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261,547 | deb92ca5f7d5c677aeb3f860abb261e816d1c5b3 | By . Joshua Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 15:58 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:00 EST, 15 March 2013 . President Obama says Iran is ‘over a year or so’ away from developing nuclear weapons and that he will use ‘all options’ to stop them. In the lead-up to his first ever presidential visit to the country next week, Obama sat for an interview with Israeli television. ‘Right now, we think it would take over a year or so for Iran to actually develop a nuclear weapon, but obviously we don't want to cut it too close,’ he told Israel’s Channel 2 news March 14, according to ABC News. Prepping: Ahead of his visit to the country, Obama sat down with the Israel's Channel 2 news and discussed the hot topic of nukes in Iran . Israel’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear program are expected to be the major focus of Obama’s trip to the country. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been vocal about his belief that Iran is developing nuclear technology at a clip much faster than what Obama describes and the differing timelines are expected to be a sticking point in talks between the two leaders. In addition to outlining what US intelligence believes they know about the Iranian nuclear program, Obama made clear that his first course of action to stop Iran from building the bomb is through diplomacy. The president called diplomacy ‘a more lasting solution’ and said this message is the same one he’s given to Prime Minister Netanyahu in the past. Disagreement: While Obama said Iran could be capable of building a nuke in 'a year or so,' Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu believes they're much closer . All options: While Obama maintains his desire for diplomacy, last week Joe Biden said the president will use military action if forced . However, Obama also hinted that he’s prepared to take US intervention in Iran a step further than diplomacy. ‘I continue to keep all options on the table,’ he said. Those options may include the military, if recent words from Vice President Joe Biden are any indication. He said as much earlier in March while speaking to the powerful pro-Israel lobby American Israeli Public Affairs Committee. No plans: Iran maintains its nuclear program is only for producing electricity at power plants like this one and has no plans for a nuclear weapons program . ‘If God forbid the need to act occurs,’ Biden said March 4, ‘it is critically important for the whole world to know that we did everything in our power, we did everything that reasonably could have been expected to avoid any confrontation.’ Meanwhile, President Obama maintained that non-military tactics at limiting Iran’s nuclear program are ‘having a significant effect.’ The president also made clear in the interview, reports the New York Times, that Iran’s time to comply with international demands is finite. ‘There is a window,’ he said, ‘not an infinite period of time, but a window of time where we can resolve this diplomatically.’ | Ahead of his visit to the region, the president assured Israel in a television interview he will use 'all options' to stop Iran .
Earlier this month, Vice President Biden told a pro-Israel lobby Obama would use military force if necessary . |
87,598 | f88c3a2cf59c23a2863ac0ca231c27d50166e821 | As any expectant mother will tell you, when you've got to go, you've got to go. Fortunately for six months pregnant Karen Gunner, when nature called she was in a fast food restaurant. So while her partner and their friends queued to order and pay for their food, she nipped to the loo. But that was when disaster struck. For Miss Gunner found herself barred from the Burger King toilets – because she didn't have a receipt for a meal. Karen Gunner, who is six months pregnant, with partner Dan Weston, was barred from a Burger King toilet . She tried pleading with staff, explaining that she was heavily pregnant, but they remained unmoved. Eventually, with the situation becoming pressing, she had to leave the restaurant and head somewhere else. Last night Miss Gunner said she had found the whole situation embarrassing and accused Burger King of 'disgraceful behaviour'. The company has now apologised. The incident took place at the same Burger King branch in North Road, Brighton, where in March last year another pregnant woman left in tears after being told she would have to pay £1 to use the toilets. In Miss Gunner's case, her partner Dan Weston and their friends were queuing to order while she rushed to the washrooms. But a member of staff said she would not be allowed in until she could show a proof of payment from the tills. Miss Gunner was refused entry to the Burger King toilet in North Street, Brighton (pictured) The 31-year-old said the decision to prevent her using the toilet was 'absolutely disgraceful behaviour' Miss Gunner said: 'I was furious. I pointed out that my friends were in the queue and that I was clearly heavily pregnant, asking for a little leniency, but again I was refused. 'It's quite obvious I'm pregnant and I specifically pointed it out to them. But she just said, 'Sorry, that's our policy'. As I was unable to use the toilet we had to leave before my partner ordered our lunch. 'I was left feeling extremely embarrassed at being turned away from using the toilet. I found this to be absolutely disgraceful behaviour. 'I tried to speak to the member of staff serving my friend and they still said there was nothing they could do. The whole thing just felt so silly. They could see we were waiting. While I understand people do come in to use facilities only, my partner could clearly be seen ordering.' A Burger King spokesman said: 'I would like to assure you that all pregnant women, whether they are customers or not, are allowed to use our washrooms at all times. 'It appears that one of the temporary Christmas staff was not informed about the policy. I have phoned the restaurant manager and discussed this unacceptable situation with him. He has assured me he will speak to all his staff to reiterate the company policy on this matter.' She said: 'It's quite obvious I'm pregnant' but was denied entry to the toilet because it was company policy . | Karen Gunner, 31, was told she could not use the toilets in Burger King .
Miss Gunner, who is six months pregnant, barred for having no receipt .
Her partner Dan Weston, 36, was queuing up to buy a Whopper meal .
Said the incident was 'absolutely disgraceful' and would not go back .
Burger King blamed the debacle on a temporary Christmas worker . |
20,834 | 3b1d3309825780556178569cd40d880a793f8da7 | (CNN) -- Eleven people were killed and 29 injured during a stampede at an election rally for Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, officials said. The stampede happened during a rally at Port Harcourt stadium in the country's southern delta, Rivers state spokesman Rita Inoma-Abbey told CNN. The area is the president's home turf and a main area of support. A presidential spokesman said that Jonathan has called for a full-scale investigation into the cause of the stampede. The president "has received with shock and sadness, news of the unfortunate loss of lives" at the stadium, Ima Niboro said. "I am sad, and heavily weighed down by this incident. It is sad, unfortunate and regrettable. I mourn with those who mourn tonight. May God grant us all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss," Jonathan said. The stampede follows what has been an imperfect start to Jonathan's campaign. At his first campaign stop in Nassarawa state, youths defaced his posters, burned tires, and two people were killed in the confusion. At another stop in Kano, supporters walked out before his speech, and in Ogun state he was criticized for calling opposition candidates "rascals." | A stampede at an event for President Goodluck Jonathan killed 11 .
It was at a stadium in an area where Jonathan has a lot of support .
It has been an imperfect start for the president's campaign . |
135,651 | 3b821235de5406fc2e59c127bd8df0372c3215b9 | (CNN) -- North Korea's newly launched satellite marks a "big deal" for Pyongyang, the crossing of a major threshold and a public relations win for the secretive country's new leader, Kim Jong Un, experts say. The success, after years of failed attempts, triggered worries among world leaders about nuclear weapons, Iran and the balance of power in the Pacific. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called the launch "clear provocation." Experts do not believe North Korea has a nuclear warhead small enough to fly on the kind of missile that Pyongyang has now proved it can send long-distance. And the United States believes the North Koreans may not have full control of the satellite they launched into space Wednesday, according to one U.S. official who declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information. But the launch allowed the regime to flex its military and technological muscle on the world stage. Panetta told CNN he is "very confident" that if North Korea were to launch a missile at the United States, the U.S. military could guard against it. North Korea silences doubters, raises fears with rocket launch . "Obviously the hope is that we never have to face that kind of threat," Panetta said. A central reason the United States is working to "rebalance the Pacific" is to deal with "the threat from North Korea," he added. There is "a path for North Korea to end its isolation, but that requires abiding by its international obligations," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday. "... It has chosen not to, and therefore, there will be consequences for that." Washington is leading the global response, threatening to impose sanctions on Pyongyang like those that have helped devastate Iran's economy. Those efforts were under way Wednesday in Security Council meetings at U.N. headquarters in New York . "Members of the Security Council condemned this launch," the council said in a statement, calling it "a clear violation" of previous resolutions -- including one in April that demanded North Korea halt any launches using ballistic missile technology. Success raises stakes for U.S. missile defense system . The council considers the issue urgent, the statement said. Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the statement one of the swiftest and strongest she had seen the council make about North Korea. "Now we go into the second phase" of discussions, she said: negotiations about what to do. China and Russia, North Korean allies and two of the council's permanent members, could exercise their veto power. The United States and other nations may impose unilateral measures, senior administration officials warned. But Pyongyang has ignored such threats before. New U.N. sanctions are unlikely, but the council might step up pressure on North Korea in other ways, said George Lopez, a professor with the University of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, who last year served on a U.N. panel of experts monitoring sanctions already in place against North Korea. The council's sanctions committee could add more North Korean entities to the sanctions list, he said. It could also do more to enforce sanctions already in place, for example by increasing inspections of cargo leaving North Korea to ensure no weapons technology is being shipped out. North Korea may not have 'full control' of satellite, U.S. official says . What the launch means . Wednesday's success was a breakthrough for the reclusive, nuclear-equipped state. North Korea "could sell this technology to others, including Iran and Pakistan, who have been regular customers of North Korea's other missiles," warns Victor Cha, who analyzes the region for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "They still have other technological thresholds to cross (miniaturized warheads, reentry vehicle), but this was undeniably a major one." The rocket blasted off from a space center on the country's west coast and delivered a satellite into its intended orbit, the North Korean regime said. The launch followed a botched attempt in April and came just days after Pyongyang suggested that a planned launch could be delayed. China reaction key as neighbors decry North Korea rocket launch . North Korea's previous claims of successful launches have been dismissed by the United States and other countries. But this time, a U.S. official confirmed that the object is in orbit. U.S. officials were looking into whether it is an operating satellite, the official said. The regime's state-run Korean Central News Agency said the satellite, named Kwangmyongsong-3, was "fitted with survey and communications devices essential for the observation of the earth." The satellite itself is probably not very sophisticated, said David Wright, a senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. The regime showed it in April, and it was a small box with solar panels and a simple camera with some basic communication devices, he said. Opinion: Name and shame China over North Korea launch . He compared it to Sputnik 1, the first man-made satellite that Russia launched into space in 1957. The value lies in the launch rather than in the object that North Korea now has floating above the Earth, Wright said. The regime doesn't "really care so much what's in it." It's a statement, Wright said. In Japan and South Korea, people will hear about North Korea's achievement -- and will probably be struck by its power, he said. Any show of might can help strengthen North Korea's position in international talks on numerous issues, including nuclear negotiations. The South Korean government said the launch was confrontational and a "threat to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the world." Japan called it "intolerable." The cost of launching a rocket . Iran praises the launch as much of the world assails it . Iran, meanwhile, praised North Korea's move. Gen. Masoud Jazaeri, a senior Iranian military official, expressed happiness about the launch, the semiofficial Fars News Agency reported. "Experience has shown that independent countries, by self-confidence and perseverance, can quickly reach the height of self-sufficiency in science and technology. Hegemonic powers, such as the United States, are unable to stop the progress of such countries," he said. China expressed regret that the launch had taken place, noting "concerns among the international community." "We hope relevant parties stay calm in order to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," said Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman. Several governments criticized Pyongyang's decision to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on its rocket program rather than on assisting its poor, malnourished population. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he deplored the fact that North Korea "has chosen to prioritize this launch over improving the livelihood of its people." The North's failed launch in April ended a deal for the United States to provide thousands of tons of food aid to the country. In his father's footsteps . "I think this is very important to Kim Jong Un to build political legitimacy and bolster the spirits of his people," said James Schoff, a North Korea specialist with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "He is doing this despite the fact that he knows he is going to come into a lot of criticism in the region for it." The launch has taken place during a period of power consolidation for Kim in which he has purged senior military officers in an apparent effort to stamp his authority on the regime's leadership. "If Kim Jong Un pulls off a successful long-range missile test, it's a very important signal saying that 'Yes, I, Kim Jong Un, have replaced the powerful generals,' " said John Park, a Stanton junior faculty fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "It shows that 'I have found the right balance and I am now in charge.' " Opinion: One small step for Kim Jong Un . The launch also ties in with important dates for the regime's ruling dynasty. Pyongyang had said this rocket launch would be "true to the behests" of Kim Jong Il, the late North Korean leader and father of Kim Jong Un. Kim Jong Il died on December 17 last year, so the rocket launch took place just days before tearful mourners are expected to gather for the first anniversary of his death. Experts had also speculated that North Korea wanted this launch to happen before the end of 2012, the year that marks the centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea and grandfather of Kim Jong Un. Another factor may also be at play: The launch took place ahead of national elections in Japan on Sunday and in South Korea on December 19. North Korea is a crucial foreign policy issue in both of those countries. The rocket took off Wednesday morning and flew south over Japan's Okinawa islands. There were conflicting reports about how many parts fell into the sea. Read more: What does North Korea's planned rocket launch mean? A launch had seemed unlikely to take place so soon after North Korea announced Monday that it was extending the rocket's launch window into late December, citing technical issues with an engine. Previous attempts by the North in 1998, 2006, 2009 and April of this year failed to achieve their stated goal of putting a satellite into orbit and provoked international condemnation. The rockets launched in 1998 and 2009 flew for hundreds of kilometers but didn't succeed in deploying satellites, other countries and experts said at the time. North Korea nonetheless insisted that both satellites did reach orbit, with KCNA reporting that they were transmitting "immortal revolutionary" songs back to Earth. The 2006 launch failed soon after takeoff and wasn't reported by state media. In April, the North Korean regime invited members of the international news media, including CNN, into the country to observe the preparations for its planned launch. But the strategy backfired when the rocket broke apart shortly after blasting off. On that occasion, state media took the unusual step of admitting the launch's failure. Timeline: North Korea's rocket-fueled obsession . CNN's Elise Labott, Jethro Mullen, K.J. Kwon, Paula Hancocks, Paul Armstrong, Erin Burnett, Junko Ogura, Barbara Starr, Jamie Crawford, Chris Lawrence and Jessica Yellin, and journalist Connie Young in Beijing, contributed to this report. | White House warns "there will be consequences"
New sanctions are unlikely, an analyst who served on a U.N. panel says .
Iran says it is happy for North Korea; China expresses regret about the launch .
Panetta cites "threat from North Korea," calls the launch "clear provocation" |
154,029 | 53154e0fd33f05266314dc92c1fa2c1941d10fbd | By . Chris Foy In Auckland . Danny Care is on course to be recalled by England for the second Test in Dunedin on Saturday, after returning to full training following his shoulder injury. The 27-year-old Harlequins scrum half was ruled out of the series opener at Eden Park last weekend in unfortunate circumstances, following a freak training-ground accident. Care hurt himself after attempting a low kick only to miss the ball and fall awkwardly – prompting wild amusement among team-mates and coaches until his predicament became clear. Back to fitness: Danny Care, training indoors on Monday in Auckland, is set to return for England on Saturday . Freak accident: The Harlequins' scrum half fell while kicking ahead of the first Test and injured his shoulder . In his absence, Ben Youngs of Leicester started in the No 9 shirt in the first Test, but he was unable to deliver a fluent performance and there is a strong chance that Care will now be brought straight back into England’s starting XV. His outstanding displays during the Six Nations will no doubt count in his favour as Stuart Lancaster and his assistant coaches finalise their selection prior to the official team announcement on Thursday morning local time. Should the exuberant Yorkshireman reclaim his place, he will resume his half-back partnership with Owen Farrell and the Saracens No 10 gave an emphatic endorsement of his qualities. ‘I played with Danny for the first time in the Six Nations and loved it,' he said. ‘He's obviously a world-class player and someone who can take any opportunity that comes. Not only that but he can make something out of nothing. To be able to play off the back of that is huge. Danny's a brilliant player.’ Farrell was asked if he and others destined to replace players who performed so well in narrow defeat at Eden Park feel guilty about doing so. Taking chances: Ben Youngs deputised for Care at No 9 but didn't make the mark he would have hoped . In form: Care was impressive in the Six Nations and for Quins in their late-season charge into the finals . He said: ‘I don't know about guilty. They'll want to do it justice. ‘Any time you pull that shirt on you wanted to do yourself justice and you do that by performing. Everyone wanted those who played on Saturday to do well. In this camp the team comes first. 'It's not about us as individuals; it's about what's best for us as a team.’ England must win at the Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday in order to keep this three-match series alive and Farrell described it as a ‘massive’ occasion on that basis. The tourists will go into it full of renewed conviction that the All Blacks are beatable. ‘They're the best team in the world for a reason,’ said Farrell. ‘What they've done over the last two years has been unbelievable. We want to challenge ourselves against them because ultimately that's where we want to be, but we have a huge sense of self-belief and back ourselves against anybody.’ Late blow: The World Champion All Blacks beat England with a try at the death in the corner from Conrad Smith . | Care missed the first Test after suffering a freak shoulder injury in training .
The scrum-half underwent minor surgery and is set to return for England .
His replacement, Leicester's Ben Youngs, didn't impress in Auckland .
England must win on Saturday to keep three-Test series alive .
Stuart Lancaster's understrength side were beaten 20-15 in first Test . |
264,501 | e2947ce8b2405ad08e53b39f6b830e9975bce99c | Britain's biggest bank has been attacked by US authorities for 'turning a blind eye' to large-scale money laundering by drug cartels, terrorists and rogue regimes. The US Department of Justice yesterday accused HSBC of an 'astonishing record of dysfunction' in allowing hundreds of millions of illicit dollars through its branches. The bank is said to have had such a 'ringing endorsement' from Mexico drug gangs that it became known as the 'place to launder money'. Dirty money: HSBC's headquarters in Mexico City, where the bank is said to have become known as 'the place to go' for money laundering among Mexico's drug cartels . The revelations put renewed pressure . on trade minister Lord Green for his former role as boss of HSBC. The . Tory peer was chief executive of the bank from 2003 to 2006 – and US . authorities say the worst wrongdoing took place between 2002 and 2010. The blistering attack in the US was . launched as HSBC was forced to pay a record £1.2billion settlement for . money-laundering activities and breaching sanctions against regimes . including Cuba, Iran, Libya, Burma and Zimbabwe. In a further humiliation HSBC agreed . to spend £430million on a 26 point 'know your customer' plan to ensure . it doesn't do business with terrorists or drug gangs in future. HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver said the bank is 'profoundly sorry' for the failings. Yesterday, Lord Green, who left the . bank with a £19.1million pension pot, was urged by Labour's Chris Leslie . to clear up 'lingering' doubts about his failure to stop the scandal. Apologetic: HSBC chief executive officer Stuart Gulliver said the bank was 'profoundly sorry' for any part they may have played in money laundering . Dysfunctional bank: Lanny Breuer, Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice accused HSBC of 'turning a blind eye' and allowing billions of pounds to be laundered through their U.S arm . The shadow Treasury minister said Lord Green should reveal 'what he knew and when'. An email published in a probe by the . US Senate suggested Lord Green was warned about wrongdoing as far back . as January 2005 by the bank's former compliance chief, David Bagley. Lord Green, 64, has previously claimed 'he has no case to answer' but refused to comment yesterday. Lanny Breuer, assistant attorney . general of the US Department of Justice's criminal division said: 'HSBC . is being held accountable for stunning failures of oversight – and . worse. The record of dysfunction that prevailed at HSBC for many years . was astonishing.' Mr Breuer said one transaction with Iran involved 32,000 ounces of gold that went directly to the Iranian Central Bank. Under fire: Trade Minister Lord Green previously claimed he had no 'case to answer' regarding money laundering taking place during his time as head of HSBC but emails suggest he was warned as early as 2005 . In a further damning detail, he . revealed that Mexican drug gangs used the bank so often they built . special boxes to fit into the HSBC teller's slots. He added that the bank was not being . stripped of its licence to trade in the US because it would mean . 'innocent' people in America would lose jobs. The Department of Justice said at . least £550million in proceeds from drugs trafficking from Mexican and . drug cartels was laundered through HSBC in the US. Cashwash: The posters on the right show how money has been laundered from Mexico through HSBC . It also accused the bank of helping . countries evade sanctions, with £410million from Sudan, Libya and others . sent to HSBC accounts in the US. Loretta Lynch, US Attorney for the . Eastern District of New York said that the 'woefully inadequate' compliance systems meant that HSBC became known as 'the place to launder . money'. The client list included Sinaloa, . Mexico's most powerful gang, which has been behind over 20,000 killings . since 2006. Murders by the cartel often involve beheadings. Some are . filmed and put on the internet to warn rivals. The extent of the scandal emerged in . July when senior HSBC executives were hauled before a powerful Senate . committee. The bank has been braced for a fine ever since, putting aside . £930million to cover a settlement. A UK Government spokesman said: 'At . the time of the report's publication HSBC expressed its regret that . there were failures of implementation and Lord Green has said that he . shares that regret.' HSBC said it increased spending on US anti-money laundering ninefold to £150 million between 2009 and 2011. | HSBC accused of ignoring money laundering by Mexican drug cartels .
British bank also breached sanctions against regimes such as Iran and Libya .
Calls for ex-CEO, Trade Minister Lord Green, to explain 'what he knew'
The bank has been forced by U.S. Government to pay a £1.2 billion settlement of the money laundering . |
51,284 | 91322a16e076eabb86250610485d05b9dbfdfdcd | Thick and heavy cloud has killed-off the best views of Wednesday night's rare lunar eclipse as the highly anticipated event fizzled out in skies over Australia. The blood moon event, which astronomers were promising would make for spectacular viewing, failed to live up to to the hype many were hoping as a band of high cloud blocked the best views. Despite the disappointment, hundreds gathered at spots across the city hoping for a glimpse of the burgundy sphere. Scroll down for video . The blood moon which appeared briefly over Australia on Wednesday night . The event failed to live up to the hype many were expecting when a band of high cloud blocked the moon . About 200 people gathered around Sydney to watch the event unfold . About 200 people were at observatory hill, next to the Harbour Bridge, while about 50 gathered under the northern side of the central Sydney landmark. Professional and amateur photographers were about with lenses of all sizes, but their chances of snapping a clear shot of the event are slim due to thick, heavy low cloud. 'That doesn't help anyone see through it,' a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP. 'Ironically (Thursday) night is probably a much better night for viewing the sky, which tends to happen with these things sometimes.' Many were parked beneath the Harbour Bridge . At about 10pm a dull, dark beige moon briefly appeared, prompting members of the crowd to reach for their cameras. For those prepared to travel, the best spot to see the eclipse was the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, or further west. Astronomer Alan Duffy of Melbourne's Swinburne University of Technology says a lunar eclipse occurs when the earth moves between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow across the moon that causes it to turn a blood red colour. A lot of the country's east coast is affected by the cloud, but with a lunar eclipse happening at least twice a year stargazers shouldn't have to wait long for another chance to observe the phenomenon. And it's expected that seven will occur in 2038. West Australians will see the total eclipse, but will miss the entire passage of the earth's shadow across the face of the moon because the eclipse begins before the moon rises over the state. The eclipse is the second of four total lunar eclipses, starting with a first 'blood moon' on April 15, in a series astronomers call a tetrad. A slight tinge of red can be seen hovering over the city of Sydney on Wednesday night . A red moon will be visible in Australia and other parts of the world on Wednesday . A senior lecturer at Queensland University of Technology explained: 'A blood Moon occurs when the orbit of the Moon is nearly perfectly aligned with the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. 'The simultaneous occurrence of all sunsets and sunrises on the rim of the Earth, make the Moon red.' With a small pair of binoculars people will also be able to spot Uranus about 'two moon widths away' from the the blood moon. The eclipse will happen two more times over the next two years as part of this cycle, on April 4 and September 28, 2015. The next Tetrad cycle won't occur until 2032. 'If we were on the moon during this eclipse, we would see a bright orange-red ring in the sky where the Earth should be. The light from that bright ring bathes the moon in a reddish glow, which we can see from Earth.' Dr Hughes explained. In this photo people watch as the 'Blood Moon' rises over the water in Williamstown, Melbourne, on April 15 . A blood moon occurs when the moon passes in to the shadow of Earth called the umbra . It is described as the 'simultaneous occurrence of all sunsets and sunrises' Some Christians are concerned that the celestial event could mark the start of terrible events, based on a passage from the Bible that says: 'The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord comes.' In 1493, the first Tetrad saw the expulsion of Jews by the Catholic Spanish Inquisition. The second happened in 1949, right after the State of Israel was founded and the most recent one - in 1967 - happened during the Six-Day War between Arabs and Israelis. John Hagee, a Christian pastor who has written a book on the Tetrad called 'Four Blood Moons: Something is About to Change' told the Daily Express that the first of the blood moons in 2014 took place right in the middle of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Dr Hughes said that 'anywhere down the East Coast' is the best place to view it . The second, on October 8, occurs during the Feast of the Tabernacle and the third will be on April 4, 2015, also during Passover. The final one happens on September 28, 2015, which is also during the Feast of the Tabernacles. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in the shadow of Earth. This is an area known as the umbra, where light from the sun is blocked by our planet. The light refracts differently in the atmosphere and, as it hits the moon, it appears red. This gives rise to its 'blood red' appearance during a total eclipse, when the entire moon is in shadow. If it skirts the shadow, known as a partial or penumbral eclipse, the effect is less dramatic. When the moon first enters the Earth's partial shadow, know as the penumbra, a dark shadow begins to creep across the moon. This gives the illusion that the moon is changing phases in a matter of minutes instead of weeks. At the eclipse's peak, the moon enters the Earth's full shadow; the umbra. At this stage, the Earth's atmosphere scatters the sun's red visible light; the same process that turns the sky red at sunset. As a result, the red light reflects off the moon's surface, casting a reddish rust hue over it. | Chances of snapping a clear shot of the event were slim due to thick, heavy and low cloud particularly over Sydney .
For those who were prepared to travel, the best spot to see the eclipse was Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, or further west.
The 'blood moon' was being billed as better than the last in April this year .
The even happens at a 'simultaneous occurrence of all sunsets and .
The final two 'blood moons' of this Tetrad will happen on April 4 and September 28, 2015 . |
274,155 | ef19153083a73c51a50dd9691fdf43fd76e00cd4 | It is rare for women and men in Iran to enjoy the thrill of sports together in public, but it happened over the weekend when several restaurants and cafes appeared to ignore a ban on broadcasting the World Cup. Inside one Tehran coffee shop, a young, veiled Iranian woman held her fiancé's hand tightly as the seconds ticked down in Iran's heart-stopping World Cup match against South American powerhouse Argentina. Another woman gently bit her French-manicured nails as she sat between two male friends who were drenched with nervous sweat and fast losing their voices. Throughout the rest of the cafe other women intermittently cheered, gasped, and shouted instructions at the direction of the big screen TV. "100 percent it's better this way," said Negar Valayi. "It doesn't happen often. It would be great if we have more of this." "It's actually much better to watch it with a bunch of people around because it makes you feel more excited," said Roya Marzbahan. Authorities in Iran banned women from entering most sporting events following the 1979 Islamic Revolution because mixed crowds enjoying games was deemed un-Islamic. For the past 35 years, the crowds at football games -- Iran's most popular sport -- have been all male. Iranian women were briefly allowed to attend volleyball matches during the presidency of moderate Mohammad Khatami but the ban was reinstated in 2005 when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power. In an apparent effort to avoid mixed crowds watching this year's World Cup, authorities warned restaurants not to broadcast games. "We were told not to turn on the TV because it might create some problems," a restaurant hostess told CNN on the phone. In more subtle measures designed to deter mixed crowds, women don't appear on World Cup billboards throughout Tehran, and state TV uses a delay of several seconds during matches to censor images of female fans deemed too racy for viewers. But in a country where conservative social norms often clash with a young, defiant, fun-loving population, women have continued to demand equality. Earlier this month, several Iranian women snuck into a men's volleyball match in Tehran disguised as Brazilian fans, state media reported. Others protested outside the match. "We have rights too. We should be able to go to games," said Negar Valayi. "They're taking our rights," said Roya Marzbahan. "It's our right to watch our teams." This month state media reported that female Vice President Shahindokht Molaverdi was "investigating" the ban on women attending volleyball matches -- a sign perhaps that Iran's moderate President Hassan Rouhani is heeding Iranian women's demand for equal rights to enjoy sports. | Women defy ban on watching sports with men to cheer on Iran in World Cup .
Ban was introduced after 1979 Islamic Revolution; mixed crowds deemed un-Islamic .
Women continue to fight for equality . |
171,138 | 6982aaf539fa90a6c2bb020d228e370edcf4c66b | (CNN) -- If Adam Silver were commissioner of the NFL, would running back Ray Rice have already been banned from the league? And if Roger Goodell were in charge of the NBA, would Donald Sterling still be the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers? What-ifs and role reversals can make your head spin. What we have are two leagues and two vastly different responses to separate hot-button issues: racism and domestic violence. Silver had little time to settle into his new job. He took over from longtime NBA commissioner David Stern on February 1, and by late April, he was already embroiled in the Sterling controversy. Even with the short break-in period, Silver won rave reviews. He earned them by acting swiftly, sending investigators to Los Angeles to confirm it was Sterling who made racist comments on an audio recording obtained by TMZ. Within days, Silver acted, banning the Clippers owner for life, fining him $2.5 million and initiating proceedings to terminate Sterling's ownership rights. It wasn't easy, but Silver held firm. Sterling went back and forth about selling the team, and made additional reprehensible comments, some in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. In it, Sterling repeatedly apologized and denied accusations that he's racist, saying he'd been "baited" into making what he called "terrible" remarks. Still, in the interview, Sterling continued attacks on former NBA great Magic Johnson. In it, he questioned the character of the former Los Angeles Lakers player and his battle with HIV, saying Johnson hasn't done anything to help others. But Johnson shrugged it off, saying he feels sorry for the billionaire and will pray for him. In the end, Silver's actions were seen as decisive and unflinching. Players, team owners and civil rights advocates applauded him. "There's no room for Donald Sterling in the NBA," LeBron James said before a game in April. "There is no room for him." "This attack on Magic is crazy," filmmaker Spike Lee told Cooper after the interview. "He's messing with the wrong brother. Magic is loved by everybody around the world. And the talk about some other stuff that has nothing to do with nothing is ridiculous." Sterling asked: What has Magic Johnson done? Answer: Quite a lot . There was some criticism, like why did it take the NBA so long to get rid of Sterling when he had been accused of racism several times in the past. In 2009 he settled -- while admitting no liability -- three lawsuits tied to discrimination claims at apartments he owned in Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Times reported. He also settled a 2003 lawsuit that claimed he wouldn't rent to Latinos, the Times reported. Sterling also was sued in 2009 by former Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor, who said he was a victim of age and racial discrimination. Baylor dropped the race claim and a jury ruled in Sterling's favor. Donald Sterling interview . Bobbling the ball . Now compare that with Goodell's handling of the Ray Rice case. Critics say he fumbled it from the start. It was TMZ again with the damning evidence. Security camera video showed the former Baltimore Raven dragging an unconscious Janay Palmer -- then his fiancee -- out of an elevator. That was back in February, at the beginning of the off-season. The couple married in March. Voices of domestic violence . It would be several months before Goodell interviewed Rice and his wife. And when he did, the two were reportedly in the room together. Another month passed before Goodell gave Rice a two-game suspension, and that didn't sit well with many people. Goodell insisted it was consistent with other cases. Eventually, Goodell admitted that it was a mistake and drew up new domestic violence policy with harsher penalties that were a reaction to the criticism. The harshest blow to Goodell's handling of the case came this week when TMZ released another video that showed Rice throwing the punches that knocked out Palmer. The Baltimore Ravens dropped him from the team, and the NFL suspended him indefinitely. NFL chief Roger Goodell faces intense criticism . Taking the hits . Critics want to know why a tougher punished wasn't handed out sooner. "I didn't get it right," said Goodell. "Simply put, we have to do better." The National Organization for Women thinks so. NOW is calling for Goodell's resignation. "The NFL has lost its way," said a statement released late Tuesday by NOW President Terry O'Neill. "It doesn't have a Ray Rice problem; it has a violence against women problem." NOW also noted Goodell's silence on the Jerry Jones lawsuit. A former exotic dancer sued the Dallas Cowboys owner this week, accusing him of sexual assault. An attorney for the team called the allegations "completely false." Adding to the chorus against Goodell is outspoken ESPN personality Keith Olbermann. He called Goodell an "enabler of men who beat women" and demanded the commissioner resign or be fired. San Francisco Chronicle sport columnist Ann Killion agreed. "Roger Goodell should follow Rice out the door -- his leadership has no integrity and no longer can be trusted by the public. He should resign," she wrote. In the reactions to the two cases, perhaps there's a lesson in how the NBA and NFL handled them. Much like on the court or on the field, a decisive hand running the team can blunt much of the criticism. | NFL and NBA commissioners have each faced member conduct challenges in 2014 .
Adam Silver took over the NBA and immediately faced the Sterling crisis .
Roger Goodell has been the NFL boss for eight years.
There's a growing chorus calling for Goodell's resignation . |
114,501 | 1fc0686f130cfa6277c695baa043c6946505b5d7 | By . Sara Malm . Showing incredible strength as she drags a gazelle up a tree by the neck, this leopardess proves that there is nothing a mother will not do to get dinner on the table. These images capture the moment a ruthless leopard kills a gazelle and drags the carcass up a tree before inviting her teenage cub to enjoy dinner al fresco in the top branches. The leopardess was seen chasing the Grants gazelle across the savannah of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, before slaying it and grabbing it by the neck. Heavy lunch: A leopard was spotted dragging its prey up a tree on the Serengeti, Tanzania . One step at a time: With astonishing strength, the leopard hauls the gazelle up the trunk by the neck . Al fresco dining: The stunning leopardess drags the dead gazelle to a suitable spot . After transporting her ‘Sunday roast’ to safety from other predators, the leopardess allows her cub to follow . her up into the treetops where the pair ate the gazelle. The pictures were by Archna Singh, a hobby photographer from New Delhi, India. Archna . said: ‘The leopardess looked beautiful, and as I sat there, happily . taking as many pictures of her as I could, she surveyed the savannah. ‘When . leopards make a kill, it is usually a tiring experience, and it was no . different with this leopardess, who looked a little worn out after . bagging the gazelle. ‘Her expressions, as you can see were mesmerizing.’ S-lay the table: The leopard is happy with its catch contemplates in which setting to invite its friend for dinner . Prep work: Having slayed the Grants gazelle, the leopard grabs it by the neck and drags it across the savannah towards the tall tree . Carry home the meat: The predator appears to ponder how to get the large Grants gazelle all the way to the top of the tree . Come dine with me: A younger leopard, believed to be the cub of a hunting mother, looks longing towards the dinner presented at the top of the tree . 'Dinner is ready!': The leopardess roars to the cub on the ground as she places the gazelle over a branch . 'Wash your paws!': Even a leopard mother cares about her little ones' manners at the dinner table . Munch time: The leopardess and her cub start enjoying the fruits of her labour - gazelle for dinner . | Circle of life on the Tanzanian savannah captured by photographer .
Leopardess dragged Grants gazelle into a tree on the Serengeti .
Predator prepared dinner in the top branches before inviting her cub . |
256,933 | d88f6ace083f616e2d629101e2c6df7f24714231 | (CNN) -- Doctors in Spain say they have carried out the world's first full face transplant on a man who severely damaged his face in an accident. Doctors at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron University Hospital say they were able to give the man a new nose, lips, teeth and cheekbones during 24 hours of surgery. Thirty doctors were part of the surgery that occurred in late March. The patient had undergone nine failed operations before being considered for the transplant. The medical team's leader, Joan Pere Barret, told reporters that the patient was satisfied when he saw his new appearance. He has scars on his forehead and neck, but they will be concealed in the future, Barret said. "'The patient asked to see himself one week after the surgery, and he reacted very calmly and with satisfaction, and when we asked him -- in writing, because we communicate with writing and gestures -- he said he was very grateful and satisfied," Barret said. Although this is the first total face transplant, there have been partial face transplants in France, the United States, China and Spain. The first was when doctors operated on Isabelle Dinoire in Amiens, France, in 2005. She had been mauled by her dog. In 2008, the United States had its first-ever near-total face transplant. Connie Culp, injured by a bullet in 2004, received the nose, upper lip and cheekbones of a donor in a 22-hour operation at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. CNN's Al Goodman and Elizabeth Landau contributed to this report. | Doctors at Barcelona hospital gave man new nose, lips, teeth, cheekbones .
The man severely damaged his face in an accident .
Medical team's leader said patient was satisfied when he saw new appearance .
There have been partial face transplants in France, the U.S., China and Spain . |
241,489 | c4930742ab6a30a53883686dbf406d9aa2dc577d | By . Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 07:46 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:03 EST, 14 March 2013 . It describes itself as the warmest corner of the British Isles ... not that you’d know it from this picture. The worst snow storms in 26 years have caused havoc on the Channel Islands this week, leaving drifts up to 8ft deep. The airport on Guernsey had to be shut for two days while more than 15,000 tons of snow were removed from the runway. Wintry: These are the incredible scenes of 8ft snow drifts which wreaked havoc in the holiday isle of Guernsey - the warmest corner of the UK . Deep: The Channel Island has ground to a halt over the past few days following the worst snow storms in decades . Snowy: These pictures were taken by Danielle Stonebridge, 21, of her father Dave, 61 . The islands caught the same storms . that crippled northern France, where shoulder-deep drifts led to Channel . Tunnel trains being cancelled and long queues on the M20 as lorries . waited for delayed ferries. Although most of the Guernsey and Jersey snow is now melting, weather men predict another cold snap next week. This picture was taken by Danielle Stonebridge, 21, a Guernsey resident and part- time photographer, of her father Dave, 61. Bleak: The unseasonably cold weather was still felt across Britain today after temperatures plummeted overnight to -8C. Although conditions were not as bad as this in Guernsey . Knee-deep: These residents of Guernsey made the most of the wintry conditions . She said: ‘I have never seen snow like . this before, my dad can remember something like this when he was around . ten years old, but there is just so much of it. It brings the child out . in me and I have been out in the snow playing, it has been great. Although it is hard to get around, a five minute journey took me three . hours, the roads are absolute carnage.’ The blizzard conditions were the worst . seen on the islands for almost three decades, the senior forecaster at . Guernsey Met Office said. Cold: Britain was still feeling the unseasonably cold weather today after temperatures plummeted overnight. Bob Ripley, 62, from Richmond, looks at the icicles at The Bow Lee Beck at Gibsons Cave in Teesdale . Freezing: Many people woke up to work this morning to find heavy frost on gardens and windscreens. Temperatures in Teesdale fell to -7C last night . Stunning: This picture of The Bow Lee Beck at Gibsons Cave in Teesdale looked like it could have been taken in the middle of December . Martin Crozier added: ‘You have to go back to January 1987 to have the sort of depth of snow and drifting. ‘This one has thrown up some enormous . drifts which I don’t think we had in 1987 so people will compare it to . the 1970s and even 1963.’ On mainland Britain, things look a little more promising with temperatures set to rise slightly over the weekend. But the respite may be over quickly as . heavy rain and overnight frosts are forecast by Tuesday accompanied by a . return of the biting easterly winds that brought temperatures recently . down to as low as minus 8C. Frosty: This is a scene which would have greeted many motorists as they headed to work this morning. This BMW car was covered in frost in Danbury, Essex . Wintry: Temperatures dropped during the night to -8C in large parts of the UK. This image shows the frost on a car in Essex . Icy: Forecasters have predicted that the cold weather will not go away, with snow expected this weekend. The frost which settled on this BMW made a number of attractive patterns . Chris Burton, forecaster for . Meteogroup, warned that though not as bitter as the past week, . temperatures are ‘definitely not warming up anytime soon’. He said: ‘It will be a touch milder over the next couple of days but still cold for the time of year. ‘It will remain unsettled with quite . heavy rain on Friday and this will still be cold enough to form sleet . and snow on higher grounds. ‘There are hints that there could be . another cold spell developing next week, certainly enough to make . overnight frosts quite likely. ‘It’s definitely not warming up any time soon.’ Mixed: This Met Office graphic shows how the weekend is likely to be unsettled across much of the UK . Dramatic: This picture shows the snowy landscape at Howgill Fells in Cumbria yesterday . Gloomy: Like many parts of the UK, Howgill Fells is seeing unseasonably cold weather for this time of year . | Freezing conditions led to a heavy frost developing across much of the UK .
Temperatures dropped to -8.7C in some parts of Britain .
Met Office warns: 'Nowhere should be surprised if it snows this weekend' |
252,662 | d2fc851b2ad11037a3adf1a08cce02b13859e4f2 | Washington (CNN) -- Bob Barker, the former host of "The Price Is Right," made an impassioned plea Wednesday for an end to what he described as an ugly side of entertainment: the mistreatment of exotic and wild animals in traveling circuses. At a Capitol Hill news conference, Barker noted that traveling circuses rely heavily on animals that are trained to do tricks, which he said is accomplished with acts of cruelty. "How do they train them? They have to dominate the animal," Barker said. "How do they dominate the animal? They beat it, with clubs, fists, black jacks, ax handles, golf clubs. They shock it with all sorts of electric devices. They use bull hooks on them they even deprive them of food and even water in order to make them do these tricks." Barker, who is well known for promoting the cause of animal protection, is championing the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act. The bill, which would amend the existing Animal Welfare Act, has attracted bipartisan support. The bill would affect only traveling shows. It specifically exempts zoos, aquariums and research labs and rodeos. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Virginia, said that although the issue is not the most pressing concern of the day for Americans, "how we treat animals is a reflection of our nation's moral character." Dr. Mel Richardson of Animal Defenders International lent his perspective from more than four decades of veterinary practice on the conditions of most, if not all, lions, tigers and elephants in traveling shows: "Imagine living all of your life on a queen-size or king-size bed." But the concerns are not confined to their housing. Jan Creamer, president of ADI, said there is sufficient documented evidence -- gained from workers planted in some traveling circuses -- that many of the animals suffer from violent training and severe punishment. Barker's celebrity co-host was actress Jorga Fox of "CSI" and "The West Wing," who echoed the call for setting up more permanent residences for circus animals, and taking them off the road. "Our kids look to us for what is right and our kids look to us for what is fun. ... If our kids knew how cruel and violent these events were, I think they'd actually be very disappointed in us, for [going] to these places," Fox said. A recent incident in Ohio in which privately kept wild and exotic animals were released by their owner and ultimately killed by authorities, and a recent lawsuit against SeaWorld alleging the exploitation of orcas, have drawn attention to the mistreatment of show animals. Barker and his fellow advocates say the public is attuned to the nature of the proposed legislation. Similar measures have been passed in at least 20 countries, including Bolivia, Peru, Portugal and India. And, according to the panel, more than a half-dozen countries are soon likely to follow suit. "It is time for the United States to join this parade of nations that is doing the right thing," Barker said. | Bob Barker urges passage of the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act .
In a Capitol Hill news conference, he tells of violence used to train animals .
Animal protection advocate tells of confined lives of large show animals .
Actress Jorga Fox: "Our kids look to us to do what is right" |
23,189 | 41cc9cb2c1614c98906a0d22abb22d7c681952b4 | More people than ever are having to work on Christmas Day, according to a new study. Gone are the days when every shop was shut and the parish church was jammed with worshippers, as more staff are asked to forego their festive break. The Trade Union Congress revealed almost 172,000 workers were on duty on December 25 in 2010, a figure that has risen 78 per cent in the last eight years. Serving holiday cheer: A majority of people working on Christmas day are in service orientated industries, such as hospitality . The numbers of those working over Christmas in 2004 was 96,000 and in 1998 was 72,000. The most recent figures show equal numbers of men and women going to work on Christmas Day. Those in the NHS and social care made up the biggest group, 74,500, of those working in 2010, while 14,000 hospitality and catering staff and 13,800 retail, wholesale and motoring workers gave up their break. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber called for employers to make sure their staff are properly recompensed for sacrificing Christmas. He said: ‘There has been a significant increase in the number of people working on Christmas Day in recent years, reflecting the changing nature of the way we live our lives. Not alone: Santa and Rudolph are not the only ones to work on Christmas Day . ‘Unions have worked hard to make sure that the UK’s Christmas Day employees get premium rates, earning double or even triple their normal pay. ‘We should all spare a thought for the people next Tuesday who will be hard at work while we’re opening our presents, messing about with our new gadgets, tucking into our turkey dinners, sipping a glass of sherry and relaxing with our families. ‘But whether it be the emergency services, those in the health service, call centre workers, people working in petrol stations or in hotels and restaurants, let’s remember all those whose work helps keep the country ticking over while the rest of us are enjoying ourselves.’ | A majority of Christmas workers are in service orientated industries such as hospitality .
NHS and social care make up the biggest group . |
275,903 | f16e374d99ddd2a798937396307e07feb7bd8ca4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 11:52 PM on 3rd September 2011 . A man accused of battering a frail pensioner to death was arrested by police at a library yesterday. It happened after concerned staff who had seen pictures issued by police of Graeme Jarman, 47, raised the alarm when they suspected he was inside the building in Filey, North Yorkshire. Jarman became the subject of a nationwide manhunt after detectives discovered the body of 77-year-old Judith Richardson at her home in Hexham,Northumberland, on August 19. Arrested: Graeme Jarman, left, is being questioned over the murder of Judith Richardson . It is believed her attacker killed her with a hammer before stealing her handbag. Jarman disappeared from his home in Consett, Co Durham, two days before Miss Richardson was found. Durham Police appealed for him to come forward on August 23. Miss Richardson’s handbag was found dumped in a bin outside a charity shop in Newcastle city centre, 25 miles from her house. A passer-by handed it to police who went to her home in an attempt to return it – but instead found her lifeless body. Last Monday, detectives issued CCTV images of Jarman and warned the public not to approach him. Jarman is thought to have changed his appearance in recent days . More than 40 officers from Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland forces worked with colleagues in Dorset, Sussex and Kent after it emerged Jarman regularly visited the areas. Police believe in the week before the murder Jarman lost a considerable amount of money gambling. Northumbria Police said Jarman was detained after staff at a library in Filey alerted officers at 3pm this afternoon. Jarman, shown here on CCTV last week, was believed to have travelled down south but was arrested in North Yorkshire . Yesterday a niece of the victim spoke out to urge anyone with information to contact police. She said: ‘We are a very private family and we are finding all of this so horrific. We thank everyone for all the lovely condolences and good wishes that we have received and sincerely thank everyone who has helped the police in any way. ‘We would also like to ask everyone to please keep helping the police with any information to assist them in finding whoever is responsible for Judith's devastating death.’ Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Adamson said of the arrest: 'I would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance during this investigation. 'It has been their support which has made this arrest possible. 'I would also like to take the opportunity to mention the unwavering support we have received from police forces across the country. 'It is to them, as much as to the officers of Northumbria, Cleveland and Durham I owe my thanks.' | Graeme Jarman had been missing for two weeks but was arrested this afternoon in North Yorkshire . |
122,959 | 2aeedf52334901fb702aad2a5a802c7592fa3e67 | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- It was August, 2011, the night rebels seized control of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's compound and Tripoli fell. I'd already done a couple of business shows earlier that day and was about to go home when the news broke. I ended up staying on the air through 4am. I didn't know it then, but I was having my own attack as well. First, the harsh studio lights. I could barely focus my eyes on the camera in front of me. Fortunately, we do not use teleprompters in breaking news situations. It's almost all ad-libbed. There was no way I could have read any words on a screen. Organizing sentences in my brain became increasingly difficult -- and it wasn't just the usual fatigue from a sustained marathon of breaking news at CNN International. By the end of it, my face felt numb, and I thought this must be what it's like when someone's having a stroke. Out of the studio, the racket of my earpiece out of my head, the lights dimmed, I immediately felt better, made it home and flopped into bed. When I awoke the next afternoon, it was all "Alice in Wonderland." The room, the hallway, the doorframes, everything was on a tilt. I was so dizzy, I had to hold on with both hands to walk down the hall. This was my first major flare-up of a compromised vestibular system, the complex network of the inner ear, the brain and the eyes we never think about, but is largely responsible for keeping humans upright. One doctor thought it was Ménière's disease since I had previously suffered hearing loss in my left ear. I was terrified. Am I going deaf? No one could answer. It took a couple of months, but I finally found the right doctor who specialized in vestibular disorders and who nailed it right away. I also learned I was in good company. According to the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA), an estimated 35 percent of Americans aged 40 or older experience vertigo or persistent dizziness sometime in their lives. That's about 70 million Americans. NBA stars Pau Gasol and LeBron James, and the NHL's Sidney Crosby and Chris Pronger are just a few famous professional athletes and public figures who suffered vestibular problems related to concussion or injury. Some have been career-ending. Many cases remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Having a chronic vestibular problem is a bit like having a hurricane inside your head. While the disorder is often associated with brain injuries, anyone can get hit. In my case, it was a combination of the hearing loss and the work environment: bright lights, loud noise, intense stress and fatigue which are all typical in the life of a news anchor on a 24-hour, international network. Florida-based chiropractic neurologist Dr. Ted Carrick, who sees patients from all over the world, including dozens of celebrity athletes, says: "People lose their autonomy with vestibular issues. "There is nothing better... than when I see a person who can't walk without their hands on a wall get their life back." Carrick points to the prevalence of falls which he says are the greatest cause of accidental death after the age of 21. "We have tens of millions of patients at risk of falling and don't even know it. "You can feel good because the brain compensates, but the compensation isn't permanent and it isn't full. "People are aware of heart attacks and cancer, but they're walking around in a bigger time bomb." Cynthia Ryan, Executive Director of VEDA, adds: "Many of our members tell us that they feel they have an invisible chronic illness. "Their symptoms and condition are not always acknowledged, leaving them to deal with the devastating consequences on their own." That's where public awareness comes in. VEDA promotes "Balance Awareness Week" to encourage undiagnosed patients to seek help from a vestibular specialist. Reducing the time it takes to be diagnosed could save lives. In my case, a quick diagnosis and the right therapy put my life back on track. Although protecting my hearing, and managing fatigue and stress mean TV anchoring is out, I'm passionate about advocating and mentoring the next generation of journalists at Georgia State University. It's a slower, calmer life, but it's also a balanced life, literally. "Balance Awareness Week" in the U.S. is September 15-21. VEDA has partners in the UK and Australia as well. | Colleen McEdwards finished a shift anchoring breaking news so dizzy she had to hold on to the wall to walk .
She was diagnosed with a vestibular disorder, something that affects about 70 million Americans .
Balance Awareness Week, from September 15-21 in the U.S., hopes to raise awareness .
The awareness campaign is backed by the Vestibular Disorders Association . |
29,233 | 530b49e1843f22e134bd61f0b1e3ba64e10d11fa | (CNN) -- NFL side judge Brian Stropolo has been pulled from Sunday's New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers game because he's a Saints fan, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed to CNN. Stropolo has a Facebook page -- which has since been pulled -- showing him in Saints gear. "He was taken off game due to the information disclosing that he is a Saints fan. We must avoid even the appearance of a conflict," Aiello said . The NFL failed to reach a labor agreement with its regular officiating crew earlier this month, prompting the hiring of replacements. Stropolo was hired as replacement staff. Alternate Tim Keese is replacing Stropolo as side judge for Sunday's game in Charlotte, North Carolina. Officiating crews always have an alternate in case a backup is needed for any reason. | Member of officiating crew for Sunday's Saints vs. Panthers game is a Saints fan .
"We must avoid even the appearance of a conflict," NFL spokesman says .
NFL failed to reach labor deal with regular officiating crew prior to start of season . |
135,931 | 3bddd10cb2bed03c2991d5ba5c6cbfff99c3d703 | James Arthur is celebrating on Monday after being crowned the winner of X Factor 2012. The 24-year-old put in the performance of his life in front of 10,000 screaming fans in Manchester to beat Jahmene Douglas to the coveted title. The Middlesborough-born singer earned a standing ovation from the judges and brought the house down with his incredible rendition of Shontelle hit Impossible, which is now odds-on to be the Christmas No.1 single and has already topped the iTunes charts. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO... Winner: James Arthur didn't know what to say as Dermot O'Leary revealed that he had won the X Factor 2012 . After gaining 54 per cent of the public . vote and being crowned the winner, James struggled to speak as he was . interviewed by Dermot O'Leary. He could only manage: 'Thank you, thank you so much. Have I really won? Wow. I don't know what to say.' Runner-up Jahmene, who was also mentored by winning judge Nicole Scherzinger, was gallant in his defeat, and praised the show's victor, telling Dermot: 'It's such a blessing to even share a stage with such a talent, he's my idol.' Warm embrace: After James was revealed as the winner he was seen locked in an embrace with Jahmene . Big hug: Nicole was seen hugging and kissing James very proud of her contestant . But appearing on Daybreak on Monday morning, James admitted he didn't hear the final name being announced. He said: 'It is starting to sink in, I was overwhelmed. That is why my reaction was so still. I couldn't believe it. I actually thought Dermot said Jahmene.' James added that he is keen to release his debut album 'as quickly as possible', and has already written some tracks. He said: 'I'm just going to work hard and get my album out as quickly as possible and not wait around. I've got a lot of material to go so now as soon as I get back into the studio I'll be ready.' So proud: Nicole was seen beaming with pride as she held hands with Jahmene who said that James was his 'idol' Blown away: James couldn't believe he had won and was seen looking stunned as Dermot showed him his single . As the vote was announced on Sunday . night's show, James looked stunned, before pulling in his competitor . Jahmene for an emotional embrace. Before performing his winner's single . one more time, James told Dermot he is thrilled that the proceeds of . the record are going to charity Together for Short Lives. Upcoming release: James' first single Impossible . He said: 'I'm so . pleased it's going to a good cause, thank you so much to everyone who . voted for me - I'm so thankful.' When the single was released at midnight, it shot straight to the top of the iTunes charts - overtaking will.i.am and Britney Spears's Scream & Shout. In addition, the original track by Shontelle has reentered the charts at number 13. The X Factor victory then belted out . the track, before being joined on stage by the majority of the rest of . the show finalists, who hugged and jumped on James as they congratulated . him. Another person to congratulate James on his victory was Simon Cowell, who wrote on Twitter: 'Congratulations James on winning X factor uk. You deserved this.' Before the winner was announced, James and Jahmene had treated viewers and the judges to two incredible performances. Former Asda worker Jahmene took to the stage first with his heartfelt rendition of Robbie Williams' Angels - a performance which left the panel gushing. Massive celebration: As glitter reigned down onto the stage the other contestants ran out to greet him . Get in! Fans in The Victoria pub in Saltburn where James used to play were seen celebrating . Tulisa told Jahmene that he sounded 'amazing', adding: 'I'm really happy you picked that song.' Meanwhile, Louis Walsh tipped Jahmene to win the show, telling him: 'You are an incredible role model.' Gary Barlow also acknowledged Jahmene's tough start in life, saying: 'You have been battling with your past and fighting for your future you have done it with such dignity and grace. 'Congratulations another stunning night for you.' But Jahmene's mentor Nicole struggled . to control her emotions following the performance, breaking down as she . listened to him sing. Following the song, Nicole told Jahmene: 'You just bring spirit and hope to this song when you sing I . just feel safe. Your my role model you are like a beacon of light. I . love you sweetie..' James was next to take to the stage, performing his unique version of Marvin Gaye's Let's Get it On. And the ladies' man couldn't resist a flirt with mentor Nicole during the peformance, holding her hand before moving on for a kiss with Tulisa. After the rendition, Louis told him: 'You're original, you are real, you are honest.' Tense moment: The trio were stood looking extremely nervous before the result was announced . So sweet: James was seen kissing Jahmene on the head on the Xtra Factor . Tulisa made a cringy comparison when she told James: 'I am going to say something to you now, James, . which I know you will understand... I get you. 'You are the same as me. We come from the same place. You deserve to win as an artist.' Gary, who has previously backed James to win the show, said that he didn't need changing as an artist and he was 'ready right now' to release music. Big hit: Jahmene was seeing hitting huge notes as he performed his first track . One more time: James was seen performing his new single to end the show . He told him: 'I'm ready to download your album right away.' And James' mentor Nicole, who added that she was 'humbled' and 'so blessed' to have worked with him, told the singer: 'I felt like I was seeing the future, like next year when you are on tour.' The second performance from the two finalists saw them belt out their individual winner's singles, with Jahmene kicking things off with his version of The Beatles' classic Let It Be. Number one: Jahmene performed Robbie Williams' hit track Angels before singing The Beatles' Let It Be . Moved to tears: Nicole was seen crying following Jahmene's performance . Can't keep it together: Nicole was seen weeping as Jahmene was singing . The . panel were clearly moved by the emotional performance with Louis . telling Jahmene he had 'so much soul', while Gary complimented his 'unbelievable voice'. Poking fun at Nicole's now infamous made-up phrases, Tulisa then said: 'That was a jahmazing shasmoment'. After performing the track, Jahmene was shown footage of his family talking about him, which left him in floods of tears. He's got it: James sang Marvin Gaye's hit Let's Get it On . What a charmer: James Arthur was seen serenading his mentour during his first performance on Sunday night . Big night: As James sang images of when he first auditioned from the show were seen, showing just how far he has come . His mother was seen saying: 'You have brought a lot of happiness to the family', before adding: 'You're just an angel'. James was up next with his version of Shontelle's Impossible - his winner's single. After the performance, Gary told James he was proud of him for not changing throughout the competition, telling him: 'Please take one bit of advice never let anybody tell you what to do. You know best.' A blessing: Jahmene was seen welling up as his mother praised him . And reinforcing Gary's comments, Nicole said: 'You better get ready your life is never going to be the same after this.' Ahead of the show Take Me Out . Contestant and model Chanelle McCleary claimed that she was in a . relationship with James and the pair plan to go public now the show has . finished, according to reports. Speaking . to the Sunday Mirror she said: 'All my girlfriends are jealous.They all . love him and who can blame them. He’s a babe and the most genuine guy . I’ve met.' VIDEO: We are both winners. James pays tribute to Jahmene during winners interview . So proud: James' mother said she was so pleased with how well he had done . He inspires us: The singer's sisters also had nothing but praise for their big brother . The star-studded X Factor final saw plenty of quality acts take to the stage including former contestants One Direction. The boyband, who came third on the 2010 . show, performed their new single Kiss You and told Dermot they . understood what the finalists were going through. Emile Sandé and Rihanna also took to the stage to perform at the Manchester Central arena. They're back: Most of the contestants who appeared on the live shows returned to the stage for the final show. Lucy Spraggan and Christopher Maloney were no-shows . Dressed to impress: The judges had pulled out all the stops when it came to their wardrobe . Most of the finalists who made it through to the live shows were also present to perform All I Want Is Christmas. Christopher Maloney who was kicked off the show on Saturday . night was a no-show. The 34-year-old singer is said to have . riled bosses with his 'abusive' attitude towards his fellow contestants . during rehearsals, before 'storming out' and returning to Liverpool. Showing them how it's done: Rihanna performed a mash up of some of her best songs . An X Factor spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Chris decided he no longer wanted to be part of The X Factor Final and has gone back to Liverpool.' The Liverpudlian wannabe was allegedly angered when he realised he had only been given one line in the group medley, and 'stormed off' to his nearby hotel. Belting it out: Emile Sandé was seen performing her latest song during the star-studded live final show . Making a return: One Direction who took third place in the show in 2010 performed their new track Kiss You . They like the X Factor too: Manchester United and Manchester City were seen watching the show . 53.7% . WINNER . | James Arthur's debut single is Impossible is No.1 on iTunes chart .
One Direction, Rihanna and Emeli Sandé performed in the star-studded live show .
Simon Cowell tweeted his congratulations following James's victory . |
202,414 | 920bdd8203128ca684e9d5935e5042a729d5e111 | After 10 days stranded far from home, all 52 passengers from a ship stuck in Antarctic ice have now been transferred by helicopter to an Australian icebreaker. "It's 100% we're off! A huge thanks to all," tweeted Chris Turney, an Australian professor among the group of scientists, journalists and tourists marooned on the ship. A helicopter from a nearby Chinese icebreaker ferried passengers Thursday to the Australian icebreaker, the Aurora Australis. The rescue is the latest chapter in a saga that began Christmas Eve after the Russian-flagged MV Akademik Shokalskiy got stuck in unusually thick ice. Officials abandoned a succession of other rescue attempts in recent days because of the treacherous conditions in the region. Earlier Thursday, Australian authorities had said a plan involving the helicopter and a barge was put on hold because of shifting ice conditions. But the new approach, which skipped the use of the barge, got under way later in the day. Turney posted videos showing the helicopter arriving on a makeshift helipad on the ice near the trapped ship and taking off into the crisp blue sky. Robert Darvill, chief mate on the Aurora Australis, told CNN that the 52 new passengers on board were very happy to be there and kept thanking the icebreaker's crew for their efforts. "They are on their second dinner of the night right now," he said. Long journey ahead . It will still be weeks before the research team makes it to the Australian port of Hobart, said John Young of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. "Mid-January is our best guess," Young told reporters on a conference call. The Aurora Australis is still expected to complete a resupply mission to Casey Station, an Australian base in Antarctica, before making its way to Hobart. Darvill said that now all the passengers are on the Aurora Australis, the vessel will try to move out of the heavy pack ice and into more open water. But, he said, they will not set off toward Casey Station until the Rescue Coordination Center of Australia gives them the green light. Darvill also thanked the captain of the Chinese icebreaker whose help made the rescue possible. "Thank you very much for your cooperation. Your crew has done the lion's share of the work and made Australia and much of the world proud," he said. Meanwhile, the master of the Akademik Shokalskiy has decided to keep the 22 Russian crew members on board the stranded ship until the pack ice eventually breaks up and allows it to move again, Young said. The vessel has enough supplies to keep the crew going for "a very long time," he said. The helicopter rescue followed a failed attempt by the Chinese icebreaker, the Xue Long, which made it 6 nautical miles from the trapped vessel before being stopped by especially thick ice. That was followed by an effort by the Australian icebreaker, which was forced Monday to suspend efforts to reach the expedition because of bad weather. The Aurora Australis got within 10 nautical miles of the ship before it turned back. Over the weekend, the maritime agency called off an effort by the French icebreaker Astrolabe. Viral sensations . The exploits of the research crew have gone viral, thanks in large part to Twitter and YouTube posts by those aboard the stranded vessel. Turney, the leader of a research expedition on the Akademik Shokalskiy, has tweeted photos of the stranded ship, the crew and penguins, which have stopped by to check out their new neighbors. The group even managed to ring in 2014 with good cheer. "We're the A, A, E who have traveled far, having fun doing science in Antarctica!" a dozen or so of them sang in a video posted on YouTube. "Lots of snow and lots of ice, lots of penguins, which are very, very nice! "Really good food and company, but a bloody great shame we are still stuck here! Ice core, cha cha cha! Ice core, cha cha cha!" The expedition . Turney's expedition to gauge the effects of climate change on the region began on November 27. The second and current leg of the trip started on December 8 and was scheduled to conclude with a return to New Zealand on Saturday. The vessel got stuck in the ice 15 days after setting out on the second leg. Turney, a climate change professor at the University of New South Wales, has said the ship was surrounded by ice up to nearly 10 feet (3 meters) thick. | Chief mate: Passengers are very happy now to be on the Australian icebreaker .
He thanks Chinese icebreaker crew whose helicopter ferried 52 to safety .
"It's 100% we're off! A huge thanks to all," a professor on the ship tweets .
22 Russian crew members are still on board the trapped ship, the MV Akademik Shokalskiy . |
156,416 | 56354f1ab13621fbc4e1fcd8d5fb9cdb5d3752a9 | Washington (CNN) -- A seismic study found that the Washington Monument can withstand a worst-case earthquake scenario, officials said Thursday in describing needed repairs to the iconic landmark damaged in the 5.8-magnitude quake a year ago. The 555-foot monument will be under full scaffolding for repairs to damaged marble plates, stonework and other problems near its top, said Bob Vogel, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. At a news conference with other U.S. officials, Vogel offered no time frame for the repairs. Officials previously said the monument could be closed through 2013 and possibly into 2014. The monument has been closed since an earthquake struck the mid-Atlantic region near Richmond, Virginia, on August 23, 2011. Quake-damaged monument may stay closed until 2014 . "This is the most significant earthquake to ever strike the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains," U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt said at the news conference. "More people felt this earthquake than any earthquake in U.S. history." A comprehensive seismic study determined the monument faced no risk of collapse, even in the event of a "maximum considered earthquake," the estimated worst possible quake over a 2,475-year period, Vogel said. Such a scenario "did not present a concern for structural collapse," he said, adding that "supporting soils are indeed adequate to withstand" a maximum considered earthquake. At least nine marble panels on the outside of the monument near the top are cracked, according to a post-earthquake assessment. Others are chipped but not in danger of falling, the report said. Indoor repairs are also required. Some interior tie beams and some cracked panels will be fixed. About 700,000 visitors go to the top of the monument in a typical year. The Washington Monument was built between 1848 and 1884 and has been repaired three times previously, with the most recent work done from 1997 to 2000. The signature obelisk wasn't the only landmark in the U.S. capital city affected by last year's quake. Three towers of the National Cathedral and carved pinnacles and embellishments that decorate them suffered severe damage. The church's interim dean, the Rev. Francis H. Wade, said Thursday that the cost for repairs, restoration and historic preservation should exceed $50 million. It is expected this effort will take 10 years. Repairs done since last summer's quake have focused on stabilizing stone. On Thursday, cathedral officials announced they had received a $5 million gift from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment that will be used for architectural restoration. "After a year's time, we have a long way to go toward full restoration," Wade said. "But we also have countless individuals, organizations and houses of worship to thank that have shared in their belief in the work of this sacred place -- and I have no doubt that they would join me in gratitude for this major restoration grant." The August 2011 tremor rattled buildings around the nation's capital, as well as stoked concerns about whether residents, workers and visitors were prepared. During Thursday's news conference outside the Washington Monument, officials described an upcoming drill designed to prepare people to react quickly if another big earthquake hits the region. Called the Great Southeast Shakeout, the drill is scheduled for 10:18 a.m on Oct. 18. Its aim is to encourage people to drop to the floor or ground, take cover under a desk or table, and hold on until the shaking stops. Last year, they said, many people in the Washington business district fled their buildings like in a fire drill, putting them at potential risk from falling debris. The website for the drill is www.shakeout.org/southeast. Where to find exceptional America . CNN's Greg Seaby, Tom Cohen, Eric Fiegel and Lindy Royce contributed to this report. | NEW: The damaged National Cathedral gets a $5 million gift for restoration efforts .
The Washington Monument can withstand a worst-case earthquake, a study shows .
The iconic landmark will be in full scaffolding for upcoming repairs .
Officials are planning an earthquake preparedness drill for the region . |
32,327 | 5be9c452dbcaeda0ff93a5f8f0cbd67b8ebc10b0 | (CNN) -- Electrical stimulation from a spinal cord implant, mimicking the signals the brain would normally transmit to move the body, has allowed a paralyzed patient to stand on his own and walk on a treadmill with assistance, researchers said Thursday. At a news conference in New York City, doctors introduced Rob Summers, a 25-year-old, paralyzed spinal cord injury patient from Oregon. He received continual epidermal stimulation to the lower spinal cord, researchers said, enabling the muscle and joint movements that are required to stand and, with assistance, to step. "This stimulation causes changes in the brain and changes in the spinal cord," said Dr. V. Reggie Edgerton, a professor in the Departments of Integrative Biology and Physiology and of Neurobiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Now we need to know how this has occurred." A therapy already in use in a number of U.S. hospitals is known as functional electronic stimulation (FES), in which stimulants or electrodes are placed on the skin above the muscles to help chronic spinal cord injury patients move their limbs and, in some cases, walk with assistance. In the newly unveiled procedure, however, the electrodes are implanted in the patient's body. But even beyond that, there are distinct differences in the two procedures, the researchers said. "In our case it's a constant signal," said Dr. Susan Harkema, a professor at the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Louisville. "FES tries to bypass the circuitry by stimulating the muscles externally with electrodes. We allow the spinal cord to control the muscles on its own." The researchers said in the initial phase of their experiment, Summers was able to reach a standing position, supplying the muscular push himself while his spinal cord was being stimulated electrically. He could stand independently, bearing full weight, for up to four minutes at a time He also began to move his toes, ankles, knees and hips while being stimulated. "This does not represent a cure for spinal cord injury," Edgerton said, "but it's something to build on." At today's press conference, Summers, who became paralyzed in his lower extremities following a hit-and-run accident in July 2006, talked about his experience. "I was able to stand independently, the third day we turned it on," said Summers. "I was amazed. I use it two hours a day now, and I hope to someday go back to playing baseball." The project, which is outlined in the latest issue of the medical journal Lancet, was funded by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which provides money for research on spinal cord injuries. | Paralyzed patient, 25, said he is able to stand by himself, walk with assistance .
Rob Summers received continual epidermal stimulation to the lower spinal cord .
Researcher: New treatment allows "the spinal cord to control the muscles on its own"
Though not a cure, "it's something to build on," Dr. V. Reggie Edgerton says . |
77,519 | dbcb64b306171fb7e8b0d6270b0c230fa476213d | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 04:21 EST, 11 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:35 EST, 11 July 2013 . President Obama has appointed his chief fundraiser to the glamorous position of ambassador to Britain, continuing the long but controversial tradition of rewarding campaign donors with coveted embassy posts. Campaign finance chairman Matthew Barzun is set to move into the sumptuous residence in London's Court of St James which boasts a sprawling garden second only in size to that of Buckingham Palace. Obama raised a record-breaking $1.1 billion to defeat Mitt Romney last year, of which his big money donors, or 'bundlers' as they are known in Washington, brought in an estimated $286 million. Posting: Obama's chief fundraiser Matthew Barzun, who helped raise around £700 million to the election campaign, has been rewarded with the post of ambassador to the United Kingdom . Mr Barzun, a technology and internet magnate, is said to have personally contributed some $2.3 million to the campaign while helping to raise a total of $700 million. He has just completed another glamorous posting as ambassador to Sweden which he was awarded after fundraising for Obama's 2008 campaign. While it is certainly not new to see campaign donors being handed embassy posts, the money involved has now reached record levels. Obama raised a record-breaking $1.1 billion to defeat Mitt Romney last year, of which his big money donors, or 'bundlers' as they are known in Washington, brought in around $286 million . The average amount raised by those being appointed to top embassies around the world is now almost $1.8 million (£1.2 million). Other recent appointments include San Fransisco banker Azita Raji, who donated a generous $3.2 million and is now rumoured to be packing his bags to enjoy the crisp alpine air of Switzerland. Denise Bauer, the finance chair of Women for Obama, who contributed $2,360,300 has been made ambassador to Belgium. HBO executive James Costos who raised a generous $1,124,925 is off to sunny Spain while Chicago marketing boss James 'Wally' Brewster will enjoy the glorious Caribbean weather of the Dominican Republic. Washington Lawyer John Philips, a longstanding Democrat campaigner who raised at least $500,000, will enjoy a 16th century villa on Lake Como as ambassador to Italy. High life: Mr Barzun, a tech entrepreneur, will move into the sumptuous ambassadorial residence in London's Court of St James . Mr Barzun's new London garden is second only in size to that of Buckingham palace (pictured) It means that in the last few weeks, nine of the most coveted ambassadorial postings in Europe, the Caribbean and Asia have gone to donors. Career . diplomat Thomas Pickering, claims the process has led to donors . assuming they will get to enjoy the high-life in the style of Pearl . Mesta, the notorious former ambassador to Luxembourg known for throwing . lavish parties. Mr . Pickering, who led the investigation into the attacks on the US embassy . in Libya, told The Guardian: 'All these people want to go to places . where the lifestyle issues [are pleasant] and to some extent that . produces the notion that life in these western European Embassies is . like Pearl Mesta. 'It has the effect of diminishing perhaps the sense that the US is treating these countries with the respect that they deserve.' Last month Obama tapped Patrick Gaspard, a former White House aide and top Democratic Party official, to be the U.S. ambassador to South Africa. Earlier in June he nominated Rufus Gifford, who raised upward of $700 million as the head of Obama's 2012 finance operation, to be U.S ambassador to Denmark. Meanwhile LA fund manager John Emerson, who stumped up $1.5 million has been chosen as they new ambassador to Germany. The tradition of giving donors the . plum jobs while careers diplomats are left with the less glamorous . posts, appears to be sparking a rift between the two groups. HBO executive James Costos (left) who raised a generous $1.1 million is off to sunny Spain while LA fund manager John Emerson (right) who raised $1.5 million has been chosen as they new ambassador to Germany . Susan . Johnson, president of the American Foreign Service Association which . represents career diplomats, estimates that campaign donors receive . around 30 per cent of the total ambassadorial posts. However . of what are regarded as the plum jobs across Western Europe and in . wealthy Asian capitals the figure rises to somewhere between 70 per cent and 80 per . cent. She told The Guardian: 'The giving of ambassadorships to people who have raised a lot of money for the campaign has increased and that's a concern to us in particular. ]'There was some thought that with Obama being such a "change agent" that he might really do things differently. 'But it has just been a bigger let down.' | Campaign finance chairman Matthew Barzun is new UK ambassador .
He contributed $2.3 million to the campaign and helped raise a total of £700m .
Made ambassador to Sweden after fundraising .
for Obama's 2008 campaign .
Average sum raised by those being appointed to top embassies now $1.8m .
Nine of the top postings to Europe, the Caribbean and Asia given to donors . |
263,317 | e1106ef77fce3ebf437bef94d964fe5f1ffb7ba6 | While crossing one of the most dangerous rivers in the world, these wildebeest take to the air to help them reach the other side safely. The wildebeest migrate from the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya every year. Around 20,000 prepare to cross the Mara River in Kenya whilst on a two-month-long 1,800-mile journey. To ensure they are not eaten by crocodiles or dragged down by the currents, the wildebeest jump up to 10ft as they cross the Mara. Crossing the Mara River can prove fatal. Crocodiles hunt them in the water and they are met with hungry lions, leopards and hyenas on the other side. But the migration is essential to wildebeests as they follow the growth of the 'red oat grass' - a grass packed with nutrients needed for survival. Scroll down for video . You say jump: A wildebeest takes off from the bank of the Mara River in Kenya as part of the annual crossing . I say how high: In order to get from Serengeti to the Masai Mara, the herd of wildebeest have to cross the Kenyan river . Splashing around: A young wildebeest tumbles down the dusty riverbank to join the older animals in the water . The big move: Around 20,000 wildebeest prepare to cross the Mara River in Kenya whilst on a two-month-long 1,800-mile journey . To ensure they are not eaten by crocodiles or dragged down by the currents, the wildebeest jump up to 10ft as they cross the Mara . A family affair: The herd moves as one as they throw themselves into the water to cross the river . Will jump for food: The herd migrates from Tanzania to Kenya to follow the growth of the 'red oat grass' At home: The wildebeest, also called gnu, is a type of antelope that is native to Africa . The annual migration sees the wildebeest spend 10 months per year in the Serengeti National Park and two months in the Masai Mara . Many wildebeest populations are experiencing rapid declines and the annual crossing of the river is crucial for their suvival . | The wildebeest migrate from the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya every year .
Around 20,000 prepare to cross the Mara River in Kenya whilst on a two-month-long 1,800-mile journey . |
92,102 | 02744db6bc079e51319032cdb8ff1061690dd97a | (CNN)Lassana Bathily risked his own life to help save others, a Muslim who protected Jews in the face of an armed terrorist. Now the French government is helping out Bathily -- by making him a citizen. The Malian native's citizenship application, which he filed in July, will be expedited, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced Thursday. Cazeneuve will conduct Bathily's citizenship ceremony himself Tuesday. This event will add to what has been an emotional few weeks for Bathily, starting with his heroic actions Friday, after a gunman burst in while he was working at the kosher Hyper Cacher grocery store near Paris' Porte de Vincennes. The man took several people hostage but not the 15 whom Bathily led downstairs into a walk-in freezer. Bathily, who describes himself as a "practicing Muslim," told CNN affiliate BFMTV he switched off the freezer, turned off the lights and told everyone to stay calm. "I'm the one (who) is going to go out," the 24-year-old reportedly told the customers. "I took the elevator and went upstairs." Bathily told BFMTV that he went up after the hostage-taker -- whom authorities have identified as Amedy Coulibaly -- "asked us to all come upstairs." If they didn't? "Otherwise, he would kill everyone who was downstairs," the young man said. So Bathily did go upstairs, taking a freight elevator. But he didn't go toward Coulibaly. Instead, he ran outside. Police apprehended Bathily there, and he told them the location of the freezer and gave details about those inside. "When (the hostages) came out, they congratulated me," Bathily told BFMTV. That's because his actions might have saved their lives. Four people, plus the gunman, ended up being killed by the time the hostage situation ended. French media quickly ran with the story of Bathily, with L'Express newspaper proclaiming "Lassana Bathily, Malian Muslim, hero of the hostage situation in Vincennes." People around the world also cheered Bathily, with about 300,000 signing a Change.org petition asking that he be given the Legion d'Honneur, a highly prestigious award given to those who done exceptional things for France. "Even in darkness and desolation, there's always a ray of light somewhere," wrote the petition's creator, Thiaba Bruni. "Such is the case with Lassana Bathily." Such positive recognition was also all over Facebook, where a man who claimed to be Bathily's cousin, Abdoul Bathily, posted, "Lass Bathily, you showed courage yesterday. The rest of the world would not have done it." Another person wrote, "I have no words to express my pride in you. You put your life in danger to save others. God saw all of it, and his mercy will be without fault. You are blessed in the eyes of humanity." Gunman tried to justify market raid to hostages, recording apparently shows . CNN's Alanne Orjoux contributed to this report. | Lassana Bathily will become a French citizen next week, government says .
The Muslim hid customers of a Paris kosher market in a walk-in freezer .
His actions spurred adoring headlines in France, petitions to have him honored . |
149,825 | 4db6ebab50b4eecca1c693294f8a88510a55237a | By . Paul Revoir . PUBLISHED: . 17:07 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:49 EST, 11 October 2012 . The Jimmy Savile scandal was branded a ‘cesspit’ yesterday by the BBC’s own chairman. Lord Patten admitted that heads could roll if corporation bosses were found to have acted improperly. He said he feared that the television and radio star may have been helped in his sordid sexual exploitation of teenage girls by other BBC employees. Crisis: The Jimmy Savile scandal was branded a ‘cesspit’ yesterday by the BBC’s own chairman. Lord Patten admitted that heads could roll if corporation bosses were found to have acted improperly . Concern: He said he feared that the television and radio star may have been helped in his sordid sexual exploitation of teenage girls by other BBC employees . Lord Patten also suggested the BBC was likely to broadcast a prime-time apology if the inquiries into Savile came back with damning findings. Yesterday the former Tory MP asked director-general George Entwistle to review the corporation’s guidelines on child protection following what he called the ‘appalling’ allegations of sexual abuse against Savile. He also said an independent inquiry at the BBC, supervised by an outside figure, should be started as swiftly as possible following a police investigation into Savile’s activities. Former patients at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire and another in Leeds yesterday claimed they had been assaulted during visits by Savile in the 1970s and 1980s. Teenagers in wheelchairs and others recovering from cancer were among those said to have fallen victim to the DJ. One claimed nurses told young patients to pretend to be asleep whenever the star visited their wards. Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman. Lord Patten is among those at the BBC struggling to explain who knew what and when about the dropping of a Newsnight investigation into allegations against Savile . And in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, his elaborate tombstone was removed from a cemetery at midnight out of respect for ‘public opinion’. Police have said they believe Savile was a ‘predatory sex offender’ who could have abused up to 30 victims over a period of more than 40 years beginning in 1959. Lord Patten and others at the BBC are still struggling to explain who knew what and when about the decision to drop a Newsnight investigation into allegations against Savile. On Sunday former director-general Mark Thompson, who left his post last month, said he had never heard any rumours or received any complaints or allegations about Savile when he was in charge. But yesterday Lord Patten – who said he himself first heard about the Savile allegations less than two weeks ago when he read about them in a newspaper – insisted said Mr Thompson had been made aware of the Newsnight investigation last December by director of news Helen Boaden. Lord Patten insisted said Mark Thompson, left, had been made aware of the Newsnight investigation last December by director of news Helen Boaden, right . When asked to confirm that the former director-general knew about the investigation, he said: ‘Yes’. His comments were later retracted by the BBC Trust, which said he ‘misspoke’ on the matter. When asked if he was convinced there were not others taking part or helping Savile with these type of activities at the BBC, Lord Patten said: ‘No’. He also said that bosses could lose their jobs if they were found guilty of impropriety over their handling of the issue. Addressing a Broadcasting Press Guild lunch yesterday, Lord Patten began with the words: ‘I would like to say one or two things about the appalling allegations and the cesspit of the Jimmy Saville allegations.’ But later there were tough questions for him to answer about how current BBC director-general George Enwistle could oversee the organising the independent inquiry when he was one of the executives facing questions about what he knew. Under scrutiny: Scotland Yard has formally recorded eight criminal allegations - two rapes and six indecent assaults - against the former TV presenter so far in its Operation Yewtree investigation . Mr Entwistle was one of the executives who were told about the Newsnight investigation into Savile last year, although it is denied he knew the exact nature of the allegations. There had been criticism that the BBC had ditched the investigation on its Newsnight programme late last year because it would have run counter to other celebratory shows about the once popular presenter which were then being prepared for broadcast. But Lord Patten said yesterday the editor of Newsnight was ‘not leaned on’, and no BBC executives had intervened. Earlier this week Mr Entwistle made an apology to Savile’s victims during an interview on Radio 4’s Today programme and said there would be an inquiry to follow the police investigation. Inquiry: Lord Patten said he was sure the BBC inquiry will look into allegations made by other presenters such as Liz Kershaw, who revealed she was groped by a colleague while she was on air . Lord Patten said yesterday: ‘The BBC has in place child protection policies, processes, guidance for us by all staff on and off the premises and independents making programmes for the BBC. ‘We’ve asked the director-general to assure us that those policies are up to date and fit for purpose that they’re effective in protecting minors and under-age children. ‘We’ve also said that we want to be satisfied on the arrangements in place for dealing with sexual harassment, bullying and whistleblowing and we want to be sure that those guidelines that do exist are gold standard and up to date and comply with current best practice.’ Abuse: Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury where Jimmy Savile was allegedly free to prey upon young patients, despite the staff knowing about his behaviour . Lord Patten suggested that the internal inquiry will not look at the editorial decision by Newsnight, saying he did not want to question the ‘journalistic integrity’ of people. But insiders admitted yesterday that it is likely to look at what bosses did with the information contained within it when they were made aware of the allegations. Asked what would happen if any . current BBC employees such as the director general and other executives . were found to have acted improperly, Lord Patten said: ‘You would not . expect any employee of a newspaper or the BBC to survive if her or she . was found to have behaved improperly.’ He . said he was sure the BBC inquiry will look into allegations made by . other presenters such as Liz Kershaw, who revealed she was groped by a . colleague while she was on air. Scotland . Yard has formally recorded eight criminal allegations – two rapes and . six indecent assaults – against the former Top Of The Pops presenter so . far in its Operation Yewtree investigation. Difficult: Funeral director Robert Morphet said the stone had taken 8 months to create but only hours to tear down . Gone: The headstone was only put in place three weeks ago . And Greater Manchester and Tayside Police became the latest forces to receive complaints of abuse by Savile, who died in October last year. Greater Manchester Police said . allegations about his activities have followed day after day following . an ITV documentary which aired last week. Jimmy Savile is today lying in an . unmarked grave after a dead-of-night operation to remove his £4,000 . headstone at the request of his family. Undertakers worked in the dark to rip . out the giant memorial and have said it will 'be broken up, placed in a . skip and used as landfill'. The gates of Woodlands Cemetery in . Scarborough, North Yorkshire, were locked at around 11pm on Tuesday . night and police stood guard for the two-hour operation. His . loved-ones did not attend and while they had ordered the removal of the . grave they were not aware of the undertakers’ decision to do it in the . middle of the night. They . were to wait until 7am on Wednesday before removing the six foot wide . by four foot tall headstone with Savile’s now inflammatory epitaph: 'It . was good while it lasted.' All its inscriptions will be ground away before the stone is destroyed. Decision: Savile's family gave permission for its removal out of respect for public opinion - with the scene shown here at dawn . Respect: Savile's family gave permission for its removal out of respect for public opinion - shown here shortly after it was removed . Message: A card also left there thanks Savile for the times they shared together from a well-wisher called Shannon . Below it is Savile's body, encased in concrete at a 45 degree angle, so he could 'see' the sea and Scarborough castle - his dying wish. The Savile family said in a statement: 'Members of the family of Sir Jimmy Savile have decided to remove his headstone from the grave in Scarborough. 'The family members are deeply aware of the impact that the stone remaining there could have on the dignity and sanctity of the cemetery. 'Out of respect to public opinion, to those who are buried there, and to those who tend their graves and visit there, we have decided to remove it.' The Savile family feared the grave could become the centre of a media circus and could have been attacked, so gave funeral director Robert Morphet a free hand to carry out what he called 'a discreet' operation. | Lord Patten admitted that heads could roll if corporation bosses were found to have acted improperly .
Fears Savile may have been helped in his sexual exploitation by BBC staff .
Suggested the BBC was likely to broadcast a prime-time apology if the inquiries into Savile came back with damning findings .
Police believe Savile could have abused up to 30 victims over 40 years . |
115,479 | 210448e91261e44aba584653e6e19ae919c72b84 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 00:47 EST, 31 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:27 EST, 28 September 2012 . It is not an easy task, but Radio 2 has launched a project to unveil 'soundtrack to British culture,' in 50 records. Yesterday, the first 10 songs in the series were . unveiled representing an varied mix of styles from We’ll Meet Again by wartime morale booster Dame Vera Lynn, to Rehab by the late troubled singer Amy Winehouse. In a landmark series called The People's Songs the station is attempting to chart the musical journey from the Second World War to the present day. Yesterday, the first 10 songs in the series were unveiled representing an varied mix of styles from the wartime morale booster and songstress Dame Vera Lynn, left, to the late troubled singer Amy Winehouse . Broadcast in Janaury next year, the producers hope that through the song choices themes such as post World War II optimism, the punk years, mass immigration and the dangers of celebrity will all be explored. We’ll Meet Again - Vera Lynn (1939) Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan (1954) She Loves You - Beatles (1963) My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small (1964) A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procul Harum (1967) Je T’Aime... Moi Non Plus - Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (1969) God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols (1977) Two Tribes - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984) Ebeneezer Goode - The Shamen (1992) Rehab - Amy Winehouse (2006) All the song choices are billed as 'unforgettable and timeless,' and will not be presented in a chronological order, reported The Telegraph. Controller of BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music Bob Shennan told the Radio Times: 'Music plays such an important part in people’s lives. This series will be moving and evocative in equal measure.' Presented by Stuart Maconie, an hour-long episode will be devoted to each song. The station wants listeners to get involved by contributing music stories. It will be opened with We’ll Meet . Again, exploring Dame Vera’s role in boosting wartime morale. The programme states listeners will . 'hear from those who lived through WW2 - both those serving in the Armed . Forces and those on the Home Front - and discover the significance of . music during the war years and how it kept the force's spirits up whilst . comforting those waiting anxiously at home. ' The Beatles: Stuart Maconie will recount the social change, optimism and Beatle-mania of the early '60s . The episode which features Amy Winehouse's number one hit song Rehab is entitled 'The Price of Modern Fame.' The progamme bills as 'a tragic and extreme example of the price of fame in the UK in the Noughties.' Mr Maconie will discuss his two 'very different, meetings with Amy,' while examining the the growth of celeb and tabloid culture in the past decade. When My Boy Lollipop by Millie is . featured the series will looks at the beginnings of modern . multi-cultural Britain in the 1940s and when . God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols is featured it will take in the infamous year of the Silver Jubilee and punk. Stuart Maconie said: 'The People’s . Songs is the story of modern Britain in 50 records. In the company of . the Great British public, I aim to tell the story of the last seven . decades via the records that sound-tracked this dramatic period; a . period of conflict, social change, parties, prosperity, plenty, poverty, . peace and war. 'These are the songs that people listened to, laughed to, loved to and laboured to, as well as downed tools and danced to. And we’d love to hear from listeners.' The remaining 40 songs will be unveiled next year. | Called The People's Songs the station is attempting to chart the musical journey from the Second World War to the present day . |
273,985 | eee2c72146e64fa42d9b173514879d4f3a5037ff | (CNN) -- Fulham became the sixth soccer team in England's Premier League to fall into U.S. ownership when the charismatic Mohamed Al Fayed sold the club to billionaire and N.F.L. owner Shahid Khan. The deal, which had been in the works, was confirmed on Fulham's website Friday. The selling price wasn't disclosed, although several British media outlets reported it was upwards of $225 million. Fulham said Khan assumes full ownership of the Cottagers, "debt-free, as of today." "It has been a pleasure and privilege to be the Chairman of Fulham Football Club for 16 memorable years," Al Fayed, 84, told Fulham's website. "I am now delighted to be passing this great and historic Club into the care and stewardship of an outstanding man who has already achieved much in his life and will, I am sure, take Fulham on to even greater things. "By his hard work, vision and determination, Shahid Khan has become a living embodiment of the American success story. His achievements speak for themselves. "I met him twice prior to our successful transaction this week and have been very favorably impressed." Al Fayed bought Fulham in 1997 for roughly $9 million and proceeded to pump around $300 million into the club based in southwest London, not far from Harrods -- the luxurious and iconic London department store Al Fayed owned before selling it to Qatar Holdings for a reported $2.3 billion in 2010. While never challenging for the Premier League title, Fulham cemented its spot in the world's most watched league after winning promotion from the second tier in 2001 and even reached the Europa League final in 2010. Training facilities improved, Craven Cottage was revamped and Fulham has permission to increase the capacity of the ground to 30,000. It was during his stint with Fulham, though, that Al Fayed suffered heartbreak, losing his son, Dodi, in the car crash that also killed Princess Diana in Paris in 1997. Al Fayed never shied away from doing things his own way. He commissioned a statue of Michael Jackson -- his friend -- after the singer died in 2009 and put it outside Fulham's Craven Cottage stadium that sits on the banks of the River Thames. Some fans didn't like it but Al Fayed didn't care. He now plans to spend more time with his grandchildren in retirement. "I am sad but proud of our achievements," said Al Fayed. "I am very grateful to Fulham's fans, the most incredible fans in the world. They have given me their support and affection whenever they have seen me at home games. "I would never let them down. I have passed the Club to a talented, honest and highly capable man who respects Fulham and its traditions. He is a great sportsman." The Pakistan-born Khan, according to Forbes, was worth $2.9 billion as of last March. He moved to the U.S. from Pakistan at the age of 16 to study at the University of Illinois, became a U.S. citizen and turned himself into one of the world's richest men. Forbes reported that his company, automotive parts manufacturer Flex-N-Gate, generated sales of $3.9 billion in 2012. Khan bought the Jacksonville Jaguars two years ago and the Jaguars will contest a game in London for the next four seasons. U.S. owners have had spotty records in the Premier League -- think George Gillett and Tom Hicks at Liverpool -- so Fulham fans can only hope for the best. Other Premier League teams currently owned by Americans are Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Liverpool, with the latter now in the hands of John Henry. "Fulham is the perfect club at the perfect time for me," Khan, in his early 60s, told Fulham's website. "I want to be clear, I do not view myself so much as the owner of Fulham but a custodian of the club on behalf of its fans. "My priority is to ensure the club and Craven Cottage each have a viable and sustainable Premier League future that fans of present and future generations can be proud of. "We will manage the club's financial and operational affairs with prudence and care, with youth development and community programs as fundamentally important elements of Fulham's future." Fulham's first league game of the new season under Khan is an away trip to Sunderland on August 17. | Mohamed Al Fayed sells soccer's Fulham to billionaire N.F.L. owner Shahid Khan .
Although the selling price wasn't revealed, reports suggest it was around $230 million .
The Cottagers cemented their place in England's top division under Al Fayed .
Khan moved to the U.S. at the age of 16 and turned himself into one of the world's richest men . |
5,403 | 0f515c5f1c32cec18652519ba374e57d672d2da3 | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 11:30 EST, 23 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 23 April 2013 . A British tourist has drowned at a beach on the holiday island of Lanzarote. Steve Potter, 43, was spotted floating face down in the water after leaving friends on the beach to go for a swim. He was seen to be in trouble in the sea and dragged out of the water unconscious, but died at the shoreline after failing to respond to efforts to revive him. Famara beach in Lanzarote is a popular spot for families and holidaymakers who enjoy surfing and kitesurfing . The results of an autopsy have been sent to an investigating judge put in charge of a routine inquiry into the incident, but have not yet been made public. A source said: 'He appears to have disappeared out of sight and reappeared a few minutes later floating face down in the water. 'There's nothing to suggest this was anything other than a tragic accident although we haven't been told the exact cause of death.' Mr Potter, thought to be from the north of England, is understood to have been at Famara Beach in Lanzarote, with friends. The two-mile long beach, on the northwest coast of the island, is a world-famous surfing and kiteboarding beach used by professionals who often train there. Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar chose the dramatic setting to shoot key scenes of his 2009 film Broken Embraces, starring Penelope Cruz. The tragedy happened late on Saturday afternoon. A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We can confirm the death of a British national in Lanzarote on April 20. 'We are providing consular assistance to his family at this difficult time.' | Steve Potter, 43, was pulled unconscious from the sea at Famara Beach .
Mr Potter, who is thought to be from the north of England, died at shoreline . |
193,370 | 865556dac1adf4deed03d049c3f9850676e56f89 | (CNN) -- While airports across the southeastern United States continued to dig out from Tuesday's snowstorm, Wednesday turned into a long day of cancellations and delays for frustrated travelers. Airlines had canceled more than 2,200 U.S. flights by Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET according to flight tracking site FlightAware.com. That follows about 3,200 flight cancellations on Tuesday. The airport most affected was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the world's busiest, with more than 1,000 flights canceled, according to FlightAware.com. Delta Air Lines, which is based in Atlanta, was affected most. "This spate of winter weather has hit a lot of airports that usually don't face winter weather and are less prepared for it," Mark Duell, FlightAware's vice president of operations, said via e-mail. "When every flight needs de-icing, (those airports) see a massive slowdown in departures, and the airlines pre-emptively cancel flights." Many airports struggled all day to return to normal operations. Flights arriving in Atlanta were facing delays of more than five hours as of 5 p.m. ET, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. That's because Delta requested a ground stop, driven by the weather and airport access difficulty, which was later converted into a ground delay program, spokesman Morgan Durrant said via e-mail. "This means that flights bound to ATL from other airports are seeing delays." Check fly.faa.gov for the most current information on delays. With more than 900 Atlanta flights canceled Tuesday, some passengers intending to depart Atlanta stayed at the airport overnight, airport spokesman Reese McCranie said. On Wednesday by 5 p.m. ET, airlines had canceled more than 1,000 flights departing from or arriving at the Atlanta airport, according to FlightAware.com. Delta reported about 1,200 cancellations systemwide by 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, on top of 1,200 Tuesday cancellations, said Delta's Durrant. And the airline is still facing challenges getting employees to work at its Atlanta hub, he said. "Last night, we did allow airport employees to sleep aboard aircraft parked at gates and we flew an extra section (unscheduled flight) full of pilots and flight attendants to Louisville so they could be afforded rest in hotel rooms," Durrant said via e-mail. "This group was scheduled to have hotel stays near ATL as part of their regularly scheduled trips." Alabama's Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport shut down flight operations Tuesday afternoon as the snowfall began, and "crews worked overnight and continue to work this morning to clear the (two) runways," wrote airport spokeswoman Toni Herrera-Bast. One runway had reopened by midday Wednesday. Southwest Airlines and AirTran canceled more than 300 of 3,600 scheduled flights Wednesday. The combined airline canceled nearly 400 flights Tuesday. "Our people in Atlanta, in particular, are facing a challenging day," said Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins via e-mail Wednesday morning. "What you're seeing there in Atlanta is a continuing operation but an extremely slow operation, resulting in just a few departures every hour." U.S. Airways, which merged with American but still operates separate flights, canceled more than 200 flights Wednesday, on top of 300 cancellations Tuesday, said spokesman Davien Anderson. While the Charlotte, North Carolina, airport reported no major delays in arrivals or departures Wednesday, with all runways free of ice and snow, U.S. Airways was still hit hard. "Our employees are working hard to get operations back to normal in Charlotte," Anderson said via e-mail. "We hope to return to normal operations by tomorrow." CNN's Etan Horowitz reported from Tampa, Florida. | Airports have cleared runways, but airlines have a backlog .
More than 2,200 U.S. flights canceled Wednesday, flight tracking site says .
Atlanta hub hit hard by region's bad weather . |
206,147 | 96d9dc080a94391556bf0fee832e54272a739c1c | By . Tim Shipman and Matt Chorley . PUBLISHED: . 09:33 EST, 13 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:46 EST, 14 August 2013 . Gibraltar's chief minister yesterday accused Spain’s prime minister of behaving like Argentine dictator General Galtieri as Spanish officials again blocked the border. Fabian Picardo said Mariano Rajoy was fuelling the crisis to distract from his domestic troubles – just as the military junta in Buenos Aires did by ordering the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982. He spoke out as the Foreign Office announced that it is lodging another formal complaint with Spain over the latest ‘unacceptable’ delays at the border with Gibraltar. Scroll down for video . One the move: HMS Westminster sets sail for Gibraltar en route to a pre-planned international training exercise Cougar in the Mediterranean and Gulf . On its way: HMS Westminster is waved as it leaves for Gibraltar from Portsmouth navy base in Hampshire . Checks: Motorists queue at the border crossing between Spain and Gibraltar in La Linea de la Concepcion. Irate drivers waited up to five hours to enter Gibraltar, some even pushing their cars to save fuel . Yesterday travellers, including a pregnant woman, were forced to wait for between three and five hours in baking heat. David Cameron is expected to decide . today or tomorrow whether to sue Spain in the European Court of Justice . over its imposition of draconian border controls. Mr Picardo said: ‘I think what we are . seeing is a little bit like what Mr Galtieri deployed in Argentina in . 1982, which is an attempt to bang the nationalistic drum to make people . look away from the national problems that Spain is suffering and the PM . himself is labouring under. ‘What is happening in the background . is that the Spanish government has been engulfed in allegations of . corruption which affect Mr Rajoy himself.’ Threat: David Cameron has raised the prospect of taking legal action against Spain for delays at the border . Delays: Traffic builds up on the Spanish side of the border. The Royal Gibraltar Police said the wait had been around three hours . Mr Rajoy has had to deny that he . accepted illegal payments from a political slush fund, while the . country’s economy is a disaster area. Row: Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo likened Spain's actions to the Argentine military junta in 1982 . Mr Picardo said a British prime . minister facing the same allegations as Mr Rajoy ‘wouldn’t last five . minutes – and yet in Spain Mr Rajoy remains comfortable in his post . trying to create diversions like this one’. Last night Ignacio Ibanez, the . director general for foreign affairs at Spain’s foreign ministry, upped . the rhetoric further by insisting that Spain would eventually succeed in . its claim to recover Gibraltar from Britain. ‘We are confident that in the end that we will have Gibraltar as part of Spain,’ he told Channel 4 News. Mr Ibanez dismissed the threat of . legal action, insisting the controls were imposed in response to an . upsurge in smuggling of tobacco and other items. ‘Regarding Gibraltar, things are going . in a very bad way mainly, we think, because of the attitude of the . Gibraltan authorities,’ he said. ‘We are confident we are doing what we have to do. I’m confident that reason is on our side. A task force, including the aircraft . carrier Illustrious and two frigates, set sail from Portsmouth on Monday . for a long-planned exercise in the Mediterranean. The frigate HMS Westminster, which . left Portsmouth yesterday, is due to dock in Gibraltar between Monday . and Wednesday next week along with two support vessels. Yesterday Pedro Pitarch, a retired . Spanish general and former head of defence policy, accused the Spanish . government of taking an ‘overly passive’ stance and called on them to . prevent the ships docking. Farewell: Wellwishers wave as HMS Westminster warship sails from Portsmouth, as the war of words over Gibraltar escalates . Legal action: Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (left) is threatening Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (right) with . legal action over 'politically-motivated' delays at the Spain-Gibraltar . border . Comparison: Gibraltar's chief minister yesterday accused Spain's prime minister of behaving like Argentine dictator General Galtieri (pictured) as Spanish officials again blocked the border . The Royal Gibraltar Police said . drivers had to queue for around three hours yesterday to enter . Gibraltar, although there were no delays leaving. Some motorists said . they were kept waiting five hours. 'I think what we are seeing is a little bit like what Mr Galtieri deployed in Argentina in 1982, which is an attempt to bang the nationalistic drum to make people look away from the national problems that Spain is suffering and the PM himself is labouring under' Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister . John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons culture committee, who was visiting Gibraltar yesterday, condemned the delays. ‘One of my colleagues over here who works with the Gibraltar government was telling me his wife is pregnant,’ he said. ‘For a pregnant lady to have to endure . that kind of condition is intolerable. There does seem to be a steady . escalation in measures being taken.’ A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We . will be protesting to the ministry of foreign affairs about the . unacceptable delays seen this morning at the border with Gibraltar.’ | Fabian Picardo draws parallels with run-up to conflict in the South Atlantic .
Foreign Office lodges another formal complaint over delays at the border .
'Show of strength' military exercise leaves UK ports and heads for Gibraltar .
Row between Britain and Spain over the Rock threatens to go global .
European Commission to send team to border - but not until September . |
189,093 | 80e0424074fa21492bb1be58344e5e4079eabf14 | By . Jason Groves . Labour has given its blessing to a walkout by thousands of teachers this week, despite warnings that it will ‘inflict real harm’ on children and their parents. Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt refused three times yesterday to condemn the planned National Union of Teachers strike on Thursday, which is expected to bring chaos to thousands of schools. The strike is backed by Labour’s three biggest donors – the Unite, Unison and GMB unions – which are planning co-ordinated walkouts. Tristram Hunt refused three times to condemn the planned National Union of Teachers strike on Thursday, which is expected to bring chaos to thousands of schools. Pictured: Defiant teachers marching last October . Mr Hunt faced criticism from the unions earlier this year for crossing a university picket line to deliver a lecture. But yesterday he refused to offer any support to teachers wishing to cross picket lines on Thursday to teach their pupils. Mr Hunt said the long-running dispute over pay and pensions was the result of a ‘political failure’. He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that the ‘incendiary language’ of Education Secretary Michael Gove was partly to blame for provoking the walkout. And he repeatedly refused to condemn the strikes: ‘My message is that we have an independent system of trade unions. 'It’s not up to me to tell trade . unionists what to do.’ Mr Gove called on Mr Hunt to issue a ‘clear and . unambiguous’ statement urging teachers to work on Thursday. He said: ‘The thing that really . worried me is that he was not clear about the need for teachers to be in . the classroom and not striking on Thursday. ‘No teacher should be on strike – he should be encouraging teachers who want to work.’ The clash came as the Conservatives . revealed plans to force union bosses to re-ballot their members each . year during long-running disputes. Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude . said it was unacceptable that the NUT is able to threaten chaos at . thousands of schools based on a ballot held almost two years ago. Tristram Mr Hunt faced criticism from the unions earlier this year for crossing a university picket line to deliver a lecture . The NUT mandate dates back to a ballot held between June and September 2012. Although strike action was backed by 82.5 per cent of those who voted, the turnout was just 27 per cent. The Tories are examining plans to require a minimum 50 per cent turnout threshold on ballots before a strike is deemed legal. Senior Conservatives have been pushing for the move for some time, but it has been blocked by Nick Clegg and will now form part of the next Tory manifesto. Mr Maude said the introduction of minimum turnout thresholds was now a ‘live issue’. He added: ‘We should also be looking at whether there should be some rule that a mandate falls after a certain time.’ Just 20 per cent of union members voted in some of the ballots. Mr Maude said it was ‘a sign of a great lack of self-confidence that [the NUT] aren’t willing to ask for a fresh mandate for action’. The move will infuriate trade unionists who claim existing strike laws already make ballots expensive and difficult to carry out. | Tristram Hunt refused three times to condemn planned strike on Thursday .
National Union of Teachers strike set to bring chaos to schools across UK .
Being backed by Labour's three biggest donors - Unite, Unison and GMB . |
277,233 | f32c812a8439d09e2ce71425b9edaf3d60b0c6a9 | By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 04:24 EST, 22 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:20 EST, 22 November 2012 . Maps showing the loneliest places in the UK are to be created in a bid to tackle the 'fastest growing health problem' in Britain today. Hundreds of thousands of elderly people across the country live out their lives in almost complete isolation - many of whom admit the only person they regularly speak to is 'the boy in the shop when I pick up my paper', according to recent research. Experts say that loneliness . increases the risk of heart disease, puts people at greater risk of . blood clots and dementia, makes sufferers less likely to exercise and more . likely to drink more. Alone: One in five elderly people is in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week, and 11 per cent see them less than once a month . One in five elderly people is in contact . with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week, and 11 per . cent see them less than once a month. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is launching the initiative, claims the move will lead to better care for people feeling social isolation and he will ask local authorities to identify areas where older people suffer most acutely from loneliness. Big problem: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, right, who is launching the initiative, claims the move will lead to better care for people feeling social isolation . Mr Hunt said: 'Tackling loneliness, by . giving people better care and improved services, is another step . towards making the UK one of the best places to live in Europe for older . people. 'We need a measure of loneliness to shine a light on this problem and to know what we are dealing with. Incapacitating: Esther Rantzen, who chairs The Silver Line, a helpline and befriending service for over-65s, said loneliness can make the front door 'feel like a brick wall' 'Once . we have this solid evidence, local communities will have new tools to . come up with the right, targeted solutions to the problem.' Mr Hunt is also announcing a £20 million fund to help older people stay warm over the winter months. Council projects to help vulnerable people keep warm will receive a share of the money. Esther Rantzen, who chairs The Silver . Line, a helpline and befriending service for over-65s, told The Times: . 'Loneliness creates a loss of confidence, an erosion of self-esteem, so . that the front door becomes as solid as a brick wall and as impossible . to break through.' A report published by think tank Demos earlier this year found that Britain's elderly are lonelier than other similar European countries. The researchers looked at the general . standards of living of the over-65s in Britain, the Netherlands, . Germany and Sweden, and found a third of British pensioners did not see . their close family or friends even once a month for a drink or meal. And . last year a similar study by the Centre for Social Justice found that . 370,000 of Britain’s elderly spent no time with other people. Some . pensioners in the research admitted the only person they regularly . spoke to was ‘the boy in the shop when I pick up my paper’. elderly get a poorer deal in Britain than in similar European countries, a damning report has found. They are more likely to suffer ageism in health care and in their daily lives than in either Germany, Sweden or the Netherlands. They are also far lonelier, with many going weeks without seeing family and friends. | Jeremy Hunt claims the move will lead to better care for people feeling social isolation .
Loneliness increases risk of heart disease, blood clots .
and dementia .
It also makes sufferers less likely to exercise and more likely to .
drink alcohol to excess .
11 per cent of elderly see relatives under once a month .
Mr Hunt is also announcing a £20 million fund to help older people stay warm over the winter months . |
148,432 | 4bef628783859e216126b98f141fa2dff22a2931 | Americans moving out of state in 2014 were most likely to head to places that were warmer and more affordable, such as the South and Southwest, according to studies by two major moving companies. The 47th annual report by Allied Van Lines showed that Illinois topped the list of states people are moving away from with 1,372 net moves, followed by Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan and New Jersey. The states have remained in the top five since 2010, the company said. Go west: United Van Lines was one of the moving companies that offered a list of states Americans are migrating to and from. People seem to be leaving the Northeast and Midwest and going South . Source: Allied Van Lines . Source: Allied Van Lines . In its 38th annual report, released Friday, United Van Lines reports that New Jersey, New York, Illinois, North Dakota and West Virginia represented the states their clients exited the most last year. Illinois, where outbound moves represented 63 percent of total moves for the state, has ranked among the top five for the past six years, the company says. Michael Stoll, an economist with the department of public policy at the University of California in Los Angeles, said in a statement for United that migration patterns reflected long-term movement to the South and Southwest, where housing costs are lower, climates are less severe and job growth has been at or above the national average. United said Oregon was the most preferred destination for its clients, followed by South Carolina, North Carolina, Vermont and Florida. The company said 38 percent of its clients moving to Oregon were going for a new job while 29 percent cited retirement. Allied clients were most likely to move to Texas, Florida, Arizona, South Carolina and Colorado, the company said. The company said the most popular destinations were generally the same but the number of moves has increased with California, Oregon and Washington state showing the greatest increases for inbound moves. 'Trends demonstrate a heavy movement toward warm-weather, retirement-friendly states,' Lesli Bertoli, general manager and vice president of Allied, said in a statement. Illinois ranks top in Allied Van Lines' study of states most Americans are fleeing. Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey are both near the top of the list, as well . Texas has been the top destination for Allied customers for 10 years in a row . | Texas, Florida, Arizona and South Carolina saw the most in-bound moves, according to Allies Van Lines .
Americans fled Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan in 2014 .
Trend reflects movement to the south and west and away from the Northeast and Midwest . |
247,571 | cc5f466d04f203f0d56b537b2205d9b907bb900e | An investigation is underway today into the death of a 24-year-old college graduate working as a lead singer aboard a luxury cruise ship after her body was found in Australia. Authorities say Jackie Kastrinelis of Groveland, Massachusetts was found dead in her cabin aboard Regent Cruise Lines' Seven Seas voyager after the ship docked in Darwin Harbour on Sunday morning. The cabin was originally being treated as a crime scene but her death is no longer deemed suspicious, according to police while the cause of her death remains unknown. Scroll down for video . Jackie Kastrinelis, a 24-year-old lead singer aboard a cruise ship was found dead on Sunday in her cabin after docking in Australia . Accident: The 2010 graduate of the University of Hartford's Hartt School, seen performing on the ship, is said by one source to have hit her head during a rehearsal before found in her room . An unidentified source claims that the . 2010 University of Hartford graduate suffered a head injury during a . rehearsal the night before and was possibly given medication by a ship . doctor, Cruise Law News reports. An autopsy is currently underway while Australian authorities say it could take weeks to months for the toxicology test results to return. Her family, left without answers, were releasing no comment on Monday pending further information, her brother Andrew Kastrinelis told the Hartford Courant. They have since flown to Australia to meet her body. Miss Kastrinelis was the lead singer aboard the cruise liner since 2011, according to Jean Ann Ryan Productions who's responsible for her hire. Jean Ann Ryan described the young singer as a 'ray of sunshine, a life force and a beautiful person,' according to Boston.com.'...she loved performing, she was a great singer.' Mystery: An autopsy is currently underway in finding the woman's cause of death that is said to no longer to be suspicious by police who have released no further information . Loss: The lead singer aboard the Seven Seas Voyager, pictured, was mourned by Regent Cruise Lines who released a statement calling Miss Kastrinelis one of their own . Mutually affected by her abrupt loss was Lori Verderame who said she knew and worked with Miss Kastrinelis aboard the Voyager where they discussed their future lives and the unexpected paths life will take them. Rising star: The 24-year-old remembered as a ray of sunshine was the lead singer aboard the cruise liner since 2011 . 'She made a very big impression on everyone,' Verderame, who lectured aboard Regent ships as an art appraiser told the Courant. 'She won't be forgotten.' Before her work as a cruise singer, Miss Kastrinelis graduated from Hartford's Hartt School of performing arts with a bachelor of fine arts degree. ‘She was a really bright personality, very engaging, warm-hearted,’ University spokesman David Isgur told the Courant. During her time in the Hartt School . she additionally worked as a news reporter for student-run new station . STN2 who expressed their own grief over news of the young star’s death . on Monday. ‘It is with . great sadness that STN2 is able to confirm that former anchor and . reporter Jackie Kastrinelis, a member of the Hartt [School at University . of Hartford] Class of 2010 died over the weekend,’ they wrote. ‘Kastrinelis was a popular and talented Hartt performer, and personality at CHANNEL 2.’ A statement released by Regent Seven Seas Cruises said they were mutually ‘deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own,’ adding, ‘our hearts and prayers go out to the family and loved ones.’ Watch a video of Jackie performing here: . | Jackie Kastrinelis was discovered dead in her cabin on Sunday morning after docking in Darwin Harbour .
Kastrinelis was the lead singer aboard Regent Cruise Lines' Seven Seas voyager .
Cause of death not determined while single report of possible head injury night before .
Remembered as a 'ray of sunshine, a life force and a beautiful person' |
219,340 | a7e98cedc47938aad08292b0c1e183deaa5bd7cb | A Jewish couple have created a Hanukkah-based alternative to popular Christmas tradition, the Elf on the Shelf, calling their version The Mensch on the Bench. Neal and Erin Hoffman, from Cincinnati, Ohio, came up with the idea after seeing how envious their son Jacob was of all his friends who were able to partake in the the increasingly-popular Elf on the Shelf customs. Eager to create a Jewish alternative to the festive toy based around their own religious traditions, the couple designed Moshe the Mensch. Scroll down for video . 'Elf envy started all of this': Neal and Erin Hoffman created The Mensch on a Bench as a Jewish alternative to the Elf on the Shelf . Embracing tradition: The couple wanted to teach their son more about his own religion, while embracing their own unique Hanukkah traditions . 'ELF ENVY. That is what started this whole thing,' Neal wrote on the couple's Kickstarter page, through which they managed to raise more than $22,000 to fund the project. 'Our son Jacob wanted to be like many of his friends and get an Elf on a Shelf, but being Jewish, the answer was no. That got us thinking. 'The Elf on a Shelf is a new tradition... So why couldn't we, as Jews, add a new tradition to our holiday to add some more Funukkah to Hanukkah. 'We created the story of Moshe the Mensch. Moshe was at the Temple when the Maccabees returned victorious from the war. Judah Maccabee was exhausted from the fighting and he wanted to go to bed. Super sized: The Mensch on the Bench range has expanded to include a limited edition doll and a five foot stuffed Moshe figure (pictured) The best of friends: Many Elf on the Shelf fans have already added a Mensch on the Bench to their collection and are documenting the characters' friendship on Instagram . 'But, with only enough oil left for one night, Judah was worried the lights would go out in the middle of the night. Moshe volunteered to sit on the bench of the Temple and tell everyone if the lights went out. What a Mensch sitting on that Bench.' Since reaching their funding goal in May last year, the Neal, a former Hasbro Toys employee, and Erin have already expanded The Mensch on a Bench range, which now includes a limited edition Moshe doll and a five foot stuffed Moshe, which has surprisingly proved to be fairly popular with customers. Unlike Santa's scout elves, who return to the North Pole every night in order to report back on their children's behavior, the Mensch remains with the family in order to watch over their Menorah throughout the night to ensure that the flames keep burning bright. Each Mensch comes complete with a book documenting the story of Moshe the Mensch, and a set of eight rules for the family to follow in the weeks leading up to their Hanukkah celebration. Enjoying some festive fun: Just like the Elf on the Shelf, Moshe the Mensch enjoys capturing his nighttime antics on camera so that he can share them with the family come morning . Midnight mission: Unlike Santa's scout elves, Moshe the Mensch remains in the house all night in order to watch over the family's Menorah and ensure it keeps burning until morning . 'Every day of Hanukkah, make sure you give your Mensch a Shamash candle to hold... and every night use that candle to light your Menorah,' one rule reads, while another adds: 'One night of Hanukkah don't open presents yourself, instead buy presents and give them to people in need. 'Remember that a true Mensch is one who puts smiles on other people's faces.' Much like fans of the Elf on the Shelf, the Mensch's followers are also encouraged to document their doll's various escapades around the house and then share the images on Instagram using the hashtag #menschonabench. Thus far, the Mensch has been captured in a number of hilarious positions, from sledding down a makeshift mountain with his Christmas counterpart, the Elf on the Shelf, to enjoying a potato sack race against computer game heroes Mario and Luigi. In one image, the religious figure is even seen enjoying a bottle of red wine. Naughty or nice? Some of the images of Moshe the Mensch are slightly more mischievous than others . A Christmas Tradition: The Elf on the Shelf has become increasingly popular in recent years . And it's not just Jewish families who Neal and Erin hope will enjoy the new Hanukkah tradition. # . 'The product is designed for young Jewish families, but is a great introduction to Hanukkah for those not of the Jewish faith,' the couple wrote on their Kickstarter page. 'In the end our goal is to increase active participation in Hanukkah and make the celebration of the holiday even more fun than it is today. 'We also want to teach kids what it is to be a true Mensch and teach them to strive to make a positive difference in the world around them. | Jewish couple Neal and Erin Hoffman were able to fund the initial launch of the entertaining toy thanks to a Kickstarter campaign .
Their son Jacob wanted to join in with his friends' Elf on the Shelf traditions so they created a more suitable alternative .
Moshe the Mensch has his own Instagram account where fans can document his hilarious antics . |
1,334 | 03cb8a444a7ab403548f07933233d0d43badb7bb | An Arizona six-year-old has broken the world record for the half-marathon in his age group after running a two-hour, 19-minute and 48-second half marathon. When Cael Schwartz, six, heard that a six-year-old boy from Texas had run a half marathon, he decided that he wanted to run one, too. He began training with his father Adam Schwartz, setting a personal record of two hours and one minute - a pace of about 10 minutes a mile. Strong finish: Cael Schwartz crosses the finish line after running a two-hour, 19-minute and 48-second marathon . Adam Schwartz ran alongside his son at the Desert Classic in Surprise along with 184 other runners. The course was hard, said the elder Schwartz, with an incline in the first half of the race. 'It’s . a pretty tough half-marathon course in that regard,' Adam told Arizona . Central, 'so we fell about nine, 10 minutes short of our goal, but it . was still a pretty impressive performance.' Impressive . enough, certainly, to break the previous world record, set by a . six-year-old from New Orleans of two hours, 37 minutes and 34 seconds. The record must be submitted to the Association of Road Racing, but it is expected to be accepted. World-record holder: Little Cael Schwartz with his dad, Adam . Adam Schwartz said the half-marathon was the longest race Cael has ever run . Cael, who loves competition and most sports, said he was just 'a little tired' after he finished the race. 'I . felt good,' said Cael, who turned seven the day after the race. 'When I . finished... I just couldn’t believe that I broke the record.' Cael's interest in sports started with Adam Schwartz began competing in triathlons last year. The . then-five-year-old decided he wanted to compete in triathlons too. He's . planning to run in six triathlons this spring in preparation for the . main event. 'My next goal is to win the national championship in triathlons for seven-year-olds in August,' said the determined athlete. Competitive edge: Cael loves competing and does triathlon, wrestling and half-marathons . Cael, the eldest of three boys, has made his his father and his mother, Michelle, very proud with his dedication. 'Both of us through this journey have choked up on occasion,' Adam Schwartx told Arizona Central. 'It’s a pretty neat experience and it’s not one you get to have very often. To be able to share it with family and friends is a very neat experience for us.' Cael wants to run another marathon soon, after he's given his legs a rest. But in the meantime, he plans to take up wrestling. | Cael Schwartz ran a half marathon in two hours, 19 minutes and 48 seconds .
He broke the previous world record in his age group, set by a New Orleans boy in 2006 .
He competed as a six-year-old, and turned seven the day after his race .
Schwartz and his father have been training for the marathon since November .
He said wants to run another half marathon soon - after he's let his legs rest .
He plans to win the National Championship triathlon in his age group in August . |
20,219 | 3961b8c58ba051a548df2f948c6f3e3c5a95fefb | (CNN) -- Nutek Disposables of Pennsylvania has issued a voluntary recall for its baby wipes because some packages may contain a bacteria that's often resistant to common antibiotics. The wipes being recalled are: Cuties, Diapers.com, Femtex, Fred's, Kidgets, Member's Mark, Simply Right, Sunny Smiles, Tender Touch and Well Beginnings. They were sold to: Walgreens, Sam's Club, Family Dollar, Fred's and Diapers.com. After it received some complaints of discoloration and an odor, Nutek said it conducted tests and found that some of the products contained the bacteria, Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia). B. cepacia poses no risk to healthy people. But those with weakened immune systems or lung diseases, could be infected. The company said it has received several reports of rashes, irritation and fever -- but "these reports have not been confirmed to be related to the use of these products." Nutek hasn't yet pinpointed how the bacteria got into the supply. It has stopped shipping baby wipes made in that facility. You can return the wipes for a full refund where you bought it. If you have questions, you can call the company at 1-855-646-4351, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. | B. cepacia poses no risk to healthy people .
But those with weakened immune systems could be infected . |
203,055 | 92e398ad712811ca2a68a8e1d53067da5c9877f1 | Superstar quarterback Peyton Manning is done in Indianapolis. The four-time NFL MVP was released by his team today after a 14-year run that also included one Super Bowl title. Manning, 35, and Colts owner Jim Irsay appeared together today during a press conference to make the announcement. Emotional: Peyton Manning struggled to hold back his tears as he announced that he was being released by the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent 14 seasons as quarterback . Both men paused frequently, fighting tears and their voices shaking, when they appeared together at a news conference at the Colts' team complex. Fighting back tears, the veteran . quarterback told reporters: 'I haven't thought yet about where I'll . play, but I have thought a lot of where I've been'. He forever will be thought of in Indianapolis as No. 18, the quarterback who led the Colts to an NFL championship in 2006. 'It'll always be a Colt,' Manning said. 'That'll never change.' He'll be remembered, too, for his record four MVP awards, his 50,000 yards passing and his 200 consecutive starts. Most of all, Manning will be the guy in the horseshoe helmet who turned around a franchise and transformed a basketball-loving city into a football hotbed that hosted the Super Bowl a month ago. Manning is coming off a series of operations to his neck and missed all of last season in which the Colts struggled and could only muster two wins. Indianapolis needed to cut him this week to avoid paying him a $28million bonus. The Colts are widely expected to begin moving on by taking Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft. Injury: Manning's 14-year career with the Colts has come to an end after undergoing three neck operations and missing the entire 2011 season . The relationship between the two has . been increasingly strained in recent months, with public statements from . Irsay suggesting Manning’s separation from the team had caused . tensions. In February, . Sports Illustrated reported that Manning had actually undergone a fourth . unreported surgery and questions about his health have dogged him . throughout his rehabilitation. Although . his doctors announced that he is cleared to resume his career, no . timetable was made public for his return and reports about a lack of arm . strength have proliferated. Despite those concerns, several NFL teams have shown interest in him, including the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Emotional farewell: Manning and Colts owner Jim Irsay (right) appeared together today to make the stunning announcement . Champion: Manning forever will be remembered in Indianapolis as No. 18, the quarterback who led the Colts to a Super Bowl victory in 2006 . Free . agency begins March 13, but Manning is now free to sign with another NFL team now that the Colts have formally released him. Sources . said Manning expects to have significant dialogue with interested teams . before he makes a decision on where to resume his career and is will . likely work out for a few select teams once he analyzes his top choices. The parting between Manning . and the franchise that drafted him with No. 1 overall selection in the . 1998 NFL Draft comes shortly before the Colts' March 8 deadline to . exercise an option in the quarterback's contract to keep him. Picking . up the option would keep Manning playing with a horseshoe on his helmet . through 2015 and include a hefty option bonus payment of $28million. Still got it? Although Manning's doctors say he is cleared to resume his career, no timetable was made public for his return and reports about a lack of arm strength have proliferated . | Spent entire NFL career thus far Indianapolis, winning a Super Bowl and four MVP awards .
Missed last season due to neck injury that required several surgeries .
Team went 2-14 without him in 2011, finishing in last place . |
27,665 | 4e6ac7764eb2f02e987bdffe647b48048cd0dd30 | Mumbai's moviegoers are getting used to seeing a police-issued public service clip before the start of films, encouraging them to come forward to report crimes against women. It's a relevant message, given the regular reports of grisly gang rapes and murders roiling the nation. In the past few weeks, the north of India has experienced especially brutal violence, particularly in the state of Uttar Pradesh. On May 27, the alleged gang rape and hanging of two teenage girls, age 14 and 15, in Badaun district made headlines. Two weeks later, the body of a 45-year-old alleged gang rape victim was found hanging from a tree in Bahraich district. Since then, a 16-year-old girl was found hanged from a tree in Moradabad district, allegedly after having been raped. In Kushinagar, an 18-year-old was apparently raped by two people and dumped in a pond. And just days ago came news of another gang rape in Badaun, that of a 32-year-old woman. After the infamous December 2012 rape and death of a physiotherapy student in New Delhi, the rape of a photojournalist in Mumbai in August last year and the rapes of several foreign visitors to India, the specter of a crisis haunts India. "Clearly, rape is nothing new," says Madhu Kishwar, a pioneering feminist and academic who founded Manushi, a journal on women's issues, more than 40 years ago. "What's new is the increased brutalization of the rape victims. It's an epidemic of brutality." Kishwar notes a heightened frustration and angst amongst young men facing limited options in life as a factor in the wave of sexual violence. Beyond that, she also points to general lawlessness in states like Uttar Pradesh, where politics is highly criminalized. Uttar Pradesh, with 200 million people, is India's most populous state and ranks fourth across all states and union territories in rape crimes. Although the number of rape cases registered in the state increased from 1563 in 2010 to 1963 in 2012, the state's conviction rate for such cases declined from 2010 to 2012, from 45.1 percent to 31.5 percent, according to data from the National Bureau of Crime Statistics (NBCS). This trend mirrors what's happening nationally. While the total number of rape cases in India registered a 12 percent increase between 2010 and 2012, the conviction rate declined from 17.1 percent to 14.3 percent, resulting in fewer convictions in 2012. (In the majority of these cases, the rape offenders were known to victims.) Yet domestic data belies this, given that in 2012, the latest year for which official data is available, 24,923 rape cases were registered nationally, according to the NBCS. This is almost certainly a reflection of the under-reporting of crimes of sexual violence. Political insensitivity is not helping to foster a climate in which victims of sexual violence feel safe coming forward. Mulayam Singh Yadav, the head of the Samajwadi Party, which governs Uttar Pradesh, courted controversy when he decried stricter punishments for rapists after laws were overhauled last year. He was quoted as suggesting that boys make such mistakes, and that rapists shouldn't be awarded the death penalty. His Australian educated son, Akhilesh Yadav, who is the state's chief minister, also misstepped. When probed by journalists about the increase in rapes in his state, he retorted in Hindi: "It's not as though you faced danger." The Samajwadi Party is hardly alone. Boorish politicians across party lines have made repugnant statements, including calling rape "accidental" and "sometimes right, sometimes wrong." Such thoughts reflect Indian society's deep-rooted patriarchy. We rank 132 out of 187 countries on gender inequality, according to the UNDP's Human Development Report, lower even than neighboring Pakistan. A 2014 report by Dasra, a Mumbai based philanthropic foundation says that almost 70 percent of women in India face some form of domestic violence. In their book "An Uncertain Glory," economists Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze write that Indian women's participation in the workforce beyond the home "remains extremely low by international standards, and shows little sign of increasing" -- a situation attributed in part to "negative social attitudes towards women's work outside the household." Poverty and poor sanitation are a blight on India. Forty percent of schools in India do not have separate toilets for girls, leading to higher school drop out rates for girls as they attain puberty and perpetuating the cycle of low female literacy. Lack of access to toilets plays a role in making women vulnerable to assaults. The two teenage cousins killed in the Badaun assaults had stepped out to relieve themselves when they were abducted. Caste oppression also continues to be a real issue. In Uttar Pradesh, caste certainly played a factor in some of the crimes, which reflected a pattern of higher caste men feeling entitled to victimize lower caste victims with relative impunity. But, as is often the case with all things Indian, generalizations have their limits. The rape of a photojournalist in Mumbai last August had nothing to do with caste and everything to do with young men attacking a woman for sport. "Each case has to be looked at individually," says Kishwar. "It would be a mistake to lump them all into one group." How, then, do we restore faith in our society and tackle this menace? For a start, Indians have to shift our cultural mindset. We must give women wider berth in employment opportunities to foster economic independence. The idea of woman as personal property, which leads to a sense of male entitlement, has to be eradicated. Marital rape, currently not legally recognized, must be criminalized. In the short-term, we need better law enforcement. The police need to step up their game nationally, but especially in places like beleaguered Uttar Pradesh. Victims should be encouraged to come forward to report crimes with the expectation they will be treated with care. More policewomen need to be recruited, and dedicated cells for violent sexual crimes must be the norm in police stations. Mandatory gender sensitivity training and quicker response times to crimes should be built into police performance evaluation. Conviction rates need to go up, but justice also needs to be timely. Indians recently took pride in peacefully electing a new government, one that took the reins in New Delhi promising change. A priority for them in delivering on that promise must be to ensure women's security. | Northern India has experienced especially brutal violence, with a spate of brutal rapes .
Gayatri Rangachari Shah: Indians have to shift their cultural mindset towards women .
The conviction rate in rape cases has declined over the past few years .
Political insensitivity is not helping victims feel safe coming forward . |
78,447 | de51ebad5a493a7f233e76ab9b2a71414d3ea6fb | Fears were rising today for the crew of a South Korean trawler which sank in the Bering Sea, off the east coast of Russia. More than 50 men were reported missing in appalling conditions with high seas and strong winds. Seven people were rescued from the 1,753-tonne Oryong 501 - including a Russian inspector on board the ship when it got into difficulty. Scroll down for video . More than 50 men are missing and feared dead after their trawler sank in the Bering Sea in bad weather . One man was confirmed dead by the Russian rescue services. The vessel sank off the Chukotka peninsula after being hit by a large wave as the crew hauled in their catch. 'One person, a fishermen from South Korea, died from hypothermia,' said Artur Rets, chief of the Naval Coordination and Rescue Centre in Petropavlosvsk-Kamchatsky, where the temperature is currently -4°C. 'The destiny of 54 other crew members is as yet unknown.' 'The ship tilted slowly after taking in water, forcing crew members to abandon it,' said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. 'Several vessels from nearby waters were involved in search and rescue efforts, but the operation has been hampered by bad weather.' Other accounts said 52 were missing. A fishing trawler sank off the Chukotka peninsula after being hit by a large wave in bad weather (file picture) 'Seven people were rescued, including a Russian inspector,' said Rets. 'Five were taken on board the Russian 'Karolina-7' fishing trawler, two others to the 'Zaliv Zabiyaka' boat'.' He said that a huge search was underway as night fell. 'The crew of all boats in the area are carrying intense searches right now, looking for 54 others in the water,' he said. However, the weather conditions were difficult. 'The wind is 25-27 m/c, with waves reaching 5-6 metres. 'We received information about the incident at about 5 pm local time, when the emergency buoy of 'Oryong-501' went off. The trawler sank very quickly.' Reports said the crew comprised 11 South Koreans, 13 from the Philippines, 35 from Indonesia, plus one Russian inspector. Other versions said there were 62 on board when it went down in mid-afternoon on Monday. The vessel was operated by South Korea's Sajo Industries. The human body cools 25 times faster in cold water than it does in air. The expected time of survival of a person in 41-degree F (5°C) water is up to three hours. | South Korean trawler has sunk leaving more than 50 men missing .
Seven people have been rescued, one man has been confirmed dead .
Vessel sank off the Chukotka peninsula after being hit by a large wave . |
73,337 | cff3d64c2321455e7147e282c2b195e2f1f6e5ed | (CNN) -- As the nation faces a looming retirement crisis, a member of Congress has proposed a terrible idea that would bash seniors. Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California asked the National Park Service to consider raising the price of the senior lifetime pass to help solve the parks' $153 million budget gap caused by the sequester cuts. Pause for a moment and consider that $153 million is a tiny portion of the federal budget. It is a little more than the value of Bill Gates' house and a fraction of the price of a B-2 bomber. People over 62 can buy a $10 lifetime pass to the more than 2000 federal recreational sites. For volunteers, the disabled and young children, it's free. With the exception of a few other cases, it's $80 for an annual pass to all the sites. If the park service doubled the cost of the senior lifetime pass, it would raise $5 million. That's such a tiny drop in the bucket it's laughable. This is not about the $5 million. Raising the lifetime park pass for seniors is not offered up to lower park admission prices for young people. In other words, there is no fixed pie. If grandma gets more, then baby Charlie gets less. No. Unlike reptiles, human societies do not arrange to eat their young. There is a sincere but mistaken belief out there that the old are taking advantage of the young. Societies that pay for the old can pay for the young, too. It's not a zero-sum game. My colleagues and I have analyzed the national budgets in more than 63 nations. When a society spends more money on the elderly, they also spend more money on education and other programs benefiting the young. For example, in the United States in the 1970s, education spending tripled, education attainment rates soared and Social Security and Medicare expanded. The park pass proposal comes across as another attempt to erode the financial situation of American seniors who are already facing threats in their coming old age. The various proposals floating around to cut Social Security are scary enough for older Americans. For example, one idea from the Simpson-Bowles Commission is to raise the age seniors can collect their full Social Security benefits from 67 to 70 and the eligibility age from 62 to 65. President Obama has proposed replacing the regular consumer price index, or CPI, to adjust Social Security benefits with the chained CPI -- often called the cat food CPI because the index assumes that when the price of human food rises, seniors can substitute cheaper food to get the same nutrition. A chained CPI would lower lifetime benefits to the oldest seniors by more than $25,000. With the U.S. economy growing at a sluggish pace, older Americans who are nearing retirement face more uncertainty. In 2012, a report from the Government Accountability Office found employers are reluctant to hire older workers, citing reasons such as outdated skills as one of the factors. Workers who are 55 years old and up who lose their jobs have it the hardest. They face the longest period of unemployment. Members of Congress who want generational fairness and balanced budgets won't get there by whacking the elderly with Social Security cuts or higher park pass prices. Why can't Congress be smarter about finding ways to revitalize the economy and create jobs? That is a rhetorical question. They are busy finding coins in the sofa cushions instead of creating a sustainable and stabilizing federal budget. Raising the price of park passes for the elderly won't make a real dent or help young people enjoy the trees more. With this budget process, fewer and fewer families or the elderly will be able to get to the park if they're busy scrambling to get by. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Teresa Ghilarducci. | A congresswoman proposes raising the price of the senior lifetime pass to national parks .
Teresa Ghilarducci: Raising the price for the elderly won't make a real dent .
She says the idea seems like another attempt to erode the financial situation of American seniors .
Ghilarducci: There is no fixed pie; it's not as if seniors get more, then young people get less . |
231,469 | b7b30ac5fca4ade5b47d2381cfaf3a8dcd531f51 | By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 21:11 EST, 29 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:11 EST, 29 December 2012 . Outspoken: Archbishop Bernard Longley, writing in a letter to churches in his diocese, warns that plans to legalise gay marriage could tarnish the Christian view of family life . Plans to legalise gay marriage would undermine the Christian view of the family, according to a leading Roman Catholic archbishop. The Archbishop of Birmingham Bernard Longley warned that the Government cannot foresee the 'full consequences' of the proposals. In a letter to churches and chapels in his diocese, the Archbishop warned of the impact gay marriage would have on 'children involved or for wider society'. His warnings are the latest attack from a senior member of the Catholic Church on David Cameron's plans to allow gay couples to marry in churches. In the letter, due to be read to worshippers tomorrow, the Archbishop said: 'Government policy cannot foresee the full consequences, for the children involved or for wider society, of being brought up by two mothers without a father’s influence or by two fathers without a mother’s influence. 'We first learn about diversity and acquire a respect for difference through the complementarity of our parents.' He describes the 'complementary love of father and mother' as a 'precious gift that we should wish for every child'. Archbishop Longley adds: 'We know that many single parents courageously and generously look after their children and often struggle to give them a fine up-bringing. 'If it had not been for the . understanding of St Joseph, our Lady herself might have had to face the . difficulties of being a single parent. 'Even . so, the experience of growing up with our father and mother to teach . and guide, to console and love us unconditionally is an invaluable . blessing in life.' Views: In the letter the Archbishop describes the 'complementary love of father and mother' as a 'precious gift that we should wish for every child' Criticism: The archbishop said that the Government could not foresee the consequences for 'children or wider society' The remarks follow the more pointed criticism from the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, the most senior Catholic in England and Wales. He lambasted the Prime Minister for his 'undemocratic' and 'Orwellian' plans to legalise gay marriage. The archbishop said the proposals were a 'shambles', and accused David Cameron of pushing through the changes without a mandate. In his Christmas Eve sermon at Westminster Cathedral, he said that only marriage between a man and a woman shares in 'the creative love of God'. The Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury, . Mark Davies, also used his Christmas homily to liken moves to legalise . same-sex marriage to the way Nazis and Communists tried to undermine . religion. Archbishop . Nichols criticised successive governments for failing to stand up for . marriage and promoting sex before marriage instead. 'Shambles': The Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols said the plans to introduce same-sex marriage laws are undemocratic . In an interview with the BBC, he attacked parties who were promoting same-sex marriage, saying the plan was 'Orwellian' because there was no mandate from the public. 'From a democratic point of view, it's a shambles,' he said. 'George Orwell would be proud of the manoeuvre. I think the process is shambolic.' The attacks from leading Catholics come despite the fact polls show the public is largely in favour of allowing gay couples to marry. Civil partnerships - which come with most, but not all, of the legal safeguards of marriage - were introduced seven years ago. They allow gay couples to celebrate their unions in civil settings, but not in religious buildings. Now the Government wants to allow them to call their unions marriage and have the ceremony in civil and religious settings. Opposition: The most senior Catholic in England and Wales described the plans as 'Orwellian' Religious organisations such as the Quakers and the Unitarians have said they would like to be able to host gay marriages. But the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church are against it and the legislation says it would be illegal for any Anglican vicar to marry a gay couple. Ministers insist that churches will never be forced to carry out gay marriage, but opponents say homosexual couples could get the ban overturned under European human rights laws. Pope Benedict XVI has also reiterated his opposition to gay marriage earlier this month, saying that it was destroying the very 'essence of the human creature'. | Archbishop of Birmingham says government can't see 'full consequences'
Warns of impact for 'children involved or wider society' in letter to churches .
Remarks are latest attack from senior Catholic on David Cameron's plans . |
31,083 | 585892925a0a6191ada81adc9cbc374dc00cd49e | Seven men sought by police investigating racist chanting at a mainline station following a Chelsea Champions League football match earlier this month have all been identified, police said. Britsh Transport Police (BTP) said they would be interviewed in due course. BTP had released images of seven men taken at St Pancras International station in London at around 8pm on February 18. Photographs of seven men have been released by police investigating racist chanting in London . A group of men were at St Pancras International station when they reportedly engaged in racist chanting . British Transport Police are appealing to identify the men pictured on February 18 at around 8pm . This was the day after an incident on the Paris Metro before Chelsea's match with Paris St Germain when a man was subjected to alleged racist abuse. In a statement today, solicitor John Kaye, who has been engaged by Chelsea fan Jamie Fairbairn, 23, said his client had accepted being among those in the carriage of the Metro train in Paris during the incident involving a black man, Souleymane Sylla, on the evening of February 17. He added that Mr Fairbairn denies preventing Mr Sylla from boarding or using words of a racist or threatening nature, and also denies saying anything of a racist nature during his visit to Paris or later at St Pancras. Jose Mourinho admitted he felt 'ashamed' by the racially-motivated incident involving Chelsea fans . Commuter Souleymane S attempts to board a train but is refused entry by fans in a separate incident . The man attempts to forcibly gain entry to the Paris Metro train but struggles with passengers on board . He said Mr Fairbairn was not even present during the alleged racist chanting incident at St Pancras. The solicitor added that media interest in the story had forced Mr Fairbairn to move away from his home and he had been suspended from work. 'On behalf of Mr Fairbairn, I have been in contact with the Metropolitan Police to offer Mr Fairbairn's assistance as a witness,' Mr Kaye said. The amateur footage goes on to show passengers in the carriage following the disgraceful incident . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The incident occurred at London St Pancras last Wednesday .
British Transport Police say they travelled by train from Paris to London .
It was a day after Chelsea fans allegedly forcibly blocked a black passenger from boarding a train in Paris .
All seven men sought by police have now been identified and will be interviewed in due course . |
155,920 | 558e4b0e1525cb914cf04883a05a34c6614f185b | (CNN) -- The wait is over for Mario Matt. Matt ended a nearly three-year drought on the World Cup circuit when he won the slalom on the icy Face de Bellevarde in Val d'Isere, France on Sunday. He now has 14 slalom victories, putting him into a tie for fifth in the record books with fellow Austrian Benny Raich. At 34, he is the oldest man to win a World Cup slalom race -- having placed second earlier this season in Finland -- and he moved to the top of the overall standings after last season's champion Marcel Hirscher failed to qualify for the second run. "I am very happy about this result," the two-time slalom world champion was quoted as saying by the website of alpine skiing's governing body. "I was a few times on the podium in the past two years but since (Slovenia) in 2011 I couldn't win." Matt posted the fastest time in the first run and held his nerve in the second to beat Sweden's Mattias Hargin by 0.13 seconds and Italy's Patrick Thaler by nearly 0.40 seconds. Hargin made up ground in the second run but not quite enough. He still, though, collected his first World Cup podium in two years. Thaler, too, finished in the top three for the first time in a while -- since 2009. "It's a special day for me," said the 35-year-old. "I was fighting for many years to come back on the podium and I have to thank a lot of people." Ted Ligety had a weekend to forget in Val d'Isere. A day after he failed to take part in the second run of a World Cup giant slalom for the first time in four years, the American didn't qualify for Sunday's second run, too. Former overall champion Bode Miller didn't complete the first run, either. "It was tough conditions where it was very hard snow but very grippy," U.S. men's alpine head coach Sasha Rearick told his team's website. "We've been training on ice getting ready for Val d'Isere and we didn't make that transition very well today. "That's something we've got to work on in the future." Worley wins in St. Moritz . At the women's giant slalom in St. Moritz, Switzerland, France's Tessa Worley beat Sweden's Jessica Lindell-Vikarby by 0.37 seconds and Slovenia's Tina Maze by 0.79 seconds. But two big names didn't finish the first run -- overall leader Lara Gut of Switzerland and young U.S. phenom Mikaela Shiffrin. Shiffrin had bib No. 1. "I don't know how many people actually slid out where Mikaela did," said U.S. women's alpine head coach Alex Hoedlmoser. "There were a few. The snow was aggressive and at the same time somehow a little slick, because we saw the same type of DNFs (did not finishes) multiple times today." | Mario Matt won his 14th World Cup slalom when he beat the field in Val d'Isere .
He tied fellow Austrian Benny Raich in slalom victories and won for the first time since 2011 .
Americans Ted Ligety and Bode Miller didn't feature in the second run .
Tessa Worley won a giant slalom in St. Moritz ahead of Jessica Lindell-Vikarby . |
278,347 | f491ce10ea8a7fadb5bf755459da50bbe3eb9982 | Festive spending is expected to hit £45,000 a second tomorrow in what is set to be the busiest shopping day in British history. Analysts are predicting consumers will spend a record £3.9 billion over 24 hours in a last-minute surge of present-buying. Spending will average £2.7 million a minute, with the peak coming between 1pm and 2pm, during office workers’ lunch breaks. Oxford Street was packed on Saturday but is expected to get even busier on Monday as shoppers rush out to buy last-minute gifts before the big day . Across the country retailers have slashed prices in store to encourage people in but full sales will not begin until Christmas eve . Visa, Europe’s biggest payment firm, predicts it will process 31 million UK card transactions, and Barclaycard expects customers to withdraw £25,000 a second from cash machines. Here are the best of the online and shop sales – and the times that some of the best bargains will be going live. And don’t forget, online sales continue after the shops close on Christmas Eve... CHRISTMAS EVE . From midnight . From 5pm . From 7pm . CHRISTMAS DAY . From midnight . From 8am . Time unknown . BOXING DAY . From 7am . From 8am . From 10am . The frenzy will continue on Christmas Eve and even throughout Christmas Day, when a record number of shops are either opening or launching online sales. It comes as retailers are slashing prices by more than 70 per cent and supermarkets open round the clock in a bid to boost their customer share. Mandy Ryan, an analyst for the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘Consumer confidence is considerably higher than it was last year but times remain challenging. ‘People don’t feel like they have more money than ever but they are taking advantage of some great discounts. ‘Inflation is much less than last year so shoppers can get that little bit extra for their money. 'The fact that Christmas falls on a Wednesday means that a lot of people have Monday and Tuesday off so can get more shopping done. ‘Footfall is actually down but that is because more people than ever are choosing to do their shopping online.’ Jeremy Nicholds, director of commercial development at Visa Europe, said: ‘The rush to shop online at the beginning of the month will be mirrored on our high streets on December 23, which we predict will be the busiest day of the year. ‘With £862,500 expected to be spent every minute on the UK’s high streets with Visa cards, there are indications that this may well be the best Christmas for retailers.’ As well as making the most of pre and post-Christmas sales, more retailers are offering cut-price goods online on Christmas Day. E-retail analyst IMRG predicts Christmas Day online sales will top £350 million and Boxing Day sales top £540 million. A record 16,000 local convenience stores – or 32 per cent of the total – are expected to open on Christmas Day, according to the Convenience Store Association. They include large chains such as Budgens and Spar. Diane Wehrle, marketing director for Springboard retail analysts, expects many more local shops to open on Christmas Day in the future, and predicts that in ten years Britain will have the lifted the ban on Christmas Day trading. Currently shops bigger than 3,000 sq ft are not allowed to open. She said: ‘We are a multi-cultural society and while it’s Christmas for many people, for others it’s not a day of any particular significance. ‘Some people need to work and get along with their normal lives and that means being able to buy a few household items. ‘It’s handy for everyone. We have a 24-hour economy and you can’t close it down for one or two days, things have to carry on.’ The Citizens Advice Bureau warned against shoppers borrowing beyond their means by taking out payday and other high-interest loans. A spokesman said: ‘Christmas is a time of giving, but you don’t want to give yourself a headache in the New Year with bills and debts you can’t afford. ‘It’s all too easy to overspend – there are tempting offers and pressures to buy – but you must decide how much you can afford before you start spending.’ The police are planning a Boxing Day blitz to thwart gangs and pickpockets aiming to target the traditional post-Christmas sales. The offensive, known as Operation Nutcracker, will see teams of undercover police mingling with crowds on the streets, buses and trains. About 100 uniformed beat officers, mounted officers and a police helicopter are also involved. Four million Britons will be spending the holiday in sun spots abroad or on the ski slopes, and a further eight million will be taking breaks in this country. Customer's spent £30,000 per second on Saturday, but that is expected to rise to £45,000 on Monday making it the busiest day in British retail history . Furby Boom! V Teksta robot: . Interactive: Furbys have made a comeback thanks to the Boom! version but are being rivaled by Teksta puppy . Two ‘pets’ you can control with an app are the big-sellers. The Furby Boom! (£54.99) is so sought-after that Toys R Us limited sales to two per customer, while the Teksta Robotic Puppy (£59.99) will do back-flips and chase a ball and a bone. PS4 V iPad Mini 2: . Sony's Playstation 4 sold a million consoles on the first day and has been in high demand ever since . The iPad Mini 2 has experienced some supply issues with bosses warning not everyone will be able to find one . Since it went on sale in November, supplies of the iPad Mini 2 (from £219) have been limited. Even Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook has admitted that ‘it’s not clear that everyone who wants one will be able to find one’ this Christmas. The PlayStation 4 (from £349) has been flying off the shelves since selling a million consoles on its first day. Alex Ferguson V Bridget Jones: . Page turner: Alex Ferguson's autobiography will make the perfect gift for any Red Devils fan while Helen Fielding's latest Bridget Jones offering has also been selling well . The former Manchester United manager stormed the non-fiction charts with My Autobiography (£12), his account of life at the Red Devils, while the eagerly awaited next instalment of Bridget Jones’s Diary has taken top spot in the fiction category. First week sales of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (£9) were up 250 per cent on other books in the series, and Ferguson’s sporting memoir is the year’s overall bestseller. Chanel No 5 V One Direction: . Scent of success: Marilyn's favourite Chanel No 5 is going head-to-head with One Direction's Our Moment . The battle to be this year’s top fragrance is between X Factor runners-up One Direction with Our Moment (£21), and Marilyn Monroe’s favourite, the classic Chanel No 5 (from £47.50). Our Moment has already taken the title for bestselling celebrity fragrance while Chanel No 5 was happy to bounce back from last year’s disastrous and baffling Brad Pitt advertising campaign. The Bearded Head V Blow Monkey: . Off-the-wall: For shoppers looking for an odd but charming present the Beard Head will make the perfect gift for a man challenged in the facial hair department, while the Blow Monkey is perfect for girls who love a night out . For those moments when you need to look like a lumberjack but don’t have the opportunity to grow a beard, you really need look no further than the Beard Head (from 19.99). And for women with no time on their hands, the Blow Monkey (£7.95) nail-dryer is a must. Archbishop Justin Welby has been silent on the issue of shops opening on Christmas Day along with many other senior church figures . The Church of England’s most senior . leaders have failed to criticise the growing commercialisation of . Christmas Day – despite predictions that people will spend a record . £350 million online on the day itself and more shops than ever will . open. The Archbishops of . Canterbury and York and the Bishop of London all declined to respond to . questions last week about whether commercial pressures were eroding the . spiritual values of one of the most important days in the Christian . calendar. Only a . handful of bishops replied to a Mail on Sunday survey. The reluctance to . speak out follows predictions by the retail organisation IMRG of a 15 . per cent jump this year in the amount spent in the online sales on . Christmas Day, up from an estimated £307 million last year. On top of this, a record 16,000 independently owned shops will open. Judging . by the 107 million visits made to online retail sites last year, the . numbers of people shopping on Wednesday will dwarf even more the numbers . attending a Church of England service, which in 2011 was just over 2.6 . million. The Mail on . Sunday contacted almost all of the Church’s 42 senior bishops over . recent days, but spokesmen for the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin . Welby, the Archbishop of York John Sentamu and the . Bishop of London Richard Chartres said they did not wish to comment. Among . those who did respond, the Bishop of Norwich Graham James said: ‘It’s a . pity if this one opportunity to rest from retail is eroded. It won’t do . our spiritual health any good at all.’ The . Bishop of Chester Peter Forster said the traditional association of . Christmas with peace ‘should encourage everyone to avoid the commercial . activity – just as, traditionally, armies did not continue fighting on . Christmas Day’. The . Bishop of Wakefield Stephen Platten added: ‘Let us do our best to retain . at least one day in the year when as many people as possible can be . given a proper break and hopefully also reflect upon the deepest aspects . of our existence.’ The . Bishop of Bradford Nick Baines said: ‘The Beatles got it right: ‘Can’t . buy me love’. The loss of shopping-free days – a sabbath – is serious . for the good of individuals, families and communities.’ And the Bishop of St Albans Alan Smith said: ‘The true message of Christmas is about giving.’ | Monday is set to be the busiest day in British retail history .
Shoppers set to spend £45,000 every second i last-minute rush .
Peak will be during office lunch hours between 1pm and 2pm . |
234,296 | bb4e81a26f66dff49f7ad46381c84c4104c7d007 | (CNN) -- At last it appears the pieces in soccer's latest transfer window jigsaw are slowly falling into place. A pair of big-money moves involving English Premier League clubs on Wednesday could spark a frenzy of activity as Europe's leading clubs aim to finish their business before Tuesday's deadline. London-based club Tottenham Hotspur are at the coalface as things stand, securing a $40 million deal shortly after missing out on another to rivals Chelsea. All this with the potential world record transfer of their star player Gareth Bale to Spanish giants Real Madrid simmering in the background -- a move that manager Andre Villas-Boas admits is close. But while the two English clubs are splashing out lavish sums on new players, the teams they are buying from are resigned to having to offload their big names in a bid to balance the books. Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala announced their intention to sell a swathe of their stars earlier this month, alerting both Chelsea and Tottenham to the availability of Brazilian midfielder Willian. The 25-year-old appeared to be set for a move to Tottenham, but Chelsea swooped in to hijack the deal and on Wednesday announced it had been completed, for a fee reported to be $46.5 million. It means manager Jose Mourinho has ten midfielders at his disposal and raises the prospect that Spanish playmaker Juan Mata, who hasn't featured in Chelsea's first two games of the season, might be sold. Willian told Chelsea's official website: "Chelsea are one of the best clubs in the world, and now I'm going to play for one of the best managers in the world. "It's been my dream to come to play here. Chelsea was always my first choice. "Finally it's become a reality, and when the offer came I never gave a thought to anybody else, I said to myself that I would run here, and I'm happy to be here now." Chelsea are still in the market for Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney, who played for the English champions against Chelsea in their goalless draw on Monday night. The striker was afforded a fine reception by the home supporters, and took to his Facebook page on Wednesday to thank them for their support, the biggest hint yet that he might opt to stay at Old Trafford. Tottenham's frustration at missing out on Willian might have been eased by a new signing of their own, as Italian club AS Roma announced midfielder Erik Lamela was set to join them for a fee of $39.9 million. At the same time the club confirmed the signing of Adam Ljajic from fellow Serie A side Fiorentina for $14.5 million, who is expected to fill the gap left by Lamela, from Argentina. Lamela's acquisition means Tottenham have broken their transfer record three times in the close season, after the arrivals of Paulinho from Corinthians and Roberto Soldado from Valencia. They have also signed Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue and Belgian winger Nacer Chadli as Villas-Boas overhauls his squad in the face of Bale's departure. The Welshman's move to Real appears to be moving closer given Tottenham's transfer outlay, Villas-Boas telling a news conference on Wednesday it could happen "very soon." But the Portuguese also registered his disappointment that Bale has missed several training sessions as the saga unfolded. "He is involved in a big transfer move to Real Madrid and in the end if it happens, we wish him all the best, but the fact that he hasn't turned up is not the correct behavior," Villas-Boas told reporters. "That is the position they chose to take and it's up to the club to decide if it's a fineable offense." As for how quickly Bale's switch to Spain could be concluded Villas-Boas added: "It could happen very, very soon. "Will he be in tomorrow? I don't know. I'm not really in control of the situation I've left it up to the club to decide what they want to do. "It's up to Gareth (whether he wants to come back again). He has a good relationship with everybody and he has saluted the players the other day, myself included." | Brazilian midfielder Willian joins Chelsea in a deal reported to be worth $46.5m .
The 25-year-old had seemed destined for a switch to Tottenham Hotspur .
Roma announce Erik Lamela is on his way to Tottenham for $39.9 million .
Gareth Bale's move to Real Madrid edges closer admits Andre Villas-Boas . |
188,582 | 803a8c1c810ebdcd97392929d44181c84deceb08 | By . Deni Kirkova . His fortieth isn't too far off but Enrique Iglesias looks hotter than ever. In an exclusive interview with FEMAIL the sexy Spaniard reveals the inspiration behind his new album, his top chat-up lines and his grooming secrets. Enrique, 38, reveals he doesn't like too much hair and he personally depilates everywhere. Scroll down for video . Enrique chats to FEMAIL about Sex & Love, his grooming routine and top chat up lines . When asked about his top grooming tips for men, Enrique reveals he keeps his routine simple but thorough. 'If you have a hairy back, shave it; brush your teeth; fake tan I'm not so much into. Not too much hair I guess - I shave everywhere. I'm kidding, I don't shave everywhere... But most places you do try to trim.' Enrique likes to keep things fragrant as well as tidy: he reveals he is coming out with a new fragrance for men called . Adrenaline - a completely new venture for him. 'I never thought I would say this but I was pretty involved in it, I wear it myself and I like it. 'It . has a woody kind of smell to it. I just went with my other favourites . that I would wear in the past and combined them and said "This is the . direction I want to take it in". It's going to come out towards the end . of the year.' Looking - and smelling - good is a priority for the star, who claims that since he's turned 30 keeping in shape hasn't been as easy. Enrique Iglesias, pictured earlier this month, says he prefers performing to burn calories rather than the gym . 'One of the things I've noticed, when . you turn 30 and up, you've gotta watch a little bit more what you eat. But in my case going on tour, two hours on stage, you actually lose a . lot of calories which is good. I notice when I'm not on tour I'm not in . as good shape. It helps me like a workout. 'When it comes down to the gym or . anything that's cardio, like running on the treadmill, I'm very lazy. What I like to do more is sports. Whether it's surfing or paying . racquetball with my friends, you sweat a lot and I like that better.' And talking of getting sweaty... we had to grill him about his chat-up lines. 'My . lines tend to be kind of stupid and immature,' he says. 'If a girl can laugh at a . joke then I always think that's cool. That's fun, it's a good opener.' And when it comes to dating, he likes to prepare things in advance but doesn't like anything too loud or fancy. 'I like dinner and a movie, and places that are not very loud.' 'My lines tend to be kind of stupid and immature. If a girl can laugh at a joke then I always think that's cool' The craving for simplicity is reflected in the title of his latest album, Sex and Love. 'Sex And Love is the first title I thought of when I listened to the album,' he says. 'A . lot of times I thought, "maybe it's too simple, too straightforward", . but every time I thought of a new title kept coming back to Sex & . Love. 'It's something we can all relate to.' Enrique Iglesias' latest album Sex And Love is out now . Hot Enrique headed to a signing event at HMV after our interview . His album Sex And Love is out now . | Well-groomed sexy Spaniard, 38, says he likes to shave and trim .
Reveals grooming tips and how he likes to use jokey chat-up lines .
He likes a girl who can have a laugh: 'My lines tend to be kind of stupid'
But says he is very much still off the market . |
57,592 | a3418156439c05fe20fbb754dc865b79be7eedc4 | Vladimir Putin delivered a lump of coal in the Kremlin's stocking this year when he announced Thursday that he has canceled holiday vacations for members of the government. Russia's President delivered the bad news at a December 25 meeting he convened of his government, but for those thinking that his timing was merely the diabolical twist of a maniacal scrooge, Christmas is celebrated in Russia on January 7, the traditional date in the Eastern Orthodox Church. "The Government and its various structures cannot afford such extensive holidays, at least not this year," Putin told government ministers in a speech broadcast on state television. "You know what I am talking about." He was talking about Russia's battered economy. "We have been making efforts to change the structure of our economy, to refine it and make it more innovative ... quite a lot has been done in this direction," he said. "However, recent events show that this is not enough." It was a change in tone from just a week ago, when Putin largely blamed the West for Russia's woes, even suggesting a U.S.-Saudi conspiracy theory to bring down oil prices at his annual press conference. At Thursday's meeting, however, the President admitted at least some fault . "The difficulties we have come across are not only of an external type. They are not only due to some sanctions or limitations caused by the global market situation -- they are also the result of our own shortcomings that have piled up over the years." | Vladimir Putin says government cannot afford to take holiday vacation this year .
President says economic woes not just the fault of the West .
Russia's battered economy 'also the result of our own shortcomings' |
141,402 | 42d7a4ad6f903295549a832ac54ad89a3eeda00e | Morten Storm made headlines around the world after going public with his jihadist-turned-double agent life story, and now the Danish national claims that Australian jihadists should be prevented from returning to the country, labelling videos released by ISIS 'pornography'. Storm, 38, converted to Islam after spending time in prison and falling in with controversial hate preachers such as Sheik Omar Bahri Muhammad in London and Luton, developing extreme jihadist views. 'I didn't have anything that I felt I belonged to because as a very young - in a very young age, I felt neglected by my parents,' he told ABC's 7.30. Former jihadist turned double agent Morten Storm claims that Australian jihadists should be prevented from returning to the country . 'I didn't have anything that I felt I belonged to because as a very young - in a very young age, I felt neglected by my parents,' said Storm . 'Islam was some kind of a structure, some - like a model way of life for me to follow, which I needed so badly. And I can tell you the first - when I just embraced Islam, I was a very, very happy person.' Storm then moved to Yemen in 2001 and grew close to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leader Anwar al-Awlaki. As he became trusted by fundamentalists, he met shoe bomber Richard Reid and, at one point, was offered the chance to meet Osama Bin Laden. 'This ginger-haired, white-skinned Westerner — a one-time juvenile delinquent, biker gang member and jailbird, now a convert to Islam — was a signed-up member of Al Qaeda, dedicated to the destruction of kuffars [infidels], particularly in the U.S. and Britain,' Storm said in his memoir. Storm, 38, converted to Islam after spending time in prison and falling in with controversial hate preachers such as Sheik Omar Bahri Muhammad in London and Luton, developing extreme jihadist views . Storm became trusted by fundamentalists, he met shoe bomber Richard Reid and, at one point, was offered the chance to meet Osama Bin Laden . 'Once I had researched the contradictions, I finally realised how misguided I was and what a danger my associates were for the free world,' said Storm . Morten Storm helped intelligence agencies after a 'crisis of faith' led him to turn his back on radical Islamists and become an intelligence agent informing on jihadists within Britain. In an interview with BBC's Newsnight he said: 'Once I had researched the contradictions, I finally realised how misguided I was and what a danger my associates were for the free world.' 'I contributed to have some of the biggest terrorists removed from the face of Earth and many, many people have been imprisoned, evil people have been imprisoned because of my work,' Storm told 7 30. Storm has previously said that he was instrumental in helping track down and kill Anwar al-Awlaki, but that US authorities had denied the part he played, and refused to give him the $US5 million they had promised him, something Storm has been vocal about. After making headlines around the world with his story, Storm is now wary of being targeted by ISIS, who released a video declaring him a traitor. 'They will not give up. I mean, they will continue trying to get us. But they will fail, hopefully,' he told 7.30. Storm said that propaganda videos released by ISIS have a strong emotional impact on young Australian Muslims and that the Federal government should think about censorship. 'They are a extremely important propaganda tool and I hope that our governments will consider to ban them,' he said. These people get emotionally involved and emotionally motivated, and then once they see the victory and see how easily that ISIS is taking over villages and slaughtering their enemies, then they say, "Well, that's - I want to be a part of that," and they feel that it's a religious duty to do that,' Storm said. 'They will not give up. I mean, they will continue trying to get us. But they will fail, hopefully,' he told 7.30 . 'They are a extremely important propaganda tool and I hope that our governments will consider to ban them,' Storm said . Storm said that the videos could be seen as a form of pornography for the gravity of impact they have on their intended audience in the Western world, as well as those already fighting. His words come on the heels of another verified video of the beheading of American aid worker Peter Kassig by ISIS. Storm said that the young men who have flown the country to fight with ISIS should be prevented from returning to the country. 'This is a war. These people have declared war against us. We are in a war… I think we should not allow them to come back,' Morten Storm told 7.30. Storm's life is rumoured to be brought to the big screen by Paul Greengrass, director of the Bourne Identity spy-trilogy, The Guardian reports. Sony Pictures are said to have bought the rights to turn the book into a film after Greengrass took it to American producer Scott Rudin, who worked with him on the Oscar-nominated Captain Phillips. | Morten Storm developed radical Islamic views after a prison sentence in the UK and spent time with controversial hate preachers .
After experiencing a crisis of faith he became an undercover agent for MI5 .
He claims he aided the killing of high profile ISIS leaders but that he has been denied recognition by the US government for his role .
Storm said that home-grown terrorists should be banned from returning to Australia as they have declared war .
He also says that the ISIS propaganda videos could be seen as 'pornography' for the emotional impact they have on young Muslims . |
138,842 | 3f8f9203d22d3f18ea9b4227d8569a5902e896ad | London (CNN) -- Environmental campaign group Greenpeace has warned that if oil leaks from the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia it could cause an environmental disaster, threatening marine life including birds, whales and sharks. At least six people died when the huge ship hit rocks and slid onto its side. The vessel -- containing hundreds of tons of fuel oil -- is now partially submerged off the Italian island of Giglio, which lies inside the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals. The sanctuary was set up 10 years ago in an agreement between France, Italy and Monaco, with about half of it existing in international waters. Pelagos is a haven for many marine species including the fin whale, sperm whale, bottlenose dolphin, tuna, swordfish and sharks, as well as supporting sea bird populations. Greenpeace has previously criticized what it called a lack of management of the sanctuary and warned regional governments about ship congestion, particularly in the straits between Corsica and Sardinia. In a 2010 report the group highlighted the large number of ships in the area and says it has spoken to cruise companies about the risk of pollution from their ships. Greenpeace Pelagos report (in Italian) "If all this fuel is lost it is going to be a serious disaster," said Greenpeace Pelagos expert Alessandro Gianni. "Fuel oil is much worse than diesel. It's sticky, very heavy. They must ensure they clean the tanks as fast as possible and then remove the shipwreck," he said. Italian Environment Minister Corrado Clini told Italian newspaper La Repubblica: "We have to hurry because if the weather changes the situation could get worse. We must protect our natural heritage and landscape." Clini has already given backing to a plan to restrict cruise ships in the Venetian lagoon and said in an interview with La Stampa that he would consider a levy on passengers to protect the coastline. Greenpeace is particularly concerned about the Mediterranean fin whales which it says spend the winter off the northern coast of Africa and then migrate to summer feeding ground inside the sanctuary. They are the second longest whale in the ocean after the blue whale, and the International Whaling Commission has previously reported concern about the high number of collisions with ships. "If there is pollution this could have a big effect on the migration of the whales," said Gianni. Costa chairman and chief executive Pier Luigi Foschi confirmed that the vessel is carrying 2,300 tons of oil, split between heavy fuel oil and gas oil. "It is in a sea we want to protect," he said. "We are taking steps to avoid environmental issues." In a statement, Costa Cruises said: "We have engaged the services of a worldwide leader, a specialized salvage company to develop an action plan and help establish a protection perimeter around the ship." A company spokesman added: "The main risk is the fuel. We are not aware of any leakage. At the moment we are not aware of any other contents which could be a problem." The search for survivors and victims was suspended on Monday because the ship began to move. Greenpeace is concerned that other toxic substance that may be on board -- such as lubricants and paints -- could spill into the sea and get into the food chain. | The Costa Concordia, which grounded off Giglio, contains more than 2,000 of tons of oil .
Giglio is in the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals which was set up in 2002 .
Greenpeace fears that there will be an environmental disaster if the oil leaks .
Costa Cruises has employed an expert salvage team to try to protect the sea . |
148,409 | 4be8a1528d786e97f4d7ae94fa789290544df0bf | Chronic infection with the parasite Toxoplasma can make mice lose their innate, hard-wired fear of cats, effectively turning them into zombies . Chronic infection with the parasite Toxoplasma can make mice lose their innate, hard-wired fear of cats, effectively turning them into zombies. The loss of their innate fear may persist after the parasite is no longer detectable in their brains, suggesting that initial infection may cause permanent changes in the rodents' brains. Infected mice lose their fear of cats, . which is good for both cats and the parasite, because the cat gets an . easy meal and the parasite gets into the cat's intestinal track, the . only place it can sexually reproduce and continue its cycle of . infection. A study by the University of California, Berkeley, found the mind-controlling parasite is even more powerful than was first thought. Wendy Ingram, a graduate student at the university tested mice by seeing whether they avoided cat urine, which is normal . behaviour, versus rabbit urine, to which mice don't react. While . earlier studies showed that mice lose their fear of cat urine for a few . weeks after infection, Ingram showed that the three most common strains . of Toxoplasma gondii make mice less fearful of cats for at least four . months. In the research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, even after infection with Toxoplasma gondii has . been removed from rodents' brains, they continue to behave as if . unafraid of the smell of cat urine, suggesting that the infection causes . long-term changes in the brain. Ms Ingram said: 'It is remarkable that even after the infection has been largely or completely cleared, a profound behavioral change persists. The loss of their innate fear in mice may persist after the parasite is no longer detectable in their brains, suggesting that initial infection may cause permanent changes in the rodents' brains, scientists from the University of California, Berkley said . Toxoplasma gondii is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals . Up to a third of humans worldwide have been exposed to the infection . Mild flu-like symptoms occur within the first few weeks following exposure but produces no symptoms in healthy adults . In babies, HIV and AIDS patients and others with weakened immunity it can cause fatal toxoplasmosis . The infection can be transmitted by eating uncooked meat containing tissue cysts or through transmission from mother to fetus . The parasite reproduces only within the intestines of the cat family, which is defined as the host . A handful of studies have suggested subtle behavioural and personality changes can occur in infected humans (as well as mice) 'Simply having a transient infection resulting in what is potentially a permanent change in host biology may have huge implications for infectious disease medicine.' The Toxoplasma parasite, which has flu-like symptoms, can be deadly, causing spontaneous abortion in pregnant women or killing immune-compromised patients, but it has a zombie-like effect in mice. Ms Ingram speculates the parasite could directly alter neurons involved in memory and learning in mice, or it could trigger a damaging host response, as in many human autoimmune diseases. She became interested in the parasite after reading about its behaviour-altering effects in mice and possible effects in its common host - the cat - as well as humans. One-third of people around the world have been infected with Toxoplasma and probably have dormant cysts in their brains. Kept in check by the body's immune system, these cysts sometimes revive in immune-compromised people, leading to death, and some preliminary studies suggest that chronic infection may be linked to schizophrenia or suicidal behaviour. Infected mice lose their fear of cats, which is good for both cats and the parasite, because the cat gets an easy meal and the parasite gets into the cat's intestinal track, the only place it can sexually reproduce and continue its cycle of infection . Pregnant women are already warned to steer clear of cat litter, since the parasite is passed through cat faeces and can cause blindness or death in the fetus. One main source of spread is undercooked pork, Ms Ingram said. She is now looking at how the mouse immune system attacks the parasite to see whether the host's response to the infection is the culprit. Ms Ingram said: 'The idea that this parasite knows more about our brains than we do, and has the ability to exert desired change in complicated rodent behavior, is absolutely fascinating. 'Toxoplasma has done a phenomenal job of figuring out mammalian brains in order to enhance its transmission through a complicated life cycle.' | A University of California, Berkeley study found the three most common strains .
of Toxoplasma make mice less fearful of cats for at least four .
months .
Researchers believe the animals' lack of fear occurs within three weeks of infection but the behavioral change persists in the absence of parasite cysts .
The Toxoplasma parasite can be deadly, causing spontaneous abortion in pregnant women or killing immune-compromised patients . |
157,741 | 57f8aa33927a4a558015f99c5b2d855d573698e4 | By . Thomas Burrows . It has long been regarded as the most important meal of the day. And now it seems that the traditional full English breakfast is back on the menu for a rising number of British people. New research has shown that people are choosing to kick-start the day with an old fashioned fry-up - commonly referred to as 'The Full Monty' because former British Army officer Field Marshal Montgomery was particularly fond of the classic breakfast. Scroll down for video . The traditional English breakfast has enjoyed a renaissance in the last year, with eggs doing especially well . The data from Kantar Worldpanel, a company dealing in consumer knowledge, showed that eggs featured in 804.6million breakfasts at home - up 13.7 per cent year on year. Servings of bacon and sausages also increased, by 7.1 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively. Trade magazine The Grocer said: 'The cooked breakfast is experiencing a renaissance. 'Over the past six months, Brits served up elements of the classic Full Monty - such as eggs, bacon, sausages and beans - on 142.4million more occasions than they did a year earlier. That’s an uplift of 9.8 per cent. Research from Kantar Worldpanel showed that more people are starting the day with a full English breakfast . 'These figures will surprise many as the . resurgence of cooked items contradicts received wisdom that fewer of us . eat a proper breakfast at home these days.' Interestingly, the research showed that increasing numbers of people are cooking smaller breakfasts, more often with one element of the classic fry up, with eggs doing particularly well. Andew Joret, chairman of the British Egg Industry Council said: 'If consumers are looking for unprocessed, natural and healthy breakfast options, eggs are the ideal option as they are a rich and natural source of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals.' Similar eating patterns are also benefiting the other breakfast favourites, bacon and sausages. A spokesman for Bpex, the pig levy board, said: 'Although bacon and sausages are more popular at weekends, the fastest growth has come from weekday breakfasts.' Sophie Flacks, of Kantar Worldpanel, said: 'Filling up at the start of the day is becoming very important to consumers, with an extra 366 million breakfast choices over the past six months being motivated by the need for a filling option.' Video courtesy of Howcast . | More British people are choosing to start the day with a full English .
Eggs have fared particularly well, with a 13.7 per cent rise year on year .
People are increasingly using one element of the classic fry-up for breakfast . |
246,419 | caed9fd75a10bf592fa2d7297d139360074fe294 | Eliot Spitzer had a big night of partying on Monday just hours before filing for divorce from his wife of 26-years, as reports reveal that he was seen at a Manhattan bar with his new girlfriend and friends order rounds of drinks. Spitzer, 54, and his former campaign aide turned girlfriend Lis Smith, 31, went to a rowdy bar after seeing the Knicks basketball game in Madison Square Garden on Monday night. 'The whole group seemed pretty excited and giddy. When the server came, the ordering was chaotic; they were shouting out ‘sliders,’ ‘wings,’ and each time an order was submitted they were cheering and high-fiving each other,' an unidentified spectator at Brother Jimmy's BBQ reports. Split: Silda Wall and her husband Eliot Spitzer have both filed for a divorce after 26-years of marriage and they could not come to a suitable arrangement after initially announcing that they wanted an uncontested divorce . 'They seemed already drunk and . ordered vodka, a margarita, and a beer tower, which is four pitchers in . one container,' the spy told The New York Post. 'They . were jubilant, joking constantly, high-fiving and really excitable. They were drinking and having fun. Eliot seemed so happy, he paid for . the entire check and tipped 25 percent, before he staggered out around . 12.30am with Lis Smith on his arm.' Though . the Knicks had just won the game with just a two point lead, the timing . of Spitzer's celebration undoubtedly had something to do with his . impending divorce hearing. Spitzer . and his wife Silda Wall filed for divorce on Tuesday and were . attempting to avoid a bitter battle over the family's millions, but . apparently that plan went by the wayside as they were not able to strike . a deal. According to a . statement issued before their Tuesday meeting by the estranged couple's . spokeswoman, Lisa Linden, 'all issues between us have been resolved . and are uncontested' - meaning they were not planning on engaging in a . lengthy legal fight. Infamous: New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (R) announces his resignation as his wife Silda Wall Spitzer stands next to him March 12, 2008 in New York City . The . divorce announcement comes almost six years after Spitzer, 54, . announced his resignation as governor with Silda by his side following . revelations that he had been frequenting prostitutes while in office. Earlier, court documents labeled the split as 'contested', leading to speculation that Spitzer's well documented affairs with call-girls and the fact that he is a multimillionaire in control of his family's real estate business could be reasons for Silda to seek damages. However, the statement issued this evening now clarifies that the couple, who have three grown-up daughters, will proceed to end their marriage as amicably as possible. The legal filing in New York City follows the joint statement the couple made in December announcing that their marriage was over. This came after the New York Daily News revealed that Spitzer, known as the infamous Client No.9 had begun a romantic relationship with his former press aid, Lis Smith - who worked on his failed bid to be City Comptroller last year. Indeed, Spitzer was introduced to his new 31-year-old girlfriend's family over Christmas and the couple took a romantic trip to Jamaica over the New Year - which reportedly included an amorous session inside an outdoor hot-tub. Family: New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, right, arrives for a church service in Albany, N.Y, with his wife Silda and three daughters in this Jan. 1, 2007 file photo . Spitzer, who was once considered a future presidential candidate, met his wife Silda at Harvard Law School in 1987. The couple had three daughters together as Spitzer rose the ranks from successful lawyer to prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's office. He became state Attorney General in 1998 and found fame as the 'Sheriff of Wall Street' - going after corrupt financiers. His moral authority and intellect helped catapult him into the governor's office in 2007 - however he resifned in disgrace just a year later after being revealed to have a prediliction for using prostitutes. Infamous as Client 9 of the Emporers Club VIP call-girl ring, he resigned at a public press conference with his wife by his side. He then attempted to rehabilitate his public image with a stint presenting a CNN news show which failed and then eventually made his way back to work for his father Bernard Spitzer - the legendary New York real estate mogul. Different public appearance: Lis Smith and Eliot Spitzer (seen here during his failed campaign for comptroller) made their first outing together on Christmas since news of their affair broke . Smith, left, worked on Spitzer's campaign and . then jumped over to work for Bill De Blasio after Spitzer lost in the . primary. Silda Spitzer, right, was not seen on the campaign trail for . her husband . Lis Smith had been considered for a senior role within de Blasio's permanent team but those plans were sunk once her relationship with Spitzer became public knowledge . The couple had long been known to be leading separate lives - despite Spitzer maintaining that he and his 56-year-old wife were still together as he attempted to gain election as city comptroller. However, she never appeared at any event son the campaign trail and one source close to the former governor confirmed to the New York Daily News that they had separated. The couple released a statement in December to MailOnline after Spitzer, 54, was pictured slipping into the home of 31-year-old Lis Smith, a press secretary who worked on his failed bid for New York City Comptroller. 'We regret that our marital relationship has come to an end and we have agreed not to make any other public statement on this subject,' Spitzer family spokeswoman Lisa Linden said in a terse statement released on Tuesday night. Scandal: The alleged prostitute at the centre of former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's sex scandal has broken her silence. Ashley Youmans was named by the New York Times as the high-price prostitute . Multiple reports indicate that the Spitzers have been living apart for some time. Mrs Spitzer was also noticeably absent from the campaign trail this past year. The couple have three grown daughters together: Elyssa, 23, Sarabeth, 20, and Jenna, 18. Spitzer and his wife Silda stayed married for five and a half years after the scandal that cratered his meteoric political career. It's unknown whether the timing of Silda and Eliot's split has anything to do with the his relationship with Miss Smith going public. A friend of the new couple told MailOnline: 'The relationship began long after Eliot and his wife were living separately and it was not a secret to any of their friends or family. 'It's sad to see lots of outright lies about Lis and her career - Lis is an incredibly smart and dynamic woman who is at the top of her profession and is universally respected. 'She's dealing with this well and is looking forward to getting on with her career and life.' | The disgraced former Governor and friends were seen partying at a bar on Monday night just hours before he and his wife of 26-years filed for divorce .
Spitzer and Silda Wall filed for divorce on Tuesday and said it would be uncontested but now they are not able to reach an agreement .
The couple had been living apart for some time and announced their split in December of 2013 .
Spitzer, 54, has begun a relationship with former campaign aide Lis Smith, 31, and he has since vacationed to Jamaica with her . |
56,408 | 9fd3e70b582bb03b665f041be6d7f01bae34fd8d | With stunts that seemingly defy gravity, Andreu Lacondeguy has been crowned the king of the prestigious Red Bull Rampage competition. Showcasing tricks and turns in the stunning setting of the Southern Utah landscape in Virgin, the Spanish mountain-biker broke his curse of three years of coming fourth to scoop the top spot. Considered the pinnacle of freeride mountain biking, the event was open to 20 competitors, with Lacondeguy, 25, from Barcelona, captured on this incredible footage. Spanish mountain biker Andreu Lacondeguy nabs first place during the 2014 Red Bull Rampage . Set amongst the picturesque Southern Utah landscape, the competition features the biggest stars in the sport completing impressive runs that combine speed, style and big tricks. Andreu topped the field with one of the steepest and most difficult runs possible, capping it off with a flatspin backflip. Previous Rampage champion Cam Zink earned Best Trick accolades, presented by the Utah Spots Commission, for his massive 360 drop from 60 feet off a cliff. Cam also placed second overall. American athlete Jeff Herbertson backflips during the finals of the Red Bull Rampage event . Considered the pinnacle of freeride mountain biking, Andreu performed a series of impressive tricks . Canadian rider Brandon Semenuk earned third place and the People's Choice award after performing several impressive tricks on his bike. The new course, comprised of stunning rock formations and desert landscape, was essentially an open canvas for the athletes. Alongside a team of builders, the bikers shaped their runs 10 days previously, working their way down 1,000 vertical feet of cliffs. Andreu proudly celebrated his first place win, which he achieved after just one run down the mountain . After realising he'd achieved his goal, Andreu raised his bike into the air in an emotional victory celebration . Cam Zink of USA came in second while Canada's Brandon Semenuk took third place . Athletes were judged not just on their breath-taking tricks, but also on the difficulty of the route they choose. Speed and style were also considered. Although nerves were running high, Andreu's first run proved all he needed to take home the coveted first place prize. 'I knew I needed that extra little bit to be on the top and this year, I just picked the steepest line,' he said. 'As soon as I hard the countdown, I just got out of the cage and pinned it to the bottom.' Though he went up to prepare for his second run, the rest of the riders were unable to beat his score. Realising he'd won, Andreu put down his bike and wiped away tears. Andreu set the bar high during his performance, being judged on tricks, route taken, speed and style . Cam Zink, Andreu Lacondeguy and Brandon Semenuk celebrate together on the podium . | After three years competing, biker Andreu Lacondeguy nabs top prize .
Red Bull Rampage competition is pinnacle of freeride mountain biking event .
Held in Virgin, Utah, athletes compete down the rocky desert landscape .
Riders are judged on speed, difficulty of route chosen, tricks and style . |
275,869 | f161c5c16a45733fb29511b9f4f91e00ed7f819d | A couple of New Zealand men, who were desperate to move a fridge despite lacking ropes, were caught taking the saying 'when there's a will, there's a way' just one step too far. One sure-footed West Auckland man was seen perching atop a black Nissan over the weekend while holding a large fridge in place on the roof of the vehicle. With no ropes to pin the fridge down and only thongs on his feet, the man stayed in place on the boot of the Nissan as a second man drove the car on Friday. Scroll down for video . A New Zealand man was seen balancing on the back of a moving black Nissan while holding a fridge in place . The photo, snapped by someone driving in a car behind the precarious movers, has gained over 600 likes and 300 shares on Facebook. Since being shared on social media, the man balancing on the boot of the car, Daniel Jackson, has identified himself by commenting on the posts. 'Hae, this is me. We didn't have a rope and needed that fridge, but no dent incurred and we got it home safely,' Mr Jackson wrote in a comment below the picture. Other Facebook users soon began berating the man, accusing him of putting both himself and other drivers at risk. The man later identified himself on social media when the image went viral, ignoring all the criticisms . Earlier in the month, Australia's highway patrol officers shared images like this of some of the most questionable do-it-yourself delivery drivers on New South Wales' roads . 'Well yous wouldn't want to see any other photos of things we have moved on a roof then lol,' Mr Jackson responded. He later added: 'I was there to hold it so it wouldn't [fall and harm other motorists] and it was at most 1km up the road from Rosier Road to Leo Street and we were going no more than 20kph so calm down and see the lighter side guys'. Despite his lack of concern, New Zealand police have condemned the dangerous behaviour while expressing interest in identifying and questioning the two men. These men doubled up as passengers and a support mechanism for a bed loaded to the roof of a car . Fruit packs illegally tied to the back of this ute make it impossible for this driver to see through his rear vision mirror . 'The consequences of injury to this person and other road users as well as potential damage to other vehicles is obvious,' Inspector Scott Webb from the Waitakere police area command told the New Zealand Herald. Earlier in the month, Australia's highway patrol officers shared their own photographs of some of the most questionable do-it-yourself delivery drivers on New South Wales' roads. The page has since gone viral with more than 100,000 'fans' who have also shared some of their own snaps of reckless drivers, including an image of back-seat passengers doubling up as safety restraints as they hold on to beds attached to a car roof. | Daniel Jackson, from West Auckland, was seen balancing on the back of a moving car while holding a fridge on the roof of the vehicle .
He identified himself on social media after the image was shared by the person driving behind the movers and went viral .
Mr Jackson explained that he and his friend had no ropes but were desperate to move the fridge and assured they were driving only 20kph .
New Zealand police have slammed the act as dangerous . |
73,846 | d1640ce8ab0adb8dc08ab28921aa71afedb071f7 | (CNN) -- Major League Baseball is set to suspend some 20 players in the coming weeks due to a scandal involving performance-enhancing drugs, according to an ESPN report that said a key figure in the case is now ready to cooperate with investigators. The network says it is potentially the worst drug-abuse case in the history of U.S. sports. The league declined to comment to CNN but confirmed that an investigation is in the works. The players union said Wednesday that players are being interviewed by baseball officials and are represented by attorneys. "The commissioner's office has assured us that no decisions regarding discipline have been made or will be made until those interviews are completed," the union said in a written statement. Baseball's highest-paid player, New York Yankee third baseman Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez, as well as Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, are among those facing suspension, ESPN said, citing unnamed sources. Both have denied recently using performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs. Rodriguez has admitted in the past to using banned substances when he played with the Texas Rangers in the early 2000s. A-Rod denies performance-enhancing drugs reports . The league may seek to ban the players for 100 games by counting the doping itself as one infraction and lying about having taken the drugs as a second one, ESPN reported. Major league players can appeal any possible suspensions, as Braun did in 2012. That year, a drug test showed high levels of testosterone in his body, but the outfielder successfully disputed the testing process, and the suspension was overturned in February. Asked about the ESPN report Tuesday, Braun said he was sticking by his previous account. "The truth has not changed," he told reporters, declining to comment further. CNN has not independently confirmed the ESPN report. A Florida newspaper first leveled doping allegations at Rodriguez in January. The Miami New Times reported that the shortstop and third baseman had acquired the drugs from a now-closed Miami anti-aging clinic called "Biogenesis," run by Anthony Bosch. Twitter reacts to PED saga . ESPN said Bosch, who allegedly supplied baseball players with performance-enhancing substances, has agreed to cooperate in the MLB investigation. CBS Sports also confirmed Bosch will talk to investigators. Records obtained by MLB name many players, but league investigators need Bosch to attest to their accuracy and confirm that players were doping, ESPN reported, citing unnamed sources. The league filed a suit against Biogenesis in March for allegedly supplying PEDs to players and advising them on how to avoid detection during drug tests. ESPN reported that MLB may drop the suit against Bosch, if he cooperates in its investigation. MLB sues Florida clinic linked to supplying players with PEDs . Managers tight-lipped . On Tuesday, the managers for the Yankees and the Brewers said little. "I know Major League Baseball is handling it, and that's all I know," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke told journalists at a post-game news conference in Milwaukee. Yankees manager Joe Girardi started out dodging reporters who grilled him on ESPN's report after New York's game but softened when it came to his concerns about Rodriguez. "I always worry about my players, always," he said. "One thing you never want to forget is -- they're human beings." In January: MLB expands testing for HGH, testosterone . He did not say whether he had discussed the looming scandal with Rodriguez. "When I talk to Alex, it's baseball-related. That's what it is," Girardi said. He feared the game he has dedicated his life to will suffer because of the scandal. "I worry about baseball being affected as a game, the whole thing, and what it's been through in the last 15 years." What we've learned: A complete timeline . Rodriguez was at the Yankees training facility in Florida on Tuesday, recovering from an injury. He could not be reached for comment. A 100-game suspension could cost him more that $15 million, ESPN reported. New York outfielder Vernon Wells was discouraged by the scandal. "We've done so much as a group to try to rid ourselves of conversations like this," he said. In spite of advances in drug testing, new doping techniques designed to avoid detection keep coming, Wells said. "There's always someone out there trying to beat the system from a medical standpoint." Baseball writers balk at Hall of Fame class of '13 . | Players union says MLB is interviewing players, who have attorneys .
Ryan Braun sticks by his denial: "The truth hasn't changed"
ESPN: If the suspensions hold up, it could be the biggest scandal in U.S. sports history .
Baseball's highest-paid player, Alex Rodriguez, may face suspension . |
252,253 | d27a9085cebfa5305df139797082d7c052143405 | By . Laura Collins . PUBLISHED: . 16:02 EST, 20 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:56 EST, 20 May 2013 . Its 26-year-old founder has played predictably fast and loose with corporate etiquette, signing off news of Yahoo’s $1.1billion cash purchase of Tumblr with ‘F*** yeah.’ New boss, Marissa Mayer, is thrilled she says at the deal she describes as her ‘stake in the ground’ as the tech giant’s new CEO. But amid all the clamour and noise over Yahoo’s purchase of David Karp’s micro-blogging site, Tumblr, one voice has been curiously absent until now - prompting speculation that this much celebrated deal is not universally welcome. 'F*** yeah': When his Tumblr co-developer quit in 2010 David Karp, pictured, claimed he would never sell out three years on he has sold his site for $1.1billion . But . in 2010 he left Karp to ‘pursue independent projects.’ His initial reluctance to comment on the high profile sale of the site has . re-ignited speculation that the relationship between Karp and Arment . soured in recent years. When approached directly by MailOnline Arment said: ‘I really don’t want to respond in any way until I post my thoughts on my own site.’ Asked if he was pleased for Karp he simply re-iterated his desire not to comment. What's next? The retweet that hints at Marco Arment's true feelings over Tumblr's sale? And while friends, fans and site-users immediately posted on Twitter, Arment waited until the close of the day before issuing a pointedly measured response to the sale, a review of his relationship with Karp and his own role in the creation of the fantastically successful site. Writing on his own site he admitted: 'I didn't have any advance knowledge of the Yahoo acquisition - I got official confirmation this morning, just like the public. When I read the rumor a few days ago on AllThingsD, I didn't know whether to believe it.' He continued: 'Generally, what Tumbrl needs, and what Tumblr has always needed, is to get support and maintenance roles off of David's plate so he can focus on the product.' He described himself as 'optimistic' at the sale, adding, 'This is clearly what David believes is best for his product.' He doesn’t follow his former boss on Twitter and though he lists his involvement with Tumblr on online profiles he rarely refers to Karp by name since leaving his organisation three years ago. Tumblr Past and Present: Former co-developer Marco Arment, left, and David Karp, the man who 'is' Tumblr . The new boss: Marissa Mayer, Yahoo CEO who has bought Tumblr with the promise 'not to screw it up' Arment was just two years out of college when he replied to an advertisement posted by Karp on Craigslist. Reflecting on that time Karp once said he was ‘just stupid lucky’ to meet Arment in this fashion. As for Arment he opted for the . role with Davidville over an offer from Bloomberg though at the time he . was confused as to exactly who his boss would be. With no corporate experience to speak . of, Karp had asked Fred Seibert, the founder of animation production . company Frederator Studios and a family friend who had offered him an . internship when he was 15, to sit in on his interview with Arment. The world at his feet: David Karp with girlfriend Rachel Eakley, the couple live in New York's West Villlage with their Bulldog, Clark . It was during a . lull in client work that Karp and Arment set to work on building the . tumblelogging tool of Karp’s imagination. What began as a side-project . took on a life of its own. A . small group of angel investors came up with $775,000 in return for a . stake in the site then valued at just $3million. Karp enlisted the help . of more experienced men; Arment concentrated on making the site work. Karp was just 20 years old. He was opposed to advertising, visionary in his determination that his site should not show numbers of followers – an online habit that, he has said, ‘poisons the community’ – and unequivocal in his hope to ‘never sell-out.’ When Arment left Tumblr in 2010 to develop his own successful internet project – Instapaper, a bookmark and reading service – Karp was still holding to that line. The Yahoo deal has made Karp an extremely wealthy young man and one who certainly need never worry about money again. 'As for me,' Arment writes, 'David was generous with my employee stock options back in the day. I won't make yacht-and-helicopter money from the acquisition, and I won't be switching to decidated day and night iPhones. 'But as long as I manage investments properly and don't spend recklessly, Tumblr has given my family a strong safety net and..the freedom to work on whatever I want.' It is a decidely restrained response. And perhaps a clue to Arment’s true feelings on Karp's cashing in can be found in his retweet of a humorous message from a friend. Referring to Arment’s dog, Hops – an internet character in his own right with a Twitterfeed of his own – the post simply reads: ‘What next @marcoarment? Are you gonna sell @hopsarment too?' | For years David Karp resisted the lure of Silicon Valley and the money that 'selling out' offered .
Now Tumblr's 26-year-old founder has signed a $1.1billion deal with tech giant Yahoo .
Former lead developer Marco Arment left the company in 2010 .
So why is the first man employed by Karp the last to comment on the historic sale? |
104,064 | 1243415c7c4baf95735d49fd824c561367954247 | A group of leading musicians has called on Russia's president Vladimir Putin to give a fair hearing to members of a punk band facing prison for performing a ‘legitimate protest’. The trio, Pussy Riot, face up to seven years behind bars after staging a performance in a Moscow cathedral calling on the Virgin Mary to remove President Putin from power. In a letter to The Times newspaper, the group of British musicians including Jarvis Cocker, Pete Townshend, Martha Wainwright and Neil Tennant, said that the incident by the band amounted to ‘a minor breach of the peace’. Scroll down for video of Pussy Riot's protest . Brits stand by band: A group of musicians, including Jarvis Cocker (left) and Pete Townshend (right), are calling for the release of Pussy Riot band members saying the incident a 'minor breach of the peace' Face jail: Pussy Riot band members (from left) Yekaterina Samutsevich, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina face up to seven years in jail for an anti-Putin performance in a Moscow cathedral . Requesting the release of the . three band members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Yekaterina Samutsevich, . 29, and Maria Alekhina, 24, it states: ‘We are extremely concerned about . the treatment they have received since their arrest and during their . trial.’ The backing of British musicians comes after other celebrities including pop star Sting and US rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers had showed support for their plight. Reserved for priests: In February the women climbed into a reserved area of the Church of Christ the Saviour and performed a 'punk prayer' against Putin . Punishment doesn't fit crime: The musicians expressed have their opinions that the jail sentence was 'entirely disproportionate' echoing the sentiments of protestors outside the court on July 30 . The letter . continues: ‘Dissent is a right in any democracy and it is entirely . disproportionate that they face seven years in jail for what we consider . a preposterous charge of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. ‘We are especially concerned about recent reports that food is being withheld from them and that they have appeared in court in a cage. Visiting the UK: The British pop stars have asked that Russian President Vladimir Putin, visiting the UK this week, give the three women a fair hearing . ‘We believe firmly that it is the role of the artist to make legitimate political protest and fight for freedom of speech. ‘As he visits the United Kingdom this week, we ask President Putin to ensure these three women receive a fair hearing.’ In February, the women climbed into an area reserved for priests in the Church of Christ the Saviour and performed a ‘punk prayer’ against Putin. The trio were arrested in March and charged with hooliganism motivated by religious hatred of Orthodox believers. A further ten members of the band, supporters and a few selected journalists were also present during the demonstration but were never arrested. The three young women said they had wanted to change Russia with their action but could have made an ‘ethical’ mistake by offending worshippers. They do however maintain they are innocent to the charges. The Russian premier is due to meet David Cameron for talks today. Charged: Accused with hooliganism motivated by religious hatred of Orthodox believers, the women now say they may have made an 'ethical' mistake . Now watch the video of the Pussy Riot protest in Moscow cathedral... | Band face seven years in jail if found guilty of 'hooliganism'
British musicians have written to The Times newspaper asking for the women to face a fair hearing for performing a 'minor breach of the peace'
They are concerned about the treatment of the Pussy Riot band members .
Trial has divided Russian society . |
70,963 | c934edac5d16eb64b44f6c34be67f02827d9ef10 | By . Gavin Allen . UPDATED: . 14:24 EST, 7 October 2011 . Despite being considered the most destructive force in space and absolutely uninhabitable, the conditions for life exist inside supermassive black holes, a Russian cosmologist has theorised. Going out on a scientific limb somewhat, Vyacheslav Dokuchaev has even suggested that if life did exist inside the SBH, it would have evolved to become the most advanced civilisation in the galaxy. Supermassive black holes are such powerful gravitational forces that they suck in everything around them, including light, and nothing that crosses the black hole's 'event horizon' is ever seen again. White noise? A Russian cosmologist says that life could exist inside a supermassive black hole - which flies in the face of accepted scientific theory . But now Dokuchaev, of Moscow's Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, says existing evidence combined with new research throws up intriguing possibilities for certain types of black holes. Inside a charged, rotating black hole there are regions where photons can survive in stable periodic orbits. Dokuchaev specialises in studying those orbits and their dynamics . He speculates, in a paper published in Cornell University's online journal arXiv, that if there are stable orbits for photons, there is no reason why there could not be stable orbits for larger objects, such as planets. The problem is that these stable orbits would only exist once you have crossed the threshold of the event horizon, where time and space flow into one another. Stable orbits: This diagram from Dokuchaev's paper shows the orbit of a photon stablising in a supermassive black hole, with thin line indicating the start point and thicker line the end point . Science fiction: Laurence Fishburne (rear, cente) starred in the film Event Horizon, in which a spaceship passed through the space-time boundary . The event horizon, at the lip of the black hole, is known as the point of no return. However, beyond the event horizon is another domain, known as the Cauchy horizon, where time and space return to stable states. It is inside the Cauchy horizon that life could exist, Dokuchaev argues in a paper published in Cornell University's online journal arXiv, . However, the type of life that could exist in those conditions - where they would be subject to massive fluctuating tidal forces - would have evolved beyond ours. The life that could exist there would likely be a civilisation ranked as Type III on the Kardashev Scale. There are three levels to the scale with one being the lowest and three the highest. Humanity is still looking to attain Level 1 status; mastery of its own planet. 'Interiors of the supermassive black holes may be inhabited by advanced civilisations... invisible from the outside,' he says. Though that is a spine-tingling thought, Dokuchaev's proposition can only ever remain theoretical. Because nothing can ever escape from a black hole due to its enormous gravitational pull, we will never know if it is true. | Most advanced civilisation in the galaxy could already be living inside, claims Vyacheslav Dokuchaev . |
244,156 | c7fccdea3271d7d68ea392d86eaaccf52407ec9a | (CNN) -- Eyewitnesses to the collision of two news helicopters in Phoenix, Arizona, in which four people were killed, told investigators they noticed no problems with either aircraft before the collision, a National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said Saturday. Police say suspect Christopher Jones will likely be charged with the deaths of the four killed in the crash. Of the seven witnesses interviewed as of Saturday evening, none saw any pieces fall off the helicopters before the collision or noticed smoke or erratic movement by either aircraft, NTSB spokesman Steve Chealander told reporters. Witnesses also told the NTSB "go team" investigating the collision that they heard no change in the sound of the helicopter engines, Chealander said. The helicopters were tracking a police chase through the streets of downtown Phoenix when they collided at midday Friday, crashing to the ground in flames and heavy smoke. KTVK-TV photojournalist Jim Cox and pilot Scott Bowerbank were killed, as were KNXV-TV photographer Rick Krolak and pilot Craig Smith. Witnesses said the KTVK helicopter appeared stationary when the KNXV helicopter struck it, Chealander said. "That's as good as we can tell you right now. That's as much as we know." Charred debris from the helicopters remained scattered in a downtown park, which was closed to the public. Watch smoke and flames pour from debris » . The rotor blade from one helicopter hit the front windshield of a truck, but the driver was uninjured, and the blade imbedded itself in the asphalt, Chealander said. Another rotor blade was found on top of a parking garage about half a mile away, he said. Chealander said eight NTSB investigators began arriving in Phoenix late Friday night. They will take the information they collect, including interviews with witnesses, back to Washington for analysis, he said. The NTSB will issue a preliminary report on the crash within five business days, and the final report will be issued in about nine months, he said. Chealander said a pond in the park where the helicopters crashed will be partially drained for any further evidence, and police divers would be sent in to recover the rest. Water in the pond has been tested and found not to be hazardous, he said. "Our condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims," Chealander said. "It's heartbreaking to see these kinds of accidents." Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris said the chase began after police received a report of a stolen vehicle and began pursuing a suspect, who abandoned that vehicle and allegedly stole a truck. The truck was being chased at the time of the chopper collision. The suspect, identified Saturday as Christopher Jones, later bailed out of the truck and barricaded himself in a house, where he was captured, police said. Jones was arraigned Saturday on four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of theft of means of transportation and one count of resisting arrest. His bond was set at $1 million after a prosecutor told the judge Jones may flee. "He put the entire community in danger. ... Everyone on the street was a possible victim," the prosecutor said. Jones said in the hearing he blacked out in the house, and when he came to, police used tear gas and a Taser on him. "I don't know how all this happened. I really don't," he told the judge. Harris said Friday that Jones could face charges related to the four deaths. E-mail to a friend . | NEW: NTSB says witnesses saw no problems with either craft before collision .
Suspect in police chase arraigned; bail set at $1 million .
Helicopters following police chase collided over Phoenix, Arizona .
Two pilots, two photographers for two stations killed . |
185,210 | 7bea7d01d039be0b4ff24b9a930183e1aca1988d | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 05:40 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:39 EST, 11 July 2013 . When customers walk into her cafe, only to walk straight back out again, Martha-Renée Kolleh insists it has nothing to do with the prices or the decor. The problem, she says, is racial prejudice. In an almost exclusively white town, she believes some people do not like being served by a black woman. Scroll down for video . Cafe owner Martha-Renee Kolleh has put up a sign telling customers she is black because she became fed up with how she was being treated . Ms Kolleh said while a lot of people in Ossett had supported her, others 'open the door of my cafe and once they take a look at me they walk out' So Miss Kolleh, 46, decided to do . something about it, posting a notice outside the cafe which reads: . ‘Attention! Everyone be aware I am a black woman and always will be. If . you are allergic to black people, don’t come in. ‘But if you prefer quality wholesome meals in a pleasant and clean environment, come in. I don’t bite!’ The single mother-of-three said . customers regularly leave after seeing her. When one family turned . around to go she heard them say: ‘I think we’re in the wrong place.’ Miss Kolleh said she tested her theory by employing a white member of staff to serve customers while she waited out the back. ‘She did very well and we had a lot of custom, but as soon as I was back behind the counter, nobody comes in,’ she said. The single mother-of-three serves a mixture of British, African and Caribbean food at her cafe in Ossett, West Yorkshire . Miss Kolleh has run the Yeanon Cafe . in Ossett, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, for two years and offers . ‘everything from Caribbean to African to English’ food. Originally from Liberia, she has . lived in Britain for 11 years with daughter Pertetual, 16, and two sons . James-Earl, 18, and 12-year-old Israel. She said she put up the sign . last week ‘because of the way people treat me in Ossett’. ‘They just open the door of my cafe and once they take a look at me they walk out,’ she said. ‘Now, when they open the door they . will expect to see a black face. I put the sign up because my . frustration had built up over a long amount of time. It upsets me and I . have had enough of it. I cannot be running a business like this. My . family try and make our customers welcome but none of them deserve this . kind of behaviour towards us. ‘I keep this place clean and I make nice food. I can’t see any other reason for people deciding they don’t want to eat here.’ Ms Kolleh said while a lot of people in Ossett (pictured) had supported her, she would have to leave by autumn if business did not improve . She said some customers had responded positively to the sign and others had reacted badly and walked away. She added: 'This is my livelihood. I . need to support myself and my children. If my business does not improve . in a few months I will have to pack up.’ According to the 2011 census there . are 68 people of Afro-Caribbean origin in Ossett, and the total . population of 16,116 is 97.5 per cent white. Coffee shop owner Mark . Ellerker, 42, is part of local business group Building Ossett Better, . and he has invited Miss Kolleh to the next meeting. ‘We will do everything we can to make . Martha feel welcome in the community, and we are keen for Ossett not to . be tarnished as a racist town,’ he said. | Martha-Renee Kolleh put the sign up because of how she had been treated .
She said some customers walk out when they see the colour of her skin .
Mother-of-two serves British, African and Caribbean food at the cafe . |
90,682 | 00a1905d3217e22639992765311788f771377012 | Police in the Lake District are hunting a Benny Hill-style gang who lean out of car windows to slap the bottoms of women riding bikes. The gang of leering, cackling youths are touring the roads around Barrow, Cumbria, on the lookout for ladies cycling in Lycra shorts. Just like a scene from a Benny Hill Show, they wind down the window, reach out and smack the women's bottoms before roaring off. The youths are wreaking havoc in the usually quiet seaport town. Three women have reported their anti-social behaviour . Detectives are following up reports from three furious cyclists and believe many more victims are too embarrassed to come forward. In the latest incident, the youths, in a black car, slowed down before the passenger leaned out and slapped a shocked women cyclist on her bottom, causing her to wobble, lose control of her bike and nearly fall off. The car drove off in the Barrow direction. A police spokesman said 'While fortunately no injuries were caused, it could have led to a serious accident.' The father-in-law of one of the victims, who gave his name only as Brian, said: 'I can imagine the possible consequences if she had lost control as a result of this incident. 'There were several incidences of this during the Keswick-to-Barrow walk one year, and I am pleased the police took it seriously.' | Gang of cackling youths are touring the roads around Barrow, Cumbria .
They wind down car windows, reach out and smack women's bottoms . |
63,218 | b38d4b7311e8d31d5997eae3bd1cf4c044f180cd | By . Martin Robinson . A Facebook tribute to the little boy . A toddler was killed in front of his mother after a television toppled onto his head as he tried to fetch a ball, an inquest heard. McKenzie Birkett-Waddington, who was 22-months-old, had spotted his toy in the bottom drawer of the chest which had a heavy set on top. But as he pulled at the drawer, the chest began to shake and the TV crashed down onto him leaving him with fatal head injuries. The freak accident happened in Burnley, Lancashire, as McKenzie's mother Jade Birkett, 21, looked on in horror as she tended to her youngest son Kian who had just woken up. An inquest at Burnley Coroners Court was told that prior to the accident on January 7 the TV had been on the floor in . Miss Birkett's bedroom whilst awaiting an internal ariel before being placed on top of the drawers. The television was described as a 'heavy old fashioned TV' and not secured to the wall. The inquest heard how Miss Birkett had moved into the property three weeks prior to her son's death with her two other boys, Mason, now five, and Kian 15 months. The three-drawer chest had been given to her whilst at her former address and the same television had sat on it 'pushed up against the wall' without problem. She had said that she thought it was 'firm and stable'. Much loved: McKenzie with his mother Jade Birkett, who has described him as a 'little diamond' Bereft: McKenzie's have been left devastated by his death, which a coroner called a 'dreadful accident' In a statement read to the court Miss Birkett described the events of the fateful morning whilst describing her middle son as a 'very lively, healthy and inquisitive lad'. She said: 'I was in bed at home and Kian was asleep in his Moses basket. I could hear that McKenzie had woken up and went to his room and got him out of his cot, Mason was sleeping at his grandmother's. I took McKenzie downstairs and waited until Kian woke up. 'At around 9.30 am I heard him wake up and me and McKenzie went back upstairs and I sorted Kian out.' She told how she put McKenzie on the floor at the foot of the bed where the chest of drawers stood whilst she tended to her other son. 'I put McKenzie down on the floor at the bottom of the bed and went round to deal with the youngest. 'I could hear McKenzie chatting away to himself and I turned to have a look at him and saw he had gone up to the chest of drawers and was standing in front of the chest of drawers. I could see he was pulling at the bottom drawer. 'It was only open very slightly. Before I could do anything the chest of drawers simply dropped forwards and the TV fell on top of him. The drawers did not fall over they just rocked.' The court heard that Miss Birkett went to his aid and removed the TV but her son was unconscious. She added: 'I could see when I looked that his toy ball was in the bottom of the chest of drawers, I think he must have been trying to get it. It happened so quickly I did not expect it to happen. I have always had the TV on there before without any problems.' Miss Birkett called an ambulance and McKenzie was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital before he was transferred to Manchester Royal Children's Hospital where he sadly died. As evidence was read out Miss Bitkett sobbed whilst being flanked by her parents. Describing her son in the statement she said: 'He started to walk when he was 16-months-old and was how they are at that age - into everything. 'He didn't like being told what to do and didn't pay much attention to me, I suppose normal for a lad his age.' Home Office pathologist Dr Charlie Wilson said that McKenzie had been a 'healthy, normal, 22-month-old boy who had suffered serious head trauma'. Following the accident, McKenzie was to undergo emergency neurosurgery at the Manchester Royal Children's Hospital but his brain was swollen and he suffered a large hematoma. He was to suffer a cardiac arrest and could not be revived. The pathologist ruled the cause of death as being head injuries. Recording a verdict of accidental death East Lancashire Coroner Mr Richard Taylor said: 'It is quite apparent to me that this was an unforeseen, dreadful accident.' A previous version of this article contained two photographs incorrectly captioned as McKenzie Birkett-Waddington. We would like to apologise for this error and to McKenzie's family and friends for any distress caused by the publication of these images. | 22-month-old McKenzie Birkett-Waddington died in a 'dreadful accident'
Spotted his ball in a drawer, tried to open it and sent TV spiralling off the top .
His mother watched in horror as she looked after one of McKenzie's siblings .
Coroner Richard Taylor recorded accidental death verdict at his inquest . |
16,584 | 2f0794ddb64cbaa0c89d635d77d8faf819b6a999 | (CNN) -- Last weekend Louis Van Gaal was hailing the beginning of a "new era" at Manchester United after a rout of QPR. Sunday saw a sobering reality check for the Dutchman and his expensively-assembled "galacticos" as the English Premier League powerhouses surrendered a 3-1 lead to lose 5-3 to newly-promoted Leicester City. It had looked an improbable scenario at the King Power Stadium as United's attacking prowess was on full display with Radamel Falcao setting up Robin van Persie for a headed opener before record signing Angel Di Maria made it 2-0 with a delightful chip. The first danger signs came after Leicester's new talisman Leonardo Ulloa headed home to reduce the deficit, but when another United summer signing Ander Herrera re-opened the two-goal with a clever back heel, the three points were there for the taking. But then in Van Gaal's words "we made big errors" and the unheralded home team took full advantage. Referee Mark Clattenburg awarded a contentious penalty after Rafael pulled back Jamie Vardy and David Nugent struck it home. Leicester soon leveled as Dean Hammond was allowed time to pick out Esteban Cambiasso to stab past David De Gea. Juan Mata had come on as a substitute for Di Maria, but he was caught napping by Ritchie De Laet, who found Vardy to put Leicester ahead. A miserable afternoon for United was rounded off when young defender Tyler Blackett hacked down the rampant Vardy and was red carded. Ullo beat De Gea from the spot to complete a remarkable reversal and push Leicester up to seventh in the standings. United, hoping to win Champions League qualification for next season, languishes in 12th. Van Gaal, who was talking of the Premier League title after the 4-0 win over QPR, must have believed it might be a reality after his side's superb opening. "We started well and score fantastic goals," he told BBC Sport. But he acknowledged that the frailties which emerged in the second half were of his team's own making. "We have too many players who just want to score goals. "We have to look to ourselves because we made such big errors as a team an personally," he admitted. Leicester manager Nigel Pearson was still pinching himself after the victory. "At the moment it's difficult to believe. "Today's result and performance will suggest that on the day we can be a difficult opponent." Later in the afternoon, there was a dramatic end to the early title showdown at the Etihad Stadium between champions Manchester City and current leaders Chelsea. City had 10-men after a red card for Pablo Zabaleta and trailed to an Andre Schurrle goal when former Chelsea star Frank Lampard equalized with virtually his first touch of the ball after coming on as a late replacement. Lampard spent 13 years at Chelsea before joining a new franchise in New York, who then loaned him out to City, and his celebration of the goal was muted. "I am a little lost for words. I didn't expect to come on and score like that," he told the UK's Press Association. "I came on and the Chelsea fans were singing, and that's emotional. Then I am playing for this club, who have taken me in brilliantly as well, so I am really stuck in the middle here." Chelsea still tops the standings by three points from Southampton and Aston Villa after five rounds, but its 100% record was surrendered by the late strike. On an afternoon of surprises, West Bromwich Albion moved off the bottom with a 1-0 away win at Tottenham Hotspur, while Crystal Palace stunned Everton 3-2 at Goodison Park. Meanwhile, in the Spanish La Liga, one of Van Gaal's former teams Barcelona maintained its 100% start to the season with a thumping 5-0 win at Levante. It did not quite match the 8-2 drubbing handed out by arch rivals Real Madrid to Deportivo Saturday, but was Barca's fourth straight victory to take a two-point lead over Sevilla. Lionel Messi set up Neymar for the opener, but missed a penalty after being fouled by Loukas Vyntra, who was sent off. Ivan Rakitic, Sandro Ramirez, Pedro and Messi with the fifth completed the scoring. | Leicester City beat Manchester United 5-3 after a remarkable turn around .
United led 3-1 until a late Leicester goal spree .
Frank Lampard equalizes for Man City against old side Chelsea .
Barcelona tops La Liga with thrashing of Levante . |
39,124 | 6e8e94ab700117e1461145028783f4509736f8f0 | (CNN) -- Leon Walker, a Detroit, Michigan, computer technician, faces a jury trial in February for allegedly hacking into his then-wife's e-mail account. "She'd asked me to read her e-mails before," Walker said in an interview this week. "She gave me the password before. She didn't hide it." Walker says the e-mails revealed that Clara Walker, who has been married three times, was having an affair with her second husband. Walker, the third husband, shared the documents with his wife's first husband, who then used them to file an emergency motion to obtain custody of his son with Clara Walker. Leon Walker said he and the first husband were both concerned because, according to Walker, husband No. 2 had a prior arrest on a domestic violence charge. "He took action with the courts to have himself protected and I took action with the court to have my daughter protected," Walker said. When Clara Walker learned how the e-mails made their way into court, she complained to police. Oakland County, Michigan, Prosecutor Jessica Cooper used a state anti-hacking law to charge Leon Walker with a felony. Cooper did not immediately respond to CNN calls for comment, but the Detroit Free Press published a voice-mail from her. "The guy is a hacker," Cooper told the newspaper. "It was password protected, he had wonderful skills, and was highly trained. Then he downloaded them and used them in a very contentious way." The Michigan statute forbids someone from accessing "a computer program, computer, computer system or computer network" to acquire property "without authorization." New York criminal defense lawyer Paul Callan said all 50 U.S. states have such laws, but he called this "a highly unusual use of a criminal statute." The laws are typically used to prosecute "some technological guy who's broken into a company's computer system and damaged it or stolen something," Callan said. Leon Walker's defense lawyer agreed. "I find it so hard to believe that our legislature would enact a law and say 'You know what, if husbands and wives are reading each others' e-mail, that's a priority for us and we've got to stop that,'" attorney Leon Weiss said. Walker said his decision to peek into his wife's e-mail account was like someone kicking in a door to save someone from a burning house. "Do you kick the door open or do you let it burn?" Walker said. "I did what I felt was absolutely necessary." Clara Walker responded in a written statement submitted by her attorney, saying "Leon is not the saint portrayed in the media." "If you believe news reports you would think he was the faithful husband looking to protect my children. Nothing could be farther from the truth," she said. The couple's divorce was finalized earlier this month. CNN's Julie Cannold contributed to this report. | NEW: Clara Walker says her third husband is "not the saint portrayed in the media"
Leon Walker defends reading his then-wife's e-mails to ensure his daughter's safety .
Leon Walker is charged under Michigan's anti-hacking law .
The law should target thieves, not spouses, his lawyer says . |
71,476 | ca9a96d85ff3556bc0e0d9a75232cf7aef5c806d | Washington (CNN) -- When President Obama awards the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta on Tuesday, a lot will be made about the fact that he is the first living Medal of Honor recipient since Vietnam. To be exact, Giunta is the first living recipient since President Ford presented Medals of Honor to three heroes of Vietnam on March 4, 1976. The men who received the iconic gold medal on a pale blue ribbon that day -- James Stockdale, George Day and Thomas Norris -- continued to make history after receiving their medals. Refusing to talk . James Stockdale was a Navy pilot and the highest ranking prisoner of war in North Vietnam. "I believe I had the easiest leadership job in the world: to maintain the organization, resistance and spirit of 10 of the finest men I have ever known," Stockdale wrote later in his book "A Vietnam Experience: Ten Years of Reflection." While in captivity, Stockdale stabbed himself in the leg to convince his captors he wouldn't talk. After that, the official medal citation says, North Vietnam eased "employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the prisoners of war." Stockdale went on to become a president of the Naval War College and eventually ran for vice president with Ross Perot. Stockdale died in 2005 and is buried at the Naval Academy. Resisting interrogation . George "Bud" Day, an Air Force pilot, was held as a POW for years in North Vietnam, often in the same prison as Stockdale. Day was badly injured when he was shot down and shot later during an escape attempt. Even though he was debilitated, the North Vietnamese subjected him to frequent torture. Years later, during an online chat with viewers of PBS, Day described what his ordeal in the hands of North Vietnamese captors was like. "They would punish you. They would rope you up or beat you up or torture you in some fashion until you made a response of some kind," Day wrote. "If someone has unrestricted torture ability, there's a lot they can do. They hung people. Stretched your arms out. Broke people's arms. Our population had a 40 percent injury rate. Broken arms. Broken backs. They were a fragile group who could be exploited with a great deal of physical pain. They did that." According to Day's Medal of Honor citation, his refusal to talk to his captors protected other pilots. "His personal bravery in the face of deadly enemy pressure was significant in saving the lives of fellow aviators who were still flying against the enemy." His legal battle with the government over medical benefits for veterans led to a law that guarantees that military retirees and their spouses will have medical benefits for life. Day later became a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a political group opposed to Sen. John Kerry's presidential candidacy in 2004. He was also an outspoken supporter of Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential run. Day lives in Florida. Rescuing captured pilot . Thomas Norris was a Navy SEAL. Norris volunteered to go more than a mile into enemy territory to rescue Lt. Col. Iceal "Gene" Hambleton, a captured pilot who had valuable information about U.S. missiles and targets that his captors, the North Vietnamese, would want to learn. Norris later learned that 30,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters were combing the area for him. "I was almost constantly in a position where I could have been killed," Norris told the Washington Post in 1976. "The fact that the danger is there is something you don't even worry about." Norris' rescue of Hambleton is the inspiration for the book and movie "Bat*21. " In spite of losing an eye in a later SEAL mission in Vietnam, Norris became an original member of the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team. All three were alive when President Ford presented them with the Medal of Honor. Ford awarded a fourth Medal of Honor that day. It was a posthumous medal to U.S. Air Force Captain Lance Sijan, another pilot who endured repeated torture without divulging any information to the North Vietnamese. Righting a wrong . There have been other living Medal of Honor recipients in the years since 1976, but those were retroactive awards. Because of racism during past wars, or because more information about heroics comes to light, the Department of Defense reinvestigates a service member's actions and decides he deserves a Medal of Honor. The latest recipient, Giunta, will receive the award three years after his heroics. He was recommended for a Medal of Honor hours after a bloody ambush and firefight in eastern Afghanistan in 2007. It has taken until now for the medal to be approved. Another Medal of Honor may be awarded relatively soon. CNN has learned that a young Marine from Kentucky, Dakota Meyer, has been recommended for a Medal of Honor for heroics in September 2009 in Afghanistan's Kunar province. His case is now being considered at the highest levels of the Pentagon. | Giunta is the first living recipient since 1976 .
Other living recipients continued to make history .
Some retroactive awards have been made since 1976 . |
255,802 | d7174db9cfdd1fcd0a5022afae9bd1434ff1b4ea | New York (CNN) -- Protesters poured onto the streets of New York late Wednesday, upset over a grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner. They marched at the same time U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that federal officials were moving ahead with a civil rights investigation. Garner, an unarmed black man, died in July after a white officer, Daniel Pantaleo, put him in a chokehold. Garner's death was later ruled a homicide. "This fight ain't over. It just begun. I'm determined to get justice for my husband because he shouldn't have been killed in that way. He shouldn't have been killed in any way," said Esaw Garner, his widow. "He should be here, celebrating Christmas and Thanksgiving and everything else, with his children and his grandchildren. And he can't. Why? Because a cop did wrong. Somebody that gets paid to do right did wrong and he's not held accountable for it. But my husband's death will not be in vain. As long as I have a breath in my body I will fight the fight till the end." Protesters gathered at various points in Manhattan, including Times Square and Union Square, marching peacefully north as crowds formed near Rockefeller Center for the lighting of the Christmas tree. Columbus Circle was blocked for a time. There were demonstrations in other cities too, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Oakland, California. "No Justice. No peace," protesters chanted in New York. "No racist police." Garner's mother, who spoke alongside his widow, said she was disappointed by the grand jury's decision. She called for calm. "We want you to rally, but rally in peace. Make a statement, but make it in peace," said Gwen Carr. On New York City's West Side Highway, a group of protesters stood face to face with rows of police officers, shouting, "I can't breathe, I can't breathe." The protesters sat down on the road, crying out, "What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now!" "Ferguson is Everywhere," one demonstrator's sign read, referring to the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. 'I can't breathe' During the fatal encounter July 17 on Staten Island, Garner raised both hands in the air and told the officers not to touch him. Seconds later, a video shows an officer behind Garner grab him in a chokehold and pull him to the sidewalk, rolling him onto his stomach. The New York City Police Department prohibits chokeholds. "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Garner said repeatedly, his cries muffled into the pavement. Garner, 43, was pronounced dead that day. Police had suspected Garner of selling cigarettes illegally. The grand jury was made up of 14 white and nine nonwhite members, according to law enforcement sources. A total of 12 jurors who have heard all the evidence must be in agreement for a decision. The grand jury found that there was no "reasonable cause" to indict. The case became emblematic of longstanding tensions between police and minority communities, especially given that the majority of people stopped under the former "stop-and-frisk" police policy were African-American or Hispanic. A federal court ruled that stop-and-frisk was unconstitutional and tantamount to racial profiling. The Garner death led to demonstrations around the city and came weeks before the racially charged police shooting of Brown, who was unarmed, in Ferguson. 'National moment of grief" President Barack Obama said the Garner case reflected a longtime "concern on the part of too many minority communities that law enforcement is not working with them, and dealing with them in a fair way." "We are not going to let up until we see a strengthening of the trust, and a strengthening of the accountability that exists between our communities and our law enforcement," he said. Standing outside the Staten Island store where his son was put into a fatal chokehold, Garner's father, Ben, told a crowd that he was hopeful about the federal investigation and urged demonstrators to remain peaceful. "We want justice for Eric," he said. "We ain't tearing up nothing. We ain't burning up nothing... The police is our problem. No violence. That is all I ask." Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to allay tensions, saying that he had received assurances from Washington that the federal investigation of Garner's death would move forward "expeditiously and with a clear sense of independence." De Blasio said the grand jury decision has created "a national moment of pain, a national moment of grief and searching for a solution." Pantaleo, according to a statement from his union, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, said: "I became a police officer to help people and to protect those who can't protect themselves. It is never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr. Garner. My family and I include him and his family in our prayers and I hope that they will accept my personal condolences for their loss." Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan Jr. said the grand jury conducted dozens of interviews with witnesses, including 22 civilians, and met between September 29 and December 3. An attorney for Pantaleo said his client testified for approximately two hours on November 21 in front of the grand jury. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, called the decision "a miscarriage of justice" an "outrage" and a "disgrace." "He was killed in plain sight for all of America to see because this was captured on video. And so it's inexplicable that this grand jury could not return a single charge," said Jeffries. Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said, "there are no winners" from the grand jury decision. "It is clear that the officer's intention was to do nothing more than take Mr. Garner into custody as instructed and that he used the take-down technique that he learned in the academy when Mr. Garner refused," Lynch said. "No police officer starts a shift intending to take another human being's life and we are all saddened by this tragedy." Brown and Garner . The grand jury's decision came on the same day that the New York Police Department, in an attempt to bolster public confidence, announced plans to start having some officers wear body cameras. "When something happens, to have a video record of it, from the police officers' perspective, is going to help in many, many ways," de Blasio told reporters. "And God forbid, when something goes wrong, we are going to have a clearer understanding of what happened." Parallels mark the deaths of Garner and Brown, both black, starting with crimes they were suspected of: Brown allegedly stole cigars from a convenience store; Garner was allegedly selling cigarettes tax-free. Another similarity that has become the hallmark of protests in Ferguson: Garner put his hands up in the air, as the crook of Pantaleo's elbow tightened around his throat. Some eyewitnesses have said Brown also made that gesture in surrender. But other witnesses contradicted them. No video was rolling, so doubts over that and other details will always hang over the moment that former Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson shot the unarmed teen. That has led Obama to call for law officers all over the country to record their operations with body cameras. In Garner's case, there can be little doubt what happened. Before he gasped what appeared to be his final breaths, someone hit record on a cell phone camera. The details of his takedown spread through the Internet as the video went viral. Wilson and Pantaleo . In the Ferguson case, Wilson argued before the Missouri grand jury that he shot Brown -- who Wilson said tried to wrest away his gun and then charged at him -- in self-defense. In the Staten Island cell phone video, Garner did not go after Pantaleo but had his back to him; the officer jumped him from behind then tackled him to the ground. The New York Medical Examiner has ruled Garner's death a homicide. The cause of death was "compression of neck (chokehold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police." But the medical examiner also listed acute and chronic bronchial asthma, obesity and hypertensive cardiovascular disease as contributing factors in Garner's death. In Ferguson, Wilson went into hiding after death threats and kept his status of police officer but was placed on leave. He resigned shortly after the grand jury decision. After the chokehold, Pantaleo was put on modified assignment and stripped of his badge and gun amid the investigation, and the NYPD's commissioner ordered an extensive review of training procedures. Two lawsuits have previously been filed against Pantaleo. The plaintiffs in both suits allege false arrest, unlawful imprisonment, civil rights violations and other charges. One suit from 2013 was dismissed in January 2014, while the second, from February 2014, remains open. Ferguson and New York . In both Ferguson and New York, mostly African-American protesters took to the streets for weeks after both men died to decry police violence. Demonstrators in New York have called the police response during Garner's arrest excessive and criminal, but during protests, the contact between police and demonstrators has been largely cordial. Missing were the tear gas canisters, assault rifles, armored vehicles and the lootings and flying bottles that marred the St. Louis suburb in the wake of Brown's death. When the Missouri grand jury declined to charge Wilson, violence returned to Ferguson, as shot were fired, stores were looted and cars were set on fire. CNN's Dana Ford, Catherine E. Shoichet, Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley, Ben Brumfield, Daniel Verello and Leigh Remizowski contributed to this report. | NEW: "Make a statement, but make it in peace," says Eric Garner's mother .
Protesters gather across New York, other U.S. cities .
Garner, an unarmed black man, died after a white police officer put him in a chokehold .
A grand jury decided not to indict the officer; AG Holder announces an investigation . |
13,969 | 279c4347c5d0f655540b964e5e2e3742eeccb47a | By . Meghan Keneally . and David Mccormack . The mastermind behind Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos, is a tough taskmaster who at just three years of age took his own crib apart with a screwdriver because he wanted a real bed, reveals a new book. He is the subject of a new biography that gives a number of fascinating insights into the bullish management style of one of the key architects of the internet age. The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos And The Age Of Amazon was released on Tuesday and tells the story of the creation and amazing growth of the online retailer, which launched in 1995 and sold $61billion worth of goods last year alone. Scroll down for video . Bullish, driven and determined: Bezos founded Amazon.com in a bid to live life without regrets . Author Brad Stone, who also writes for Businessweek, approached Bezos and asked if he could tell his story. Although Bezos refused to be interviewed for the book, he encouraged friends, family and company executives to talk to the author. The amazing success of the company has . earned Bezos a reputation as someone who can be unsparing in his . criticism and isn’t an easy man to work for. ‘If . you’re not good, Jeff will chew you up and spit you out. And if you are . good, he will jump on your back and ride you into the ground,’ is one . quote about Bezos’s management style in the book. Amazon has earned a reputation for being an incredibly ruthless negotiator with the companies that it does business with. The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos And The Age Of Amazon' was released on Tuesday and tells the story of the creation and amazing growth of the online retailer . Stone . describes Amazon’s culture as 'notoriously confrontational, and it . begins with Bezos, who believes that truth springs forth when ideas and . perspectives are banged against each other, sometimes violently'. In the book it is revealed that Bezos . once suggested that Amazon approach small publishers in the same way . that a cheetah approaches a sick gazelle. The . environment isn’t for everyone and turnover among top executives is high, writes Stone. He quotes one observer as saying that . Amazon executives 'have an absolute willingness to torch the landscape . around them to emerge the winner.' Stone also writes that . Bezos can be kind to people, but is well-known for going on rants that . other employees refer to as 'nutters', and that he has a reputation for asking his employees . provocative questions, such as 'Does it surprise you that you don’t know the answer to that question?', or 'Why are you ruining my life?'. After graduating from Princeton in 1986, Bezos worked at the hedge fund D.E. Shaw before deciding to setup his own company. Since launching in 1995, Amazon has become the world's largest online retailer and last year it sold $61billion of goods . In . the book it is revealed that he was so eager to get started on his own . that he left before the end of the financial year and so walked away . from a very large financial bonus. The . gamble has certainly paid off, but it hasn’t been plain sailing and the . company suffered a dramatic downturn during the dot-com bubble at the . turn of the century. Amazon’s . stock hit a high of almost $107 a share during the first dot-com . boom, but then plunged below $6 after the market collapsed. It . has since soared to more than $300 a share. Stone writes that Bezos had an ordinary childhood with his mother and stepfather, but that his real father, Ted Jorgensen, was a one-time circus performer whom his mother told to stay out of their lives when Bezos was just four years old. Jorgensen has revealed that he plans to contact the billionaire Amazon founder after only learning about who his son had become from author Stone. His own family: Bezos married his wife MacKenzie in 1993 (seen together at the Met Ball in 2012) and they have four children . Then and now: Ted Jorgensen was a teenage unicyclist (left) when his son Jeffrey was born, and he only learned that the boy grew up to be Jeff Bezos last year (pictured right this year, at age 69) Jorgensen was an 18-year-old unicyclist who was a rising star on the niche circuit when his girlfriend, Jackie Gise, became pregnant. The pair traveled to New Mexico to get married - because she was too young under American law - and then returned and had a makeshift ceremony at her house, where both of their mothers signed their marriage application form. Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen was born on January 12, 1964, and 17 months later, Ted and Jackie got a divorce. Both Jackie and her father told Ted never to contact the family again, and he agreed. She then started dating her co-worker, Mike Bezos, who she eventually married. Gise asked Jorgensen's legal permission to allow her new husband to adopt their son, Jeffrey, and he agreed. Fast forward 47 years and reporter Stone . went to the small bike-repair shop in Glendale, Arizona, that Jorgensen . owns and he found the 69-year-old working behind the counter. Parents: Jeff's mother Jackie (left) married his step father Mike Bezos (right) when Jeff was four-years-old . 'I’d considered a number of ways he might react to my unannounced appearance but gave a very low probability to the likelihood of what actually happened: He had no idea what I was talking about,' Stone writes. 'Jorgensen said he didn’t know who Jeff Bezos was and was baffled by my suggestion that he was the father of this famous CEO.' It was only after the author brought up Jeff's mother Jackie Gise and their infant son Jeffrey that he saw the wheels in Jorgensen's head begin to turn before seeing his eyes fill 'with sorrow and disbelief'. Stone then met with Jorgensen and his current wife Linda, who has four children that he helped raise. 'I wasn’t a good father or a husband,' Jorgensen said of his first marriage. 'It was really all my fault. I don’t blame Jackie at all.' Man with a plan: Amazon started as a book-shipping business that went public in 1997 (Bezos pictured that year) See more of the interview at Comedy Central . | New book reveals that the Amazon CEO is a tough taskmaster who is very demanding of his employees . |
230,275 | b631c4052caf8f222915f5ba8f33f05fba5ff744 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. border officers found a wire between two fences along the U.S.-Mexican border that, when stretched taut, could have seriously harmed or even decapitated Border Patrol agents, Congress was told Wednesday. The wire was about 4 feet high when pulled tight, or about neck level for an agent on an ATV, officials say. "It was configured in a way so that, if it was pulled, it would take off the head of a Border Patrol agent riding in an open car," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said at a House budget hearing. The wire was discovered Saturday when authorities monitoring a surveillance camera saw two people on the north side of the border east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, in the San Diego sector. Border Patrol agents sent to the area found a thick metal wire tied to a secondary fence. The wire stretched across the border road and led into Mexico through a hole in the primary fence, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. When pulled tight, the wire would be about 4 feet high -- about neck level for an agent riding on an all-terrain vehicle, CBP said. Officials said they suspected that drug or illegal immigrant smugglers were involved. No arrests were made on either side of the border. The wire was removed, and no injuries or damage took place, CBP said. E-mail to a friend . | The thick metal wire stretched across the border road and led into Mexico .
Agents discovered it Saturday after a surveillance camera spotted suspicious activity .
Officials say they suspect that drug or illegal immigrant smugglers are involved .
No arrests have been made on either side of the border . |
63,363 | b3f51f6606cee5d9d2fa0cd25aec6976fd67299c | (CNN) -- Who wouldn't expect great things from the world's second largest land mass? This is a nation hoarding enough prosperity, natural beauty and curling talent to serve a population a hundred times its size. But Canada is more than elbow room, good roads, respected banks, promo posters of Mounties on horseback, sweet views of Niagara Falls and tired media frenzies about the odd crack-smoking mayor. This country could really brag about all the stuff that truly sets it apart. Not that it ever would. Self-effacing modesty is one the more endearing Canadian virtues -- along with these 10 national assets that really put the "O" in Canada. 1. Apologizing . It's not so easy to get a simple apology in most of the world. Being jostled in India. Getting your foot stepped on in Greece. Not having the door held open for you in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. That's just all part of unrepentant life. In Canada, apologies happen constantly -- "sorries" flying in from all sides like swarms of affable killer bees. Apologies are issued not just for some negligible mishap, but for actually having the gall to be on the receiving end of one. A Queen's University poll titled "Sorry ... I'm Canadian," found that 90% of Canadians aged 18-25 will immediately apologize if a stranger bumps into them. But while it may be true that some of the ugliest brawls in Canada have been waged over who's sorrier, travelers should be wary of such niceties, notes another Canadian apologist: "Sometimes we're actually expressing our sympathy for your shortcomings." 2. Lakes and "Cottage Country" Canada has more lakes than any other country -- about 3 million. The province of Ontario alone contains about a third of the world's freshwater, spread over 250,000 lakes. No surprise that "heading up to the lake" is more than just a favorite national phrase. It's Canada's sacred version of lighting out for the territory -- but with cottages furnished with Muskoka chairs, Kevlar canoes and competing Gordon Lightfoot and loon mating call soundtracks. Recently, Ontario's prime lake district, Muskoka, got the nod from National Geographic Traveler as the top summer destination -- in the world. Well, yeah, eh? It's beauty up there. 3. Stand-in movie locations . Even if you've never set foot in Vancouver, Halifax or those handful of cities in between, you've frequently been staring right at them without knowing it. Why? Because Hollywood loves making movies in Canada -- big movies -- while passing the settings off as New York City, Wyoming, ancient Persia, the bow of history's most ill-fated oceanliner ... Basically anywhere else but Canada. If you've sat through "The Incredible Hulk," you've visited Toronto's Yonge Street -- at least via celluloid. "Brokeback Mountain"? That ain't the American West, pardner. It's Southern Alberta's Rocky Mountain country. "Capote"? You're not in Kansas, Dorothy. But Winnipeg. "Twilight"? Vancouver. "Blades of Glory"? Montreal. "Titanic"? Much of it filmed off the coast of Halifax. And where in the world was Morgan Freeman's shack in "Unforgiven"? Just up the road from Calgary in the Drumheller Valley -- a moonscape-ish backcountry that's also passed for Egypt, Persia, Armenia and East Africa in several film and TV productions. 4. Air . In a recent national air quality study by the World Health Organization, Canada placed third for the cleanest air on the planet. Until the first and second placers (Estonia and Mauritius) are covered in CNN Travel's "better than anywhere else" series, we direct your breath to Canadian cities -- which average a relatively pristine 13 micrograms of PM10 particles per cubic meter. 5. Humor . Canadians are hilarious -- sometimes even intentionally -- as a disproportionate number of comic heavyweights like Jim Carrey, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Aykroyd, Seth Rogen, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, Michael Cera, Leslie Nielsen and so many others have repeatedly confirmed over the years. What makes Canadians so crazy funny? The subject has launched sociological studies, none of which are funny at all. But even if you've never watched SCTV, can't name a single member of "The Kids in the Hall" and weren't aware that SNL was created and produced by a Torontonian, or that Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival is the world's biggest comedy festival, or that the most deadly funny movie sequence ever filmed (the "Serpentine!" scene from 1979's "The In-Laws") was directed by a dude from Edmonton -- know this: . If there's one thing Canada barrels superbly at home or abroad, for whatever boring reason, it's laughs. 6. Chocolate bars . Just a few giant corporations pump out most of the world's mass market candy bars -- but not always with the same goods under that familiar-looking wrapper. "Canadian chocolate is higher in fat and it is a higher particle size," a Hershey's senior chocolate expert recently noted in the National Post, adding that Hershey's now offers a separate recipe for the more discriminating Canadian chocolate palate. "Americans tend to gravitate toward a little more of a grittier or even cheesier flavor." That's why eating any of those generic chocolate bars or local Canadian faves like Caramilk, Aero, Mr. Big, heck even Sweet Marie in Saskatoon, is a creamy, velvety experience. And why a KitKat somewhere else is a gritty, cheesy, polyglycerol polyricinoleate-y one. 7. Ski country . Sitting across the border from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Vermont would be intimidating to most countries hawking their own powdery slopes. Not Canada, which boasts some of the best reasons to haul your skis or snowboard a little farther north. In the West, there's Lake Louise, plunked right in gorgeous Banff National Park, and a ring of powder havens throughout eastern British Columbia. Whistler Blackcomb is one of the world's leading ski resorts, getting a "best in North America" nod from SKI Magazine last year. In the East, there's Quebec's beer-commercial-fun Laurentians -- where après-ski needs no translation. Heli-skiing? That all started in the Canadian Bugaboos, which remains one of the best places to do it. 8. Nation branding . No national symbol is as ubiquitous as Canada's maple leaf. From Newfoundland to Victoria, it's everywhere you look -- a proud, unrelenting reminder of where you are. Not the United States. Not Australia. Not Nigeria. Canada. The most obsessive leaf activity occurs abroad, where generations of flag-bearing Canadian backpackers are famous for sewing maple leaf patches onto their bags just to make sure everyone's clear at a glance who they are. Not American. Not German. Not Rarotongan. Canadian. See the leaf? Canadian. "No other country on earth seems to feel the same need to self-identify," posts one traveler from an undisclosed country. 9. Highway grub . Road trips are all about the food. At least in places like Alberta or Manitoba, where nothing works up an appetite like hours of sedentary driving along some of the longest, straightest roads known to non-Australian mankind with nothing to do but count Petro-Canada stations -- and pull over for the best comfort food gracing any rest stop. Tim Hortons. Harvey's. Swiss Chalet ... If you don't know these names, it's time to look beyond the Golden Arches. You can eat McNuggets wherever. Nothing says gustatory bliss on the Trans-Canada Highway like a peameal & natural smoked Bacon Bacon burger, or half-chicken plate with Chalet sauce, or a box of Timbits with a double-double coffee. Better grab a butter tart and Nanaimo bar, too. It's a long way from Red Deer to Flin Flon. 10. Adorable terms and phrases . While you'll be hard-pressed to find a real-life, toque-wearin' local who's ever called someone a "hoser" or told them to "take off," Canadians do call their two-dollar coins "Toonies," cases of beer "two-fours" and napkins "serviettes" in polite company. Nowhere else will you be called a "rink rat" for loitering at ice arenas. Or be "given the gears" if you do something dumb. Or get asked, "What do you pay for hydro?" Or alerted that "your gitch is showing" if your belt is too loose. Enough said. Jordan Rane is a Toronto native living without apologies (most of the time) in Los Angeles. | Poll titled "Sorry ... I'm Canadian," finds 90% of Canadians aged 18-25 apologize if a stranger bumps them .
Even if you've never visited Canada, chances are you've been staring at it in Hollywood movies .
"Canadian chocolate is higher in fat and it is a higher particle size," says a Hershey's expert . |
204,293 | 947a70f653667b805f26361dee909228f5698064 | By . Mail Online Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:08 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:33 EST, 7 March 2014 . One of the tallest former stars of the NBA basketball league has told Chinese people they need to get fit - as it's revealed their height is lagging behind neighbouring countries. Towering over the crowds at the Great Hall of the People today, 7ft 6in-tall Yao Ming said not enough Chinese people exercised - which can be related to height. He said: 'Nowadays, [there is] no more long-distance running, no more strenuous exercise for students. You won't get lost in that crowd! Former NBA basketball player Yao Ming (C), who is a delegate of the . Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), towers over . the crowd as he arrives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing today . Giant: Mr Ming (C) stops to talk to reporters waiting outside the . conference, where he shared his views on declining health and the . selling of ivory. His comments come as it's revealed that Chinese people are shorter on average than those in Japan and Korea . 'No one dares to take the responsibility. It becomes a vicious spiral later. The less you exercise, the worse your physical health will be.' Yao, a former player for Houston Rockets, was speaking as a delegate at the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference annual session in The Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He backed . Wu Zhengxian, a lawmaker and a director at the Beijing Institute of . Education, who told the meeting that Chinese boys from seven to 17 are '2.54cm shorter than Japanese in the same age range.' She said: '[In global rankings], Chinese men rank . 32nd with an average height of 1.697 metres – shorter than Japanese . males at 29th with 1.707 metres and Koreans who rank 18th at 1.74 . metres.' The event hosts the Chinese People's Political . Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a debating chamber that began on . Monday, and the National People's Congress (NPC). Pensive: The former NBA star is deep in thought as he attends the conferences this week . As one of the biggest events of the political calendar, it is a chance to catch China's most senior political figures in public. But it is also a chance to see the host of celebrities who come out in force to sit as members of the CPPCC for the Communist Party. As well as Yao, film star Jackie Chan and Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang are members. Yao also delivered a petition at the conference, calling on China's government to ban sales of ivory. After . retiring from basketball in . 2011, Yao - who was one of the tallest players in the US basketball . league - has used his public status to influence politics and push his . causes. He is well known for his stance against poaching and his high-profile campaigns against the trade. Star struck: The conference sees a host of celebrities descend on Beijing, one of which is Yao Ming . Yao’s proposal to the CPPCC asks for a total ban on all domestic trade in ivory and ivory products and an end to imports. China banned trading in endangered . species such as the giant panda, the golden monkey and the white-flag . dolphin in the late 1980s. | 7ft 6in former basketball player Yao Ming towered over the crowds at conference in Beijing .
It was revealed at the event that Chinese people are lagging in height behind neighbouring countries .
Ming was among tallest players before retiring from the US league .
Says Chinese people need to exercise to improve health .
He also delivered a petition to call on the government to ban the sale of ivory .
Other celebrities at national event include actor Jackie Chan . |
43,458 | 7a8d7666cd535c2bcbc8c7a8e71fc1f57146ce7b | By . Jamie Carragher . When the final whistle sounded and Liverpool's place in the 2005 final of the Champions League was secure, there was only one thing I wanted to do. It wasn't to join the rest of my delirious team-mates, who were dancing in front of the Kop. I didn't even want to run to the part of Anfield where I knew my family and friends would be, even though this was one of the biggest moments of my career. No. The celebrating could wait. My initial thought after that energy-sapping and emotionally draining collision with Chelsea was over was to go and shake hands with John Terry, who - like me - had given every last ounce to try to get his team to Istanbul. VIDEO Scroll down to watch John Terry give one young Chelsea fan a day he'll never forget . Greats do battle: Jamie Carragher and John Terry tussle during the 2005 Champions League semi-final . Captain, leader, legend: Chelsea skipper Terry beats Carragher (right) and Sami Hyypia to the ball . Liverpool and Chelsea had gone toe to toe over two legs and the hallmark of each semi-final was brilliant defending - only one controversial goal separated us at the death. John, of course, was distraught to get so close but I just wanted to tell him how good he had been. We played the game the same way and that night in May 2005 we were like two boxers at the final bell. As Liverpool and Chelsea's rivalry escalated, I remember Rafa Benitez saying to me 'how lucky' Mourinho was to have a player such as Terry. I quickly told him he was lucky to have me and Rafa replied, pulling his hand away from his nose to mimic Pinocchio: 'Yes, yes! You're as good as Terry!' Not to be beaten, I replied with the same gesture: 'Yes, yes! You're as good as Mourinho!' But I could understand what Rafa meant. Terry had this ability to draw the ball to him like a magnet, always getting his head or his foot in the way just when it mattered. John was a better version of me and his form was one of the main reasons I retired from England. Those games took place almost nine years ago but the passing of time has not impacted on the quality of performance Terry is still producing. If you asked me to select an all-time Premier League XI, he would be the first pick at the heart of my defence. Some outstanding central defenders . have graced the Premier League, such as Rio Ferdinand, Ricardo Carvalho, . Jaap Stam, Tony Adams, Sol Campbell and Vincent Kompany - players with . the medals to match their talent. Terry, however, is the pick of the . bunch. He is the only defender since Paul McGrath in 1993 to be named . PFA Player of the Year and I don't believe it has ever been appreciated . what a consistently outstanding operator he has been. I accept it might be controversial to praise him, given some of the . off-field controversies he has been embroiled in. They have been . dissected at length on these pages. I just feel that the way he is . viewed obscures his playing qualities. Head and shoulders above the rest: Terry beats West Ham's Andy Carroll to an aerial ball . Good Kompany: Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany is one of the Premier League's best defenders . Just . consider this: he was a fixture in the FIFPro Team of the Year at one . stage, selected by his fellow professionals every season from 2005 to . 2009. When you consider the talent that was around during that period, . his consistency was remarkable. Equally remarkable was Chelsea's . 'goals against' column in their first title-winning season of 2004-05. They conceded only 15 in 38 games, a record I do not expect to be . broken. Terry, with . his durability and his quality, was instrumental in driving Mourinho's . men forward. Such attributes continue to serve him well - he is one of . only five outfield players to appear in every minute of the 23 Barclays . Premier League games this season. Centre of attention: Rio Ferdinand (left) and Sol Campbell both had medals to match their talents . Putting his head where it hurts: Tony Adams (left) was the leader of Arsene Wenger's first great Arsenal team . Dutch of class: Jaap Stam was superb at the heart of Manchester United's defence . Ricardo the rock: Carvalho was Terry's partner at Chelsea and was a vital component of their defence . But on Monday night he will be aware that his biggest match of the campaign awaits. Walking out at the Etihad Stadium as a defender must feel like you are heading into the Alamo. Sergio Aguero will be missing, but when he's not causing problems, Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko are, so it will be intriguing to see how Chelsea and Terry try to contain Manchester City. At this moment, a trip to the Etihad is the most daunting challenge for a defender in European football. Arsenal went there with a fine record yet conceded six. Tottenham's goal difference was decimated the day they also got hit for six, while Manchester United were thrashed by four. Leap of faith: Terry (right) shows no sign of declining like some other notable top-flight centre halves . Still up for the challenge: Terry is scrutinised more because he is not very popular away from Stamford Bridge . I still hear John being criticised for a lack of pace but very few centre backs are quick; Terry's reading of the game is outstanding and keeps him out of danger, while his ability on the ball never gets spoken about; how many defenders in world football can switch the play with their weaker foot? Critics have been quick to write him off, particularly last season when he started only 14 times in the Premier League, but some of what has been said about him is nonsense; as soon as he has a bad game, it gets mentioned that he is over 30 and isn't the same as he was. That's rubbish. Nemanja Vidic and Ferdinand, for instance, have suffered the same injury and form issues yet never get the same level of criticism. Terry gets such scrutiny because outside Stamford Bridge, he doesn't enjoy any popularity. No going back: Despite his good form, Terry should not return for England . He remains England's best in his position but I don't believe for a minute Roy Hodgson should think about enticing him back to be part of his World Cup squad - there is too much history there. Nor do I think John would be well served ending his international retirement. Clearly he is benefitting from a lesser workload and that will help prolong his career. Chelsea are looking to the future, as their signing of Kurt Zouma shows, but they should offer Terry a new deal, given how he has served them. And, more importantly, what he can continue to give them. Daniel Sturridge continued his brilliant form in midweek with two goals in a fixture that should cement a Liverpool striker's place in Kop affections. I was at Anfield on Tuesday and, once again, Sturridge made a big impression on me - he is playing with such confidence that you don't expect him to miss when he gets a chance - but, for some reason, I didn't hear his name being sung during the 4-0 win over Everton. It left me wondering: when are Liverpool and England supporters going to start appreciating his exploits? He's scored 27 goals in 34 appearances since he joined Liverpool 12 months ago. That's a phenomenal ratio but it still feels at times that he has question marks hanging over him. No Kop idol: Daniel Sturridge (right) has a brilliant record for Liverpool but seems unloved by the fans . Derby destroyer: Sturridge scored twice on Tuesday as Liverpool beat Everton 4-0 at Anfield . On a bad day, he can look lethargic and when he first joined Liverpool, I wondered whether he would spend a lot of time in the treatment room. But in the past year, he has played regularly and has been one of the top players in the Premier League. Wayne Rooney has been hailed for his excellent form this season and has scored nine goals in 18 Premier League games but Daniel's figures are even better, with 13 goals in 15 league appearances. His consistency in the penalty area has been faultless. If he continues in this vein, Liverpool will have an outstanding chance of finishing in the top four. And if he carries it into the summer, England's hopes at the World Cup will be significantly improved too. 1 KENNY DALGLISH: Kenny can be razor-sharp with his replies, as was highlighted after a 3-3 draw with Manchester United in 1988. Sir Alex Ferguson was complaining to radio reporters about decisions that had gone against his team. Kenny walked past, holding his baby daughter Lauren, and simply said: 'You'll get more sense out of her than him.' Speaking their mind: Arsene Wenger (left) and Kenny Dalglish have both been partial to the odd amusing quip . 2 ARSENE WENGER: When Ferguson claimed United were the better team in the 2002 title race, Arsenal's boss had this reply: 'Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home.' 3 SIR ALEX FERGUSON: I loved Ferguson's press conferences, as he'd always come out with a jewel. I remember one about Wenger: 'They say he's an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages. I've got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast here who speaks five languages!' Jewel: Sir Alex Ferguson was good value in his press conferences as manager of Manchester United . 4 SAM ALLARDYCE: West Ham's manager had his tongue in his cheek when, ahead of a game with Manchester City in 2012, he was asked if he saw himself competing at Champions League level. His reply? 'I won't ever be going to a top-four club because I'm not called Allardici, just Allardyce.' 5 JOSE MOURINHO: This list would not be complete without a quip from the Chelsea manager. This was his reply in 2006 to whether he was feeling pressure in the title race: 'For me, pressure is bird flu; I am feeling a lot of pressure with the swan in Scotland. I'm more scared of bird flu than football.' That's handy: Sam Allardyce (left) and Jose Mourinho after West Ham's visit to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday . | John Terry was a better version of me and his form was one of the main reasons I retired from international football .
Some outstanding central defenders have graced the Premier League, such as Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell, but Terry is the pick of the bunch .
Terry is England's best in his position, but he shouldn't travel to Brazil .
Daniel Sturridge is lethal for Liverpool, but still unloved at his club . |
30,016 | 554e2f6165ad162efb9699784825a57cfc6dd7dd | By . Eddie Wrenn . PUBLISHED: . 09:53 EST, 28 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:54 EST, 28 September 2012 . Facebook is taking a small step toward becoming an e-commerce platform by launching a feature for users to buy and send real gifts - some of them worth as much as hundreds of dollars. As of Thursday, users can purchase and ship products from more than a hundred 'Facebook Gifts' vendors with a few clicks on the company's website. The products are only available in some U.S. cities and only to people randomly selected by Facebook to be 'beta users', but perhaps gives some indication how Facebook intends to evolve. Scroll down for video . Facebook's new service, 'Gifts', allows users to send chocolate, coffee, socks and other real-life presents to one another . The products include eyeglasses by Warby Parker, Starbucks coffee, and pastries from New York-based Magnolia Bakery. Coming four months after Facebook's troubled initial public offering, the feature marks the company's attempt to unlock a potentially significant new revenue stream. Although it has sought to diversify its income sources, Facebook still relies heavily on display advertising. During the second quarter, more than 80 percent of its revenue of $1.18 billion came from ads while roughly 15 percent came from game-maker Zynga Inc. Facebook, which can store credit card data for users, will make money by taking a cut of each gift transaction. Fancy a gift while you vhat? Teddy bears are one of the gifts available on Facebook . The amount varies based on the individual deals it has struck with vendor partners, the company said without disclosing specifics. The world's No. 1 social network, boasting nearly 1 billion user accounts, has long viewed commercial transactions as a massive opportunity for the platform. But marketing researchers have found that consumers have been slow to make purchases on the website because many treat it as a place to chat and post messages rather than go shopping. Facebook hopes to change that by getting users used to the idea of giving small gifts as part of their social routine. "People already use Facebook to communicate with their friends and share all of their life moments," said Lee Linden, a Facebook product manager heading the Gifts feature. "Gifting is just a natural extension of that behavior. It makes a lot of sense for us not to just say 'Happy Birthday' but to send a gift, not just say 'I love you' but send some flowers." Current gifts cost $5 up to several hundred dollars for a Jambox stereo by Aliph Inc, said Linden, who joined the company in May. His previous start-up, Karma, was acquired by Facebook in a deal announced on the day of Facebook's high-profile IPO. Facebook had experimented with a "virtual" gift-exchange feature years ago, but shut it down in 2010. The original gifts were no more than digital trinkets, cartoon images of flower bouquets, teddy bears and even women's underwear. Linden said Facebook now aims to provide effortless shopping and shipping of real goods. Users are alerted when their packages are shipped and received, and every package comes with a customizable card stamped with a Facebook logo. Recipients who do not like their gifts can discreetly swap colors or sizes for no charge. "We think we can make an end-to-end way to buy a product that is very seamless," Linden said. "We take care in the photos, in the packaging, in everything." The service will be initially available to a random group of U.S. users logging into Facebook through its website and an Android app. An iPhone app is still in development, Linden said. | Random sub-set of users are offered 'Gifts' service as Facebook tries out real-world transactions .
Could be first step toward the social network allowing people to shop directly from the site . |
70,985 | c9409c60e2986c55fdad01fd495277604f25a66f | A blind couple have accused a bus company of 'blatant discrimination' after a driver refused to allow them on a coach because there was no space in the designated disabled section. Cindy Bennett and Mike Mello, who are both visually impaired, said they felt 'uncomfortable and unwelcome' when the driver ordered them off the bus in downtown Seattle. The pair pointed out that they are entitled to sit in any section of a bus, and do not have to use the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) seats just because they are eligible to. Scroll down for video . Cindy Bennett and Mike Mello, who are both visually impaired, said they felt 'uncomfortable and unwelcome' when the driver ordered them off the bus . 'He kept saying the ADA section is full. You're going to have to get off the bus behind me,' Cindy told KIRO 7. 'He was yelling at us. It was in public. It was really demeaning.' Mike added: 'Were we really in 2014 told to get off a bus? Did that just happen to us? That's ridiculous.' The couple are now calling for all Metro drivers to get better training so that the same mistake is not repeated on city buses. Metro confirmed that blind passengers are not required to ride in any one section on the bus, and apologized for the driver's 'unacceptable' behavior. It added that the driver in question had been identified and his supervisor will now decide whether or not he will face any disciplinary action. The couple were boarding a bus in downtown Seattle when the driver told them they would have to wait . Mike said: 'Just because we are eligible to sit and that section we have the choice not to do that. And we also have the choice to just be anywhere we want. 'And this guy's attitude was so rude and so hurtful I didn't know how to respond to him I was in shock,' he added. Speaking to Fox 13, Marci Carpenter, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington, described the incident as 'completely over-the-top behavior'. She said: “This driver should have a clear understanding that you never, ever speak to a passenger this way.” Marci Carpenter, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington, described the incident as 'unacceptable' and 'completely over-the-top behavior' | Cindy Bennett and Mike Mello said they were made to feel 'unwelcome'
The pair pointed out that they are entitled to sit in any section of a bus .
Metro has since apologized for its driver's 'unacceptable' behavior . |
166,669 | 638397c7b9a3fb2532f836824a6dc56afabebfb1 | Young Venezuelans unhappy with the ravaged economy, shortages and rising crime clashed again Friday with security forces who fired tear gas and water cannons. Hundreds of anti-government protesters blocked traffic on a major highway in Caracas, days after three Caracas protesters died in violence. The clashes, which have left dozens more injured or detained across the country, have exacerbated an already tense situation. President Nicolas Maduro, in a nationally televised speech, announced Friday the launch of a "national plan for peace and coexistence." Maduro said state and senior military officials will work together to reduce violence "from its bases," state media reported. Authorities on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for an opposition leader on charges including conspiracy and murder in connection with recent clashes. Leopoldo Lopez, head of Popular Will (known as VP after its initials in Spanish), remained free late Friday. He has accused the government of responsibility for violence during protests Wednesday. "They won't divide us," Lopez tweeted Friday. Maduro was elected in April after President Hugo Chavez's death from cancer. He has presided over a sharp decline in living standards and has failed to stem rising violent crime. Maduro insists he is facing a slow-motion coup. "I want to alert the world. We are facing a developing coup plan against the democracy and the government that I preside over, orchestrated by a small group of irresponsible leaders, violent, full of hatred and personal ambitions," he said Wednesday. The U.S. State Department expressed concerns about the state of affairs in Venezuela. "We are deeply concerned by rising tensions, by the violence surrounding this February 12 protest and by the issuing of a warrant for the arrest of the opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez," said spokeswoman Marie Harf. "We join the secretary general of OAS (Organization of American States) in condemning the violence and calling on authorities to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for the death of peaceful protesters." Inflation, at 56.2%, is the highest in the world and many basic goods are missing from the shelves. Amid stringent price and exchange controls, Venezuela is running out of hard currency to pay foreign suppliers of goods and services. | Clashes continue in Venezuela .
President Nicolas Maduro says he has a peace plan .
Three people have been killed in Caracas violence . |
274,226 | ef2f5f80eaa57e9446aff33ce19a60e6d5b12a08 | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 13:12 EST, 20 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:15 EST, 21 September 2012 . As tight-fisted car dealer Boycie in Only Fools and Horses he was famous for going to great lengths to avoid getting a round in down the Nags Head. But actor John Challis could be forgiven for feeling more than a little short-changed after teenagers from a care home overlooking his mansion broke in and stole his prized malt whisky. Mr Challis, 69, says his local community of Adforton in Herefordshire has been plagued for years by unruly residents from the home and he has now succeeded getting the company that runs it to plant a 12ft hedge to stop any prying eyes. Hedging his bets: John Challis at his home Wigmore Abbey in Herefordshire. He has forced a nearby children's home to build a 12ft hedge after two . youngsters pinched a bottle of whisky from his home . The Mill House Care Home houses just . three troubled teenagers, but police say the residents’ have clocked up . 19 crimes locally in the first six months of the year. Mr Challis was on holiday in Hawaii . with wife Carol, 63, when the lads raided his £750,000 Grade I listed . property in February this year. West Mercia Police revealed the home had cost them over £200,000 in the last seven years. Between January and June this year, . 19 of the 26 crimes in Adforton concerned the care home - including nine . calls about missing children which cost the force £22,500. Yesterday Keys Childcare, which runs . the home, agreed to erect a large hedge around the property in order to . stop youngsters looking into the Challis’ home. Too close for comfort? The home of John Challis, Wigmore Abbey, Herefordshire, on the right and the Mill House Care Home on the left . Peckham's biggest snob is on the right, with Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney, Sir David Jason as Del, Tessa Peake-Jones as Raquel when the got back together to film a new episode in 2002 . In fiction as in life: Boycie starred in a spin-off series in which he moved to the country with his wife, Marlene, after being forced to flee from Peckham . Mr Challis, whose Wigmore Abbey . mansion is just 60 yards away from the home, told a public meeting last . month it was in the 'wrong place' and called for it to be moved. He said: ''To be told by the company, . after this latest incident when two of the boys got out and broke into . the house on two separate occasions, that the home did not feel their . staff had been negligent, I find unbelievable. 'They had broken in and stolen some malt whisky. Only . Fools and Horses, written by John Sullivan, was one of Britain's . best-loved TV shows and it brought catchphrases such as 'lovely jubbly', . 'cushty', 'plonker' and 'this time next year we'll be millionaires' into . living rooms across the country. It was first broadcast in 1981 and aired in seven series until 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials in later years. One . festive episode in 1996 - in which Del Boy and Rodney became wealthy . following the discovery and sale of a valuable watch - attracted . 24.3million viewers, the highest UK audience for a sitcom. 'The strength of feeling is very strong. We have been going through this for 10 years. 'The community have had enough, this was the last straw. 'I . understand the need to look after unfortunate young people. It is a . very difficult job but this is totally in the wrong place.' Carol Walker, spokeswoman for Keys . Childcare, said: 'An agreement was made to plant a hedge around the . boundary of the fence subject to agreement with the landlord. 'It . has been agreed as an interim arrangement that Keys can continue to . operate the home until the lease expires in 18 months time when the . arrangements will be further reviewed.' Managers . at the home also promised to meet Adforton Parish Council every two . months to iron out any problems or concerns arising from Mill House Care . Home. A . friend of the actor said: 'The children’s home have agreed to erect a . hedge which is part grown so at least the young people inside won’t be . able to ogle John and Carol but how long does a hedge take to grow to . full height? 'It is understood the suggestion is to let the hedge grow to 12ft in height but it’s not most satisfactory outcome.' | John Challis lives 60 yards from Mill House Care Home in Herefordshire .
His picturesque Grade I listed mansion was broken into by two teenagers .
Home only houses three young people described as 'extremely vulnerable' |
278,895 | f55136ba1b3f84709ad078c6c7820f22a69dc24a | By . Michael Wade . Follow @@MichaelWade_ . Arsene Wenger joked on Thursday that he hoped Thierry Henry would play a half for Arsenal against New York Red Bulls after travelling to America with just one recognised striker in his squad. Arsenal went down 1-0 to the MLS side in the early hours of Sunday morning with Wenger opting to start with Tomas Rosicky in an advanced attacking role, while Chuba Akpom, the only out and out forward in the party, came on at the break. Although it is still early days in terms of Arsenal's pre-season, with many senior stars still absent due to their participation in the later stages of the World Cup, Wenger has still not resolved the issue that dogged his side for much of last season: their lack of reliable experienced cover for Olivier Giroud. Step up: Mesut Ozil could be among the players to benefit from a false nine role at Arsenal next season . Know how: Alexis Sanchez will have experienced playing without an attacker at Barcelona . Experience: Theo Walcott has played as a central attacker for Arsenal before and performed well . Embarrassment of riches: Arsene Wenger must find a way to solve Arsenal's lack of strikers . The Gunners will contest the Emirates Cup on August 2 and 3 before the real business begins in the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 10 and then in the Premier League a week later meaning Wenger must already be giving serious consideration to formations which will allow him to get the maximum out of his exciting squad next season. In stark contrast to his striking options Wenger boasts an embarrassment of riches in attacking midfield, where he can call upon Rosicky, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott among others. Ozil will return buoyed by Germany's success at the World Cup and eager to silence critics who have claimed he failed to fully justify his price tag during his first season in England. Sanchez, another big-money signing, will arrive keen to make an instant impact after being deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona, while Walcott's return from injury, expected early-to-mid-September, will see the England international faced with real competition for his place in the team. A good fit: Incorporating a false nine would suit the games of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski . Unfamiliar: Midfielder Tomas Rosicky led the Arsenal attack against New York Red Bulls . In a squad which also includes Santi Cazorla, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Serge Gnabry and Lukas Podolski, Wenger could have to think hard about how to get the best of the talent at his disposal while keeping everyone happy. The need for more depth up front is crucial if Arsenal are to mount a proper challenge for the Premier League title. Giroud shouldered the responsibility well last season, scoring 16 league goals, but that burden must be shared if Wenger's side's challenge are not going to fall away at a crucial stage of the season again. A serious option for Arsenal is to employ a false nine, an interchangeable forward threat that would allow Wenger to really maximise the players in his team. Winner: Germany's lack of traditional strikers didn't stop Joachim Low leading them to win the World Cup . Strikerless system: Ozil was part of Germany's free-scoring side which thrashed Brazil 7-1 and Portugal 4-0 . VIDEO German trio to miss start of season - Wenger . Employed with great success by Spain and Barcelona in recent years, and given a revamp by Germany at the World Cup, the role requires its candidate to be comfortable in the attacking third, dragging defenders out of position and bringing team-mates into play - a system Arsenal players are already well versed in. Joachim Low, like Wenger, is a manager blessed with countless attacking options but not many out and out strikers in the traditional sense. The Germany coach used this to great effect in Brazil as his side won the World Cup with Ozil in the team, thrashing Portugal 4-0 and Brazil 7-1 along the way, showing that a shortage of strikers doesn't have to be a shortcoming. Given the players currently available to Wenger this system could bring the best out of Ozil, Sanchez and Walcott and really give them the platform to thrive like it did for Germany's new generation of stars. And unlike in the striking department, Wenger would be able to factor in injuries and squad rotation without the standard dropping off. Although it is not clear if Wenger intends to continue his experimentation with this system when he integrates Ozil and Sanchez back into his squad in the next fortnight, it is obvious that he needs to find a proper Plan B to ensure the raw talent of Yaya Sanogo isn't the only back-up to Giroud. The answer will come when Ozil, Sanchez and Walcott are fully fit and vying for a spot in the team. Then he will have another attacking headache on his hands, although this time a considerably more comfortable one. Solo: Olivier Giroud shouldered the responsibility for much of Arsenal's goalscoring threat last season . | Olivier Giroud is currently the only senior striker in the Arsenal squad .
Tomas Rosicky led the attack in the friendly against New York Red Bulls .
Arsene Wenger joked about his lack of striking options pre-match .
Gunners should consider a false nine in order to get best of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott .
Spain, Barcelona and Germany have all used the system successfully . |
251,155 | d10e9d19836122896385b8d9f8464a2b46530b1c | Not satisfied with knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League, Basle have posted a picture online mocking Brendan Rodgers' side. Fabian Frei opened the scoring for the Swiss champions in the 25th minute, and things got worse for the hosts when Lazar Markovic was sent off for lashing out at Behrang Safari. Steven Gerrard gave his side hope when he scored late on but Basle held on to go through to the last 16. The final whistle brought a miserable night to an end for Liverpool, but the Swiss weren't quite finished. Basle posted this picture on their Instagram account, trolling the Reds after their Champions League exit . Brendan Rodgers looks down in the dumps as Liverpool are eliminated from the Champions League . They posted a picture on their Instagram account showing a battered and dazed Liverpool player being held up by players from Chelsea and Tottenham, who tell the Red: 'You'll never walk alone.' The picture makes reference to the fact that Basle have now beaten all three teams in European competitions in the last two years. Last season Basle beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge and 1-0 at St Jakob Park. The season before they knocked Tottenham out of the Europa League at the quarter-final stage on penalties after the two sides drew 4-4 on aggregate. Peperami also poked fun at the Reds following their Champions League exit on Tuesday . Optimist LAD compared Brendan Rodgers to the Titanic - a ship that sunk . However, Basle were not the only ones to poke fun at the Reds. Peperami posted a picture of Mario Balotelli posing as Super Mario in the video game, along with the caption 'no reset button this season', while Optimist Lad compared Brendan Rodgers to the Titanic. Troll Football joked there was more chance of getting a dragon for Christmas than securing Champions League football for the Reds again next season. Not Match of the Day used a picture of Rickie Lambert along with the words 'there is no need to be upset' Troll Football joked that a dragon was a more likely present than Champions League football for the Reds . Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling look dejected after failing to qualify for the knockout stage . Substitute Lazar Markovic saw red for aiming a flailing arm at Basle's Behrang Safari . | Basle and Liverpool drew 1-1 at Anfield in their Champions League clash .
The result knocked Brendan Rodgers' side out of the competition .
Basle then started trolling the Reds online from their Instragram account . |
7,508 | 1546d6f4627542fc250bb8f2a04208eb7ec331f1 | T. Candice Smith, 31, and her friend were driving down a three-lane Las Vegas interstate in 2012 when her steering wheel began to lock up. The car's engine stopped and Smith's friend had to push the car to the side of the highway to avoid being hit. Smith told the New York Times that the car's shutdown wasn't due to a mechanical failure -- it was her auto lender. Smith's story is similar to that of many people who have borrowed from auto lenders that utilize what are called 'Starter Interrupt Devices.' These devices enable auto lenders to prevent a borrower's car from starting with the push of a button, according to the Times. Starter Interrupt Devices: These devices emit flashing lights, beeping noises and then shuts down the car and prevents it from starting . If a borrower misses an auto payment, lenders may activate a device installed in the car in an attempt to 'remind' the borrower to make the payment. The device emits flashing lights, loud beeping noises and may even prevent the car from starting. The Times reports that the devices are being utilized for many borrowers with credit scores 640 or below. The devices are said to be a way to help repair poor credit and encourage borrowers to consistently make payments on time, according to the Times. David Sailors, executive vice president of Lender Systems Inc., one company that makes starter interrupt devices, said the devices are a 'tough love approach' to helping borrowers make their payments on time. 'We want to help [borrowers] get on their feet,' Sailors told the Times, 'but sometimes it does require a very consistent reminder and in some cases the disablement of the start of their vehicle if they haven't made their payment on time.' Borrowers with a credit score at or below 640 are considered 'subprime,' and the Times reports that roughly 25 percent of auto loans made last year were considered subprime. This has since increased. Starter interrupt only: Many starter interrupt device manufacturers like PassTime and Lender Systems Inc. say the devices do not shut down moving vehicles, but prevent them from starting . The Times refers to this as the 'subprime boom' and the devices enable lenders to give auto loans to high-risk borrowers. So, borrowers can get auto loans a little easier, but not without having one of these devices installed in their vehicles, ultimately giving lenders final control. The Times reports that these devices have been installed in more than two million vehicles. The Times tells of lender Lionel M. Vead Jr., the head of collections at First Castly Federal Credit Union in Covington, Louisiana, who has once even 'disabled a car while [he] was shopping at Walmart.' The Times reports that Vead can monitor more than 800 borrowers at a time via a computerized map that uses a red marker to show the borrower's locations. Easy loans: Borrowers can get auto loans a little easier, but not without having a starter interrupt device installed in their vehicles, ultimately giving len (stock image) Vead can spot borrowers on the map who have not made their payments and remotely shut down their vehicles at any time. Vead told the times that using the device 'gets [borrower's] attention.' Though the device's purpose is to ultimately benefit borrowers, many have reported lenders shutting down their vehicles at inconvenient times. Many state laws prohibit lenders from seizing cars until the borrowers are in default, which means they have not made a payment in at least 30 days, the Times reports. Many starter interrupt device manufacturers like PassTime, which Smith had in her car, and Lender Systems Inc. say the devices do not shut down moving vehicles, but prevent them from starting. Smith told the Times that her auto lender's (C.A.G. Acceptance) use of the device made her feel helpless. 'I felt like even though I made my payments and was never late under my contract, these people could do whatever they wanted,' Smith said, 'and there was nothing I could do to stop them.' | T. Candice Smith had to have her car pushed out of on-coming traffic .
Starter Interrupt Devices allow auto lenders to 'shut down borrower's cars at any moment'
The devices emit flashing lights, beeping noises and then shuts down the car and prevents it from starting .
These devices have been installed in more than two million vehicles . |
151,394 | 4fbaa1ff8712e55b765051920b9c1ce6c62be188 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- Call it an amazing example of entrepreneurship or a daring play of deceit. After a U.S.-based "critical infrastructure" company discovered in 2012 its computer systems were being accessed from China, its security personnel caught the culprit ultimately responsible: Not a hacker from the Middle Kingdom but one of the company's own employees sitting right at his desk in the United States. The software developer is simply referred to as "Bob," according to a case study by the U.S. telecommunications firm Verizon Business. Bob was an "inoffensive and quiet" programmer in his mid-40's, according to his employee profile, with "a relatively long tenure with the company" and "someone you wouldn't look at twice in an elevator." Those innocuous traits led investigators to initially believe the computer access from China using Bob's credentials was unauthorized -- and that some form of malware was sidestepping strong two-factor authentication that included a token RSA key fob under Bob's name. Investigators then discovered Bob had "physically FedExed his RSA token to China so that the third-party contractor could log-in under his credentials during the workday," wrote Andrew Valentine, a senior forensic investigator for Verizon. Bob had hired a programming firm in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang to do his work. His helpers half a world away worked overnight on a schedule imitating an average 9-to-5 workday in the United States. He paid them one-fifth of his six-figure salary, according to Verizon. And over the past several years, Bob received excellent performance reviews of his "clean, well written" coding. He had even been noted as "the best developer in the building." A forensic image of Bob's workstation revealed his true work habits and typical day: . 9:00 a.m. -- Get to work, surf Reddit, watch cat videos . 11:30 a.m. -- Lunch . 1:00 p.m. -- Ebay . 2:00 p.m or so -- Facebook and LinkedIn . 4:30 p.m. -- Send end-of-day e-mail update to management . 5:00 p.m. -- Go home . The Verizon investigation suggested Bob's entrepreneurial outsourcing spirit stretched across several companies in his area -- netting him several hundred thousand dollars a year as he paid out about $50,000 a year to his China-based ghost writers, according to hundreds of PDF invoices also discovered on his work computer. Verizon's Valentine told CNN via e-mail that Bob "was in fact terminated at the conclusion of the investigation." Presumably Bob's Chinese helpers were as well. | U.S.-based company discovered its computer systems were being accessed from China .
Company's own employee gave access to Chinese programmers he personally outsourced .
Employee, known as "Bob", seen as "someone you wouldn't look at twice in an elevator"
"Bob" earned several hundred thousand dollars a year, paying Chinese firm $50,000 a year . |
219,514 | a8231c5d85aa6ee518c1379e53416249eb0637d5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:59 EST, 21 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:42 EST, 21 September 2013 . Two teenagers, ages 13 and 14, from Spokane, Washington, are in custody after a horrifying sword attack fueled by 'blue pills' on the mother of one of the boys where they discussed eating her liver. 'The 14-year-old came up with the idea of, 'Hey, let's rip her open and . eat her liver,' but it never happened,' Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy . Craig Chamberlin told CNN on Friday. While the woman was the younger boy's mother, it is alleged that the 14-year-old beat her with the handle of a sword. The rampage occurred after the suspects took some mystery blue pills. Grotesque: Two friends ages 13 and 14 were arrested after police say they tried to kill the younger boy's mother with a sword and then eat her liver as she slept in her home along East Mission Avenue in Spokane, Washington . 'I think that was their original plan, . to cut her open, but then they changed their minds,' Chamberlin added. The mother remained hospitalized with head injuries but in stable . condition on Friday. The . teenagers were apprehended after the incident when they stole another . parent's car, then burglarized and vandalized another home. Spokane Valley deputies responding to an . assault call early Tuesday found the bloody woman on her bed; next to her were . two knives and a sword with a handle bent at 45-degree angle. ‘It doesn't sound like she remembered the . attack,’ Chamberlin said in a phone interview. The woman told deputies the . sword handle wasn't previously bent. It wasn't clear who called for help. With no signs of forced entry into the . apartment in the 13000 block of East Mission Avenue in Spokane, deputies went . looking for the victim's 13-year-old son and a 14-year-old friend. The other boy's father thought his son had . stayed with the 13-year-old, Chamberlin said. Then the man noticed his 2005 Dodge . Durango SUV and its keys were missing. Deputies tracked the teens through a crime . spree that included breaking into a home and crashing the SUV into the side of . a mobile home. A K-9 dog eventually located them. Horrific scene: The mother of the 13-year-old suspect woke up with blood covering her head and a sword (not pictured) with a bent handle resting on her bed . The injured woman's 13-year-old son told . deputies that his friend tried to kill the sleeping mother with a sword, . Chamberlin said. The younger boy said he talked his friend into trying to kill his mother . because he had taken ‘blue pills.’ The spokesman said it was unclear what the pills were. The boy said he would never have done . anything like that sober, Chamberlin said. The son also told deputies his friend tried . to talk him into eating his mother's liver, the sheriff's spokesman said. ‘Your guess is as good as mine’ as to where . that idea came from, Chamberlin said. The older boy admitted attempting to kill . his friend's mother and said they were going to leave town later, the spokesman . said. The older boy then asked for a lawyer. There was no indication why the attack on . the mother ended when she woke up after being knocked on the head with the . sword. Officers searching for the fugitives received a report of a hit-and-run . crash at 7800 East Alki Avenue, where the stolen Dodge struck a mobile home and . was left running while the teens took off, The Spokesman-Review reported. A short time later, the boys were spotted breaking into a home in the area . of East Boone Avenue. The interior of the targeted house was severely vandalized. Police say the . runaway teens caused about $2,000 worth of damage by hurling a hammer at the . walls and windows. Under the influence: The 13-year-old said he talked his friend into trying to kill his mother because he had taken mystery 'blue pills' The pair were eventually discovered hiding near the residence and taken into . custody. Both boys were booked into juvenile . detention for investigation of second-degree assault, taking a motor vehicle . without permission, burglary, malicious mischief and hit and run. Public defenders have been pointed for both . teens, who were ordered held without bail at an initial court appearance . Tuesday, Chamberlin said. | Teens ages 13 and 14 were arrested in Spokane, Washington, in connection to the rampage .
Mother of the younger boy woke up in her home to find blood on her head and a sword and knives next to her .
Deputies say the duo stole an SUV from 14-year-old's father, rammed it into a trailer and then broke into a home .
Younger of the two suspects told police he convinced his friend to kill his mother after taking 'blue pills' |
90,065 | ffc3145bfd9a4f654e57dfb5bfe53c3d018db77b | By . Joel Christie . John Moylan had been a longtime member of the board of directors for the Golden Gate district when, in 2008, following years of campaigning, controversy and debate, they decided to install suicide barriers on the Golden Gate Bridge in an effort to stop the two dozen people that jump from the structure each year. But on Thursday the 85-year-old lost his grandson, Sean Moylan, 27, to the same San Francsico span he has tirelessly tried to make safer. It was said to be the second time the 'troubled' young man, from Novato, in the city's North Bay area, had tried to take his own life. Mr Moylan had previously lost a grandnephew to suicide, which added drive of his push for the barriers. Scroll down for video . Gone too soon: Sean Moylan, 27, of Novoto, jumped to his death from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Thursday, despite his grandfather spending years trying to make the site more resistant to suicide attempts . Advocate: John Moylan is a longtime bridge district director who was board president in 2008 when directors made the historic decision to move forward with a suicide barrier after years of debate and controversy . More than 1,500 people have jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge - which has a 220 feet drop to the water from road-level - since it opened in 1937 . On Saturday Mr Moylan said that while the incident had been 'heartbreaking' for him and his family, he refused to blame the bridge or its barriers for the suicide. 'The poor kid was a very troubled young man,' he told local paper The Marin Independent Journal. 'He was generous and good natured, but he just had that demon in there. 'There is no blame in this at all. It's not the bridge's fault, it's not anybody's fault. 'It's just that he was a very troubled young man. He had a problem and that's it.' In February, Sean Moylan, while dealing with the breakdown of a relationship, stepped in front of a commercial truck on a highway in Oregon. At the time police said he was out walking his dog near the town of Eugene, but had let go of the dog's leash before walking into the path of the truck. Sean was critically injured after the driver was unable to stop. However his grandfather said he appeared to have fully recovered from the injuries when he had lunch with him last Sunday. 'My niece was here from Ireland and he was laughing and talking with the kids,' Mr Moylan told the paper. 'Everything was fine.' John Moylan, pictured here at a Golden Gate Bridge event in 2012, is a longtime member of the board of directors for the Golden Gate district . A body believed to be Sean's was pulled from the water by the Coast Guard about 4.22pm Thursday. Mr Moylan said there is a bridge board meeting slated for June 29 to discuss funding for a suicide net under the bridge - a $68 million project that has been under discussion for some time. Mr Moylan said Sean's death will very much be on his mind during the meeting. More than 1,500 people have jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge - which stands about 220 feet from the road to the water - since it opened in 1937. Another 80 or so contemplating suicide are pulled off the bridge every year. Mr Moylan said he has always been at the forefront of bringing in barriers and imposing other means that would safeguard the bridge from suicide attempts. 'But that's not going to stop suicide,' he said. 'Suicide is an epidemic in this country. 'Sean will be thought about at the next board meeting, that's for sure, and all the others. 'But we can't lay it on the bridge.' If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the Samaritans hotline on (877)-870-4673 . | Sean Moylan, 27, of Novato, jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge on Thursday afternoon .
His grandfather a longtime member of the board of directors for the Golden Gate district .
In 2008 he was president of the board when they decided to install suicide barriers .
A meeting is scheduled for later this month about installing a $68 million suicide net under the bridge .
About two dozen people jump from the site every year and another 80 are talked down . |
220,117 | a8e6442ef020f8eb6960ab6ee0efc85cd9731a05 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush vetoed an expansion of the federally funded, state-run health insurance program for poor children for a second time Wednesday, telling Congress the bill "moves our country's health care system in the wrong direction." In his veto message, President Bush calls on Congress to extend funding for the current program. In his veto message, Bush said the bill is almost a duplicate of the proposal he spiked in October. "Because the Congress has chosen to send me an essentially identical bill that has the same problems as the flawed bill I previously vetoed, I must veto this legislation, too," he said in a statement released by the White House. The bill would have expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program by nearly $35 billion over five years, the same as the measure Bush vetoed October 3. Track recent and historical presidential vetoes » . The president had proposed adding $5 billion to the program and said the version he vetoed would have encouraged families to leave the private insurance market for the federally funded, state-run program. Democratic leaders said the new version addressed Republican objections by tightening restrictions on illegal immigrants receiving SCHIP benefits, capping the income levels of families that qualify for the program and preventing adults from receiving benefits. Though the measure had strong bipartisan support, it fell short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a presidential veto in the House and Senate. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Democrats were more interested in scoring political points with the veto than in reaching a compromise with Republicans. "We could have resolved the differences in his program in 10 minutes, if the majority had wanted to resolve the differences," Boehner said. "This has become a partisan political game." The program currently covers about 6 million children whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid -- the federal health insurance program for the poor -- but who can't afford private insurance. Democrats wanted to extend the program to another 4 million, paying for it with a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal tax on cigarettes. "What a sad day that the president would say that rather than insuring [millions of] children, 'I don't want to raise the cigarette tax,' " said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She called for a January 23 vote on whether to override the veto. Meanwhile, Bush called on Congress to extend funding for the current program to keep the 6 million now covered on the rolls. E-mail to a friend . | President Bush: Measure is "essentially identical" to the proposal he vetoed before .
Bill would have expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program .
Bush: Measure "moves our country's health care system in the wrong direction"
Program covers 6 million children whose parents don't qualify for Medicaid . |
209,393 | 9b25953a9abf938321d20e42b8971a5bf4930935 | (CNN) -- American football is continuing its love affair with London. The NFL announced Tuesday it will stage another regular season game in the British capital in 2014. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders will each host a home game at Wembley Stadium next season. A regular season game was first played in London in 2007 but, for the first time this season, two games were scheduled on the opposite side of the Atlantic. The Minnesota Vikings played to a sell-out crowd in September as they finally ended their season drought with victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jackonsonville Jaguars face the San Francisco 49ers on 27 October. Both NFL games at Wembley Stadium sold out within hours. "Our fans in the UK have continued to demonstrate that they love football and want more," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Both of this year's games in London sold out quickly. The fan enthusiasm for our sport continues to grow. "By playing two games in the UK this year, we are creating more fans. We hope that with three games in London next year we will attract even more people to our game." The sport is hungry to increase its global profile and the appetite for American football in London suggests the feeling is mutual. | The NFL will hold three regular season games in London in 2014 .
Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders to play in London .
The games will be held at Wembley Stadium .
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praised enthusiasm of UK fans . |
70,568 | c80bb1e79e254e2838b064bc1c234926004ec1cf | The owner of a small drone that smashed onto the White House grounds early on Monday has contacted the Secret Service to say he didn't mean to fly it over the complex. The unidentified man, who is from Washington D.C., came forward after the pre-dawn incident triggered a major emergency response and raised fresh questions about security at the mansion. A U.S. official said that the man contacted the Secret Service after reports of the crash spread across the media, and he told the agency he had been flying the drone for fun. Agents are now interviewing other people to corroborate the man's story but don't currently have any reason to doubt it, the official said. He is cooperating with authorities. Scroll down for video . Gadget: A man has contacted the Secret Service to say he was responsible for the drone that landed on the White House South Lawn, pictured, early Monday. He said he did not intend for it to go near the White House . The Secret Service search the North Lawn on Monday morning to see if anything else might be on the ground . The discovery was confirmed during a briefing on the president's trip to India and the Secret Service are currently investigating the device . Emergency vehicles surround the southeast corner of the White House. A small drone was discovered in a tree on the White House lawn early this morning . The White House was put on lockdown for more than two hours on Monday morning after the crash, even though President Obama and his wife were not home at the time. A U.S. Secret Service officer on duty saw and heard the two-foot-wide commercial drone fly at a low altitude into the heavily guarded complex and crash on the southeast side at 3.08am, the agency said. 'An investigation is underway to determine the origin of this commercially available device, motive, and to identify suspects,' a Secret Service spokeswoman said in an earlier statement. Josh Earnest, the White House Press Secretary, said it did not appear to pose an ongoing threat to anyone in the building. He confirmed the discovery during a briefing on the president's trip to India and said the Secret Service was currently investigating the device. The White House saw an increased security presence early this morning as emergency vehicles with lights flashing were clustered near the southeast entrance to the mansion. A security perimeter was set up around the White House to restrict access. Press Secretary Josh Earnest said early indications are that the device does not pose an ongoing threat to anyone in the building . Emergency vehicles with lights flashing were clustered near the southeast entrance to the mansion and a security perimeter was set up around the White House to restrict access . The White House was on lockdown until 5am and it was unclear whether or not the president's daughters were at home at the time of the incident . It was unclear whether or not the president's daughters were at home at the time of the incident. There has been a string of security breaches at the White House in recent months. In September, an army veteran with a knife hidden in his pants jumped the fence and made it as far into the East Room before he was tackled. The breach led to Secret Service director Julia Pierson's resignation. Just 24 hours later, a college student drove up to the White House's security screening point and refused to leave, prompting his arrest. The White House was briefly on lockdown this August after a toddler somehow managed to squeeze through the gates. And just three months prior, Secret Service police arrested a man who stripped off all his clothes after he was denied entry to the estate. A federal law enforcement official said Secret Service waited until daylight to clear the device . Mr Obama and his wife, Michelle, are on a three-day visit to India. They have a stop planned in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to offer condolences after the recent death of King Abdullah before they return to Washington. The president and India PM Narendra Modi revealed yesterday they had reached an agreement on a nuclear trade deal that was gridlocked since 2008. Mr Modi said that civil nuclear agreement was the centerpiece of the transformed relationship between the two counties and demonstrated new trust. This morning Obama became the first American leader to be honored as chief guest at India's annual Republic Day festivities. Mr Earnest (pictured) confirmed the discovery during a briefing on President Obama's current trip to India . The South Lawn of the White House on Monday morning. Today's incident was just one of a string of security breaches at the estate in recent months . The White House has seen a string of security breaches in recent years, with over 40 fence jumpers making it on to the estate in the past five years, including four in just the last year. Other incidents have included a wandering toddler, a naked man, and eager reality stars. October 2014: Dominic Adesanya jumped the fence and made it onto the North Lawn before being taken down by two security dogs and arrested by the Secret Service. September 2014: Omar J. Gonzalez, an Iraq army veteran with a knife in his pants, scaled the fence from the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House and made it inside. He overpowered an officer at the entrance and ran through most of the main floor and made it to the East Room before he was finally captured. The shocking security breach launched congressional hearings and led to Secret Service director Julie Pierson's resignation. Just 24 hours later college student Kevin Carr was arrested for trespassing after he parked his car at a security checkpoint outside the estate and refused to leave. And in the same month a man wearing a Pikachu hat and carrying a plush doll of the Pokemon jumped the fence and walked on to the North Lawn. August 2014: The White House went on lockdown after a toddler somehow managed to squeeze through the gates. May 2014: A man was arrested for indecent exposure after stripping off all his clothes when he was denied access outside the White House. June 2013: Joseph Reed crashed a driverless jeep filled with bullets, knives and two machetes into the Pennsylvania Ave. gate, hoping to create a diversion so he could spray paint a 'Don't tread on me' snake - a symbol sometimes associated with the Tea Party movement - on the side of the White House. November 2009: In one of the most famous and extensive of breaches, reality TV stars Michaele and Tareq Salahi from Bravo show The Real Housewives of D.C. slipped past two Secret Service checkpoints and managed to crash a state dinner party that they were not on the guest list for. | Secret Service agents recovered the two-foot-wide commercial drone after it landed in a tree just after 3am on Monday .
Its owner has now contacted the Secret Service to take responsibility for the drone and told the agency he had been flying it for fun .
The incident triggered a major emergency response and raised fresh questions about security, which has been breached in recent months .
Obama and wife Michelle are currently on a three-day visit to India . |
7,263 | 1495f83719068c60d26decaf44bc1616d84dd14c | Eurovision -- the curious annual song contest that sees a continent united around its televisions for an evening of high-energy songs, spangled costumes and ill-advised drinking games -- is once more upon us. Founded in 1956, it was intended as a way to bring together once-warring nations through the innocent medium of pop music. It hasn't necessarily ended the rivalries (the voting-based results system is notoriously territorial), but for the hundreds of millions watching on TV, Eurovision is a well-rehearsed, almost comforting routine. It's less comforting, however, for the competitors and fans dispatched to an unfamiliar city -- this year's Grand Final will be held May 10 at the B&W Grand Ballroom in Copenhagen -- to uphold or betray national honor with only leotard-clad backing dancers for company. Copenhagen: 10 Things to know before you go . Help is at hand, though. Herewith our insiders' guide to maximizing post-Eurovision joy, or minimizing sorrow, in the Danish capital. Drinking and dancing . Copenhagen is compact for a major capital, with a shade over half a million inhabitants, but it's increasingly famed for nightlife, especially in the Meatpacking District -- just like the similarly scenester-filled area of New York -- near the central station. Here the nightlife concentration is sufficiently dense to allow disgruntled central European crooners to stumble from bar to club. For those determined to dance, locals suggest KB18 (Kodboderne 18; +45 33 313 933), or Culture Box (Kronprinsessegade 54; +45 33 325 050). Slightly closer to the contest's harbor-side venue is the dingy but welcoming Eiffel Bar (Wildersgade 18; + 45 32 577 092) in Christianshavn, a possible home-from-home for this year's face fur-fixated French entry, Twin Twin. The walls are covered in Parisian iconography and the beer is dirt cheap. The more adventurous could venture to one of the city's most defiantly hip nightclubs, Sunday (Lille Kongensgade 16; +45 53 668 228), which boasts an in-house team of Thai transgender dancers and a mission to -- their words -- "push the borders of wicked indecency." Eating . Enough about Noma, already. The seashore-foraging, micro-herb-arranging repeat winner of the best restaurant in the world crown is undeniably astounding. But the chances of getting a table are roughly the same as Portugal's prospects of ever winning Eurovision (this year's entrant, Suzy, was kicked out in the semi-finals, adding to half a century of failure). Perhaps off limits too are various offshoots such as Amass, run by a former Noma head chef, or Bror, where the specialty is braised lamb's head with whipped brain and stuffed eyeballs -- which sounds almost as tricky to digest as Latvia's saccharine Eurovision entry. Danish restaurant Noma named the world's best . A better bet is smorrebrod, the traditional Danish open sandwiches that are escaping their lunchtime roots and entering the world of fine dining. Smorrebrod and 10 more new American sandwich heroes . Many of the better known outlets tend to be booked up, but you can try Dyrehaven (Sonder Boulevard 72)off Vesterbro in the city center, which doesn't take reservations and attracts a fashionable crowd. For more basic fare still, there's always Copenhagen's many and famous hot dog stands. Harry's Place (Nordre Fasanvej 269) is a little ways outside the center, but locals make the trip for both the sausages and the trademark chili sauce, known as krudt -- the Danish word for gunpowder. Same-sex marriage . Not for everyone, obviously, and arguably a little hard to arrange on a night out. Nevertheless, this is one of the Eurovision-based attractions promoted by Copenhagen officials. Throughout the Eurovision weekend the city is encouraging any couples to tie the knot. Ceremonies can be held on a specially arranged "wedding boat" cruising the harbor. The marriages are intended to mark both the 25th anniversary of same-sex civil partnerships in Denmark -- the first country in the world to permit them -- and Eurovision's open-minded reputation. With its focus on flamboyant acts and tight sequined outfits, the contest has always had a decidedly camp air, a reputation sealed when Dana International, an Israeli transgender woman, won in 1998. Her mantle has been passed this year to Austria's entrant, Conchita Wurst, the bearded drag alter ego of singer Tom Neuwirth. Cycling . Something of a Danish cliche, perhaps -- the city has one of the highest rates of bike use in the world -- but stick with us, because Eurovision 2014 needs all the environmental help it can get. Most bike-friendly cities in the United States . This year's event had proudly branded itself the greenest contest ever -- until newspapers discovered electricity for the venue itself is being provided by 26 very large, very smelly diesel generators. Contestants can pedal serenely away from the fumes, and the humiliation of being beaten by Malta's Mumford and Sons-lite entry, Firelight, on Copenhagen's famous network of segregated bike lanes. Organizers are laying on fleets of bikes for Eurovision use, and the city is littered with rental shops. (Rent A Bike Copenhagen, Adelgade 11; +45 32 12 50 50 and Gasværksvej 5;+45 50 32 11 00). For those feeling particularly homesick -- or humiliated -- the city's airport, only about six miles from the center, is connected by yet more of those ubiquitous bike lanes. The Little Mermaid . While arguably the most iconic symbol of Copenhagen, the bronze statue of Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale character is underwhelming in real life, standing little more than a meter tall. Five places to find mermaids . Her harbor-side location, however, is restful -- the perfect place to sit and contemplate what might have been had the seams on the lead dancer's costume held together a little longer. It's a place to consider also that even if Copenhagen's attractions aren't enough, things could have been much, much more sedate. The capital won its bid to host the event against a series of notably smaller Danish locations. Among them was Herning, a city on Denmark's Jutland peninsula whose tourist information board lists "libraries" as among the chief attractions. | This year's annual Eurovision song contest is being held in Copenhagen .
The Danish capital is increasingly famed for its nightlife .
Denmark is celebrating the 25th anniversary of legal same-sex civil partnerships. It was first country to permit them . |
249,339 | cea77d4f7c7eadefd444ee555fa8d141bb61fb4b | Maria Sharapova opened her 2015 season by winning nine straight games in a 6-0, 6-1 win over Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan on Tuesday in the second round of the Brisbane International. The top-seeded Sharapova wrapped up the first set in 23 minutes and led 3-0 in the second before Shvedova held serve, raising her arm in mock triumph. Shvedova had a break-point opportunity in the next game, but couldn't put away an overhead and Sharapova responded with a backhand winner down the line. Maria Sharapova celebrates with a fistpump following her victory against Yaroslava Shvedova in Brisbane . Sharapova plays a backhand on her way to a comfortable victory in the second round on Tuesday . Sharapova returns to the court for 2015 with a bang at the Brisbane International . The world No 2 landed 30 of her 45 first serves in the match, and winning 67 per cent of them . 'I wanted to get off to a good start. Wanted to be as sharp as I could,' said Sharapova, who advanced to the quarterfinals. Third-seeded Angelique Kerber advanced earlier Tuesday with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Daria Gavrilova. Varvara Lepchenko progressed with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Madison Keys, who had ousted Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova in the first round. In a men's first-round upset, Lukasz Kubot of Poland beat fifth-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa 7-6 (3), 6-4. Sharapova blows a kiss to her adoring crowd at the Pat Rafter Arena . Russian Sharapova signs autographs for her Australian fans following her victory in Brisbane . A buoyant Sharapova puckers up as a fans takes a photo with a smartphone . Angelique Kerber acknowledges the Brisbane crowd after beating Daria Gavrilova . At the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, Venus Williams made short work of her first match of the new year by sweeping past Jana Cepelova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-0 in 52 minutes. Williams, seeded third behind Caroline Wozniacki and Sara Errani, appeared fit and served 10 aces. The seven-time major winner reached the final of the Auckland hard-court tournament last year. 'It was very nice,' Williams said. 'I was welcomed when I came on the court and I felt like I left off right from last year. I felt comfortable right away.' The top-seeded Wozniacki had to work hard to subdue qualifier Julia Glushko of Israel 6-3, 6-2. Urzula Radwanska beat former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-5 and another qualifier, Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic, toppled fifth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4. Caroline Wozniacki fires down a serve as she beats qualifier Julia Glushko in straight sets in Auckland . | Maria Sharapova beat Yaroslava Shvedova at the Brisbane International .
The Russian won nine straight games on her way to victory .
Venus Williams beat Jana Cepelova at the ASB Classic in Auckland .
Caroline Wozniacki saw off qualifier Julia Glushko in straight sets . |
286,560 | ff4ad35e8d257a7d47995e440d47c58a122ca8a9 | Adventurer Nick Hancock headed out into the Atlantic today to begin his second bid to live for two months on Britain's loneliest outpost, Rockall. His last attempt to break the record for living alone on the tiny, remote rock in the Outer Hebrides ended before it even began at the end of May last year. Heavy seas stopped him leaving his boat and he was forced to make the 15-hour return trip to Leverburgh on nearby Harris. Not particularly inviting: Rockall in the North Atlantic is an isolated pinnacle which only four people have ever managed to sleep on . Ready: Nick Hancock left for Rockall today . But now the Chartered surveyor and former Officer Training Corps cadet is to try again by landing on the rock tomorrow, weather permitting. On Twitter Hancock announced: 'We're heading to #Rockall today!' before loading his equipment on to the chartered Kilda Cruises boat at Leverburgh on Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Hancock, 38, from Ratho near Edinburgh, is raising money for the charity Help for Heroes, and plans to make regular broadcasts for TV and social media from Rockall. Hancock has been practising load winching to ensure he gets his survival pod - created from an 8ft yellow water tank and powered by a small wind turbine and solar panels for charging his satellite communications - up on to Rockall. 'The only real physical side is the initial climb and hauling the pod and equipment up,' he says. The occupiable area of Rockall, named in 1955 as Hall's Ledge after the first recorded person to land there, is just 11ft by 4ft, and is 13ft below the summit. The 'rockpod' footprint will leave accessible only the flattish platform on the summit for Mr Hancock to scramble up to for exercise. Last year Hancock set off for Rockall, an eroded volcano, which lies 260 miles west of the Outer Hebrides with the intention of spending 60 days on the remote sea rock, which is just 100ft wide and 70ft high. He had taken all food and water with him and planned to live in a 23 stone shelter bolted to the rock in his bid to break the current 42-day record. But when he arrived, the swell around the rock made it impossible for him to safely scramble on.He also admitted his wife Pamela did not want him to go. The couple have a two-year-old son Freddie. Survival pod: Hancock's bright yellow pod, made from a 8ft water tank will be his home during his isolation . Greenpeace activists were the last to occupy Rockall in 1997 in protest at plans to expand oil exploration . Hancock, who in 2012 stayed for a short while on Rockall as part of a reconnaissance mission for last year's mission, had aimed to set two endurance records on the isolated islet and raise £10,000 for the Help for Heroes charity. Rockall is constantly pounded by 3,000 miles of Atlantic swell. The world's largest recorded oceanic waves of over 95 feet were recorded there in 2000 - some 19 feet higher than Rockall itself. Being in such an isolated location, only four people have ever slept there, and less than 100 have landed on it. The first record for time spent on Rockall was 40 days in 1985, when ex-SAS soldier Tom McClean lived on the rock from 26 May to 4 July to affirm Britain's claim to the islet, which has been disputed by Ireland, Iceland and Denmark. His record was broken in 1997 by three Greenpeace activists who stayed there for 42 days in protest at north Atlantic oil exploration. | Only four people have ever managed to spend a night on the rock, which is just 100ft wide and 70ft high .
Hancock hopes to raise money for Help For Heroes charity and will live in an 8 foot long 'survival pod'
His first attempt to break the current record failed due to bad weather . |
74,066 | d2078e25e20faf9d2b450a691e53ac22aa08bf16 | By . Mark Prigg . Scientists say they have found the first solid archaeological evidence that some of the first permanent British settlers in America survived harsh conditions by resorting to cannibalism. The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and archaeologists from Jamestown have revealed the bones of a 14-year-old girl they have named Jane with clear signs that she was cannibalized. The human remains date back to the deadly winter of 1609-1610, known as the 'starving time' in Jamestown, when hundreds of colonists died. Scroll down for video . Doug Owsley,from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, displays the skull of 'Jane' Jane left the English south coast in June 1609 as part of the largest fleet yet to sail for Jamestown . Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia, and the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. It was established by the Virginia . Company of London as 'James Fort' on May 14, 1607 after several failed . earlier attempts, and served as the capital of the colony for 83 years, . from 1616 until 1699. Scientists have said the settlers likely arrived during the . worst drought in 800 years, bringing a severe famine for the 6,000 . people who lived at Jamestown between 1607 and 1625. For years there have been tales of the starving English settlers . resorting to eating dogs, mice, snakes and shoe leather at Jamestown, . the first permanent English settlement in America. There were also written accounts of settlers eating their own dead, but archaeologists had been skeptical of those stories. Smithsonian forensic anthropologist . Douglas Owsley said the human remains date back to a deadly winter known . as the 'starving time' in Jamestown from 1609 to 1610. Hundreds of colonists died during the . period. Scientists have said the settlers likely arrived during the . worst drought in 800 years, bringing a severe famine for the 6,000 . people who lived at Jamestown between 1607 and 1625. The historical record is chilling. Early Jamestown colony leader George Percy wrote of a 'world of . miseries,' that included digging up corpses from their graves to eat . when there was nothing else. 'Nothing was spared to maintain life,' he . wrote. In one case, a man killed, 'salted,' and began eating his pregnant wife. Both Percy and Capt. John Smith, the . colony's most famous leader, documented the account in their writings. The man was later executed. Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia, and the first permanent English settlement in the Americas . Arrival of wives for the settlers at colonial Jamestown Virginia. The colony was established by the Virginia Company of London as 'James Fort' on May 14, 1607 . 'One amongst the rest did kill his wife, powdered her, and had eaten . part of her before it was known, for which he was executed, as he well . deserved,' Smith wrote. 'Now whether she was better roasted, boiled or . carbonado'd (barbecued), I know not, but of such a dish as powdered wife . I never heard of.' Archaeologists at Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia were . somewhat skeptical of the stories of cannibalism in the past because . there was no solid proof, until now. 'Historians have questioned, well did it happen or not happen?' Owsley . said. 'And this is very convincing evidence that it did.' Owsley has been working with William Kelso, the chief archaeologist at Jamestown, since their first burial discovery in 1996. The remains of the 14-year-old girl discovered in the summer of 2012 . marks the fourth burial of human remains uncovered at Jamestown. Her . remains were found in a cellar at the site that had been filled with . trash, including bones of animals that had been consumed, according to . archaeologists. Owsley, who has also done forensic analysis for police investigations, . analyzed the girl's remains and how the body had been dismembered, . including chops to the front and back of the head. The girl was likely . already dead at the time. A facial reconstruction of 'Jane of Jamestown' 'We call her Jane: female, fourteen years old, possibly from southern England,' the researchers say. They believe she left Plymouth, England, in June 1609 as part of the largest fleet yet to sail for Jamestown. But a terrifying hurricane scattered the fleet, and her ship limped into Jamestown in early August. Less than a year later, she was dead. Her . remains were found in a cellar at the site that had been filled with . trash, including bones of animals that had been consumed, according to . archaeologists. Owsley, who has also done forensic analysis for police investigations, . analyzed the girl's remains and how the body had been dismembered, . including chops to the front and back of the head. The human remains will be placed on . display at Jamestown to explain the 'starving time' and the horrid . conditions early settlers faced. At the . Smithsonian, curators will display a digital reconstruction of the . girl's face to explain the discovery in an exhibit about life at . Jamestown. The skull of 'Jane of Jamestown' is seen with models used to reconstruct her face during a news conference at the National Museum of Natural History, Wednesday . The reconstruction of the female Jamestown colonist was based on a CT scan that allowed a digital reconstructing of her splintered cranium. That digital image then became a 3D model of the skull that Ivan Schwartz and his team at StudioEIS in New York used to create a likeness of her facial features through sculpting and painting. Numerous small knife cuts and punctures in the mandible of 'Jane of Jamestown' can be clearly seen . There was a cultural stigma against killing . someone for food, Owsley said. But it was clear to him immediately that there were signs of cannibalism. 'It is the evidence found on those bones that put it within the context . of this time period," he said. 'This does represent a clear case of . dismemberment of the body and removing of tissues for consumption.' It was the work of someone not skilled at butchering, Owsley said. There was a sense of desperation. The bones show a bizarre attempt to open the skull. Four shallow chop marks can be seen on the top of the girl's skull, found in a basement . An 1854 image of the ruins of Jamestown showing the tower of the old Jamestown Church built in 1639 . Animal brains and . facial tissue would be considered accepted and desirable meat in the . 17th century, Owsley said. The human remains will be placed on display at Jamestown to explain the 'starving time' and the horrid conditions early settlers faced. At the . Smithsonian, curators will display a digital reconstruction of the . girl's face to explain the discovery in an exhibit about life at . Jamestown. The Smithsonian and Jamestown archaeologists are also publishing their . findings in a book but decided against waiting to announce the discovery . through a peer-reviewed journal. The Godspeed, a replica of the boat the first settlers arrived on, leads a parade of Tall ships into Hampton Roads for Sail Virginia 2007 as part of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown . A stone cross marking the grave of a 17th century British settler is seen at the archaeological site of Jamestown . Owsley said archaeology is helping to fill in details from a time when . few records were kept - details that won't likely be found in history . books. 'It provides a more personal glimpse into the lives and events that . these people experienced,' he said. 'When you're dealing with 17th . century sites like Jamestown, I think it really enhances what we know . about these people.' | Bones of a 14-year-old girl show clear signs that she was cannibalized .
Human remains date back to the deadly .
winter of 1609-1610, known as the 'starving time' in Jamestown, when .
hundreds of colonists died .
Researchers have reconstructed the face of the girl eaten by settlers . |
46,794 | 83d631739685437aee850d76b726178c6c3637b6 | Brownville, Nebraska (CNN) -- A top manager at one of Nebraska's two nuclear power plants says he's "100 percent confident" the facility's countermeasures will keep the overflowing Missouri River from damaging critical gear and causing a hazard to the public. The Cooper Nuclear Power Station, about 80 miles south of Omaha, is still in operation and several feet above the swollen waterway. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko toured the plant Monday, along with a plant north of Omaha that is already surrounded by floodwaters. "I am not going to predict what is going to happen with the water level," Jaczko said. "Our job is to make sure the licensee does their job to make sure the plant stays safe. Right now, it appears they are taking proactive steps to do that." The NRC says both Cooper and the Fort Calhoun plant, about 20 miles north of Omaha, have taken precautions against this summer's flooding. And Brian Hasselbring, a reactor operator at Cooper, said even high water won't cause a radiation leak. "I am 100 percent confident that we are not going to have an issue here," Hasselbring said. "If river levels continue to rise, we will follow our procedures, we will shut down the plant, do whatever is required to maintain our safety." At Fort Calhoun, as much as two feet of water has forced plant workers to navigate a catwalk from the parking lot, and a water-filled berm that surrounded the reactor containment structure and auxiliary buildings was punctured by a worker early Sunday. A representative of the manufacturer is at the plant helping assess whether the berm can be repaired, the plant's owner, the Omaha Public Power District, said. But the plant has been shut down for refueling since April, and authorities have put floodgates, sandbags and other barriers in place to help protect the facility. Despite the flooding, Fort Calhoun is designed to withstand water up to 1,014 feet above mean sea level, according to the Omaha Public Power District. The river is not expected to exceed 1,008 feet, the OPPD said. Plant managers also have brought in additional diesel fuel for generators should the site lose electricity. Workers switched to those generators briefly to keep the plant's spent fuel cool after water came too close to electrical transformers, but the plant was again drawing power from the electrical grid, utility spokesman Jeff Hanson said Monday. "The plant is designed, when they get to these higher flood levels, to use their diesel generators when necessary," Jaczko said. It was catastrophic flooding from Japan's March 11 tsunami that knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, resulting in three reactors melting down and producing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. This year's Midwestern flooding has also led to a spate of rumors about the Fort Calhoun plant that OPPD and the NRC have been trying to knock down. The utility has set up a "flood rumor control" page to reassure the public that there has been no release of radioactivity from the plant. An electrical fire June 7 did knock out cooling to its spent fuel storage pool for about 90 minutes, but the coolant water did not reach a boiling point before backup pumps went into service, it has said. Heavy rainfall in Montana and North Dakota, combined with melting snow from the Rocky Mountains, have sent the Missouri surging downstream this summer. The river washed over and punched through levees in northwestern Missouri, spurring authorities to urge about 250 nearby residents to leave their homes. The 6 to 12 inches of rainfall in the upper Missouri basin in the past few weeks is nearly a normal year's worth, and runoff from the mountain snowpack is 140% of normal, according to forecasters. The Missouri River is forecast to remain at record or near-record levels from south of Omaha all the way to Atchison, Kansas, into next week. The flooding is affecting communities in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. CNN's Patrick Oppmann and Ed Payne contributed to this report. | NEW: Nuclear regulator tours plants along the swollen Missouri River .
Critical gear has been protected at both plants, officials say .
Floodwaters have encroached on the idled Fort Calhoun plant .
The still-operating Cooper plant remains several feet above the river . |
69,790 | c5d3ccf213a04c89fd5de0fa867a93d0fe265ff6 | U.S. President Barack Obama will call on Congress to expand protection of Alaska's Arctic refuge where oil and gas drilling is prohibited to 12 million acres (5 million hectares), an area that includes 1.4 million oil-rich acres along the coast. The proposal, unveiled by the Interior Department on Sunday, ran into instant criticism from Republicans and is likely to face an uphill battle in Congress, where Republicans now control both chambers. The wilderness designation, the highest level of federal protection under which oil and gas drilling is banned, would be extended to a total of 19.8 million acres (8 million hectares) under the proposal, the Interior Department said. Announcement: U.S. President Barack Obama will propose expanding the protected area of Alaska's Arctic refuge by 12.28 million acres, the Interior Department said . HabitatL The area in question, a 1.4 million-acre strip wedged between the peaks of the Brooks Range and the Arctic Ocean, is a vital site for polar bears and the migratory Porcupine caribou herd, which raises young there . The move was the latest salvo in the energy wars between Obama, a Democrat, and Republican lawmakers. Republicans kicked off the new Congress earlier this month with a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline to help move Canadian oil to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Obama immediately said he would veto the measure. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Republican chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, called the Obama administration's proposal a politically motivated attack on Alaska. On Friday, she had introduced a bill that would have permitted oil production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 'It's clear this administration does not care about us, and sees us as nothing but a territory. The promises made to us at statehood, and since then, mean absolutely nothing to them. I cannot understand why this administration is willing to negotiate with Iran, but not Alaska,' Murkowski said in a statement on Sunday. 'We will fight back with every resource at our disposal,' she said. The area in question, a 1.4 million-acre (566,000-hectare) strip wedged between the peaks of the Brooks Range and the Arctic Ocean, is a vital site for polar bears and the migratory Porcupine caribou herd, which raises young there. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain, holds 10.3 billion barrels of recoverable oil . President Obama's announcement is one of a series that the Interior Department will make this week that will affect Alaska's oil and gas production, according to The Washington Post . 'Other oilfields are available. The Arctic Refuge is too special a place to drill,' said David Hayes, senior fellow at the liberal Center for American Progress. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the coastal plain holds 10.3 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Alaska Governor Bill Walker said on Sunday he would consider 'accelerating the options available' to increase oil exploration and production on state-owned lands in response to the move by the administration. The Washington Post, which first reported the story, said the Interior Department would also place part of the Arctic Ocean off limits to drilling and is considering additional limits on oil and gas production in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The announcement is one of a series that the Interior Department will make this week that will affect Alaska's oil and gas production, the Post said. The energy wars are taking place against a backdrop of domestic oil and gas production that has surged in recent years. Across the United States, oil production has surged by more than 3 million barrels per day in the last four years and by more than 2 million in the last two years alone. | U.S. President Barack Obama will propose expanding the protected area of Alaska's Arctic refuge by 12.28 million acres, the Interior Department said .
The proposal to expand the part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge designated as wilderness faces an uphill battle in Congress .
Republicans are in control of both chambers and oppose curbs to oil production, and the proposal drew immediate criticism . |
280,128 | f6e84a25dd084bb3034e7fd532f755c58af939c3 | By . Harriet Arkell and Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 08:25 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:07 EST, 20 November 2013 . A neglected 13-year-old boy who raped a young girl for two years avoided a jail sentence when a court heard of his own troubled background (file picture) A ten-year-old boy repeatedly raped and sexually abused a seven-year-old girl over two years after becoming addicted to hardcore pornography, a court has heard. The schoolboy would sit at his home computer for hours scouring the internet for extreme porn, the court was told. After looking at the vile images he would play out his sexual fantasies on the young girl – which later developed into attempted rape and rape. The court heard how he committed sex acts on the girl between the age of ten and 12 when she was aged only seven and eight. Yesterday the boy, now 13, escaped a custodial sentence after a judge heard how he had been physically and emotionally abused as a young child. The court was told the boy was brought up in a home that lacked any ‘sexual boundaries’ and may well have witnessed his mother having sex. His mother was also aware that he was spending hours a day looking at indecent images on the internet but did nothing to stop it, the court heard. The case comes just days after calls for more restrictions to online pornography following Google and Microsoft’s announcement they would block internet search results linked to images of child abuse. The Daily Mail’s fight to force the web industry to clean up the internet through its Block Online Porn campaign has led to concerted pressure on service providers, such as BT and TalkTalk. Now all 20million families in the UK who have an internet connection will be forced to say whether they want access to online pornography. Hundreds of thousands are already signing up to have it blocked. Mold Crown Court was told the schoolboy began accessing hardcore images on a computer from the age of nine. Referring to the victim, Judge Niclas Parry told the boy: ‘In fact what you were doing was using her to play out fantasies that you had been watching on the internet, images of extreme pornography.’ Judge Parry said the boy had suffered an appalling early childhood and had been subjected to physical and emotional abuse. He said the boy’s mother chose to ‘ignore that you were accessing for hours a day images of a pornographic nature on the internet’. The court was told there was clear evidence of very poor parenting on behalf of his mother, which bordered on deliberate neglect. The judge at Mold Crown Court in North Wales, pictured, described the case as 'extremely sad' Reports . showed this neglect had gone on for around seven years, during which . time he had also been abused by his mother’s partner. And the court heard that the boy’s home environment lacked any barriers to the adult world. The . judge said: ‘You may have witnessed your mother and her partner engaged . in sexual activity. You were brought up in a home that lacked any . sexual boundaries.’ The . court heard the boy, who sat in court with social workers and employees . of a children’s development centre where he is now living, was left . without support or guidance. Elen . Owen, defending, described the case as ‘extremely sad’. Reports . suggested the assaults and rapes were a way of satisfying the boy’s . emotional needs rather than for sexual gratification alone. Judge Parry . said the boy could have been detained in custody because the crimes . were so serious but said he wanted him to be rehabilitated rather than . harmed further. The boy, . who admitted committing rape, attempted rape and sexual assault, was . placed on a three-year youth rehabilitation order with supervision, as . well as a residency order so that he remains at the specialist centre . where he is living. The . teenager, from Llandudno, North Wales, was also ordered to register with . the police as a sex offender. The court heard he was seeking therapy to . overcome his addiction. The . judge said work to counsel the young girl, who is also in care, was . under way but that it may take years for her to understand that what . happened to her was not normal. Over . the next few months all existing internet users will be contacted by . their service providers asking whether they want access to online . pornography. New customers . who set up a broadband account or switch providers will have the filters . automatically selected, while customers who do not accept or decline . will have them activated by default. The . filters will apply to all devices linked to a home wi-fi network and . across any public network, such as those that can be accessed from . shops, where children are likely to be present. Only adults will be able . to change the settings. | The boy, from the Llandudno area, began abusing the girl when he was 10 .
Mold Crown Court told sexual abuse of the girl lasted for about two years .
Boy was abused by mother's partner and may have seen her having sex .
Judge Niclas Parry said boy was brought up 'without normal boundaries'
Boy admitted sexual assault, rape and attempted rape but wasn't jailed .
Judge said he needed help: gave him three-year youth rehabilitation order .
The boy was also ordered to register with the police as a sex offender . |
165,077 | 6174d85f0f060882fd3ef67329c66e3adc71d305 | Abbottabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Osama bin Laden's hideout is being demolished, bringing an end to a symbol of American resolve and Pakistani frustration over how the operation was conducted. Navy SEAL Team Six raided the Abbottabad compound in May 2011 and killed the al Qaeda leader. The United States did not tell Pakistan about the raid until it was over. Pakistani authorities cordoned off the compound Saturday evening and brought in heavy machinery and flood lights to the site. "The action was taken to keep the compound from ever becoming a shrine for bin Laden's followers," a Pakistani military official told CNN. "It's a message that Pakistan doesn't want to keep anything connected with this terrorist." CNN affiliate GEO-TV showed video of dust flying into the air from the compound as troops stood and watched from outside. Destroying the compound would "demoralize senior militant leaders," said the military official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media about the demolition. The killing of bin Laden enraged the Pakistani public and deeply embarrassed its military. For U.S. President Barack Obama, the raid marked a high point. The president achieved something his predecessor failed to do: bring the terror mastermind to justice. Bin Laden and members of his family and security detail lived only about one mile from the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta this year told CBS's "60 Minutes" that he remains convinced that someone in authority in Pakistan knew that bin Laden was hiding in Abbottabad, a largely military community outside the capital, Islamabad. That claim has been denied by Pakistani officials. Panetta said there were intelligence reports of Pakistani helicopters passing over the bin Laden compound. He also questioned why the Pakistanis would not notice the vast complex with 18-foot walls. Panetta told CBS the United States chose not to inform Pakistan of the raid due to security concerns. "We had seen some military helicopters actually going over this compound. And for that reason, it concerned us that, if we, in fact, brought (Pakistan) into it, that they might ... give bin Laden a heads up." But after the interview aired, Pentagon press secretary George Little said Panetta "has seen no evidence that bin Laden was supported by the Pakistani government or that senior Pakistani officials knew he was hiding in the Abbotabad compound." U.S.-Pakistani relations remain tense, in part because of U.S. drone strikes inside the country. Pakistan has in essence halted much of its cooperation with the United States while its parliament reassess future terms of engagement with Washington following the U.S. airstrike in November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers along the border with Afghanistan. Ramifications of the bin Laden raid are still reverberating. Pakistan has not yet decided whether to try a Pakistani doctor for high treason for assisting the United States in gathering intelligence ahead of the raid, a senior Pakistani government official said late last month. Dr. Shakeel Afridi allegedly helped the CIA use a vaccination campaign in an attempt to collect DNA samples from residents of bin Laden's compound in an effort to verify the terror leader's presence there ahead of the 2011 raid. The role of the doctor was first reported by the British newspaper, The Guardian, last July. It cited unnamed Pakistani and U.S. officials. The Guardian said it isn't known whether the CIA "managed to obtain any bin Laden DNA, although one source suggested the operation did not succeed." CNN's Reza Sayah and journalists Nasir Habib, Zubair Ayoub and Tahir Shah contributed to this report. | Official says demolition will demoralize bin Laden sympathizers .
Bin Laden used the place as a hideout until his death .
Authorities have cordoned off the compound, keeping residents at a distance . |
231,732 | b807c4046a5cc1b3e4f058f05b8ee2d01860150f | These are some of the most amazing holiday experiences which the majority of people have probably never heard of. Specific Four Seasons locations offer 'Extraordinary Experiences' packages which are a selection of once-in-a-lifetime activities. There are more than 50 of these experiences available around the world with each one remaining specific to that location. Tourists can take advantage of the famous Golden Triangle elephant trek in Thailand in the region's traditional attraction . With stunning views of Firenze, Italy, your partner would be impressed with a Golden sunset dinner on the Ponte Vecchio . Four Seasons Budapest allows buyers to take centre stage at the Hungarian State Opera House, being served a candle-lit meal for two on the performance space while the orchestra plays in the background. Star-crossed lovers can also share a meal in Florence, or make their own fragrance in one of Buenos Aires' most respected perfume makers. Adventurers can take part in elephant treks at sunrise in the Golden Triangle, glacier golf at the chain's Whistler location, swim in UNESCO-protected waters in the Maldives, climb Mount Fuji or even attend pre-arranged polo matches at Palm Beach, Florida. And for those simply looking to relax, one hotel offers an entire suit - which comes with its own infinity pool - overlooking the Shanghai skyline. Christopher Norton, executive vice president of global product and operations at Four Seasons, revealed each experience is conceived by local Four Seasons teams . He said: 'This collection delivers on the modern luxury traveller's desire to experience something memorable and unique.' Take over Shanghai's sky-high infinitypool for an unforgettable after-hours party while toasting the special views . NORTH AMERICA . Austin - Design your own Lucchese premium cowboy boots at Texas boot camp . Baltimore - Moonlit spa treatment and dinner for two . Boston - Glide along the Charles and take rowing lessons with an Olympic champion . Dallas - Channel your inner sommelier at an exclusive wine event . Denver - Dine with artist Duke Beardsley before visiting his studio . Hualalai - Golf with a PGA legend . Always fiercely-contested affairs, guests who stay at Palm Beach, Florida, will get the chance to cheer on players in a polo match . Who wouldn't want to sip rye whiskey during a private visit to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate? Houston - One-on-one time with NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon . Jackson Hole - Helicopter safari . Las Vegas - Join chef and restaurateur Charlie Palmer in the kitchen . Beverly Hills - Relive the classic movie Pretty Woman . Hotel Mexico, D.F. - Relive ancient history during an Aztec fire-lighting ceremony . Miami - Visit Miami's most exclusive showrooms with an elite designer . West Indies - Lasso a lobster for a seafood feast on the beach . You can tee off from the top of a snowcapped mountain at the Four Season Hotel in Whistler, Canada . You can get a peek inside some of Miami's most exclusive showrooms and residence with an elite design firm outing . New York - Spend the night in one of the city's highest and most luxurious penthouses . Palm Beach - VIP polo package . Punta Mita, Mexico - Travel by helicopter to the Jose Cuervo tequila distillery . Santa Barbara - Master volleyball skills with an Olympic gold medallist . Scottsdale - Journey into the Wild West and become a cowboy for the day . Seattle - A VIP experience with glass artist Dale Chihuly . St Louis - Dazzle the night with your very own fireworks show . Residences Vail - Summit one of Colorado's tallest peaks during an overnight adventure . Washington DC - Sip rye whisky from George Washington's Mount Vernon estate . Whistler - Tee off from the top of a snow-capped mountain . A visit to the Tequila distillery in Punta Mita, Mexico might give you that special refreshment you are looking for . Taken out to the waters by seaplane in the Maldives, guests can enjoy surfing with a difference . CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA . Buenos Aires, Argentina - Create your own bespoke scent . Costa Rica - Taste the stars: gastronomy meets astronomy . A sumptious dinner followed by hours to gaze at the stars awaits guests who book into the Four Seasons Hotel in Costa Rica . Visitors to Buenos Aires in Argentina get the chance to create a signature bespoke scent to reflect their personal style . EUROPE . Budapest, Hungary - Private dining experience at the Budapest Opera House . Firenze, Italy - Golden sunset dinner on the Ponte Vecchio . Hampshire, UK - Explore Highclere Castle, Downton Abbey's starring estate . Istanbul, Turkey - Tour of Serdar Gulgun's mansion . If you fancy the ultimate in romance, a candle-lit meal for two on the performance area at the Hungarian State Opera House could be for you . The Unesco protected waters in the Maldives offer tourists the chance to see some spectacular marine life . Istanbul, Turkey - Exclusive, after-hours access to the iconic Hagia Sophia . Lisbon, Portugal - Take a metro sidecar on a photography tour of the city . London, UK - Dine under the stars at London's only planetarium . Milano, Italy - Drive your own Ferrari to the brand's plant . Paris, France - World's best wines in the hotel's wine cellar . Prague, Czech Rep - Toast Mozart during private night at the opera . MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA . Serengeti, Tanzania - Wild walk in the Serengeti . Seychelles - Personalised art class atop a mountain plateau . Fans of Downton Abbey can walk in the footsteps of the Crawley family as they take a trip to Highclere Castle, the setting for the hit TV drama . Some sights you will see on a 'wild walk' in Tanzania's Serengeti will stay with you forever . ASIA AND PACIFIC . Bali - Local spa ritual . Bali - Discover Bali's natural beauty and idyllic way of life . Beijing, China - Unlock the secrets of Chinese medicine in a personalised healing session . Chaing Mai - Master Thai cuisine with a local culinary adventure and cooking class . Golden Triangle - Sunrise elephant trek in Thailand . The Four Seasons, Tokyo, offers the chance for guests to climb Mount Fuji, provided they are dressed appropriately for the occasion . Venture by boat into the Langkawi Geopark for an unforgettable eco-adventure where you will feel free at last . Guangzhou - Celebrate your next big occasion in the clouds . Hangzhou, West Lake - Trip on a traditional Chinese rowboat . Hong Kong - Follow in the footsteps of a Michelin-starred chef . Koh Samui - Master the art of kick boxing before taking in a match as a VIP . Langkawi - Eco adventure into the Langkawi Geopark . Macao - Fairytale wedding in an awe-inspiring setting . Maldives - Swim in UNESCO-protected waters . Maldives - Seaplane surfing safari . The dabbawalas in Mumbai, India, deliver rafts of hot food throughout the city to the workers, and then returns the boxes to their homes . A cocktail and bottling session in Singapore can take in the illuminous sights of the Grand Prix circuit . Mumbai - Take a peek at Mumbai's dabbawala lunch tradition . Shanghai - Discover the historic part of the city with a local photographer as your guide . Shanghai - Take over the sky-high infinity pool for an after-hours party . Shenzhen - Host a high-design party in a contemporary art gallery . Singapore - Toast the Negroni cocktail in an exclusive tasting and bottling session . Sydney - Visit famous landmarks during an exclusive photography tour . Tokyo - Reach the peak of Mount Fuji and travel in style . | Specific Four Seasons locations offer 'Extraordinary Experiences' trips; a selection of once-in-a-lifetime activities .
There are more than 50 of these experiences available around the world with each one specific to that location .
Other activities include elephant trekking, golfing with professionals and UNESCO heritage site visits . |
118,926 | 25904519a206316e6010b38d9d945e351e0588d0 | Forced to fight other dogs in Afghanistan, and beaten and mutilated by uncaring humans, Wylie the dog was on the brink of death. But since being rescued by British soldiers from the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, the plucky mongrel has become a star performer. After being whisked to safety in England, Wylie has now won an award run by the Kennel Club - and could be set for even more glory. Triumph: The four-year-old mongrel won the Crossbreed rosette and is now heading to the overall finals . Previously neglected: This is Wylie pictured immediately after he was rescued from a Taliban stronghold . The four-year-old dog yesterday triumphed in the Best Crossbreed Rescued dog class event staged in the Scruffts competition at London’s Earls Court. Scruffts is the crossbreed competition run alongside Crufts, which is for pedigree dogs - and Wylie will now next March be one of the six finalists for the title of overall Scruffts champion. Some 1,200 dogs were entered at the start of the competition. When he was found, Wylie had suffered as his ears and tail were cut off, and had been brutally beaten. Happy: He now lives with owner Sarah Singleton in Yeovil. They travelled together to London for the contest . Saved: He was discovered by Nowzad Dogs charity in 2011. They have saved a further 550 Afghan dogs . But a charity named Nowzad Dogs and run by former Marine Commando Pen Farthing leapt in to save him, along with another 550 Afghan dogs it has now rescued and sent to happy new lives in the developed world. Wylie was first spotted at a bazaar in Kandahar in February 2011, where British troops came across a crowd watching a dog fight. Poor Wylie was being beaten with sticks to encourage him to rejoin the fray. Rescued: Wylie was living in a Taliban stronghold in Kandahar when British troops found him alone and hungry . Happy: Wylie's new life in Somerset includes regular walks, lots of cuddles and a caring new owner . On a roll: He has already won a few regional rounds and had a starring role in this year's Crufts competition . Celebration: Members of the charity that found Wylie celebrate as Miss Singleton presents his award . After he was patched up he was set free - but returned with new injuries. The pattern repeated itself until he was handed to Nowzad, who sent him back to Britain, to kennels in the West Country. He was eventually given a home by Sarah Singleton, 35, a groom and retail worker from Yeovil Somerset, who described her relationship with him as a ‘love affair with a lovely dog’. Miss Singleton said: ‘Wylie is a stray feral dog from Afghanistan and despite all the abuse and human inflicted trauma, he has a wonderful temperament and is incredibly friendly with people. ‘He now lives happily with me and my other two dogs. Despite everything he’s been through he is a gentle, trusting dog who loves everyone.’ | Mongrel rescued from Taliban stronghold in Kandahar by soldiers .
Four-year-old took title for Best Crossbreed Rescued at Earls Court event .
One of six in the running for overall Scruffts title in March - beating 1,200 . |
61,927 | afea7f29ac1ae28b508b6d4ed726ce9d292a803e | If you’re fed up of being fastidious about your depilation, you will be pleased to learn the hairy legs movement has arrived - and it's making waves on social media. Women around the globe are saying ‘no’ to waxing and shaving, instead posting proud pictures of their fluffy limbs online. One such online community, the Hairy Legs Club, is blazing a trail on tumblr, inviting women to post their photos to make a statement about social expectations of beauty. Scroll down for video . Furry legs and a furry friend: One of the proud posts from the Very Hairy Legs blog on tumblr . The caption on this post reads: 'My dog doesn't care!' Hot on the heels of the club, which has hundreds of posts, the 'Very Hairy Legs' blog has also launched on the site, where unshaven women of the world can unite against the razor. In her opening statement, the blog's pioneer, Sarah, told her followers: 'This blog is dedicated to females with very hairy legs. Let our legs be the champions!' And a flurry of pictures followed. One blogger, 'Pupmami', writes simply 'Ginger hairy legs', while others leave a more inspirational message. Along with an image of her unshaven legs, regular blogger 'Swankified' writes, 'I’m so glad I don’t feel ashamed of my natural body hair anymore!' - a sentiment echoed on hundreds of other posts. Left: Unshaven legs posted on the Very Hairy Legs blog with the simple caption 'Ginger hairy legs'; Right: The leg that launched a thousand posts - the original Very Hairy Legs blog post . Hairy and proud: A post on the very Hairy Legs Club by a 21-year-old blogger who has never shaved her legs . 'When I first stopped shaving my legs it took a while for me to feel confident about it,' Swankifield told the MailOnline. 'Seeing pictures of other women doing the same helped me get used to it. 'I guess I post mine now because I like them - I like the way they look and that they remind me I’m not obligated to do anything I don’t want with my body.' The blogger adds: 'Also, it’s nice to get support from the online community, considering people outside don’t really approve.' Judging by many of the other posts, that support and solidarity is felt my many. Left: This proud unshaven lady posted her image of her out and about with her unshaven legs; Right: 'Leg hair, don't care!' reads the caption on another . This seasons stylish look: Gladiator sandals, perfectly painted toes and hairy legs . ‘You inspire me all so much…You are all stars for honouring yourselves!’ reads one post on the Hairy Legs Club blog along with a picture of bushy legs. ‘I have hairy legs, and, to be honest, I feel more feminine than ever!’ reads the caption beneath another. A particularly poetic poster writes of her hirsute legs: ‘It just feels so nice to have them wave around in the pool or ocean.' She adds: ‘Everyone around me thinks they’re gross, but I feel it’s important for me to grow them out not only for myself on my journey to self-love and acceptance, but also for other people who might be ashamed of theirs as I once. 'Good luck to everyone on here, you are . all brave and beautiful people! This blog makes me feel a lot better in a . society that portrays women as being hairless 99 per cent of the time!’ Left: 'Behold my sparkly shins!' reads this Hairy Legs Club post; Right: A hairy pair in the bath . One inspired blogger's first hairy leg post. 'This blog is such a great inspiration!' reads the caption . The hairy legs trend is also gaining traction on Facebook. The Women Against Non-Essential Grooming (WANG) page has attracted 1,405 members and counting. Their profile mission statement explains their raison d’etre: ‘WANG believes that everyone should be free from coercive gendered bodily norms and should have absolute bodily autonomy. ‘We look forward to a day when people can present their bodies in whatever way they choose, free from political, social, and economic constraints!’ And who can argue with that. The question is…do you dare? Left: 'Nothing better than feeling the breeze through your leg hair!' writes one Hairy Legs Club blogger; Right: Another writer braves going outdoors without shaving her legs . Bold blogger: A hairy pair of pins posted by one happy blogger . | Thousands of women are posting hairy leg pictures on social media sites .
Hairy Legs Club blog on tumblr invites women to post their images .
Groups include Women Against Non-essential Grooming on Facebook .
Making a statement about 'not conforming to social expectations' of beauty . |
242,354 | c5b0056d3b94090d9d5c71137f2c312c0c06e7cd | By . Emma Glanfield . Thousands of people around the world armed themselves with fluffy pillows as they revisited a childhood tradition and battled it out for International Pillow Fight Day. For the sixth year in a row, Trafalgar Square was invaded for an hour this afternoon as Londoners let their inhibitions go and attacked strangers with gusto. Some people got so enthusiastic about the event that their pillows ripped and feathers flew into the air. Others opted to observe the action from the sidelines, instead choosing to capture the unique occasion on film. London was just one of more than 100 cities around the world to take part in the event - with similar sights spotted in Paris, New York, Zurich, Rome and Madrid. Participants . to the annual event, organised by Urban Playground Movement, were not . allowed to hit anyone with a camera, or anyone not armed with a pillow. The pillow fights are seen as a way to get people outside and relieve stress, organisers said. Dozens of revellers took part in the mass pillow fight in Trafalgar Square, central London, this afternoon to mark International Pillow Fight Day. It is the sixth year in a row that people have turned out to take part in the flash mob pillow fight and revellers certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves as they got involved in the free event . London was just one of more than 100 cities around the world to take part in the event. People from Hong Kong to Paris, Madrid to Toronto and New York to Singapore also took part in celebrating the favourite childhood tradition. Organisers said the pillow fights are seen as a way to get people outside and relieve stress . Dozens of people congregated at Trafalgar Square in central London at around 3pm and thrashed it out with fellow pillow fight-goers until their arms ached. Traditionally, people usually move on to St James's Park after the event to relax and unwind . Some people got so enthusiastic about the event that their pillows ripped and feathers flew into the air. However, the rules state that participants are not allowed to hit anyone with a camera, or anyone not armed with a pillow . Many people wore fancy dress, colourful masks or costumes for the event which saw swarms of people descend on Trafalgar Square and bash each other with large fluffy pillows for around one hour . It was all too much for some participants who used their pillow as a shield after the pillow fighting descended into a flash mob-style chaos in central London . One man opted for minimal clothing as he addressed the swarm of participants with a megaphone and waved his pillow above his head . Several people ripped open their pillows and millions of feathers could be seen strewn all over the ground following the mass playful fight in Trafalgar Square . From tiger onesies to Scooby Doo costumes, people dressed up in all kinds of fancy dress outfits as they took part in the quirky event - which occurred in Trafalgar Square for the sixth year in a row today . International Pillow Fight Day is organised by Urban Playground Movement, which aims to put on a number of free, fun for all ages, non-commercial public events around the world . Some people, including this woman, clambered aboard their friends or partner's shoulders and armed themselves with two pillows to try and get one up on their opponent . The weather remained dry and partly sunny for the free event which resulted in the London skyline being momentarily filled with millions of feathers in Trafalgar Square . Many tourists and passers-by stopped to watch and take photographs and video of the huge pillow fight which lasted for around an hour . People from all over the world took part in International Pillow Fight Day, with organised events taking place in Paris, London, Zurich, Amsterdam, New York, Canada, Italy and Spain . People of all ages took pillows of all kinds - from large, fluffy ones to small, compact ones - to the gigantic pillow fight in London's Trafalgar Square . While many people stood on the sidelines to take photographs of the mass fight, the rules of the free event state participants shouldn't hit anyone with a camera or anyone who is without a pillow in their hand . The gigantic pillow fight filled Trafalgar Square with millions of feathers - which were briefly left strewn all over the road until the big clean-up got underway . Workers swept the feathers to one side and bundled the left-over pillows into the refuse truck after revellers left the ripped-up fluffy pillows in the centre of Trafalgar Square after the flash mob style event . Millions of feathers were swept up and binned in the rubbish truck by the City of Westminster Clean Streets team who organised a big clean-up in the aftermath of the event . A horse and cart tries to make its way through the centre of Trafalgar Square but is caught up in the aftermath of the gigantic pillow fight which left feathers and pillows covering the road . Although many people took their pillows back home with them, several were dumped on the side of the street in Trafalgar Square and it was up to the City of Westminster workers to clear them from the popular tourist area . It wasn't just London which hosted a giant pillow fight - people in Zurich, Switzerland, pictured, also turned out in their droves to take part in the fun event . In Zurich, Switzerland, around 400 people gathered outside Zurich's Opera House to celebrate International Pillow Fight Day . Around 100 people turned out in the streets of Lausanne, Switzerland, armed with feather-filled pillows and bags of energy to celebrate the international day . Some people in Lausanne, Switzerland, got so enthusiastic about the event that their pillows ripped and feathers flew into the air. However, the rules state that participants must only bring 'soft' pillows and must not bring any pillow cases which may have buttons or zips which could cause injury to others . International Pillow Fight Day was celebrated with much less gusto in Stockholm, Sweden where the sun shone down on participants who managed to keep their pillows intact . A smaller number of people turned out in Stockholm, Sweden, than in London, and many grimaced as they were hit by fellow pillow-fighters . The event brought joy to dozens of people in Singapore where many ended up lying down on a bed of pillows on the floor and taking selfies of themselves with their torn fluffy pillows . After the mass pillow fight in Hong Kong's financial district, participants gathered to throw the loose feathers in the air and watch them float back down to the ground . Hong Kong, pictured, was just one of more than 100 cities around the world to take part in the event which is usually held on the first Saturday in April . Feathers were aplenty in Hong Kong's financial district after the mass pillow fight saw dozens of people rip their fluffy pillows apart and launch their feathers into the air . Some people in Hong Kong took to drawing on their pillows, with one woman painting a SpongeBob SquarePants picture on her pillow . Around 200 people formed a sea of pillows and loose feathers as they went at each other while wearing a colourful assortment of pyjamas in Hong Kong . From colourful pillows, to bright fluorescent onesies - Hong Kong participants pulled out all the stops to ensure they celebrated International Pillow Fight Day in style . Many people found time to pause from the action and take a 'selfie' of themselves celebrating the childhood tradition . The pillow fights are seen as a way to get people outside and relieve stress, according to organisers Urban Playground Movement. The group tries to put on a number of free and fun events in public spaces around the world every year . | Dozens of people descended on Trafalgar Square in London this afternoon to mark International Pillow Fight Day .
Participants armed with feather-filled pillows bashed their opponents and threw caution to the wind during the event .
More than 100 countries around the world celebrated the unique day with people from Paris to New York taking part . |
246,084 | ca82b7fe5b16a2642ae173fb7c1fffa897b3f4b3 | Carlton Cole was left furious on Monday night as his move to West Bromwich Albion broke down at the 11th hour. West Ham had given Cole permission to move to The Hawthorns and, after holding encouraging talks with manager Tony Pulis, the 31-year-old was looking forward to a new chapter in his career. Pulis had earmarked Cole as a player of Premier League pedigree who could help younger team-mates to develop and replace Brown Ideye who is poised to join Al Gharafa. Carlton Cole, pictured celebrating against Crystal Palace in August, saw a move to West Brom break down . Cole was left furious after his move to the Midlands was blocked by the Hammers late on deadline day . However, West Ham called off the deal with an hour to go to deadline after Tottenham blocked a move for Emmanuel Adebayor and the Premier League blocked QPR's attempts to send Mauro Zarate back from his loan. Cole was said to be upset and angry at the decision but had little choice with contracts yet to be exchanged. Cole has found himself struggling to feature in Sam Allardyce's first-team plans this season, and has made only 14 appearances in all competitions, scoring just three goals, and was looking forward to getting more game time under Pulis. West Ham called off the deal for Cole after failing to secure Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor (above) QPR wanted to send Mauro Zarate back to Upton Park but the Premier League would not allow it . | West Ham striker Carlton Cole was on the brink of a move to West Brom .
The Hammers pulled the plug late on transfer deadline day .
Cole has struggled for playing time under Sam Allardyce this season .
West Ham failed with a move for Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor .
CLICK HERE to see how transfer deadline day unfolded . |
3,537 | 0a3ff2f0a147c158845afa44d2a012064896566b | By . Lucy Buckland . UPDATED: . 11:57 EST, 16 January 2012 . A father has told a court he was only doing his duty as a Muslim by handing out leaflets calling for gay people to be executed. Kabir . Ahmed, 28, said he handed a leaflet called Death Penalty? to a . policeman and stuffed them through letterboxes across Derby because he . was spreading the word of God as taught by Islam. He . said: 'My intention was to do my duty as a Muslim, to inform people of . God’s word and to give the message on what God says about . homosexuality.' Accused: Kabir Ahmed, left, and Umar Javed, . right, are on trial along with three other men accused of stirring up . hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation . Married . Ahmed, who has a nine-month-old daughter, is on trial with four other . men at Derby Crown Court charged with inciting hatred on the grounds of . sexual orientation, the first prosecution of its kind since legislation . came into force in March 2010. At . the opening of the trial last week jurors were shown the Death Penalty? leaflet, which shows an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and . says that homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty under Islam. The . leaflet states: 'The death sentence is the only way this immoral crime . can be erased from corrupting society and act as a deterrent for any . other ill person who is remotely inclined in this bent way.' In the dock: Mehboob Hussain, left, Razwan Javed, and Ihjaz Ali, right, all arrive at Derby Crown Court . It . goes on: 'The only dispute amongst the classical authorities was the . method employed in carrying out the penal code,' and then goes on to . offer burning, being flung from a high point such as a mountain or . building, or being stoned to death as suitable methods. Giving . evidence today Ahmed, wearing a pair of grey trousers and a black . shirt, said he had handed one of the Death Penalty? leaflets to PC . Stephen Gregory on July 2 2010 as he was passing by the area of the . Jamia Mosque in Rosehill Street following Friday prayers. He . told the court he felt it was his duty as a Muslim to inform and advise . people wherever they may be committing sins, he would be failing if he . did not. On trial: The five defendants are alleged to have handed out one homophobic document outside the Jamia Mosque in Derby . 'My duty is not just to better myself but to try and better the society I live in,' he said. 'We . believe we can’t just stand by and watch somebody commit a sin, we must . try and advise them and urge them to stay away from sin.' Ahmed . said he had studied the texts of many religions including the Bible and . the Torah and used ideas from each to compare with what Islam says . about things such as drugs, alcohol, prostitution and relationships. Defendants: A sketch taken from inside the court of the five men on trial. (L-r) Ihjaz Ali, Razwan Javed, Kabir Ahmed, Mahboob Hassain and Umer Javed . Ahmed’s . barrister Zacharias Miah asked him if PC Gregory had told him he was . doing something wrong would he have handed over the bag of leaflets he . was carrying and Ahmed replied: 'Of course, without a shadow of a . doubt.' Prosecutor Bobbie . Cheema told the court the Death Penalty? leaflet was not educational or . informative but was simply 'threatening, offensive, frightening and . nasty.' Four other Derby men . - Ihjaz Ali, 42, Mehboob Hussain, 45, Umar Javed, 38, and his brother . Razwan Javed, 28, of Wilfred Street - are also charged with the same . offence. All five men deny the charges. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Kabir Ahmed, 28, tells court he couldn't 'just stand by and watch somebody commit a sin'
Five men face first prosecution for inciting hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation since law came into force .
Leaflet called Death Penalty? said: 'The death sentence is the only way this immoral crime can be erased from corrupting society' |
186,297 | 7d535b279e2de86cc1d7ddd3e791318d21c71469 | A teenage girl who plunged from a tower block while trying to avoid arrest during a morning raid had been wanted by police since last summer. Convicted robber Shanise Paris-Goff, 18, fell from a bedroom window ledge at the 17th storey high-rise flat, while officers stormed the flat. Scotland Yard had appealed in July, last year, for help to find her after she failed to register with her probation officer following her early release from a young offenders' institution in April, last year. Shanise Paris-Goff plunged to her death from the 17th floor of a block of flats in Woolwich on Monday . She had served nearly two years of a three-year sentence for a series of muggings, attempted robbery and assault. They finally tracked her down to her boyfriend's high-rise flat and is thought to have panicked on seeing the officers. The teenager, who dubbed herself . 'Reckless Shen', scrambled on to a bedroom window ledge at the flat in . Woolwich, South East London where she plunged to her death. On her Facebook page while on the . loose, the tearaway taunted them, saying 'Catch me if you can' and '**** . the feds and **** the law'. Miss Paris-Goff, who was also known as Sherise Steabler, was said to have been released from prison in April last year under licence . Death: The 17th-storey window from which Shanise plunged to her death . She was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court in May 2009 and released on April 20 last year on licence and subject to a curfew. The teenager, from St Paul's Cray, . near Orpington, Kent, who also went by the name Shenice and Sherise . Steabler, appears to have spent her days posting updates on Facebook . about smoking cannabis and moaning about her curfew. Eight days after her release, she wrote: 'Probation is a lonnnnnnng tome [time]! I'm a criminal get me outta here!' Then on May 26, she said: '**** dis . curfew **** its depresin ma life.' But after breaching the terms of her . release by not registering with the Probation Service or turning up to . any meetings, her licence was revoked three months later. After going into hiding, she taunted police on June 17 last year, saying: 'Katch me if yuh kann!' Friends urged her to change her ways . at the beginning of this year, with one asking: 'Where is your life . going? Seriously. Think about it.' But Shanise retorted: 'I hear yuh buh I'm only gonna live once so ima do it my way!!' In an bizarre rant posted on New . Year's Eve, she had written: '**** the new year! Were all gonna die! Hope yuh lot r ready kah I am!' Meticulous: Forensic officers scour the grounds for evidence after Shanise's death . Shanise Paris-Goff plunged to her death from the 17th floor of a block of flats in Woolwich yesterday . On her homepage, she described . herself as a beautiful, outgoing girl with a loud mouth, writing: 'I'm . Only Gonna Live Once So I Do **** My Way!! 'I've Made A lot Of Mistakes In The . Short Period Of Time I've Lived Buh I Say **** It S*** Happens Life Goes . Orn!' She added: 'I'm One Ina Million!!' Last night her parents were said to be too upset to speak about her death but friends and family paid tribute on Facebook. Her cousin, Krystle Goff wrote: 'Ur at peace now. Make sure yuh party hard up ther. I love you xxx.' An inquiry into her death will be held . by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and the Met Force's . Directorate of Professional Standards. Neighbours told how they heard a woman scream 'Get off me'. The two plain-clothes officers who went to the one-bedroomed flat will be questioned about her final movements. Shortly after they arrived, police said Shanise retreated to the bedroom alone, half closing the door behind her. Seconds later she fell. Her death was witnessed by children on the estate who screamed in horror. Officers later arrested her boyfriend Mason Okotie, 18, on suspicion of assisting an offender. Investigation: Police and forensic officers cordon off the area behind the block of flats in Woolwich as they continued their search for clues . Tragic: A police officer lifts the cordon tape Shanise's body is carried from the scene . | Met Police appealed for help to track down the convicted robber in July, last year .
Officers went to flat to recall 18-year-old girl to prison after breaching terms of early release .
She had been freed after serving just two of a three-year term for a series of muggings, attempted robbery and assault .
Neighbours say she was screaming 'let me go' before she fell . |
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