her to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which is generally acknowledged to be a sign that the actor is keen to persue the relationship and make it serious. Tommy Davis, a Scientology executive, told Boniadi that her new life with Cruise was all about keeping him happy. 'Davis warned her that if she did anything to upset Cruise, he would personally destroy her,' the book reported. 'Davis and (Scientology official) Jessica Feshback were constantly tutoring her in how to behave toward the star.' The auditions for the role of Tom Cruise's new wife allegedly took place at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Center in Los Angeles . However, the pairing did not work out and Feshback is said to have ordered Boniadi to pack her belongings and leave Cruise's home. She is said to have last seen the Hollywood actor working out in his home gym and has never heard from him again. And when she confessed her love for Cruise to another Scientologist, the church sent her to Clearwater in Florida and asked her to scrub public toilets with a toothbrush, the book reported. The church has denied all allegations of cruelty towards Boniadi for speaking to anyone about Tom Cruise. The reason for the unusual auditions organised by the Church of Sceintology stem from their interest in keeping their best known member happy. He is also a huge donor to the religion, reportedly handing over $3 million in 2004 alone. Divorce: Katie Holmes attends "12-12-12" a concert benefiting The Robin Hood Relief Fund to aid the victims of Hurricane Sandy at Madison Square Garden . Nazanin Boniadi reportedly dated Tom Cruise before his marriage to Katie Holmes . Before his marriage to Holmes, Cruise and Miscavige harbored political ambitions for the actor, alleges the book. 'If f******g Arnold (Schwarzenegger) can be governor, I could be President,' said Cruise. 'Well, absolutely, Tom,' replied Miscavige. Lawyers for Cruise have denied that converstaion ever took place. The book also details Cruise's failed attempts to try and recruit Steven Spielberg into the Scientology fold after the Oscar winning director cast the actor in 'War of the Worlds'. However, Cruise became angered after her learnt of a conversation between Spielberg and Paul Haggis, the director of the Oscar winning movie 'Crash'. Allegations: Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood & the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright will be published on January 17 . 'I've met all these Scientologists, and they seem like the nicest people,' Spielberg is alleged to have said reports the New York Daily News. 'Yea, we keep all the evil ones in the closet,' replied Haggis, who at the time was a Scientologist before leaving the church in 2009. Haggis says that he was called in by the church executives for a dressing down over the remarks and ordered to write a letter of apology to Cruise. When his first draft was rejected, Haggis was made to write an even more contrite letter to Tom Cruise. A Spielberg publicist said the director doesn’t recall the brief exchange with Haggis, and Cruise’s lawyer said the actor does not remember the incident. | A controversial new book claims that Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Bosworth were 'auditioned' to be Tom Cruise's wife .
He eventually settled upon Katie Holmes in 2005 .
According to 'Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison Belief', Cruise also harbored political ambitions toward the White House . |
189,693 | 81a5320c5d9b6bed01256d5bd3599954015a5379 | By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 20:00 EST, 24 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:41 EST, 25 October 2013 . Cheerleader: Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, said public opposition to GM foods had softened . Consumers no longer care about the issue of GM crops, the Environment Secretary claims. Owen Paterson insisted genetically modified products should be cultivated and manufactured in Britain and said they would cut costs for hard-pressed shoppers. Mr Paterson, a Government cheerleader for the technology, which Britain has resisted, said consumers had accepted a move to allow shops to sell meat from animals raised on GM feed, suggesting public opposition had softened. He added: ‘It is impossible to detect. If an animal, a chicken or a pig, has eaten GM material, you can’t tell. The fact that the public didn’t react to that was very interesting.’ His latest intervention prompted an . angry response from anti-GM campaigners, who accused him of . misrepresenting the evidence and taking voters’ views for granted. Mr . Paterson, in an interview for political magazine, The House, said . consumers had happily accepted a move to allow meat from animals fed on . GM animal feed, suggesting controversy had dimmed. ‘I thought it was . very interesting when some of the main retailers [Tesco and others] felt . that they could no longer tell their consumers that they were selling . meat products which had not consumed GM material at some stage because . nearly all our animal feed now has contained some GM. ‘Of course it . is undetectable, it is impossible to detect. If an animal, a chicken or a . pig has eaten GM material, you can’t tell. I thought the fact that the . public didn’t react to that was very interesting.’ The minister insisted . that GM had been grown across much of the rest of the world for many . years and there were no reports of any adverse impact. ‘There are 17 . million farmers cultivating 170m hectares which is 12 per cent of the . world’s arable land, which is seven times the surface area of the UK and . not a single person has come to me with a report of any health . problem,’ he said. ‘The fact that every single member of the House of . Commons has been on holiday to America and has come back happily, . healthy and sane shows that this is a technology which can feed the . world. It’s not the only solution but it is a very valuable technology.’ The Environment Secretary, who is thought to want GM products . widely available on supermarket shelves by the end of the decade, added: . ‘It would be good to grow some GM crops in this country because some of . these products would be cheaper which helps our consumers, who are . under a lot of pressure. We all know the cost of living and the cost of . food has become an issue.’ He also claimed there were ‘massive . environmental gains’. ‘There are huge reductions in spraying... there . would be massive savings in pretty strong chemicals which we spray the . whole time, huge savings in diesel, huge savings in compaction of soil, . there’s no doubt about it. That’s a straight help to agriculture.’ Mr . Paterson also saidn ‘agritechnology’, which covers GM crops and . conventional crop manipulation, represents a major business opportunity . for Britain and was an industry in which the country should become a . world leader. ‘We have top class research institutions... when I was . in Germany I was talking to other companies and I would love them to . come here. 'This doesn’t have to be GM. We are looking at a . conventional wheat development which could increase the yield of wheat . by 25 per cent, I would love that to be done here. Criticism: Opponents of Mr Paterson said adopting GM food could harm Britain's reputation . ‘I would like the . UK to become the leading nation in Europe for agritechnology. I would . really like to go a whole step further.’ Mr Paterson insisted that . products were being cleared by watchdogs for human consumption, but then . blocked across Europe because of political resistance. ‘Time and . again, products pass through the very rigorous scientific process and . then get stuck at the political level. So we are talking at member state . level to other member states to see if we can get this moving. Because . at the moment Europe is going to fall further and further behind,’ he . said. Mr Paterson caused controversy earlier this month when he said . millions of children in the developing world are ‘dying or going blind’ because GM crops, some of which are desgined to boost vitamin content, . have not been more widely adopted. Dr Helen Wallace, of GeneWatch, . which campaigns to ensure any use of GM is in the public interest, said: . ‘There would be a massive disadvantage to Britain’s reputation for good . farming if we grew GM crops in Britain. ‘The evidence shows that GM . crops which are resistant to weedkillers actually increase the amount of . spraying which harms wildlife. Polls show that the public wants meat, . milk and dairy products fed on GM animal feed to be labelled. Then we . would have a better gauge of whether people actually want to buy it. ‘I . think Owen Paterson will be surprised by the reaction if he tries to . have GM crops grown in this country. There are still very many people . who are strongly opposed to this technology, and growing them here would . cause a big backlash.’ Due to the controversy when GM technology . was first adopted in the 1990s, there are only a handful of products . containing GM crops currently available on British high streets. Currently, there are no commercial GM crops in Britain, but livestock is commonly reared on imported GM feed. But . the Prime Minister, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Mark . Walport, and Science Minister David Willetts have all voiced support . for GM. The scientific community also overwhelmingly supports its wider . use, with experts insisting each product must be judged on its merits . rather than damning a whole technology. | Owen Paterson said public opposition to GM food has softened .
He described it as 'a very valuable technology'
But critics said adopting GM methods could damage Britain's reputation for good farming . |
222,711 | ac4e7a7c424cebe6d26e959905600f047ceb31b0 | The U.S. stock market is capping a seesaw month by jumping to all-time highs just two weeks after enduring its worst slump since 2012. Global markets roared higher after Japan's central bank committed to a huge increase in its purchases of bonds and other assets, the country's latest effort to shake off two decades of economic stagnation. In the U.S., stocks extended a late-month rally that has been powered by strong corporate earnings. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 168 points, or 1 per cent, to 17,361 near close on Friday afternoon. Happy Halloween! The Dow Jones revealed a huge rally today after the Bank of Japan unexpectedly announced new stimulus to boost the country's flagging economic recovery . Costumed characters distribute Hershey candies as trader Edward Curran works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Halloween. U.S. stocks are opening higher following big gains in Asia after Japan made moves to rev up its economy . The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 19 points, or 1 percent, to 2,014 and the Nasdaq composite rose 59 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,625. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 index are back at record highs and the Nasdaq composite is at its highest level in 14 years. It's a remarkable feat for the stock market, especially since Wall Street experienced one of its most volatile months since the 2008 financial crisis. It was a month rocked by massive sell-offs but also record highs in a period of just a few days. The market weakness investors experienced starting in mid-September spilled over into October. Fears that Europe's economy was slipping back into a recession, a plunge in oil prices and some early economic data that showed weakness in the U.S. economy sent investors fleeing the market. Those fears sent stocks, for the most part, straight down for two weeks. The nadir came October 15, when the S&P 500 nearly went into what's known as a correction, defined as a decline of 10 percent or more in a benchmark index from a recent high. Many investors have been expecting the stock market to have a correction, a phenomenon that historically occurs every 18 months or so. The last one happened in late 2011. Shortly after its mid-October swoon, the market bounced back at a dizzying pace. Strong U.S. corporate earnings were the primary driver of the rebound, as well as signs that central banks in Japan and Europe were going to do all they could to stop their economies from dragging everyone else down with them. 'I don't think it's a surprise that we came close to a correction. We've been expecting one for a while. I think the bigger surprise has been how we rip-roared all the way back up,' said Bob Doll, chief equity strategist at Nuveen Asset Management. 'When you hit someone over their head with a hammer, you don't expect them to get up immediately.' The Dow and S&P 500 are up 2 per cent for the month, while the Nasdaq is up nearly 3 per cent. Friday's gains were driven by the Bank of Japan, which surprised investors by announcing it would increase its bond and asset purchases by 10 trillion yen to 20 trillion yen ($90.7 billion to $181.3 billion) to about 80 trillion yen ($725 billion) annually. The announcement came after economic data showed that Japan's economy remained in the doldrums, with household spending dropping and unemployment ticking up. Japan's move comes only two days after the U.S. Federal Reserve brought an end to its own bond-buying program. Investors have been hopeful that the European Central Bank might also start buying bonds to stimulate that region's economy by keeping interest rates low and injecting cash into the financial system. That form of stimulus is called quantitative easing, also known among investors as 'QE.' A man walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo on Friday. Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average surged 5 per cent and the yen slid against the dollar after the Bank of Japan unexpectedly announced new stimulus to boost a flagging economic recovery . 'The Japanese central bank has taken the QE baton from the Fed, and equity traders couldn't be happier,' said David Madden, market analyst at IG. Japan's stock market rose 4.8 percent to the highest level since 2007. The Japanese currency weakened dramatically following the Bank of Japan's announcement. The yen slumped 2.6 percent against the dollar to 112 yen. The yen is trading at the lowest level in more than five years. Japanese companies typically like a weak Japanese yen because it makes their exported goods cheaper abroad. European stock markets rose broadly following the Bank of Japan's announcement on hopes that the ECB could be tempted to follow Japan's lead in stepping up stimulus measures. However, few think anything will be announced at the ECB's next policy meeting next Thursday. 'The willingness of the Bank of Japan to ease further in the fight against deflation will encourage those who think the ECB should be doing the same,' said Julian Jessop, chief global economist at Capital Economics. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.3 percent. France's CAC 40 jumped 2.2 percent and Germany's DAX climbed 2.3 percent. In the U.S., GoPro jumped $9.84, or 14 percent, to $78.06. The maker of small, wearable video cameras posted profit and revenue that was well ahead of analysts' projections. The company also raised its profit forecast for the fourth quarter. The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil fell 62 cents to $80.50 a barrel in New York as increasing production from OPEC members added to already high global supplies of oil. Brent crude, used to price oil in international markets, dipped 84 cents to $86.28 in London. Bond prices fell. The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.34 percent from 2.31 percent Thursday. In metals trading, the price of gold fell $27 to $1,171.60 an ounce. Silver fell 31 cents to $16.11 an ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $3.05 a pound. | The Dow Jones industrial average rose 168 points, or 1 per cent, to 17,361 near close on Friday .
In the U.S., stocks extended a late-month rally that has been powered by strong corporate earnings .
Friday's gains driven by the Bank of Japan, which surprised investors by announcing it would increase its bond and asset purchases by 10 trillion yen to 20 trillion yen annually . |
67,074 | be4516225a8cdcd7d1beca452d803d87b997fa33 | Santiago, Chile (CNN) -- Three strong earthquakes rocked Chile on Thursday, causing significant damage in at least one city, the country's newly inaugurated president said Thursday. A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit at 11:39 a.m. local time (9:39 a.m. ET), followed by a 6.7-magnitude quake 16 minutes later, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. A third, measured at magnitude 6.0, came 27 minutes later. They were the strongest aftershocks to rattle Chile since a February 27 earthquake on the country's west coast that toppled buildings and spawned a tsunami, killing several hundred people. Thursday's quakes shook the ground near Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins near the coast just as Chile prepared to inaugurate a new president, Sebastian Pinera. The central Chilean city of Rancagua was affected, Pinera said. "There is significant damage in Rancagua," the new president said. "We're going to send the necessary armed forces to guarantee citizens' safety." Rancagua Mayor Eduardo Soto said that no fatalities were immediately reported and that the biggest worry was damage to homes, CNN Chile reported. After his inauguration Thursday, Pinera visited Rancagua, where he confirmed there were no initial reports of fatalities. He said that no curfew would be imposed for now and reiterated his call for calm. A priority is for the school year to start as scheduled next week, he said. He also said Thursday afternoon that he would declare the area a catastrophe zone. The country's national emergency authorities also put in place a tsunami alert for the coastal area near where the earthquakes hit, and authorities ordered evacuations of some coastal areas. "I don't want to alarm anyone, [the alert] is solely precautionary, but we have to take precautions when there are human lives at risk," Pinera said. The epicenter of Thursday's first quake was about 95 miles (152 km) south-southwest of the capital, Santiago, and about 90 miles (145 km) away from Valparaiso, where Pinera was to be inaugurated. Television footage showed the inauguration proceeding without a hitch. A second earthquake -- with an initial magnitude of 6.9 -- struck moments later. It was about 89 miles (143 km) southwest of Santiago, the USGS said. The third was about 86 miles (138 km) southwest of Santiago. Rolando Santos, senior vice president and general manager of CNN Chile, said he and his colleagues felt one of the quakes. "I can tell you within our newsroom in Santiago, which is state of the art in terms of seismic construction, it shook for more than 45 seconds," he said. He said that he told staffers to get under desks and that three people burst into tears. In the last two days, people had kind of gotten used to aftershocks, but "there was no question this one got everyone's attention," he said. Are you there? Send pictures . Pinera, a conservative billionaire businessman, became the Chilean president about 12:15 p.m. local time, roughly 20 minutes after the second quake. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in a statement that "a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected" as a result of the quakes, and that there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. However, the center also said that "earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within" about 62 miles (100 km) of the epicenter. Hundreds of people were killed when the magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile's west coast February 27. That quake also triggered a tsunami that toppled buildings, especially in the coastal Maule region. How to help: Impact Your World . Authorities this week released the names of 279 people whose bodies had been identified in the quake, but officials said the new tally does not include hundreds of unidentified victims. The February 27 earthquake was violent enough to move the Chilean city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west and Santiago about 11 inches to the west-southwest, researchers said. | NEW: President Sebastian Pinera says there's no curfew for now and reiterates call for calm .
Pinera to send "necessary armed forces," declare area a catastrophe zone .
First quake hit at 11:39 a.m. local time; second 16 minutes later; third 27 minutes later .
First shook the ground near Chilean coast; epicenter about 90 miles from Valparaiso . |
198,446 | 8ce075eb3203f9521495c1a75f93375f5d523b10 | Fitness coach Raymond Verheijen has launched a scathing attack on Arsenal's training methods after Aaron Ramsey was the latest player to be plagued by the club's injury curse. The 23-year-old was taken off at half-time in the Champions League against Galatasaray on Tuesday - his third game in a week - after tweaking a hamstring, which rule him out for at least three to four weeks. The Wales international's absence comes as a further blow to manager Arsene Wenger, who will also be without Jack Wilshere in central midfield for several months. VIDEO Scroll down for Arsene Wenger: Aaron Ramsey injury is a blow . Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey tweaked his hamstring in their 4-1 win at Galatasaray on Tuesday . Ramsey is the latest midfield injury for Arsenal, who will be without Jack Wilshere for several months . Fitness coach Raymond Verheijen tweeted several times on Friday to condemn Arsenal's training methods . And Verheijen, who in the past has condemned the Gunners for 'incompetent periodisation and injury prevention', is adamant their crippling injury list is due to their own training pitfalls. 'Sad to read the news about yet another muscle injury for Aaron Ramsey. His injury record at Arsenal is simply shocking for such young player,' he tweeted on Friday. The Dutchman was quick to stick the boot in on the club's treatment of fellow compatriot Robin van Persie during his time at the Emirates, before his move to Manchester United too. Van Persie swapped north London for Manchester two seasons ago and Verheijen believes that the 31-year-old has been 'damaged' by Arsenal in what was an injury-plagued eight years at the club. 'RVP is only 31 yrs but more & more starts to look like an old man on pitch because of all damage done to his body during his Arsenal period,' he later tweeted. Verheijen believes Manchester United striker Robin van Persie (below) was 'damaged' at Arsenal . 'The same career threatening process takes place at Arsenal with Ramsey, [Theo] Walcott, Wilkshire [sic] & [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain who are structurally injured. 'Players who are injured season after season develop all kind of weak links inside the body so a vicious injury cycle develops during career. 'Thankfully, [Cesc] Fabregas was able to escape Arsenal after a few years so the amateurs in London did not get the chance to also destroy his body.' Arsenal host Newcastle in the Premier League evening kick-off on Saturday. Verheijen thinks that Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas would be injury-plagued if he was still at Arsenal . | Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey could be out for up to a month due to injury .
Ramsey tweaked his hamstring during Tuesday's 4-1 win at Galatasaray .
Fitness coach Raymond Verheijen believes the club are to blame for Ramsey's injury record . |
260,982 | de0047f5a117cef826f9689f4ba556b4bccc32a2 | (CNN) -- Can crowdfunding help an iconic team return to the Formula One grid after a 20-year hiatus? That's the aim for the family of the late three-time world champion Sir Jack Brabham, whose eponymous team still roars with resonance through motorsport history. In 1966, the Australian conjured a unique feat in F1 history when, at the age of 40, he became the only man to win the driver and team world titles with a car of his own make. All in all, the Brabham team engineered two constructor titles and four driver crowns -- with Brabham in 1967, Denny Hulme in 1968 and Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983 -- and was owned by F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone for much of the 1970s and 1980s. Inspired by Sir Jack's ingenuity and get-up-and-go attitude, his family have now launched Project Brabham. Its first aim is simple -- to bring the famous marque back to motorsport for the first time since 1992 with the help of its fans. "Brabham sits alongside Ferrari, McLaren and Lotus because of what dad achieved," David Brabham, Sir Jack's youngest son, tells CNN. "If you look at the history and heritage and what it means to people, a Brabham should really be out there -- racing is in our DNA." Project Brabham is relying on this affection for the Brabham brand as it seeks to raise an initial $400,000 through crowdfunding. Donations start at just $1.60 and climb to $16,000 for a VIP experience, which includes a one-on-one on-track driving lesson from former F1 racer David. "Crowdfunding is definitely a new and exciting way of generating funds" he says. "It gives us the seed money to get the project up and running but it also gives people an avenue to start being involved in the team." Crowdfunding makes it easier for smaller companies and start-ups to raise capital by reaching potential new investors via online platforms. A quick cash injection would be a lifeline for struggling F1 teams Caterham and Marussia. It was reported at the weekend that both teams will not race in the upcoming U.S. and Brazilian Grand Prix because of a lack of funds. Could crowdfunding be the answer to ensuring independent race teams -- which operate without the financial clout of major brands such as Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull -- stay on the grid? "F1 teams spend a hell of a lot of money trying to succeed and we know there are a lot of teams in trouble financially just trying to survive," says Brabham. "I think that's more to do with the model and how they go about their business in that environment. You have to make sure that the model you're selling is sustainable. "Project Brabham is using a different model because if we went down the same road as everyone else we'd have the same problems. "We've already got commercial partners coming to talk to us because they can see the benefits of this different model." Radical ideas . Project Brabham also aims to give as well as receive. The second radical ethos of the scheme is to lay bare the workings of a race team for the benefit of fans and future motorsport professionals alike. "Do you start up a race team like everyone else or do you go racing in a different way and show what we're doing and how we're doing it?" asks Brabham. "We're setting out to give the fans access as well as educating drivers and engineers because you learn so much in this environment. "It opens up any sort of problems that people have, instead of hiding stuff. I've been involved in teams where a lot of politics has got in the way of success. "Being open and transparent doesn't exist [in motorsport] but I think it will give us an advantage. "We're already communicating with our followers, we are already asking them, 'what do you think about this, what do you think about that.' "We want to hear what they've got to say and they already feel like they are part of the team development." The first phase of Project Brabham is to raise enough capital to run a Brabham team in the World Endurance Championship for sports cars in 2015. The crowdfunding target is set at an initial $400,000 but for Brabham to find a factory and buy its first car it has a more realistic goal of $4 million in mind. A return to F1 -- where teams can spend $1 million a day -- for Brabham after a 22-year hiatus may seem like a pipedream, but not for the determined Brabham family. "Our ultimate goal is to get the Brabham name back in Formula One," David explains. "It's in our DNA and it's where Brabham really should be, but it's one step at a time. "Our model wouldn't work in F1 in an open and transparent way now, but 10 years down the road it could be a completely different story and, if it is, we want to be back in F1." A new generation . It is not only the Brabham team that could be back on the grid -- Sir Jack's 20-year-old grandsons Sam and Matthew are also out to put the famous Brabham name back in the driving seat. Matthew is the 2013 champion in the North American Star Mazda open-wheeled championship and a reserve driver for 1978 F1 champion Mario Andretti's team in the Formula E championship, while Sam races in Formula Ford in the UK. "We haven't raced each other," says Matthew of the pair's budding rivalry. "But whether it be putting pillow cases on pillows or playing basketball, I always try and beat him. I can't lose to him!" Sam agrees, adding: "Yeah, competition runs in the family at absolutely anything!" But do the third generation of Brabham racers -- who are following their fathers, uncle and grandfather onto the racetrack -- feel any pressure? "It's more of an honor and something I take pride in," says Sam. Matthew adds: "If anything maybe there's less pressure as our family understand how racing works and how much pressure drivers put on themselves. "Maybe there is pressure from the family name and trying to live up to expectations but I just see my grandfather as my grandfather and my dad as my dad, so I don't see it that way." With the ambitions of Project Brabham and a third generation of racing talent, is there a chance we could one day see a Brabham racing a Brabham in F1? "The goal is to eventually have Brabham back in Formula One," says Sam with a smile. "I think that would be massive, I think people would take to it -- and we've got two drivers here who wouldn't mind doing it as well!" | Project Brabham aims to bring back the Brabham team to motorsport .
The project is relying on crowdfunding to raise the money needed .
Former F1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham founded the Brabham team . |
42,929 | 7911a566d303a0307b54c7a0b10b2859e7ac62ac | (CNN) -- More than Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Lady Gaga or Lorde, it was Miley Cyrus who owned 2013. At least, according to MTV. After stealing the spotlight at not one but two MTV awards shows, starring in an MTV documentary and taking over the network on her 21st birthday, MTV has crowned Cyrus as its best artist of the year. It's not like the pop star hasn't worked for it. (Or twerked for it -- we had to!) Her October release, "Bangerz," bowed at No.1 and features two other chart-topping tracks, "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball." Both singles were accompanied by music videos that became cultural touchstones and almost broke the Internet. (According to Vevo.com, Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" is its most-viewed video of 2013, followed by the clip for "We Can't Stop.") The former Disney star also nailed her appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in the fall, when she both hosted and performed. Barbara Walters considers Cyrus one of the most fascinating people of the year, and she somehow managed to end up on Time magazine's best- and worst-dressed lists of 2013. Given that, it's not too surprising that MTV's news and music teams -- having noticed that Cyrus' MTV artist page is the most-visited of the year, with her VMAs performance being the most-watched video -- have given her another No. 1. Cyrus is the third star to take the title, following Katy Perry and One Direction. Neither of those music acts should feel too badly about losing to Cyrus -- they're both still on MTV's list of the top 10 best artists of 2013: . 1. Miley Cyrus . 2. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis . 3. Justin Timberlake . 4. Kanye West . 5. One Direction . 6. Katy Perry . 7. Drake . 8. Bruno Mars . 9. Lorde . 10. Lady Gaga . | Miley Cyrus is MTV's best artist of 2013 .
She's had a banner year with a No. 1 album and two No. 1 singles .
She's also one of Barbara Walters' most fascinating people of 2013 .
Cyrus leads a list that includes Katy Perry, Kanye West and Lady Gaga . |
183,583 | 79ce39ee1ace1b10f2ba9c5a3bbf0e9b032a81a1 | By . Jenny Hope Medical Correspondent . Getting some sun on your skin not only improves your mood but could also reduce your blood pressure, say experts. A study found a strong link between low levels of vitamin D, absorbed by the body from sunlight, and higher levels of blood pressure. Researchers believe it is the first study of its kind to suggest that taking vitamin D supplements could be an alternative to drugs for tacking high blood pressure in some patients. Around 30 per cent of people in England have high blood pressure, known as hypertension, which is the single most important risk factor for early death. Antihypertensive drugs have common side effects such as coughing, dizziness, facial flushing and constipation, experts believe some people might benefit from vitamin D supplements instead . Lead researcher Professor Elina Hyppönen from the University of South Australia said ‘In view of the costs and side effects associated with anti-hypertensive drugs, the potential to prevent or reduce blood pressure and therefore the risk of hypertension with vitamin D is very attractive.’ Previously, a British study of more than one million patients found people with cancer diagnosed in summer and autumn lived longer than those diagnosed at other times of the year, probably because their vitamin D levels are topped up by sun exposure. The new findings come as debates rages over whether vitamin D plays a role in helping prevent disease, with conflicting scientific views. Although the vitamin is found in salmon, tuna and other oily fish, and is routinely added to milk, diet accounts for very little of the nutrient that actually makes it into the bloodstream compared with sun exposure. In a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal researchers used genetic data from a database of 146,500 people across Europe and North America. They looked at particular genetic variants in the blood which affect levels of vitamin D circulating in the blood to establish the relationship with hypertension. The study found each ten per cent increase in vitamin D in the system was linked to lower blood pressure and an 8.1 per cent lower chance of suffering from hypertension. Because antihypertensive drugs have common side effects such as coughing, dizziness, facial flushing and constipation, experts believe some people might benefit from vitamin D supplements instead. Although the vitamin is found in salmon, tuna and other oily fish, and is routinely added to milk, diet accounts for very little of the nutrient that actually makes it into the bloodstream compared with sun exposure . Figures show three quarters of Britons have vitamin D intakes which are below recommended levels, with children and older people are at particular risk. In the UK, the Food Standards Agency does not recommend a specific daily dose of vitamin D unless you are elderly, pregnant, Asian, get little sun exposure and eat no meat or oily fish when 10mcg is advised. It says daily supplements of 25mcg are unlikely to cause harm. The danger with taking excessive doses for long periods is that the body absorbs too much calcium, which could weaken bones and possibly damage liver and kidneys. Earlier this year a major review found cancer patients with more vitamin D in their blood tended to have better survival rates and were in remission longer than those who were deficient. The findings came from analysis of 25 separate studies looking at vitamin D and cancer death rates. | Around 30 per cent of people in England have high blood pressure .
Hypertension is the single most important risk factor for early death .
Vitamin D supplements could be an alternative to drugs for some patients . |
155,883 | 557f9818662757fda8f0cbfd1e9437ee3abee5b6 | Palmer United Party Senator Jacqui Lambie has quizzed defence force top brass over the threat Ebola-infected suicide terrorists could pose to Australia and its military. At a Senate Estimates hearing this morning, the controversial Tasmanian senator asked Vice Chief of the Defence Force Ray Griggs if the nation's enemies could launch an attack with the deadly virus. Officials replied by saying there was no evidence we could come under attack from the hypothetical scourge. Scroll down for video . 'I don't believe there is any evidence to suggest that is a likely course of action': Senator Jacqui Lambie (left) and Australian Defence Force Vice Chief Ray Griggs faced off at a senate estimates committee hearing on Wednesday morning . The Ebola virus: The deadly ailment has killed 4500 people in West Africa, according to the latest World Health Organisation figures . Ms Lambie asked a series of questions about the ADF's readiness for Ebola at a Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee hearing on Wednesday morning . Not at risk: Vice Admiral Ray Griggs said it would be 'quite difficult' for a person to enter the country without showing Ebola symptoms, particularly given the nation's geographical isolation . Ms Lambie asked: 'Do you have any information to suggest that Australia's enemies could attack our country or military using the virus?' 'For example with suicide agents who are infected by the disease or who have access to bodily fluids containing the disease.' Ms Lambie, a former Army soldier, then pressed Vice-Admiral Griggs on whether the Defence Force had a contingency plan for the scenario. But Vice Admiral Griggs said there was no proof militants were capable of attacking Australia or its troops with Ebola. 'I don't believe there is any evidence to suggest that is a likely course of action,' he told the hearing. He said because of Australia's isolation, it would be 'quite difficult' for a person to enter the country without showing symptoms. LAMBIE: I was just wondering if I could ask a supplementary on Ebola, if that's OK. Thanks Mr Chair. Do you have any information to suggest Australia's enemies could use attack our country or military using the virus? For example with suicide agents who are infected by the disease or who have access to bodily fluids containing the disease. And what is your contingency plan to fight this? GRIGGS: Well, I don't believe there is any evidence to suggest that is a likely course of action. One of the things, Senator, that we have playing to our advantage is our geographic (sic) isolation. And that the length of time that it takes simply to get to Australia. And (with) the life cycle of the virus, it becomes very obvious relatively quickly how sick someone is. So I think the ability to inject someone into the country who is not showing symptoms would be quite difficult. LAMBIE: I'm just asking if you have a contingency plan. Because if you listen to one side of it, they can say this can take off 10,000 a week, it can hit people by 10,000 a week. I just want to know... Is there a contingency plan through the Defence Force to tackle the Ebola issue. Are your men and women protected? GRIGGS: Senator, our men and women are protected as anyone else in the country is. The response to that hypothetical situation would be the response to any outbreak of Ebola in Australia. Our health system has its preparations ready for the virus appearing in the country. LAMBIE: And so are the civilian doctors and civilian nurses that... I'm not sure the ratio between defence and civilian now within that medical corps... Are they prepared to fight the Ebola alongside the military? I'm not sure what their contracts are. So are they prepared - do they get to move out if they do not want to fight this if it hits? How big is the corps, the medical corps, within the armed forces, which is military? GRIGGS: I'll have to take the exact numbers on notice please. LAMBIE: Thank you. In recent months, Ms Lambie, elected to a six-year term in the Senate last year, has waded into a number of controversial issues including the debate surrounding the burqa and Australia's preparedness for the Ebola virus . Last week, Ms Lambie told Daily Mail Australia the 'If you don't love it, leave' slogan on this controversial singlet sold at Woolworths did not go far enough . 'Senator, our men and women are as protected as anyone else in the country is,' Vice Admiral Griggs said. Ebola has been a pet topic for Ms Lambie in recent weeks. Last Friday, Ms Lambie proposed the government set up 'M.A.S.H. style' mobile field hospitals to fight Ebola as part of a virus-fighting 'action plan'. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 10,000 people could die of the virus each week if it is not brought under control. More than 4500 people have died in the three worst hit West African nations of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, WHO figures said. While there have been a number of scares at Australian hospitals in recent months - including the case of volunteer Red Cross nurse Sue Ellen Kovack - no Australian has reported an infection. | Senator Lambie asks defence chiefs if the nation is at risk from Ebola infected 'suicide agents'
Defence chiefs say there is no evidence Australia is at risk from hypothetical militants .
It comes as she called for 'M.A.S.H-style' mobile military hospitals to fight the deadly virus here and abroad last week . |
150,735 | 4ee0a2e04cbed3099b4a0b4ee92eeae8e069dbda | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 08:09 EST, 13 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:02 EST, 13 July 2012 . Hotel guests may get a shock next time they reach for a copy of the Gideon Bible from their bedside cabinet. The Damson Dene hotel near Windermere, Cumbria, has decided to replace the book - which is traditionally stocked by British hotels - with copies of the erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey. The decision has caused outrage - although many female guests, and some men, are sure to be pleasantly surprised when they discover the best-selling novel in their rooms. Hotel manager Wayne Bartholomew has caused outrage by replacing the Gideon Bible with copies of the erotic novel, 'Fifty Shades of Grey' in guests' bedside cabinets. Located in the tranquil Lyth Valley, the upmarket hotel boasts 40 bedrooms, including ten with four poster beds and an en-suite Jacuzzi bath. Guests can enjoy its landscaped gardens, and make use of its pool, spa pool, sauna, steam room and gym. Prices range from £79 per person for a standard room to £99 per person for the rooms with four poster beds. Hotel manager, Wayne Bartholomew . said he hit on the idea to swap the books in response to online chatter from his more than . 3,200 Facebook contacts. He said: 'Fifty Shades of Grey is all . that people are talking about at the moment, but I know that some are . too shy to buy it for themselves. 'I thought it would be a special treat for our guests to find it in their bedside cabinet and that includes the men. Guests of the Damson Dene Hotel near Windermere in Cumbria will find copies of the 'Mummy Porn' novel Fifty Shades of Grey next to their beds rather than the traditional Gideon Bible. 'They are as desperate to get their hands on a copy as are the women.' Mr Bartholomew said the Gideon Bible was also full of 'sex and violence,' but said it was more formally written than EL James' steamy novel. 'James’ book is easier to read,' he said. EL James has sold millions of copies of her erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey worldwide. The three books of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy are the first, second and third best-selling print books at . Amazon.co.uk and their combined sales have also made Mrs James the . best-selling print author of the year so far. Sales of the books have overtaken the Harry Potter books and the Da Vinci Code. The bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Despite the trilogy only being published in March this year, the racy international best-sellers - dubbed 'mummy porn' - have sold over one million copies from Amazon for use on Kindle, while Mrs James has become the bestselling author of the year on the site as a whole. | Bible swapped for erotic novel in bedside cabinets .
Manager makes decision following Facebook discussion . |
67,886 | c0990a8722c6df79c804f4c9e69a80dfee537712 | QPR fans may have been treated to a wonderful late equaliser against Stoke City, but there were only 16,000 fans inside Loftus Road to see it - eight fewer than League Two Portsmouth drew to their home game against Wycombe. With the match broadcast live on BT Sport, and Rangers coming off the back of a 4-0 thrashing against Manchester United last week, the newly promoted club recorded their lowest league attendance of the season. Niko Kranjcar curls home his wonderful free-kick to level the game at Loftus Road on Saturday morning . More fans were at Fratton Park to watch League Two Portsmouth draw with Wycombe than at QPR . Those that did choose to attend were treated to four goals, including a superb free-kick from Niko Kranjcar late on to rescue a point for Harry Redknapp's side. Three divisions lower Portsmouth drew 16,171 fans to Fratton Park, eight more than had watched QPR in the Premier League. Johnny Ertl scored his first goal for the club as Andy Awford's side came from behind to draw with high-flying Wycombe Wanderers. Loftus Road was far from full on Saturday despite Rangers' recent return to the top tier of English football . Those that did go to watch QPR play Stoke were rewarded with four goals in the lunch-time kick off . | Eight more fans at Fratton Park than Loftus Road on Saturday .
16,163 watch QPR's 2-2 draw at Stoke, earned by brilliant last minute Nico Kranjcar free-kick .
16,171 enjoy Pompey's point at home to Wycombe three divisions lower . |
218,097 | a65fa1008a7314027e09ba5b16965f3ee7f46d6a | Atlanta (CNN) -- Summerhill, a rundown neighborhood near downtown, sits in the shadow of Turner Field, home to baseball's Atlanta Braves. Vacant buildings abut empty lots, which are rented for parking during games. The area feels like a ghost town during the day -- it's not the sort of place you want to be at night -- but it can fill in fast. The Braves played the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. Police set up roadblocks while tailgaters cracked beers and music blared. As fans flooded the streets, they were struck by something new. Painters, moving over walls like mechanical ants, were transforming nearby buildings into brightly colored murals. They were there for a project called Living Walls. Twenty artists converged on Atlanta this month as part of the annual conference, now in its fourth year. They come with one goal: to put art in the streets, in places it usually isn't, with the hope of sparking a conversation and effecting change. This year, 10 of the artists are local; 10 are international. "It's been so dead around here," said Reandra Davis, 62. She sat under an umbrella in a Summerhill lot, where she has sold parking spaces for some 35 years. Davis' spot gave her a clear view of at least one of the buildings being painted. "It's beautiful where it used to be desolate. It brings everything alive," she said. From graffiti to galleries: Street vs. public art . 'A change brings on new things' The Israeli artist known as Know Hope matched his wall. The artist wore blue pants and a blue shirt. Both were covered in white paint, which he had used to draw birds against a blue background. "You can take your art and it can become part of real life," he said. "When you place it in a certain environment, it becomes a part of the daily lives of the people that live in the space." Know Hope, 27, was one of several artists this year assigned walls in Summerhill. They clustered around three blocks on Georgia Avenue. Spray cans were stacked in cardboard boxes on the street. Drops of yellow, blue and orange paint peppered the sidewalk. The murals were so large in some cases that the artists used cherry pickers to move around -- stopping to spray there, paint here. Conference organizers provided the equipment and materials and worked to secure permission. Unlike graffiti, these murals are legal -- a distinction many in the neighborhood were keen to draw. "I don't like seeing graffiti. That's just something that messes up peoples' buildings. This is more like art," said Willis J. Matthews, 66, a house painter. He has been hired over the years to buff over graffiti on some of the same Summerhill buildings the artists painted. Jerome Nelson, 50, manager of a local restaurant, likewise said he had covered graffiti in the past, but would be happy to see more murals. "It makes you want to take care of your 'hood a little better now. You know, if you're constantly waking up every morning -- seeing the same old thing that's been here for years -- you think that's how it goes. But a change brings on new things," he said. 'What we're doing is extremely political' As part of its conference, Living Walls hosts parties, lectures and a bike tour of the newly minted walls. The project has not been without controversy. Two of the pieces created last year were subsequently painted over because of complaints. In one case, neighbors objected to nudity. In the other, some thought the image looked demonic. "After those two, I realized that what we're doing is extremely political," said Monica Campana, 30, co-founder of Living Walls. This year, she said she warned artists their work could be short-lived. They were asked to submit sketches ahead of time, but no subject was off limits. "Whatever you decide to do, it has to be part of this area," Campana said she told the artists. Apparently, none minded. The French artist Roti, who did one of the murals that got covered, came back to paint again this year. He worked on a so-called recycled wall, a space previously painted by another artist. "I love the ephemeral aspect of street art or graffiti. I don't believe that things should stay put," said Campana. "Even though it sucked that we had to lose two walls, it's like Roti says, those two walls had beautiful lives. They were short lives, but they were very intense lives. They did what they needed to do and they made people think," she said. "It created a dialogue." Roti, whose first name is Pierre, comes from a graffiti background and continues to work in that medium. He declined to give his last name because he said some of what he does is not legal. Unlike some Summerhill residents, Roti, 24, sees little difference between graffiti and murals. He aims to provoke in either case. "Graffiti's a sport. They're just taking it to a whole new level," said Campana. Like this story? Like CNN Living on Facebook . Is there interesting art on the streets of your town? Tell us all about it in the comments below. | Twenty artists are in the city to paint 20 murals as part of the Living Walls project .
The artists aim to transform everyday surfaces into colorful spaces for storytelling .
Two murals from last year sparked controversy and were covered .
"It's beautiful where it used to be desolate. It brings everything alive," says one neighbor . |
57,016 | a17fc46becdbd867993fde3f2931b1025169470c | Some people won't touch food or drink that's just a day or two past its best-before date. But when some divers found a 72-year-old bottle of coffee beans in a ship wreck, they couldn't resist brewing up with them – and they were amazed that they made a hot beverage with one hull of a taste. The beans were brought up from the wreck of the Sulina, a Romanian cargo ship which was sunk in Black Sea after being struck by a Soviet torpedo during the Second World War. Water discovery: Divers found a bottle of coffee beans in the wreck of the Sulina, a Romanian cargo ship which was sunk in Black Sea after being struck by a Soviet torpedo during the Second World War . Examination: A diver holding the bottle of coffee beans that had been brought to the surface from the wreck . Despite the ship's violent end, the bottle of beans was salvaged with the stopper still in place. Not content with making the extraordinary find, the divers who explored the 545-foot-long vessel decided to open the bottle and brew up the cup of coffee the world had waited 72 years to experience. Photographer and diver Andrey Nekrasov, 42, said: 'We brought up a dark green bottle, which had been floating near the ceiling of the mess cabin. 'We could hear something moving around inside the bottle, like beads. When we opened it up, we could smell the bitter aroma of coffee. Brewing up: Coffee beans from the wreck being poured into a coffee grinder (left) and being distributed, ready to be put to the test (right) Taste test: Two divers slurp some of the coffee, which they described as being 'remarkably fresh', 'very rich' but with a taste that was 'overcooked' 'We ground the beans and made coffee with them. The coffee was remarkably fresh, despite its age. The taste wasn't perfect but it was one of the most memorable coffee breaks of my life. 'The coffee smelled very rich. The fact it had been underwater in a sealed jar meant it came with an amazing backstory, so the taste was unique and very special. I would describe the taste as overcooked, as if it had been left to stew for a long time.' The Sulina is so perfectly preserved due to its depth. It lies at 72 feet below the surface - the height of four double-decker buses - protecting it from the impact of waves. Other ships from the same period which were scuppered at a depth of 40 to 50 feet have been broken apart in winter storms. Divers also found lightbulbs from the forsaken vessel which they managed to hook up to an electricity supply and bring back to life. A diver examines a bench on the deck of the sunken ship . A diver peers through a porthole in the ship's cabin . Mr Nekrasov said: 'Many of the products found in the ship serve as excellent advertisements for the companies which produced them because they are still in good shape today. 'We brought some of the lightbulbs up from the wreck, cleaned them of salt and connected them to a light fitting. They still light up, despite having been under a pressure two or three times that of the atmosphere for more than seven decades.' Although the Sulina was primarily a cargo ship there were 16 first-class cabins on board and it had a well-stocked wine cellar. Toilets in the wreck: According to the divers the flush and other faucets still worked . A sink on the floor of the wreck, which still had taps that turned easily, according to the divers . Mr Nekrasov said: 'When we discovered the wine cellar we rubbed our hands in anticipation. 'My co-divers dug in the silt for days, only to be rewarded by several broken or empty bottles which smashed when it sank. The bottles we did manage to salvage had not aged well and now contained a strong grape vinegar.' The Sulina, which was built in 1939 in Palermo, Italy, sank on May 29 1942 after joining the Romanian naval fleet at the start of World War Two. The cargo ship was part of a convoy of Romanian and German ships travelling from Constantsa, Romania to Nikolayev, Ukraine. The Sulina was carrying coal and ammunition. A diver examines the crest on the ships bow, which rests 72 feet beneath the surface near the port of Odessa . The ship was hit at 9.30pm by a torpedo fired by a Soviet submarine. The captain, Victor Mikhu, had previously been alerted to foam trails in the water thought to be from a submarine periscope. The Sulina tried evasive manoeuvres but the ship was struck below the waterline on the starboard side. Water flooded into the engine room so quickly that three mechanics on watch drowned before they could leave their posts. In total 31 Romanians and 56 Germans were rescued from the vessel before it finally sank seven miles from the port of Odessa. | Divers found coffee in the wreck of the Romanian ship Sulina, sunk during World War Two by a Soviet submarine .
The beans were in a dark green stoppered bottle and were brought to the surface .
The divers made a brew using the beans, despite them being over 70 years old, and described the taste as 'very rich'
The cargo ship was part of a convoy travelling from Constantsa, Romania, to Nikolayev, Ukraine, when it was sunk . |
278,902 | f5540794a3f8e1d5f2fb9b8c1818a08a6fdb5348 | (CNN) -- The events on Beijing's Tiananmen Square that resulted in the death of five people and the injury of dozens more were tragic, but are they representative of a serious terrorist threat to the Chinese state as is now being suggested by official sources? According to Chinese security organs, this act of driving a jeep into a crowd of people and setting it on fire was a "carefully planned, organized, and premeditated" terrorist attack carried out by a group of Uyghur Islamic extremists from Xinjiang Province. Unfortunately, given the lack of transparency historically in the Chinese state's conviction of Uyghurs on charges of political violence, we may never know whether this characterization of Monday's events is accurate. What we do know is that Chinese security organs claim that the attackers in the truck, all of whom died, were a Uyghur man, his wife, and his mother. Additionally, Chinese state sources claim to have arrested an additional five suspects in connection with the alleged plot. Were these alleged attackers members of a cell belonging to a large transnational Jihadist network like Al-Qaeda? Are they representatives of a well-organized militant movement like Al-Shabaab, which recently led an armed hostage-taking operation at a mall in Kenya? Looking at the crude instruments allegedly used by these people -- gasoline, knives, iron rods, and an SUV, it is difficult to argue that this was the work of any highly organized and well-armed militant group or terrorist network. There were no sophisticated explosives used in the attacks, and the alleged attackers did not even possess guns. Furthermore, although Uyghurs are Muslims, there is no evidence that they have ever been involved substantively in a global Muslim militant movement. So, how do we understand this act of violence if it was indeed carried out by a family of Uyghurs? The obvious answer is to look at what is happening in the Xinjiang itself where such violent acts have been occurring with increasing frequency ever since the ethnic violence between Uyghurs and Han Chinese that spread throughout the regional capitol of Urumqi during the summer of 2009. Life for Uyghurs inside Xinjiang is not like that of most people in the People's Republic of China (PRC). For the last decade, the Chinese government has created a virtual police state within Xinjiang, employing enhanced surveillance of Uyghur citizens, actively repressing Uyghurs' political voices, and greatly curtailing Uyghur religious practices. It has also vastly reduced Uyghurs' access to education in their own language and has limited Uyghur language publications of original reading materials. Officially, the Chinese state explains most of these measures as part of its anti-terrorism measures to protect national security. These measures also regularly include arresting large numbers of Uyghurs on charges of engaging in "illegal religious activity" or of having ties to terrorist organizations. In fact, during this month alone, security organs in Xinjiang were involved in the fatal shooting of suspected Uyghur militants on several separate occasions and arrested at least one hundred more they suspected of trying to flee the country. Although the government characterizes its ongoing and expansive confrontation with Uyghurs in Xinjiang as anti-terrorism, it is equally related to the PRC's larger plans for Xinjiang. The region is of critical strategic importance to the state as it is China's primary gateway to the west, both in accessing western markets for Chinese goods and in securing natural resources, such as oil, gas, and uranium from Central Asia and locations further west and south. In this context, the PRC is presently funding enormous development projects in Xinjiang that are also bringing a large influx of Han Chinese migrants and are uprooting Uyghur communities and displacing them from traditional lands. The state may not care to rid Xinjiang of Uyghurs, but it would like the Uyghurs living there to willingly yield their perceived homeland to a Han-dominant state culture. As a result, the future of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region appears destined to be neither Uyghur nor autonomous. With these events unfolding in the region that Uyghurs view as their historical homeland, one feels compelled to question whether Monday's alleged attack was a well-prepared terrorist act or a hastily assembled cry of desperation from a people on the extreme margins of the Chinese state's monstrous development machine. However, given that this is allegedly the first instance that Uyghurs have carried out such desperate acts outside Xinjiang, and in this case in the very symbolic seat of central power, we may also be witnessing a sharp escalation in the Chinese state's confrontation with the Uyghurs. In the midst of this escalation, it is also possible that the PRC's long-maintained, but largely unsubstantiated, claims of a Uyghur terrorist threat are perhaps becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sean R. Roberts . | Chinese government has created a virtual police state within Xinjiang .
Crude instruments used in attack suggest not work of well-organized group .
No evidence Uyghurs involved substantively in a global Muslim militant movement.
Claims of a Uyghur terrorist threat maybe becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. |
30,362 | 5651c384bec98d938927127a3779d5d396fbbc07 | The Lindt Chocolate Cafe sits in the centre of Sydney's Martin Place, which is the heartland of Australia's financial, business and legal industries as well as being the home of many luxury shopping brands. The café is also across the road from Channel Seven's studios, ensuring live television coverage for any attack. At least 13 staff and customers are being held at the café which is part of the well-known Lindt brand that is recognised globally. Scroll down for video . The Lindt Chocolat Cafe (pictured) sits in the centre of Sydney's Martin Place, which is the heartland of Australia's finance, business and legal industries, as well as being the home of many luxury shopping brands . The café is also across the road from Channel Seven's studios, ensuring live television coverage for any attack . The terrorist's choice of location has proved a prime one for gaining the public's attention, with a number of major legal organisations in very close proximity, including the Reserve Bank of Australia which is only a minutes' walk away. The offices of NSW state government workers, including Premier Mike Baird, are also located in the vicinity while the Martin Place Barrister's chambers are nearby. Both the Commonwealth Bank and ANZ are a short stroll away with the Supreme Court of New South Wales on Macquarie Street. Nearby luxury stores, including Tiffany & Co. mark the area as a popular shopping location, particularly with Christmas only a few weeks away. The cafe is in the very centre of Sydney's financial, business and legal districts . Up to 20 staff and customers are being held hostage in the popular cafe, which overlooks a number of major legal organisations including the Reserve Bank of Australia which is only a minutes' walk away . The area, which is scattered with popular cafés and restaurants, is normally swarming with business people both during the day and night . Martin Place also holds great significance symbolically due to hosting the cenotaph, a war memorial. The area, which is scattered with popular cafés and restaurants, is normally swarming with business people during both the day and night. Many of the immediate surrounding buildings have been evacuated since police were called to the area at 9:44am, however a large number have been forced into lock-down. Martin Place, between Elizabeth Street and Phillip Street, has been closed off by police. The offices of NSW government workers, including Premier Mike Baird's, are located in the vicinity while the Martin Place Barrister's chambers are located nearby . | The popular chocolate café is located in the centre of Sydney's financial, business and legal districts .
It is across the road from Channel Seven's studios, ensuring live television coverage for any attack .
The offices of NSW government workers, including Premier Mike Baird's, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Supreme Court of New South Wales are all in close proximity . |
158,303 | 58a92890bd4a43009d98138c26ab77404dfd5bef | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:35 EST, 9 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:59 EST, 10 June 2013 . It is one of the world's most sophisticated software programmes, used to tap directly into the servers of Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook. But it seems the sophistication behind the controversial U.S. data mining programme codenamed Prism does not extend to its logo. A photograph of a prism used as the programme's logo was a free-to-use image taken by British historian and broadcaster Adam Hart-Davis, according to reports by Gawker. The logo of data-mining programme Prism uses a picture taken by British broadcaster Adam Hart-Davis . Hart-Davis, right, offers the free-to-use picture, left, called Natural Science on his website . The prism on the logo appears to be a close-up of Hart-Davis' picture that has then been inverted. The bizarre origin of the photograph was uncovered after a company that produced tongue-in-cheek merchandise featuring Prism's logo was ordered to stop selling on copyright grounds. However, it emerged that Hart-Davis, who offers some free-to-use scientific pictures on his website, took the image. The picture, called Natural Science, shows the prism and refraction of light into a rainbow. Mail Online has so far not been able to contact Hart-Davis. The Eton-educated broadcaster, who is a distant relation of the Queen and David Cameron, is well known for his series of history programme, such as the BBC's What The Romans Did For Us and What The Tudors Did For Us. In 2012, it emerged Hart-Davis had been . warned about inappropriate touching by Glenwyn Benson, then the BBC . controller in charge of commissioning factual programmes. The . incident occurred when Mr Hart-Davis embraced a radio producer more . than 30 years his junior. He said his gesture was misinterpreted. The Prism scandal hit the headlines last week after documents were leaked to The Washington Post and The Guardian. The particulars of the PRISM data-mining programme have been outlined in a top-secret PowerPoint presentation for senior intelligence analysts, which ended up being leaked . This graph shows when each of the nine tech companies joined PRISM, with Apple being the latest addition in October 2012 . It . was revealed that the programme allowed the U.S. National Security . Agency and FBI to tap directly into the servers of major internet . companies. It was . approved by a judge in a secret court order and allowed the government . to seize actual conversations in emails, video chats, instant messages . and more. Director of national intelligence . James Clapper said the programme, authorised in the USA Patriot Act, has . been in place since 2008, the last year of the George Bush . administration, and 'has proven vital to keeping the nation and our . allies safe.' 'It continues to be one of our most important tools for the protection of the nation's security,' he said. According to information declassified . today, the government does not unilaterally obtain information from the . servers of U.S. electronic communication service providers. It requires approval from a Fisa . Court judge and is conducted with the knowledge of the provider and . service providers supply information when legally required to do so. The government cannot target anyone . under the programme unless there is an 'appropriate, and documented, . foreign intelligence purpose' for the acquisition. The NSA said the programme is 'one of its most important tools for the protection of the nation's security' Apple said it had never heard of the PRISM programme but reports say it contributed to discussions with the government concerning sharing information . Those purposes include prevention of terrorism, hostile cyber activities or nuclear proliferation. The foreign target must be reasonably believed to be outside the United States. It cannot intentionally target any U.S. citizen or any person known to be in the U.S. The Post and the Guardian cited confidential slides and other documents about Prism for their reports. They named Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo, AOL and Paltalk as companies whose data has been obtained. The companies have said they are not voluntarily handing over user data and have strongly denied newspaper reports indicating that Prism has opened a door for the NSA to tap directly on the companies' data centres whenever the government pleases. Amid reports of government spying, Mr Obama assured Americans on Friday that 'nobody is listening to your telephone calls'. What the government was doing, he said, was digesting phone numbers and the durations of calls, seeking links that might 'identify potential leads with respect to folks who might engage in terrorism'. | Prism programme used Hart-Davis' photograph of refracted light .
The prism on the logo appears to be a close-up of Hart-Davis' picture that has then been inverted . |
263,221 | e0efd50fc6e6e220384795dd00e908a133334af4 | (CNN) -- Not there yet, but the future of drone flight in the United States took another important step on Monday. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selected six research sites to help it test and map out the best way to safely bring unmanned aircraft into the heavily used U.S. airspace. FAA Administrator Michael Heurta said the facilities, strategically located, will work with the agency to develop standardized procedures and regulations -- elements that govern all areas of aviation. "With these sites, what we have is the platform to conduct broad based research considering a wide variety of different factors, and we'll see where the research takes us as we introduce these into the national airspace system," Huerta told reporters. The six sites are: the University of Alaska, the state of Nevada, Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York, the North Dakota Department of Commerce, Texas A&M University -- Corpus Christi, and Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech's research will also include a collaboration with Rutgers University in New Jersey. The FAA said it considered a number of factors in selecting the sites, including differences in climate and geography, available infrastructure, aviation experience, aviation traffic volume, and specific research proposals. It is currently working with the selected applicants to determine the airspace for conducting research, including test flights. Research will cover safety and logistical concerns, including that drones can detect and avoid other aircraft, and that they operate safely if they lose their link to their pilot, who is at the controls in another location. The research will also concentrate on environmental impact of drone use, and developing pilot training and standardized regulatory requirements. Current law requires a case-by-case certificate of authorization in order to fly an unmanned aircraft in U.S. airspace. The facilities are part of a comprehensive roadmap that the FAA has developed at the behest of Congress to develop a plan to safely integrate privately operated unmanned aircraft by 2015. Huerta said the FAA will work to get all six facilities up and running as soon as possible, but Congress requires at least one facility be operational within six months. The sites will operate until February 2017. Unmanned aircraft systems are currently used for a variety of reasons, including border surveillance, scientific and environmental research, and to support law enforcement. Overseas, drones have become a key counterterror tool. But rapidly changing technology has opened the door to privately operated drone use for recreational and commercial purposes domestically. Not without a warrant: Illinois bans the use of drones for law enforcement . Amazon recently announced 30-minute package delivery system using drone-like "octocopters." The FAA has not yet signed off on Amazon's plans, which CEO Jeff Bezos says he hopes to have in place by 2015. There also have been concerns raised in Congress and elsewhere over privacy issues involving expanded domestic drone use. Huerta said he envisions a staged process as drone technology and usage evolves, and as "we learn a lot more about what these aircraft are, how they interact with other aircraft, and what are the things that we have to consider as we integrate them into differing airspace and climatic considerations." "The important thing about today's announcement is it provides the platform for this research to really be carried out a very large scale across the entire country," Huerta said. | The Federal Aviation Administration announces sites for testing .
Drones are used overseas in counterterror operations .
But they are also becoming more popular in domestic security, law enforcement .
FAA looks to develop standards for their use in domestic airspace . |
4,210 | 0c271efcb68f2ffb7c555f87d4c213927fcdf8b3 | Washington (CNN) -- Republicans' chances of winning control of the Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections are now up to 95%, according to CNN's Pivit, an analysis that combines experts' projections with political watchers' predictions on key races. The jump was driven largely by a Des Moines Register poll over the weekend that put Republican Joni Ernst 7 percentage points ahead of Democrat Bruce Braley in a Senate race seen as a must-win for Democrats. In that race, Pivit puts Ernst's chances at 88%. Pivit also offers bad news for Democratic Sen. Mark Udall in Colorado, whose chances are at just 6%, and Sen. Mark Pryor in Arkansas, who's down to 2%. Pivit's analysis suggests Democrats are in better shape in North Carolina, where Sen. Kay Hagan has a 69% chance of holding off Republican challenger Thom Tillis, and in New Hampshire, where Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's chances of beating Scott Brown are up to 81%. Republicans, meanwhile, look to have put Kentucky's Senate race out of reach. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell's chances of surviving a challenge from Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes are up to 97%. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to capture a majority. Pick-ups in Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia are all but assured, and Democratic incumbents are facing uphill battles in Alaska, Arkansas and Louisiana, as well. Republicans are also hoping for wins in states like Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire and North Carolina -- which would help solidify their chances of gaining a majority by providing insulation in case the GOP loses seats of its own in Georgia and Kansas. | After rosy polls, CNN's Pivit puts Republicans' chances of winning a Senate majority at 95% .
Pivit gives the GOP strong odds of picking off Democratic seats in Iowa, Colorado and Arkansas .
Democrats could hold seats in North Carolina and New Hampshire, the analysis suggests . |
118,586 | 251dfb9870ce2ba492fcb67ca3caadb5d45d9ce6 | A senior judge has condemned pre-nuptial agreements claiming that the only reason people want them is to give their partner less than they are entitled to in the event of a marital breakthrough. Baroness Hale of Richmond was commenting after one leading family law firm said that the demand for such documents has increased by 50 per cent. The Law Reform Commission also recommended back in February that pre-nuptial agreements should be made legally binding in English courts. Baroness Hale of Richmond, pictured, cautioned against the use of pre-nuptial agreements . Justice secretary Chris Grayling has already commented that implementing such agreements is a sensible proposition. Baroness Hale said: 'I am very suspicious of prenuptial agreements' as they are designed 'almost always to give someone less than they would be otherwise entitled to'. Charlotte Leyson, family solicitor at Hughes James told The Times: 'Prenups are no longer just used by oligarchs or celebrities looking to protect vast wealth. Since the publicity around the Law Commission's recommendations, people have more confidence that a pre-nuptial agreement could be taken seriously by the courts. 'Younger people in particular are becoming more pragmatic about prenups. It is not about a lack of trust or an expectation that the marriage will fail - they recognise that by thinking ahead about what financial responsibilities they would face in the event of a divorce, they can reduce the possibility of an acrimonious and expensive break-up in the future. 'Anyone who has assets to protect is starting to view the prenup as a sensible precaution, a bit like making a will.' Earlier this year when the prenuptial agreement proposals were published, Professor Elizabeth Cooke, Law Commissioner for property, family and trust law, said: 'Pre- and post-nuptial agreements are becoming more commonplace but the courts will not always follow them and lawyers are therefore not able to give clear advice about their effect. 'The measures we are recommending would help couples understand and meet their financial responsibilities and, where appropriate, achieve financial independence.' | Baroness Hale of Richmond has warned against pre-nuptial agreements .
However, the number of people seeking them has increased by 50 per cent .
The Law Reform Commission advised they should be introduced into law . |
10,221 | 1d016dab849fad7d5d27119b0148e0db3dd319ca | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 06:26 EST, 22 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:26 EST, 22 February 2013 . Prosecution lawyers in the Jodi Arias murder trial have challenged the defendant over phone records and diary entries they say contradict her claims her boyfriend was a pedophile. Arias, who maintains she was acting in self-defense when she shot Travis Alexander and stabbed him 27 times, has said she walked in on Mr Alexander looking at photographs of young boys. The defendant has said during her testimony that she fled in disgust. Prosecution lawyers have now pressed her to explain why phone records show five calls between the couple on the same day she allegedly ran away in horror. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . One-on-one: Prosecutor Juan Martinez (left) aggressively questioned Jodi Arias (right) on the first day of the prosecution's turn during the ongoing murder trial on Thursday . Prosecutor Juan Martinez also pointed out that Arias and Mr Alexander exchanged text messages throughout the afternoon and evening at the time Arias claims she found her partner looking at the photographs. Arias stuck by her earlier testimony, according to an ABC News report. The prosecution had started their portion . of the Jodi Arias murder trial on Thursday by aggressively questioning . her about different stories that they believe she lied about on the . stand. They used her own journal entries to . argue that she lied about a specific explicit sex romp with boyfriend . Travis Alexander that involved Tootsie pops and Pop Rocks. Mr Martinez went on to attack her scandalous claims that Mr Alexander was sexually . attracted to young boys, examining the timeline of the texts that they . sent one another on the day that she supposedly walked in on him . pleasuring himself to pictures of minors. The supposed incident took place months before Arias shot and stabbed Alexander, killing him reportedly in self defense. Earlier in the trial during her questioning by her defense attorney, Arias said that the reason she missed her friend Lonnie Dworkin's baptism was because she and Alexander were having sex and using the candy as props. Mr Martinez was verbally sparring with Arias as he pushed her to look at her own journal entries where she gave an alternate reason for missing Mr Dworkin's baptism. In doing so, Mr Martinez is likely planning on showing that Arias lied about her sex life with Mr Alexander to the court, bringing into question what else she lies about. At one point, he focused on her 'selective memory' because he said that she said she didn't recall certain points from the trial but was 'able to remember the drink you ordered from Starbucks five years ago'. Grilled: Martinez asks Arias a question about her diary during cross examination in Maricopa County Superior Court today in Phoenix, Arizona . 'You can tell us what kind of sex you had with Mr Alexander many years ago but you can't remember what you said yesterday or a few days ago?' he said during his quick succession of questions. She admitted that she had trouble with her memory when she was under stress. Another issue that he addressed during the first portion of the questioning was the timeline surrounding her damaged finger. Earlier in the trial, she stated that she and Mr Alexander got in a physical altercation in January 2008 when he threw her on the floor and allegedly kicked her in the ribs and finger. She told the court that she didn't want to see a doctor for fear of getting Mr Alexander in trouble so they made a makeshift splint, but the finger- her left ring finger- did not heal and is still damaged to this day. Mr Martinez showed a journal entry that was made after the alleged fight and it made no reference to the fight. He also showed a picture that was taken months after the fight where her hand does not appear damaged. After the fact: The picture on the screen was taken months after she was supposedly kicked by Alexander when he allegedly damaged her finger, but her finger does not look damaged in the picture . Alternate story: The court was also shown video of an interrogation when she told an investigator that fictitious intruders attacked her and caused the hand injury . He also used a videotaped interview . that she had with Detective Esteban Flores who was investigating Mr . Alexander's murder where she said that her finger was damaged on June 4- . the night that she killed Mr Alexander. At that time, however, she was . making up a story about how two intruders broke into Mr Alexander's . home, attacking and killing him. 'Whatever you told us in the past is somewhat suspect,' Mr Martinez said in court. Much of the afternoon was spent parsing over the texts that Mr Alexander and Arias exchanged on the day when she alleged that she caught him pleasuring himself while looking at pictures of young boys. That allegedly occurred on January 21, 2008. The next day, she claims they had the violent altercation that she says resulted in her left ring finger being damaged. One of the main points of Mr Martinez' inquiry is her personal journal, where two days after the alleged fight and three days after the supposed discovery of Mr Alexander's alleged sexual interest in boys, she wrote: 'I haven't written because there is nothing noteworthy to report.' The prosecution comes after eight days where Arias was questioned about her relationship and eventual murder of Mr Alexander. The . questioning style was predictably nicer during that time than it was . today, however, since it was her defense attorney Kirk Nurmi doing the . asking. Her story: Arias' defense is based entirely around the fact that she killed Alexander in self-defense- which she tearfully told the court on Wednesday- and that she lied multiple times to investigators because she was trying to avoid jail . Contemplation: Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi was a much more gentle questioner when he examined Arias . Wednesday was arguably most explosive day of her murder trial, when Arias testified that there was a 'huge gap' in her memory from June 4, 2008 - the day that Alexander died at his Mesa, Arizona home. Arias told jurors that she and Alexander had been taking naked pictures in his shower when she dropped his camera, causing him to erupt in a rage, body-slamming her against the tiles and threatening to kill her. She went on to say that she does not remember stabbing him 27 times but does remember 'accidentally' shooting him. The trial continues. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE . | Arias forced to defend previous statements during first day of prosecution .
Admitted shooting Travis Alexander but 'had no memory' of stabbing him . |
35,793 | 65acd546716201bd11b4034705cdcb13b07a26e0 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 06:58 EST, 13 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:57 EST, 13 December 2012 . Britain will swelter in a heatwave next summer, the Beckhams will move back to the UK for good and X Factor will finally call it a day, according to the public's predictions for 2013. Less optimistically, a number of people foresee nations leaving the EU, a leading bank prosecuted for fraud and the NHS crippled by strikes. Research company Opinium asked 2,012 adults what they thought might happen in 2013, ranging from economic and political issues to sporting and showbiz ones. Welcome back: More than one in 10 people polled believe the Beckhams will swap the U.S. for the UK. Pictured are David and Victoria Beckham and sons (L-R) Cruz Beckham, Romeo Beckham and Brooklyn Beckham . Sunny outlook: A total of 10 per cent believed the UK is due a scorching summer in 2013 . Glory: 14 per cent think Andy Murray will go on from his U.S. Open and Olympic triumphs and finally win Wimbledon . The top prediction saw 34 per cent believe at least one country to leave the EU next year. But this time last year in the same survey, 47 per cent had said this too and were wrong. But their crystal ball-gazing should not be mocked as, 12 months ago, they also got plenty right, include Kate Middleton's pregnancy and Facebook shares going public. This time last year many also predicted the divorce of Katy Perry and Russell Brand, although many may argue this was less a feat of clairvoyance and more a sense of inevitability. This year's predictions for 2013 include . 32 per cent who believe a leading bank will be involved in a major . fraud or other illegal scandal. Almost three in ten (29 per cent) think the Liberal-Conservative coalition will fall apart and 28 per cent think that interest rates will finally rise in the next 12 months. Away from the economy, 17 per cent predict falling ratings for X Factor mean next year's series will be the last. Despite the current icy weather and a couple of years of washout summers, 10 per cent still predict next year will see a heatwave. Andy Murray's success at the Olympics and US Open have convinced 14 per cent he'll win Wimbledon at last and 15 per cent think the Beckhams are coming back to the UK for good. Less cheerfully, 16 per cent believe . the current growth in employment will come to an end and the job . situation will get worse next year. X Factor axe: Nearly a fifth believe X Factor will get the chop after falling viewing figures . Cracks: More than a third believe one or more countries will leave the EU in 2013 after a restive year for member organisations . And 13 per cent forecast that NHS staff will go on strike after reaching breaking point over government cutbacks to the health service and public sector, said Opinium's figures . Managing director James Endersby said: 'Judging by the correct predictions from last year, we have some mystic Brits in our midst who can tell the future. 'We can't wait to see what the next year brings and whether the nation's forecast for 2013 will ring true.' | Top predictions for 2013 from UK public released by researchers .
Many Brits think X Factor will get the chop and Murray will win Wimbledon .
Grimmer predictions include another bank scandal, NHS strikes and the collapse of the Liberal-Conservative coalition . |
275,673 | f11fc18463628b9cc131ffae9755edb82fe24183 | The derogatory name has caused an outcry among millions of ambitious young and educated females who claim they have been thrown on the scrap heap (file photo) China has upset its young female population by labelling those who fail to marry by the time they are 30 as ‘left over woman’. The Communist government ordered its feminist All-China Women’s Federation to use the derogatory term in several stinging articles about the growing number of educated, professional, urban and single females aged 27-30 who have ‘failed’ to find a husband and are now deemed ‘undesirable’. ‘Pretty girls do not need a lot of education to marry into a rich and powerful family. But girls with an average or ugly appearance will find it difficult,’ reads one article titled ‘Leftover Women Do Not Deserve Our Sympathy’. The derogatory name has been picked up by the state media and stuck, causing an outcry among millions of ambitious young and educated females who claim they have been thrown on the scrap heap - and who bemoan the low quality of suitors. The conservative country is going under rapid changes with more women shunning tradition to wed and raise a family early. But the government wants to shame them into marrying young to counter the growing and serious gender imbalance among the of 1.3 billion population. Selective abortions because of the one-child policy means far more males are born then females - 118 boys to 100 girls. The government is also worried hordes of unmarried men roaming the country could spark social havoc. Leta Hong-Fincher, an American academic studying at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said: ‘Since 2007, the state media has aggressively disseminated the left over term in surveys, and news reports, and columns, and cartoons and pictures, basically stigmatising educated women over the age of 27 or 30 who are still single.' Since the one child policy was introduced in 1979, there are now about 20 million more men under 30 than women under 30. And census figures show that around one in five women aged 25-29 is unmarried. The . proportion of unmarried males that age is over a third higher - but . Chinese men tend to ‘marry down’ both in terms of age and educational . attainment. More Chinese women are shunning the tradition of marrying young and having children. But the government wants to shame them into marrying young to counter the population's growing gender imbalance (file photo) Nine out of 10 men in China think women should get married before 27 . Sixty per cent say the ideal time is 25-27 . One per cent believe the best age for a woman to get married is 31-35 . ‘There is an opinion that A-quality guys will find B-quality women, B-quality guys will find C-quality women, and C-quality men will find D-quality women,’ Huang Yuanyuan, a confident and single 29-year-old who works in a Beijing radio station, told the BBC. ‘The people left are A-quality women and D-quality men,’ she said. But the Chinese Bridget Joneses are fighting back, demanding the government ban the ‘left over women term. The All-China Federation of Women has recently dropped the label and now refers to 'old' unmarried women - but the left over expression remains widely used elsewhere. | Millions of women say they have been thrown on the scrap heap .
Chinese government worries that unmarried men could cause social havoc . |
78,520 | de81d7de72fefe46038d8a61fb3463ce693af151 | By . Helen Collis . One in five adolescents has been knocked unconscious while playing sport at school - a figure that has shocked researchers. Brain injuries measured in the research included cases where children had been unconscious for at least five minutes and those who had needed to be hospitalised over night. Most previous studies have only recorded hospital cases of children's brain injuries; the addition of self-reported concussion which did not result in hospital treatment has now raised serious concerns in Canada, where the study was carried out. Risk?: Large-scale Canadian study find s that one in five teenagers has been knocked unconscious during sport at school . In Canada, 50 per cent of all injuries that kill and disable young people involve a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Brain injuries among adolescents are particularly concerning because their brains are still developing. There . is growing evidence that people who have had one or more concussions . are at greater risk of future concussions, and evidence that multiple . brain injuries can result in lasting cognitive impairment, substance . use, mental health and physical health harms. The large-scale Canadian study found that teenagers who drank alcohol and smoked cannabis, and those who scored lower grades were more likely to suffer. Researchers also found that boys were more susceptible than girls to get knocked out. Sports such as ice hockey and football accounted for more than half the injuries, said Dr Gabriela Ilie, lead author of the study and a post-doctoral fellow at St Michael's Hospital, in Toronto, Ontario. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was one of the first to focus only on adolescents and their self-reported traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Concussion is the most common form of traumatic brain injury. The data used in the study were from the 2011 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), developed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. It is one of the longest ongoing school surveys in the world and contains responses from almost 9,000 students from grades seven to 12 in publicly funded schools across Ontario. Teenagers most likely to get knocked out during sport were those who drank alcohol, smoked cannabis or achieved lower school grades . The OSDUHS began as a drug use survey, but is now a broader study of adolescent health and well-being. For the first time in 2011, questions about traumatic brain injury were added to the survey. The survey found that 20 per cent of adolescents in Ontario said they had had a traumatic brain injury in their lifetime. It found that 5.6 per cent of them had had such an injury in the past 12 months. Dr Ilie said this suggests the prevalence of TBIs among young people is much higher than previously known, because many head injuries remain uncounted when they are not being reported to parents, teachers, sports coaches or health care workers. In Canada, 50 per cent of all injuries that kill and disable youth involve a TBI. This new research found that 46.9 per cent of the TBIs reported by adolescent females occurred during sports (e.g., hockey, skateboarding); the figure was 63.5 per cent for males. Students who reported drinking alcohol 'occasionally/frequently' and those who reported using cannabis 10 or more times over the past 12 months had more than five times and more than three times the odds, respectively, of acquiring a traumatic brain injury in the past 12 months than students who reported abstinence. Killer: In Canada, 50 per cent of all injuries that kill and disable young people involve a traumatic brain injury . The survey also showed that students who reported overall poor grades at school (below 60 per cent) had almost four times the odds of a lifetime acquired brain injury than students who reported grades at or above 90 per cent. 'Traumatic brain injury is preventable,' said Dr Ilie. 'If we know who is more vulnerable, when and how these injuries are occurring, we can talk to students, coaches, and parents about it. 'We can take preventive action and find viable solutions to reduce their occurrence and long-term effects.' | First large-scale study to measure the number of students' self-reported concussions at school, rather than just hospital-reported cases .
High figure has shocked researchers because multiple brain injuries can lead to lasting cognitive impairment .
In Canada, where study was carried out, 50% of injuries that kill and disable young people are caused by brain trauma . |
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