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52,797 | 95b810245478276640109e02f20bdddc62fe4375 | By . Julian Robinson . They have just witnessed a military coup in their nation’s capital, but people in Thailand are being urged to embrace ‘happiness’ – starting with free haircuts. Army bosses, who just weeks ago seized power in Bangkok, say perking up the mood in the country is a top priority and want to reinstate Thailand as the ‘Land of Smiles’. Now the military junta, known as the National Council for Peace and Order, has ordered a series of events including road clean-ups, army-band concerts and free haircuts for civilians. The Thai junta wants to reinstate 'happiness' among the people of Thailand after weeks of unrest. A child is pictured with a soldier in Bangkok just days after the bloodless coup . The scheme was outlined by army chief General Prayith Chan-ocha in a national address, according to the Samui Times website. Outlining his vision for the country, which includes up to three months of ‘national reconciliation and constitutional reforms, he is reported as saying: ‘Thai people, like me, have probably not been happy for nine years, but since May 22, there is happiness.’ Soldiers from the Saraburi province have already been ordered to carry out a ‘Big Cleaning Day’ around the Victory Monument in the centre of Bangkok – recently the site of anti-coup protests. Soldiers from the Thai junta watch on as a woman runs past them near the Victory Monument in Bangkok following their military coup in May. The army has now set about launching a charm offensive by offering free haircuts and musical events . According to the website, the army said this was done in an effort to bring ‘beauty and cleanliness back to the people. Soldiers also temporarily swapped their weapons for guitars, keyboards and drums during free concerts. Residents were also offered free desserts and haircuts during the musical events. The NCPO is also expected to air weekly television shows aimed at keeping residents up to date with their moves to make people happy. But it has not been plain sailing for the army since seizing power. A soldier is pictured taking cover behind a speaker during heated demonstrations in Bangkok just days ago . An army spokesman told the website: ‘It will be an explanation of the NCPO’s works, and will answer people’s questions.’ General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power on May 22 and has since led a determined crackdown that has stifled dissent and silenced the ‘red shirt’ supporters of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her brother, billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The military has detained many politicians and activists and demanded as a condition of release that they sign documents stating they would avoid politics and halt anti-coup activities. A protester, foreground, launches a rubbish bin at a line of Thai soldiers during an anti-coup demonstration at the Victory Monument in Bangkok. The junta says it is now attempting to bring happiness back to the nation . The junta has also banned political meetings of more than five people and at the weekend flooded Bangkok with thousands of troops and policemen to stifle dissent. Opposition to the coup has been limited to small flash mob protests, and they have for the most part been peaceful. Some Bangkok protesters have sat in groups of less than five reading books about civil disobedience or that critique authoritarian government, such as George Orwell's ‘1984’. | Civilians offered free desserts and haircuts in junta's plan for 'happiness'
Soldiers ordered to play instruments during a series of free music events .
Military junta boss wants Thailand to be reinstated as the 'Land of Smiles'
The move comes just weeks after they seized power in a bloodless coup .
A number of politicians and activists have been detained since coup in May . |
42,931 | 7912efe6ca4b7a738fc9494d2c8208577e90e7a6 | (CNN) -- Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned FIFA's world player of the year in Zurich on Monday as Manchester United's star winger completed a stunning trophy collection. Portuguese winger Ronaldo completed a stunning trophy collection when named World Player of the Year. Portugal international Ronaldo helped United win the Premier League, Champions League and world club championship titles in 2008. Ronaldo also collected the European Player of the Year accolade and was voted number one by FIFPro, the worldwide players' union. Now Ronaldo has seen off 2007 winner Kaka, of AC Milan, Spain Euro 2008 top scorer Fernando Torres of Liverpool and Barcelona stars Xavi and Lionel Messi. "It's another overwhelming moment in my career," said 23-year-old Ronaldo who received the award from Brazilian legend Pele. "It's a tremendously emotional moment and a dream come true. I'd like to dedicate this to my family." Ronaldo also paid tribute to club manager Alex Ferguson who fought a very public battle with Real Madrid last summer when the Primera Liga giants attempted to lure the player to Spain. "It's also true that the manager always has an important role to play. It was a great season for me and for my club, and the coach was important for me because I learned a lot for him," he said. "His experience over so many years is of paramount importance -- it's a privilege to have such a great club manager. "This is the climax of a fantastic era for me. I'm happy and proud about what has been done by my team and what we have won. "I am lucky to to be part of the history of a club like Manchester United." Messi led Argentina to the Olympic gold medal in August and Nou Camp teammate Xavi was named UEFA's player of the tournament when Spain won Euro 2008 in June. Ronaldo's 31 league goals in the 2007-08 season, and 42 in total, won him the European Golden Shoe as the continent's top scorer. He is the first Premier League-based start to win FIFA's top individual award while David Beckham and Thierry Henry, both twice, and Frank Lampard finished runners-up. The awards are voted for by the head coaches and captains of all countries. Olympic silver medalist Marta of Brazil was named the FIFA women's player of the year for the third successive campaign. | Cristiano Ronaldo is crowned FIFA's World Player of the Year in Zurich .
Ronaldo also collected the 2008 European Player of the Year accolade .
Portuguese star helps Man Utd win domestic, european and world titles . |
50,991 | 904a38349694dbc6163f8263cabbcc6aa4c7d667 | OLLANTAYTAMBO, Peru (CNN) -- Stand anywhere in the Peruvian town of Ollantaytambo and look up. If your eyes don't fix on a magnificent Andes mountain peak, then you will surely be looking at one of the Incan ruins in the immediate area. Ollantaytambo offers spectacular views of a charming village, ancient ruins and magnificent mountains. No need to worry about a crick in your neck; the view at eye level is just as pretty. There are no neon signs, no hotels or restaurants with names that you will recognize, just charming local businesses set on cobblestone streets. Narrow chutes frame the streets and carry water from the mountaintops through town, toward the railroad tracks, and into the Urubamba River. The locals are easily recognized in their brightly colored hand-woven clothing -- bright blue, orange and red shirts and skirts -- as they go about their daily business, whether tending the nearby fields or guiding a mule carrying firewood. When planning a trip to the area's star attraction -- the mountaintop Incan ruins of Machu Picchu -- this gem of a town in Peru's Sacred Valley is not to be missed. The Sacred Valley is the area between Cusco -- the historic capital of the Incan Empire and the tourism gateway -- and Machu Picchu, which was recently voted one of the new seven wonders of the world. Typically, visitors who plan to stay overnight in the Sacred Valley are trying to adjust to the altitude before heading to the higher and larger city of Cusco. Acclimating to elevations of more than 11,000 feet above sea level is a good reason to head directly down to the valley after arriving at the Cusco Airport, but the tiny town called Ollantaytambo is another great reason to set aside at least a couple of your vacation days. Ollantaytambo is one of those rare places where you'd rather look at the beauty through the naked eye than through the lens of a camera. The camera just doesn't seem to capture the "wow" factor. During the dry season from April to October, the sky between the surrounding peaks is often a piercing azure blue. But visitors can't be expected to stand on a street corner taking in the view all day, and thankfully, there is plenty to do in this old Incan village. The main attraction, the Ollantaytambo Ruins, a former Incan fortress, attracts busloads of day trippers that unload by the market. From down the street, you can see the tourists climbing the many terraces that, during Incan times, were used for agriculture and decorative purposes. The highest point on the hill is where you will find the unfinished Temple of the Sun. On tours, visitors learn that these ruins were built in the shape of a llama, and guides will point out the face of the Incan sun god carved on the side of the neighboring mountain. You need to purchase a ticket to visit this site. Across town are other Incan sites, also visible from the town's cobblestone corners, where you can hike up to the ruins free of charge. There are many nice walks around the town, and the local museum has a display on the wall that lists the time they should take and the area to cover. If you want a break from the ruins, try white-water rafting, mountain climbing or horseback riding. And if you can't get enough of the natural beauty, opt for a bicycle trip down the Ambra Malaga Pass. Bicycle trip organizers will drive you up and drop you off on an asphalt road at about 14,000 feet above sea level, and you ride -- or really glide -- down on bicycles. Make sure your body has acclimated to the altitude of Ollantaytambo, which is about 9,186 feet, before you embark on this tour. The ride offers great views of the snow-capped Mount Veronica, and you'll see livestock grazing and patches of land being tended by farmers. The entire trip takes from three to four hours and costs about $40 per person. Once you have worked up an appetite, you can easily find a good meal in Ollantaytambo. A hearty local dish, lomo saltado, is served in most restaurants. This Peruvian dish is a stir fry that includes steak tidbits, white rice, french fries, onions and tomatoes in a brown gravy. If lomo saltado isn't adventurous enough for you, try alpaca or cuy (guinea pig). You can wash your meal down with a Pisco sour, the national drink in Peru, made with Pisco brandy, sugar, lemon juice and an egg white. There are enough restaurants to choose from, and in some establishments, the food is as good as the fancy places you will find in Cusco. There are several trains a day between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, so it's feasible to do a day trip to visit the main attraction. It's about a two-hour drive to get to Ollantaytambo from the airport or Cusco's city center, and it costs no more than $30 U.S. by taxi. Buses are available and cost a lot less. Whether you take the bus, train or taxi, consider a stop in this impressive Incan town as you check the nearby world wonder off your list. | In Ollantaytambo, Peru, you can see magnificent mountains and Incan ruins .
The Temple of the Sun is at the highest point of the Ollantaytambo Ruins .
Nearby, you can go white-water rafting, mountain climbing or horseback riding . |
84,033 | ee583fe9fd52d3a325d61139a685cd4747f5d47e | Just wizard: J.K. Rowling will co-produce a new play based on her Harry Potter tales, which is set to open in the West End within the next two years . Truly it’s beyond wizard. I can exclusively reveal that a play based on J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter tales will open in the West End within two years. Rowling will not write the stage piece — however, she will co-produce and collaborate with a playwright. Rowling’s seven-volume Harry Potter series began with The Philosopher’s Stone, published in 1997. All told the books have sold well in excess of 450 million copies and been translated into 77 languages. Eight . movies were made featuring Daniel Radcliffe as the boy wizard with the . thunderbolt scar on his forehead, and Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as . Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his best pals at Hogwarts School of . Witchcraft and Wizardry. But . the play, to be steered by prominent London and New York producers . Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, will mine (according to a statement . sent to me, as a mudblood, by Owl Post yesterday) ‘the previously untold . story of Harry Potter’s early years as an orphan and outcast’. Although the statement didn’t . spell it out, I understand that Warner Bros, the studio behind the . Potter pictures, will be involved in the development of the theatre . show, just as it was with the Sam Mendes musical version of Roald Dahl’s . Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, which is running at the Theatre . Royal, Drury Lane. Harry Potter’s theatrical adaptation will seek to ‘offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom destiny has plans...’ Rowling noted the numerous approaches she has received about putting Harry Potter on the stage, but the vision put forth by Sonia and Colin ‘was the only one that really made sense to me, and which had the sensitivity, intensity and intimacy I thought appropriate for bringing Harry’s story to the stage. After a year in gestation, it is very exciting to see this project moving onto the next phrase.’ Early years: A young Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. The new show will focus on the previously untold story of Harry Potter's early years as an orphan and outcast . A theatre has yet to be negotiated, but with a show of this quality — almost a licence to print money if all involved get it right — hopefully the right spell will deliver a theatre exactly when the show’s ready to go in 2015. Friedman is one of the producers behind The Book Of Mormon and the current hit Mojo, which co-stars Potter alumnus Rupert Grint, while Callender produced, with Richard Price, the TV version of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s landmark adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby and landed Tom Hanks on Broadway this past season with Lucky Guy. Such classy operators ought to be able to assemble an A-list creative team, and a writer and director will soon be contracted to begin developing the play. The model has to be David Heyman, the movie producer behind Gravity, who acquired the rights to the Potter series and ensured that only the very best of British (and one or two from beyond our shores) were entrusted to make the movies. Backing: It is understood that Warner Bros, the studio behind the Potter pictures, will be involved in the development of the theatre show, just as it was with the Sam Mendes musical version of Roald Dahl¿s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, which is running at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane . | Author Rowling will collaborate with a playwright for the West End show .
Play to focus on Harry Potter's early years, before his arrival at Hogwarts .
Prominent producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender behind show .
Warner Bros understood to be involved in development of new production . |
27,576 | 4e2896849841ae0875a9f4cbf7da73f6b69825ef | Niger (CNN) -- Dark shadows were lifting themselves off the sidewalk, slowly stretching, shaking the slumber from their limbs. It was 6:15 a.m. in Niger's capital, Niamey, and I was setting off on a 12-hour drive, leaving its lush boulevards for Agadez, the sands of the Sahara, the desert trails to Libya, and the chaos Moammar Gadhafi's war there is causing. The sun had yet to raise itself over the roofs but already the first hints of day were breaking the sleep of the destitute at the roadside. I have seen poverty before, but even shrouded in the predawn gray, there is no mistaking it: People with little of anything save a public place to lay their heads. Despite tough lives, the people here are warm, welcoming and hospitable. "Bonjour," they say, hinting at their recent French colonial past. It seems to have overlaid, in part at least, their far earlier conversion to Islam. "As-Salaamu Aleikum," the Arabic greeting, is rarely used. Long French loaves -- not Arabic flatbread -- are on sale at tiny stalls. We've already passed through the checkpoint on the outskirts of the capital before the countryside begins to take shape. Gendarmes in what look like fading French military fatigues checked the car's documents and a man in orange overalls took a few dollars' road toll for the 950 kilometers, or 600 miles, we will drive. The rope blocking our way across the road was dropped and we were released onto a strangely empty highway. Slowly the countryside began to show is colors. Gray shaded to blue, to a dark olive green. Then in an instant the sun smothers everything, washing away the stains of the night. Our journey lurches into gear, no longer feeling like we're sluggishly passing anonymous vegetation. Our momentum, at least in our minds, increases as we streak past the newly revealed rich green towering maize, the thickly leaved luxuriant trees. This land is green and fertile. Everything is vibrant in a way Timothy Leary could truly appreciate. In the villages, strange, bulging, round mud buildings - like an oversize, slightly squashed rugby ball - mingle with mud and straw shacks. They have no door, only a scant straw roof: grain stores hinting at the bounty of the land. Village after village, we pass them. The more there are, the bigger they are, the more grain is held and the more prosperous the people who own them. Lest this give an illusion of wealth, consider this: Most children we see are barefoot, and that's almost half Niger's people. Within a few hours of leaving the capital, none of the villages have electricity, running water, sanitation, a building that's not made out of mud and straw. The slightly larger towns have slightly more. But that's all. The farther we go, the villages become fewer and farther between. The muddy ponds, courtesy of the recent rains, shrink, and the striking longhorn cattle and goats jostle for a place to slake their thirst. The tarmac on the highway begins to break apart. We slam into potholes, lurching, juddering forward. The bright greens are gone, the vegetation paler and browner here. The great trees have shrunk to tiny shrubs. We are still 200 miles from Agadez. Grass covers some of the land, the grain huts are long gone, and quickly so is the road. We are no longer dodging potholes, we are driving in one big long one. The cell phone service that has surprisingly kept us company so much of the journey has also disappeared. In over a hundred miles, we pass but two tiny towns. This is what it means to be remote, where the land and sun are so unforgiving none can live, and this is where the bonds that tie a nation together begin to fray. The crowds that gathered about the car with rounded faces we saw in the morning have by afternoon given way to the thinner, lighter features of the Touareg. Those features are often hard to see, shrouded as they are by turbans that wrap around the face. By instinct, by life, by tradition, they are desert mountain people. Twice in the past two decades, they've risen up in armed rebellion against the government. Some joined Gadhafi's forces over the border in Libya. The government in Niamey worries Libya's war will create instability in Niger. Officials publicly say they fear Gadhafi's weapon stockpiles could be falling into al Qaeda's hands. Privately there's another fear, that the newly liberated guns could one day be turned on the government in another Touareg rebellion. But for now a Touareg rebellion seems the more distant possibility, because al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is exploiting the Arab spring and every crumb of opportunity that might fall unnoticed from the battlefield. Their drug-, gun- and people-smuggling routes through the sparsely populated land we are crossing are hungry for the sustenance turmoil can bring. The more confusion and chaos there is, the easier it is to keep their networks hidden. It is these last few miles to Agadez that worry us the most. Al Qaeda has kidnapped several foreigners in this remote region in the past few years. We don't want to be unlucky names added to the list. While our driver is holding up well, almost 12 hours at the wheel, our fuel light has been on for a while. We've been running on reserve. He stops to top up the tank from a solitary liter bottle of fuel we purchased earlier in the day. There have been no milestones for a while and the sun is edging down to the dirt of the desert. We're hoping Agadez will soon come into view. How far can a four-wheel-drive off-road truck go on a liter of gas? Then we see a red-topped stone marker come into view. It reads 30 kilometers, 20 or so miles, to go. And not a soul around. We're racing the sun, our dwindling fuel and our fears. Each bend in the road I hope will be our last. Can the red light on the fuel gauge be any brighter? Probably not; it's a trick of the fading light easily worked on tense, tired eyes. Then, as if by clockwork, almost exactly 12 hours after we left Niamey, Agadez slips into view - low, dusty, dilapidated, but a delight to see. Uniformed gendarmes and a man in orange overalls greet us at the checkpoint, lower the rope and wave, their job for the day almost done; there can be few more drivers behind us. The litter-strewn streets are cluttered with vendors packing up their shabby wares. Dust and smoke cloud the air, making it hard to see much of this town. With better light tomorrow we'll get a good look at this place where Gadhafi is rumored to have spent millions paving roads, putting up lights, even building a hospital. A few hours later as I settle in to my bed, I can only wonder at the irony. Gadhafi is out there somewhere on the run, and I'll be getting a good night's sleep in the Agadez hotel he built. | Niger's goverment worries Libya's war will destabilize the country .
Al Qaeda has kidnapped several foreigners outside Agadez in recent years .
Moammar Gadhafi is rumored to have spent millions on Niger's infrastructure . |
127,320 | 3092eb9ab2d4cd3d67fd80d455366cce64675f7b | (CNN) -- U.S. military aircraft and a Coast Guard cutter Saturday searched a large swath of sea for a catamaran and five American sailors that went missing between Guam and the Philippines. The 38-foot Pineapple was last seen January 6 in Guam harbor, officials said. The crew was making the 1,400 mile (2,250-km) journey to the island of Cebu to deliver the vessel, Coast Guard officials said. The crew is experienced and well-provisioned, but the craft has no long-range emergency communications equipment and faced challenging winds during part of the journey, officials said. The four unidentified men and one woman are friends and have taken sailing classes, said Coast Guard Lt. Gregg Maye, command center supervisor in Guam for search and rescue. "The experience level gave us confidence," Maye said of the crew. "The master has made voyages like this before," he said of the captain of the vessel, which has a white hull and white sails. U.S. forces are searching 60,000 square miles of the Philippine Sea, and the Philippine coast guard is searching its islands, Maye told CNN. Two Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft, a Navy P-3 Orion, a U.S. Navy H-60 Seahawk helicopter, an Air Force C-12 aircraft and the cutter Sequoia are leading the search effort. The Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia have allowed the United States to use their airfields, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The Pineapple's crew was expected to arrive at the central island of Cebu around January 16. "They were well-stocked," Maye said. "They took plenty of water and provisions." And people who have been on the sailboat said it was in good condition and seaworthy. Winds and currents were mostly favorable, but the 30-knot winds on part of the journey are troubling. "Rigging and sails can get fouled. That's why we are concerned," the lieutenant said. Officials don't believe the double-hulled vessel carried a satellite phone or distress radio beacon, Maye said. The crew has a hand-held radio with a range of a few miles. The captain apparently told someone the trip would take seven to 10 days, but it can take longer, Maye said. "We would have expected for them to make the journey in two weeks." On Tuesday, a relative contacted authorities, who began an investigation. And on Wednesday, the Coast Guard requested the use of the C-130s, which had to be flown from Hawaii, refueled and prepared for the aerial search, which began Saturday morning. One is being flown from Guam, the other from the island of Yap. The Coast Guard is using current and vessel drift models to determine the "optimal search area," Maye said. Broadcasts to commercial vessels have not yielded any sightings, the Coast Guard said. CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report. | The Pineapple left Guam on January 6 for the Philippines .
It is six days overdue .
Five Americans are on the vessel . |
71,277 | ca1271bd57aaf2391996daa120b1001294d38bff | By . Sophie Jane Evans For Mailonline . Seven people have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of three young brothers who were found safe in Lancashire this afternoon. Remus Matloch, 15, and his siblings Janko, 12, and David, 10, failed to return to their foster parents’ home in The Oakes, Sunderland, after going for a bike ride on Monday evening. Donning helmets, they cycled to nearby Mowbray Park, before continuing on to Park Lane Metro Station and boarding a Metro train to Newcastle. Scroll down for video . Found: Remus Matloch (far left), 15, and his siblings Janko (second left), 12, and David (right), 10, failed to return to their foster parents' home in The Oakes, Sunderland, after going for a bike ride on Monday evening . The boys were last seen on the Metro system heading from Sunderland to Newcastle on Monday afternoon . A Northumbria Police spokesman said: 'All three boys have been found safe and well in the Lancashire area.' The alarm was raised by their foster parents who were expecting them home at 8pm. When they failed to return, their foster parents began to search the local area and then called police at 9pm to report the three boys as missing. A spokesperson for Northumbria police said: 'As a result of enquiries, detectives from Northumbria investigating their disappearance discovered the location of the boys. They attended an address and found them safe and well at around 2.30pm today, Friday, August 15. 'Officers are looking after the boys and will be bringing them back to the north east later today. 'They were found inside a house in Accrington, in Lancashire.' Police have arrested seven people in connection with the investigation. Two men aged 47 and 22 and a woman aged 23 were arrested in Lancashire this afternoon. Two men were arrested on Thursday. Home: The boys left this private road, The Oaks, on bicycle at 5.20pm on Monday, said Northumbria Police . Northumbria Police said the boys are expected to be returned to their foster parents as soon as possible. Detectives from Northumbria travelled to London where they are questioning a 37-year-old man who has been arrested in the capital. A 41-year-old man was arrested in Newcastle and is also been questioned in connection with the investigation. IN addition, a 34-year-old man and 39-year-old woman have been detained in the West Midlands. Superintendent Alan Veitch, from Sunderland Area Command said: 'We are delighted that the three boys have been found safe and well. We are planning to reunite them with their foster parents as soon as we can. 'We will need to speak to the boys over the next few days to piece together the full circumstances of what has happened, but of course we are just so pleased for them and their foster parents that this has been brought to a safe conclusion and that we have got the boys back.' From Daljit Lally, executive director, wellbeing and community health services, Northumberland County Council: 'We are delighted to hear the children have been found safe and well. We’d like to express our gratitude to Northumbria Police for all their work over the past few days in finding the boys.' Northumbria police detectives found the three boys safe and well in Accrington, Lancashire, this afternoon . Supposed destination: The three brothers, who were taken into care 18 months ago, told their foster parents they were going on a bike ride to Mowbray Park (pictured) in Sunderland. But the trio failed to return by 8pm . The three brothers, who were taken into care 18 months ago, knew they were expected back at their foster parents’ home at 8pm when they set off on the bike ride at around 5.20pm. When they failed to return, their foster parents went out to look for them before calling the police. CCTV footage shows the boys entering Park Lane Metro station, around half a mile from their home, without their bikes and helmets. They were later spotted by cameras at Newcastle Central railway station - a 45 minute train journey away. Distance: Mowbray Park was only a short distance from the boys' foster home in The Oaks, Sunderland . On Tuesday, Northumbria Police said they were concerned for the welfare of the boys as they have not been answering their mobile phones and have never previously gone missing. Superintendent Alan Veitch said the brothers had been excited about an upcoming holiday this Friday and had very little money and no passports. He urged them to get in touch and assured them they were in no trouble and officers could pick them up from wherever they are to take them home safely. ‘We are increasingly concerned for the boys welfare and we are appealing for anyone who may have seen the youngsters travel on the Metro from Sunderland Park Lane [to] Newcastle Central Station,’ he said at the time. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Remus, Janko and David Matloch left their Sunderland home on Monday .
Told foster parents they were going on bike ride and would return by 8pm .
Failed to come back after cycling to park and continuing to Metro station .
Last seen on CCTV at Newcastle Central Station just after 6pm on Monday .
The boys were found safe and well in Accrington Lancashire this afternoon .
Seven people have so far been arrested as part of the investigation .
The boys are expected to be returned to their foster parents in Sunderland . |
197,884 | 8c22ba3f8dc86cfc516cb793e0251f160e663409 | Washington (CNN) -- Haitians being treated on a U.S. Navy hospital ship are requiring longer care than expected, forcing the U.S. and other international agencies to scramble for an alternative. The solution involves plans for a 3,000- to 5,000-bed temporary hospital on land, for continued care, because the ship is reaching its treatment limit, according to Gen. Douglas Fraser, the senior officer in charge of military operations in South America. The USNS Comfort, the Navy's hospital ship sent to assist in aid efforts, has performed more than 200 surgeries and treated more than 1,000 patients injured in the January 12 earthquake, and has been bolstering its medical staff to keep up with the demand. "It's used up the clinical capacity before we reach the bed-space capacity," Fraser, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, said at a Pentagon briefing Thursday. "The effort that we have ongoing right now for the discharge is looking to put together a facility where we have the ability to recover those patients -- and be able to provide them with that recovery space and time that they need," Fraser said. He said the initial effort would be to make a temporary facility on land the Haitian government has identified, with the facility consisting of tents and cots and whatever other resources can be scrounged together. Earlier this week the head of the U.S. military's aid relief in Haiti told reporters the military was assisting in getting together components of a large facility with 3,000 to 5,000 beds, to handle the health needs in Haiti. Lt. Gen. P.K. Keen said the U.S. military would provide medical equipment, but the United Nations is working with other aid organizations to staff it and contractors to build it. It's not clear where the hospital will be but military officials say it will be just outside of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Some patients discharged from the ship to continue care at home have no home to recover in, according to witnesses. Gen. Fraser said the U.S. government's joint task force in Haiti is working in a, "very concerted effort" to put the medical facility together. The U.S. Navy is also taking care of patients on three other ships -- the USS Carl Vinson, a aircraft carrier; the USS Nassau; and the USS Bataan. The ships are supporting efforts in other parts of the quake-ravaged country and are complete with operating rooms and dozens of hospital beds and medical personnel. "We'll look to see how we can improve this better. But it's an ongoing process because of the magnitude of the need, the difficulties as we're working through the infrastructure to meet the needs," Fraser said. Fraser, talking about the cost of the operation, said he had not been placed under any financial limits. "The focus is on meeting the needs of the Haitian people," he said. In response to criticism that there were still people who have not been able to receive food or aid, Fraser said he does not have an accurate number of how many or exactly where they might be. "We're still having to move around and find those pockets for food distribution, and so it's really a communication and a continuing effort to get out to every spot that there is in the country," he said. | U.S., aid agencies scramble for alternative because ship is nearing capacity .
Solution involves plans for a 3,000- to 5,000-bed temporary hospital on land .
USNS Comfort has performed more than 200 surgeries, treated more than 1,000 .
Officials say patients are requiring a longer stay time than expected . |
11,842 | 219784d1824bd3fa8b3321cf89a76ed31883f958 | Alan Pardew crossed his hands and looked to the heavens as a tearful Ryan Taylor – injured on his first league start in 32 months - made his way down the tunnel holding the same knee which has caused him two years of pain. The Newcastle boss will have to wait and see if his prayers are answered on that front. But at least the divine and devastating intervention of Moussa Sissoko ensured a fifth win on the spin in the Premier League, lifting them, albeit briefly, to fourth in the table. To give their ascent some context, the Magpies were in the relegation zone just five weeks ago. Pardew, though, admitted that the victory was marred by the injury to Taylor, who was making his St James’ Park comeback after successive cruciate-ligament injuries. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Alan Pardew poking fun at a reporter when the journalist's mobile rings during his press conference . Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko celebrates wildly after scoring the winning goal for Alan Pardew's side . Sissoko fires past Rob Green to give Newcastle their fifth straight win in the Premier League . The 25-year-old gets his shot away under pressure from Nedum Onuoha to open the scoring at St James' Park . Sissoko's strike was his first goal in the Premier League this season as Newcastle, breifly, climbed into the Champions League places . The midfielder (right) celebrates after finding the net after 78 minutes against QPR at St James' Park on Saturday . The France international gets a pat on the back from Newcastle manager Alan Pardew after opening the scoring . Newcastle's Ryan Taylor receives treatment before going off with an injury after making his first league start for almost three years . QPR midfielder Joey Barton and defender Richard Dunne console Taylor as he makes his way off the pitch in the first half . Newcastle: Krul 6, Janmaat 6.5, Williamson 6, Dummett 6, Haidara 6, R Taylor 7 (Gouffran 6.5, 33), Sissoko 8, Colback 6.5, Cabella 6 (Cisse 6, 68), Ameobi 7.5, Perez 6 (Armstrong 89) Subs not used: Elliot, Streete, Anita, Ferreyra, . Goals: Sissoko 78 . Bookings: Sissoko, Armstrong . QPR: Green 7.5, Onuoha 6, Caulker 6.5, Dunne 6, Suk-Young 6, Sandro 5.5 (Kranjcar 6, 60), Henry 6 (Hoilett 82), Barton 7, Fer 5.5, Austin 5.5, Zamora 5.5 . Subs not used: McCarthy, Traore, Phillips, Isla, Mutch . Bookings: Onuoha, Dunne, Zamora . Referee: Chris Foy . MOM: Sissoko . Att: 51,915 . ‘We’re sweating on Ryan,’ said Pardew, who revealed that Dr Richard Steadman, the renowned surgeon who operated on Taylor, was in the stands as a guest of the player. ‘Fortunately, his surgeon was here from America and he went to hospital with him for a scan. ‘So the win was tinged with sadness. Ryan is a person who does not deserve the trauma he’s had already, let alone another trauma. Fingers crossed he’s okay.’ Pardew added: ‘When you’re a manager you live through some of that pain and we've had many chats trying to keep his spirits up. ‘I don’t want to go down that line with him again. I want him to come in and say “it was a bit of a scare, I’m okay.”’ Sissoko’s brilliant winner came 12 minutes from time, forging his way into the penalty area before swapping passes with Sammy Ameobi and hooking beyond Rob Green, who had repelled all thrown at him to that point. The France international was skippering the side in the absence of Fabricio Coloccini and was the game’s stand-out player. ‘Moussa was the best player on the pitch by some distance,’ said Pardew. ‘We had a long discussion about the captaincy and I wanted to make sure it did not knock him out of kilt. Sometimes it can take your mind off the game. ‘But he grew with the armband. It was a wonderful goal.’ Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, saw his side remain bottom of the table after a sixth straight loss on the road. The Londoners were without pacey frontman Eduardo Vargas, and that, says the manager, cost them dear. Massadio Haidara goes flying after a strong challenge from QPR defender Onuoha as Newcastle win 1-0 . Mike Williamson (right) eases QPR striker Charlie Austin (centre) off the ball as he tries to burst through the Newcastle defence . Joey Barton (centre) crosses the ball as he returned to St James' Park for the first time since leaving Newcastle three years ago . Charlie Austin, who had netted six times in the Premier League prior to the match, unleashes a strike that flashes wide of Tim Krul's goal . Former Newcastle midfielder Barton applauds the St James' Park crowd as he heads down the tunnel after the match . MINS PLD KM MILES . Newcastle 109.6 68.1 . Daryl Janmaat 90 11.0 6.8 . Jack Colback 90 10.9 6.8 . Sammy Ameobi 90 10.6 6.6 . QPR 105.7 65.7 . Joey Barton 90 11.6 7.2 . Suk-Young Yun 90 10.2 6.4 . Bobby Zamora 90 10.1 6.3 . ‘When you play away from home you need pace on the break, and we’re not blessed with that,’ he said. ‘We missed Vargas, he’s done very well. He wanted to be with his wife who was having a baby, and that’s fair enough.’ Pardew’s side, though, had deserved the maximum return. It was Taylor who dictated the tempo from the centre of the park early on. One cleverly-crafted corner saw Remy Cabella locate Taylor lurking unmarked on the fringe of the area. He used one touch to cushion and the next to draw a palmed save from Green. Cabella – enjoying his first home start since September – was again the architect behind Taylor’s next chance – a measured curler from 20 yards – but again Green kept it goalless. Taylor then took aim with a free-kick from range – slamming it into the wall – before succumbing to injury. St James’ – like Pardew – looked to the sky in hope when the 30-year-old plonked himself on the turf and signalled to the bench that he had a problem. But the look on Taylor’s face told its own story and he received a standing ovation as he limped from the field. The second period did not come to life until just before the hour mark when Sissoko set off on a galloping run from deep inside his own half. Covering fully 50 yards unopposed, he slid Ayoze Perez through on goal but again it was Green who proved United’s nemesis. It was always going to take an individual effort to break the deadlock and that moment arrived courtesy of Sissoko. Home thoughts, however, very quickly turned to Taylor. Richard Dunne (centre) remonstrates with referee Chris Foy as a Newcastle player lays stricken on the ground . Goalscorer Sissoko stretches to reach the ball as it goes out of play as Dunne chases him down . Barton (far left) appeals as Sandro (far right) tussles with Haidara (second right) and Sammy Ameobi . QPR manager Harry Redknapp (right) barks instructions at his players from the touchline during his side's 1-0 defeat . Green (left) jumps to collect the ball under pressure as Ameobi bears down on the QPR goalkeeper . Newcastle's Jack Colback jumps with Bobby Zamora as the pair contest a header during the game at St James' Park . | Newcastle edged out opponents QPR in a close encounter at St James' Park on Saturday .
Moussa Sissoko scored with 12 minutes left on the clock to secure a fifth straight Premier League win .
Ryan Taylor, starting his first league game for almost three years, was forced off with injury after 33 minutes . |
151,373 | 4fb3fae17eb67eb0d1dfb7a3286a28ae842c63dc | South Bend, Indiana (CNN) -- The glow from the Golden Dome still is wonderfully blinding on bright days. Touchdown Jesus, the nickname of the skyscraper-sized mural on the side of the Hesburgh Library, continues to inspire with its version of Jesus stretching his arms high and wide as a football referee signaling for a touchdown. The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, where folks haven't stopped lighting candles for miracles. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart, which resembles something straight from the Vatican. The splendid lakes. The immaculate trees, with leaves that dance in the autumn wind while dressed in various October colors. For a guy born and raised a few punts away from all of this on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, I keep hearing a depressing question: Is Notre Dame football relevant anymore? The answer is yes, definitely yes. "Talent-wise, we're pretty much there, because players keep coming here to be great, and they know there is life after football when they choose to play for Notre Dame," said Adrian Jarrell, now a senior financial analyst, who had several gigantic catches as a wide receiver for the Fighting Irish during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Those were the last of Notre Dame's glory days. Thus the question of relevancy. "I live in Dallas, and I hear that question all the time," Jarrell said, chuckling, while many Irish eyes are crying. Here's why: With Notre Dame spending another season tumbling into obscurity, there are more than a few reasons to doubt its relevancy. For one, this 125-year-old football program that made dominance famous hasn't won a national championship since 1988, when that other Gipper was in the White House. The original Gipper was George Gipp, Notre Dame's icon of yore. Years after legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne satisfied the wishes of a dying Gipp by delivering his "Win one for the Gipper" speech before a Notre Dame game against Army during the 1920s, Gipp was portrayed in Hollywood by future U.S. President Ronald Reagan. That Gipper speech was about the last time Notre Dame won a bowl game worth mentioning. Actually, we're talking about 1993, when Jarrell helped Notre Dame beat Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. After that, the Irish dropped a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record nine-straight bowl games, spanning from the mighty Orange to the lowly Insight. They've won their last two bowl games, but nobody who participates in either the Sun Bowl or the Hawaii Bowl is considered a national power. They've had four coaches since College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lou Holtz resigned after the 1996 season. Three of those post-Holtz coaches were fired, and the fourth is Brian Kelly, whose team in his second year at Notre Dame had a disturbing 31-17 home loss last Saturday to archrival Southern Cal. It dropped Notre Dame's record to a sloppy 4-3. Of the 120 schools at the top of the NCAA's two-tier system, 119 of them have a better turnover margin than the Irish. Worse, Southern Cal players accused Notre Dame players and coaches of quitting during Saturday's game. Southern Cal coach Lane Kiffin apologized to Kelly for the remarks, and Kelly joined Notre Dame players in denying the charges. Then again, those things happen when the mighty has become the meek in the minds of many. "For anybody to say that Notre Dame can't win again is the most ridiculous, asinine comment I've ever heard, because they've got more going for them now than they've ever had before in the history of the school," said Holtz, 74, now a college football analyst for ESPN. He finished his 11 years at Notre Dame with a 100-30-2 record, featuring that 1988 national championship and three other seasons with one loss or less. Holtz's legacy at Notre Dame is even more astounding when you consider the following: Back then, Notre Dame officials didn't allow "red shirting," which gives players a chance to spend an extra year with a team while retaining their normal four years of eligibility. Holtz had several five-year players at Notre Dame, but that mostly was because they were exempt for medical reasons. Now, even though Notre Dame officials don't call it red shirting, they allow five-years players for a variety of reasons. There also is Notre Dame's change in recent years to allow freshmen to enter the university in January instead of September. It has expanded the Irish's recruiting possibilities. Then there is the acceptance of transfers. It was discouraged for academic reasons during the Holtz era, except in rare cases. Transfers happen slightly more frequently these days at Notre Dame. Plus, former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and his strength coaches often complained about players suffering huge weight losses near the end of seasons. Because of football and Notre Dame's fierce academic schedule, players weren't eating properly. Unlike other major programs, Notre Dame lacked a training table, which allows players to eat structured meals each day around class and practice times. Notre Dame finally got a training table during Weis' last year there in 2009, and since then, players have enjoyed meals at the Irish's state-of-the-art football complex that was built across 96,000 square feet in 2005. That was nearly a decade after Holtz's era. With its multiple fields, extensive weight-training area and huge locker rooms featuring the latest in technology, the so-called Guglielmino complex (nicknamed The Gug) is eye candy for recruits. In other words, those who keep saying the Irish can't recruit anymore aren't paying attention. They had more players (11) on preseason "watch lists" this year for major individual awards than any team outside of Alabama (12). Wide receiver Michael Floyd and linebacker Manti Te'o are among several Notre Dame players tagged as future high picks in the NFL draft. Speaking of the future, there were around 50 of the nation's top recruits at the Southern Cal game, and despite the Irish's ugly loss, the South Bend Tribune reported that most of the recruits said they were highly impressed with the Notre Dame atmosphere. "In the end, Brian Kelly will figure it out, just the same as Ara Parseghian did and every other coach before him," said Holtz, referring to Notre Dame's legacy that has produced 11 national championships and seven Heisman Trophy winners under the likes of Parseghian, Frank Leahy, Dan Devine, Rockne and, of course, Holtz. What Kelly must do to join them at Notre Dame is win, and he must do so for just shy of forever. That's all. | South Bend, Indiana, native Terence Moore: Players come to Notre Dame "to be great"
Irish remain relevant, despite lack of national championship for 23 years, he says .
Several Notre Dame players are speculated as future high picks in the NFL draft . |
35,144 | 63e0caa7e40926150feba17ecf4f7ba68ba859fa | Once a sleepy tropical paradise with little more than handful of ramshackle beach huts, the island of Boracay, in the Philippines' Malay Province, has emerged from the backpacker trail to become one of Asia's hottest holiday destinations. In 2012, Travel + Leisure honoured it with the title "World's Best Island." Although Boracay now hosts a wide range of resorts with even more under development, it's the combination of seemingly endless stretches of white sandy beach and clear azure water that keeps visitors coming back. The island packs more than a dozen beaches into a surface area of just over 10 square kilometers (3.9 square miles). Here's a selection of some of the best. White Beach . The beach that put Boracay on the map is a five-kilometer expanse of white powdery sand, much of which is in fact finely ground coral. White Beach is divided into three "stations" which date back to a quieter time when boats would glide through White Beach's shallow waters to deliver visitors to Boracay directly onto the sand before Cagban Jetty Port on the island's south east tip was built. Today White Beach is Boracay's most developed stretch of shore, lined with resorts, hotels, bars, restaurants and even a shopping mall. The most expensive resorts, such as Discovery Shores are at the far end of Station One on the northern end of the beach (which also boasts White Beach's finest sand, often painstakingly raked and manicured by resort staff). More budget-friendly establishments are to be found along Station Three with accommodation along Station Two falling in the mid-range bracket. Boracay is known for its spectacular sunsets. Due to White Beach's west-facing orientation, it's an ideal place to watch the sun sink into the ocean. After dark, White Beach has a lively party scene. Each month's festivities peak with full moon and black moon parties. Party destinations range from Epic, the beach's biggest club, on the edge of Stations One and Two, to nearby Aplaya Beach Bar, with its Mediterranean vibe. Then there's the debauched Cocomangas, where partygoers can binge drink for national pride -- those foolish enough to drink 15 different shots of alcohol get their name and nationality on a small plaque on the bar's wall. Many bars along the Station Two have live music, which is of the consistently high standard that has led to Filipino musicians finding work in hotel bars the world over. Bulabog Beach . The Island of Boracay resembles an eight-kilometer-long chicken drumstick that someone has taken a bite out of. With this in mind, Bulabog Beach lies on the eastern side of the long thin middle section of the island (the bone of the drumstick). Opposite White Beach, Bulabog Beach greets the rising sun. At the island's narrowest point, it's less than a 700-meter walk from its more glamorous and developed cousin and, at 2.5 kilometers, about half its length. From November to April, Bulabog Beach bears the brunt of a blustery northern monsoonal wind known as the amihan. While wind-blown fine sand and debris rule the beach out as a place to sunbathe during amihan, its choppy waters are ideal for watersports such as kite boarding and windsurfing. The beach is lined with kite boarding schools, small bars catering to the kitesurfing and windsurfing crowd along with accommodation for kite boarding students and budget conscious travelers who want to avoid the crowds of White Beach. Yapak Beach (Puka Shell Beach) More commonly referred to on the island as Puka Beach, this 800-meter-long stretch of glistening white sand on Boracay's northern tip is arguably Boracay's most beautiful beach. Its sand is coarser than White Beach's due the high content of small puka shells. Upon arrival by road, visitors are greeted by of stalls selling locally made shell jewelry and shell souvenirs. Yapak Beach has thus far escaped the rampant development seen on Boracay's main beach and its coconut-palm-lined shores give visitors a feeling of what the island was like when it was known only to a lucky few. Banyugan Beach . Technically the private beach of Shangri-La's Boracay Resort and Spa, this attractive 100-meter-long sheltered stretch of fine white sand to the west of Yapak Beach is framed by two high rocky outcrops and features comfortable sunbeds with large umbrellas and attentive waiters. Banyugan is accessible to non-guests, although it's advisable to make a reservation for one of the Shangri-La's bars or restaurants beforehand. Banyugan Beach is also a great snorkeling spot with large shoals of fish just offshore. Kayaks and TUSA brand snorkeling gear are available for hire. Mask and snorkel use is free to guests of the resort. Ilig Iligan Beach . This small secluded beach, also far from the crowds of White Beach, is located in the upper north eastern tip of the island around the corner from Yapak Beach and on the opposite side of the island to Banyugan Beach. More protected from northern winds than Bulabog Beach, with two small rocky islands just off its northern edge, amihan still represents the off season for Ilig Iligan Beach's two small resorts. During this time the beach is lined with colourful fishing boats under repair. The best time to visit is from May to October, when the monsoon winds shift to the southwest, the season known as habagad. Once the sea calms, Ilig Iligan Beach offers scenic snorkeling, but be warned: the beach has a strong current and is better suited to experienced swimmers. | White Beach, the most developed on Boracay, is the shoreline that put the island on the tourist map .
Being constantly raked and cared by resort staff, Station Three boasts the best sand on White Beach .
Yapak Beach has coarser sands but might be the most beautiful beach in Boracay . |
144,657 | 4713a9db032a7e93a10d45c50fd6d939f374d487 | The famous voices behind the characters Bart and Lisa Simpson, Chief Wiggum and son Ralph, bartender Moe and Apu from Kwik-E-Mart celebrated 25 years of the show at the Hollywood Bowl. The star-studded event called 'The Simpsons Take the Bowl' took place in California on Friday. It featured Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria, the voices behind The Simpsons characters along with a host of music, stars and flashbacks from TV's longest-running scripted show. Choir: The orchestra, led by conductor Thomas Wilkins in a Homer Simpson costume, performs at the legendary concert venue . Hollywood Bowl: The cast of The Simpsons perform at the Simpsons Take The Bowl, which took place at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California on Friday, September 12, 2014 . D' oh: This photo released by the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation shows The Simpsons art by Matt Groening . Several members of The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra wore tall blue Marge Simpson wigs and performed classic clips from the show's past 25 seasons played on big screens above them. The 26th season of The Simpsons begins on September 28. To celebrate, legendary alternative pop star Weird Al Yankovic sang 'Oh yeah, The Simpsons will go on, long after the human race is gone.' He also performed a little ditty about Homer and Marge to the tune of John Mellencamp's Jack and Diane. Other guests who appeared during the two-hour program included show creator Matt Groening, former Simpsons writer Conan O'Brien, comedian Jon Lovitz, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer. Zimmer, wearing a jacket covered with Bart faces, performed the music he composed for the Oscar-nominated short film The Longest Daycare, which shows how Maggie saves a butterfly from a classroom bully. Stars: Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Nancy Cartwright delighted the crowd with their performance . At least 60 members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles filled the stage for a soaring rendition of Spider Pig, the song Homer dedicated to his special pet pig in The Simpsons Movie. Then chorus members stripped off their robes to reveal sequined vests as they sang the Mr. Burns' song about wearing puppy fur, See My Vest, which culminated with a Rockettes-style kick line. Azaria embodied several of the Simpsons characters he brings to life with his voice, including Moe and Apu, Disco Stu, Professor Frink and Duff Man. While portraying the beer-boasting Duff Man, a group of women dressed as Duff cheerleaders came onstage and fired T-shirt cannons into the crowd. Funny man: Conan O'Brien performs The Monorail Song at the event where he was just one of many stars who celebrated TV's longest-running scripted show . Meanwhile, Lovitz offered a tribute to the late Phil Hartman, a Simpsons regular who voiced various characters on the show until his death in 1998. The entire Hollywood Bowl was Simpson-ified for the program, which continued on Saturday and Sunday night. Plastic doughnuts dangled above concertgoers' heads and life-sized cardboard cutouts of show characters were scattered throughout the venue. New Simpsons animations were created just for the concert, including a peek at the Simpson family arriving at the Hollywood Bowl and Homer trying to resist pushing the fireworks button. Another bit showed Maggie launching the fireworks, and with that, pyrotechnics exploded above the famous Bowl shell. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The program featured music from TV's longest-running scripted show .
Legendary Weird Al Yankovic sang 'Oh yeah, The Simpsons will go on, long after the human race is gone'
Conan O'Brien performed The Monorail Song at the event .
And several members of The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra wore tall blue Marge Simpson wigs .
The 26th season of The Simpsons will begin on September 28 . |
153,959 | 52fa7100b493d70ce329f98d11f209b58e573bf2 | Britain’s house price boom is showing no sign of slowing – after fresh figures released today revealed the cost of buying a house has increased 11.7 per cent over the past year. The average cost of a house in the UK hit a new high of £274,000 in August, as increases in London and the South East fuelled a nationwide jump in prices. In the capital property prices jumped by 19.6 per cent – with the average home now worth £514,000. Scroll down for video . London properties continue to pull away from the rest of the country, according to this morning's ONS figures . The average cost of a home in London is now almost twice as much as elsewhere in the country . The increasing cost of housing is making it increasingly difficult for first-time buyers to get their foot on the ladder. In August, prices paid by first-time buyers were 12.9 per cent higher on average than the same time last year. The average price for properties bought by first-time buyers increased was £210,000. England continued to see the largest house price growth across the UK – with properties going up in value by 12.2 per cent in the year to August. The cost of buying a home in Wales was up 4.7 per cent, while in Scotland prices jumped 6.7 per cent. Northern Ireland also enjoyed strong house price growth – with property values up 9.6 per cent over the year. England’s housing boom was driven by the capital – but also by East Anglia and the wider South East. In the areas around London prices jumped 12.3 per cent, while ‘the East’ region saw the cost of properties increase by 11.6 per cent. Excluding London and the South East, UK house prices increased by 7.8 per cent in the 12 months to August 2014. The North East has the lowest average house price at £154,000. London, the South East and the East all had prices higher than the UK average price of £274,000. Excluding London and the South East, the average house price across the country was £208,000. House prices are continuing to soar across the country - driven by runaway property costs in London and the South East . After a big drop in price rises during 2009 prices have carried on booming in the property market . Labour this morning raised concerns that soaring prices were making it increasingly leaving workers behind. Catherine McKinnell, Labour’s Shadow Treasury Minister, said: 'Total pay is rising at just 0.6 per cent. 'Working people whose real wages have fallen by £1,600 a year since 2010 face a further hit if the Tories win the election and cut tax credits again.' A rise in interest rates could be delayed until the middle of next year after inflation dropped to a five-year low. Cheaper travel, restaurants, books and gadgets like tablets and laptops meant the CPI rate of inflation was just 1.2 per cent in September, well below the Bank of England's target of 2 per cent, and the lowestr since September 2009. Low inflation removes any immediate pressure on the Bank to raise interest rates amid the continuing uncertain recovery in the wider economy. New figures from the Office for National Statistics show the CPI rate of inflation has fallen to just 1.2 per cent . The Office for National Statistics said the fall from 1.5 per cent in August had been sharper than expected. For the fifth month in a row food bills fell, down by 1.4 per cent year-on-year, the steepest drop since June 2002. It is the longest sustained period of flat or falling food prices since the end of 2004. Low inflation is good news for millions of families who have been struggling to cope with rising bills. Latest figures show that average wages are rising by 0.7 per cent year-on-year, so even with 1.2 per cent inflation incomes are being outstripped by rising prices. Prime Minister David Cameron said: 'It's good news that inflation remains low. Our long-term economic plan is delivering more financial security and stability for families. 'Today's inflation figures mean a big real-terms increase in the state pension next year - helping people who've worked hard all their lives.' The Bank of England targets inflation at 2 per cent but it has now been below this level for nine months in a row. With inflation falling, the Bank will be reluctant to put up interest rates amid fears it could stifle the recovery. Cheaper transport and computer prices and lower bills in restaurants were the biggest factors for the lower rate of inflation, the ONS said . Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: 'With oil and petrol prices falling, import costs dropping due to the exchange rate, supermarkets engulfed in price wars and wage growth at a record low, it's hard to see why inflation should do anything other than fall further in coming months,. 'This more benign inflation outlook should certainly take pressure off the Bank of England to raise rates, and could even add to calls for policy-makers to do more to shore up the recovery amid signs that growth could fade in coming months. 'While a few months ago, the likelihood was growing that the Bank might need to hike interest rates in late 2014 or early next year, the data are now stacking up to suggest a hike could be delayed at least until next summer, after the general election.' ING Bank economist James Knightley said: 'With inflation substantially below the Bank of England's 2 per cent target and the eurozone growth outlook appearing to deteriorate, there is little pressure to tighten monetary policy any time soon. 'This means our February prediction for the first rate hike may be a little early.' Soaring house prices have been hitting the headlines, but there are plenty of things you can do to try and reduce the cost of buying a home. The most significant is picking the right type of mortgage for you. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of options out there, so, as well as doing your own research, this is an occasion to search out expert opinion from a good mortgage broker. First, read Mail Online's award-winning money section This is Money's regularly updated What next for mortgage rates? This outlines the current state of the market and highlights the current best buy deals. Then also check the top mortgage deals on offer currently in our best buy mortgage tables, or click through by using our helpful table (right). You should now be armed with some knowledge about what is on offer and you can use our True cost mortgage calculator to compare how different deals stack up. You should also talk to a mortgage broker. There is no obligation to go through with their recommendation and so they may not end up actually arranging the mortgage for you, but they will be able to explain your options and help you to find the best deal. Go a broker who offers advice from the whole market. Avoid brokers who offer a restricted service based on products from a limited number of lenders, and don't just simply go to your bank - unless you get lucky, you will be unlikely to find the best deal this way . This is Money has a carefully chosen partnership with mortgage broker London and Country. We have picked them because they offer a good service, with no upfront fees. Find about more about London & Country's fee free mortgage advice here. Amy Andrew, This is Money . | Average cost of a house in the UK hit a new high of £274,000 in August .
London homes now worth £514,000 while in North East they cost £154,000 .
Excluding the capital and South East, UK house prices increased by 7.8% .
Fall in inflation means interest rate rise could be delayed until after May . |
69,609 | c55049eb5ab9954722ea3dca2e5baddbf967620f | The best photography is that which lets you see past what is being photographed to something else; something beyond the obvious, a feeling, a thought or a way of life so vivid you feel a part of it. If there was one photographer who became a master at this it was Edward Curtis, born in 1868, who began taking photographs in 1890 and dedicated much of his career to recording traditional American Indian customs. Curtis is known for expertly documenting the last of America's tribes from 1906 to 1930 in a mammoth collection called The North American Indian. Such was his expertise that powerful bankers J.P Morgan personally financed his work. Edward Curtis spent many years profiling tribesmen and women and their way of life in images such as this one of a Cheyenne male from 1908 . 'Bringing the Sweat lodge Willows', 1900, shows Piegan men on horseback triumphantly riding towards an encampment brandishing willows . Curtis produced over 40,000 negatives, 10,000 wax cylinder recordings of language and over 4,000 pages of anthropological text . During these years of work Curtis encountered almost every hardship imaginable to produce over 40,000 negatives, 10,000 wax cylinder recordings of language and music, over 4,000 pages of highly regarded anthropological text and a feature length film. From 1905 to 1909 Curtis documented Cheyenne Indians. The Cheyenne tribe historically lived on the Great Plains on what is now known as South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. One arresting image of a Cheyenne man entitled 'Cheyenne Type' from 1908 appears in soft focus with his hair braided staring into the lens. Another - 'Cheyenne Girl' - is a similarly close up and starkly intense portrait taken three years before, in 1905. One of his most famous images: 'An Oasis in the Bad Lands' taken in 1905 shows Red Hawk, a notorious warrior, letting his horse drink . Curtis is known for expertly documenting the last of America's tribes from 1906 to 1930 in a epic collection called The North American Indian . Curtis's most famous images is the sort-after 'An Oasis in the Bad Lands' from 1905. In it, a character called Red Hawk sits on horseback while his horse drinks from a small pool of water. Red Hawk was born in 1854 and a notorious warrior who fought in 20 battles, including the Custer fight in 1876. Water is a consistent feature in Curtis's work as he was drawn to its pictorial and metaphorical influence on a composition. Another striking photograph shows a Piegan man kneeling and holding a decorative medicine pipe in 1910. The Cheyenne tribe historically lived on the Great Plains on what is now known as South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. This image taken by Curtis in 1905 shows Little Wolf, a Cheyenne male, wearing plaits and feathers in his hair . A self photo of Edward Curtis, thought to have been taken in 1899. The acclaimed cameraman built his first camera aged 12 after saving $1.25 and using a copy of Wilson's Photographics - a popular manual at the time - as a point of reference. He started photographing local native Indians digging for clams and mussels during low tides and won plaudits at the National Photographic Convention in 1898 and 1899 . In the accompanying caption, Curtis wrote: 'Medicine-pipes, of which the Piegan have many, are simply long pipe-stems variously decorated with beads, paint, feathers, and fur. Each one is believed to have been obtained long ago in some supernatural manner, as recounted in a myth. 'The medicine-pipe is ordinarily concealed in a bundle of wrappings, which are removed only when the sacred object is to be employed in healing sickness, or when it is to be transferred from one custodian to another in exchange for property.' 'On a Sia housetop' taken in 1925 shows a indigenous woman sitting on the top of a house holding a patterned bowl in full jewellery . He didn't shy away from action shots either, as 'Bringing the Sweat lodge Willows - Piegan' shows. The shot depicts a group of young horsemen riding triumphantly towards an encampment with willows 'for the faster's sweat-lodge'. A picture of a man taken in 1923 show him wearing a tall headdress. Curtis captioned the image with some information: 'The head-dress is of the type common to the Klamath River tribes - a broad band of deerskin partially covered with a row of red scalps of woodpecker. 'The massive necklace of clam-shell beads indicates the wealth of the wearer, or of the friend from whom he borrowed it. He carries a ceremonial celt of black obsidian and a decorated bow.' A Piegan man kneels holding medicine pipe described by Curtis as 'long pipe-stems variously decorated with beads, paint, feathers, and fur' Water is a consistent feature in Curtis's work as he was drawn to its pictorial and metaphorical influence on a composition . Curtis was christened Edward Sheriff Curtis and born into abject poverty in Wisconsin in 1868 to parents Ellen and Johnson Curtis. After a few years the family moved to Cordova, a rural settlement in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, where Johnson Curtis worked as a preacher. Canoe trips to visit members of the congregation with his father gave Edward his first experiences of the great outdoors as a boy and their camping trips helped prepare him for research and life in the field. Edward took canoe trips and went camping with his father as a young boy which helped inform and prepare him for his work in the field . There were many different Native American canoe styles, and tribes could often easily recognize each other just by the profile of their canoes . The 'Indian was the remnant of a savage past away from which civilized men had struggled to grow,' wrote Roy Harvey Pearce in a book called Savagism and Civilization . Aged 12 he saved $1.25 and built a camera using a copy of Wilson's Photographics, a popular manual at the time. Reports say he apprenticed in a photo studio in Saint Paul from 1885 to 1886 before his family moved to the Puget Sound region of Washington State. Throughout the 1890s, during his twenties, Curtis's interest in photography sharpened. He started photographing local native Indians digging for clams and mussels during low tides and won plaudits at the National Photographic Convention in 1898 and 1899 for a series of three sepia, softly focused images of Native Americas entitled Evening on the Sound, The Clam Digger and The Mussel Gatherer. Images of the Nunivak tribeswomen wearing beaded hats: Curtis visited Alaska for scientific research and to photograph its people . Edward Curtis once wrote of himself: 'While primarily a photographer, I do not see or think photographically' The great photographer apprenticed in a photo studio in St Paul from 1885 to 1886 before his family moved to the Puget Sound region . It was then that his interest in Native peoples took off and Curtis immersed himself in the science behind beautiful portraits and scenic shots. He once wrote of himself: 'While primarily a photographer, I do not see or think photographically; hence the story of Indian life will not be told in microscopic detail, but rather will be presented as a broad and luminous picture.' Tolowa Dancing Head Dress, 1923: Klamath River tribesmen often wore headdresses and the necklace of clam shell beads denotes wealth . Cheyenne Girl 1905: An intense portrait of a girl from the Cheyenne tribe wearing earrings and a matching necklace . Curtis's photos show the Native Indians as historical features of an American landscape, supporting the view that they were viewed as a 'vanishing race' by many in the early 20th Century . Curtis's photos evolved to the status of ethnographic representations which were studied for critical analysis . A traditional longhouse photographed by Curtis, who died in 1952 in Los Angeles . Curtis released a movie, In the Land of the Head-Hunters, in 1914 depicting the 'primal life' of Northwest Coast Indians . Thousands of photographs lay forgotten in the basement of the Charles Lauriat Company, a rare book dealer in Boston, until their rediscovery in the 1970s, which marked the revival of interest in Curtis' haunting images of American Indians . Riverside settlement: Curtis was eager to record every aspect of the lives of the Native American Indians . Curtis opened his photographic studio in the early 1890s - the same time that many natives lost their land and their human rights . Fishing for the family: A young Indian is captured by Curtis perched atop a wooden structure built into the rocky outcrop on this river . From the 1890s the Native Indians were pictured as the tragic cultures of a vanishing race . Attempts to forcefully eradicate Indian culture and assimilate Indians into American society cemented the myth of the 'vanishing race' All the clothes were made by hand, and decorated with designs, beadwork, and other art, so no two people in the tribe had the same dress . Some longhouses could be up up to 200 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 20 feet high, sleeping up to around 60 in an entire clan . Deer, buffalo, fish, and various birds were the game of choice, with corn, beans, squash, berries, nuts, and melons also consumed . The North American Indian project produced by Curtis is described as one of the most significant and controversial representations of traditional American Indian culture ever produced . | Edward Curtis dedicated much of his life to profiling and documenting Native American tribes in beautiful portraits .
From 1906 to 1930 he compiled The North American India, a vast library of images showing life on the Great Plains .
He produced over 40,000 negatives, 10,000 recordings of language and music and over 4,000 pages of text . |
24,738 | 461d84c502451084e7e59a831046e60c7cea015f | We can assume that when Richard III was interred by the monks in the church of the Greyfriars, possibly with a few of Henry Tudor's henchmen present to see that it was done, it would not have been the burial a king of England could have expected. The confirmation that the remains found in Leicester are those of King Richard means that, at last, this can be put right and he can be laid to rest with the solemnity and dignity that is appropriate for an anointed king. Even more significantly, the finding and reinterment of Richard III's remains will, we hope, open up the debate about the king and his reputation. It would make such a difference if people would start to look into the history of this much maligned monarch without the old prejudices. Perhaps, then, they will see past the myth and innuendo that has blackened his name and find the truth. No one is going to suggest that he was a saint - I have said on many occasions that we are not the Richard III Adoration Society - but even a cursory reading of the known facts will show that the Tudor representation of Richard III, especially that in Shakespeare's well known play, just doesn't stand up. Read more: Richard III's story "stuff of legend" Shakespeare wrote a great play but even he must have been aware that he was twisting the facts in order to make it more dramatic. After all, he called it a "tragedy" not a "history." His Richard III is a villain and a superb villain at that, but Shakespeare was not writing history, no matter what the Duke of Marlborough might have thought. There are many instances where the portrayal just does not fit the historical record. For instance, in one of his three plays about Henry VI, Shakespeare has Richard of Gloucester, later Richard III, killing the Duke of Somerset at the first battle of St Albans. At the time of that fight, Richard Plantagenet wasn't Duke of Gloucester and, more cogently, he wasn't yet three years old! The Richard III Society was founded as the Fellowship of the White Boar almost 90 years ago. It was re-founded in 1956 and changed its name three years later, as a result of which, it took on a more missionary approach to its aims of securing a reassessment of the material relating to the life and times of this king. This was not new, of course, as reassessment had begun in the 17th century after the death of the last Tudor monarch and it has continued ever since. Over the centuries, the approach to Richard III's reputation has swung like a pendulum. If, as a result of the finding of Richard III and all the publicity it has engendered, people can be encouraged to read the facts for themselves, it will be a truly great event and all who have been involved in the project are to be congratulated. I have followed its progress from an early stage when Philippa Langley, a member of the Richard III Society whose idea it was, first came to me to ask if she thought it was viable and would the society be willing to back it. I have tried to encourage her at times when doors were being shut and when there were setbacks and together we appealed for money when there was a shortfall. It is a great testament to Philippa's tenacity and bloody-mindedness that the project has been so successful. Read more: Richard III: The king and the car park? Richard III was no saint but neither was he a criminal. All but one of the so-called crimes laid at his door can be refuted by the facts. The one that cannot is the disappearance of his nephews, the "Princes in the Tower" and the answer to that question is simply that no-one knows what happened to them. All that follows is conjecture - they just disappeared. Richard had no need to kill them; they had been declared bastards. Henry VII needed them out of the way, but he got so scared whenever a pretender appeared that it is likely that he knew they were alive at the time Richard died at Bosworth. Did they die in 1483 or 1485 or were they spirited out of the country to their aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Burgundy? We will probably never know. To return to the question of what will the finding of Richard III's remains mean? Let us hope it means more clear thinking, a wider debate, greater seeking of the truth and above all, may it set the record straight for Good King Richard! | Remains of a man matching Richard III's description were found in England last August .
Scientists say DNA tests show "beyond reasonable doubt" that the bones are the monarch's .
Supporters of Richard III hope the finding of his remains will open up debate about the king .
Dr. Phil Stone writes that the Tudor representation of Richard III "just doesn't stand up" |
30,546 | 56dd5736dc215a9333600f4f9bf42a03beb265ad | San Salvador, El Salvador (CNN) -- A third migrant survived a massacre that left 72 dead in a Mexican border state, and could play a key role in authorities' investigation of the crime, El Salvador's president said. "He is already in the United States and fortunately avoided being killed," President Mauricio Funes told reporters Sunday as the remains of 11 Salvadorans who were killed in last month's massacre were returned to their families in a somber ceremony. A man from Ecuador, Luis Freddy Lala Pomavilla, was originally thought to be the only survivor. Lala was wounded in the attack and told authorities he played dead to fool his captors, . Last week, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa revealed that a man from Honduras had also survived the attack. At the time, Mexican authorities said they had not revealed news of the second survivor in order to protect the person's safety. Mexican investigators have not released information about a third survivor. They are still in the process of identifying some of the remains of the 72 migrants killed. Officials have said the migrants hailed from Ecuador, El Salvador, Brazil, Honduras and Guatemala. Family members in El Salvador wept Sunday as a Mexican air force plane returned the remains of their loved ones in flag-covered caskets. Funes did not release the name of the third survivor Sunday. "His testimony could be the key to investigating the crime, but above all, identifying those who committed it," he said. Officials are investigating whether members of the Zetas drug cartel were responsible for the deaths. Funes said Saturday that authorities should not only imprison whoever executed the migrants, "but also those who could have planned it." In El Salvador, authorities have started an investigation to identify who were the Salvadorans' guides as they headed north through Mexico. In Ecuador, authorities detained a man they say was responsible for coordinating Lala's passage to Mexico. The growing reach of drug cartels has increased the risk for migrants crossing through Mexico to get to the United States, Mexico's National Commission for Human Rights said. An investigation by the commission showed that 9,758 migrants were abducted from September 2008 to February 2009, or about 1,600 per month. Journalist Merlin Delcid contributed to this report. | The third survivor, who is from El Salvador, is now in the United States .
Salvadoran president says his testimony could help authorities crack the case .
Authorities are still identifying the remains of the 72 migrants killed . |
135,231 | 3ae98461231273d6490cce509b655b5c82da799c | (CNN) -- Law enforcement officers in Arkansas on Wednesday night were conducting a manhunt for a pair of suspected robbers who they now believe are likely not fugitives from Arizona. Earlier Wednesday, a U.S. Marshals source said John McCluskey, who escaped from an Arizona prison late last month, and his alleged accomplice, Casslyn Welch, were possibly seen in Gentry, Arkansas, and might have been involved in the robbery of a beauty store. The descriptions of the store robbers and the fugitives "don't match," the Benton County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday night. Supervising Deputy Marshal Rich Tracy of the U.S. Marshals in Arizona said the agency was still trying to determine whether the pair are from Arizona. The suspects in the robbery of the beauty store got away on foot, the source said. Joyce Cook, the owner of Kut and Kurl, told CNN affiliate KNWA that she doesn't believe the robbers were the fugitives. "The guy kept telling me he was sorry but needed the money," said Cook, who had seen artist renderings of how McCluskey and Welch may now appear. "We're leaning toward more that it is not them [the fugitives] than it is," Benton County Sheriff's Office spokesman Doug Gay told CNN. He said Cook's description matches that of a man and woman seen walking on a road between Gentry and Siloam Springs, Arkansas later Wednesday. A passer-by thought it suspicious that a man was wearing a hoodie when it was 100 degrees. Regardless of their identity, Gay said, law enforcement agencies were working through the night to find the man and woman. "It's an aggressive pair willing to commit a violent crime in the middle of the day." The two fugitives on the run from Arizona have changed their appearance in recent days, according to the U.S. Marshals office. McCluskey is now believed to have black hair and a black beard, while Welch has dyed her hair blond, according to a bulletin from the marshals' office Wednesday. New photo composites are being prepared to help in the search, it said. Welch's mother lives in Arkansas, said Thomas Henman, supervisory deputy U.S. Marshal in Arizona. The fugitives are first cousins and in a relationship. "Both of these individuals have been extremely unpredictable," said Henman. "They are contacting the public as little as possible." Earlier Wednesday, marshals said the search for the couple was focused on western Montana and southwest Canada. Officers at the Montana ports of entry, border patrol agents and their air and marine division were participating in the investigation in cooperation with other federal, state, local, tribal and Canadian authorities, said Mike Milne, spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol division that handles Montana. The border patrol has stepped up its efforts, and authorities are scrutinizing ports of entry to identify any convicts attempting to leave the United State to enter Canada, Milne said. In addition, Interpol, the world's largest international police organization, which facilitates cross-border police cooperation, is getting involved. At the request of the United States, Interpol has issued an international alert known as an "orange notice" for McCluskey and Welch. An Interpol orange notice can be issued by its general secretariat for any act or event that poses a risk to public safety and security around the world, a news release from Interpol said Wednesday. "The information included in the Interpol alert which has been sent to police around the world will significantly increase the chances that these two dangerous fugitives will be located and captured. Members of the public are urged not to approach them, but instead to immediately report any sightings to their local police," Interpol's executive director of police services, Jean-Michel Louboutin, said in a statement. McCluskey and Welch left the Yellowstone National Park area last week, where they initially were hiding after McCluskey and two other men escaped July 30 from an Arizona prison, according to Fidencio Rivera, chief deputy U.S. Marshal for Arizona. The other two men have since been captured. CNN's Melanie Whitley, Phil Gast and Sara Pratley contributed to this report . | NEW: Pair of robbers in Arkansas are likely not Arizona fugitives, local officials say .
NEW: Shop owner in Arkansas says robbers don't fit description .
Arizona fugitives "extremely unpredictable" in movements, Marshals Service says .
McCluskey may now have black hair, beard; Welch may be blond . |
130,735 | 35150ba5c11c5694b5caead4a155260eb65ef145 | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . Last updated at 10:28 PM on 3rd December 2011 . Sweet: Police will hand out sticks of rock in a bid to quieten rowdy revellers . Police have bought 10,000 sweets to hand out to students to remind them to be quiet when they come home from a night out. Officers will hand the rock sweets, which bear the messages ‘Quiet Please’ and ‘Shush’, to drinkers in Durham. These will be reserved for busy nights in the city and handed out when officers feel revellers need a reminder to keep the noise down as they make their way home. The idea follows complaints about rowdy students in residential areas. Launched as part of the ongoing Safe City campaign, funding for the initiative came from a number of organisations including Durham County Council, the city's PubWatch scheme, Durham University and Teikyo University of Japan in Durham. Inspector Paul Anderson of Durham Police said: ‘The idea of handing out sweets or lollipops at the end of the night has been done in other areas, but we think Durham is the first to include a message aimed at those who might otherwise make a racket. ‘Late-night noise is a genuine issue for a number of our residents and we hope that this initiative will make a difference. 'It also provides another way for our officers to engage with students and other revellers when they are out on the town.' Freebies: Police will hand out the sweets on busy nights in the city centre in Durham, pictured to help keep noise down . Funding for the sweets came from Durham County Council, the city’s Pub Watch scheme and Durham University. Inspector Paul Anderson said: 'The . idea of handing out sweets or lollipops at the end of a night has been . done in other areas, but we think Durham is the first to include a . message aimed at those who might otherwise make a racket. 'Late-night noise is a genuine issue for a number of our residents and we hope this initiative will make a difference. 'The principal 'candy cops' will be university liaison officers, PCSOs Phil Raine and Paul Coburn, supported by members of the local neighbourhood policing team. Safe City was launched in October by the police and other agencies, including the Safe Durham Partnership, PubWatch, ShopWatch and Durham County Council. It is an ongoing campaign to make Durham the safest city in the UK, with success to be measured by crime rates, incidents of anti-social behaviour and public confidence surveys. | Officers will hand out the rock sweets, which bear the messages ‘Quiet Please’ and ‘Shush’ to drinkers . |
75,916 | d744d2fab574fe02960bc26997c9a80b12082397 | By . Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 19:03 EST, 24 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:46 EST, 25 October 2013 . Nick Clegg at Westminster School in 1984. He has called for all teachers who work full-time in free schools to have teaching certificates . Nick Clegg was mocked yesterday after it emerged that none of his own teachers would be allowed to teach in free schools under rules he wants to introduce. The Deputy Prime Minister attended the prestigious Westminster School where, in common with other private schools, teachers are not required to hold teaching qualifications. Yet Mr Clegg wants all teachers who work full-time in free schools to have teaching certificates, even if they have years of experience. Yesterday he was confronted over how . none of the teachers who propelled him to Cambridge and into a . high-flying career would have been able to teach at a free school under . his rules. Mr . Clegg also provoked controversy by insisting that there should be . different rules for independent schools because parents paid the fees . and took ‘their chances’. Westminster currently charges £32,000 . annually. LBC . Radio host Nick Ferrari asked Mr Clegg if he remembered his English . teacher Jim Cogan – ‘a former Royal Marine who didn’t have the relevant . piece of paper’. ‘I understand you were very close to him,’ Mr Ferrari said. Mr . Clegg was asked about David Cook, who studied history and was in charge . of tuition to get pupils into Oxford and Cambridge, but also ‘didn’t . have the piece of paper’. His classics teacher Theo Zinn was also technically unqualified. Mr Clegg said he remembered all of them, including Mr Cogan who ‘sadly died some years ago’. The Deputy Prime Minister attended the prestigious Westminster School where, in common with other private schools, teachers are not required to hold teaching qualifications . He . added: ‘I’m amazed at anyone thinking it is a controversial statement . to say that across 23,000 state-funded schools we should have some basic . quality standards which provide a guarantee if you like, a reassurance . to parents in the years to come.’ But one Coalition MP, who did not want to be named, said Mr Clegg was adopting a ‘condescending’ tone. Education Secretary Michael Gove believes headmasters at free schools and academies should have the same rights as those in private schools to hire untrained teachers if they are the best candidates . ‘He seems to be suggesting that parents who send their kids to state schools need help in discerning between good and bad teachers, while those who send their kids private already know that so don’t need the guarantee,’ the MP said. Mr Clegg has triggered a row with the Conservatives over the more relaxed rules for free schools. Education Secretary Michael Gove believes headmasters at free schools and academies should have the same rights as those in private schools to hire untrained teachers if they are the best candidates. Mr Clegg said: ‘Freedom does not mean anarchy. There’s laws that they have to abide by. Just because you’ve got qualified teacher status doesn’t mean you’re the greatest teacher ever. But it provides a certain basic quality standard.’ Asked whether his own intervention had caused a ‘Coalition crisis’, he told LBC: ‘I’m perfectly entitled to talk without being shouted down about my vision of the future of the schools system.’ Labour education spokesman Tristram Hunt said: ‘Labour has been very clear: All teachers must be qualified. So next week we will call a vote in Parliament to make sure teachers in our classrooms have the proper qualifications. ‘For Nick Clegg it’s always “believe what I say, not what I do”. Time and again his actions have shown that the Lib Dems cannot be trusted. So let’s see where he stands when we put him on the spot in Parliament next week.’ THEODORE ZINN: Fluent in Ancient Greek, Latin and Russian, the classicist could reel off vast tracts of Homer and Horace and would choose books he liked over what was required for the A-level curriculum. His impressive physical presence matched his theatrical teaching style – when he struggled to get a class under control he would often burst into tears, shocking his pupils into silence. He has written several books to help pupils pass exams in Latin. JAMES ‘JIM’ COGAN: The English teacher and former deputy head of Westminster School was loved for his humorous approach to lessons which were filled with passionate debate. Former pupils say he inspired them with his fondness for Shakespeare and knew poetry off by heart. As a young man he served in Nigeria with the West African Frontier Force then read Greats at Corpus Christi, Oxford, before changing to English. He taught English at Westminster for 35 years until 1999. He died aged 70 in 2007. DAVID COOK: The history teacher was responsible for getting pupils into Oxford and Cambridge. He studied history at King’s College, London, and Lincoln College, Oxford, but had no official teaching qualification. He became housemaster, head of sport and head of history. Mr Cook also went on to set up international branches of Britain’s top independent schools including Wellington College and Repton. TRISTRAM JONES-PARRY: A ‘terrifying but brilliant’ maths teacher who went on to be headmaster at Westminster after Mr Clegg had left. Former pupils described how he actually explained how maths worked rather than simply drilling formulae into them. He retired at 58 and was prepared to offer his services to state schools – but was banned because he lacked the necessary teaching qualification. RICHARD STOKES: The German teacher worked at Bedales before going on to teach at Westminster for 30 years. Last year he was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for ‘great service rendered to British-German relations’. DAVID HEPBURNE-SCOTT: Known as the best physics teacher in the school, he could make pupils laugh by comparing thermodynamics theory with the making of a crème brulee. He was also a housemaster. | The Deputy Prime Minister attended the prestigious Westminster School .
teachers there are not required to hold teaching qualifications.
Clegg wants all free school teachers working full-time to have certificates . |
94,165 | 050918093daad980e5206cea64ca4df3bae9b752 | By . Neil Sears . PUBLISHED: . 19:18 EST, 27 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:18 EST, 27 February 2013 . Fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood has called Jemima Khan ‘irresponsible’ and a ‘blind feminist’ for denouncing Wikileaks rape suspect Julian Assange. She criticised Miss Khan’s decision to condemn Assange earlier this month for his refusal to face allegations of rape and sexual assault in Sweden. Assange, 41, skipped bail when facing extradition to Stockholm. He has been holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since June, facing instant arrest if he steps outside. Dame Vivienne Westwood, pictured left, has accused Jemima Khan, pictured right, of 'blind feminism' for saying Wikileaks founder Julian Assange should go to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations . He denies committing the sex attacks, and says he fears that, if extradited, he will be moved to America where he faces years in jail for publishing top secret US diplomatic communiques on the internet. Miss Khan, 39, lost the £20,000 she had provided as a surety for him to the UK courts when he jumped bail. She now believes he needs to go to Sweden and fight the allegations. Dame Vivienne has criticised Miss Khan for turning on the Wikileaks founder, less than 18 months after the pair were guests at Assange’s 40th birthday party. Writing on her blog, she said: ‘I believe that misapplied feminism is holding Julian in legal limbo, women living in the privileged world who blindly support feminism, not seeing the wood for the trees. ‘The word “rape” has been mentioned though there are no facts to support the allegation. ‘Women want this cleared up. “I wish he would go to Sweden to answer the claims” they say. Holed up: Jemima Khan lost the £20,000 she provided to the UK courts as a surety for Julian Assange when the Wikileaks founder, pictured at the Ecuadorian Embassy, skipped bail when facing extradition to Stockholm . ‘Do they really want our hero to satisfy their wish and vindicate himself by spending the rest of his life in a US Supermax jail? ‘Julian is in danger because through Wikileaks he exposed the killings our authorities cover up in wars which cause death and rape. ‘So I was sad and puzzled when my friend Jemima Khan joined the ranks of these irresponsible women. I phoned Jemima. I hope she will change her mind.’ The designer’s suggestion that sexual assault allegations are worthless without additional evidence has angered campaigners. Last night a spokesman for the Women’s Aid charity, which works to end domestic violence, criticised her assertion that there were no ‘facts’ to support the case. She said: ‘Her comments are thoughtless and ill-advised. They don’t help the feminist cause and certainly don’t help victims of rape. ‘We’re not talking about someone making a spurious claim, we’re talking about women who have made a complaint to the police. ‘We shouldn’t be giving credence to the suggestion that there needs to be more evidence than a woman’s claim she was raped. ‘Most people think Jemima Khan has done a noble thing saying “enough is enough”. ‘I thought Vivienne Westwood was the archetypal feminist, I’m not sure what’s changed in her life.’ | Wikileaks founder Julian Assange accused of sexual assault in Sweden .
Assange, 41, skipped bail when facing extradition to Stockholm .
Miss Khan lost the £20k she provided as a surety for him to the UK courts .
She then condemned Assange for his refusal to face the allegations .
Dame Vivienne Westwood said Miss Khan's actions were 'irresponsible' |
149,178 | 4ce600aa7135c812beb2449a23395b4cdb350904 | (CNN) -- Neighbors had been complaining for a while about the dreadful smell coming from William Buchman's house in Santa Ana, California. "The stench is overwhelming," said Forest Long, Jr., who lives nearby in the Orange County city. Long said friends were becoming reluctant to visit because of the nasty odor in the area. "It smells like something's dead," he told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS. The neighbors' complaints prompted an investigation by the Department of Animal Services. And when authorities raided Buchman's two-story house Wednesday, they discovered the cause of the putrid odor. Vast numbers of snakes -- some alive, most of them dead and decaying. In some cases, only the skins remained. Mice and rats were also in abundance. Acting on a search warrant, police and animal services officers wearing protective suits and masks searched the house, finding dirty rooms full of stacks of plastic bins containing pythons. Police said "several hundred snakes" were believed to be in Buchman's home. In just one room, they found more than 50 dead pythons and seven live ones, KCAL/KCBS reported. "They're very cold and it appears that most of them haven't eaten in quite a while," Animal Services Cpl. Sondra Berg told the local broadcaster. "There's various stages of dying and dead and underweight." Police said Buchman, a 53-year-old teacher, has been arrested and booked on suspicion of animal cruelty. He has not yet appeared in court or been formally charged. CNN has not been able to determine whether Buchman has legal counsel, and has not yet been able to contact anyone representing him for comment. It wasn't immediately clear why he had kept so many snakes in his house. 850 snakes part of New York man's home business, authorities say . Snake shows up in Starbucks bathroom . 40 pythons seized from Ontario motel room . CNN's Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report. | Neighbors had long complained about the smell coming from a house .
Authorities find "several hundred snakes" in the home in Orange County .
Some of them are alive, but most of them and dead and decaying .
Police take a 53-year-old man into custody on suspicion of animal cruelty . |
31,871 | 5ab483b6ffd163280933ae242af279e5c3b75fc9 | The first life on Earth may have emerged in polar seas and originated from underwater 'icicles of death', according to a new report. A team of scientists suggest that rather than life beginning in warm oceans, life may have been made possible by sea ice. They argue that the formation of brinicles, which are also known as sea stalactites, may have produced the conditions necessary for first life. Scroll down for video . Life on Earth may have originated in polar seas through the formation of brinicles, pictured . The existence of brinicles was discovered in the 1960s and were not filmed until 2011 when their formation in the Antarctic Ocean was captured by the BBC's Frozen Planet team . Brinicles grow downwards in polar seas when impurities such as salt water are forced from the ice as it freezes. Scientists only discovered the existence of the sea stalactites in the 1960s and they only filmed for the first time in 2011 in a BBC documentary. Writing in the American Chemical Society journal, the scientists say brinicles may also have fostered conditions suitable for life on other planets and moons, including Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Callisto. The report 'Brinicles As A Case Of Inverse Chemical Gardens' states: 'Beyond Earth, the brinicle formation mechanism may be important in the context of planets and moons with ice-covered oceans', according to the research. Sea stalactites are formed when sinking brine is so cold it causes the seawater to freeze around it. BBC film crews recorded the natural phenomenon for the first time in the Antarctica. In the footage, featured in the BBC One programme Frozen Plant, when the stalactite hits the seabed, a web of ice spreads killing sea urchins and starfish. The so-called 'icicles of death' are formed when brine sinks from ice and freezes . It was captured using timelapse technology but camera crews said it grew so quickly it could be seen moving before their eyes. Brine falls to the seabed because it is more dense than seawater. When the seawater freezes as it comes into contact with the brinicle it is a lot more spongelike than normal ice. In the report, scientists say the effect of brinicles can be compared to a 'chemical garden'. The experiment, often performed in classrooms, results in plant growth within minutes or hours of adding solid metal salts to an aqueous solution of sodium silicate. Bruno Escribano and colleagues write that the purifying effect of the process of salt rejection from sea ice supports theories 'for a cold origin of life on our planet or elsewhere in the universe'. They write: 'The origin of life is often proposed to have occurred in a hot environment, like the one found in hydrothermal vents. 'But there is a different school of thought that presents sea ice as a promoter of the emergence of the first life. 'Brine rejection in sea ice produces all the conditions that are considered necessary for life to appear. 'As brinicles play an important role in the dynamics of brine transport through sea ice, they might also play a role in this scenario of a cold origin of life, just as hydrothermal vents do in the hot environment theories, and in both instances chemical garden processes are fundamental.' If the conditions are right, a brinicle can reach the sea bed and trap and freeze any creatures below . The existence of brinicles has only been known about since the 1960s and were not filmed until the BBC's Frozen Planet team captured them on camera in 2011. The brinicle, or sea stalactite, is formed from sea ice when brine is ejected from the freezing salt water. The hollow pipe is filled with cold, supersaline water and at first is fragile before the ice thickens and the brinicle becomes more stable. Brinicles can grow for several feet and reach to the seabed where it freezes and traps and kills creatures like sea urchins or starfish. Sea ice is porous and spongelike, as it needs to force out impurities, such as brine. As the salt is rejected, the surrounding water becomes more saline and this lowers its freezing temperatures and increases its density. Therefore, the water does not freeze to ice immediately and its higher density means it sinks, creating so-called brine channels. The colder saline water creates more ice as it reaches unfrozen seawater and grows downward. The outer edges begin to accumulate a layer of ice and a brinicle is formed. | Team of scientists believe first life may have originates in sea ice .
Process of brinicle formation may have created conditions necessary for life .
Brinicles formed by brine forced from sea ice that sinks to the sea bed . |
99,766 | 0c8af91ed7fa25f5ca38e6f723f718861e6c9576 | By . Nina Golgowski and Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 23:01 EST, 21 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 22 November 2012 . Disturbing: Frederick Hengl, 68, is accused of killing, dismembering and cooking his wife, Anna Faris, at their California home . A 68-year-old California man accused of killing and dismembering his wife was cooking her flesh and bones at the time police officers came to arrest him, according to officials. Police said they responded to neighbors' complaints about a foul odor coming from the home of Frederick Hengl and his wife, 73-year-old Anna Faris, in Oceanside on Friday. An officer who entered the home through a window said he saw on the stove three pans containing what later turned out to be the remains of the elderly woman. Her severed head was discovered in the freezer. Deputy District Attorney Katherine Flaherty said there is no evidence of cannibalism at this time, Fox 8 San Diego reported.. Hengl pleaded not guilty to a slew of . charges on Wednesday, among them first-degree murder, willful cruelty . to an elder and committing an unlawful act with human remains. He faces . 25 years to life in prison if convicted. At around 11.10am last Friday, . officers responded to a report of an unbearable smell coming from . Hengl's home in the 400 block of North Ditmar street. Since no one was home at the time, . they climbed through the window and observed what appeared to be meat . cooking in several pans on the stove. Scroll down for video . Grisly find: The dismembered body of a 74-year-old woman was found in this Oceanside, California home on Friday morning with the woman's husband arrested on suspicion of murder . Unusual couple: Neighbours of the couple say they were extremely strange with the victim frequently seen with her pants down on the street while holding a knife and her husband seen cross dressing . Police found the 68-year-old man, . described by neighbors as a notorious cross-dresser, at a nearby bar and . after interviewing him realized that Hengl was in the process of . dismembering his wife's body, according to law enforcement officials. Flaherty said officers opened the . freezer to discover Faris' head severed at the top of the cervical . vertebrae wrapped in a bag. A meat grinder was 'in use' nearby. When they entered the bathroom, . investigators found a work bench with a saw and boning knife, along with . other cutting instruments. They also came across a plastic bag filled . with chunks of freshly cut bone. Prosecutors believe Hengl killed his . wife on or between the dates of November 1 and 16. Neighbors told . reporters that they had not seen the woman in about a month and had . heard the sounds of a power saw from the couple’s two-bedroom bungalow . style home about two weeks ago. Several neighbors said Faris had been . behaving strangely since last spring, walking around with pants around . her ankles, rarely bathing, carrying a butcher knife and telling . strangers things like 'God will smite you.' Gruesome sight: Entering the home police wearing masks discovered what remained of Mrs Hengl whom they said had been dead for at least one day . Tipped off: Next-door neighbour Erick Chavez, 21, said he alerted authorities after a horrible smell poured from the home for the last week and a half . ‘My neighbor was just telling me . she'd chase her down the street with a knife or she'd have her clothes . off, pants down; you could tell she was a little bit out of it,’ neighbor Brett Lord told 10News. 'She'd . stand there, feed the birds, talk to folks walking by and her pants . would fall. She didn't seem to notice, ever,' neighbor Jerry Parnell . told 10News. Her husband, however, also has gained notoriety around town for dressing up in women's clothing and wearing makeup. In one instance a neighbor described . seeing him wearing a floor-length purple dress coupled with a long . pearl necklace and earrings. In his hand he held a purse, reports UT San Diego. ‘He would cross-dress and you almost couldn't recognize the guy,’ Mr Parnell said. Police . say there are no previous reports of domestic violence from the home . though neighbours said they had made calls on Mrs Hengl in the past. 'About a week and a half ago, I noticed a pretty gross smell,' next-door neighbor Erick Chavez, 21, told NBC San Diego. By Friday morning, it had grown absolutely unbearable he said, prompting him to report it. Entering the home police discovered what remained of Faris whom they said had been dead for at least one day. Arrested . outside a downtown bar was her 68-year-old husband with police . questioning neighbors on possible power tools or heavy machinery heard . coming from the home as of late. 'I just thought somebody was working in their garage,' neighbor Nancy Wells, one of several who confirmed such sounds told CBS8. In addition to the loud sounds, Mr Chavez said Hengl had shown a particular attachment to his trash cans as of late. Odd behaviour: Mr Chavez said that in addition to hearing power tools as of late, the victim's husband Frederick Hengl was seen frequently carrying his trash cans to and from the house, the backyard seen . 'The . man was taking his trash cans back and forth,' Mr Chavez told News10. 'He’s been going around the block, up and around, taking pieces of her . and putting them in the trash; going around the block? I don't know,' he . guessed. The 68-year-old suspect remains . jailed on $5million bail. On Wednesday, he appeared frail in court, and . his lawyer requested he see jail medical staff for a heart condition, according to UT San Diego. Watch the video here: . | Frederick Hengl, 68, faces first degree murder charges in his wife's grisly murder .
Police found flesh and bones belonging to his wife, Anna Faris, simmering inside three pans .
Work bench with bone saw and other cutting tools was set up in a bathroom .
Officers found a bag filled with freshly cut bone pieces and a meat grinder 'in use'
Neighbours reported hearing power tools and horrible smell pouring from house over last week and a half .
Victim Anna Maria Faris described as frequently running around neighbourhood holding a knife and with her pants down . |
10,303 | 1d400e7242d8570c79f9f34c392ce02e217e01b8 | By . Andy Dolan . PUBLISHED: . 17:02 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:23 EST, 27 December 2013 . An inmate walked out of a notorious open prison dubbed ‘Holiday Bay’ because he wanted to avoid the ‘temptation of illegal drugs’, a court heard. Graeme Shepherd, 41, browsed in a village post office and strolled around the village of Hollesley for three hours before being arrested in the grounds of a church. His barrister told a court he had taken ‘positive action’ to escape Hollesley Bay prison in the hope of being sent back to a closed jail, after an earlier formal request for a transfer had been turned down by the open jail. Graeme Shepherd fled Hollesley Bay jail (pictured) as he claimed he wanted to avoid the 'temptation of illegal drugs' Alan Wheetman, defending, said the request to be moved from the category D jail at Hollesley, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, was refused because Shepherd had refused to name prisoners involved in the supply of drugs. Mr Wheetman told Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday: ‘He realised that in order to get away from Hollesley Bay he would have to take some positive action. 'He realised that anyone who escaped would be transferred back to closed conditions. ‘He has found it difficult in an open prison because of the temptation of illegal drugs. He says there is an awful lot of drugs in Hollesley Bay.’ Lee Chapman (pictured) previously claimed drugs were readily available at the prison as well as mobile phones . Mr Wheetman said Shepherd had been free of drugs since 2009 and had undergone regular voluntary testing in prison. Prosecutor Hugh Vass said Shepherd was found missing by a prison officer carrying out a morning roll call on December 11. Shepherd, who is serving an indefinite sentence for robbery, was located in the grounds of All Saints Church, Hollesley, by a policeman later that day. Mr Vass said: ‘He said he didn’t want to go back to drug taking and had done it for his own safety.’ Shepherd admitted escaping from lawful custody on December 11 and was ordered to serve an additional four months on top of his original sentence by Judge Rupert Overbury. Hollesley Bay prison has long been nicknamed Holiday Bay because of its relaxed atmosphere and sea views. A serving prisoner claimed in November last year that drugs and phones were easily available at the prison and that women had stayed overnight at the jail. The claims were made at Ipswich Crown Court by a barrister representing Lee Chapman, 34, before the defendant was sentenced for carrying out six burglaries while on the run from the jail - where he was serving a life sentence for arson with intent to endanger life, and burglary. Prison bosses strenuously denied the claim that women were permitted to sleep at the jail and said the possession of drugs or phones by inmates was treated as a criminal offence. Another inmate William Barlow, 30, who also went on the run because he did not like the jail’s ‘lax attitude’ to drugs was jailed for four weeks last October. Ipswich Crown Court heard how the defendant wanted to escape the jail as he is trying not to take illegal drugs . Ipswich Crown Court head how former drug user Barlow hoped to get caught and transferred to another prison even though he only had two weeks left to serve of a three and a half year sentence for burglary. He claimed he had to get away because other inmates were putting pressure on him to bring Class A drugs into the jail. In October, bank raider Kevin Smith, 29, went on the run from the prison just ten days after he had arrived. He had been transferred to the jail just two months into a five year term for conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle. | Graeme Shepherd claims to have fled Hollesley Bay to avoid illegal drugs .
The 41-year-old wanted to be transferred to a closed prison a court heard .
The jail is dubbed Holiday Bay by offenders who claim drugs are available . |
19,447 | 37272b2cd420f96af2daa0a322d77c12175e3e39 | By . Ian Drury . Last updated at 1:55 AM on 24th September 2011 . It was one of the most audacious plans of the Second World War. A crack SAS team was ordered on a death-or-glory mission to kill or capture one of the Nazis’ finest commanders at a French chateau in 1944. Snatching Field Marshal Erwin Rommel would be an ‘immense’ propaganda coup, the elite British soldiers preparing for the operation were told. However, the raid was abandoned hours before the four-man unit parachuted in. Rommel was forced to return to Germany after being badly injured when his car was hit by the RAF. The SAS War Diary 1941-45 includes first-hand reports from the special forces unit's disastrous first operation in November 1941, from which only 22 of the 65 soldiers who took part returned. Pictured, SAS founder Sir David Stirling poses with some of his soldiers in their desert jeeps . Details of the daring plot have been . disclosed for the first time in an extraordinary diary recording the . remarkable early exploits of the Special Air Service. The secret tome, . kept under lock and key since being compiled in 1946, has been published . in an effort to raise tens of thousands of pounds for UK special forces . troops – including dozens maimed in Afghanistan – bereaved families and . veterans. The 600-page limited edition volume, . weighing 25lb and bound in leather ‘liberated’ from the Nazis, has been . authorised to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the regiment. Only . 1,000 copies have been printed, with prices starting at £975. ‘The SAS War Diary 1941-45’ collects . rare and previously undisclosed photographs, top secret orders, . first-hand accounts and reports – many written by SAS founder David . Stirling – documenting the ‘Who Dares Wins’ regiment’s missions during . the Second World War. Newly released secret SAS records feature the succinct orders for an ambitious but unsuccessful mission to 'kill, or kidnap and remove to England' German commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (seen here in the African desert) in France in 1944 . Among the officers mentioned in the . journal is Paddy Mayne who led a number of audacious night raids and . became one of Britain’s most decorated soldiers. One of the most daring plots was the . strike against Rommel shortly after D-Day. A July 1944 order marked . ‘Secret’ states: ‘The following points should be borne in mind: If it . should prove possible to kidnap Rommel and bring him to this country the . propaganda value would be immense and the inevitable retaliation . against the local inhabitants might be mitigated or avoided. Such a plan . could involve finding and being prepared to hold for a short time if . necessary a suitable landing ground. ‘To kill Rommel would obviously be . easier than to kidnap him and it is preferable to ensure the former . rather than to attempt and fail in the latter.’ The order added: . ‘Kidnapping would require successful two-way W/T [walkie-talkie] . communication and therefore a larger party, while killing could be . reported by pigeon.’ Rommel may have escaped the SAS’s . clutches but he committed suicide three months later after being . implicated in a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler. Document: The original order for Operation Squatter, the regiment's first major mission . Sir David Stirling was captured by the Germans but escaped only to be re-captured by the Italians before being sent to Colditz Castle . The SAS was conceived as a commando . force to operate in secrecy behind enemy lines. Stirling, a brave young . officer, dreamed up the revolutionary tactic of using small, elite, . highly-skilled units to tip the balance of the war in North Africa in . Britain’s favour. The first mission – known as . ‘Operation Number One’ – took place on 16 November 1941. The aim was to . destroy squadrons of German and Italian aircraft based at two airstrips . in Libya. The operational order noted: ‘It is most important that the . enemy should be unaware of your having landed or of your presence.’ One SAS soldier, Parachutist Bennett, . wrote that before setting off the commandos were given a meal ‘fit for a . king... just like having whatever you wished before going to the . gallows’. But horrendous weather conditions meant the operation ended in . disaster. One plane was shot down, killing all . aboard, and those who landed uninjured couldn’t locate drops of vital . weapons and explosives. Only 22 of the 65 soldiers who took part . returned alive. Subsequent successes – including . forays into the desert to disable Luftwaffe planes – meant the SAS was . expanded. Commandos played a leading role ahead of the invasion of Italy . and the Normandy landings in June 1944, which led the way to the . liberation of Western Europe. Operating behind Nazi lines, the . troops helped the French Resistance disrupt German forces and provided . vital intelligence for D-Day. Despite its expertise, the SAS was . disbanded in 1945. But one unnamed soldier was determined the regiment’s . history would not be lost over time. He compiled an extensive scrapbook . of every document and photograph he could lay his hands on. He placed the diary under lock and key . and it was only discovered when he handed it to the SAS Regimental . Association shortly before his death in the late 1990s. Placed in the . regiment’s highly-confidential archives, only a few were aware of its . existence until it was discovered by a documentary maker. Insight: The Diary was launched at the Special Forces Club London amid tight security . Toughest: SAS members undergo parachute training in the desert by jumping out of moving trucks . Instructors look on as young recruits struggle with their parachutes . Dogs of war: An SAS soldier and his pet in action during the North Africa campaign . Colonel John Crosland, executive . vice-president of the SAS Regimental Association, said: ‘The diary is a . unique document and going through it is a very humbling experience. It . shows how extraordinary these men were. Their deeds were astonishing but . they are so matter of fact in their reports.’ The SAS was reprieved in 1947 as . military chiefs sought its expertise. Since then, the commandos have . fought all over the world, including the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan . and Libya. More than 20 SAS soldiers have been killed or suffered . life-changing injuries, including amputations, on sensitive missions to . disrupt the Taliban alone. The SAS War Diary 1941-45 can be . bought at www.saswardiary.co.uk, priced from £975. Donations can be made . with cheques payable to the SAS Regimental Association, PO Box 35051 . London NW1 4WF. Wounded: A soldier recovers after fierce fighting in North Africa . Forty winks: Sir David Stirling relaxes next to one of the heavily modified jeeps during the campaign in North Africa . Captain Stirling at the wheel of one of the regiment's jeeps while a fellow officer mans the twin machine guns . Roots: SAS trooper Sergeant George Daniels poses with a German motorcycle and a German Shepherd dog captured in 1944 . Band of brothers: 'A' Squadron, 2nd SAS pose in 1944 . | Raiding party aimed to kill or kidnap German commander .
600-page tome a snip at £975 .
Diary's existence remained a secret even within the SAS for 50 years . |
74,810 | d41580732aeb1ad8c0e576cdae1cbf3ae85c1025 | He was so desperate to join the army he lied about his age to become part of the Royal Engineers. At the tender age of 17 Ted Young was part of the D-Day landings at Juno beach in France, and helped to push the Nazis out of the country and liberate it. Now, 70 years on and one of the youngest surviving veterans of the D-Day invasions, Mr Young has finally been honoured for his efforts with the highest decoration France can bestow. Ted Young has been made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur after he helped liberate France from Germany . Mr Young, 91, has been awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur - the highest decoration in France - after he served in the Royal Engineers during the D-Day landings on Juno beach. He was awarded the medal following a pledge by president Francois Hollande to honour those that helped liberate his country. The veteran, from Poole, Dorset, was a sapper in the Royal Engineers on June 6, 1944 after he lied about his age - pretending to be 19 when he was actually 17. Mr Young had been rejected from the army once before when he tried to join up when he was 15-years-old. He landed on Juno beach alongside British and Canadian troops on D-Day and went on to help build bridges and Spitfire airstrips as the Allieds pushed the Nazis out of France. Mr Young was part of the Royal Engineers who landed at Juno Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944 . The veteran is now one of the youngest surviving of the D-Day landings after he lied about his age to join up . Mr Young served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany before being invalided home with a crushed ankle when a tank rolled over him. The veteran was presented with the medal by honorary French consul Annie Burnside at a poignant ceremony in Bristol. Irene Richards, his daughter, said: 'I am very proud of him. One of the most touching moment last year was when a boy of about 12 came up and shook Dad's hand and said, "Thank you for giving me the life I have today."' Mr Young also wears his uncle William Young’s three WWI medals which includes the Mons Star, with the original ribbons. The National Order of the Legion of Honour is the highest decoration in France. It was established in May 1802 by Napoleon. Technically membership of the Legion d'Honneur is restricted to French nationals and Foreign nationals who have served France or the ideals it upholds. However, foreigners who have served France may receive a distinction of the Legion, which is almost the same. The order was created as a non-egalitarian award, with people being admitted to a degree regardless of their birth or religion. It was intended as a general military and civil order of merit. It is divided into five degrees; Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer), and Grand Croix (Grand Cross). The highest order, Grand Cross, is limited to 80 members while the rank of Chevalier is unlimited. Famous . British recipients include Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince . Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Lord Mountbatten, author Graham . Greene, actor Laurence Olivier and Sir Stuart Bell MP. Last year Phyllis Latour Doyle, a British spy who parachuted behind enemy lines to collect intelligence on enemy positions ahead of the D-Day landings, was awarded the honour. In 2010 the membership consisted of; 67 Grand Cross, 314 Grand Officers, 3,009 Commanders, 17,032 Officers and 74,384 Knights. | Ted Young lied about his age so he could sign up to join the army in 1940s .
He became a sapper in the Royal Engineers, claiming he was 19 not 17 .
Mr Young took part in D-Day landings on Juno beach in occupied France .
Has been made Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur - the top French honour .
Mr Young, 90, was awarded medal as part of a French pledge to recognise those soldiers who helped liberate the country during World War Two . |
222,465 | abf89d386149fa0f4b765da860cd8680b90458f6 | A suspicious package at a JFK airport mail sorting facility caused a brief scare and quarantine Sunday--and all because of a bag of cosmetics. The FBI says a package was tested after two customs workers reported they felt ill after opening it contained beauty supplies. The package, which originated from China, was likely full of fumes due to a broken bottle of nail polish remover. Panic: New York HazMat teams and the FBI rushed to JFK airport Sunday after a package in a mail sorting facility tested positive for deadly nerve gas . 'The FBI screened and tested the employees and the package they opened,' FBI spokesman J. Peter Donald said in a statement. 'The package in . question was determined to be beauty supplies and nothing further. The . scene has been cleared by FBI personnel.' Donald said said agents have cleared the scene. He said the employees and the package were tested and screened out of 'an abundance of caution.' Tests initially came up positive for VX nerve gas, an extremely deadly chemical warfare agent. Cosmetics: An FBI official later called the incident a false alarm and that the package contained only everyday cosmetics. Reports say the culprit was likely a broken container of nail polish remover . No hiccups: Operations at JFK International airport were not disrupted as authorities swarmed two facilities after the positive test for VX nerve gas . The New York Post reports that the Postal Service facility - which is responsible for sorting international mail bound for the eastern U.S. - and a Customs office a quarter mile away were both quarantined. After the Customs and Border Control agents were overcome, an initial test revealed that the package contained 'chemical-grade weapons and nerve gas.' A second test said the chemical was VX . nerve gas, a deadly synthetic chemical weapon that can be absorbed . through the lungs or the skin. Precautions: It remained unclear why the tests were initially positive for the deadly nerve agent, but authorities did say the quarantine and evacuations came form an 'abundance of caution . It was unclear why tests were positive for the deadly agent or why retesting remained positive. A source told the post that breached packaging likely caused the substance to leak out while in transit. Only two countries - Russia and the United States - are known to possess the nerve agent, though it has been reported that Syria has manufactured it, as well. VX is a deadly synthetic nerve agent that is known to be possessed only by the United States and Russia - though Syria is said to have manufactured it, as well . Tests for chemical weapons can often return false-positive results. Fire department HazMat units were on site alongside the FBI Sunday afternoon. WABC reported that the inspectors were treated at the scene, but then recovered and declined transport to the hospital. Traffic into and out of JFK International Airport - one of the world's business international hubs - was not disrupted. | Mail sorting facility and Customs office were quarantined after discovery of suspicious package .
Two workers suffered 'respiratory arrest'
The package, originating from China, likely contained a broken container of everyday nail polish remover .
Initial tests were positive for VX chemical nerve gas - a deadly nerve agent . |
94,829 | 05daa11ec310dcd7178380c29734ca1cc3f5d03a | By . Victoria Wellman . PUBLISHED: . 15:42 EST, 10 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:56 EST, 10 September 2012 . A man is facing with charges of child abduction after he fell from a moving car, was run over and then in a bizarre twist, tried to steal the child of the couple who stopped to help him. Andre Bowman, 30, is believed to have been high on PCP when he tumbled out the vehicle on Saturday afternoon on Missouri's I-70 highway and Blue Ridge Boulevard, and was hit by another car. But he soon turned from victim to culprit when he grabbed one month old baby Emily from the back seat of the car belonging to Sarah Morris and Matthew Nicotra and refused to let go of her. Scroll down for video . Victim or culprit? Andre Bowman, allegedly high on PCP, fell from a car on a Missouri highway, was run over and then tried to kidnap the baby of the couple that stopped to help him . Like many, the couple had seen the man fall onto the busy highway and stopped to help but before they could do anything, Bowman was on his feet trying to open the passenger door of their car. Finding it was locked, the Kansas City resident then opened the back door where the couple's baby seat was positioned. Safe: Sarah Morris and Matthew Nicotra stopped to help Bowman who opened the back door of the car and tried to take one-month-old Emily from her seat . Write caption here . 'He was just trying to grab her out of the backseat and I got out and grabbed him and told him let go of my daughter. And he wouldn’t let go,' concerned father, Matthew Nicotra told Fox 4 News. Though Ms Morris and her husband are finding it hard to forgive Bowman for the attempted abduction, his behaviour can perhaps be better understood in the context of his own unfortunate circumstances. Perilous: Bowman was travellig along the I-70 near Kansas City when he tumbled from the car and was hit by another though why he fell has not been explained by police . Sad: Andre Bowman is said to be struggling with the recent death of his toddler, Ada, at the hands of his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend which may have prompted him to grab Emily (pictured) Close call: The couple had not even got out the car when Bowman got up from the ground and opened the rear passenger door . In early August of this year, Bowman's . own 18-month-old daughter Ada, died from head injuries and internal . bleeding caused by a sequence of mysterious events at her mother, Gina . Salazar's mobile home in Joplin, Missouri. Tragic: Andre Bowman's 18-month-old daughter Ada died last month from head injuries and internal bleeding . Salazar's boyfriend Bryant L. Sykes Jr., . 24, confessed to Newton County police that he picked the child up and . tossed her onto a bed in a moment of rage after she made a mess on the . floor of their home, the rebound of which threw her into a coffee table. But Sykes, who faces second degree murder charges, is blaming other bruises and injuries found on the victim's body on random domestic accidents. According to Sykes, the child fell out . of a window in one instance and then fell off a table she was sitting . on, but an autopsy suggests that her injuries were far more severe than . those that could have been caused by such 'accidents'. Though Andre Bowman and his ex- . girlfriend, 22, have been estranged for some time, and he had not been . involved in taking care of Ada, Angelicia, two, and Amileo, 3, he is now . seeking custody of the two remaining children. Two weeks ago he told Fox 4: . 'It affected me because all of my kids were real close, and I know right . now, they are thinking about their sister. 'For . a while I had to disappear out of their life. I don’t want them to be . confused anymore. I want them to know who their daddy is and to be with . me.' Real culprits: Bryant L. Sykes Jr, boyfriend of Ada's mother Gina Salazar, faces charges of second degree murder after he confessed to throwing the child. Bowman is seeking custody of his other two kids with Salazar . A friend of Bowman's said of the tragedy and his seemingly drug-addled frenzy: ''It's been a very traumatic, hard experience for him but in no means was he trying to cause harm to this child.' As an unidentified friend sobbed on her shoulder, the woman continued suggesting that when he saw Emily in the back of the car, 'he just snapped.' But Ms Morris responded: 'That's no right to grab my child at all, it's no right to grab anyone's child.' Bowman is still recovering a Kansas City area hospital while police have yet to respond as to why Bowman fell out of the car and who was driving the vehicle. | The incident occurred on the I-70 near Kansas City, Missouri .
Andre Bowman is recovering in hospital after he was hit by another car but may face charges of child abduction .
Bowman's own baby daughter died in mysterious circumstances in August .
Ada Bowman's mother's boyfriend facing charges of second degree murder .
Bowman is said to be 'traumatised' by her death . |
261,013 | de0e3ae1e389f2696126feeaefdcf4e10e91df13 | A new study has found that drivers are speeding through inactive roadwork sites, despite high crashing and fatality rates in these areas. Dr Ross Blackman, a road safety researcher, surveyed more than 400 people who were asked to estimate their speed for a range of different roadwork site scenarios. 'It's seen as crying wolf. If people are asked to slow down at roadwork sites but find there is no roadwork being undertaken they become de-sensitised to the signage and ignore speed limits,' he said. Dr Ross Blackman (above), a road safety researcher, surveyed more than 400 people in his study on speeding around inactive roadwork sites . The study revealed the majority of drivers exceeded the speed limits at roadwork sites, despite these areas having high crash and fatality rates . 'In 2013, our research found that at three Queensland rural roadwork sites, the majority of vehicles observed exceeded the posted speed limits by at least 5km/h,' he said. 'We found when a road worker and machinery were visible, drivers nominated lower speeds, suggesting that they were far more likely to slow down than if they saw no activity.' 'There was about a 20 per cent reduction in speed between an inactive roadwork site (53km/h) compared to an active site with workers visible (42km/h).' Dr Blackman said despite reduced speed limits, crash rates and crash severity around roadwork sites were high because drivers failed to slow sufficiently and were often not paying attention. 'Roadwork sites have high crash rates and there have been numerous fatalities at roadwork sites in Queensland involving workers and public road users,' he said. Dr Blackman said the study reinforced moves by the Queensland Government to review speed limit signage around roadwork sites, but cautioned that hazards may also remain outside of work hours, requiring reduced speed limits around the clock at some sites. The study found that road workers on site had the biggest impact on drivers to reduce speed . 'There are no simple solutions, but multiple measures used in combination may be most effective. With technology, for example, variable speed limit signs can be easily changed without the need for workers to physically move or replace traditional static signage,' he said. 'There are also feedback speed displays which record and display how fast a vehicle is travelling, which drivers respond to well. 'Our survey showed road workers on site had the biggest impact on drivers to reduce speed, while the most effective specific measure was having police visually present and potentially conducting enforcement,' he said. 'If we can combine the effective measures, then we are more likely to see drivers reduce their speed, which will improve safety for both drivers and workers.' The results of the study have been presented at the Occupational Safety in Transport Conference,which brings together experts from all facets of transport safety including roads, rail, fleets, and mining to improve workplace safety. | Study from Queensland surveyed 400 drivers about driving speeds in roadwork sites .
Majority of drivers exceeded the speed limits .
Roadwork sites have high crash and fatality rates .
Road workers on site had the biggest impact on drivers to reduce speed .
Queensland Government to review speed limit signage around roadwork sites . |
216,487 | a449c136a4cd27d33b3e5f84873df1aa102dbc1c | Police have found 12 suspected illegal immigrants in the back of a refrigerated lorry after receiving a panicked 999 call from one of them. Officers from the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) stopped the HGV after receiving a call from a man in the back just before 9am. The call was traced to a lorry travelling northbound on the M6 and it was stopped between Hilton Park services and junction 10a near Birmingham. Scroll down for video . Police found 12 suspected illegal immigrants in the back of a refrigerated lorry on the M6 (pictured) after receiving a panicked 999 call from one of them . A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: 'Just before 9am a distressed call was received from a man travelling in the back of a refrigerated lorry on the M6 northbound. 'He was requesting urgent assistance for himself and his companions. 'As a result of the information received officers from the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) co-ordinated a regional response, which included officers from Staffordshire Police, West Midlands Police and Highways Agency colleagues. 'CMPG officers were able to successfully stop the lorry between Hilton services and J10a. 'The 12 individuals, located within the vehicle, are now being seen by colleagues from the ambulance service should they require medical attention, and where appropriate will be taken into custody. 'We will now be working with our colleagues in immigration and border control to establish the exact circumstances of how these individuals came to be in the back of the lorry.' Both sides of the motorway were closed for two hours while police and ambulance crews examined the people in the back of the lorry. It is not yet clear where the lorry had been travelling from or whether it had crossed the Channel to Britain. Last month, thirteen suspected illegal immigrants from Ethiopia were spotted running from the back of a lorry on another busy motorway. There are currently around 2000 migrants sleeping rough in the French port of Calais as they try and get aboard ferries to Britain (file picture) Rush-hour traffic had to be slowed between junctions 12 and 13 of the M25 in Surrey as police dealt with the incident. The 13 men and women were later found walking along the motorway and were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences. In the same month a woman returned to her home in Elvington, near Dover after a trip to Tesco to find an illegal immigrant sitting in her driveway. There are currently around 2000 migrants sleeping rough in the French port of Calais as they try to get aboard ferries to Britain. Over the summer, Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart threatened to close the docks following an attempt by scores of mainly Eritreans and Sudanese to storm a ferry. Ms Bouchart said she wanted ‘far more help from the British government’ to deal with people attempting to cross the Channel illegally. The number of migrants in Calais has increased sharply in the past few months, and hundreds more are also camping out in other Channel ports including Dunkirk and Cherbourg. All play a nightly game of cat-and-mouse with the police as they attempt to break into lorries in an attempt to get to the UK. The migrants are mainly from Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea, and have travelled from north Africa to mainland Europe, usually through Italy. | Police stopped the refrigerated lorry after call from someone inside vehicle .
12 suspected illegal immigrants found inside lorry on M6 near Birmingham .
Caller had requested 'urgent assistance' for himself and his companions .
Road was closed for two hours while ambulance crews examined the group . |
38,126 | 6bd90411c460359ad50f1e5c1d326d7d2915cfdd | The assassination of Sir Alex Ferguson’s character has been brutal in its execution, Roy Keane performing for the television cameras in a manner that must have even had his ghost-writer Roddy Doyle wondering if he could have drawn more of that anger from his subject. The words fly like verbal bullets towards their target. Ferguson’s ‘statue’; the ‘millions’ he has made on the back of players whom, in Keane’s view, he has now betrayed. If Carlsberg did book launches. But away from the many microphones, in a private room at the Aviva Stadium, Keane is now offered the opportunity to reflect in more detail on the breakdown of a special relationship he once enjoyed with his former manager. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Roy Keane say he may never forgive Sir Alex Ferguson . Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane celebrate in the dressing room after winning an FA Cup semi-final match against Arsenal in April 2004 . Ferguson and his then-captain Keane's departure from Manchester United in 2005 . Keane is now assistant boss at Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland . I suggest it is a little sad that it has ended in such bitter divorce. ‘I don’t,’ he quickly replies. ‘Why is it sad? Did you think we were going to be pals? Did you speak to Bryan Robson? Did you ever speak to Steve Bruce? Did you ever speak privately to them when they left? Do you think it was a pals’ act for them? ‘I knew what was coming. Brucie at the cup final. Robbo at the Cup final. Speak to their wives about what happened to them at the end of their careers. ‘So I don’t think I ever thought it would be any different because that’s what happens with him. Do you think Ruud van Nistelrooy left well? Do you think Becks left well? To be fair, Becks and Ruud did have moves lined up. But I didn’t. I was leaving with a broken foot.’ There are two sides to every story and the publication of two books, first Ferguson’s last year and now The Second Half by Keane, has given us the opportunity to draw our own conclusions. In the view of this observer, Keane’s grievances are more justified. But as manager and captain they were a formidable team, with a mutual respect unique to that particular United dressing room. Keane was seen as an extension of his manager on the pitch. Does Keane think Ferguson will regret the way things have turned out? Does he believe, even now, that Ferguson would take some pleasure in seeing a former player like Keane do well? Keane thinks I’m naive even to float such an idea. ‘Do me a favour,’ he says of a man he never once refers to as ‘Sir’ in the book. ‘Not a chance. He doesn’t work that way. If Darren [Ferguson’s son] is doing well, that’s all that matters. If anything, he doesn’t want people to do well. Brucie, Robbo. Ask them about loan players. Do you think he did them favours? Brucie got more favours off Arsene Wenger.’ Keane and Sir Alex on the Old Trafford touchline as opposition managers in 2007 . Keane lifts the Champions League after Manchester United won the final in Barcelona in 1999 . Keane is watched by Ferguson in a training session at Carrington training ground in 2003 . Ferguson talks to David Beckham on the touchline during a Premier League game vs Newcastle in 2001 . Ferguson greets Ruud van Nistelrooy during a 3-1 away win at Charlton in the Premier League in 2005 . Ferguson walks up the touchline with former player and then Birmingham manager Steve Bruce in 2004 . Ferguson fits former Manchester United legend and captain Bryan Robson for a shirt . In the same position, would Keane be more generous? ‘I hope so,’ he says. ‘Although it wouldn’t be hard.’ He said he was being generous when he raised his concerns about the controversy over racehorse Rock Of Gibraltar with Ferguson all those years ago. Foremost in his mind was the impact a dispute between the manager and the club’s Irish owners might have on team performances. But he was also worried it might not end well for a boss he cared about back then. ‘I brought it up in a friendly way,’ he says. ‘I was in to see about my last book. I think I’d given him a chapter or something like that. And I said, “Oh by the way, I’ve been told you are not going to win this”. But he said, “Nobody does that to me” and all that. And I said, “OK, go ahead”. I was just trying to be friendly with him. I was warning him that these were serious people, which he obviously later found out.’ Keane saw it as an unwelcome distraction and blamed Ferguson for that. He considered it unprofessional, the manager putting a personal issue before the club. ‘If anyone thinks all that stuff was good for Manchester United, they are living in cuckoo land,’ he says. ‘How it can be helpful? He would go on about distractions with player contracts or whatever. I think that was a distraction. All the negative media. They were saying that when I left. A lot of negativity saying all this on MUTV. But that’s all I did. What happened with the horse was not good for the club. ‘I was like “knock it on the head”. The situation wasn’t helping anyone. I wouldn’t say it was draining us in the dressing room but it wasn’t helping us. He needed to get rid of that environment.’ Ferguson attempts to embrace Keane ahead of extra-time during the 2005 FA Cup final . Keane, Ferguson, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs at a press conference in Tokyo in November 1999 . Ferguson poses at the launch of his autobiography in October of last year . The fact that he could even discuss the matter with Ferguson remains a measure of the relationship they had. But he is dismissive even when I mention that line in Ferguson’s first book about feeling privileged to work with him. ‘Never read it,’ he says. ‘The only thing I remember is the quote about how he’d enter me to win the Grand National. But that was all nonsense. ‘When I joined United I remember Robbo, Brucie and Palli [Gary Pallister] being upstairs at The Cliff [United’s former training ground] having a cup of tea with the manager. I never wanted that, even when I was captain. Don’t think I was going into the manager’s office every week saying we need to do this or that. I went into his office on four or five occasions in all the years I was there. People think we had this cosy relationship. It wasn’t the case.’ Beyond his family and closest friends, Keane does not seem to do cosy relationships with anyone. In his first book, 12 years ago, he wrote, in that collaboration with Eamon Dunphy, that a visit he received from Mick McCarthy made him more uncomfortable because he never enjoyed having visitors at his house. He claims to have mellowed, although not much. ‘When I was a kid in Ireland we didn’t have many visitors to our house,’ he says. ‘That’s where you draw that line. This is my professional life and this is my home life. Of course people have been in my house but not every Tom, Dick and Harry.’ The book does offer a more vulnerable, human side of Keane we have not really seen and there are some wonderful lines. He reveals how he started to read The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters. ‘The chimp is running the show,’ writes Keane. ‘I tried to read it — I’m open-minded — but my chimp wouldn’t let me.’ Keane and Ferguson celebrate winning the FA Cup on May 22 in 1999 after beating Newcastle . The duo in talks in training in 2005, just before Keane left Old Trafford after a 12-year career at the club . Is he comfortable with the fact he has been so candid? ‘That was not my intention,’ he says. ‘I was not saying to Roddy I want to show another side of myself. But Roddy’s clever; he softens you up. I only got the book last week. I’d seen chapters but until you see the final draft version you don’t realise. I was thinking, “oh right, there may be too much of that”. But it’s done now. There’s no going back.’ In a discussion with the Sunday newspapers, he was asked why he had made so little mention of his relationship with alcohol. 'The beauty of the book is I don’t have to explain everything to you,’ he says. ‘People have asked me over the years. I just gave it up. I’d had enough. Particularly when I did my cruciate [knee injury]. I’m thinking I want to play a little bit longer. Ferguson with a young Keane and former United legend Eric Cantona in 1993 . ‘If I have regrets, I suppose I could have been more professional when I was younger. But some of that is just being young. You’re 19 or 20. What are you going to do after a game? Go home and watch Downton Abbey? You’re going to go out.’ The book, as he said to the TV cameras, was a chance to respond to ‘the nonsense and the lies’. Not least because of the impact the stories might have on his coaching career. ‘It doesn’t help, these stories constantly coming out about me,’ he says. ‘If you were looking at it from the outside, you’re going to be thinking “I wouldn’t touch him”.’ After seeing his Sunderland side lose 7-1 to Everton in 2007, Keane admitted in his book to spending 48 hours in bed. ‘There was nothing wrong with that because people wouldn’t have wanted to see me,’ he says. He probably stays away because a grumpy Keane can be an intimidating presence. I ask if he realises he sometimes makes people uneasy. ‘I don’t mean to,’ he says, again with a smile. ‘But then there’s some people I see I mightn’t like.’ | Keane discusses the breakdown of his relationship with Ferguson .
Adamant that he doesn't find it sad that the two are now on poor terms .
Ferguson doesn't care about his former charges doing well, says Keane .
Keane says he used the book to respond to 'the nonsense and the lies' |
273,591 | ee692645df016b2ab7917ed5f2ada215cdc7c82e | We're not bluffing, the Obama administration told Afghanistan on Tuesday in announcing for the first time it has started planning for the possible withdrawal of all U.S. troops by the end of the year if no security agreement is signed. Statements by the White House and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel showed President Barack Obama's impatience with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's refusal to sign the agreement that would keep several thousand American troops in the country after combat operations conclude this year. In a phone call with Karzai on Tuesday to discuss upcoming elections for a new Afghan leader, Obama made clear that time was running out to properly plan for keeping any U.S. forces in the country beyond 2014, the White House said. Meanwhile, a senior Pakistani official warned that pulling out U.S. troops could have dire consequences, leading to a civil war in Afghanistan. Obama calling . "President Obama has asked the Pentagon to ensure that it has adequate plans in place to accomplish an orderly withdrawal by the end of the year should the United States not keep any troops in Afghanistan after 2014," said the White House statement. It also noted that a deal remained possible with a new Afghan leader, even if Karzai fails to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement before the April election chooses his successor. History not repeating itself in Afghanistan . "Should we have a BSA and a willing and committed partner in the Afghan government, a limited post-2014 mission focused on training, advising, and assisting Afghan forces and going after the remnants of core al Qaeda could be in the interests of the United States and Afghanistan," the White House said. "Therefore, we will leave open the possibility of concluding a BSA with Afghanistan later this year." In his separate statement, Hagel said he strongly supported the order by Obama to "ensure adequate plans are in place to accomplish an orderly withdrawal by the end of the year should the United States not keep any troops in Afghanistan after 2014." Speaking at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia Tuesday afternoon, Hagel said the situation in Afghanistan will likely be a top item on the agenda at a NATO ministerial conference in Brussels this week. Obama, he said, has been very clear that the possibility of U.S. troops staying in Afghanistan depends "on whether we have a bilateral security agreement signed by the Afghani government, to assure our rights of our troops and other important elements that are required any time America has troops in another country." Pakistani official: Don't do it . A senior Pakistani government official told CNN that a full withdrawal of U.S. troops should not be considered, declaring that "the zero option means civil war in Afghanistan." Speaking on condition of not being identified, the Pakistani official predicted that 30% of Afghan forces would desert if U.S. forces leave the country. For the Pentagon, Obama's order means preparing for all contingencies. "For the first time, the commander in chief has told us to begin planning for a complete withdrawal" from Afghanistan, a senior U.S. official told CNN. While the option to keep troops there remains, the situation has reached a point where the Pentagon has to begin planning for all possibilities, the official added. More than 33,000 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan as the Obama administration winds down the almost 13-year war that began shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The security agreement negotiated between Afghanistan and the United States would cover a continuing mission after 2014 focused on training Afghan forces and counterterrorism. Pentagon: If freed Afghan prisoners return to fight, they're 'legitimate targets' Afghan presidential contender says he'll sign if elected . While Karzai has balked at signing, a leading contender to succeed him told CNN's Christiane Amanpour this month that the agreement should proceed. Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah said he would sign the deal to keep international forces in Afghanistan, and aid dollars flowing, if elected in April. Abdullah said Afghanistan will need the financial and military support of the international community "for years to come." White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Tuesday that that longer it takes for security agreement to get signed, the more difficult it will be to properly plan and carry out a U.S. mission after 2014. Continued delay would result in a smaller and less ambitious mission, Carney said. Asked what happens if no agreement gets signed, he said: "We cannot and will not have U.S. troops on the ground" without a signed deal. Karzai's not-so-crazy end game . Leading contender for Afghanistan president vows to sign troop agreement if elected . | President Obama calls Afghan leader to discuss security agreement .
Obama orders planning for bringing home all U.S. troops at the end of 2014 .
Afghan President Karzai refuses to sign a deal to keep some troops there .
The White House says an agreement could happen after Karzai leaves office in April . |
124,163 | 2c802b6928ed0fbe623be35f647d9d6a8d3cd0d4 | A decomposing body believed to be that of the prime suspect in the murder of teenager Alice Gross was found yesterday less than two miles from where she was discovered – raising fresh questions about the police investigation into her disappearance. Officers discovered the corpse, thought to be that of Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns, in a West London park they had searched a week ago while looking for the schoolgirl. Zalkalns disappeared a month ago. A source revealed last night that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition when it was found in dense woodland. It was also reported that the body had been found hanged. Scroll down for video . Police hunting Arnis Zalkalns (left), the prime suspect in the murder of schoolgirl Alice Gross (right), have found a body in Boston Manor Park in Brentford, west London - just miles from where Alice's body was discovered . The body was in an advanced state of decomposition when it was found in dense woodland in the London park . The discovery raises the prospect that the bodies of both the 41-year-old and his 14-year-old alleged victim had remained undiscovered for several weeks in the very area where the Metropolitan . Police had been carrying out its biggest search operation since the 7/7 terrorist attacks on London. A local resident confirmed last night that police had searched Boston Manor Park a week earlier. She suggested Zalkalns could have been living there with Eastern Europeans who use it as a makeshift campsite. The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘When I spoke to one of the policemen, he said they were looking for evidence in connection with Alice. 'I asked him whether they had looked into the campsite which is in the dense wooded area because I’ve seen a lot of Eastern European people camping out there. ‘I think [Zalkalns] could have been living rough there. If the police had searched that area sooner they might have found him alive.’ Police deployed officers and a forensics team to Boston Manor Park following the discovery of a man's body . It can also be revealed that officers had not informed Zalkalns’s girlfriend by the time news of the body’s discovery was announced on Saturday afternoon. Told by The Mail on Sunday that the search team had found a man, Zalkalns’s partner Katerina Laiblova asked: ‘Has he been found in a good way or a bad way?’ On learning that the man found was dead, Czech-born Ms Laiblova said: ‘I hope he is innocent. I wish I could get drunk or be distressed but I can’t because I have Linda [their one-year-old daughter] to look after. He was a very good father.’ Although the body was discovered at 2pm yesterday, it will not be recovered until today because police need ‘specialist resources’. Alice vanished on August 28 after leaving her family home in Hanwell at lunchtime and telling her mother she would be back that evening. Scotland Yard confirmed the body of a man had been found in 'dense woodland' in the park this afternoon . Over the following days, her family made emotional appeals for her to return. A week after her disappearance the police investigation was taken over by a homicide team, and in the following days her rucksack was found, containing her shoes. Zalkalns, who lived with his girlfriend and their baby in Ealing, was reported missing on September 4. It was only on September 16, three weeks after the schoolgirl’s disappearance, that police announced they were searching for the labourer in relation to the case. Analysis of CCTV images showed Zalkalns cycling just 15 minutes behind Alice on the day that she went missing. Detectives also discovered that Zalkalns murdered his first wife Rudite in Latvia in 1997, for which he served seven years, and was arrested for indecently assaulting a teenage girl after arriving in Britain a decade later. Zalkalns, 41, has not been seen since September 3 - a week after 14-year-old Alice disappeared on August 28 . David Cameron has said he will examine 'all the circumstances of the case' surrounding Alice's murder . Last Tuesday officers discovered Alice’s body on a stretch of the River Brent that had previously been searched, and yards from where her belongings were discovered four weeks earlier. A post mortem has proved inconclusive, possibly because of the delay in finding the body, and further tests are being carried out to establish the cause of death. Yesterday Boston Manor Park was sealed off while teams in forensics suits looked for evidence. The developments came after David Cameron pledged to personally examine how Zalkalns managed to gain entry into Britain in 2007. | Arnis Zalkalns is the prime suspect in the murder of 14-year-old Alice Gross .
Police hunting the criminal have found a man's body at Boston Manor Park .
Residents told how they saw police searching same area of park last week .
Alice vanished on August 28 and Zalkalns was last spotted on September 3 .
Schoolgirl's body was pulled from underwater grave in River Brent this week . |
249,149 | ce663e5f40858a15e4363dd8720417012b2097da | A New Hampshire Marine who was barred from wearing his uniform for his high school graduation last June has been killed by a roadside bomb. Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant, who signed up for the forces immediately after finishing his studies, was one of three U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan on Friday morning. The community where the 19-year-old grew up were saddened by his death, and a flag was at half mast outside the fire station he volunteered at. Proud to serve: Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant, a 19-year-old Marine, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Friday . Garabrant had been so proud of making it into the Marines that he made headlines last year after trying to wear his uniform to his high school graduation. His Peterborough school denied his request, telling the teenager that he would have to wear his cap and gown over the newly acquired uniform. The principal, Brian Pickering, this week praised his former student and said the school community was upset to hear that Garabrant had died. 'We are all shocked and deeply saddened by his passing and we are incredibly grateful for his service to our country,' Pickering told WMUR9. Garabrant's untimely death struck a chord with many in his New Hampshire community. Several had already backed the young man's dedication to the forces after his plea to graduate in his uniform. Hero: As well as serving in the Marines, Garabrant worked as a volunteer firefighter . Protect: U.S. troops secure an area near the Pakistan-Afghan border on Thursday after a different attack on Nato supply trucks. Garabrant had been serving as part of a Nato force in a different part of the country . At the time of the high school celebration last June, he had just completed his training at a South Carolina camp. Several shops around the school showed their support for his request to wear the uniform, and put signs up calling for the school to change its rules. His mother, Jesse Garabrant, said at the time: 'I'm overwhelmed with the support of the community. It's just wonderful.' As well as being a dedicated Marine, Garabrant also worked as a volunteer firefighter in Temple.. 'Whenever he came home on leave, the . first thing he did, contacting me, "Chief, I need a pager so I can help . you out",' volunteer fire chief George Clark said. 'He absolutely loved what he was doing. He knew the sacrifice and he was still willing to do it,' Clark told WMRU9. Loss: Garabrant, pictured during Marine boot camp early last year, had been enjoying life in the forces . Community backing: Residents in Peterborough had supported Garabrant's request to wear his uniform. They are united again as they mourn his passing . Peterborough police chief Scott Guinard also praised the young Marine, calling him 'a young gentleman'. Garabrant had been assigned to a Nato security force in Afghanistan, and appeared to be enjoying life on deployment. When he arrived at his post in April, he wrote on Facebook: 'Loving life in Afghanistan so far. Gym twice a day, hanging out with a great group of friends.' He had also made light of the extreme weather conditions he and the fellow Marines were working in, as he posted a picture of the forecast this week, showing it reaching 113F. New Hampshire governor Maggie Hassan has paid tribute to the Marine and volunteer firefighter who was 'dedicated to serving his fellow citizens, and he was tragically taken from us far too soon'. Senator Jeanne Shaheen added: 'Garabrant was a hero in every sense of the word. He valiantly served our country and epitomized the bravery and sacrifice of every member of our armed forces for which we will be forever grateful.' | Brandon Garabrant was part of a Nato security force when he died Friday .
19-year-old was so excited about serving country that he wanted to wear uniform to collect school diploma .
New Hampshire community mourns loss of teenager 'dedicated to serving his fellow citizens' |
172,339 | 6b091a9807959b10c086c3d47b12eae9e32c3994 | (CNN) -- So now we're having a debate about spanking. Seriously? There is a lot of misplaced outrage from folks who are taking recent stories about the misconduct of professional athletes and shoehorning them into a crusade against child abuse. I'm against child abuse. Who isn't? But I'm not against spanking. I have my reasons, and we'll get to them. First, let's deal with the misplaced outrage. Why don't the folks who are worked up over the fact that Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted last week on a felony charge of child abuse just say what's really on their mind? On the heels of the Ray Rice story, where a videotape was recently released showing the suspended Baltimore Ravens running back hitting and knocking unconscious his then fiancée (now his wife) in a hotel elevator, there are those who want to tie these two stories together under the template that some of the violence of the NFL may be spilling out onto players' personal lives and the rest of society. If that's the assertion, then let's have that discussion. But let's not mix all that noise together with the more important debate over spanking children. We have to get this right, and -- as the parent of three young children, ages 5, 6, and 7, who has been to more than his share of picnics, birthday parties, and little league games -- I can see firsthand we're getting it wrong. I remember seeing one hapless father chasing after his son, trying to get the boy to listen and pleading: "You need to respect me." The lad ignored him. When did parents become such wimps? My dad didn't roll like that. And neither did his father, a Mexican immigrant who -- along with my equally strong and no-nonsense grandmother -- raised five boys from the 1930s to the 1950s with nary an incident. There were no disturbances, no gangs, no police. Later, I teased one of my uncles about that, suggesting they must have had a lot of respect for law or order. "Heck no," he said. "We were all terrified of the old man." Fear is essential to respect. Children won't do what we tell them to do, unless -- at some level -- they fear the consequences that will come from not doing it. Punishment isn't a bad word. It's a life lesson. It's the way the world works, and, as parents, it's our job to prepare our kids to enter a world where they learn bad behavior has consequences. Too many parents today are falling down on the job. The problem isn't that too many kids get spanked. It's that some kids who need a spanking might never get one. Opinion: Spanking isn't parenting; it's child abuse . Ten years ago, the problem was that too many parents eager to be their child's BFF (Best Friend Forever) were losing the battle to discipline their children, instill values, influence behavior and teach right from wrong. Today, in many homes, the battle is over and the kids won. In some cases, the parents -- already stressed from long days at work and having no desire to spend precious hours at home squabbling with children -- simply surrendered. They gave up on raising children in exchange for peace and quiet on the home front. Now the kids run things. These pint-sized CEOs of the household tell their parents what to do, instead of the other way around. If mom and dad forget their place in the new world order, junior will simply throw a few verbal daggers and scream: "You're so mean! I hate you!" The correct response should be: "I can live with that. Now go to your room!" I'm not telling anything you don't already know. If it's not happening in your house, it's happening in your brother's or cousin's or neighbor's. Opinion: Does spanking harm the black community? So let me put in a good word for spanking as an acceptable and sometimes necessary form of disciplining a child, as long as you follow the rules. Here are three: Never use a belt or other foreign object, just the palm on your hand; never hit a child on his bare bottom, only through clothing; and only give them one swat, where you maintain control of your emotions. This is a sensitive subject around my house. My wife and I disagree about spanking. She thinks you should never use violence to discipline a child. But the result of that is my kids sometimes torment mommy to test their boundaries. They want to see just what they can get away with and how far they can push before she cracks and loses her cool. It's excruciating to watch. The cultural, regional and generational roots of spanking . Too many kids in America don't respect their parents -- that's the real threat. They turn on the television and see shows where the kids run things and the parents are bumbling idiots. In fact, many kids don't fear any kind of authority, and this will not serve them well later in life. That's the real sin that many parents commit, neglecting their duty to raise good kids who grow up into respectful and responsible adults. Spanking isn't child abuse. It's common sense. And that's something that every parent needs -- but, as you already know, not every parent has. | Ruben Navarrette: I'm against child abuse. Who isn't? But I'm not against spanking .
Navarrette: Spanking is an acceptable way to discipline a child, as long as you follow the rules .
He says too many kids in America today don't respect their parents - that's the real threat .
Navarrette: Many kids don't fear any kind of authority, and this will not serve them well in life . |
130,059 | 34218c2a0655d70945f1b7c5c6a7364dfa94f3f7 | At the edge of the heliosphere, you wouldn't know by looking whether you left the cradle of humanity behind and floated out into interstellar space. You would just see unfathomably empty space, no matter which side of the invisible line you were on. But scientists now have strong evidence that NASA's Voyager 1 probe has crossed this important border, making history as the first human-made object to leave the heliosphere, the magnetic boundary separating the solar system's sun, planets and solar wind from the rest of the galaxy. "In leaving the heliosphere and setting sail on the cosmic seas between the stars, Voyager has joined other historic journeys of exploration: The first circumnavigation of the Earth, the first steps on the Moon," said Ed Stone, chief scientist on the Voyager mission. "That's the kind of event this is, as we leave behind our solar bubble." A new study in the journal Science suggests that the probe entered the interstellar medium around August 25, 2012. You may have heard other reports that Voyager 1 has made the historic crossing before, but Thursday was the first time NASA announced it. The twin spacecraft Voyager 1 and 2 were launched in 1977, 16 days apart. As of Thursday, according to NASA's real-time odometer, Voyager 1 is 18.8 billion kilometers (11.7 billion miles) from Earth. Its sibling, Voyager 2, is 15.3 billion (9.5 billion) kilometers from our planet. Voyager 1 is being hailed as the first probe to leave the solar system. But under a stricter definition of "solar system," which includes the distant comets that orbit the sun, we'd have to wait another 30,000 years for it to get that far, Stone said. Another milestone for long after we're gone: The probe will fly near a star in about 40,000 years, Stone said. How do we know? Voyager, currently traveling at more than 38,000 miles per hour, never sent a postcard saying "Greetings from interstellar space!" So whether it has made the historic crossing or not is a matter of controversy. "The spacecraft itself really doesn't know," Stone said. "It's only instruments that can tell us whether we're inside or outside." Further complicating matters, the device aboard Voyager 1 that measures plasma -- a state of matter with charged particles -- broke in 1980. To get around that, scientists detected waves in the plasma around the spacecraft and used that information to calculate density. Vibrations in the plasma came from a large coronal mass ejection from the sun in 2012, resulting in what Stone called a "solar wind tsunami." These vibrations reached the area around Voyager this spring. Measurements taken between April 9 and May 22 of this year show that Voyager 1 was, at that time, located in an area with an electron density of about 0.08 per cubic centimeter. In the interstellar medium, the density of electrons is thought to be between 0.05 and 0.22 per cubic centimeter. The particles of interstellar plasma were created by the explosions of giant stars, and carry the magnetic field of the galaxy, scientists said. Last year, between October 23 and November 27, researchers calculate that Voyager 1 was in an area with an electron density of 0.06 per cubic centimeter. That's still within the interstellar space range, and it means that over time the spacecraft passed through plasma with increasing electron density. The study, led by University of Iowa physicist Donald Gurnett, suggests that the plasma density is about 30 times higher in the interstellar medium than in the heliosphere, which is close to what scientists thought based on other kinds of measurements. The boundary is called the heliopause. Voyager mission timeline: . When did it happen? Scientists have been using several kinds of measurements to figure out if and when Voyager 1 had reached the interstellar medium. Evidence from particle data had already pointed toward the conclusion that the probe succeeded. In late July and early August of 2012, scientists saw dips in the concentration of particles made in the solar system, and peaks in particles made outside. "If you just looked at that data, you'd think it's pretty clear that we've actually crossed a boundary. We're no longer in the place where the solar system particles are being made, and we're actually out in the interstellar medium," said Marc Swisdak, associate research scientist in the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics at the University of Maryland. Swisdak was not involved in the new study, but has worked with Voyager data. Magnetic field measurements suggested otherwise. Researchers had expected to see stark changes in magnetic field direction when the probe crossed out of the heliosphere, but that wasn't supported by measurements from the probe. Swisdak and colleagues published a modeling study suggesting that the particle data is more relevant, and that the magnetic field might not change as much as people thought. They proposed a crossing-over date of July 27 -- about a month sooner than the new study. The specific date will likely be debated for some time, Swisdak said. One possible explanation is that if the heliosphere is analogous to an air-conditioned room, Voyager stepped through the doorway into a hot room on July 27. For a month it was in a metaphorical room with a mixture of hot and cold air, and finally entered the truly hot part on August 25. Puzzles still surround the magnetic field at the edge of the heliosphere, Stone said, and "We're going to be prepared to have more surprises." NASA sends unmanned rocket to the moon . What else is out there? Voyager 1 has only 68 KB of memory on board -- far less than a smartphone, said Suzanne Dodd, Voyager project manager. Scientists communicate with the spacecraft every day. "It's the little spacecraft that could," she said in a NASA press conference. The probe now has a totally new mission, Stone said. "We're now on the first mission to explore interstellar space," he said. "We will now look and learn in detail how the wind which is outside, that came from these other stars, is deflected around the heliosphere." Wind -- made of particles -- from these other stars has to go around the heliosphere the way a water in a stream flows around a rock, Stone said. Scientists are interested in learning more about the interaction between our solar wind and wind from other stars. Natural radioactive decay provides heat that generates enough electricity to help Voyager 1 communicate with Earth. The first science instrument will be turned off in 2020, and the last one will be shut down in 2025, Stone said. Both Voyager probes carry time capsules known as "the golden record," a 12-inch, gold-plated copper disc with images and sounds so that extraterrestrials could learn about us. Let's hope they can build appropriate record players. Voyager 2 will likely leave the heliosphere in about three to four years, Stone said. Its plasma instrument is still working, Stone said, so scientists can directly measure the stellar wind's density, speed and temperature. That also means that when it crosses out of the heliosphere, Voyager 2 will send a clearer signal. At that time, it will join its twin in the vast nothingness between stars that used to be beyond our reach. Rocket frog takes flying leap . Follow Elizabeth Landau on Twitter at @lizlandau and on Google+. | Study: Voyager 1 left heliosphere around August 25, 2012 .
Voyager 1 and 2 were launched in 1977, 16 days apart .
Voyager 1 is now the first mission to explore interstellar space . |
232,807 | b96f51bcee3d224099ba5a992ceb85e8add0c989 | (CNN) -- Thousands of people converge on the small town of Marlinton, West Virginia, each fall for a feast whose main ingredients were unlucky enough to crawl, slither or lurk too close to a speeding car. Unusual food festivals include BugFest in Raleigh, North Carolina, where a young visitor tries a stir-fried scorpion. It's RoadKill Cook-Off time, where past years' crowds have sampled dishes like Pothole Possum Stew, Fricasseed Wabbit Gumbo and Smeared Hog with Groundhog Gravy. Welcome to the world of unusual -- dare we say weird? -- food festivals. Sure, you can find plenty of culinary celebrations dedicated to everything from rhubarb to seafood, but there are also options to satisfy your cravings for rattlesnake, fried pig intestines or garlic ice cream. The RoadKill Cook-Off is so popular that it fills all the motels and hotels in the county when it takes place on the last Saturday in September, said David Cain, who runs the event and samples all the dishes. "There are some that are better than others, but I've never really had anything that I really didn't like," Cain said. "But there was one year they cooked a rattlesnake in some kind of stew, and ... there was no way I could taste that one." See photos from these unusual food festivals » . The RoadKill Cook-Off began in 1991, when organizers thought it might boost attendance at the main event: the Pocahontas County Autumn Harvest Festival. Did it ever. About 10,000 people from all over the country came to last year's gathering, Cain said. All dishes featured in the festival must have animals commonly found dead on the side of the road -- such as deer, squirrels and snakes -- as their main ingredient. But the meat doesn't have to be actual roadkill. "Judges will deduct points for every chipped tooth resulting from gravel not removed from the RoadKill," the official rules warn. "All judges have been tested for cast-iron stomachs and have sworn under oath to have no vegetarian tendencies." All about Spam . Thousands of miles away, in Honolulu, Hawaii, aficionados of canned luncheon meat gather in April for the annual Waikiki Spam Jam, described by organizers as "a street festival that celebrates the people of Hawaii's love for Spam." Some may call it mystery meat, but it's not advisable to do so in Hawaii, which has the highest per-capita consumption rate of Spam products in the United States. Almost 7 million cans worth of the pinkish product are eaten every year in the Aloha State, according to festival officials. The crowds at this year's Spam Jam sampled dishes such as Spam Fried Rice, Spam Burgers and Guava Mango BBQ Spam Sliders. "I think people are amused by the whole idea because it is pretty different. Like, why would you celebrate Spam?" said Barbara Campbell, one of the founders of the festival. "It's just about having fun, and they love the different Spam items." A restaurant that offered Spam Chili Nachos at the festival was so amazed by their popularity that it's thinking of adding the dish to its permanent menu, Campbell added. Fans who admire the yellow and blue design of Spam cans also have a chance to splurge on Spam-themed merchandise, including T-shirts, baby items and slippers. Celebrating the 'stinking rose' Some unusual food festivals can tickle the nose as well as the palate. Vampires may hate garlic, but the pungent cloves draw huge crowds of hungry mortals each July to the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, "the garlic capital of the world." If you're a fan, pack some breath mints and enjoy everything from traditional garlic-infused fare like scampi and stuffed mushrooms, to more exotic choices. Garlic ice cream, anyone? Those who have tried the frozen dessert describe it as an "acquired taste." "I would say when you first taste it, it's like regular vanilla ice cream, and then give it about 10 seconds, and you feel the kick of garlic," said Peter Ciccarelli, director of media relations for the festival. "It's not something that people would eat by a bowlful, nor would they put chocolate syrup on it." Last year's festival drew more than 100,000 people who consumed more than 15,000 servings of garlic bread and 10,000 servings of garlic fries. Almost 3 tons of the "stinking rose," as garlic is sometimes fondly called, were used to flavor the dishes. A meal with legs . The truly adventurous foodies may opt for BugFest and the leggy dishes served up by Café Insecta at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh each September. Popular choices include the Ant-Chilada, a cheese enchilada in which toasted freeze-dried ants are used as both the filling and topping, and Hush-Grubbies, in which wax worm grubs are coated with hush-puppy batter and deep fried. For dessert, visitors can try Chocolate-Chirp Cookies, which have crickets baked in. "We basically use recipes that we would use for any other dish and substitute the protein," explained Matthew Busch, head chef at the museum's Acro Café, who creates the dishes at Café Insecta during BugFest. So, instead of doing a shrimp stir-fry, the museum might do a scorpion stir-fry. Busch, who said he tries anything he cooks, recommended the Hush-Grubbies, calling the bugs inside "tasty" and "a little buttery." Stir-fried scorpions, on the other hand, can be a little bitter, he cautioned. Watching the reactions of visitors who dig in to the bug-laden food is Busch's favorite part, and he described seeing an entire range of responses, from people who are gung-ho and want to try everything to those who are squeamish and have to be peer-pressured to take a bite. Some people's strategy is just to eat around the bugs, Busch said. | There are many options for people who seek food festivals with an unusual twist .
RoadKill Cook-Off features dishes incorporating meat from deer, squirrels, snakes .
Waikiki Spam Jam in Hawaii celebrates the canned luncheon meat .
Garlic ice cream at the Gilroy Garlic Festival tastes like vanilla ice cream with a kick . |
80,323 | e3b1397115dc2b92404a9de481e4f9b3fe65a73c | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 09:02 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:36 EST, 22 May 2013 . David Cameron today said he wanted to help people who ‘work hard’. But politicians again face charges of laziness as they begin another break less than a fortnight since their last Commons recess. It means that in the first 151 days of 2013, the Commons will have been convened just 67 times. Rare sight: Since the start of the year the Commons has sat for fewer than half of the days . The Parliamentary calendar for the first half of the year reveals how few times Commons has sat (shown in green) To add to the sense of public outrage, it emerged only this week that MPs could be in line for a £20,000 pay rise. They could take home up to £80,000 a year – more than three times the national average – under new recommendations. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), which reports next month, has been looking at an increase of between £10,000 and £20,000. But the lower figure is considered more likely to try and minimise the public backlash, which would take MPs' pay, currently £65,738, up to £75,000. Mr Cameron has faced repeated criticism from Labour for missing several Prime Minister’s Questions since the start of the year. During the space of 12 weeks he will face MPs just twice. In 2012-13 the Commons sat just 145 times, the second lowest figure since 1945 for a year where there was not a general election. Some in Westminster predict it could be even lower this year. MPs begin their Whitsun recess today and are not due back in Westminster until June 3. It means they have 12 days off, when even most schoolchildren only have a week. Matthew Sinclair, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: 'Any MP worth their salt will be hard at work in their constituency during this latest recess. 'However, another week and a half away from Westminster means another week and a half during which ministers will get away without being scrutinised in Parliament by the very people we elect there to hold them to account. 'Week in, week out, we see debates on important legislation being curtailed as a result of strict timetable motions, which result in Bills being passed by MPs without having been subject to detailed scrutiny. 'This is bad for democracy and MPs need to cut down on these recesses in order to allow for more time to be spent in the Commons properly debating new laws and holding the Government to account.' Labour accused the government of not having enough policies to sustain debates. SHadow Commons leader Angela Eagle said: ‘David Cameron is scared of scrutiny and the government has run out of ideas. 'It is no wonder we keep going in to recess and that the Prime Minister has only shown up for Prime Minister’s Questions once in the last nine weeks.' In 2012-13 the Commons sat just 145 times, one of the lowest figures outside a general election year . Since January, MPs have only had a full five-day week in Westminster six times. They . usually spend Monday to Thursday in Parliament and then have Friday as a . ‘constituency day’ to attend local events and meet voters. The . Commons had a week off in February for half term. It then broke up for . 19 days, returning once when Parliament was recalled for tributes to . Baroness Thatcher. David Cameron insisted the government was focusing on repairing the economy . The . Commons then sat for just eight days before breaking again on April 25, . this time for prorogation to prepare for the Queen’s Speech on May 8. It meant a bonus 12 days off, before returning for the pomp and ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament. Despite setting out more than a dozen . major bills, including legislation on reforming social care and . pensions, there appears to be no urgency to start debating the laws. Mr Cameron today insisted he was focusing on the issues which matter to the public. 'People want a country which is fair, which is on the side of people who work hard and do the right thing,' he told BBC Radio 4. 'That’s got to apply to our immigration system, its got to apply to our welfare system, it’s got to apply to our schools. That is what we must focus on.' The Commons has been convened just eight times since the Queen’s Speech, before breaking up for the latest recess which will last until June 3. The log jam of holidays is caused by the coalition’s decision to move the Queen’s Speech from the autumn – when the prorogation served as a mini half-term break. Ministers argue that the Commons is sitting more than in the past, because it now routinely returns for two weeks in September. The summer recess this year last from July 8 to October 8. Ahead of the last recess Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP who chairs Westminster’s spending watchdog, warned the public think politicians are lazy and provide poor value for money. 'We are living through the worst economic crisis in modern times. MPs have a lot to do and yet we are spending much of our time in recess,’ she said. 'Members of the public would be forgiven for thinking that it is MPs who are lazy and that it is Parliament that is failing to provide good value for money. 'We are not spending enough time in Westminster, and this creates a democratic vacuum.' | MPs begin 12-day Whitsun recess - longer than the school half term break .
They only returned to Westminster two weeks ago for the Queen's Speech .
Since the start of the year the Commons has convened just 67 times .
MPs could be in line for a pay rise of up to £20,000 . |
218,839 | a7450c32c665cf1d2e9e0155fa16b1937c8ce9a1 | Firebrand Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined Senate Democratic leadership Thursday after Senate Democrats convened Thursday to assemble a leadership team for their role as the incoming minority caucus. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was elected to continue leading the Democratic caucus in the minority, said he tapped Warren to join Thursday because of who she is. "I expect her to be Elizabeth Warren," Reid said explaining what he expects the Massachusetts senator to do as part of the leadership team. Warren, known for hitting populist notes in stump speeches, said she was excited to join the Democratic leadership to continue fighting for the middle class. "Wall Street is doing very well, CEOs are bringing in millions more and families all across this country are struggling," she said. "We have to make this government work for the American people." And flanked by Warren and the two other women who are joining his leadership team (Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Debbie Stabenow), Reid said women in the Senate have brought positive change to the legislative body. "I've seen this institution change for a lot of reasons," Reid, who has been in Congress for three decades, said. "One reason it has changed for good is because of women. Women think differently than men." Reid also insisted that Democrats would stray from replicating what he described as an obstructionist Republican minority once his party loses the gavel. "This is not get-even time," Reid said. "I do not intend to run the Democratic caucus like the Republican caucus has been run in the minority." A Senate Democratic leadership aide said earlier that Reid would like Warren to join the leadership because he "trusts her and her judgment." And while not every Senate Democrat wants Warren, a high-profile, liberal junior senator in a leadership post, the leadership aide said "Reid will get his way." Sen. Jon Tester of Montana also joined the leadership team and will head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as Democrats look to reclaim the majority in 2016. One Democratic senator, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said the inclusion of Warren is a sign the party mistakenly moved away from core Democratic stances -- such as defending Obamacare on the campaign trail -- and needs to be more focused on middle class issues like raising the minimum wage. "There's nobody better than Elizabeth at talking to people who feel this sense of very real economic disenchantment," Murphy said. Despite the mid-term election losses, Reid and the other top members of the Democratic leadership were all re-elected, although two centrist members of the caucus voted against Reid. "When you have an election like this, common sense says we need to change things," said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri. "The voice was very loud and unmistakable that most Americans, and most Missourians, want us to change things. To me that means changing leadership and it was just that simple." Sen. Joe Manchin said the Democrats' problems are deep rooted and change is needed. "I voted for a change and that change was not voting for this leadership," Manchin told reporters. The top GOP leaders were all re-elected: Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will become majority leader, flanked by Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming and Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi beat out Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Elizabeth Warren: I've been treated differently . | Warren and two other women senators joined the Senate Democratic leadership team .
Reid said he picked Warren for the leadership "to be Elizabeth Warren"
Reid said women have improved the Senate's effectiveness . |
193,210 | 86240461f8bb1a2919e89ead32df02869cc953cb | By . Hannah Roberts In Rome . Amanda Knox’s former boyfriend has begun a new life in Switzerland, saying that the people there are more ‘discreet’. Putting hundreds of miles between him and Perugia where it all went so wrong for him, Rafaelle Sollecito has relocated to Lugano, in the Italian-speaking southern Alps. The 29-year-old intends to start his own business, a company that helps victims of miscarriages of justice, his father Francesco Sollecito confirmed to the Daily Mail. 'Moving, but not fleeing': Rafaelle Sollecito (left), the former boyfriend of Amanda Knox (right), has started a new life in Switzerland after being told he faces a retrial for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Italy . Looking more peace: Rafaelle Sollecito has relocated to Lugano (above), in the Italian-speaking southern Alps, where, he says, the people are more discreet . Sollecito's bags were reportedly packed even before he learnt that he must face retrial for the murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher. Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon in Surrey, was found dead, her throat slashed, in 2007, in the cottage she shared with Knox in the university town of Perugia. Sollecito and Knox were sentenced to 25 and 26 years respectively for the murder but were freed on appeal two years later, after judges ruled much of the DNA evidence inadmissible. But Italy’s highest court last month quashed the appeal court’s ruling, ordering a retrial. Victim: Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon in Surrey, was found dead, her throat slashed, in 2007, in the cottage she shared with Knox in the university town of Perugia . Sollecito, said to be crushed by the decision, spent Easter in his home village of Giovinazzo, near Bari, in southern Italy before relocating, hoping he said 'for a quiet life'. He had been granted residence in Switzerland in January. ‘I already had friends in Switzerland and I like the atmosphere here because people, in general, are discreet,’ Sollecito told Italian newspaper Corriere del Ticino. He said he has always been treated well by the Swiss and intends to remain in Lugarno permanently. The engineering and computer science student has not yet finished his degree at the University of Verona, but can complete his studies from his new home. The retrial, in Florence, will probably take place next year, but Sollecito and Knox, who has remained in her hometown of Seattle, are not obliged to attend. Only after the event of a confirmed conviction, in the country’s highest court, would Italy demand they return to finish their prison sentences. But Sollecito has denied suggestions that he was ‘fleeing’ to Switzerland to avoid the retrial and says he intends to come back to fight his cause. The move comes as Knox prepares to release her million dollar memoir which may well include new revelations about her former boyfriend. The publication of her book Waiting to be heard has been cancelled in the UK, but will go ahead in the U.S. on April 30. | Sollecito, 29, has relocated to Lugano in the Italian-speaking southern Alps .
Italian 'intends to start business helping victims of miscarriages of justice'
He and Knox face a retrial for murder of British student Meredith Kercher .
They are not obliged to attend, but he intends to return to fight his case . |
93,469 | 043542c784f13db46501c668865ba682563db205 | Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Thousands of people were pushing for rescue efforts in Haiti to continue Sunday, after a 24-year-old man was pulled alive from the ruins on Saturday, 11 days after the nation's devastating earthquake. The Haitian government says it will be switching from a search and rescue operation to a search and recovery mission. But families of Americans who were staying at the leveled Hotel Montana are fighting that, and started an online petition Saturday in an effort to continue search efforts there "until all the survivors are accounted for." As of Sunday morning, 2,395 people had signed the petition and sent 6,216 messages to the Senate, Congress and the White House, said Sue Keller, a friend of a family whose relatives are among the missing. The families hope to have at least 5,000 signatures by Monday, she said. The Haitian government has said more than 111,000 people died in the January 12 quake, which registered 7.0 in magnitude. But on Saturday, a French rescue team was able to save one life as they pulled Wismond Jean-Pierre from the rubble of the Hotel Napoli Inn in Port-au-Prince. According to his brother, Jean-Pierre worked in the hotel's grocery store and survived his week and a half in the rubble by consuming cookies and beer. Dehydrated but apparently without injury, Jean-Pierre was even talkative as he was placed in an ambulance and driven to a hospital. Lt. Col. Christophe Renou, a French rescuer briefly overcome with emotion, called the three-hour effort "a miracle." Other members of the team -- assisted by American and Greek workers -- were seen weeping after Jean-Pierre was freed. Rescues like Jean-Pierre's, and others that have happened in the week following the disaster, sparked hope among families of the missing. But the emotional rescue came on a day when much of Haiti was mourning as operations largely shifted from rescue to recovery, and the country's president attended the funeral of an archbishop who was one of the victims. A Mexican rescue team had pulled the body of 63-year-old Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot from ruins near the national cathedral, which he oversaw as archbishop of Port-au-Prince. The cathedral was destroyed. At the funeral, President René Préval was asked to respond to criticism that he has not shown strong public leadership and has been largely unseen in the aftermath. "This is not about politics today," he said. CNN iReport: Looking for loved ones in Haiti . The most recent death toll is the worst caused by an earthquake since the 2004 Asian tsunami that resulted from a temblor, and the second-highest death toll from an earthquake in more than three decades, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. "Rescue teams continue to work in Port-au-Prince, we continue to hope that they will be able to find people still alive, but as time passes, we must gradually shift our resources from rescue to recovery," Nick Birnback, spokesman for U.N. peacekeeping operations, said Saturday. International search teams have rescued at least 132 people since the quake struck, the U.N. said. Birnback said the priority now is to remove bodies and clean up affected areas to avoid health hazards and the spread of disease. He said the United Nations will start bringing in heavier equipment, which will allow teams to move concrete and damaged homes. More than 600,000 people have also been left homeless in and around the capital of Port-au-Prince, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. Interactive map of where to find aid, hospitals in Haiti . Meanwhile, up to 140 flights a day are regularly arriving at the single-runway Port-au-Prince airport, compared with 25 in the immediate aftermath of the January 12 quake, OCHA said Saturday. To relieve congestion at the airport, humanitarian cargo is being moved to a forward dispatch area at one end of the runway. The Las Americas airport in Santo Domingo, in neighboring Dominican Republic, is starting to report congestion as it becomes increasingly used as an alternative airport, OCHA said. It will now be open overnight to accommodate the extra traffic. Those managing the land transport of supplies from Santo Domingo will need fuel, and OCHA said there is enough in Haiti to last an additional 18 to 19 days. But it said it expects no shortage of fuel because supplies of fuel will be able to enter the port during that time. One concern with cross-border traffic is the unauthorized departure of Haitian children, OCHA said. Charities and aid groups have said in recent days that they are concerned about the danger of child trafficking after the earthquake. Groups including Save the Children and World Vision have called for a halt to adoptions, saying many children may appear to be orphaned but have simply been separated from their families. "If children must be evacuated from Haiti because their protection needs cannot be met in country, the evacuation must be carefully documented, the children must be registered with the proper authorities and all efforts must be made to reunify them with family before any adoption proceedings are considered," the U.S.-based Women's Refugee Commission said. The number of unaccompanied children needing support is greater than the capacity to respond, OCHA said. Authorities are working with unaccompanied children who are being released from hospitals, it said. | 24-year-old pulled from hotel ruins 11 days after quake offers hope more are alive .
More than 111,000 have died since the January 12 quake, the Haitian government says .
Families are protesting the switch from search/rescue to rescue/recovery . |
226,424 | b12f0a5ce2f61e82cee0f0e21d7d51a6eb5d23ae | (CNN) -- You've been in an accident. The police officer goes through the normal drill, asking for your license and registration. Then she goes a step further. "Could I have your cellphone, please?" she says. New legislation proposed by a New Jersey state Sen. James Holzapfel would let cops confiscate cellphones if they have "reasonable grounds" to believe that the driver was talking or texting when the wreck occurred. Officers would be required to return the phone after thumbing through its history. "A lot of your accidents are happening due to distracted driving," Fair Lawn Police Sgt. Brian Metzler told CNN affiliate News 12. The trick, he said, is proving it. "They're just going to say they're not paying attention. 'Were you on the cellphone?' 'No, I wasn't the cellphone' and it ends right there." The legislation is designed to cut down on distracted driving. But it comes at a time when revelations that the government has been monitoring our phone calls and online activities have shaken our sense of privacy. The bill set off alarm bells with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. "Our State and Federal Constitutions generally require probable cause before authorizing a search, particularly when it comes to areas that contain highly personal information such as cellphones," said Alexander Shalom of the ACLU-NJ. "The legislature cannot authorize searches unless there is probable cause, therefore the bill is likely susceptible to a constitutional challenge." Distracted Driving Laws . The distraction of technology . While the New Jersey bill is a bold new move in the battle against distracted driving, driver distractions are hardly new. Everything from billboards, to beautiful scenery, to pretty girls, have distracted drivers since the advent of automobiles. But new technologies are creating a growing storm of distractions for drivers, like cellphone apps, GPS units and music players, with the thousands of songs they put at our fingertips. In addition to taking a driver's eyes off the road and hands off the wheel, the devices can engage people's minds so that they're paying less attention to the task of driving, experts say. The cost of distracted driving . An often-quoted study on distracted driving known as the "100 car study" was conducted in 2003 and 2004 -- before the introduction of Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006), the iPhone (2007), and iPhone apps (2008). Since then, 11 states have banned talking on hand-held cellphones while driving, and 41 states have outlawed texting when operating a motor vehicle. Earlier this year, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said some 3,000 people were killed and 387,000 injured in 2011 in accidents involving distracted drivers. But police reports are not a reliable source of information for the cause of distracted driving accidents, said Anne McCartt of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The cause of accidents is frequently not reported, and there are very large differences across the states, McCartt said. The best studies, she said, used phone records to determine if drivers were possibly distracted at the time of a crash, she said. Just what New Jersey has in mind. Information from a report by Mike M. Ahlers is included in this story. | Cops could check texting and cellphone call logs under a New Jersey bill .
The ACLU has privacy concerns with the legislation .
Distracted driving concerns federal and state officials . |
68,303 | c1bda912709d18b5bcd28c33e1ffa225a74ef130 | Police in China are hunting a hired mob who left a three-year-old-girl in a coma fighting for her life after smashing their way into the family home to get them to move house. An Lu's parents, together with a few other families, had refused to move to make way for a major construction project in Andi village near the city of Xi'an in western China's Shaanxi province. Father An He, 32, said: 'Basically, the city boundaries are expanding and they wanted our land to build on. Fighting for her life: Three-year-old An Lu is in hospital in an artificial coma to allow the body to heal after she was beaten by thugs near the city of Xi'an in western China's Shaanxi province . An He, Lu's father at her bedside in hospital where she is in a critical condition . 'We had been warned that things might get heavy if we didn't agree to settle but nobody really thought it would come to something like this.' Other families had already accepted compensation and moved out. But the family of Lu and some others felt that it was not enough to find a new home, and were demanding more money or the right to stay where they were. Their homes were then left uninhabitable after the mob believed to have been hired thugs' that locals claim were paid for by the construction firm stormed their way into the homes. An Lu's parents had refused to move to make way for a major construction project . Together with a few other families, they felt they were not offered enough to find a new home . But hired thugs burst into their home in the middle of the night, before smashing it up and attacking the people inside . The family's home was left uninhabitable after the mob smashed it up . It happened in the middle of the night, before the thugs smash the homes up and attacked the people inside. An He said: 'My daughter and my wife were screaming and I ran over and put my hand over her head, one of the thugs hit my arm with a stick and the stick broke and smashed her on the head. 'She started bleeding heavily and wasn't moving any more, and when they saw that they ran off.' The parents rushed their daughter to hospital where the medics diagnosed a fractured skull, and put her in intensive care. A spokesman described her condition as critical and said she was in an artificial coma to allow the body to heal. Local police have confirmed they are investigating the incident. The hired thugs even smashed up cars left outside . | An Lu's parents refused to move to make way for a construction project .
Other families had already accepted compensation and moved out .
But then the An family didn't a mob stormed their home and beat them .
Lu was left in hospital in an artificial coma and fighting for her life .
It happened near the city of Xi'an in western China's Shaanxi province . |
78,067 | dd49c63579681266e83102e337bd8219647de971 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The deadly MERS-CoV virus has spread to a third U.S. citizen and officials believe that, for the first time, the man was infected while in the United States. Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control believe an Illinois man likely contracted the respiratory disease from an Indiana man, who became infected with the disease while working as a health care worker in Saudi Arabia. MERS Co-V is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012, with about 30 percent of people who initially contracted it dying. CDC officials said the two men met on two occasions before the original patient was found to be infected with MERS Co-V, ABC News reported. Taking precautions: Dr Emily Landon, of the University of Chicago Department of Medicine, explains theCDC's current recommendations to prevent the spread of MERS, after the first U.S. case was confirmed . No treatment: This electron microscope image shows novel coronavirus particles, also known as the MERS virus, colorized in yellow. On Saturday, May 17, 2014 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an Illinois man has apparently picked up an infection from the only American diagnosed with a mysterious Middle East virus . Up until now, the cases of MERS have been linked to countries in the Arabian Peninsula. This virus has spread from ill people to others through close contact, such as caring for or living with an infected person . According to the CDC, the Illinois man did not develop any symptoms of the disease and didn't seek medical treatment. Most people who have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute respiratory illness, experiencing fever, coughing and shortness of breath. There is no known treatment, cure or vaccince. 'This latest development does not change CDC's current recommendations to prevent the spread of MERS,' said Dr. David Swerdlow, who is leading CDC's MERS-CoV response. 'It's possible that as the investigation continues others may also test positive for MERS-CoV infection but not get sick.' The newly reported patient actually tested negative for an active MERS infection on May 5, but a follow up blood sample tested on May 16 found that he had antibodies to the virus, suggesting he had been infected with the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the people who need to be the most careful about MERS are those traveling to the Middle East, with signs like this starting to appear in U.S. airports . Hospitals in the U.S. are now preparing to treat people with MERS by having kits, such as this one, on hand. They contain robes and masks that would prevent picking up the virus . In addition to the two men in Illinois and Indiana another man in Florida was found to be infected with the disease, after traveling to Saudi Arabia as a health care provider. The outbreak of the MERS-CoV virus, which stands for Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, has so far been concentrated in Saudi Arabia. According to the CDC as of May 16 the virus has been found in 15 countries and a total of 572 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported. Of those infected, 173 people have died. The virus spreads from person-to-person though close contact, but might also be transmitted to humans from animals, according to the CDC. | Illinois man has become the first known person to contract MERS on American soil after meeting with an Indiana man who was infected .
Until now the only known cases of the virus have been picked up in the Middle East .
MERS was first identified in Saudi Arabia and has no known cure, treatment or vaccine .
It is a respiratory virus with symptoms of fever, coughing and shortness of breath .
A total 572 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported, with 173 fatalities . |
277,157 | f3148be7de85476f99577a03d5f4c33c9a0ea8cd | The Melbourne palatial investment mansion of a AFL coach is under offer just as he returns to the Essendon Bombers after a 12-month suspension due to a doping scandal within the club. It is believed that James Hird and wife Tania hope to sell their lavish five-bedroom property for $4.75 million plus. The couple renovated the home in the affluent suburb of Toorak, south-east from Melbourne, after they bought it for $2.76 million in early 2011. Scroll down for video . The luxurious Melbourne mansion of James Hird and wife Tanya is under offer. It is on private sale through Kay & Burton real estate agents . The couple hope to sell their lavish five-bedroom property for $4.75 million plus which they bought three years ago . The Essendon Bombers coach returned to work on Monday after a 12-month suspension for a doping scandal within the club . The lavish home at is believed to be an investment property for the Hird family who have been living in another Toorak house since 1998 which was purchased for $2.4million, reported Property Observer. The 837 square metre site - named Swinford - has undergone costly renovations with luxurious features such as French limestone fireplaces, Swarovski crystal chandeliers and a sparkling turquoise pool surrounded by manicured gardens. The stunning house is on private sale through Kay & Burton real estate agents. The renovated home in the affluent suburb of Toorak, south-east from Melbourne, was bought by the Hirds for $2.76 million in early 2011 . The lavish home at 7 Toorak Avenue is believed to be an investment property for the Hird family . The 837 square metre site - named Swinford - has undergone costly renovations . Luxurious features such as French limestone fireplaces, Swarovski crystal chandeliers and a sparkling turquoise pool surrounded by manicured gardens . It's been reported that the house has been on the market since February this year and with expressions of interest due on March 25. This followed a failed expressions of interest marketing campaign back in May 2012. Controversy surrounded Hird's future with the Bombers following the doping scandal within the club. But he has returned to the club as his 12-month suspension came to an end on Monday. However Hird will not play an active role as coach until the start of the 2015 season. James Hird and his wife Tanya. They married in 1997 and have four children - a daughter and three sons . It's been reported that the house has been on the market since February this year and with expressions of interest due on March 25 . Hird family have been living in another Toorak house since 1998 which was purchased for $2.4million . Controversy surrounded Hird's future with the Bombers following the doping scandal within the club . Hird has returned to the club as his 12-month suspension came to an end on Monday . Hird will not play an active role as coach until the start of the 2015 season . | The Essendon Bombers coach was suspended after a doping scandal within the club .
His Melbourne mansion and is tipped to get $2 million more than he purchased the property for three years ago .
It is believed to be an investment property for the Hird's who have been living in another Toorak house since 1998 which was bought for $2.4million . |
214,657 | a1ef4b45269f965dd5c8c9d7819b845f76ffa632 | Will Manchester City retain their Premier League title? Can Jose Mourinho and Chelsea show they're still winners? Is Louis van Gaal going to turn Manchester United around? And who will beat the dreaded drop? These are just some of the questions being posed ahead of the start of the Premier League season and here, Sportsmail's experts give their views... LEE CLAYTON . Champions: I said Manchester United last year, so who will believe me? This time I’ll curse Chelsea. Rest of top four: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal. Relegated: Burnley, Aston Villa and one team not in claret and blue, West Brom. Top goalscorer: Robin van Persie. Winning mentality: Jose Mourinho can deliver the title again for Chelsea . FA Cup: Arsenal . League Cup: Liverpool. Champions League: Real Madrid. Again. England breakthrough: James Ward-Prowse at Southampton. And I hope Jack Rodwell gets back in the squad, too. IAN LADYMAN . Champions: Manchester City. Last year's champions have strengthened and will keep the others at arm's length. Rest of top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United. Relegated: QPR, Leicester, West Brom. Top goalscorer: Wayne Rooney. They'll do it again: Manchester City have strengthened and don't bet against Vincent Kompany lifting the trophy . FA Cup: Liverpool. League Cup: Manchester United. Champions League: Chelsea. It feels like Jose’s turn to lift the trophy. England breakthrough: John Stones (Everton). NEIL ASHTON . Champions: Manchester United. They look hungry. Rest of top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City. Relegated: Leicester, Burnley, West Brom. Top goalscorer: Robin van Persie. FA Cup: Tottenham . Left-field choice: Tyler Blackett (right) could impress this season at left back for Manchester United . League Cup: Manchester United. Champions League: Bayern Munich. Pep Guardiola is under almost intolerable pressure to deliver their sixth European Cup. His players can. England Breakthrough: Tyler Blackett (Manchester United). MATT LAWTON . Champions: Chelsea. A year on and Mourinho now has Chelsea looking the way he wants it. It is hard to see a weakness. Rest of top four: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool. Relegated: Burnley, QPR, West Brom. Top goalscorer: Diego Costa. Weight of expectation: John Stones (left) trained with the England squad before the World Cup . FA Cup: Liverpool . League Cup: Everton. Champions League: Chelsea. Mourinho is on a mission to join Paisley and Ancelotti as a three-time winner. England breakthrough: John Stones (Everton). DOMINIC KING . Champions: Chelsea. They nearly won the title last year without a striker, now they have Diego Costa; Cesc Fabregas isn’t a bad signing either. Rest of top four: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool. Relegated: Hull, West Brom, QPR. Top goalscorer: Sergio Aguero. Saint's a winner: James Ward-Prowse (right) can take advantage of the Southampton exodus . FA Cup: Man City. League Cup: Liverpool. Champions League: Real Madrid. The last time they ended a barren run in the European Cup (1998), they won it three times in five years. They will be the first to retain it in the modern era. England breakthrough: James Ward-Prowse (Southampton). MATT BARLOW . Champions: Manchester City: confident, upwardly mobile with an improved squad. Rest of top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United. Relegated: Leicester, Hull, Swansea. Top goalscorer: Robin van Persie. Flying: Robin van Persie is our experts' most popular choice to be Premier League top scorer . FA Cup: Chelsea. League Cup: Arsenal. Champions League: Barcelona: time for Catalans to bite back. England breakthrough: Steven Caulker (QPR). SAMI MOKBEL . Champions: Chelsea. The squad is so strong after four new signings. Rest of top four: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool. Relegated: West Brom, Burnley, Swansea. Top goalscorer: Sergio Aguero. Holding off the competition: Calum Chambers will be looking to establish himself in Arsenal's back four . FA Cup: Manchester United. League Cup: Spurs. Champions League: Bayern Munich. Expect Germany’s world domination to continue. England breakthrough: Calum Chambers (Arsenal). ROB DRAPER . Champions: Manchester City. Still the best squad and a proven boss. Rest of top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United. Relegated: Aston Villa, Burnley, West Brom. Top goalscorer: Robin van Persie. Kings of Europe? Bayern Munich are looking strong, especially having added Robert Lewandowski (left) FA Cup: Liverpool. League Cup: Manchester United. Champions League: Bayern Munich. Pep is more settled and the World Cup-winning players even more sure of themselves. England breakthrough: James Ward-Prowse (Southampton). LAURIE WHITWELL . Champions: Chelsea. Jose Mourinho now has the players he wants to go with his know-how. Rest of top four: Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United. Relegated: Burnley, QPR, Swansea. Top goalscorer: Robin van Persie. Spur of the moment: Eric Dier (right) might be on England's radar after joining Tottenham . FA Cup: Manchester City . League Cup: Manchester United. Champions League: Bayern Munich. Pep Guardiola has had time to mould his World Cup winners. England breakthrough: Eric Dier (Spurs). CRAIG HOPE . Champions: Chelsea have added guile in Cesc Fabregas and power with Diego Costa. Rest of top four: Manchester City, Arsenal Manchester United. Relegated: Burnley, Leicester, Aston Villa. Top goalscorer: Daniel Sturridge. Ing-er-land? If Danny Ings (right) continues his form of last season, he could get international recognition . FA Cup: Manchester United . League Cup: Newcastle United. Champions League: Real Madrid will become the first side to defend the Champions League now they have James Rodriguez. England breakthrough: Danny Ings (Burnley). SAM CUNNINGHAM . Champions: Chelsea . Rest of top four: Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal . Relegated: Burnley, Crystal Palace, Leicester . Top goalscorer: Sergio Aguero . Strong: Cristiano Ronaldo could help Real Madrid become the first team to retain the Champions League . FA Cup: Arsenal . League Cup: Manchester City . Champions League: Real Madrid . England breakthrough: Calum Chambers . JOE BERNSTEIN . Champions: Chelsea - Jose Mourinho has been planning for this season from the day he returned. Rest of top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City . Relegated: Burnley, Swansea, West Brom . Top goalscorer: Daniel Sturridge . Hull of an incentive: Tom Huddlestone is an established Premier League player but has not appeared for England since 2010, when he won the last of his four caps . FA Cup: Man Utd . League Cup: Arsenal . Champions League: Bayern Munich - Guardiola + Germany = Success . England breakthrough: Tom Huddlestone. CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Ahead of the big Barclays Premier League kick-off, Sportsmail's panel of experts give their views of what to expect .
Can Manchester City successfully defend their title?
Will Manchester United be a force to be reckoned with under Louis van Gaal?
Who will win the FA Cup and the League Cup? |
25,290 | 47a794e670c6c2f0da4f5d6c2ace8b9742ac8054 | A Chicago Cubs baseball player has been questioned over a nightclub shooting in which four people were injured. Starlin Castro, a shortstop for the team, was spoken to by officers in Monte Cristi, the Dominican Republic, over an alleged argument between Castro's younger brother and a government official. The shooting, which took place in the sportsman's home town, is the second in the town to which he has been linked this month. Arrested? Local law enforcement said Cubs player Starlin Castro was arrested and had his house raided after a shooting - but his agent denied either thing happened . 'Not even close': According to Castro's agent, the player had nothing to do with the incident and only went to police to explain as much . The player was one of six people detained by police, and his home in the town was also searched, according to a law enforcement spokesman. He said Castro has now been released. However, the player's agent said that he went to police of his only accord - with the sole intention of telling them he had nothing to do with it. He has denied he was arrested. Agent Paul Kinzer said: 'They said they had video and they knew he wasn't involved'. He told the Chicago Tribune: 'He said he wasn’t even close to [the shooting]. He doesn’t even know what happened. 'He just heard there was a fight and just left through the back door to go to his car and then he went to the police to make sure they knew he wasn’t involved.' The shooting occurred in the northwest province of Montecristi, where the 24-year-old Castro is from. Police said at least four people were treated at a hospital for injuries. According to local reports, one man is in serious condition after being hit in the abdomen. Police are investigating allegations that the shooting occurred after an argument between Castro's brother and the assistant of a government official. Castro's name was linked to a separate shooting in a different nightclub in early December - but the player appeared at a new conference to say he had already left a club when a the shots were fired. 'It's just they keep dragging his name into this and he had nothing to do with either incident,' Kinzer said. Kinzer said Castro had spoken with the Cubs and 'they aren't happy his name is involved' again. The 24-year-old Castro hit .292 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs in 134 games last season. | Starlin Castro reportedly arrested in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic .
Shooting allegedly began after his young brother got into argument .
Agent said he wasn't arrested, did not see fight, and went to cops by choice .
Last month Castro denied involvement in another Monte Cristi shooting . |
37,456 | 6a184a8ff562cf2e22ba3c530d4bfb78f4c39138 | By . Matthew Blake . Junior the puppy has found a novel way to tyre himself out before bedtime. The blue and red-nose pitbull cross was playing with his brothers and siblings at home in Bakersfield, California, when he got his head irreversibly stuck inside the wheel-rim of his master's Buick Regal. Owner Meagan Beeler tried everything she could to prise the playful pup free but he would not budge. In the end she was forced to take him - and the wheel - to her local fire station where she begged firefighters for help. Tyring: Junior the puppy has found a novel way to tyre himself out before bedtime . Playful pup: The blue and red-nose pitbull cross was playing with his brothers and siblings at home in Bakersfield, California, when he got his head irreversibly stuck inside the wheel-rim of a Buick Regal . Fortunately, firemen at station 41 in East Bakersfield has just the solution. Using a combination of 'cooking oil and a little ingenuity' they were able to jimmy Junior to freedom to Meagan's delight. But her relief was short lived after Meagan became the victim of internet trolls asking how she allowed the dog to get stuck in the wheel in the first place. Oil and ingenuity: Fortunately, firemen at Station 41 in East Bakersfield had just the solution and used a winning combination of 'cooking oil and a little ingenuity' they were able to jimmy Junior to freedom . No lasting damage: Junior is one of a litter of five brothers and three sisters and was said to be doing well since his ordeal . In a post on her Facebook page, Meagan wrote: 'It is my puppy he was playing with . his brothers and sisters on the patio where my husband had put his rims . for his regal and he got it stuck I'm no low life or whatever else u . want to call me. 'I am a highly educated woman thanks and I love my kids . as well as my animals and would not let them get hurt purposely so go . screw ur selves...' She went on: 'As . for those that are leaving positive comments thank you he is doing . great his name was jr but since then have started calling him rim job . lol he is a blue and red nose mix ... he is for sale as are his 4 . brothers and 3 sisters ... but he is doing very well no bumps scraps of . any kind ... thanks again station 41 for helping him out i owe guys a . dinner.' | Junior was playing at home in Bakersfield, CA, when accident happened .
The blue-and-red-nosed pitbull got head stuck in owner's spare tyre .
Owner Meagan Beeler tried to prise him free but found he was stuck fast .
Luckily, local firefighters used combination of 'cooking oil and ingenuity'
He is said to be doing well with no lasting injuries, bumps or scrapes .
Owner Ms Beeler hits out at internet trolls who ask how she let it happen . |
227,912 | b32093b9f34a1127ff0c275f393d4ecf8f4320c5 | (CNN) -- The AMC series "Mad Men" has been honored for its sharp writing, polished acting and engaging portrayal of life at a New York advertising agency in the early 1960s. "Mad Men" has gotten attention from fashion designers and clothing merchandisers. It has also been much noticed for something else: its fashion sense. The series, which features all the looks of that era -- thin-lapeled suits and skinny ties, crinoline-puffed dresses and pencil skirts, Peter Pan collars and subdued pinks and greens -- has attracted attention from fashion designers and clothing merchandisers. Banana Republic, which has placed "Mad Men"-inspired clothes in its window displays, is even offering a walk-on role for the winner of a contest. "Mad Men," which returns for its third season Sunday, isn't the first Hollywood creation to influence fashion trends. For decades, movies and television shows have played a primary role in dictating people's fashion choices, whether they've been aware of it or not. Here are a few examples. 1. In the 1934 film "It Happened One Night," star Clark Gable took off his shirt and showed his bare chest, instead of the standard white undershirt. For decades, an urban legend has maintained that undershirt sales dropped up to 75 percent, not to recover until World War II. Though the mythbusting site Snopes.com says the truth is uncertain, it's testimony to the legend's strength that we're still talking about it 75 years later. 2. The 1967 film "Bonnie and Clyde," with its (somewhat idealized) Depression-era fashion, continues to inspire today's designers. Faye Dunaway's berets, scarves, trench coats, fitted cardigans and long pencil skirts were a hit at the time and remain so today. 3. "Annie Hall" boldly showed women that the masculine preppy look was attractive. Star Diane Keaton wore baggy pants, dress shirts, a vest and tie in the 1977 Woody Allen film. The film is said to have influenced a spike in tie sales for women. 4. "Saturday Night Fever" rejuvenated a fading disco craze in 1977 and told men it's OK to wear crotch-hugging pants, wide-open, chest-baring shirts and large medallion jewelry. John Travolta's white polyester suit -- later bought by film critic Gene Siskel at auction -- became a disco-era icon. 5. The 1983 film "Flashdance" made active wear -- like a ripped sweatshirt off one shoulder, tight leggings and leg warmers -- sexy for women in the early 1980s. Actor Jennifer Beals is said to have cut the collar off a sweatshirt that had shrunk in order to get it over her head, according to the Internet Movie Database. 6. The 1980s TV series "Miami Vice," with its lightweight fabrics and pastel colors, proved a hit on television and in menswear departments. Star Don Johnson's signature look -- T-shirt, suit jacket, linen pants and shoes worn sockless -- could be seen all over the country. (He also popularized the unshaven, stubble-bearded look.) 7. "Sex and the City" trendsetter Sarah Jessica Parker, who played Carrie, talked about her shoe addiction constantly during the HBO series, which ran from 1998 to 2004 and spawned a 2008 movie. Soon, stilettos -- paired with a thrown-together look -- became something the cool crowd of viewers would follow, along with brands such as Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo. 8. A game show starting a fashion trend? It happened with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," which featured host Regis Philbin sporting a monochromatic shirt-and-tie look. Later, he launched a line of shirts and ties in the Regis by Van Heusen collection. | "Mad Men" has influenced fashion designers; looks filter into public view .
Many movies, TV shows have had similar impact .
"Miami Vice," "Sex and the City" are among names on the list . |
220,182 | a8f91195081cc8ef34f7830783df1813ef7249d4 | By . Sophie Borland Health Reporter . One in ten inspectors working for the NHS watchdog was hired despite not being up to the job. The Care Quality Commission has admitted that 126 of its staff were recruited through a ‘flawed’ process. They were taken on during a major recruitment drive in 2012 prompted by accusations that the watchdog was failing in its duty to carry out rigorous checks of hospitals and care homes. One in ten inspectors working for the NHS watchdog was hired despite not being up to the job, a new report reveals (file picture) But the CQC has since discovered that during those 12 months the pass rate was lowered and candidates were hired despite under-performing in key assessments. The flaw only came to light in March during a review of the recruitment process, which was prompted by the concerns of other staff. But the watchdog says it cannot sack the inspectors in case they sue for unfair dismissal. The disclosure is the latest blow for the CQC, which has been dogged by scandal since it was set up in 2009 to inspect hospitals, care homes and GP services. The poor recruitment was uncovered by the Health Service Journal, which obtained the review of the process under Freedom of Information laws. It states that during 2012 a total of 134 candidates were appointed as inspectors even though they were subsequently found not to have met certain ‘benchmarks’. A total of 126 remain among the 1,031 full-time inspectors, for whom the starting salary is £38,000. The document adds that throughout 2012, there was a ‘flawed recruitment process’ that resulted in a ‘lowering of the passrate’ of certain assessments. It involved a single assessment day that led to ‘a significant number of people in post who were not recruited to the required standard’. The review admitted that staff were appointed without ‘the core competencies to do the job properly’. The CQC says it cannot get rid of these inspectors as they were unaware of the flawed recruitment process and so could sue for unfair dismissal. It is drastically trying to overhaul its reputation and in 2012 appointed a new chief executive and chairman. They replaced Cynthia Bower and Jo Finney, who were accused of conspiring to cover-up a botched inspection of a maternity unit at Furness General hospital, where poor care contributed to the deaths of mothers and babies. Furness General Hospital, where poor care contributed to the deaths of mothers and babies . Rebecca Prideaux, a former inspector who resigned last year after repeatedly raising concerns over staff to senior managers at the CQC, told the Mail that there were still people ‘at risk’ in the healthcare sector. ‘The CQC keeps promising that it has changed but this shows it is still putting the public at risk. ‘To have 126 inspectors who are in charge of regulating hospitals and care homes who do not meet basic standards is shocking. This means staff who won’t be able to identify risks to patients and care home residents, who don’t have experience of the sector, who are simply substandard. ‘The only way it’s ever going to work is if Jeremy Hunt abolishes it and starts again.’ CQC chief executive David Behan said the recruitment process was now much more rigorous and took place over five days. ‘We now recruit people with specialist experience in healthcare, primary medical services and adult social care. ‘All of our inspection staff, regardless of when they were appointed, receive training, are subject to regular performance management reviews, and their work is quality assured.’ | Care Quality Commission says 126 staff were recruited through 'flawed' process .
Inspectors were taken on during a major recruitment drive in 2012 .
Flaw only came to light in March during review of recruitment process .
Latest blow for CQC which has been dogged by scandal since 2009 . |
172,013 | 6aa4bc7df1b23c90eed23ef8032b18187aa8cd44 | (CNN) -- A fourth man has pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime in the death of a black man who was beaten by a gang of young whites, then run over by a pickup truck driven by one of them in Mississippi in 2011. In a separate but related case, another Mississippi man admitted he was part of a group of whites who carried out other racial attacks against African-Americans around the same time. William Kirk Montgomery, 23, from Puckett, Mississippi, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal hate-crime charges in the death of James Craig Anderson, who was murdered on June 26, 2011, in Jackson, Mississippi, the prosecutor says. Jonathan Gaskamp, 20, admitted to two federal hate crime charges in other attacks carried out on other African-Americans in or around Jackson. James Craig Anderson, 47, died after he was beaten and run over by a truck driven by Deryl Dedmon, who was part of a group of seven whites, mostly teenagers, from largely white Rankin County who decided to "go f**k with some n*****s" after a night of partying and drinking, law enforcement officials have said, quoting some of the suspects in the case. Life sentence in Mississippi hate crime case . Montgomery was one of the ones who left that party in search of a victim. Anderson, a worker at a local auto plant, was outside a Jackson hotel when he was confronted by the group. Anderson's death became national news after CNN obtained and aired videotape capturing the gruesome murder as it happened. The death of the black man, and the shocking videotape showing the murder, prompted several large marches and prayer vigils in Jackson, a city of about 537,000 people. On the videotape, two vehicles carrying the group of whites pull into the parking lot and stop where Anderson is standing, although he is just off camera and not visible. The young men can then be seen going back and forth between their cars and Anderson. Witnesses told authorities this is when Anderson's beating took place, as the whites yelled racial epithets, including "white power." On the videotape, Anderson first comes into view in the lower right corner of the screen, after he was beaten, according to police. He staggers into the headlights of the green F-250 truck, his white shirt easily visible. The truck backs up, then suddenly surges forward. As the truck nears the defenseless man, its headlights glow brightly on his shirt before he suddenly disappears underneath it. Three of the other whites who were there that night pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes earlier this year. Dedmon, John Aaron Rice and Dylan Butler, all now around age 20, each admitted to conspiracy and violating the 2009 federal hate-crimes law. They face sentences of up to life in prison and $250,000 in fines, federal prosecutors said. Dedmon also pleaded guilty to state murder and hate-crime charges in a state court and was sentenced to life in prison. Murder suspect carried 'backpack of hatred' Gaskamp was at a party with the others when they discussed going out to hunt and hurt blacks on the night Anderson was killed, authorities said, but he was not present when the group came upon Anderson. However, he was present at other attacks at other times, prosecutors now say. CNN had reported previously that the attack on Anderson was only one of a number of racial attacks carried out by the gang of young whites and others who were with them at various times, based on witness accounts and sources close to the investigation. Prosecutors have long told CNN that the additional attacks might bring more arrests or charges. Various groupings of the young men would, at various times, hunt out and target blacks, or others who appeared homeless or drunk, prosecutors said. These people were likely targeted, authorities said, because the group members believed they would be less likely to report attacks to police or to fight back. In these other attacks, according to prosecutors Tuesday, the group of white young men, sometimes along with young women, on numerous occasions drove from Rankin County, which is mostly white, over to Jackson, which is mostly black, specifically with the intent of assaulting blacks. Group members would often boast about what they had done later, prosecutors said. In late 2011 CNN filmed an interview with one former member of the gang who had changed his ways and felt bad about their behavior. That former member told CNN on camera that the group of whites would "go out hunting" for blacks to hurt on weekends. But until Gaskamp's plea Tuesday, no details of such attacks had been made public, or had even been substantiated. In one of the other incidents the gang carried out, prosecutors say, Gaskamp and other white teens drove to Jackson to find an African-American to assault, and Gaskamp brought with him a .40-caliber handgun. The group hurled beer bottles at numerous black pedestrians they ran across. Then, after seeing one black man who appeared to be drunk, a group of white teens set upon him, according to prosecutors. In that incident, prosecutors say, Dedmon, Rice and Gaskamp were among the ones who punched and kicked the man repeatedly on his face and all around his body, "until the man begged for his life." After the group left the man beaten and wounded on the street, Gaskamp wanted to go back "so that he could use the gun he had brought with him to shoot the African-American man they just assaulted," according to court papers. But the group did not go back that night. "These teens laughed and boasted about what they had done," said Robert Shuler Smith, the district attorney for Jackson and the main prosecutor in the case. And in court, federal prosecutor Sheldon Beer said, "Members of the group thought it was funny that the man pleaded for his life." Gaskamp could be sentenced to up to five years in prison for one count and 10 years for the other, Smith said. Montgomery faces up to five years for one count and up to life in prison for the other. Prosecutors tell CNN there may be other arrests or charges. "This case is not over," Smith said. "This is still ongoing. We would like to pursue justice fully for the Anderson family. We want the Anderson family to be pleased at the end of this case that justice was done." | William Kirk Montgomery of Puckett, Mississippi, pleads guilty to federal hate-crime charges .
James Craig Anderson, 47, died after he was beaten and run over by a truck .
Three others who took part in the Jackson, Mississippi, slaying pleaded guilty previously .
Jonathan Gaskamp admits he was with the group during another beating . |
124,621 | 2d14ba87322a0154561d8ed6244c512acc96a1d9 | (EW.com) -- Maybe you're a Sharknado super-fan. You watched both movies live. You bought the tie-in book. You even considered getting Tara Reid's Shark-themed perfume. Well, now there's a way to spend even more money and time on the Sharknado franchise. The Wrap reports that Sharknado 2: The Second One will hit theaters for a one-night-only showing on August 21, 8 p.m. local time. The Syfy original movie will be presented in partnership with Fathom Events. Tickets are already available on their website. EW: Smell the Sharknado - Tara Reid has a perfume called 'Shark' This marks the second time that a Sharknado film has been propelled, like a deadly ocean predator in the midst of a freak weather event, into theaters. Tickets sold out for midnight showings of the first installment of the made-for-TV franchise in select Regal cinemas last year, prompting theaters to offer another set of screenings. EW: 'Sharknado 2' becomes Syfy's most watched original movie . Sharknado 2: The Second One nabbed 3.9 million viewers on the night of its premiere, a record for Syfy original movies. As a comparison, the first Sharknado brought in 1.4 million viewers. Viewership data among sharks is not currently available. 'Sharknado 2' whips up Twitter feeding frenzy . See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | The TV movie will hit theaters August 21 .
Tickets sold out for a theater screening of the first "Sharknado"
The sequel nabbed 3.9 million viewers . |
159,523 | 5a31a0ac3e3e7a95104a3c760364e767374dcd62 | Promoter Eddie Hearn hopes to stage James DeGale rematch with George Groves next spring. The British super middleweights have been bitter rivals since their amateur days and Groves won their first fight three years ago. Both are mandatory challengers for separate world titles but Hearn hopes to convince them to put those dreams on hold. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Eddie Hearn on DeGale, Groves and Froch . James DeGale looked impressive as he stopped Marco Antonio Periban inside the first round . DeGale sends Periban flying to record the most impressive victory of his career so far . DeGale is next in line to face Carl Froch for his IBF belt and the champion must decide whether to face his challenger by December 31. Froch is more likely to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in Las Vegas in March. Groves, meanwhile, hopes to secure a fight against WBC champion Anthony Dirrell in the new year. But Hearn told Sportsmail: 'I'm looking to make James DeGale against George Groves in the spring. 'That's the fight that makes sense for everyone and if we can manouvere that into the IBF or WBA title, whey wouldn't you? George Groves started slowly against Denis Douglin but eventually stopped the game American . Groves poses to the crowd as Douglin lies flat on his back after he was knocked down by Groves in Liverpool . 'It pays them four or five times the money. It's only the egos and the hate between them that will stop it happen. 'Maybe the winner can fight Froch if he comes through against Chavez.' DeGale looked impressive when stopping Marco Antonio Periban in Liverpool last month. On the same card, Groves overcame a sluggish start to beat Denis Douglin. At the weigh-in the day before, DeGale and Groves had to be pulled apart after a heated exchange of words. | James DeGale and George Groves have a long-standing rivalry .
Groves won their first fight as professionals at the O2 in 2011 .
Eddie Hearn wants to make the rematch for spring next year .
Both are mandatory challengers for separate world titles . |
175,818 | 6f976a0e2f348d76f178a1b1e5e2ac5710b0a36c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A trucker was driving through Illinois last week when he says a police officer sped past him going way above the speed limit - while chatting on his cellphone. Brian Miner decided to take the law into his own hands and honked his horn repeatedly, prompting the officer to pull over. In a video posted to YouTube by Miner, the officer undergoes an amazing transformation once he realizes he's being filmed. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Pulled over: The officer approached Miner's truck to ask him why he honked his horn at him and forced him to pull over . None too pleased at being pulled over by Miner, the officer is confrontational and resorts to outright lies when Miner questions him on his actions. 'You pulled me over with your horn, I don't know what that was about,' says the officer. 'Because you were speeding and had your cellphone in your hand,' replies Miner. 'Police officers can actually use technology when we're driving,' the officer responds, stretching the truth somewhat. 'Oh, so you guys are above the law?' the trucker asks. The officer asks Miner for his license and the officer questions him on how fast he was driving. 'You passed me! Are you above the speed limit as well?' says Miner, adding that the officer was going well above 70mph, the speed limit. Cop on camera: When he realizes he's being filmed, the officer retracts a previous statement about police being allowed to use technology while driving and says in fact, he doesn't remember using his phone at all . Playing nice: The officer says he won't write Miner a ticket for unlawful use of horn and tells him to 'enjoy that violation-free MCS inspection' The officer tells Miner he's going to write him a ticket for 'unlawful use of horn.' That's . when Miner lets the officer know that he's being recorded. And . strangely, when the officer begins to try and recover the situation. He claims that he was traveling at 70mph and then tells Miner he's decided not to write him a ticket. 'I didn't want to hurt your record,' he says. He then says he's done an inspection on the trucks and that Miner has no violations, 'which will look good to your company.' Turning the tables: Miner ends the video by turning the camera on himself and saying, 'And that's what happens when they know you're recording.' He even offers to put away Miner's registration papers before speaking to Miner, man to man. 'Honestly, I wasn't paying attention to my speed,' says the officer. He also now says he doesn't remember having his phone on him and that it is not OK for him to be on his phone while driving. 'We're all out here sharing the same road. You should be held accountable to the same standards I am.' 'Enjoy that violation-free MCS inspection,' the officer says, telling Miner to 'take care.' Miner turns the camera on himself. 'And that's what happens when they know you're recording,' he says. | Trucker Brian Miner pulled over a police officer in Illinois because he says he was speeding and talking on his cell phone .
The officer tells Miner he's going to write him a ticket for 'unlawful use of horn'
He also says police are allowed to use technology while driving .
He changes his tune when Miner informs him that he's recording the exchange .
The officer then says he won't write a ticket and give Miner a violation-free MCA inspection . |
86,347 | f5110ea10d7ad67aa87c49b0266b3e77268091eb | (CNN) -- AC Milan withstood a brave comeback from Arsenal to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League Tuesday despite a 3-0 defeat in the second leg at the Emirates. The Italian champions had led 4-0 from the first leg last month and few bar the most optimistic of Arsenal fans gave Arsene Wenger's men any hope of retrieving the deficit. But first-half goals from Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky and captain Robin van Persie gave the English Premier League side the perfect platform to complete a remarkable recovery. Koscielny headed home from a corner, Rosicky took advantage of a defensive mistake after a Theo Walcott run and van Persie slotted home a penalty after the excellent Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain was fouled. Milan were all at sea, but regrouped strongly after the break and blunted the Arsenal onslaught. Van Persie uncharacteristically fluffed the best chance for the home side to make it 4-4 on aggregate, but after fine work by Gervinho his effort was saved by Christian Abbiati. "I felt he wanted to chip the keeper because he was down but Abbiati got up very quickly but he reacted well and unfortunately we couldn't score, Wenger told Sky Sports. "I hoped in the final 10 or 15 minutes to create some more goal chances, but it didn't happen." At the other end, Zlatan Ibrahimovic came to life and twice came close to scoring the Milan goal which would have completely killed off the tie. But at the finish it was the Milan players who were celebrating, while Arsenal will be boosted in their challenge for a Champions League spot in the EPL and remain in the FA Cup. In Tuesday's other last 16 tie, Benfica overturned a 3-2 deficit from their first leg against Zenit St Petersburg to win 2-0 in Lisbon and go through 4-3 on aggregate. Maxi Pereira's goal in first-half injury-time set them on their way with Nelson Oliveira secured the outright win in the second minute of added time. | Milan advance 4-3 on aggregate against Arsenal in Champions League .
Arsenal win second leg 3-0 at the Emirates in superb comeback .
Arsenal led 3-0 at halftime but could not add to their tally .
Benfica beat Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 to win 4-3 on aggregate . |
284,528 | fca0b4aa32bd0df663e94ad3c9776de477a8ebea | A millionaire socialite who is on trial for force-feeding her autistic son a fatal dose of drugs emailed her financial adviser as she watched him die, a court heard yesterday. Gigi Jordan, 54, forced a cocktail of crushed pills and orange juice down the throat of eight-year-old Jude Mirra in a $2,300-a-night suite at Manhattan's exclusive Peninsula hotel. As he lay dying on the bed next to her, she then reportedly emailed adviser Patrick Walsh, saying: 'Hi Pat, can you please wire $125,000 to Bruce as requested below?'. Mother and son: Gigi Jordan (right), 54, forced a cocktail of crushed pills and orange juice down the throat of her eight-year-old son, Jude Mirra (left), in a $2,300-a-night suite at Manhattan's exclusive Peninsula Hotel . Standing trial: As Jude (right) lay dying on the bed next to her, Jordan (pictured, left, in court) then reportedly emailed adviser Patrick Walsh, saying: 'Hi Pat, can you please wire $125,000 to Bruce as requested below?' She hoped to siphon the large sum of cash from her son's trust fund into one of her business accounts, prosecutors said. Although Jordan has never disputed feeding the fatal drugs to Jude, she has described her actions in the luxury hotel room on Fifth Avenue in February 2010 as a 'mercy killing'. However, prosecutors said the pharmaceutical executive's emails contradicted her defense lawyer's assertions that she was 'emotionally distraught' at her son's autism. Instead, Jordan wanted to live the life of the socialite and not be tied down by a young son who required so much attention because of his condition, said lead prosecutor Matthew Bogdanos. Aim: Jordan hoped to siphon cash from her son's trust into one of her business accounts, prosecutors said . Scene of the crime: Although Jordan has never disputed feeding the drugs to Jude, she has described her actions in the luxury hotel room on Fifth Avenue as a 'mercy killing'. Above, the Peninsula hotel on Fifth Avenue . During yesterday's trial, Mr Walsh claimed that Jordan was a demanding, high-maintenance client who often made 'unreasonable' requests, according to the New York Post. 'My job was to deal with that, but most requests she would make I think would be considered unreasonable,' he told the court. When asked about the times Jordan reportedly transferred money from her son's account into her own, Mr Walsh replied: 'If she wanted to use it for her own personal use, we would not stop her from doing that.' Jordan currently has a pending civil suit against the financial adviser, whom she claims helped her ex-husband steal millions of dollars from her. Devastating: Prosecutors said the pharmaceutical executive's emails contradicted her lawyer's assertions that she was 'emotionally distraught' at her son's autism. Above, emergency crews take away Jude's body . Allegations: In addition to his medical condition, Jordan alleges that her son's (pictured) biological father, and her second husband, Emil Tzekov, had been sexually abusing the boy since he was an infant . During an earlier hearing, the court heard that Jordan had also balanced her checkbook after forcing the lethal concoction of pills down her son's throat. 'Ms. Jordan is so distraught, so emotional, so emotionally disturbed that she balances her checkbook in that room on her bed with her dead child only a few feet away,' Mr Bogdanos told jurors. The mother then reportedly attempted to take her own life by consuming a mixture of pills and Grey Goose vodka. Jordan, who faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder, is pictured at an earlier court appearance . But she was foiled when members of law enforcement kicked down the door to the room and found her on the floor incoherent and babbling. She immediately said to one officer, 'I want a lawyer', the court heard. In his opening statement, Allan Brenner, defending, said Jordan was a caring, loving and devoted mother who was terrified of the suffering her son was going through. In addition to his medical condition, Jordan alleges that her son's biological father, and her second husband, Emil Tzekov, had been sexually abusing the boy since he was an infant. She also claims that her first husband, Ray Mirra, had threatened to murder her and the boy if she turned him in to authorities for selling black market prescription drugs. Neither Tzekov, who has strongly denied the allegations, nor Mirra have ever been charged with a crime. Mr Brenner plans to argue that Jordan killed her son while in the grip of an extreme emotional disturbance, which would allow the jury to convict her of manslaughter rather than murder. Killing a person to save them from future abuse has never been a recognized defense to murder in the state of New York. Jordan, who according to the New York Times has gone through 11 defense lawyers since she was charged over four years ago, faces up to life in prison if convicted. The trial is expected to last until November. | Gigi Jordan, 54, force-fed her son Jude Mirra fatal cocktail of pills and juice .
She then emailed financial adviser as he lay dying next to her, court heard .
She wrote: 'Can you please wire $125,000 to Bruce as requested below?'
Socialite 'hoped to siphon cash from son's trust fund into her own account'
Jordan claims she fed her autistic son, eight,the drugs as a 'mercy killing'
She also reportedly tried to kill herself after taking son's life, but was saved .
Incident occurred in $2,300-a-night suite at luxury Peninsula hotel in 2010 .
The pharmaceutical executive faces up to life in jail if convicted of murder . |
238,150 | c03ac636cd384953cd465f6aad3aefee90ebcd4e | (CNN) -- Vulgar comments, some laced with racial epithets. A physical attack. Threats to him and his family. All of this and more -- stretched out over a season and a half -- proved too much for Jonathan Martin, 24, to bear, which is why he left the Miami Dolphins last week, his lawyer said. "Jonathan endured harassment that went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing," the attorney, David Cornwell, said in a prepared statement. "... These facts are not in dispute." The comments, through the intermediary, break a silence from the offensive lineman who walked out after an incident in the team's cafeteria and hasn't been back since, according to Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin. Days later, Miami suspended Richie Incognito, 30, for conduct detrimental to the team. Rumors and news stories flew quickly in the days to come, including a well-publicized voice mail in which Incognito reportedly calls Martin a racial epithet and threatens his life. Richie Incognito, Jonathan Martin, and the NFL's future . Some also questioned the toughness of Martin, a Stanford University graduate who was in his second NFL season, especially as it came out that he might be seeking help for emotional issues. But Cornwell stressed: "Jonathan Martin's toughness is not an issue." "Jonathan started every game with the Miami Dolphins since he was drafted in 2012," he said of the second-round draft pick. "At Stanford, he was the anchor for Jim Harbaugh's 'smash mouth' brand of football and he protected (then-Stanford, now Indianapolis Colts quarterback) Andrew Luck's blind side. "The issue is Jonathan's treatment by his teammates." Cornwell then outlined some of that treatment, including Martin's reaction to it. Martin tried "to befriend ... teammates who subjected him to the abuse with the hope that doing so would end the harassment" -- something that Cornwell called "a textbook reaction of victims of bullying." It didn't work, the lawyer said. Instead, there was more taunting, "a malicious physical attack on him by a teammate and daily vulgar comments," and a threat of a group sexual assault against Martin's sister. "Eventually, Jonathan made a difficult choice," Cornwell said of Martin leaving the Dolphins. "... Jonathan looks forward to getting back to playing football. In the meantime, he will cooperate fully with the NFL investigation." Dolphins quarterback: Richie Incognito saw Jonathan Martin as 'little brother' Martin on leave; Incognito suspended . That investigation is one part of the still evolving saga centered on Martin and Incognito, plus more generally on the Dolphins team and the culture in NFL locker rooms. Commissioner Roger Goodell has tapped veteran lawyer Ted Wells -- who participated in a 2012 investigation of alleged sexual abuse at Syracuse and one that led to the change this year in who heads the NBA players union -- to lead the NFL's investigation. Cornwell, Martin's lawyer, also has a lengthy background in sports and law. That includes five years working for the NFL, being part of a top sports agency and serving as a top official for the Upper Deck trading card and memorabilia company. Besides continuing to work in the Gordon & Rees law firm's Sports, Media and Entertainment division out of Atlanta, Cornwell is also the executive director of the NFL Coaches Association, which represents "the interests of nearly 500 assistant coaches," according to his official profile. Cornwell didn't immediately return a CNN request for comment Friday on a potential conflict of interest, especially given a report from the Sun-Sentinel, a South Florida newspaper, that Miami coaches asked Incognito to toughen up Martin after the latter missed a voluntary workout. His client, Martin, is still on the Dolphins roster. Incognito is the lone player suspended as a result of this ordeal, though Cornwell's statement alleges multiple players mistreated Martin. CNN reached out multiple times to Incognito but hasn't received comment. But he did talk to CNN affiliate WSVN outside a doctor's office in Weston, Florida, on Tuesday, saying, "You know, I'm just trying to weather the storm right now. And this will pass." Incognito has a history of run-ins. They include a much-reported suspension from the University of Nebraska football team and his release by the NFL's St. Louis Rams in December 2009 after an in-game argument with then-head coach Steve Spagnuolo. More recently, in 2012, a volunteer at a golf tournament accused Incognito of inappropriately touching her with a golf club, according to a newly disclosed police report. No charges were filed, according to CNN affiliate WPLG-TV, which first obtained the police report. Richie Incognito, Jonathan Martin, and the NFL's future . Teammates: Martin, Incognito seemed close . Cornwell's comments about Martin seeking out friendships with some of his alleged tormenters didn't come from nowhere. Rather, it is an apparent explanation for why a man would appear friendly with the same people who were allegedly abusing him. Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill said Wednesday that Incognito considered Martin a "little brother" -- one who "messed with him but ... was the first one to have his back in any situation." And the closeness appeared to be mutual. "I think if you had asked Jon Martin a week before who his best friend on the team was, he would have said Richie Incognito," Tannehill said. On the field, Incognito would be "the first guy to stand up for Jonathan," the quarterback said. And "outside of football, who was together? Richie and Jonathan." Describing Martin as a quiet guy who made a few jokes but was mostly business, Tannehill said "there were no warning signs" that something like this -- which he called "mind-blowing" -- was happening. Tyson Clabo, another member of Miami's offensive line, similarly said he saw Incognito and Martin as buddies, not bully and victim. "They hung out together," Clabo said. "They did a lot of stuff together. So if (Martin) had a problem with the way that (Incognito) was treating him, he had a funny way of showing it." Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has publicly insisted that the team takes "this situation seriously" and that he is "committed to creating a professional (work) environment." And Philbin, the club's coach, says he's ready to implement change if the NFL investigation finds his staff at fault. "If this review reveals anything that needs to be corrected," he said, "we will take all necessary measures to fix it, to ensure that this doesn't happen again." CNN's Ed Lavandera and Quand Thomas contributed to this report. | Lawyer: Martin's "treatment by his teammates" led to his leaving .
The "harassment ... went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing"
The lawyer alleges vulgar comments, "a malicious physical attack"
Martin tried to befriend the bullies, but it didn't help, the lawyer adds . |
233,930 | bada31b4a9505dd2dfd821a9abffc7806453e623 | By . David Wilkes . It is a line-up like no other... from a Second World War fighter pilot and a famous comedian to A-list actors and renowned academics. Geoffrey Wellum, 93, who was the youngest Spitfire pilot in the Battle of Britain, will make a rare public appearance at the Chalke Valley History Festival, sponsored by the Daily Mail. On the bill are Al Murray, known for his Pub Landlord act, actor Damian Lewis, War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, journalist Kate Adie, Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, and Jeremy Paxman. Guests: Spitfire pilot Geoffrey Wellum is to speak at the Chalke Valley History Festival about his war service while Al Murray is to deliver a talk entitled Watching War Films With My Dad . Tudor expert Suzannah Lipscomb and historians Antony Beevor and Dan Snow will speak at the event, tickets for which go on sale today. Murray, who did a history degree at Oxford University, will give a talk titled Watching War Films With My Dad. Lieutenant Colonel Ingram Murray served with the Royal Engineers. He knew many who fought in the 1939-45 conflict, and passed on his expert knowledge to his son. As a result, Murray says he ‘can’t help himself’ when he spots inaccuracies in blockbusters such as 1969’s The Battle of Britain. Of the film’s ‘German’ bombers, he says: ‘They’re not German planes, they’re Spanish planes made under licence after the war, which in an odd twist are powered by made-under-licence British Merlin engines.’ Murray, 45, told the Mail being such a pedant ‘can drive a man crazy’ – but history is ‘as important as physics’. ‘If you want to know where you’re going you’ve got to know where you’ve come from.’ Under fire: Al Murray says he can't help but correct mistakes in blockbusters such as the 1969 film The Battle of Britain, pictured, because of the knowledge he was passed by his father . He is a judge of the Penguin Chalke Valley History Prize for children’s historical fiction, and said of the festival: ‘The opportunity to get up close to people who are such experts is really, really brilliant.’ Journalist Max Hastings will speak on aspects of the First World War alongside guests including Miss Adie, Michael Gove and Jeremy Paxman . Squadron Leader Wellum, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and whose memoir First Light topped the bestsellers list, will talk about his war service.The eclectic speakers also include Cold War expert Peter Hennessy, former England cricket captain David Gower, Philip Mould of BBC show Fake or Fortune?, actor John Sessions and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. As the centenary of the start of the First World War approaches, Miss Adie, journalist Max Hastings, Education Secretary Michael Gove and Jeremy Paxman will all speak on aspects of the conflict. ‘Living history’ includes a First World War trench experience and, marking 70 years since D-Day, a Second World War encampment. There will be talks by D-Day veterans Geoff Pattinson, from elite paratrooper unit 9 Para, and David Render, of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, a tank regiment that gained more battle honours in the war than any other single unit. As well as Murray, history prize judges include Damian Lewis, Fast Show comedian Charlie Higson, and actress Haydn Gwynne. A two-day air show will feature the UK’s only flying B-17 Flying Fortress and a pair of Spitfires. The festival, in Ebbesbourne Wake near Salisbury, Wiltshire, runs from June 23 to 29. To buy tickets go to www.cvhf.org.uk or phone 01722 781133. | Spitfire pilot Geoffrey Wellum will speak about his war service .
Comedian Al Murray will give talk entitled Watching War Films With My Dad .
'Living history' will include First World War trench experience .
Tickets for the event, which runs from 23-29 June go on sale today . |
208,215 | 998d283fd122557a1b402871cc469be1d586b6f1 | (CNN) -- Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson has rejected Roland Burris' appointment to the Senate, an aide to the secretary told CNN. Roland Burris says Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's problems have nothing to do with him. Erickson rejected Burris' appointment because his certificate of appointment was missing the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, the aide said Monday. Rule 2 of the Standing Rules of the Senate states that the secretary of state must sign the certificate of election along with the governor. White has declined to sign the certificate, siding with some Senate Democrats who say Burris should not be seated because of the cloud over Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat. The embattled governor last week appointed Burris to fill the seat. According to a Democratic source and a Democratic Senate leadership aide, without the signed certificate, Burris will be denied access to the Senate floor. But Burris insists he has the legal right to serve as senator and has said he will appear at the Senate's door Tuesday. Watch what Burris says about the appointment » . "I am going [to Washington] to be seated. I am the junior senator from the state of Illinois -- that's all I can say," he said Monday at an airport news conference in Chicago, Illinois, before leaving for Washington. He said he is not bothered by controversy surrounding his appointment by Blagojevich because "the appointment is legal." Pressed by reporters on what he would do if he is refused admission to the Senate floor, Burris said, "If I am turned away, my lawyers will take it from there, and we'll see what happens." He said he has not been contacted by anyone from the Obama team, and he insisted that he is not upset at the situation surrounding his appointment. "I'm not angry with anybody," Burris said. "In fact, I'm enjoying this on behalf of the people of Illinois." In an interview Monday with Wolf Blitzer for CNN's "The Situation Room," Burris downplayed the issue of a missing signature on the certificate of appointment. "We know that under Illinois law and constitutional law that the secretary of state can in no way veto legal action of the governor," Burris said. "So that signature is only perfunctory and ceremonial to put the seal on it for, you know, recording and filing purposes." One possible compromise being considered by some in the Senate Democratic leadership would be allowing Burris to be seated in the Senate so long as he agrees not to run in 2010. A senior Democratic source familiar with Senate leadership deliberations said a Democratic concern about seating Burris is that his association with Blagojevich would make him so tainted that he would lose the Democratic seat if he ran in the next election. The compromise would clear the field for other Democratic candidates that the leadership considers more viable to run in 2010. Democratic sources cautioned that this is just one idea being discussed and that the Democratic leadership hasn't formally settled on making the offer to Burris. The source familiar with the deliberations said one key to this compromise, and a way around declarations that anyone Blagojevich appoints is tainted, would be to give the Burris appointment political legitimacy by having Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn publicly endorse it. Asked about the possibility of agreeing not to run in 2010, Burris told reporters, "I can't negotiate in the press." Senate Democratic leaders have scheduled a meeting with Burris Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday said lawmakers have the legal authority to block Burris' appointment, but Reid has also left open the possibility that Burris could be seated. "Let's just wait and see and when we have something real, we'll deal with it," he said, adding that Burris will "not be allowed on the floor" until his appointment is certified. He dismissed the idea of Burris not running in 2010, saying, "I think that would not be a good deal to me." Burris said he will meet with Reid on Wednesday. "I will tell him I'm here to take my seat," he said. Burris, 71, is one of Illinois' most accomplished African-American politicians. Senate leaders questioning the appointment cite Article 1, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution, which states, "Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members." Those leaders say the problem is that the pick was made by the potentially tainted governor; the problem isn't Burris himself. CNN's Dana Bash, Martina Stewart and Ted Barrett contributed to this report. | NEW: Majority Leader Harry Reid leaves open possibility Burris could be seated .
Certificate missing signature of secretary of state, aide says .
Roland Burris says he has the legal right to be senator .
Some senators say appointment is tainted because of charges against governor . |
198,141 | 8c799f55b7c1816ed914e13ab066df567dc850af | SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- As the chairwoman of South Korea's Hyundai group, Hyun Jeong-eun, faces business challenges few other executives can imagine. The former housewife took over the company in 2003 after the death of her husband, who faced allegations he transferred millions to North Korea to help arrange the historic 2000 summit. In addition to managing massive operations in finance, manufacturing, and transport, she oversees operations in the secretive state of North Korea. Subsidiary Hyundai Asan has led efforts to build economic ties between the North and South, so Hyun is not only managing a multinational through a recession but also through global tensions over the North's nuclear program. Hyundai Asan has invested $272 million in North Korea, in projects like the Kaesong Industrial Park and tours to Mount Kumgang. Hyun traveled to North Korea in August to secure the release of a Hyundai worker who was detained on accusations he insulted the government. While there, she spent more than four hours with the state's reclusive leader - Kim Jong Il -- who was said to be recovering from a possible stroke. As part of CNN's Eye on South Korea, Kristie Lu Stout sat down with Hyun at Hyundai Group's Headquarters in Seoul. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation. CNN: What was your impression of Kim Jong Il as a man? Does he look healthy? Was he mentally very aware? Hyun: When I first saw him I thought he had lost a lot of weight than before, but once we started talking, his voice was strong and he talked a lot about things that had happened in the past. He talked about my father-in-law [Hyundai Founder Chung Ju-Yung], my husband and a lot of things from the past, and it seemed like he still had a good memory and had no issues with carrying out his work. He seemed to be in good health. When you were talking with Kim Jong Il, was it your impression that he wants more investment from South Korea? That he wants to do more business with your country? He showed a lot of enthusiasm. He said he hopes the North and South Korean government can talk things through so to have a lot of South Korean companies enter the North, and he also said that since they have the natural resources and the South has the skills to sell, if both sides work together he expects the North and South to prosper. Is Kim Jong Il a tough business negotiator? He seems to be very honest and straightforward when he speaks. So I believe that if direct talks with the leader Kim Jong Il are possible, a lot of good results will come out of it. I personally think that if President Obama and Kim Jong Il meet, things can be worked out quite easily. The Kaesong industrial complex, the joint facility run by North and South, what is the future of that complex? Currently we are only operating the first block, but I am sure that once things get settled down by both governments, we have many plans for the second block as well. A hotel needs to be built. We need to have hospitals, post offices, so I am expecting gradually that we will expand business there. Kaesong Industrial complex has North Korean workers. What is it like to manage them? Do they have the skills? Do they understand the technology? North Korean employees work very hard, and I heard that women work especially hard, so all the factories want to take in the female workers. In the beginning, because the workers hadn't used things like sewing machines before, I heard they would come to work an hour early to practice and that they work with great enthusiasm and work very hard. North Korean workers are also good at holding small meetings and they talk things through during those meetings. So the factory owners seem to be very pleased with it all. When you have a factory in China, if there's a problem it's hard to fix it because of the language, but in this case, since you can communicate freely, the employers find it much easier to do things. Why invest so much in North Korea? What is the upside for Hyundai Group? It all started with the project of my father-in-law. Because he was born in North Korea he always had a great love towards North Korea. He met some of his relatives there. I think personally, he was saddened by the economic poverty that people were experiencing in that country. So this isn't a business mission, it is a personal mission? I think for my father-in-law, a lot of it was started for personal reasons. For me, of course I do it for business, but also because my husband experienced bad things due to operations in North Korea, I feel like it's my duty to continue this business to ensure his death does not go to waste. Is the South Korean government supportive of Hyundai groups operations and interests in North Korea? Not really at the moment because of the nuclear issue at the middle. Things are not going that smoothly at the moment. But we are hoping in the future that they will help and cooperate and be supportive and I guess they will. | Met with North Korean leader for four hours in August to release an employee .
Hyun: "He had lost a lot of weight ... (he) still had a good memory"
Hyundai runs with North Korea the Kaesong Industrial Park . |
272,942 | ed8530652620ed248d7848f6bafc72c1978d4e54 | By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 06:41 EST, 22 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:19 EST, 22 September 2013 . True wealth: Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky, above, died with an estate of luxury properties and business interests including mansions in the south of France . The Russian oligarch who was found hanged in the bathroom of his ex-wife's Berkshire mansion had a fortune of £500m, rubbishing theories he had committed suicide because of unpayable debts. Boris Berezovsky, who was an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, was discovered in March this year with injuries police described as 'consistent with hanging'. Many believed that the exiled tycoon had taken his own life because of depression after he lost a high court battle with Chelsea Football club owner Roman Abramovich in 2012. But new evidence has shown how Berezovsky, who made his fortune in the soviet car industry, had a portfolio of luxury properties in France as well as millions in business assets. The true extent of the businessman's wealth is believed to far outweigh any debts he owed and casts fresh doubt on the reason for his death. As well as revelations about his assets, it has also emerged that Berezovsky completely re-wrote his will the week before he died. He is said to have replaced the original with a drawn up new version which omitted his first wife Nina. Also cut out of the will was his second wife Galina who he split with in an acrimonious divorce which cost the tycoon £100m in 2011. The replacement was completed by the Berezovsky on March 14 this year. It is signed in scruffy scrawled handwriting in the name of Platon Elenin, which is a pseudonym Berezovsky assumed for . security reasons when he fled Russia in 2003. Clash of the tycoons: Berezovsky's high court loss to Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich is said to have cost him £100m. But his remaining wealth suggests that bankruptcy was not a factor in the oligarchs death . Nine days after signing the will, he was found dead. Despite those closest to the the man insisting that he would never have taken his own life, police were unable to find any evidence which would rule out suicide. Berezovsky's portfolio are said to include 'trophy assets' which include mansions set in a 35 acre estate on the French Riviera, they are believed to be worth more than £200m. Another property called Villa Gal, again in the South of France, is valued at around £50m. High roller: The "Thunder B" yacht, which Russian authorities say belonged to Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky, is moored in Golfe Juan port, southeastern France . Legal documents seen by the Sunday Times suggest that Berezovsky's estate was in receipt of payments from his former business partner, Badri Patarkatsishvili, the Georgian billionaire who in 2008. Sources close to the paper say the amount paid was around £200m. Berezovsky had business interests in hotels, as well as being the owner of a private art collection, the value of which is believed to be around £50m. His assets, which are thought to total £500m, outstrip the claim that Berezovsky's estate for more than £150m from Aeroflot, the Russian state airline. That case is yet to be head in court and there is guarantee that the tycoon would lose. It is also suggested that he owed £100m to HM Revenue & Customs for the sale of his shares in Sibneft, an Russain oil company, and Rusal, an aluminium firm also based in his homeland. No entry: Police block the road leading to the home of the Russian oligarch after he was found dead on March 24, 2013 in Sunningdale, Berkshire . The fortune will now be distributed in accordance with his new will. In the two page document, he leaves 18 per cent shares to his remaining four children, Ekaterina and Elizaveta who are in their thirties, the two teenagers Arina and Gleb, and to his exgirlfriend Helena Gorbunova. The remaining 10 per cent is to be split down the middle between Michael Cotlick, his loyal Israeli assistant, and his mother Anna who has since died. She left her five per cent to Ekaterina, now acting as her father's executor. A friend of the family said: 'The family are aware that there is a large amount of money in his estate. They are watching developments very closely.' | Oligarch had a portfolio of 'trophy properties' in the south of France .
Theories suggested he had killed himself because of unpayable debts .
Police found no evidence to counter suicide verdict . |
4,052 | 0bad09cd218e0218902f897a706cd47bbe647b26 | By . Daniel Mills . A disgruntled News Corp employee has tried to embarrass boss Rupert Murdoch on the eve of the company's 50th birthday celebrations for The Australian by parking a clapped-out old car plastered with bizarre notes out the front of his Sydney headquarters. In a brazen protest, the employee parked a car out the front of the company's headquarters in Surry Hills, Sydney, with letters stuck on its windows on behalf of the 'journalists, photographers and artists' of the company, criticising pay and conditions. It also questions recent financial decisions made at the company's headquarters, including a new $60 million publishing system that many employees either don't know how or refuse to use more than a year after its implementation. The notes attack the company's managers by claiming they are imposing 'a pay cut in real terms' that will hurt staff and force them to give up 'various allowances and conditions'. The letter was written and addressed to Rupert Murdoch on the eve of one of News Corp's biggest celebrations of the year - The Australian's 50th birthday . The letter as 'written' by the car on the rear of the vehicle which admits the journalist is being affected by the proposed pay cut . The unidentified journalist penned a bizarre open letter (left) to his boss Mr Murdoch (right) The protest car seen parked out the front of the Holt Street company by media website Mumbrella at about 7.30am on Monday was parked there in the hope that Mr Murdoch would see it as he came to the office this morning. Mr Murdoch, who is in Sydney for celebrations to mark The Australian's 50th anniversary tomorrow night, gave an interview in which he hit out at climate change and described Prime Minister Tony Abbott as someone the public could look up to and admire. Mr Abbott once worked as a journalist at The Australian. But while the 50th birthday bash is expected to attract a host of dignitaries - including Mr Abbott - the party was clearly the last thing on the mind of the disgruntled staffer who parked the protest car in front of the News Corp building. The car which was parked outside the News Corp headquarters, and seen by Mumbrella at 7.30am on Monday . Another letter posted on the rear of the vehicle claims the journalist cannot afford to upgrade their ageing vehicle. 'Yes I know! I should be retired,' the letter reads. 'But my owner is a journalist at News Corp. They want to cut his pay in real terms and slash his conditions. So he can’t afford to replace me, and I have to work until I drop. Liberty.” A poster from the journalists union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, was also stuck on the car. A News Corp spokesperson declined to comment on the author of the letter or the claims it makes about salary cuts. The MEAA has been contacted for comment regarding details of the letter and posters but has not returned calls. 'An open letter to Rupert Murdoch on the eve of The 50th Anniversary of The Australian' 'As a passionate and committed journalist yourself, you know that the success of The Australian and other News Corp titles lies in the quality of the journalism. So, we humbly ask you, as the people who do that journalism, to suggest to your managers here that they spare a thought for us, the very hardworking journalists, photographers, and artists at News Corp. Your managers are insisting on imposing on us a pay cut in real terms, and that we give up various allowances and conditions. Please ask your managers to ask themselves: Do we really deserve that? Many thanks, . The Journalists, Artists and Photographers of News Corp.' | Letters were found Monday on a car parked outside News Corp Sydney office .
Disgruntled employee claims managers are 'insisting on imposing a pay cut in real terms'
Mr Murdoch is visiting Sydney for The Australian's 50th birthday celebrations .
News Corp declined to comment on the details of the letter . |
167,717 | 64eae95d1e08a054073953362f1d819723462263 | Australia's richest MP turned heads this morning, rolling up to Parliament House in Canberra in a sparkling vintage-style grey Rolls Royce. The eccentric member for Fairfax, who made his billions in the mining industry, chose the passenger seat for his dramatic entrance to Capital Hill, delivered by a private chauffeur. AAP reports Mr Palmer was listening to Van Morrison as he stepped out of the extravagant vehicle and into a press pack interviewing Labor's Brendan O'Connor about employment figures. Maverick Palmer quickly stole the show, with the assembled media more interested in his penchant for luxury travel than the political lines being peddled by the member for Gorton. 'Members of parliament really don't need comm (Commonwealth) cars that cost the taxpayer a lot of money,' he told reporters when asked about his choice of transport. 'That money could be better spent giving it to pensioners.' He added that members without a Rolls Royce in their garage should catch a taxi to work. Causing a stir: Palmer's grand entrance to parliament in a Rolls Royce on Tuesday morning turned heads . Mr Palmer was pressed on whether his snazzy ride was an inappropriate look when arriving for a sitting of the House of Representatives. He remained defiant, telling reporters that any Australians - regardless of race, colour, wealth or creed - had the opportunity to become parliamentarians. 'I would say only two per cent of Australians have lobbyists in Canberra, the other 98 per cent are unrepresented,' he said. 'I am here to represent them.' Billionaire: Palmer said MPs without Rolls Royces should catch taxis to parliament . Summing up the bizarre interruption, Brendan O'Connor - the shadow minister for employment and workplace relations - remained philosophical. 'Clive's Clive,' he said. 'If he wants to present that way, of course, that's entirely up to him.' Clive Palmer's Palmer United Party recently earned official registration in the Northern Territory. He is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion and has plans in place to build a full-length replica of the RMS Titanic. Charismatic: Clive Palmer plans to build a replica of the RMS Titanic and installed dinosaur models on his resort in Queensland . | Australia's richest MP flashes his luxury Rolls Royce at parliament .
Interrupts Labor's Brendan O'Connor during a press conference .
The shadow employment minister unfazed by limelight-stealing entry .
Sums up Palmer's extravagant arrival by declaring 'Clive's Clive' |
34,626 | 6260a2947a190e1ab25c98600243ad242a51c4c8 | (CNN) -- "You press the button, we do the rest." So Kodak promised back in 1888 when founder George Eastman introduced the company's first camera. But that's the problem, isn't it? We don't need anybody to do "the rest" nowadays. We don't need film processing. We don't need film, for that matter. We don't even need the cameras. We can just pull out our phones and get a perfectly adequate snapshot -- one without the sharpness and detail of a good 35-millimeter image, perhaps, but we live in an age of "good enough." After all, those MP3 files on your iPhone are no match for CD quality, either. It's that age of convenience that Eastman helped usher in with his once-ubiquitous company. But now convenience and technology have taken their toll: On Thursday, the venerable Rochester, New York-based firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. These days, its most coveted assets are its patents for digital imaging -- including, ironically, some used in smartphones. "It made photography commonplace, from the Brownie (camera) through its many variations," says Joan Saab, who teaches visual and cultural studies at the University of Rochester. The "democratization" of photography even helped turn the form into art, as experts sought to bracket off the snapshots of everyday amateurs from the aspiring work of aficionados, she adds. CNNPhotos: Kodachrome collection looks back at midcentury America . Kodak was a pioneer in other ways. It was a relentless advertiser, promoting its products in a range of ways, making "Kodak" a synonym for photography. Eastman "was marketing a product and a process. That was his genius," says Saab. "It was bigger than just saying, 'Hey, buy my brand.' It was 'invest in this way of doing things.' " Kodak's advertising deliberately tapped into a powerful vein of nostalgia, a concept that became as ingrained as the silver-halide crystals that form the photographic image. Kodak shrewdly exploited that feeling with its ad campaigns, which used songs such as the Paul Anka-sung "The Times of Your Life" to yank consumers' heartstrings. An episode of "Mad Men" paid homage to Kodak's power, as '60s adman Don Draper pumped up the company's Carousel slide projector by pointing out, "This device isn't a spaceship. It's a time machine." A forward-looking firm . Unfortunately for Kodak, nostalgia does not boost stock prices. Companies aren't forever, even ones that people think of fondly. Pan Am used to define the Jet Age; now the name refers to a struggling TV series that wishes to invoke the Jet Age. Woolworth was once a common presence on America's Main Streets; now it has been superseded by Target and Walmart, and its only remnant is the footwear store a subsidiary created in 1974: Foot Locker. And Kodak? Paul Simon wrote a song, "Kodachrome," using film's rich colors as a metaphor for memory -- nostalgia, again. iReport: Kodak moments remembered . By the 1970s, Kodak was responsible for 90% of film and 85% of camera sales in the United States, according to The Economist. But for almost a generation, the company strained to keep up in a rapidly evolving tech market that's a step removed from the chemicals-and-paper space it dominated. Instead of Fuji and Polaroid (another firm that has been trying to reinvent itself), its rivals became Hewlett-Packard and Sony and Apple. Despite its tech know-how, Kodak wasn't quite nimble enough to keep up. Its executives "suffered from a mentality of perfect products, rather than the high-tech mindset of make it, launch it, fix it," Harvard Business School's Rosabeth Moss Kanter told The Economist. Still, as the company seeks to reorganize, it's worth remembering how much of a forward-looking firm Kodak was. Eastman, a former insurance company messenger boy and bank clerk, was inspired to go into the business after a trip to the Dominican Republic. As his biography on the Kodak website observes, "The camera was as big as a microwave oven and needed a heavy tripod. ... There were chemicals, glass tanks, a heavy plate holder, and a jug of water. The complete outfit 'was a pack-horse load,' as (Eastman) described it." Photography was ripe for change. It wasn't a mass business yet, as Alexis Madrigal writes in an excellent Atlantic essay about "the triumph of Kodakery." When the first Kodak camera was introduced, the average middle-class family may have owned 10 photographs -- total. Photography was a craft generally handled by professionals who knew how to deal with those giant cameras, fragile glass plates, careful exposure times and dangerous chemicals. Eastman changed all that. He made photography casual: the early Kodak cameras -- which cost $25, a sizable sum at the time -- were loaded with 100 exposures, and the later Brownie, which cost $1, allowed for easy reloading. He anticipated the growth of leisure time, and made his product central to its use. "Snapshots were a kind of social media: They were designed to be shared in once-ubiquitous albums of yesteryear," Madrigal writes. Years later, the vacation slide show, an excuse for gathering the neighbors to witness your trip to Disneyland, became the butt of jokes for the same reason. Eastman was also a benevolent mogul, giving his employees medical care, paying them good wages and supporting high culture in his western New York community. His name is all over the area, on such institutions as the Eastman Theatre, Eastman School of Music and Eastman House, the latter a photography museum. The digital present . Almost 3,000 miles away, there's another monument to Kodak: Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards. But even in the movie capital, the use of film is in decline. Movie houses are changing over to digital projection, and even big-name directors such as David Fincher and Michael Mann have shot their features in high-definition digital formats. Amateurs, of course, have been indulging in digital for years. Processing film takes money and -- perhaps more importantly -- time. Now everything can be transferred from a camera to a computer as quickly as popping in a USB drive. Anticipation is as long gone from the process as Fotomat booths. "My kids' relationship to photography is completely different," says Saab. "They think you take pictures with a phone." And prints? Almost never. Indeed, there's an impermanence to it all now. As one commenter to the Atlantic story pointed out, "The pictures last, even if the cameras didn't: I have family photographs from the 19th century. I (wonder) if, in 100 years, people will have the digital images from the late 20th? 'Oh, yeah, they were on that computer that died and we never got the files off of it.' " Still, Kodak's not dead yet. There's the intellectual property, for starters; analysts believe the patents may be worth $3 billion, according to Bloomberg, more than the company itself. There's the name, which is instantly recognizable. And there are the people: Even though the company has cut thousands of jobs, much of its generally well-educated workforce has stayed in the area, many starting tech-related businesses. Psychologically, Rochester is taking the company's bankruptcy pretty hard, says Saab, but the community is also hopeful. An editorial in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle suggests that the city's economic climate is improving, and Saab points out that "we never had a real-estate bubble, so it never burst." But it's difficult, she adds, not to feel sad about the bankruptcy of a legendary name. "It feels like it marks the end of a major era, even though it's easier to take photos now. The idea of democratization is everywhere," she says. "But this bankruptcy strikes a nerve for a lot of people. It's farewell to a certain version of the past, and with that is this idea of nostalgia and what Kodak so successfully sold to the American public." | Kodak, longtime photography giant, filed for bankruptcy Thursday .
Company made photography commonplace, which helped lead to its demise .
Digital has taken over; Kodak hasn't been able to compete .
Company was pioneer in advertising, particularly in evoking nostalgia . |
146,657 | 49a803618e02ba66f0317d2263eee3e75dc86e4f | A Florida-based humane society has been accused of kidnapping Bart the so-called 'Zombie Cat.' Plaintiff Ellis Hutson, Bart's owner, made the allegation against the Humane Society of Tampa Bay in a lawsuit obtained by 7online. Hutson's suit also reportedly accused the Humane Society of Tampa Bay of 'keeping Bart for publicity to raise money for the organization.' Scroll down for video . Zombie cat: In January, a car hit 1½-year-old Bart the cat in Tampa . Farewell: Bart's owner, Ellis Hutson, has said he was so distraught, he couldn't stand the thought of burying Bart, so he asked neighbor to dig a shallow grave . It's alive! Five days later, on January 21, a matted and injured Bart emerged, meowing for food . In January, a car hit 1 ½-year-old Bart the cat in Tampa, the Tampa Bay Times reported at the time. Owner: Ellis Hutson, pictured, is suing to get Bart the cat back from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay . Huston told the newspaper he was so distraught, he couldn't stand the thought of burying Bart, so he asked neighbor to dig a shallow grave. Five days later, on January 21, a matted and injured Bart emerged, meowing for food, according to the Tampa Bay Times. 'At first it blew me away,' Dusty Albritton, the neighbor who buried Bart, told the newspaper. 'All I knew was this cat was dead and "Pet Sematary" is real.' Bart suffered a broken jaw, a ruptured eye and a torn-up face, as well as dehydration and hunger, the newspaper reported. Hutson didn't know what to do, according to the Tampa Bay Times. 'It was unbelievable,' he told the newspaper. 'I've never seen anything like that before.' Hutson contacted the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, which through the Save-A-Pet Medical Fund would help cover the costs of Bart's care, according to the newspaper. On January 27, the cat reportedly received surgery to remove an eye, wire his jaw shut and insert a feeding tube. At the time, the agency's executive director Sherry Silk told the Tampa Bay Times that Bart would recover in about six weeks and would be going home with Hutson. 'He's purring, even with all these injuries,' Silk told the newspaper. 'I can't even imagine how awful he must have felt. He's just a really wonderful, patient, loving cat.' Recovery: Bart continues to heal after he 'awoke from the dead' He is seen here in a Feb. 10 photo . Treatment: Late last month, Bart underwent surgery to remove an eye, wire his jaw shut and insert a feeding tube, which cost more than $1,000 . Discovery: Bart suffered a broken jaw, a ruptured eye and a torn-up face. He was reportedly dehydrated and hungry, but alive . However, on January 30 the Humane Society of Tampa Bay said in a statement on its website 'New Information About Bart: Recently we have learned new information about Bart’s home environment and the circumstances leading up to his burial. Therefore, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay does not intend to return Bart to the Hutson family. We are prepared to fight for the best interests of this cat. We hope the Hutson family will do the right thing and surrender Bart to our care so that we can find an appropriate environment for him to live out his life.' At the time, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay said both its Save-a-Pet Medical Fund and donations would cover all of Bart's treatment. Last week, Silk told WFTS 'I don't believe [Hutson] has the ability to take care of this cat.' According to the ABC affiliate, Silk described Hutson's daughter as continually attempting to play with Bart, saying 'She's a typical 2-year-old. We want a home with no young children that could put him in jeopardy.' Silk also told the television station she viewed a YouTube video which shows Bart. 'He might not have been dead,' an off-camera woman says in the clip, 7online noted, going on to say she later that she discovered the cat 'moving and stuff.' Temporary tomb: Bart was buried - but emerged out of the ground just five days later . Attention-grabbing? Hutson's suit also reportedly accused the Humane Society of Tampa Bay of 'keeping Bart for publicity to raise money for the organization' 'If somebody tells you the cat is still breathing and it's alive, the cat shouldn't have been buried,' Silk told WFTS. 'I don't know if it was purposeful, but we are not going to return the cat to him.' Silk also said at the time that the humane society would be willing to go to court. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay told WFTS last week of a phone call it received from an individual who claimed to be planning to 'storm' the hospital and snatch Bart. Hutson, meanwhile, told the television station last week 'If we have to go to court, we have to go to court. I haven't done anything wrong, and I don't think it's right to take my cat.' In a statement sent to Daily Mail Online, the humane society said 'On Tuesday, February 10, 2015, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay was served with official Hillsborough County Court documents notifying the Society that it is being sued by Ellis Wayne Hutson for the custody of Bart the cat. 'Mr. Thomas Gonzalez, of Thompson Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing, has agreed to volunteer his time to represent the interests of Sherry Silk, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, and Bart the cat. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay will review all legal options to keep Bart safe and secure. Bart continues his medical treatment and care at the Society’s animal hospital.' | WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES .
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been accused of kidnapping Bart the so-called 'Zombie Cat'
Plaintiff Ellis Hutson, Bart's owner, is suing .
His suit also accuses the Humane Society of 'keeping Bart for publicity to raise money for the organization'
In January, a car hit the 1 ½-year-old cat .
Hutson has said he was so distraught, he couldn't stand the thought of burying Bart, so he asked neighbor to dig a shallow grave .
Five days later, on January 21, a matted and injured Bart emerged, meowing for food .
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay says it 'will review all legal options to keep Bart safe and secure. Bart continues his medical treatment and care at the Society’s animal hospital' |
175,444 | 6f12ddf9b498be11623848fcb22f06d5c53cbeaa | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:03 EST, 5 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:22 EST, 6 October 2012 . Mexican archaeologists have uncovered the largest number of skulls ever found in . one offering at the most sacred temple of the Aztec empire dating back . more than 500 years. The finding reveals new . ways the pre-Colombian civilization used skulls in rituals at Mexico . City's Templo Mayor, experts said. That's where the most important Aztec . ceremonies took place between 1325 until the Spanish conquest in 1521. The . 50 skulls were found at one sacrificial stone. Five were buried under . the stone, and each had holes on both sides - signaling they were hung . on a skull rack. Mexican archaeologists have uncovered the largest number of skulls ever found in one offering at the most sacred temple of the Aztec empire . Experts believe that the skulls will reveal new ways that the Aztecs used skulls in rituals . The archaeological site at the Templo Mayor in the heart of Mexico City, where archaeologists have discovered 50 skulls . Archaeologist Raul Barrera of . Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History said the other . 45 skulls appeared to have just been dumped on top of the stone. The . team of archeologists unearthed the skulls and over 200 jaw bones in August. They stumbled on them as they were renovating a section of the Templo . Mayor in the heart of Mexico City. Barrera . said they believe the skulls were those of women and men between 20 . and 35 years old and could have been dug up from other sites and . reburied. Last August, the Mexican government . announced experts had found an unprecedented human burial at another . spot in the same temple in which the skeleton of a young woman, possibly . sacrificed personifying a goddess, was surrounded by piles of nearly . 1,800 bones. Another unusual finding this summer was a 'sacred tree,' which looks like a battered oak trunk emerging from a well and which . experts say was brought from a mountain region for a ritual. The . skulls are in good condition but cracked on . each side of the head, possibly because of the wooden stake that ran . through them so they could be placed in a skull rack. Archaeologists reveal a sacrificial rock found at an archaeological site . Archeologists believe the skulls were those of women and men between 20 and 35 years old used in ritual sacrifices . Sacred tree: A discovered circular structure made of red volcanic rock with a tree trunk in its center . Barrera said the key in the discovery was the sacrificial rock, which looks like a gray headstone. 'Underneath . the sacrificial stone, we found an offering of five skulls. These . skulls were pierced with a stick,' he said. 'These are very important . findings.' University of Florida archaeologist . Susan Gillespie, who was not involved in the excavation, said it caught . her attention that the skulls that had been on the rack, called . tzompantli, were buried separately. 'It . provides rather novel information on the use and reuse of skulls for . ritual events at the Templo Mayor,' said Gillespie. Also, . the common belief about Aztec sacrificial stones is that a person being . sacrificed was killed by cutting open the chest and pulling out the . heart. 'We normally associate (it) with heart . removal rather than decapitation,' she said. 'It ultimately gives us a . better understanding of how the Aztecs used the human body in various . ways in their ritual practices.' An archaeologist displays some of the skulls found at the archaeological site in Mexico City . Some of the skulls have holes on both sides signaling they were hung on a skull rack . The dig at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City has unearthed Aztec treasures including a sacred tree planted in a circular stone structure . | 50 skulls - dating back 500 years - found at most sacred Aztec temple in Mexico City .
Some skulls had holes on both sides - signaling they were hung on a rack .
Other findings include a sacrificial stone, a sacred tree and 200 jaw bones .
The findings challenge belief that person being .
sacrificed on sacrificial stone were killed by cutting open the chest and pulling out their .
heart . |
235,762 | bd2f3c3ec0d6c62b12e3ce7295a333f92cfc6547 | Australian jihadist Mohamed Elomar has warned on Facebook that the Islamic state will hold its position in Iraq and Syria 'by victory or martyrdom'. This comes as ASIO director-general David Irvine said he is seriously considering lifting the terrorism threat alert level in Australia because of the number of people returning from fighting in Iraq and Syria. Security agencies were aware of more than 20 people in Australia who had fought in the Middle East and posed a threat to national security, he told the ABC on Tuesday. Scroll down for video . Mohamed Elomar, a former boxer from western Sydney who left to fight in Syria late last year, poses with severed heads . Elomar said: 'Islamic State still holds its position either by victory or martyrdom' This comes as Elomar, a former boxer from western Sydney who left to fight in Syria late last year, dismissed US military operations in Iraq and Syria. When asked about media reports that Islamic State fighters are trying to return to their home countries, Elomar told News Corp: 'Maybe it's true, maybe it's propaganda. But Islamic State still holds its position either by victory or martyrdom. Besides, what can a bunch of planes do?' Director-General of Security David Irvine . Elomar, using the Facebook pseudonym 'Al Australi Abu Hafs', also claimed that American air strikes only 'hit civilians, not the Mujahideen'. He then began referencing Chapter 9 of the Quran, which contains the 'Verse of the Sword' passage terrorists often cite to justify jihad. 'And when the forbidden months have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find them and take them prisoners, and beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, then leave their way free. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful,' the verse reads. This comes as ASIO chief Irvine warned that the terrorism threat to Australia was now 'a very elevated level of medium'. 'I'm certainly contemplating very seriously the notion of lifting it higher because of the numbers of people that we are having to be concerned about here in Australia,' he said. Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a former Kings Cross bouncer who played a bit part in Underbelly, has been identified as a senior military commander in the Islamic State. He recruited Elomar . The 'medium' threat rating means a terrorist attack could occur in Australia and the 'high' level is used when government and agencies believe an attack is likely. Australia's four-level alert system goes to extreme, when an attack is imminent or has occurred. In announcing plans to strengthen anti-terrorism laws in August, Prime Minister Tony Abbott stressed the terrorist threat to Australia had not changed. Australia has been at the 'medium' alert level since the four-tier system was introduced in 2003. Mr Irvine retires at the end of this week. Khaled Sharrouf is wanted by the Australian Federal Police for alleged terrorist activities in the Middle East after he fled the country in December with Elomar on his brother's passport . He hands Australia's top security job to Duncan Lewis, a diplomat, former government national security adviser, defence department secretary and special forces soldier. Mr Irvine said Australia had been named as a target for several years in publications from al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations. 'We are certainly aware of people wanting to conduct terrorist attacks in the West and in Australia,' he said. 'Whether it's a little bit more or a little bit less than 2001, I think we are facing a persistent threat.' Sharrouf posted a picture of himself posing with a severed head to Twitter . | Mohamed Elomar has warned the Islamic state will hold its position in Iraq and Syria 'by victory or martyrdom'
Comes as ASIO chief says he is prepared to lift terrorism threat alert level .
Security agencies were aware of more than 20 people in Australia who had fought in the Middle East and posed a threat to national security . |
78,712 | defefdafc02b17a7687d08290e4af77109f057fe | One California couple had a very unique wedding over the holidays. Robert Bonilla and his bride Meredith of Santa Maria decided to say 'I do' at the very spot they met a year ago - Costco. They were even able to get the store to let them have the ceremony in the frozen food section, the exact spot that the two first locked eyes. Scroll down for video . Robert Bonilla and his bride Meredith of Santa Maria decided to say 'I do' at the very spot they met a year ago - Costco . The wedding was held in the frozen food section, where they first locked eyes . The bride walked down an aisle lined with poinsettias to meet her groom . The bride walked down an aisle lined with poinsettias last week to meet her groom, who stood on wooden pallets waiting for the chance to kiss his bride. Then, following the vows, the two 'shared time with friends, and found a cushy double recliner chair to relax in' according to KEYT. After the ceremony the two relaxed in a cushy double recliner chair . They then enjoyed cakes that seem to have been from Costco at their home . As for the reception, that seems to have taken place at the couple's new home, though the cakes appear to be from their favorite place in the world - Costco. It is unknown if the couple has any honeymoon plans. | Robert Bonilla and his bride Meredith of Santa Maria, California, had their wedding ceremony at Costco last week .
The couple met at the store one year ago in the frozen food section .
When the store heard their story they decided to allow the wedding . |
251,856 | d1f863a429dc3f0b88cc64982d66c368eb9b2d52 | By . Simon Tomlinson . An Egyptian farmer has been jailed for a year for naming his donkey after the country's former military chief who is running for president. Omar Abul Maged was accused of 'humiliating the military' for calling his animal Sisi after Abdel Fatah al-Sisi who led the overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Maged, 31, put a military-style cap on his donkey, covered it with a poster of al-Sisi and rode it through his village in protest against the decision to oust Morsi last summer. An Egyptian farmer (not pictured) has been jailed for a year for naming his donkey after the country's former military chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi (right) who is now running for president . Police arrested Maged in September and, after spending six months in custody, was convicted by the Qena Misdemeanor Court on Sunday. Human rights groups have hit out at the sentence. Andalus Center for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies told the Egypt Independent that it 'raises doubts about the fairness of the judiciary system in Egypt'. The conviction comes after the judiciary last week sentenced 529 pro-Morsi Muslim Brotherhood defendants to death in a massive crackdown on government dissenters. Outrage: Supporters of the Egypt's ousted President Mohamed Morsi march in Cairo to protest the decision by former military chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to run in upcoming presidential elections . The electoral commission announced on Sunday that Egypt's presidential election will be held in late May, finally setting dates for the crucial vote widely expected to be won by al-Sisi. The commission set the first round of voting for May 26 and 27, with results expected by June 5. If a second round is necessary it will be held by mid-month with results announced no later than June 26, the commission said. Al-Sisi sparked protests after announcing his bid for office, but is widely expected to win. His victory would restore a tradition of presidents from military backgrounds that Egypt had for all but one year since 1952, when officers overthrew the monarchy and became the dominant force in politics. | Omar Abul Maged called his animal Sisi after Abdel Fatah al-Sisi .
Rode it through village in protest at overthrow of President Morsi .
Al-Sisi is now running for president and is expected to win . |
79,354 | e0f28d0888009523a2e96a7804d2b91430ac74d8 | Washington (CNN) -- Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan has cooperated properly with congressional investigators looking into the prostitution scandal in Colombia last month before President Barack Obama's visit, influential House members said Wednesday. Rep. Peter King, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Sullivan provided answers to 50 questions from his panel about the controversy in Cartagena that embarrassed the nearly 150-year-old agency and raised concerns of a possible security breach. "I got the answers back last night, and I would say the answers were very detailed," King said on CNN's "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien." In addition, King said, Sullivan notified the Homeland Security Department's inspector general when the scandal became public in mid-April, "which showed that he wanted a real investigation." Also Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee's leading members said Sullivan provided a "detailed response" to their separate list of questions about the incident. "Director Sullivan's cooperation with our oversight efforts underscores his commitment to understand the extent of the problem and ensure that this unacceptable conduct does not occur again," said a statement by the panel's chairman, Darrel Issa, R-California, and ranking Democrat, Elijah Cummings of Maryland. Even Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a frequent critic of government resistance to congressional oversight, praised Sullivan's response to his request for details of any possible involvement of White House advance team staff in the scandal. Grassley is demanding that the White House turn over all details of an internal review that found no wrongdoing by advance staff members, and he renewed his call Wednesday after receiving Sullivan's response that the Secret Service inquiry didn't involve White House records. "Since the Secret Service did not request the records of the White House personnel, an open and transparent response from the president's counsel is even more imperative," Grassley said in a statement. "Unfortunately, more than a week after my inquiry, I've yet to hear from anybody at the White House. I appreciate the Secret Service's transparency in response to Congress, even with sensitive information." King said Tuesday night that Sullivan's answers to his committee's questions disclosed that three of the 12 Secret Service agents involved in the scandal had refused to cooperate with authorities and submit to a polygraph test. The three agents were among the first forced out of the service when news of the scandal in Cartagena broke, King said. The nine remaining agents took polygraph tests, and although none of them failed, some responses led to the loss of several jobs, he added. On Wednesday morning, King said that no security breach occurred from the Secret Service agents consorting with foreign prostitutes in their hotel rooms shortly before Obama's arrival in Cartagena for last month's Summit of the Americas. "We know that it appears that no material was obtained by any of the prostitutes. Nothing is missing. All the BlackBerrys are accounted for. There was no president's schedule available," King said. "It does not appear that any of the 12 women had any involvement other than prostitution," King added. "They were not working for any narco-terrorist organization, and I think in a way the Secret Service has ducked a bullet." Still, King said, the incident "goes against all the principles of the Secret Service." "Because it was disclosed and there was no long-term security matter here, it gives the Secret Service the opportunity to clear up what has happened, do all it can to make sure it never happens again or at least minimizes it to make it very, very difficult for it to ever happen again," he said. While King did not provide CNN copies of the responses -- which he said are marked "law enforcement sensitive" -- he highlighted several details Tuesday night. Among other things, one agent said in the polygraph test that he was "actively engaged" with one of the prostitutes when she wanted to get paid, King said. In response, the agent threw her out of his room. The agent told U.S. officials he didn't realize the woman was a prostitute, and he has not been fired. U.S. officials have interviewed 10 of the 12 women involved in the scandal, King noted. The Secret Service and Colombian authorities are trying to track down the remaining two. King said there weren't many surprises in the responses to his questionnaire. "Sullivan was giving us good information all along," he said. The top legislators on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said Tuesday that they've also sent a letter to Sullivan asking for information on the incident. A total of nine agents have resigned or are in the process of being forced out, while three other Secret Service agents were cleared of serious misconduct. A source familiar with the investigation told CNN on Wednesday that money changed hands between nine Secret Service members and nine prostitutes. The military is investigating the alleged involvement of 12 of its service members. Issa and Cummings also have asked Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to provide details of the military investigation by May 8. Two other congressional committees are looking into the scandal, as well as the Homeland Security inspector general, while the Secret Service and the White House have conducted internal reviews. On Monday, Homeland Security acting Inspector General Charles Edwards announced his investigation of the incident, saying the "field work is beginning immediately." The Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about the controversy at a hearing last week. On Tuesday, Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and ranking Republican Sen. Susan Collins said they sent Sullivan a letter Monday that also sought answers about what happened. "We wish to determine whether those events were indicative of a pattern of behavior by agents or officers of the Secret Service and need to be addressed systemically or if they instead constituted an isolated incident warranting action only with respect to the individuals involved," said the letter from Lieberman and Collins. The U.S. Southern Command expects to finish questioning the 12 military personnel implicated in possible wrongdoing this week before forwarding its findings to military lawyers for review and then to Gen. Douglas Fraser, commanding general of the U.S. Southern Command, a Defense Department official said Monday. Last week, the Secret Service distributed new rules for its agents on assignment intended to prevent a repeat of such alleged misconduct, according to two government sources familiar with the resulting investigation. Enhanced Standards of Conduct, the new guidelines given to all Secret Service personnel, make clear that standards of behavior required in the United States apply on missions abroad, the sources said. Effective immediately, the new standards require detailed briefings before each trip that will include safety precautions and any necessary designations of establishments and areas that are "off-limits" for Secret Service personnel, the sources said. Also in the new standards, foreigners are banned from Secret Service hotel rooms at all times, except for hotel staff and host nation law enforcement and government officials on official business, according to the officials, and all Secret Service personnel are prohibited from going to a "nonreputable establishment." The new standards specify that U.S. laws apply to Secret Service personnel when traveling, rendering invalid the excuse that specific activity is legal in the foreign country, the officials said. In addition, the new guidelines allow moderate alcohol consumption when off duty but prohibit alcohol consumption within 10 hours of reporting for duty or at any time when at the hotel where the protected official is staying, the officials explained. An additional supervisor from the Office of Professional Responsibility will now accompany the "jump teams" that bring vehicles for motorcades and other transportation, the officials said. Agents involved in the Colombia incident were part of such a jump team. Allegations of further transgressions by agents have emerged after the initial reports of heavy drinking and consorting with prostitutes last month before Obama arrived in Cartagena. Recent claims include an account from El Salvador described by CNN Seattle affiliate KIRO as very similar to the Colombia scandal, involving members of the Secret Service and other government agencies. However, Panetta said last week that his department is not investigating any of its troops over the reported incident in El Salvador, while State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said Embassy staff in El Salvador were being questioned about the allegations. The Drug Enforcement Administration also is prepared to look into, "in an appropriate manner and immediately," allegations that it deems "credible" regarding its agents in El Salvador, spokesman Rusty Payne said. But he added that, while the DEA had seen news reports, "we are unaware of any allegations of misconduct." CNN's Tom Cohen, Dana Bash, Richard Allen Greene, Carol Cratty, Ed Payne, Ted Barrett and John King contributed to this report. | Grassley renews his call for the White House to release full records .
Rep. Peter King says no security breach occurred .
Twenty-four people are linked to the prostitution scandal .
The incident happened before a presidential trip to the Summit of the Americas in Colombia . |
138,162 | 3eae7aa61a0ba077dcf3263720a4ec0286b41b13 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's nephew testified Thursday that he believes his uncle was murdered. T.J. Jackson, the youngest son of Jackson brother Tito, revealed his suspicion while being cross examined by an AEG Live lawyer in the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial. Jurors also heard him testify about the emotional devastation caused by Michael Jackson's death. "He was just everything," said T.J. Jackson, who shares guardianship of Michael Jackson's children -- Prince, Paris and Blanket -- with their grandmother. Michael Jackson's mother and his children contend his last concert promoter was liable for his death because it hired, retained or supervised Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. AEG Live lawyers argue it was Jackson, not the company, who chose and controlled Dr. Murray. Their executives had no way of knowing he was giving nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic propofol to Jackson, which the coroner ruled killed the singer, the lawyers say. "Do you believe your uncle was murdered?" AEG Live attorney Jessica Stebbins Bina asked T.J. Jackson. "I do," he answered. "I believe it because he did tell me and the brothers that he was going to be murdered on a couple of occasions. "He said that just because of his position he was a target." T.J. Jackson had earlier testified that his mother, Delores Jackson, was the victim of murder 19 years ago. "My mother was murdered for money, too, so I don't put that past anyone," he said. Initially it was believed that his mother, Delores Martes Jackson, who had divorced from Tito Jackson in 1993, drowned in a swimming pool, but the case was reopened, and her sons in 1995 filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against a man they accused of killing her. Three years later, the man was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. If the jury concludes AEG Live has liability in Jackson's death, then they must put a dollar figure on damages -- including the emotional toll on the children caused by the loss of their father. The oldest child, 16-year-old Prince, testified Wednesday that sister Paris, 15, "was probably hit the hardest because she was my dad's princess." Paris has been hospitalized since a suicide attempt earlier this month, although it is unclear whether jurors will know about it. "The loss of my uncle has hit her at a different level and she's in a tough spot, but we're loving her and doing everything we can," T.J. Jackson testified Thursday . He said he was at a loss for words to describe what Paris is going through. "It's tough, you know, it's tough." "She was daddy's girl," he said. "My uncle was her world. My uncle gave them more love and for it to be taken away, it's been very hard for Paris, and for all of them." Blanket, who was 7 when his father died, "was always wrapped around his leg, very shy," T.J. Jackson said. "Wherever my uncle was, Blanket was a foot away, My uncle was everything to Blanket." "Right now, I don't know if Blanket realizes what he lost," Prince said. "He was so young. He is still growing up just like I am and he doesn't have a father to guide him." Prince said he has "a hard time sleeping" since his father's death in 2009. It left him "emotionally distant from a lot of people" for a while, he said. He's missed sharing with his father "the first day of going to school, having the first girlfriend, being able to drive," Prince testified. T.J. Jackson said Prince was Michael Jackson's "little assistant." "He was very mature for his age, very smart. My uncle would prepare him for things" by telling him about his business deals. "He's very strong, he's very smart," he testified. "He was always the smartest kid I'd ever known." As a guardian, T.J. Jackson said he must constantly deal with paparazzi stalking the children for photographs. "It's, just to be frank, a complete annoyance," he said. "It's awful." He suggested there should be a new law to protect celebrity children from photographers. "I know it's making everything harder for the kids to grieve and to recover and to progress," he said. | NEW: "My mother was murdered for money ... I don't put that past anyone," T.J. Jackson says .
T.J. Jackson shares guardianship of Prince, Paris and Blanket with their grandmother .
Paris "in a tough spot, but we're loving her and doing everything we can," T.J Jackson says .
Paparazzi stalking makes "everything harder for the kids to grieve and to recover, he says . |
85,731 | f32e95b53bf88dd9b5913b97dd5497f0936b04fa | (CNN) -- One of the few mysteries to have light shed on it in the search for a missing Malaysia Airlines airliner has been the case of two passengers who boarded the flight with stolen passports. The news that two Flight 370 passengers were not who they claimed to be -- and had used stolen documents -- immediately raised speculation about foul play. Authorities have not ruled out terrorism, but at least where it concerns these two passengers, early evidence indicates they were, foremost, Iranian migrants. Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble identified the two as Pouri Nourmohammadi, 18, and Delavar Syed Mohammad Reza, 29. He said they entered Malaysia using valid Iranian passports, but they used stolen Austrian and Italian passports to board Flight 370. It is not uncommon for Iranians to go to Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, told CNN. After the violent 2009-2010 election protests in Iran, many Iranians fled for Malaysia, where Middle Easterners, in most cases, can travel without a visa, Robertson said. "A significant number of asylum-seekers from Iran did end up in Malaysia," he said. Acquiring stolen or altered passports, "unfortunately, is much easier than most people would think," and quite common, Robertson said. A European passport would be a great advantage for a migrant wanting to leave Southeast Asia. Authorities say the passports -- one Austrian, the other Italian -- were stolen in Thailand, which is a known hub of the stolen passport industry. "Thailand remains a robust venue for the sale of high-quality false passports (including altered stolen passports) and other supporting documentation," said Paul Quaglia, who has been working in the region as a security and risk analyst for 14 years. According to Thai police, an Iranian man by the name of Kazem Ali bought one-way tickets for the two men, describing them as friends who wanted to return home to Europe. While Ali made the initial booking by telephone, either Ali or someone acting on his behalf paid for the tickets in cash, according to police. Interpol's Noble said the evidence in the case of the stolen passports points to a concern quite different from terrorism: "If you read what the head of Malaysia police said recently, about [Nourmohammadi] ... wanting to travel to Frankfurt, Germany, to be with his mother," he said, "[this] is part of a human smuggling issue and not a terrorist issue," Noble said. Human smuggling, which usually is linked to abuses such as forced labor or sex slavery, is a problem in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries. The suggestion is not that Reza and Nourmohammadi were being exploited, but that there exists in Malaysia a criminal infrastructure for smuggling people. | Malaysia is a favored destination for people fleeing Iran .
It is a destination that does not require visas for most Middle Easterners .
Human Rights Watch official: It is relatively easy to get a stolen passport .
The passports were stolen in Thailand, a hub for high-quality fake documents . |
275,975 | f18a6dd0c64d583b0ae222df095abb3015d3f38a | Last month, stars including Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Downton Abbey's Jessica Brown Findlay had personal naked images and videos splashed across the internet by an American hacker. But the very public embarrassment of these female celebrities has done nothing to curb the number of young people increasingly sharing nude selfies over text, email or the phone app Snapchat. A new survey shows that 38 per cent of 18-24 year olds have shared an inappropriate selfie. But parents are blissfully unaware of the current trend for x-rated snaps - in the same survey by My Voucher Codes, only 13 per cent of mothers and fathers across the UK believed their child would ever share a nude photo with friends or partners. A new survey shows that 38 per cent of 18-24 year olds have shared an inappropriate selfie (posed by model) The obvious reason for the lack of awareness among middle-aged men and women is that very few adults share naked pictures of themselves. In the same poll, only eight per cent of 45-54 year-olds admitted to taking a nude selfie, while the craze is even less prevalent in pensioners - only two per cent of those questioned who were aged 65 and over admitted to having a photo of themselves in the buff on their mobile phone. The most enlightened parents in the UK appeared to come from Northern Ireland, with 25 per cent of those questioned believing that their child would take a naked picture - they were almost spot on as 26 per cent of 18-24 year olds revealed they had done so. Scottish young adults were the least likely to take their clothes off for a photo, with only 12 percent admitting to it, while the figure was 38 per cent in England. Jennifer Lawrence (left) and Kate Upton (right) have both been recent victims of a hacker who uploaded naked images of them to the internet . These statistics show that parents are still unaware of their children's behaviour online, despite repeated attempts by children's charities over the last five years to warn mothers and fathers of the dangers of sexting. The NSPCC warns that the practice is illegal for anyone under the age of 16 and by sending the image a child is liable to be prosecuted for producing and distributing child abuse images. They also advise that young girls or boys sending naked pictures are opening themselves up to the chance of blackmail and bullying. Children's charity ChildLine warns that young people are taking huge risks by taking and sending the sexual images, and warned that some were being driven to the brink of suicide after the photos became widely shared. Young people are taking huge risks by taking and sending the sexual images, opening themselves up to bullying and blackmail from peers (posed by models) One teenager, 17-year-old James, told the charity: 'Sexting is pretty normal at my age. It seems like everyone's doing it.' James said he still engaged in sexting despite the dangers. 'I do worry about who is behind the phones of the people I sext with - obviously if you don't know the person in real life there's no guarantee they are who they say they are,' he added. ChildLine director, Peter Liver, said the rise of classroom sexting was linked, in part, to the widespread availability of porn online. | The Welsh are most likely in the UK to send nude photos to friends .
Not for the elderly - only 2 per cent of over 65's have shared a naked selfie . |
170,564 | 68cb1b42cdb842170ab094d1dcf41d933a09a919 | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 08:38 EST, 6 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 6 October 2013 . She may have no qualms about opting for the skimpiest of outfits to show off her enviable figure on Strictly Come Dancing, but Abbey Clancy says she's 'horrendously unfit'. 'I don’t train or go to the gym,' says the super svelte model, 27, who stars in the 11th series of the dancing show. 'I’m strong but I’ve got no stamina. I get out of breath so easily. That’s one of the things I’m . looking forward to the most about Strictly. I’m most looking . forward to just getting my fitness up, toning up and feeling good.' Scroll down for video . Impressive: Making sure to show off her tiny . model figure, Abbey opted for the most daring outfit of the night in a . thigh-skimming pink number with cut-out detail as she took to the . dancefloor with partner Aljaz Skorjanec . Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman sung her praises last night after a raunchy performance, saying she was indeed a 'good dancer'. But the size 6 lingerie and catwalk model claims that one of the pivotal reasons she signed . up to the BBC One show was to get in . shape, in an interview with the Express. Abbey also dismisses any suggestion that, as a model, she doesn't eat properly. And she says she's been tucking into extra portions to keep her energy up for strenuous routines and rehearsals. 'I’ve been trying to eat a lot more over the past few weeks. I mean I eat a lot anyway,' she says. 'There’s some myth that I starve myself, but I really don’t. I eat what I want and I’ve got a very healthy appetite.' 'But with all the training you do for Strictly, you’re naturally more hungry. Everyone is constantly eating on the show because you just burn so much energy dancing and practicing your routines. You need to eat well otherwise you can’t function and you get too tired and feel a bit sick.' The thigh's the limit! Abbey Clancy ditched the . elegant ball dress she wore on last week's Strictly Come Dancing in . favour of an eye wateringly skimpy pink minidress as she took to the . stage on Saturday night's . The Liverpudlian wife of peter Crouch performed with her professional partner for the first time last weekend for this year’s Strictly along with 14 other celebrities. She looked the picture of elegance and grace as she took to the dancefloor. But on Saturday night she well and truly sent pulses racing as she ramped up the sex factor on the show. Casting aside the ladylike ensemble she wore for her ballroom routine, Abbey strutted her stuff in an eye wateringly skimpy minidress as she tried her hand at Latin. Making sure to show off her tiny model figure in a striking pink number, she opted for the most daring outfit of the night in a thigh-skimming frock with cut-out detail as she took to the dancefloor alongside partner Aljaž Skorjanec to perform a sassy cha cha. And it would seem the Liverpudlian beauty found a particular fan in the form of judge Bruno Tonioli, who told her: 'Don't worry, there is plenty to fancy about Miss Clancy. 'The attitude, the sex kitten, the nonchalant Brigitte Bardot. You look fab! You did a tiny little stumble at the end but I tell you, so good.' Len Goodman added: 'I thought it was loud and proud, full of attitude and rhythm. You're a good dancer, Abbey, you are.' Abbey seemed annoyed with herself over little mistakes, but scored a total of 30 points ranking her in fourth place. Stunning: Abbey Clancy seen running errands out and about in London last week . | Lingerie model, 27, signed up to Strictly Come Dancing 'to tone up'
Size 6 Abbey says she has no stamina and gets out of breath .
'Horrendously unfit' mother eats a lot despite 'myth she starves herself'
Wowed judges with raunchy routine in skimpy outfit last night . |
142,595 | 446a6f93495c19ac91b543efe49df2698dea8e63 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 06:11 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:14 EST, 1 October 2013 . One of the most eagerly-anticipated video game releases has exceeded worldwide sales of £500 million ($800 million), its publisher has announced. Grand Theft Auto V delivered the highest first day retail sales of any title sold by Take-Two Interactive Software, the parent company of the game's developer Rockstar. Stores across the UK opened their doors at midnight on Tuesday for the special launch of the game, which reportedly cost around £170 million ($275 million) to make and market - more than films such as Avatar. Around a quarter of the poll participants who owned gaming devices said they were likely to buy Grand Theft Auto V, pictured, when the new consoles come out. While 22 per cent said they would pick up a copy of Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Ghosts game . Online retailer Amazon sold out of the game on pre-orders alone. Experts estimate it could generate £1 billion during its first year on sale, with gamers predicted to snap up some 25 million copies - breaking current records. The Grand Theft Auto series has accumulated sales of 135 million copies since its 1997 debut. GTA IV has reportedly sold more than 25 million copies since its 2008 release. The gaming site IGN.com polled 10,995 readers to ask whether they would take time off work on Tuesday when the GTA V goes on sale. According to its findings, 5,059 readers - around 46 per cent - said they booked the day off as holiday. Another 2,012 (19 per cent) said they would phone in claiming to be unwell while 35 per cent said they would wait to get their hands on the game. Awfully popular: One day after its release, Grand Theft Auto V had made a record $800 million in sales . Zohair Ali from London, pictured, was the first in the queue to pick up a copy of Grand Theft Auto V at the flagship Game store in Westfield Stratford City in London. Gaming site IGN.com discovered that 46 per cent of fans said they booked the day off as holiday to get their hands on the game . Game makers Rockstar North have called one of the city’s 'druggie hipster' districts Hawick after the mill town about 40 miles south of their Edinburgh head quarters. A Hawick councillor yesterday branded the use of the town’s name in GTA V as 'disgusting'. Local councillor David Paterson said he feared it could 'destroy the reputation' of Hawick. 'Why did they pick on Hawick?' he asked. 'It is a lovely town. 'It is perceptions, it is how people will perceive the town. 'They might perceive Hawick in a bad light and Hawick is a lovely place - a lot of people are very, very proud of Hawick.' Fans burst into the Stratford, east . London, branch of GAME - one of the chain's 300 stores which opened at . midnight - following a countdown. They . were led in by Londoner Zohair Ali, the first in the queue to pick up a . copy at the flagship shop at Westfield Stratford City. Mr Ali punched the air in delight while other gamers rushed to the tills to buy their copies. ‘I'm really excited now that I've got it in my hands,’ one fan said. ‘Being one of the biggest games of the year, it's going to be one of them I'm on for a long time.’ Kevin McFeely, from GAME, said the company opened as many branches as it ‘physically could’ on launch night. ‘Our customers really want to get their hands on this game,’ he said. ‘People are just really excited in terms of the things that they can do on GTA that they could never do before.’ One GAME staff member described scenes inside the crowded shop as ‘chaos’. A similar hype was evident online, where GTA players posted images of themselves with the new game. User Daniel Son wrote: ‘Got my copy of GTA! Ready to load up this bad boy.’ Dave Callan added: ‘GTA is going to make holidays to LA feel fairly mundane.’ Another user wrote: ‘I've waited patiently for five years but these past few hours have gone by very slowly. Soon I will have GTA in my hands.’ Ishaq Siddiqi, market strategist at financial spread betting firm ETX Capital, described GTA as a ‘British success story’. ‘The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Cadbury's, Rolls-Royce... the list of some of the greatest British exports goes on and on,’ he said. Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto V worldwide on Tuesday. This billboard is on the side of the Figueroa Hotel in Los Angeles . ‘But not many believed a sandbox violent crime thriller video game series, Grand Theft Auto by RockStar Games, would become one of the latest entrants on that list.’ He predicted GTA V would follow the same blockbuster success of its predecessors in the series. ‘Like it or not, GTA is a British success story as it has catapulted British game developers into the spotlight over the past decade,’ he said. ‘It's also induced the growth of start-up game development companies in the UK who are looking to mimic the success of Rockstar.’ MailOnline's gaming expert Talal Musa awarded the game five stars: 'This is clearly a well-thought-out and intelligent title - a far cry from the meaningless violence many wrongly (and unfairly) infer from its 'Grand Theft Auto' label.'The visuals excel in both art design and graphical fidelity. From deep-sea diving to dog fighting in the skies, every inch of GTA V's world has been given equal, immaculate care and attention.'Every excursion is a surprise, and coupled with an improved check-pointing mechanism - you're now no longer punished for attempting missions in different ways.'Cars all 'feel' different, and have lost the wayward steering that plagued the last game.Missions no longer stick to the oft rigid GTA formula of driving somewhere and shooting something.'Stuff Magazine's Guy Cocker wrote: 'Grand Theft Auto V aims ridiculously high and despite those ethical missteps manages to deliver on all of its towering ambitions.'It’s a game that pushes the boundaries not only of what’s possible in open world games, but what’s possible on the current generation of consoles.'In GTA V, the incredibly detailed world, compelling characters and varied missions combine to create an experience that will live on in your memory long after you've finished playing.' 'Every excursion is a surprise, and coupled with an improved check-pointing mechanism - you're now no longer punished for attempting missions in different ways,' said MailOnline's Talal Musa . The Metro's David Jenkins added: 'A staggering technical achievement that is matched only by the depth and ambition of its gameplay – this is not only the best-looking GTA ever but by far the most fun to play. 'Impossibly good visuals, in terms of scope and attention to detail. Excellent and varied mission design. Great car handling and much improved gunplay.Yet wasn't entirely positive: 'The story is as vague and meandering as usual, with not a single virtuous character in the whole cast. Gunplay could still be better and helicopters are a pain.'Keza MacDonald, games editor at IGN.com, said: 'Grand Theft Auto V is not only a preposterously enjoyable video game, but also an intelligent and sharp-tongued satire of contemporary America,' she added.'It represents a refinement of everything that GTA IV brought to the table five years ago. It's technically more accomplished in every conceivable way, but it's also tremendously ambitious in its own right.'No other world in video games comes close to this in size or scope, and there is sharp intelligence behind its sense of humour and gift for mayhem. It tells a compelling, unpredictable, and provocative story without ever letting it get in the way of your own self-directed adventures through San Andreas.' | This is highest first day sales of any title sold by group Take-Two Interactive .
Experts estimate it could generate £1 billion during its first year on sale .
It is thought 46 per cent of buyers took Tuesday off as holiday to play game . |
217,725 | a5e63828392f95be970ff75f0bf9595186d9e26c | (CNN) -- If you're looking for a harbinger of the zombie apocalypse, look no further than all those people on the street pecking at their tiny, handheld windows into a private world. So say a good portion of the commenters reacting to a semi-satirical article by comedian-columnist Dean Obeidallah, who noted the difficulty he had spending a day without a cell phone. It had become something bordering an addiction, he said, or at least a strong habit. Some readers were taken aback. "The boy needs to get a life," said commenter realworldaddict, who also wrote, "Hint to him and all the rest of the people walking around like zombies watching for messages on their cellphones: Wake up and pay attention to the world around you. Nobody is trying to contact you 24/7, and did you really want to know that one of your 568 'friends' on Facebook just got a new goldfish?" Perhaps we're all shambling through daily life. When ObewanSnow mentioned a desire to keep a cell phone because it serves as a "safety crutch," the discussion turned to self-sufficiency and even dystopian scenarios. "When the apocalypse hits in December, you will be one of the first ones to go," replied a commenter. "You have become too reliant on technology. You are afraid of breaking down and not having AAA to save you. You better toughen up and learn to work on your own car, or you will perish very quickly." Maybe they're taking a page from Stephen King's novel, "Cell," in which the protagonist, Clayton Riddell, doesn't turn into a zombie because he doesn't own a cell phone. The story is about an event called "The Pulse" that turns cell phone users into vicious, mindless beings. The ill effects of omnipresent communication are a common motif in science fiction. Despite the anxiety, mobile devices are big business. Apple has recently sold millions of its iPhone 5 devices, and there are many people who believe that smartphones and tablets can almost give us superhuman abilities. But their omnipresence in daily life has not been without controversy, raising concerns that our lives will be forever changed by this technology -- and not in a good way. Commenter Mug Costanza called getting rid of his cell phone after the contract expired "one of the most liberating experiences I've ever had," and said he's beginning to notice the walking dead all around him. "Now it seems really weird to me when I am in a doctor's office or subway and I see 95% of the people around me glued to their phones, clicking away like zombies," he said. "My favorite is when you go out with a group of friends and everybody at the table is just playing with their phones instead enjoying themselves with real live people." Indeed, dozens of commenters asserted that they don't own a mobile phone, or have stopped using them. Some say the tight economy has given them extra incentive. That's the case with commenter wordswords, who says that in real life, he is the patriarch of the Words family of Cape Coral, Florida. He and his wife have six children, and that means a lot of phone bills if each family member has their own phone. "I gave up my cell phone about two years ago," Words commented. "I made a commitment to saving money and our family went back to a single land line. Since then I estimate we've saved around $4,000. And we haven't lost or damaged a phone since!" After the economy went downhill, the family had lost income and needed to cut down their bills. Words said getting rid of eight cell phones "cold turkey," a phrase often used in connection with addiction, has been a worthwhile decision. "The kids all hate me, but they enjoy the roof over their heads and the food on their table," Words said. "My two eldest have jobs and did get their own, but hey, as long as they're paying for it themselves, I'm all for it." Since they are a large family, the Words upgraded to two phone lines to ease the strain. The family still keeps their disconnected smartphones to use with Wi-Fi connections while traveling on vacations, which Words said is a luxury they now can afford. There are other benefits, too. "The constant 'ding' of texting is gone, so we communicate with words and in person like a family should, instead of with words on a phone," he said. "We love it. Others don't understand us, but that's all right." Expense was a great motivator for aspiring musician and aspiring writer Ben Joynes, 31, of San Francisco, California, who decided that he had to focus on what was really important in life. "Do the math. I simply cannot afford a cell phone contract, and it does not give me functionality that I absolutely need in my life in order to stay reasonably connected with people or be functional," Joynes said. "My little brother who lives out of state has one, and I've tooled around with it extensively. I think they are amazing pieces of technology, and I can see how they enhance people's lives. They are 'Star Trek' technology -- literally -- today and in the palm of your hand. I just can't afford one, and prefer to do my computing on a PC." Going without a cell phone can even be a game or a goal. Commenter Bill Murray said he is trying to see how long he can go without having a cell phone. He has never had one, and compares the challenge of stopping the use of such devices to "an addict going through heroin withdrawal." He loves technology, but doesn't want a cell phone. Instead he uses Vonage, a service that allows people to make phone calls over a data connection. "As I fast approach my 50th birthday, I am starting to feel like I am one of the lucky ones for not having 'plugged' into the network," he wrote. "Like a smoker shortly after they quit, I can actually smell and taste the things that others cannot enjoy. Don't get me wrong. I'm a technology lover and it has been a genuine struggle not to give in to the temptation that these amazing devices create. However, just like when I did quit smoking, I think I'll just focus on going one more day 'without' to see if I can curb the craving." Still, he doesn't think this will last forever. "Eventually, however, I realize that society will evolve to a point where I likely won't have a choice but to adapt to the technology. But, until then, I'll see just how long I can survive without this little mechanical addiction." Another reader, Dawn Lynn Harvard, said she hates being tethered to a phone all day, and only keeps a phone for emergency cases. "I haven't bought a phone in 30 years," she said. "I got a new hand-held 15 years ago free from Verizon. I recharge it once a year, whether it needs it or not. I pay $13 per month." Talking to "real living people" and enjoying the scenery of life is the real benefit to her. She doesn't understand what is so important that it requires being on the phone while doing other things. Sometimes, it's hard to tell if people are mentally present or not. "When I was young, if you saw someone walking down the street talking to themselves you crossed over assuming they were crazy," she said. "Sometimes I think they still are." What do you think? Share your views in the comments area below. View photos of zombies on CNN iReport . | Columnist Dean Obeidallah got huge reaction to column about going without his cell phone .
Many readers say it's easy to go without their phones for a few hours .
Some have gotten rid of their mobile devices and cell service . |
219,308 | a7e222c83a82c934d8de45a4e1c312c79851d7e6 | The highly-publicized corruption case against former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife has torn their family part, as evidenced by a recent letter written by their oldest child. In September, the McDonnells were both found guilty of taking bribes to promote a vitamin company and currently face up to 30 years in prison for their crimes. But daughter Jeanine McDonnell Zubowsky believes her mother Maureen is mostly responsible, and is one of more than 400 people who have written letters asking for lenient sentence for her father - who was once on the short list to be Mitt Romney's vice presidential candidate. Dad's girl: Jeanine McDonnell Zubowsky (left) has written a letter to the court, asking for a lenient sentence for her father, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell (center), who was found guilty in September on corruption charges. Pictured above walking him into court with brother Bobby McDonnell (right) Mom's fault: In the letter, Zubowsky puts most of the blame on her mother Maureen (pictured) who she believes may be mentally ill . 'My mom ... has always been concerned about getting discounts or freebees [sic],' Zubowsky wrote in a letter to the court. 'She hid her coordination with people for free or discounted things or services and she didn’t communicate with my dad because she knew he would not approve. ... The testimony about my mom ... unfortunately, was the reality.' Zubowsky added that she believes her mother suffers from mental illness, and that her father planned to address her health after leaving office last January. He never got the chance, since both were indicted just days after he stepped down. The governor's eldest daughter is just one of 440 people who wrote letters asking for a lower sentence for McDonnell including Hose Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and evangelist Pat Robertson. McDonnell's lawyers asked a judge Tuesday to order three years of community service for his federal corruption convictions while prosecutors recommended a prison term of at least 10 years. McDonnell will be sentenced January 6 for promoting a dietary supplement in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans. His wife, Maureen, also was convicted and will be sentenced Febuary 20. During the trial, McDonnell said he was innocent and that his wife took the brides behind his back, when they grew estranged. 'This offense is a total aberration in what was by all accounts a successful and honorable career,' McDonnell's lawyers wrote. 'Moreover, the conduct that led to this conviction is far outside the 'heartland' of public corruption cases. No public official has ever before been convicted of federal or state corruption charges on the basis of similar conduct.' The attorneys said a sentence of '6,000 hours of full-time, rigorous, unpaid community service at a remote location served over three years' would be appropriate. That amount of hours would be about three years of working 40-hour weeks. Prosecutors argued McDonnell's offense 'was neither isolated nor the product of a single criminal choice. Rather, the defendant has been convicted of a bribery conspiracy that lasted nearly two full years, and the defendant repeatedly made conscious decisions to continue that conspiracy time and again.' Promoters: The McDonnells were indicted a year ago on charges of taking more than $165,000 in cash and gifts to promote Jonnie Williams' vitamin company. Williams pictured above with Maureen McDonnell . Up in the air: Bob McDonnell will be sentenced on January 6, while his wife will be sentenced on February 20. Both face up to 30 years in jail . Going for a spin: Williams told prosecutors that he lent the McDonnells his Ferrari, among other favors . Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams testified under immunity that he spent freely on the McDonnells in order to secure their help promoting his supposed cure-all, the tobacco-derived anti-inflammatory Anatabloc. Among the gifts were: . Nearly $20,000 in designer clothing and accessories for Maureen McDonnell . A $6,500 Rolex watch for her husband . $15,000 in catering for one of their daughter's wedding . Free vacations . Free golf outings . Free spins in Williams' Ferrari . Williams also provided three loans totaling $120,000 . McDonnell's attorneys provided a detailed account of his life and career sprinkled with laudatory quotes from many of the hundreds of friends and associates who wrote letters urging leniency. The government asked U.S. District Judge James Spencer to impose a sentence within a guideline range of just over 10 years to a little less than 13 years. That range was calculated by the U.S. Probation Office based on a number of factors, including McDonnell's background and the seriousness of the offense. It includes an obstruction of justice enhancement based on what prosecutors say are lies in McDonnell's testimony. McDonnell's lawyers are challenging the guideline calculations, arguing that the range should be 33 months to 41 months. They wrote that a prison term of any length, 'much less one of ten years or more,' would be too harsh. Judges usually issue a sentence within the guideline range, but they are not bound by it. Supporters: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (left), Virginia Senator Tim Kaine (center), and evangelist Pat Robertson (right) were three of the 440 people who wrote letters asking for a lenient sentence for McDonnell . Jeff Bellin, a professor at the College of William and Mary Law School and a former federal prosecutor, said McDonnell is looking at many years in prison. 'The judge would have to have a pretty good explanation why the former governor is getting such favorable treatment,' Bellin said. Defense lawyers said several charitable and religious organizations have offered a volunteer position to McDonnell. They specifically mentioned two: Operation Blessing International and the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Operation Blessing offered McDonnell jobs heading its hunger relief program in Appalachia or working at its orphanage and fish farm in Haiti. 'As with his volunteering during Hurricane Katrina, Bob has shown an authentic willingness to serve others no matter how difficult the task,' group president Bill Horan said in a statement. Virginia Beach-based Operation Blessing was founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson. McDonnell is a graduate of Robertson's Regent University law school. Robertson is one of 440 people who wrote letters supporting McDonnell and filed with the court as an appendix to the sentencing brief. The Catholic Diocese offered to make McDonnell its regional coordinator in southwest Virginia, where he would coordinate prison ministry workshops and migrant worker outreach, defense attorneys said. | Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was found guilty on corruption charges in September, and will be sentenced on September 6 .
His oldest daughter Jeanine Zubowsky is one of 440 people who wrote letters, asking for a lenient sentence .
McDonnell faces up to 30 years in prison, but his lawyers are asking for three years community service instead . |
39,855 | 7080e5231a94ee81f292771a03f8db0f46ec27c1 | A ‘ghost airport’ that opened almost four years ago, but which has yet to officially receive a single flight, is finally set to begin operations. The infamous Castellon-Costa Azahar airfield near Valencia was built at a cost of £130million and declared open in March 2011 despite having no airlines lined up to fly from there and no official government approval to operate. As a result, the airport has come to symbolise the reckless public spending across Spain that has left the country crippled with debt. The Castellon-Costa Azahar airfield near Valencia was opened in March 2011 but has not received any flights . A £200,000, 79-ft tall statue was also erected next to the terminal’s only runway, while last month it emerged that around £25million had been spent on publicity for Castellon airport despite the fact that it had failed to secure permits to receive air traffic. The State Agency for Air Security previously found that the strip was too narrow for aeroplanes to turn around, meaning it needed to be dug up and widened to meet regulations. The airport was developed by Carlos Fabra, the former president of Spain's ruling Popular Party in Castellón province who was jailed for tax-fraud on December 2. During the time it has lain deserted and unused, it was suggested that the facility should be turned into a car racing track or shopping complex. The airport was built at a cost of £130m and has come to symbolise the reckless public spending in Spain . But the airport is finally said to have now passed all the relevant tests and has the necessary certification for flights to begin. It was hoped that the new airport will open up a new area of Spain's eastern coast to tourism, although airlines have so far failed to be persuaded to add the destination to their routes. The region is currently served by busy international airports such as Valencia and Alicante to the south and Barcelona to the north. The facility will be run by Canadian multinational, Lavalin for the next 20 years in a £20million deal. A £200,000, 79-ft tall statue was also erected next to the terminal’s only runway . Those responsible for the facility predict regular flights will commence from March 2015 to coincide with the Easter tourist season. Lavalin predicts that during 2015 the airport will receive around 50,000 passengers and by 2017 that number will have risen to over 200,000. It has been confirmed that Villareal Football Club will be the first customers of the newly opened airport, flying from Castellón for their matches both within Spain and abroad. The team has previously used Valencia airport for their flights. Those responsible for the facility predict regular flights will commence from March 2015 to coincide with the Easter tourist season . Spanish newspaper ABC has reported that those in charge of the airport are hoping that low-cost airline Ryanair will also fly to and from Castellon. They are also hoping to establish direct links between the airport and London to attract more British visitors. José Ciscar, president of Aerocas, the public company that owns the airport recently said that they are ‘closer than ever’ to opening the airport and that he is already working with commercial flights that will use the airport in the spring-summer season. The local government will not start to make money on the airport until it exceeds 1.2 million passengers a year, something with will not happen until 2029, according to Lavalin forecasts. | Castellon-Costa Azahar airfield near Valencia was built at a cost of £130m .
Declared open in March 2011 despite having no official approval to operate .
Has become a symbol of reckless public spending across Spain .
Also features £200,000, 79-foot tall statue next to terminal’s only runway . |
130,064 | 342338599f84502ef7adf273820ef7d4770869b1 | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 18:00 EST, 19 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:53 EST, 20 March 2012 . David Cameron vowed to tear up 60 years of planning law to build new towns and give Britain another airport in the South East. The Prime Minister unveiled plans for a wave of new ‘garden cities’ – quickly dubbed ‘Cam Towns’ – and gave his strongest support yet for a new ‘Boris Island’ airport in the Thames estuary, heavily promoted by London Mayor Boris Johnson. Accepting there would be ‘costs and protests’, Mr Cameron shrugged off opposition to the planning overhaul, saying he wants a Victorian-style blitz on new infrastructure building to boost growth. 'Popular': David Cameron is planning to create more 'Cam Towns' like Hertfordshire's Welwyn Garden City, pictured . He warned that failure to act would condemn Britain to being a second-rate nation. But his plans were quickly condemned by rural groups and green campaigners as a blueprint for ‘disfiguring’ the countryside that would damage the fabric of Britain. In a speech at the Institute of Civil Engineering in London, the Prime Minister vowed to overcome what he called a ‘failure of nerve’ on planning. Mr Cameron rejected calls by groups such as the National Trust to tear up its new National Planning Policy Framework, due shortly, saying it would provide ‘the biggest simplification of our bureaucratic, top-down planning laws in 60 years’. He said the Government would protect green belts and national parks, but added: ‘We also urgently need to find places where we are prepared to allow significant new growth to happen.’ Determined: The PM shrugged off opposition to the planning overhaul, saying he wants a Victorian-style blitz on new infrastructure building to boost growth . Vowing to recreate a ‘visionary plan’ from 1944 to build new towns across the South East, Mr Cameron said: ‘The growth of our towns and cities has been held back by a planning system which has encouraged development of the wrong sort in the wrong places.’ He said places such as Hampstead Garden Suburb, Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City were ‘not perfect but popular’ and the coalition would seek to build more towns that were ‘green, planned, secure, with gardens, places to play and characterful houses, not just car-dominated concrete grids’. Mr Cameron said the Government would begin consulting later this year ‘on how to apply the principles of garden cities to areas with high potential growth, in places people want to live’. He added: ‘We must get our planning system fit for purpose. It needs to be quick. It needs to be easier to use. And it needs to better support growth, jobs and homes.’ The Prime Minister said the Government needed to be similarly ‘bold’ about air transport too. Risking a fresh row with the Liberal Democrats, who oppose all airport expansion in the South East, he said: ‘I’m not blind to the need to increase airport capacity, particularly in the South East. ‘We need to retain our status as a key global hub for air travel, not just a feeder route to bigger airports elsewhere, in Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Dubai.’ The Tories have ruled out a third runway at Heathrow but Mr Cameron made warm noises about building a new international hub airport East of London. ‘Yes, this will be controversial. We . will be bringing forward options in our aviation strategy which will . include an examination of the pros and cons of a new airport in the . Thames estuary.’ He praised Boris Johnson, saying he had ‘done very well in driving forward this agenda’. Mr Cameron also unveiled £150million of new investment in ‘shovel ready’ building projects that already have planning permission but are stalled by lack of investment. Chancellor George Osborne will also be announcing ten ‘super-connected’ cities that are to have universal access to super-fast broadband as part of the drive to improve telecommunications. Neil Sinden, Director of Policy for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, attacked the plans for building in the countryside. He said: ‘If the Government’s planning reforms remain unchanged from the draft published last year, pressure for sprawling development is precisely what we can expect. ‘Unless the final planning framework recognises the intrinsic value of our countryside as a whole, we fear a rash of sporadic and inappropriate development across the country, disfiguring the rural landscape which is so valued by local communities.’ But Mr Cameron vowed to stand up to the critics. ‘There will be costs and protests. And I am certainly not doing it in the hope of immediate political advantage,’ he said. ‘I can see the furious objections – the banner headlines – already.’ But he added: ‘We will take difficult decisions, we will risk short-term unpopularity. ‘We will hold fast to our vision in the face of vested interests, because our motivation and our duty is to protect and champion the national interest.’ | Cameron said places like Hampstead Garden Suburb and Letchworth were 'not perfect but popular' |
127,666 | 31067b7a1f10daaf53bbb84d118f5c89284b3797 | Pc Tom Leyden was barred from using a neighbourhood Facebook account after he joked that a teen suspect may enjoy being 'touched' A policeman has been barred from using a neighbourhood Facebook account after he joked that a teen suspect may enjoy being ‘touched’ by officers. The status, posted by Pc Tom Leyden on the Irlam and Cadishead police page, was taken down after users complained that it was inappropriate. Greater Manchester Police confirmed it had removed the post and had suspended Pc Leyden from using the neighbourhood social media accounts. But now fans of the officer’s posts have set up their own campaign page calling for the ban to be lifted. Pc Leyden’s offending post described how officers were called out to a street in Irlam after a 15-year-old was spotted holding a carving knife. It goes on to describe how a boy fitting the description took exception to being stopped and searched. It read: 'Funnily enough, the same boy is always being stopped and searched. 'I’m not a suspicious person but I think that, either the lad enjoys being touched by Police Officers, which would make him very strange, or he’s what we call in Scotland, a numpty (It is a recognised word in Scotland and my granny used to call me it, so it can’t be offensive.)' The post has since been removed and it was replaced with an apology which reads: 'We posted over the weekend and this clearly caused some concerns. 'We have also received a complaint and as a result the post has been deleted. 'We apologise for any upset caused and can assure you that the issues raised are being investigated.' Greater Manchester Police says the boy who was stopped was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and has since been bailed. A spokesman said: 'A recent post on the Irlam and Cadishead Facebook page was deleted as some of the content was found to be inappropriate. 'An apology was also issued. 'The officer responsible has been suspended from using the neighbourhood social media accounts.' This is the Facebook comment the officer wrote, which was later deleted and apologised for . Facebook users have also created their own ‘Bring Back Tom Leyden’ page, with the sub heading ‘Bring back our local Pc to facebook campaign’. In one post, it states: 'Well another day without sight or sound of our comic legend Tom Leyden. Bring Back Tom, our district needs him.' Another post simply reads: 'Tom, Tom Tom, we want Tom.' Pc Leyden was unavailable for comment. | Status update on neighbourhood account posted by Pc Tom Leyden .
Greater Manchester Police removed post and suspended the officer .
Fans of the post have set up a campaign page calling for ban to be lifted . |
166,224 | 62ee9f399295f556e4625e54c827911e306a49e2 | By . Jennifer Smith for MailOnline . Roy 'Chubby' Brown has been fined £30 after being caught reading the newspaper while driving. The 69-year-old was snapped by a speed camera in Yorkshire driving his Lexus along an A-road while perusing the Sun in May. The comedian, whose real name is Royston Vasey, was fined at Northallerton Magistrates' Court yesterday and received four points on his licence. Scroll down for video . The comedian was spotted reading the newspaper as he drove his car along the A-19 in May . Brown, 69, was fined £30, given four points on his licence and told to pay £40 in costs by magistrates . The performer was caught in the act on a North Yorkshire Police mobility safety camera . He was also ordered to pay £40 and a victim surcharge of £20. Dave Brown, North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety camera manager, said: 'This is another case where our mobile safety cameras have proved that they are not just about speed, demonstrating that we have the technology to capture all manner of offences which put road users at risk. 'Motorists must give the road their full attention as a few seconds’ lapse in concentration can have catastrophic consequences, literally meaning the difference between life and death.' The comedian, has performed more than 20 stand-up shows . Brown is known is known for his controversial, expletive-ridden stand-up comedy. He has performed more than 20 tours and is famous for a clown-like patchwork suit he wears on stage. Typically his shows begin with the audience shouting 'You fat b*****d' while he dances on stage. In 2010 the comedian was accused of punching a woman in the face after she allegedly lent on his car. He was found not guilty of assault. In recent weeks he revealed he would include the death of Hollywood comedian Robin Williams in his new show. Giving an interview with Vibe, Brown said: 'I’ve just written down, "knock, knock", the audience are going to say "who’s there". 'I’m going to say "Robin Williams: I'm not dead yet, will you open this f*****g box." 'As daft as it is, people will laugh at it. I know what they’ll laugh at and I know what they won’t laugh at.' | Comedian was caught reading the Sun while driving along an A-road .
He was fined and given four points at Northallerton Magistrates' Court .
Brown, 69, is known for his controversial humour and outlandish costume . |
206,948 | 97f49e6fa7fe9d01ff4435e73f2ca354ddbfd03a | Like any bride-to-be, Pauline Bailey was thrilled when she finally found her dream wedding venue. After touring the landscaped grounds of the stunning Stoke Park – a five-star country house hotel that has featured in two Bond movies – Miss Bailey decided it was the perfect setting. She and her fiancé Paul Carty were happy to pay £10,000 for their big day, and wrote to ask about possible dates. Scroll down to hear from Pauline and Paul . Snub: Bride-to-be Pauline Bailey believes the five star hotel didn't want to host her wedding because her fiance Paul Carty has a pierced eyebrow and two earrings . Seemingly amicable discussions ensued with the venue’s wedding planner, Michele Connelly. Then Miss Connelly dropped a clanger that revealed her true feelings about her would-be clients. She sent an email to her manager Carlo Zoccali – but also forwarded it to Miss Bailey by mistake. It read: ‘Hi Carlo, I need your advice on this wedding, I know this probably doesn’t sound very nice, but I am trying to put this wedding off as I don’t think they are the type of people that we would want to have at Stoke Park.’ Miss Connelly added that she had ‘put the bride off for now’ then signed off with the word ‘Help!!!’. Miss Bailey, a law graduate, said she burst into tears when she read the message. ‘I was horrified,’ she said. ‘Effectively she was asking her boss how she could get rid of us. We were hugely offended. The suggestion was that we were undesirables, which we definitely are not. ‘We’re a respectable, middle-class, hard-working, well-educated couple. Paul and I can hold our own anywhere and in anyone’s company. We are thoroughly decent people and didn’t deserve this humiliation.’ The couple believe they were snubbed because Miss Connelly took objection to either her husband’s eyebrow piercing and two small earrings, or the age difference between them. Luxury: Posh Stoke Park Hotel in Buckinghamshire was featured in the James Bond movie Goldfinger . Blunder: This e-mail from wedding co-ordinator Michele Connelly was accidentally sent to bride-to-be Pauline . 'Sincerest apologies': A grovelling e-mail from the sales manager at Stoke Park to the 'deeply hurt' couple . Miss Bailey, a drug and alcohol . counsellor, is 27 while Mr Carty, who works as an engineer for the . Ministry of Defence, is 51. A former law student, he works in Bristol . and returns to their semi-detached home in Luton at the weekend. 'Caring face': Stoke Park wedding planner Michele Connelly . They were quoted £240 per head for the venue in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, which boasts a golf course where Sean Connery famously took on his enemy Goldfinger in the 1964 movie. The hotel ballroom was used for 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Miss Bailey and Mr Carty had been planning to marry in its Fountain Room but Miss Connelly – described on the hotel’s website as its ‘caring face’ – had other ideas. After a viewing in April, she managed to stall the couple. Mr Carty said he felt something was amiss when they were told it would cost them £1,000 to light their own fireworks. ‘Whatever we wanted, it felt like they were throwing obstacles in our way,’ he added. Then the email arrived. Miss Bailey was so offended that she hired a solicitor to explore the possibility of taking legal action against the hotel for defamation. ‘How could she or anyone else judge us after only a ten-minute meeting?’ she said. In an emailed apology to Miss Bailey, Mr Zoccali invited her to meet him to discuss the wedding. He wrote: ‘Firstly on behalf of Stoke Park, I would like to humbly apologise for the email which was sent to you by accident. I have spoken with Michele about this, who also sincerely apologises and I will deal internally with regards to her comments.’ The couple spoke out about the incident after settling on an alternative venue for next June’s wedding: Parklands, a 17th century mansion on the Essex/Hertfordshire border. A spokesman for Stoke Park refused to comment last night. VIDEO:We don't think there's anything wrong with us. Pauline and Paul react to the rejection . Goldfinger: The luxury hotel and golf club provided the backdrop to a famous scene from the James Bond film Goldfinger in which Sean Connery's 007 plays a high-stakes round of golf against the eponymous villain, played by Gert Frobe (right) The bride-to-be said: 'I was horrified. Effectively she was asking her boss how she could get rid of us. 'The suggestion was that we were undesirables, which we definitely are not. 'We’re a respectable, middle-class, hard working, well educated couple, who both speak well and were certainly not dragged-up so to speak. 'Its clear to me that this hotel operates a policy of discrimination which is terribly wrong, unfair and deeply, deeply hurtful. 'Paul and I can hold our own anywhere and in anyone’s company. 'We are thoroughly decent people and didn’t deserve this humiliation,' she said. Mr Carty added: 'We’re both gutted because it was like "what’s wrong with us?" 'We are normal people, our money is good, no better or worse than anyone else’s. 'If we can afford it why can’t we have it? We were devastated.' 'Mortified': Husband and wife-to-be Paul Carty and Pauline Bailey, left, had fallen in love with Stoke Park, which has played host to famous film scenes including a game of golf between villain Auric Goldfinger, right, and Sean Connery as 007 in classic Bond movie Goldfinger . Bridget Jones' Diary: The hotel is visible in the background of this famous scene from the British rom com, in which heroine Bridget, played by Renee Zellweger, enjoys a longed-for mini-break with beau Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant . On the hotel’s website Michele is described as its 'caring face'. Miss Bailey said: 'Michele’s change of heart must have revolved round Paul based on two factors - our age gap and the fact that he has a pierced eyebrow and wears two small gold earrings. 'If I’m right, they’ve got it so wrong about him because he is perfectly respectable as well as being charming and a true gentleman. 'Finding the hotel was a dream come true but it became a nightmare after the way it they treated us. 'I wonder who else it is turning away? And what reasons it is finding for doing so?' Decadent: The couple were prepared to pay £10,000 to host a wedding reception for 30 guests at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire . The couple had visited 30 different venues before finally settling on the luxury hotel . The plush hotel is set in 14 acres of stunning gardens and boasts a championship golf course . In a grovelling e-mail sales manager Carlo Zoccali told bride to be Pauline he 'humbly' apologised. Pauline finally spoke out after settling on an alternative venue for the couple's big day next June. The pair will marry at Parklands, a 17th century mansion on the Essex/Hertfordshire border. The couple met five years ago on a night out with friends, and romantic Paul popped the question to her last Valentine’s Day on holiday in Gran Canaria. A spokesman for the Stoke Park Hotel refused to comment on the blunder today, and said the management did not want to prejudice anything that might happen in the future. Since being turned into a luxury . hotel Stoke Park has developed a close relationship with Pinewood . Studios - which is just four miles away - and the British film industry. Two James Bond movies, Goldfinger (1964) - where the golf course features as the fictional Royal St Mark's - and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) were filmed at Stoke Park. The golf duel from the first of . those, between Sean Connery's James Bond and Goldfinger, played by Gert . Frobe, is still considered by many to be the most famous game of golf in . cinematic history. Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant at Stoke Park in a scene from Bridget Jones' Diary . After catching Goldfinger cheating, Bond switches balls on his opponent during the match. Realising that Bond is attempting to . interfere in his affairs, Goldfinger motions to Oddjob, his deadly . Korean manservant and caddie, to sever the head of a nearby statue with . his steel-rimmed bowler. Bond is suitably impressed, but . wonders what the club secretary will have to say. Goldfinger explains . smugly: 'Oh nothing Mister Bond - I own the club!' In Tomorrow Never Dies, James Bond - played by Pierce Brosnan - enjoys a tryst with past love Paris (Teri Hatcher), the wife of the film's villain. The famous ‘mini break’ and rowing . scenes from Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) were filmed in the Great Hall, . Lakes and The Pennsylvania Suite with Hugh Grant, Renée Zellweger and . Colin Firth. In 2004, three movies were released all featuring Stoke Park: Wimbledon, Bride & Prejudice and Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake. In Wimbledon, Paul Bettany is featured on the grass tennis courts. Layer Cake featured Stoke Park in many scenes including the dramatic ending with Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller, filmed on The Mansion’s front steps. 007: Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in one of Stoke Park's suites in a scene from 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies . Bride & Prejudice, a Bollywood reworking of Jane Austen's classic novel, featured shots throughout the grounds. Now a five-star hotel, historic Stoke Park was a private residence up to 1908. The mansion - set in 350 acres of . parkland and historic gardens - at the heart of the luxury Stoke Park . Country Club and Hotel was designed by James Wyatt, architect to King . George III, who worked on the estate from 1790 to 1813. The manicured grounds were the handiwork of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, lauded as England's greatest gardener. In 1791 Humphry Repton was commissioned to upgrade the landscaping of the grounds. The . imposing building was purchased by Nick 'Pa' Lane Jackson who created . Stoke Park, Britain's first Country Club, boasting a golf course . designed by Harry Colt. Now guests at the hotel can take advantage of a selection of 49 bedrooms and suites, an award-winning spa, 13 tennis courts, 14 acres of gardens and three restaurants. VIDEO: From Goldfinger to Bridget Jones... The hotel has been showcased in some of the best-known films around . | Pauline Bailey, 27, had her heart set on marrying fiance Paul Carty at five star Stoke Park Hotel in Buckinghamshire .
But the bride-to-be was left stunned after blundering staff at the plush hotel accidentally sent her an internal e-mail in which the couple were deemed unsuitable for the swanky venue . |
221,085 | aa32a7e40e8a84ba6d9f84c17eadf3c306379d71 | Shocking footage has emerged of a bus driver appearing to smoke cannabis while driving a bus before he crashes into a home in Sydney's west. The Penrith Magistrate's Court today released dramatic CCTV footage bus driver Shaun Murphy, 57, taking what is believed to be synthetic cannabis from a bag, putting it in a pipe, and then lighting it up and inhaling it. At one point in the CCTV clip, Mr Murphy is shown steering the bus with his knees and elbows so he could have another drag of the drug. Scroll down for videos . Shocking footage has emerged of a bus driver appearing to smoke cannabis while driving a bus before he crashes into a home . The bus driver falls asleep before losing control and slams into the side of a house at Glenmore Park . Then he falls asleep before losing control and slams into the side of a house at Glenmore Park on June 15. Two adults and three children were in the home at the time but luckily escaped injury. Mr Murphy appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon and pleaded guilty to reckless driving and driving under the influence of illicit drugs. Mr Murphy had methamphetamine and morphine in his blood system at the time. But despite the accident, he has not been charged with using the drug, believed to be synthetic cannabis, which had an undetermined legal status. The driver will be sentenced in court on Thursday. Mr Murphy appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon and pleaded guilty to reckless driving and driving under the influence of illicit drugs . The 56-year-old driver was on his way from Glendenning to Penrith when he lost control at Glenmore Park . | Dramatic CCTV footage shows bus driver Shaun Murphy, taking what is believed to be synthetic cannabis .
At one point, Mr Murphy is shown steering the bus with his knees and elbows so he could have another drag of the drug .
The 56-year-old driver was on his way from Glendenning to Penrith when he lost control at Glenmore Park in Sydney's west .
The driver will be sentenced in court on Thursday . |
101,129 | 0e53efa638b16296b83c32deefeb6c120e176ef6 | Just a day after paying a visit to South Africa's clinic for victims of sexual crimes, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark flew straight to Geneva in Switzerland to attend a conference at the United Nations. She spoke at the opening of the conference for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls for Sustainable Development in the ECE region. Princess Mary was suited up in navy for the occasion in simple but smart attire adorned with a blue brooch. Scroll down for video . Princess Mary of Denmark flew to Geneva in Switzerland to attend a conference at the United Nations on Thursday . Princess Mary has been on tour from Sunday to Wednesday in South Africa . Princess Mary was suited up in navy for the occasion in simple but smart attire adorned with a blue brooch . The UN meeting was held as a prelude to mark the 20th anniversary of the women's conference in Beijing - Beijing+20. According to the Danish royal court, Princess Mary is a patron of the UN's Population Fund UNFPA, the Danish Refugee Council and the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Europe. She is also a member of the High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development. Princess Mary spoke at the opening conference for the United Nations of the conference for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls for Sustainable Development in the ECE region . Princess Mary attended the event without husband Crown Prince Frederik . The Crown Princess of Denmark is originally from Tasmania, Australia . Princess Mary married Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004 . Princess Mary has been a strong advocate for healthcare both at home in Denmark and around the world. From Sunday to Wednesday, she has been touring South Africa the Crown Princess visited the Nthabiseng Thuthuzela Care Centre at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa. The centre was introduced as a critical part of South Africa's wider anti-rape strategy and is a one-stop facility which cares for victims of sexual crimes in an area where such attacks are rife. The 42-year-old Tasmanian-born princess wore her hair styled loosely . Princess Mary is a patron of the UN's Population Fund UNFPA, the Danish Refugee Council and the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Europe . The princess receives a round of applause after giving her speech at the UN conference . Just a day before, she visited the Nthabiseng Thuthuzela Care Centre in South Africa . During her time at the care centre Princess Mary toured the facility speaking to nurses and other staff about the services they provide. These services include reducing secondary trauma for the victim which can arise from seeking unsuccessful help, improving conviction rates of the perpetrators and reduce the length of time it takes to deal with cases. The Crown Princess also attended meetings with staff members who informed her of some of the challenges they face at the facility. Princess Mary of Denmark visited the Nthabiseng Thuthuzela Care Centre at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa on Wednesday . Staff showed her around the facility, which was introduced as a critical part of South-Africa's wider anti-rape strategy . Princess Mary is a strong advocate for healthcare both at home in Denmark and around the world . The Tasmanian-born royal was dressed in a light white long-sleeved blouse and floral skirt for the visit . Dressed in a light white long-sleeved blouse the Tasmanian-born royal stepped out of the hospital into the sunshine after her visit on Wednesday. Teaming the top with a knee-length blue, purple, red and orange floral skirt the mother-of-four finished off her outfit with a pair of simple nude pumps. Princess Mary wore her long hair styled straight, pushed back off her shoulders to show orange and blue earrings which complimented her outfit. On Wednesday Princess Mary spoke to staff at the facility about the challenges they face working at the centre . She completed her outfit with simple nude pumps and wore her long hair down and straight . | Princess Mary of Denmark spoke at the opening conference for the United Nations on Thursday .
Princess Mary was suited up in navy for the occasion in simple but smart attire adorned with a blue brooch .
Just a day before, she visited the Nthabiseng Thuthuzela Care Centre the day before .
The facility is at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa .
It provides support for victims of sex attacks . |
206,025 | 96b266926aca46428b9e79c530eb9865245923e7 | Luminita Perijoc, 31, forced her victim at knifepoint to perform sex acts . A sex-crazed Angelina Jolie lookalike has been handed a suspended jail sentence after a taxi driver claimed she had tried to kill him when he refused to perform a sex act on her for a third time. Nicolae Stan, 35, told police Luminita Perijoc, 31, had already forced him at knifepoint to have intercourse and perform oral sex during the incident in 2012. He claims he met Perijoc while he was hired to deliver some bags of shopping to her apartment in the city of Tulcea, in eastern Romania, and when he turned up at the door she had asked for his phone number so that she could engage his services again. He said several hours later she called and asked him to pick up some bottles of wine and come back to her apartment to deliver them. When he turned up at the door, she had grabbed him and dragged him inside and demanded sex. When he refused she pulled out a 10cm knife and forced him to undress, he told the court. Mr Stan says he only escaped when he managed to barricade himself into a bedroom and dial 999 on his mobile phone. Police confirmed that they had rescued him from the flat of the half-dressed young woman and that he had been taken to hospital with more than half a dozen stab wounds. She was initially jailed for five years after a court rejected her claim that she was really the victim. Friends told local media that Perijoc is a huge fan of actress Jolie and models herself on the Tomb Raider star . But an appeal court has now confirmed that the jail sentence be suspended for four years after experts testified that Perijoc's behaviour may have been down to the fact she was on medication at the time. She had apparently been taking high strength painkillers following an operation. Mr Stan complained that while she had been let off with a suspended sentence, he had been given a life sentence as he had become miserable due to his friends teasing him. He said: 'It is terrible. I am now a local celebrity, everyone is talking about me. 'They don't understand why I refused her, but they do not know what it is like to have a mad woman yelling at you at knifepoint. 'They look at her, then look at me and laugh. But I think anyone would find it impossible to perform with a knife at their throat even if they were with Miss Romania.' The married father-of-three added: 'I think she wasn't used to anyone saying no because she flew into a rage when I declined. 'She took out a knife and forced me to undress and have sex with her. 'But she wasn't satisfied and wanted sex again. 'When I refused she attacked me with a knife, and forced me to have oral sex with her but she still stabbed me,' he added. Friends told local media that Perijoc is a huge fan of actress Jolie and models herself on the Tomb Raider star. | Luminita Perijoc, 31, forced Nicolae Stan, 35, to have sex with her .
She stabbed him more than half a dozen stab times .
Originally sentenced to five years but reduced to her medication she was on . |
175,507 | 6f26f6d837f74294b309040dcb589d990d87e722 | As Weibo, the largest social media platform in China, gets ready for its initial public offering (IPO), a recent university study claims Chinese micro-blogging activity might not be as vibrant as expected. Only 5% of Weibo users generate original posts, while the rest of the Chinese micro-blogging world just re-posts from them, according to research by Fu King-wa from the University of Hong Kong. He also found that more than half of the registered accounts were "empty" with little or no activity. Weibo claims it has 130 million active users -- though Fu believes the definition of "active user" is debatable. In March, Weibo filed to debut on the U.S. NASDAQ exchange. It updated its regulatory filing last week, adjusting its offer to 20 million shares for $17 to $19 apiece, which would value the company at $3.9 billion. The IPO launch sparks discussions on the company's worth. Weiboscope . Fu has been running his Weibo monitoring project since January 2011. Dubbed the "Weiboscope," the computer program was originally set up to expose and make publicly available the censored posts from a select group of users with more than 1,000 followers. Weibo penetrates deep into the Chinese online world. By 2012, one in every two Chinese netizens used Weibo, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. That year was also when Fu began analyzing the usage pattern of Weibo's registered accounts. To obtain representative data, Fu and his team obtained the timelines of a random sample of micro-bloggers. In March 2013, Fu had looked at nearly 30,000 Weibo accounts. He found that 57% of the account timelines were empty, and out of the active ones about 4.8% contributed more than 80% of the original posts. Fu stepped up his research in January and found the figures were becoming more pronounced. Sampling 1,500 accounts each week, Fu found only 5%, or just 10 million users, generate most of the original posts on Weibo. In contrast, Weibo claims it has 130 million active users but does not say whether these users post original content. But Weibo spokesperson Liu Qi questioned the analysis. "The researcher doesn't have any cooperation with our database and he didn't obtain any data by accessing our official interface, as far as I know," he said. "We know better than they do about our own numbers. I don't intend to offend third parties, but I believe our data are more accurate." However, Fu argued his study is a better reflection of user activity. "In the Sina Weibo's IPO F-1 document, 'active users' is defined as those micro-bloggers who logged in the system by different means," he said. "I would say that this definition cannot reflect the real activities on Sina Weibo. For example, a mobile user commonly keeps the app in 'logged in' state but indeed has no usage at all. "In contrast, my figures are calculated on the basis of the very nature of user-generated-content -- that is those who generate original posts. I think this is a much better way to indicate social media usage in the Web 2.0 era." More reposts, more value . For Internet service watchers, Weibo's low active-user rate is not entirely a surprise. "Research has consistently shown that active, original contributors constitute a tiny proportion, typically 1-2%, of any Internet service. So the figure of 5% cited in that research is comparatively high," according to Dominic Yeo, Research Assistant Professor from the Department of Communication Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. Yeo pointed to one of the earliest and most often cited studies on the so-called "free-riding" of Internet users, where the Gnutella network -- a popular peer-to-peer file-sharing service -- was scrutinized to reveal that 70% of users share no files, and nearly 50% of all responses are returned by the top 1% of sharing hosts. He explained that active and original participation on the Internet by ordinary users has always been low because people do not primarily go on to these platforms to create content. For Weibo, users specifically join the community to share other users' interesting posts with their friends," he added. It also just takes a lot of effort for people to create original content. "There is a considerable amount of 'social risk' in creating original content because you can't be sure that what you create will be popular or appreciated by others. Thus the costs far outweigh the benefits, unless you're passionate enough to write or create something original, you'll realize that it's much better to re-post something already out there," said Yeo. As for whether Fu's new findings will affect Weibo's upcoming IPO, Yeo predicted it would actually confirm Weibo's influence and value even more. "The value of Weibo comes from having many users re-posting a particular item," he said. "It is the ability to encourage people to re-post content rather than create their own that really matters. The company ultimately wields some control as to what becomes popularly shared and gains prominence through its data management. A business model based on a tiny proportion of active, original contributors is actually a norm for social media platforms." Other Weibo critics point to larger problems on the company's horizon. Doug Young, author of "The Party Line," an in-depth look at Chinese media says that even though he is a user of the micro-blogging service, he won't be investing in Weibo because "there is the sense that Weibo has passed its prime. "Most people treat Weibo as a news source, because they don't trust traditional media. The big question though is whether it can keep up with the times. I don't see how they have done much to innovate beyond knocking off Twitter." | Independent research shows 10 million Weibo users generate nearly all the original content .
Weibo will launch IPO putting the company at a value of $3.9 billion .
Researcher says Weibo's definition of "active use" is debatable .
Weibo says its own data is more accurate and refutes the Hong Kong research claims . |
225,158 | af9263c088672b56cb9728f82b3e846d60fdd663 | By . Darren Boyle . Karen Armitage was convicted of wrongly claiming £50,000 of benefits despite living with her civil partner . A lesbian mother-of-one pocketed almost £50,000 in benefits by claiming she was an unemployed single parent despite being in a civil partnership with another woman. Karen Armitage, 42, even tried to claim her partner, Micheala Axall, was actually her mum when the seven-year deception came to light. Armitage was given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to two charges of failing to notify a change in circumstance and two charges of making a false statement. Prosecutor Camilla Buck said Armitage made claims for income support, Job Seekers Allowance, unemployment support and housing and council tax benefit dating back to 2000. The court heard the mum-of-one failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions that she had lived with hospital worker Miss Axall from 2005 and that they were in a civil partnership from August 2006. Armitage was arrested after evidence showed the couple had been living together at the semi-detached house in Seacroft, Leeds, West Yorkshire. The prosecutor told Leeds Crown Court: 'She was interviewed in July 2012 and said Miss Axall was her mother.' Armitage later admitted being in a relationship with her but claimed that they did not live together. The court heard Armitage has previous convictions for theft, handing stolen goods and obtaining property by deception. The total amount illegally claimed was £49,409. Defence solicitor Richard Reed said Armitage now accepted that the couple shared bank accounts, Miss Axall supported her and that she should have declared the fact to authorities. Mr Reed saidArmitage had not worked much in the past. He said she was now looking at ways of paying back the money. He added: 'But she is realistic that she may never be able to repay this vast sum.' Benefits cheat Karen Armitage lived with her civil partner Micheala Axall in Seacroft, Leeds, West Yorkshire where semi-detached homes are worth £90,000 . The lawyer said Armitage’s daughter was now in her teens and would suffer if her mother was sent immediately to prison. Mr Reed said his client had pleaded guilty at an early opportunity and had expressed remorse for her offending. Judge Rodney Jameson, QC, gave Armitage a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. She was also told to do 200 hours unpaid work and attend a 15-day programme designed to address her offending. The judge said most people in Armitage’s situation should normally expect to go straight to prison. But he added: 'There is no real reason to believe that you will re-offend, or that you are in any way a danger to society as a whole. 'If you can repay, as I am told you are hoping to do, at least some part of this money, that is in the public interest as well as in your own interest.' Judge Rodney Jameson gave Armitage a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months at Leeds Crown Court (above) | Lesbian had been living with her partner for seven years while on benefits .
The couple had a civil partnership from 2006 .
Karen Armitage claimed partner Michaela Axall was her mother .
Despite the years of deception Armitage avoided jail term because the judge felt she was not 'a danger to society .
Defence solicitor admits Armitage 'hadn't worked much' in the past .
Armitage given suspended sentence and 200 hours community service . |
22,443 | 3fb6ae727399097b6756302a133ce26eaa114296 | A Sydney mother who alleges she was assaulted in last month's counter-terrorism raids said she is 'shell-shocked' weeks after the incident. The woman's south-western Sydney home were among many searched by NSW and Federal police in the nation's largest ever counter-terrorism raids on September 18. The mother, who refuses to be identified, will this week launch a lawsuit alleging her family were unfairly targeted and faced brutal police conduct in the raids. Scroll down for video . Authorities raided a string of homes and made several arrests . One man charged: Omarjan Azari appeared in Sydney's Central Local Court last month charged with conspiracy to prepare a terrorist attack on Australian soil . A large sword was seized as part of the evidence found at a home in the suburb of Marsfield, in Sydney . According to a Fairfax Media report, the family will allege that a mother-of-two was assaulted by police when their home was raided on September 18 and was unable to cover herself. Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 14, were handcuffed, the report said. In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, family lawyer Zali Burrows said: 'The mother is shell-shocked and instructs that she is afraid to be uncovered and fears being humiliated and seen naked again. 'She hates her bedroom, refuses to go bed until very late at night and resorts to sleeping in her niqab. 'She is a virtual prisoner in the niqab (a form of Islamic dress) as her home is no longer her sanctuary.' No one at the home, understood to be in Sydney's south-west, was detained or charged. Fairfax quoted her eldest son saying: 'Every time I go to bed I'm afraid that I will wake up at 4.30am with police over my head and handcuffs on my hands.' Ms Burrows said further details about the incident will be available when a statement of claim is lodged in the NSW Supreme Court later this week. Only one person, Omarjan Azari, 22, was charged with terrorism offences following the country's biggest counter-terrorism raids ever, which involved more than 800 police officers in NSW alone. Police raided properties in Beecroft, Bellavista, Guildford, Merrylands, Northmead, Wentworthville, Marsfield, Westmead, Castle Hill, Revesby, Bass Hill and Regents Park. On Thursday, September 18, a series of pre-dawn raids were carried out in what was later declared Australia's largest ever counter-terrorism operation. In Sydney: . In Brisbane: . The accused terrorist was taken from court in a high risk security orange prison jumpsuit by heavily armed NSW Corrective Services officer . A man kneels on the ground in Sydney after being detained by police during the raid . Front and back yards were dug up at a Guildford home after it was raided . Forensic teams appeared to leave no stone unturned at the Guildford home . More than 15 locations in Australia were the subject of terror raids . A woman arrives back at a house in Mt Gravatt where police had carried out a search . NSW Police and Australian Federal Police officers raided a house in Bursill Street, Guildford . Scott Morrison, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, said the scale of the operation 'demonstrates the very real threat' of an attack . Police interviewed suspects inside their homes and also took photos . A man was taken away in handcuffs from a property in Marsfield. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Sydney family will launch lawsuit this week claiming they were unfairly targeted by police .
Family lawyer tells Daily Mail Australia they will lodge a statement of claim this week .
'Every time I go to bed I'm afraid that I will wake up at 4:30am with police over my head' |
271,417 | eb8fbdeb231df3f47cfdf3581169ec3ac269ddf0 | TULSA, Oklahoma (CNN) -- Weeks of protests, rallies, lawsuits and candlelight vigils failed to stop a new state immigration bill -- HB 1804 -- from becoming the law in Oklahoma. Vigils like this one in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last week were unable to stop a tough new immigration law. The law went into effect Thursday and is intended to make life difficult for illegal immigrants in Oklahoma. Its authors say they're sending a very clear message: If you're an illegal immigrant, you are not welcome. "I'm convinced illegal aliens will not come to Oklahoma, or any other state, if there are no jobs waiting for them." said state Rep. Randy Terrill, a Republican and the law's author. "They will not stay here if there are not taxpayer subsidies and they certainly won't stay here if they ever encounter one of our fine state and local law enforcement officials," he added. "They'll be physically detained -- until they're deported." The new law restricts the ability of illegal immigrants to obtain government IDs or public assistance. It also gives police authority to check the immigration status of anyone arrested, which can lead to deportations. It doesn't stop at illegal immigrants. The law also makes it a felony for U.S. citizens to knowingly provide shelter, transportation or employment to illegal immigrants. The message has been received loud and clear. Many in Oklahoma's Latino community say people are staying home, fearful police will arrest and deport them. "They're afraid they're going to get deported. They're just afraid," said Alex Yoguez, a juice store owner who relies on Latino customers for her business to survive. Yoguez said her business is normally filled with customers. "We are down 50 percent just today," she said Thursday, the day the law went on the books. Latino supporters are up in arms about the way the state now views illegal immigrants who have been here for many years. "You are guilty of ethnic cleansing in this community! You are going against my community!" said the Rev. Miguel Rivera of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy. The clergy group filed a federal lawsuit against the state saying the state has overstepped its bounds by enforcing immigration law, which is under federal jurisdiction. A hearing in the case is scheduled next week. An earlier attempt to get an injunction to prevent enforcement of the law was turned down by a judge. It's not yet clear how the law will be enforced. Illegal immigrants in Oklahoma fear police will use the law for roundups of anyone working and living in the state illegally. "I don't know if we're going to be actively looking for them," said Tulsa Police Capt. Steve Odom, who works in the Latino district of Tulsa. "If we come across them in the course of a call, or a course of an investigation, certainly we'll take the appropriate action." The Tulsa Police Department said it has not received guidance from the district attorney's office on how to enforce the law. The department points out that suspicion of illegal activity is not enough, and proving the intent of U.S. citizens is a challenge. Still, many in Oklahoma say Latinos have been leaving by the thousands since the law was passed in May. "We are losing a lot of business, a lot of business," said Antonio Perez, who owns Mexican grocery stores. "I would say between the four stores we have lost about $300,000 a month in sales." So far, the absence of the Latinos on the streets may be the only visible result of the law. E-mail to a friend . | Law goes into effect November 1 .
It stops illegal immigrants from obtaining government IDs .
It also makes it illegal for U.S. citizens to house, employ illegals .
Lawsuit challenging the new law is working though the federal courts . |
190,229 | 824cefda21d8adbcf7ee87f367a0c75432cc8f6b | (CNN) -- World No. 3 Rafael Nadal has been forced to withdraw from the U.S. Open due to an ongoing knee complaint, the Spanish tennis star announced on Wednesday. The French Open champion has a history of knee problems, and has not played since a surprise second-round defeat at Wimbledon in June. The former world number one was unable to defend his Olympic title in London, and the the 26-year-old had to pull out of last week's tournament in Toronto as well as this week's event in Cincinnati. "I am very sad to announce that I am still not ready to play and have to withdraw from this year's U.S. Open in NYC," Nadal told the U.S. Open website ahead of the season's final grand slam, which runs from August 27-September 9. "I am sorry since I always found great crowds and great support, but I have to continue with my recuperation and preparation to be ready to play in the right conditions." Nadal, who was beaten in last year's final by Novak Djokovic, missed large spells of the 2007 season due to knee problems and had to withdraw from the 2008 end-of-season championship plus the Davis Cup final due to similar troubles. In 2009, Nadal was unable to defend his Wimbledon title after he was diagnosed with tendinitis in both knees, and he has occasionally missed tournaments since to try to manage the problem. In March this year, he was forced to withdraw before his semifinal at the Miami Masters tournament due to the injury. However, he managed to play a full clay-court season, winning three titles before clinching a record seventh French Open at Roland Garros. Nadal then lost in the quarterfinals of the Halle grass event in Germany, and was beaten at Wimbledon by 100th-ranked Czech Lukas Rosol. | Last year's runner-up Rafael Nadal withdraws from the U.S. Open .
Spanish player has already missed Olympics and North American events .
Nadal lost to Novak Djokovic in last year's final in New York .
Former world number one has a history of knee problems . |
187,209 | 7e739dad7046852e9a7ed6574dc55287058fcb2a | The average British person spend 315 days a year hungover. Many surveyed said they had missed dates, job interviews and even funerals as a result . Recovering from a big night out? The average British person spends almost a year of their lives nursing a hangover, a charity has said. Macmillan Cancer Support has estimated that people spend 315 days of their lives battling with headaches and nausea caused by drinking. The charity surveyed 2,000 British adults and found that one in 14 will have more than 3,000 hangovers in their lifetime. It calculated the figures by multiplying the average amount of time people spend hungover each month with their life expectancy. The new poll revealed a north-south divide with the frequency of hangovers, with 22 per cent of people from the north likely to have more than four hangovers each month compared to 15 per cent of people from the south. Women's hangovers appear to last longer - with the average lasting nine hours - compared to a seven hour hangover suffered by men. The study suggests that being hungover could jeopardise your chance of finding romance or getting your dream job. One in every 13 of those surveyed said they had missed a first date because they were too hungover and one in ten said they had missed a job interview. Shamefully, eight per cent of those surveyed admitted they had missed a wedding thanks to a hangover, and six per cent admitted they had missed a funeral. Over half said the most annoying aspect of being hungover was that it made them feel sick while more than a quarter said wasting time was their biggest bugbear. Of those who complained about a hangover being a waste of time, a quarter said if they weren't hungover they'd have more sex. A hangover also prevented people from taking part in more edifying activities. A further 16 per cent said they'd learn a language, 41 per cent said they'd exercise more and 13 per cent said they'd learn an instrument. Forget hair of the dog, an Iraqi stew from a 1,000-year-old Middle Eastern recipe book claims to be the 'ultimate hangover cure'. The 1,000-year-old Iraqi dish involves cooking meat with vegetables and spices, and then adding something known as 'kashk'. Kashk is combination of fermented yoghurt, milk and whey, and is common in Iranian, Turkish, Balkan and Arabic food. The ancient book also advises eating cabbage before going out drinking. The charity is running a 'Go Sober for October' fundraising campaign to encourage people to give up drinking and raise money. 'This research shows hangovers are a waste of time and are causing people to miss out on everything from romance to their dream job,' said Hannah Redmond, head of national events marketing for Macmillan Cancer Support. 'That's why we're asking people to sign up for Macmillan's Go Sober fundraising event, abstain from drinking alcohol for the month of October and ask family and friends to sponsor them. The money raised will provide vital funds to support people affected by cancer so they don't have to face it alone.' To find out more about the campaign visit gosober.org.uk. Half of respondents to the survey complained that being hungover was a waste of time. A quarter said if they weren't hungover they'd have more sex . | Charity survey estimated that people spend 315 days of their lives hungover .
People in the north suffer more hangovers than those in the south .
At nine hours, a woman's hangover is two hours longer than a man's .
Macmillan Cancer support is launching its Go Sober for October campaign . |
104,731 | 131d2555e7b8b63bd97157e62c78edd96af0e732 | By . Sean Poulter . and Peter Campbell . Firms fear if they cut prices ahead of the winter, a victory for Ed Miliband next May would see them forced to stick with these new tariffs . Energy giants are refusing to pass on lower wholesale gas prices to customers ahead of the General Election in response to Labour’s threat to impose a price freeze. The firms fear that if they cut prices ahead of the winter, a victory for Ed Miliband next May would see them forced to stick with these new tariffs for at least 20 months. The net effect means that Labour’s price promise freeze – which it heralded as the key part of its drive to help struggling families cope with increases in the cost of living – has backfired spectacularly. The wholesale price of gas to be supplied next winter is down by around 20 per cent compared to the winter of 2013-14, and this reduction, which could be worth £50 per household, would normally be passed on. Wholesale electricity costs are down too – the two are inextricably linked because gas is used to fuel some power stations. However, one of the most senior executives at a ‘big six’ energy supplier told the Daily Mail: ‘We don’t expect to see any reduction in tariffs this side of the General Election. 'If you have the prospect of a 20-month price freeze should Labour win the General Election, energy companies will not want to be locked in to a lower price.’ He added: ‘To some extent, the decision on whether to pass on the lower wholesale price depends on the polls. If they point to a Labour win, then reductions in bills are unlikely. If Labour is falling behind, the industry may feel they are safe in making reductions.’ The result of the Labour price freeze promise and the industry’s response is that bills are likely to be artificially inflated all through next winter. Some City analysts had already warned that Labour’s policy would backfire, however the admission from the energy industry insider is proof positive that this is the case. Peter Lilley MP, the former Tory Cabinet minister and a member of the Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, said: ‘This was always a fear when Labour announced their proposal. 'The concern was that companies would resist any downward pressure on prices ahead of an election. ‘It seems that prices are being held higher than necessary at the moment and if Labour were to win the election they would be frozen at this higher point for 20 months afterwards. 'Effectively, the shadow of a possible Labour government is having very serious negative consequences for consumers and the wider economy.’ Energy analyst Peter Atherton, of Liberum Partners, previously warned that Labour’s price freeze would lead to higher, not lower, prices. ‘This doesn’t surprise me at all,’ he told the Mail yesterday. ‘There should now be scope for price reductions, and if we were in a normal and non-political environment you would be very confident of material price reductions in the autumn.’ He said the net effect would be that energy companies would seek to buy large amounts of gas and power ahead of 2015/16 to protect them against the impact of a price freeze. As a result, he said: ‘Costs to consumers are very likely to be higher than they otherwise would be.’ The industry regulator Ofgem is alarmed that energy companies have failed to pass on the recent falls in wholesale costs to customers. It has referred the industry to an inquiry by the Competition and Markets Authority, which will investigate allegations of profiteering. However, it has no power to force the firms to cut tariffs now. Recent figures from Ofgem show the average annual profit margin the big six energy firms are making per customer has more than doubled in the past year to £101. Labour MP John Robertson has called for massive fines if any of the companies are found guilty of rigging the market and bills. He said: ‘If they are found guilty, the tens of millions in fines should go straight back into the pockets of consumers who have been ripped off all these years.’ | Firms fear they will have to stick with cut prices in Labour wins .
Some City analysts had already warned that Labour’s policy would backfire . |
11,310 | 202eeee7a20eee3dbf64e0029207785d1cb99020 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 13:37 EST, 22 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 22 June 2012 . A former teacher has revealed how she leapt from a cliff edge to save her 19-month-old son after he fell over the side as they chased butterflies. Melanie Liu feared the worst when she saw her youngest son Eli slip off the edge as they enjoyed a picnic at a beauty spot in Whitby, North Yorkshire. The cliff has a drop of some 65 feet to a concrete car park, but luckily Eli was unhurt because he landed in a bush about 15 feet down. Safe and sound: Melanie Liu hugs her 19-month-old son Eli (left) after he survived falling off a cliff at Spion Kop in Whitby by landing in a bush (right) Ms Liu jumped down to him, breaking her fall slightly by grabbing grass and digging her nails into the cliff face. Ms Liu, 39, who runs a guest house with her husband Bill, 44, said the incident happened on Spion Kop in Whitby last Saturday. She said they had been following butterflies with her little lad at what she thought was a safe distance. But the thick grass and vegetation at the spot made it seem to her that they were two feet from the edge, when in fact they were much closer. Ms Liu, a mother of two, said she had a firm hand on the hood of Eli’s jacket but as the child took one more step towards the edge - a distance she thought was too close - he disappeared over the side. 'It was just the worst moment of my life, he somersaulted twice and landed on a shrub about 15 feet down,' she said. 'As he dropped I jumped, you just don’t think about it at the time. It was a maternal instinct. 'They say your whole life flashes before your eyes but it was his death that flashed before mine, I was afraid of what I would see when I found him. 'I know what was at the bottom of that cliff. It was a terrifying moment.' She said she stopped beside her son, who had started crying as soon as he landed in the bush. 'I grabbed him and laid for ages on that bush, she said. 'I was shaking that much it felt like hours but it was probably minutes. It is your worst fear. Terrified: Ms Liu said it was the worst moment of her life when Eli fell while chasing butterflies . 'I was saying "don’t move baby, stay still baby".' Despite wearing four-inch high-heeled boots, Ms Liu was able to bring Eli back to the top after a few minutes. 'Once we got to the top we lay down for a long time,' she said. 'After 10 minutes he was fine but I was in shock and started being sick and shaking. My heart was hammering. 'It was around five minutes from when Eli fell until I got him back to safety but it seemed like hours. 'There are only one or two of those shrubs on the side of the cliff. It is so lucky that he landed on one. 'As soon as Eli fell I started screaming and was still screaming when I jumped over the side but I hadn’t realised it. 'A man had been watching on another cliff and ran to get round to us. He told me that he had heard a bloodcurdling scream. 'I was bit incoherent but but he calmed me down.' Ms Liu said the man who helped her was called Tom and lived in Somerset but she had no more details. She warned other people to take care at the cliff edge but said the grass should remain overgrown for the wildlife. She said: 'I never once let go of him and thought nothing would happen but the edge is much closer than you think. 'It took me ages to get home. I kept being sick and bursting into tears on the way. 'I won’t be going near a cliff edge again with children, no way. 'I consider myself to be a safety-conscious mum, but look what happened.' Dramatic: The white spot marks the point from which Eli fell. The shrub broke his fall - and prevented him landing in a concrete car park some 50 feet further down . | Eli Liu had a miraculous escape after slipping from the cliff edge at Spion Kop in Whitby, North Yorkshire .
The cliff has a 65-foot drop to a concrete car park, but he landed in a bush about 15 feet down .
Mother Melanie Liu, 39, saved him by jumping into the bush and climbing back up the cliff .
'It was just the worst moment of my life,' she said . |
25,614 | 4886622aad4425e65e952b8ff80185827ad43619 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 14:42 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:34 EST, 8 August 2013 . CNN's chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta has come out in favor of marijuana – a turn around on his former stance – and says the American people have been ‘systematically misled’ on the dangers of the drug. Dr Gupta, named one of People magazine's sexiest men alive in 2003, has revealed he changed his mind after working on a forthcoming documentary (‘Weeds’) and he apologized for his own role in the misinformation. ‘We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that,’ he wrote on CNN.com. CNN's chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta has come out in favour of marijuana and says the American people have been 'systematically misled' on the dangers of the drug . Gupta also revealed his turnaround in a special edition of Piers Morgan's CNN show on Wednesday night. In the program both men admitted that they has tried the demon weed, although Gupta said he didn’t care for it. After traveled around world over the past year to interview medical leaders, experts, growers and patients on the topic Gupta described has findings as ‘stunning’. Prior to his recent research, Gupta said he had been unimpressed by the case typically made for medical marijuana. ‘I mistakenly believed the Drug Enforcement Agency listed marijuana as a schedule 1 substance because of sound scientific proof,’ he wrote. Gupta claims that the Drug Enforcement Agency 'doesn't have the science' to lump marijuana as a schedule 1 substance, the most dangerous category . Here's what Gupta has to say now about cannabis after his recent research... ...but back in 2009 when he was very staunchly against legalizing it... He now claims that they 'don’t have the science' to lump marijuana is in the category of the most dangerous drugs. The shift in stance marks quite a turnaround for Gupta who in 2009 wrote an article in TIME magazine entitled ‘Why I would Vote No on Pot.’ At that time he claimed many people in favor of legalizing the drug simply wanted to get stoned. 'As a doctor, smoking the stuff is not going to do your health any good,' he concluded at the time. Now he says it doesn't have a high potential for abuse, and there are very legitimate medical applications for the drug. In researching his documentary he said he was ‘unsettled’ by the lack of science in Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Roger Egeberg’s recommendation in 1970 that marijuana should be classified as a schedule 1 substance. Gupta pointed out that while marijuana leads to dependence in about 10 percent of adult users, that is half the rate of dependence amongst cocaine users, which is only a schedule 2 substance ‘with less abuse potential than schedule 1 drugs.’ Around 25 percent of heroin users become addicted, while 30 percent of smokers become addicted and many go on to die as a result. However he did issue a note of caution about teenagers using the drug. Young, developing brains are likely more susceptible to harm from marijuana than adult brains, he said. He cited recent studies which suggest regular use in teenage years can lead to a permanent decrease in IQ, while other research has hinted at a possible heightened risk of developing psychosis. ‘Much in the same way I wouldn't let my own children drink alcohol, I wouldn't permit marijuana until they are adults,’ he wrote. ‘If they are adamant about trying marijuana, I will urge them to wait until they're in their mid-20s when their brains are fully developed.’ Now that Gupta has seen the light on the positive medical benefits of the drug, he promises to do his part to help and 'genuinely and honestly' try to fill the remaining void in our knowledge about the drug. | Gupta says the American people have been 'systematically misled' on the dangers of marijuana .
Back in 2009 his stance was quite different and he wrote: 'Smoking the stuff is not going to do your health any good'
Now after researching a new documentary he says the drug has very legitimate medical applications .
In some instances he now believes it is a better option than prescription drugs . |
87,012 | f6f129b5f21bc8889668360f85caa78176797e50 | By . Paul Revoir . PUBLISHED: . 18:20 EST, 29 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:28 EST, 30 April 2013 . In his role as the BBC’s business editor, he does not usually have his emotions on show. But Robert Peston has laid bare in heart-wrenching detail his grief at the death of his wife last year, revealing how he transcribed the handwritten manuscript of her last novel so that he could ‘keep talking to her’. In an article for Radio Times Mr Peston has written candidly of the love he felt for his wife and how his family tried to deal with the effects of her battle with lung cancer. Describing author Siân Busby, with whom he first became friends as a teenager, as ‘the woman I loved for most of my conscious life’, he praised the bravery and stoicism she showed in dealing with the illness. Tragic death: Peston's wife Siân Busby died from lung cancer in August last year aged just 51 . Mr Peston, 53, said that through the ‘sheer force of her will’ his wife had remained ‘poised and beautiful’ despite the ‘relentless’ treatment and ‘terrible shocks and emergencies’ that came with the disease. He said his wife had worked on the book, A Commonplace Killing, until her illness had become ‘excruciating and wholly incapacitating’. He revealed that he did not know the work had been completed until he started reading her ‘handwriting as familiar as my own’ on the page and ‘hearing her voice in my head’. He described it as an ‘exquisite work’ which was ‘more-or-less perfect’. Set in 1946, the book has been described as a gripping murder story which highlights a ‘post-war world of disillusionment, bitterness and emotional disturbance’. Mr Peston began to transcribe it a few days after his wife died last September at the age of 51. It will be published on Thursday. He said: ‘My motive was selfish: I wanted to keep talking to her. I still do. The tears could not be staunched as I read, deciphered and typed.’ He added: ‘Here she was, all hope lost of reprieve from the lethal cancer, reflecting on what it is like to know that death awaits on the morrow.’ When he read the manuscript, he marvelled ‘at her victory over devastating circumstance’. Devastated: The BBC's political editor transcribed his late wife's manuscript because he wanted 'to keep talking to her' Mr Peston said that while the book was a ‘jewel’ in its own right, the fact that Miss Busby wrote it after receiving her ‘death sentence’ made it even more precious to him. He recalled movingly how, last August, a consultant oncologist revealed that nothing more could be done to help his wife other than ‘take the edge off’ her suffering. He said: ‘It was almost exactly five years to the day after Siân – who is probably the only person I know who has never smoked a cigarette – was diagnosed with lung cancer. In the ensuing years, she never despaired or resorted to self-pity, even as the cancer spread. ‘The cycle of surgery, body-racking chemicals and radiation was relentless. Life became punctuated by terrible shocks and emergencies. Yet those who met her at pretty much any point in this ordeal encountered the Siân they had always known: solicitous, supportive, witty, insightful, unselfish.’ Mr Peston said the priority was that their two boys – Max, the son he had with Miss Busby, and Simon, her son from her first marriage – were not continually being asked about their mother’s health, and that his wife ‘just got on with living’. In fact, Mr Peston said, there were ‘wonderful years’ earlier in her illness when the disease did not ‘haunt’ them but made them focus on the important things, such as family, work, ‘friends, beauty and fun’. Peston, left, has given a frank interview about losing his wife in this week's Radio Times . But he admitted that once his wife had got to the point of finishing her final novel, the cancer was more like ‘a monster laying waste to our family’. He said: ‘Siân was being turned into an invalid, in almost unimaginable pain most of the time. For her, what was perhaps worse was that she was being robbed of her ability to take care of those she loved.’ But he said there had been ‘an almost moral imperative not to be ground down by circumstances, even if those circumstances are an express train thundering in our direction’. In the article he talked about letters he had kept which she had sent him when they were studying at university more than 30 years ago, and when they were ‘too-briefly a couple’ before they were apart for 12 years. They rekindled their relationship after her first marriage ended. The Radio Times piece includes a letter from his ‘beautiful’ wife – who was a schoolfriend of Mr Peston’s sister – written when she was 18. Mr Peston said: ‘She was the most brilliant, caring, humane and loving person I have met. And funny. I miss her all the time.’ | Business editor transcribed handwritten manuscript of wife's final novel .
Siân Busby died from lung cancer last year aged 51 .
Peston said he could 'hear her voice' through the written words . |
268,510 | e7ccba0746815bed8b5ef64c7ffa29acc698ea1a | Washington (CNN) -- Two federal judicial sources say they expect attorneys for accused Tucson shooter Jared Lee Loughner to ask that any trial be moved out of Arizona, possibly to San Diego, but the Justice Department indicated Monday it would opposed a move . The sources said they expect the defense will make a formal motion in coming weeks to move court proceedings to a neighboring jurisdiction because of pre-trial publicity. "Federal law dictates these offenses be tried in the district (Arizona)," Justice Department spokeswoman Jessica Smith said. "The Justice Department is moving forward in a manner consistent with the law, and will oppose any change of venue motions." Earlier, federal sources said that whether to support an out-of-state change of venue, a move that has happened rarely in recent years, appeared to be an ongoing point of disagreement within the Justice Department. A trial also could be held in Arizona outside of Tucson, those sources said. There are federal courthouses in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Yuma. A final decision would be made by the new chief judge of the federal courts in Arizona, Roslyn Silver. The 1994 Clinton appointee to the federal bench has taken over for Judge John Roll, one of the six victims killed in the January 8 shooting that also left U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, seriously wounded. Federal sources say Silver -- if asked to move the trial -- would consult with officials of the 9th Circuit, the federal judicial region that includes nine Western states, including Arizona. San Diego, which is in the Southern District of California, is being considered since San Diego-based federal Judge Larry Burns has been assigned to preside over the Loughner case. The next court appearance for the suspect is January 24 in Phoenix, where Burns will preside. Several members of Loughner's current defense team -- including Judy Clarke -- also are based there. San Diego is about 410 miles from Tucson. All federal judges in Arizona have recused themselves from the case. Sources say other possible out-of-state options for a trial would be Los Angeles, or Las Vegas. Federal prosecutors have the discretion to object to any proposed move out of state for any criminal trial, but they would have no authority to block it. The prosecution of the suspects in the 1996 Oklahoma City, bombing was moved to Denver at the defense's request. But the 1982 federal trial of John Hinckley, the man who attempted to kill President Ronald Reagan, was held in Washington, where the shootings took place. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity. There are no clear guidelines on moving criminal trials out of a state or region. Judges in such cases have wide measure of discretion to decide, legal experts say. Federal judicial sources said they expect any consideration on the Arizona venue question to be several months off, at least. Those sources offered no guidance on when any trial would begin, saying such decisions are subject to a range of pre-trial motions that can be filed by both the government and defense. CNN's Carol Cratty contributed to this report. | NEW: The Justice Department will oppose a change of venue, a spokeswoman says .
The defense is likely to ask for venue change soon, federal judicial sources say .
The decision rests with judge who replaced slain federal judge .
San Diego is considered because judge assigned to case resides there, sources say . |
260,976 | ddff13e43d0657a0151790cd2221b92fa3a5d5e3 | By . Damien Gayle . A new study has shown how fraudsters are able to use information shared online on social networks to build detailed profiles of potential victims. Researchers interviewed one ex-offender to find out the techniques he and others use to garner details from online sources enabling them to steal others' identities. He revealed that while users are often canny enough to withhold enough information on one site to foil fraudsters, resourceful crooks can collect enough data from various sources to apply for credit or make online purchases in their victim's name. Online predator: Researchers interviewed one former offender to get an insight into how fraudsters gather information from individuals' various online profiles to collect enough data to steal identities . Chief among the top three online resources for collecting potential victims personal details was not a social media website at all, but was in fact 192.com. The directory inquiries website was noted as particularly useful for providing information on where potential victims live, their age, other occupants, and how long they have lived there. Fraudsters can then flesh out the skeleton identity this crucial data provides by using Facebook for details on location, activities, friends and photographs; and LinkedIn, on which users often reveal their entire work and education history. ‘192.com was such a good resource – the . information on there was so good,' the study's interviewee revealed. 'LinkedIn is good – the whole point of the website is to get everything . you’ve done across to people you don’t know.’ He added: 'Photos are important. It can give you clues about a password or a security question – you may be asked favourite holiday place, or favourite football club – it’s a piece of information.' Whose checking your profile? The research, conducted on behalf of online security company ALLOW, revealed fraudsters often mine Facebook profiles for information that could help them crack passwords . Cyber-criminals are making $5million a year using computer viruses that hold the data on your hard drive to ransom. The scam has been around for several years, but new variants which claim to be the work of law enforcement agencies means the number of victims has soared. Ransomware is now a major criminal industry, said Symantec, the company behind anti-virus packages like Norton. 'If you look at the nature of the beast, it really puts the screws to you,' said Kevin Haley, director of Symantec's security response team. 'We see so many gangs moving to ransomware, looking for new angles, new versions, that we're going to see a lot of this in the future.' The malware infects a personal computer and cripples the machine. It can even encrypt its files. It then displays a message - the ransom note - that demands payment to restore control to the owner. 'It's an extortion racket,' Symantec said in a white paper on the topic. The ex-fraudster revealed how he would . create fake Facebook profiles using pictures of attractive women to . contact men in an effort to get them to reveal sensitive personal . information. 'You’ve got to get in to the minds of people – most guys will add a pretty face even if they didn’t know them,' he said. 'One . of my victims, I nicked someone’s phone, chose a pretty girl from a . different social networking site, got some of her photos and made a . profile on Facebook and added a few random people. 'This . guy emailed me stuff, where he would be and what he was doing – he . thought he had a chance with this fake person I had made up. He was . giving me all this information but doesn’t really know who I am.' On other occasions he merely hijacked the Facebook identity of an existing person to get their contacts to reveal information. 'People . can hijack someone’s Facebook activity - I’ve known it to happen, say . someone is called Peter, you can set up a new account using the name . Pete, copy their image and information to the new account and add their . friends and have conversations with them on Facebook. 'You can extract information, it's an avenue to exploit to get bits of information.' The study, conducted on behalf of personal security company ALLOW, which offers services to keep internet users safe online, revealed how information collected by fraudsters was predominantly used to apply for credit or make purchases in the victim's name. 'Common sense': Justin Basini, CEO and founder of ALLOW, said social media users can take easy steps to protect their identity online . This typically involved using personal details to create an identity at a particular address the fraudster had access to, then applying for credit cards or loans. Alternatively the offender could collate the details into a complete identity then sell them on to others to commit the fraud. The fraudster said he felt social networks and social media sites 'didn't care' their services were being exploited by criminals. 'The more popular they are with everybody the happier they are,' he said. 'I think the thing they are worried about is if it became public knowledge that people can get defrauded through using them, I don’t think they would like it.' Justin Basini, founder and CEO of ALLOW, told MailOnline that the application of 'common sense' can help social media users protect themselves against the fraudsters out to steal their identity. 'One in four people don't check privacy settings on Facebook,' he said. 'One in five people accept friend requests from strangers; and most people use the same passwords for all kinds of services.' | 192.com, Facebook and LinkedIn revealed as most useful sites for fraudsters .
Ex-offender reveals how he created fake profiles using a picture of an attractive woman to lure unsuspecting men . |
26,241 | 4a64a3c48f9340ec6fcd01e3c1cc559d99657b60 | (CNN) -- The nation's suburban schools added 3.4 million students to their rolls over the past 15 years -- and nearly all of them were minorities, according to a study released Tuesday. Jean Bonner teaches fourth-graders last month at Middleburg Elementary in suburban Washington. Yet the new arrivals resulted in only a modest increase in the individual schools' racial and ethnic diversity, the study said. "The school districts look like they are more diverse, but within your school districts, if the whites are in one school, the blacks in a different school and the Hispanics in yet a different school, it doesn't necessarily mean the suburban whites have more black and Hispanic classmates -- because they don't go to the same school," said Richard Fry, senior research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, who wrote the report. Using federal government data, Fry found that minority students made up 99 percent of the increase in suburban school enrollment between the 1993-94 and 2006-07 school years. During that time, the student body at the nation's suburban schools went from 72 percent white to 59 percent white; from 12 percent black to 15 percent black; from 11 percent Hispanic to 20 percent Hispanic; and from 5 percent Asian to 6 percent Asian. The diversity, however, is not reflected at the individual school level. For example, in 2006-07, the typical white suburban student attended a school whose student body was 75 percent white, down from 83 percent white in 1993-94, Fry wrote. "So at a time when the white share of student enrollment in suburban school districts was falling by 13 percentage points, the exposure of the typical white suburban student to minority students in his or her own school was growing by a little more than half that much -- or 8 percentage points," the report said. From another point of view, the typical black suburban student attended a school in 2006-07 that was 34 percent white, down from 43 percent white in 1993-94. But Latino suburban students tended to become more segregated over the same time period -- in 2006-07, the typical such student was in a school that was 49 percent Latino, versus 42 percent Latino in 1993-94. Suburban schools accounted for most of the change in demographics, according to the study, accounting for two-thirds of the 5.1 million increase in the number of students nationwide over that time period. City schools tended to be more segregated than their suburban counterparts, the study said, with the typical urban black student attending a school with 60 percent black enrollees; and the typical Latino student attending a school with 63 percent Latino enrollment. Minority students in rural areas and in towns tended to be more exposed to whites than were their suburban counterparts. The typical black student in a town or rural area attended a school where whites composed 47 percent of the student body and blacks 44 percent. The typical Latino student in a town or rural area attended a school where whites made up 43 percent of the student body, and Latinos made up 47 percent. Asians in suburban schools saw only a slight uptick in isolation -- from 23 percent Asian to 24 percent Asian over the time period. However, "white students aren't going to school with as many black and Hispanic students as the aggregate school district enrollment numbers indicate," Fry said in a telephone interview. School diversity has long been considered an important marker of racial equality in education. "When students of different racial/ethnic backgrounds do not attend the same schools, the potential exists that they also may not attend the same type of schools, i.e., schools of similar quality and level of resources," Fry wrote. "Racial differences in school quality ... cannot exist if schools are racially balanced." The study identified the nation's most-segregated suburban school district as Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview 89 School District in suburban Chicago, Illinois, based on its "dissimilarity index" of 0.79. That index means that 79 percent of the district's minority students would have to be moved to different schools in order for the schools' student bodies to mirror the ethnic makeup of the surrounding population, he said. The 0.74 figure for suburban Atlanta, Georgia's, DeKalb County means "you would have to move about three-quarters of DeKalb County's black students to a different school" in order to get racial balance, he said. Calls to school superintendents in both districts were not immediately returned. "The suburbs seem to have grown a lot more diverse," Fry concluded. "The place you'd expect to see it is among kids. But when you actually look at where kids go to school, it's not clear that white kids are going to school with a whole bunch more different classmates than they used to -- a little bit more, but not as much as the aggregate measures would suggest." | Minorities made up 99 percent of increase in suburban school rolls, study says .
Diversity rose, but typical white suburban students attend 75 percent-white schools .
Expert: Racial differences in schools "cannot exist if schools are racially balanced"
Most-segregated suburban district lies in suburban Chicago, Illinois, study finds . |
220,561 | a97ee6c09ea5cbbd78b27e471d37b40eeff4e038 | By . Spencer Matthews . I've been given a deadline of September 6 to get back to Men's Health cover shape. Back in December last year I got into my best shape ever and made the cover of the top fitness magazine, weighing in a 12st 8lbs and 8 per cent body fat. I was ripped. I am far from that now (13st 6lbs and 15 per cent body fat), and this week I was told I've got a very revealing photo and video shoot at the beginning of next month that's going to have nationwide exposure. If I'm flabby and out of shape then it's going to be on show for all to see. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Back in shape: Spencer has been working with Shaun Stafford to get fit for his latest shoot . No pressure then – but at least I've got a deadline I suppose. I've got a four point game plan to reach the target . 1. Minimum five gym sessions per week, with top trainer Shaun Stafford at City Athletic Gym. 2. Take three Forza T5 Super Strength every day to boost fat burning, add energy and stop snacking . 3. Eat clean and low carbs . 4. No more booze and late nights. Booze is the killer for any weight-loss regime. I love a glass of red wine but it's 250 calories – that's 20 minutes running a swift pace on the treadmill. I have to remind myself of that every time I think about having a snifter. Going that extra mile: Spencer has only got until September to get back into shape . Dedication: Spencer has been avoiding both alcohol and carbs in order to maintain his fitness . If you have a large night out, not only have you put away 2,000 calories of booze you also set your body metabolism back a day – you can't work out on a hangover (well, I wouldn't advise it). Your body is working hard to detox itself and you can't change your body shape in that state. First session back with Shaun Stafford this week was pretty grim. He was especially hard on me because I'd cancelled a session at the last minute earlier in the week – it was the day after my birthday, can't he give a guy a break? Anyway, he warned me it would be a punishing schedule, so I popped two Forza T5 Super Strength tablets just before I got changed. They take a couple of minutes to kick in and then I was fired up for a hard session. Feeling the strain? Spencer says that his workout with Shaun is no walk in the park . Practice makes perfect: Spencer works up a sweat with a kettlebell . One quick point before we start on the work out – there is no easy way of doing this. Some very rare people enjoy going to the gym, I'm not one of them but I do enjoy the results - being fitter, healthier, and looking good naked. If you want to see a difference you have to work hard for 50 minutes in the gym, a few times a week and really push yourself. OK, rant over, now carry on. Giant Volume Training . We started with something Shaun calls Giant Volume Training – circuit training type exercises that work big muscle groups in top and lower body and burn a lot of calories and get the blood pumping. You can see from the look on my face in the pictures that it's not entirely fun. Spencer says he was in his best shape in December last year, however he has since gained almost a stone . Then it's 10 squats, 10 flat bench presses, 10 x prone dumb bell rows, 10 x kettle bell swings. Only rest for the time it takes you to walk from one exercise to the next, then take one minute rest at the end of each full set of four. We did 10 of these sets – and I was shattered. But it wasn't over – punishment for cancelling the day after my birthday came next. Metabolic Conditioning . Metabolic conditioning is the fancy name for rolling a big 80kg tire six times and then pushing it back. Thirty seconds rest, then do it again, and again. Shaun made me do it five times and I thought I was going to be sick. Then it was time for the battle ropes. Five reps of that and I was finished. I work it out that I've got another 15 of these torture sessions to go before I'm ready. They won't get any easier but hopefully I won't feel quite so nauseous at the end of them as time goes by. Lots of love, . Spencer xxx . | Spencer has less than a month to get in shape .
Back in December he was his fittest but has gained a stone since then .
He has given up booze and is avoiding carbs in order to transform himself . |
126,984 | 3023922b8da43293bd40b927b61b8de1b13d1670 | (CNN) -- The first thing offered to me at Suntory's Yamazaki whiskey distillery -- the birthplace of Japanese whiskey -- is a glass of water. It's so delicious it comes as a shock. Even before the reason is explained to me, I'm asking: why does it taste so crisp, so different? The distillery is surrounded by beautiful bamboo forests on a mountain -- they must be getting to my brain. It turns out the water in the area is the reason the first whiskeys in Japan were distilled here. "The distillery was built here almost 100 years ago for the legendary water," says Makoto Sumita, who's been with Suntory for 20 years, as we walk past a pond to the tasting room. Drawn from deep mountain wells and designated one of the best mineral waters in the country by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, Yamazaki's water is also reportedly the inspiration for the legendary Japanese tea ceremony that originated centuries ago. These days, it's used to make some of the most remarkable whiskeys on the planet. For some, Japanese whiskey even trumps Scotch as the go-to after-dinner dram. Secret's out . Any serious whiskey drinker is likely to recall, with perfect clarity, where and when they had their first taste of Japanese whiskey. My first was a Hibiki 17, on a first date in Hong Kong two years ago (I was latecomer). From the first sip, I loved how approachable it was, with hints of sweet fruit mingled with the oak. For most drinkers, the draw of Japanese whiskey isn't just that its smoother, complex taste belies its years -- it's the allure of being let in on something rare and refined. "Drinkers seeking new flavors and tastes are increasingly turning to Japan for new drinking experiences," says Whisky Magazine editor Rob Allanson. "There are some whiskies that have become esoteric, like the Karuizawa, which are hard to obtain and represent a holy grail for drinkers and collectors." "People who care about what they drink want something more interesting, not just the same selection (available at) any duty free store," says Richmond Lee, owner of Nocturne, the latest high-end whiskey bar to open in Hong Kong's trendy Central district. Despite a prominent display of Scotch (Nocturne stocks 150 different whiskeys), Lee says his customers overwhelmingly seek out Japanese selections. "What really surprised me was that female customers comprise a third of my clientele and they drink Japanese whiskey straight," says Lee. "I think it's because it's more smooth and sweeter than Scotch. And from a value perspective, with Japanese whiskey you don't need to go for an older vintage to get quality." Out-Scotching Scotch . Thus is the world of whiskey being shaken. The 21st-century ascendancy of Japanese whiskies recalls the Judgment of Paris, the 1976 blind-tasting wine competition in which California wines were rated the best in every category for the first time, sending shock waves throughout the Francophile wine world. For the past decade, Japanese brands have begun to outrank Scots labels, a similarly unimaginable phenomenon. It started in 2001, when Nikka's Yoichi 10 was named "Best of the Best" by Whisky Magazine. Then the Yamazaki 12 won gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2003. Since then, Japanese whiskeys have consistently taken home medals at most major tasting competitions. At the International Spirit Challenge 2013 held in the UK, Suntory was named "Distiller of the Year" for the third time and its blended Hibiki 21 Years Old won the Trophy prize, the highest award in the competition's World Whiskeys category. Though in terms of global sales Japanese whiskies amount to barely a drop in the glass -- none are among the world's ten best selling brands -- Japan's top distillers have seen a steady increase in production and exports since at least 2006, with Suntory expecting to double its overseas exports by 2016. Archrivals of alchemy . Hibiki. Yamazaki. Hakushu. Yoichi. Taketsuru. Miyagikyo. The most highly regarded Japanese whiskeys (the exception being Ichiro's Chichibu) are produced by the distilleries of Japan's great rivals, Suntory and Nikka. Suntory is the reigning king to Nikka's scrappy underdog, but Nikka holds its own on the battlefield. This year's $16 billion purchase of Jim Beam made Suntory the world's third-largest distiller; meanwhile Nikka's exports reportedly grew by 18 times between 2006 and 2012. Both their origin stories can be traced back to the same place, the Yamazaki distillery, built in 1923. That's when Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii hired Masataka Taketsuru, the godfather of Japanese whiskey, to set up the country's first whiskey distillery. Taketsuru had gone to Scotland to learn the craft of whiskey making, and returned to Japan with a Scottish wife. After 10 years with Suntory, Taketsuru left to build his own whiskey empire in Yoichi, Hokkaido, in a climate he preferred for its similarities to Scotland. Japanese whiskey tour . My Japanese whiskey pilgrimage begins from the Yamazaki station, with a 25-minute scenic train ride from Osaka. The countryside along the route is dotted with traditional houses and bamboo groves. The heady aroma of whiskey mingles with the clear mountain air. Unlike the bastions of Scotland's finest, the Yamazaki distillery is one of the few in the world that can produce a variety of whiskeys from the same distillery, thanks to the different shapes and sizes of the distillery's pot stills. With its 3,000 casks, the storage room is the most impressive sight on the distillery tour. In the Japanese tradition of obsessive and innovative craftsmanship, the wood used in these casks has been the subject of extensive experimentation. While 200-year-old American white oak has traditionally been the wood of choice, Yamazaki has also introduced virgin Mizunara (Japanese oak) barrels to give aromas of kara (incense) and sandalwood. The tour finishes at the beautifully rendered whiskey library, bar and gift shop where visitors can purchase varieties sold only on site -- including extremely rare single cask whiskeys -- in addition to the usual Suntory offerings. Onward, to the north . Two days later, I'm on my way to Nikka's main distillery in snowy Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. What a different world it is. The train ride to the Yoichi distillery is a stunning journey, past snow-dusted forests and white mountains, with the train running perilously close to the sea. At tiny Yoichi station, which has been blasted by alarming snowfall, only a handful of people get off. The Nikka headquarters are as different from Suntory's as a building can be -- a stone castle, with its own European-style insignia carved into the entrance. It's the Winterfell of whiskey distilleries -- stark and gray and empty. The focus of the tour is emphatically on Taketsuru's astonishing story. Photographs, journals, maps of Scotland, even snatches of tartan are displayed with detailed captions explaining how they influenced Nikka's founder. Unlike the light, modern feel of Suntory's bar, Yoichi's bar looks like an old boys' club, with mahogany finishes and mood lighting. I take a whiff of the rare single casks that can only be bought here. Their scarcity makes them pricey compared with many older blends. Single Cask Yoichi 20 (500 ml) is ¥15,000 ($147), while Single Cask Yoichi 15 (500 ml) sells for ¥10,000 ($98). While a Nikka whiskey may be closer to Scotch than say, a Yamazaki, Japanese whiskeys are still much sweeter and more fragrant than their overseas counterparts, with even the most peaty varieties still balanced. Drinkers of Islay Scotches might enjoy the Single Malt Yoichi Peaty and Salty available at the distillery. I end up purchasing a bottle for ¥6,500 ($64). Grand finale . The highlight of the tour is the airy, open tasting room, where each visitor is given three samples of Nikka's most popular whiskeys. Setting down my tray next to the window, I look out at untouched fields of snow-covered trees and take my time sipping. I've been traveling to Japan since I was a child -- of all the onsens and sushi restaurants and shopping forays and mountain walks I've done and loved, I have to say, this is my absolute favorite Japan experience. Until my next visit, anyway. Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, 5-2-1 Yamazaki, Shimamotocho, Mishimagun, Osaka, Japan; +81 75 962 1423; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., closed New Year's holiday and during plant shutdowns; free guided tours in Japanese; free audio guides available in English, Chinese and French. Nikka Yoichi Distillery, 7-6 Kurokawacho, Yoichimachi, Yoichigun, Hokkaido, Japan; +81 135 23 3131; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Christmas and New Year's holiday; free guided tours in Japanese, visitors can do a self-guided tour with free English maps. | Japanese whiskeys are being judged among the best in the world .
A Japanese whiskey pilgrimage starts at Suntory's Yamazaki Distillery .
Nikka's main distillery is in a stone fortress in Yoichi, Hokkaido .
At both distilleries, visitors can buy rare whiskeys only available on site . |
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