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94,325 | 053bfa09f53bb5ac251c001b85fd0a6843d1bf2e | An Afghan veteran and another soldier have been convicted of running an illegal payday loans business. Lance Corporal Charles Trouliotis made thousands by charging squaddies interest rates of up to 40 per cent. He used money from an Army compensation payout to lend £31,000 to around 30 soldiers, using his senior rank to threaten them with punishment duty if they did not pay him back on time. Trouliotis and Corporal David Crouch, both of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, denied two counts of running an unlicensed credit firm and one of money laundering but were convicted by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court. Charles Trouliotis, left, and Corporal David Crouch, right, both of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, denied two counts of running an unlicensed credit firm and one of money laundering but were found guilty . Trouliotis, 25, of Victoria, London, who is no longer a soldier, was given a 12-month community order with 160 hours of unpaid work. Couch, 28, of Woolwich Barracks, was fined £300 and told to pay a £30 victim surcharge. Stuart Jessop, prosecuting, said father-of-one Trouliotis used his senior rank to bully and threaten his subordinates to pay back 'exorbitant' amounts of interest. Mr Jessop said: 'There's no doubt that you were a first class soldier and a brave soldier. You were highly decorated. 'But you were running an illegal money lending business for profit. 'You used the fact that you were respected and well liked to help you with this money lending business.' One private gave evidence to say that an initial loan of £400 spiralled into a £1,800 debt and he was threatened with punishment duty if he failed to pay. Mr Jessop added: 'He was struggling to pay you back because you were charging exorbitant interest. The two men ran their illegal payday loans business at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, pictured . 'You would say 'where's my f***ing money you will go on standby if you don't pay this money'.' Standby is army slang for a punishment where superiors order someone to do unwanted jobs. A text from Trouliotis's phone to Couch accused him of having 's**t' money lending skills. It read: 'You realise the palava you have caused us with your shit money lending skills. You are a f**king c**t Dave and I should never have trusted you.' Trouliotis, who is no longer a soldier, told the jury of seven men and five women that he hadn't sent the text. He accepted that he had lent the money and accepted 'good will' overpayments from 23 subordinate privates as well as four lance corporals and two corporals. But he denied that he set interest rates and threatened them if they failed to pay by payday. Both men, who appeared before the judge in navy and yellow regimental ties, denied two counts of running an unlicensed credit firm and one count of money laundering between January 2012 and May 2013. Woolwich Crown Court, pictured, heard father-of-one Trouliotis used his senior rank to bully and threaten his subordinates to pay back 'exorbitant' amounts of interest . | Lance Corporal Charles Trouliotis and Corporal David Crouch made thousands by charging squaddies 'exorbitant' interest rates .
Used money from Army compensation payout to lend £31,000 to soldiers .
The pair denied running an unlicensed credit firm and money laundering .
But they were found guilty by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court . |
112,346 | 1cea87454067910d7c66c831a586bc57a78599c8 | (CNN) -- NASA and Japan improved our world view this week, or at least our view of the world. This image using ASTER imagery shows the Himalayan glaciers in Bhutan. The American space agency and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry have released a new digital topographic map of Earth that accurately portrays more of our planet than ever before. The new map consists of 1.3 million images taken by NASA's Terra satellite that have been pieced together to form a unified picture of the planet. The images were taken by a Japanese imaging instrument called the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or ASTER. "This is the most complete, consistent global digital elevation data yet made available to the world," said Woody Turner, a program scientist at NASA headquarters in Washington. The map covers more than 99 percent of Earth's land mass from north of the Arctic Circle to south of the Antarctic Circle. During February 2000, space shuttle Endeavour mapped about 80 percent of the planet's surface. "The ASTER data fill in many of the voids in the shuttle mission's data, such as in very steep terrains and in some deserts," said Michael Kobrick, a shuttle project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, which manages the program. "NASA is working to combine" the new data with that from the shuttle and other sources "to produce an even better global topographic map." | New digital topographic map reveals more of Earth than ever before .
Images were taken by Japanese imaging instrument on NASA satellite .
Map consists of millions of satellite images to form unified picture of planet . |
167,886 | 65230e70ad02dfcb85ee0156f676d5bc76d295a1 | LeBron James led the tributes from the American sporting world as the USA celebrated their Independence Day. The basketball superstar shared an image on Instagram of him wearing a USA jersey at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where he led his team to the gold medal, while holding an American flag. Professional sports teams from all the biggest leagues also tweeted their messages of support on an American public holiday more commonly known as 4th of July. Hundreds of thousands of fans, meanwhile, will attend Major League Baseball matches around the country throughout the day. VIDEO Scroll down to watch LeBron James put on a slam dunk show . | James shares picture of him playing for USA at London 2012 with Independence Day message .
American sport joins in celebrations on Independence Day .
Professional teams post messages on Instagram and Twitter for 4th of July . |
225,682 | b03c214e1b75235e045ab21c7a45edb4a85f22f8 | A student snapped the leg off a valuable early 19th century sculpture by attempting to take a selfie while sitting on its knee. The Drunken Satyr statue at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan, Italy, depicts a follower of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, passed out in a drunken stupor. But it is now literally legless after the unknown vandal broke off its left limb while reportedly trying to take a picture of himself. Vandalism: A student destroyed this valuable early 19th century statue by trying to take a 'selfie' picture while sitting on its knee . Replica: The broken statue, right, is a copy of an ancient Greek masterpiece depicting a Satyr, or follower of Dionysus the Greek god of wine, passed out in a drunken stupour . Mercifully the statue, while still valuable, is an early 19th century copy of an ancient Greek masterpiece which was discovered in Rome around 400 years ago. The real thing, which is thought to date to around 220 BC, remains safe and sound at the Glyptothek museum in Munich, Germany. The copy is located in the academy’s hallway which leads to a room containing valuable sculptures from that era. Due to what was described as a technical . problem the incident was not caught on security camera, but witnesses say . the saw a student, who they believed to be foreign, clambering onto it . to take a picture. The Drunken Satyr statue at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan, Italy, depicts a human figure with animal features passed out in a drunken stupor . Staff arrived at the museum on Tuesday morning to discover the statue broken. Witnesses described seeing a foreign student trying to climb on top of it . Scene: The broken statue is located in the academy's hallway which leads to a room containing valuable sculptures from the 19th century . The 'Drunken Satyr', which is also known as the 'Barberini Faun' is an ancient Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era. Satyrs were followers of the god Dionysus the Greek god of wine. They are described as male woodland spirits with animal features and are often shown with a goat-like tail, hooves, ears, or horns. The figure is portrayed lying on a rock in an obvious state of . intoxication. It was was discovered in the ditches of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome around 1624. Pieces of the statue's broken leg lie on the floor near the entrance to the museum in Milan . The statue depicts a follower of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, passed out in a drunken stupor . | Witnesses saw 'foreign student' on the Drunken Satyr statue in Milan .
Staff at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera found it broken on Tuesday .
Statue is an early 19th century copy of an ancient Greek masterpiece .
The real thing, which dates back to 220BC, was discovered in Rome in 1624 .
It depicts a follower of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, passed out drunk . |
238,767 | c114d2c3428b5a59641d14309c3d6ebb898ee971 | By . Jonathan Wynne-jones . PUBLISHED: . 06:49 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:19 EST, 13 January 2014 . Britain's first female warship commander is preparing to lead the HMS Portland on a six-month patrol in the Atlantic on the hunt for enemy submarines. In 2012, Sarah West became the first woman to be put in charge of a British warship in the navy's 500 year history, and says she is proud to be at the front of defending our waters from the threat of submarines. However, the 41-year-old says that the high-octane job comes at a personal cost, revealing that the years spent away at sea mean she is still single. Sarah West stands proudly on HMS Portland as the Royal Navy's first female commander of a warship. She joined the navy after getting bored with her nine to five job as a trainee manager. The ban on women working on . submarines was only lifted in 2011 and Cdr West described her . appointment to take command of HMS Portland as the highlight of her 16 . years in the navy. However, she plays down her role in being on the frontline of helping to maintain a ring of steel around the British coastline. 'I'm not reinventing the wheel,' she told the Mirror. 'Lots of women in the services have challenging roles. It's just that I happen to be newsworthy at the moment.' As much as she enjoys the thrilling nature of her job, she admits that it has not made it easy to meet a partner. 'There are drawbacks. Years at sea probably explains why I'm single. But every person in the military makes sacrifices.' She says plenty of men and women on board are missing seeing their children grow up, which makes it crucial to keep morale high. Cdr Sarah West looks through binoculars as the HMS Portland hunts a submarine in the Cumbrae Gap, Scotland. Now she is in charge of an 185-strong crew whom she leads in trying to out outmaneouvre their underwater enemies. 'Anti-submarine warfare is the military . version of chess. You must work out what the enemy is going to do before . they even think of it,' says Cdr West who is captain of HMS Portland, a . Type 23 frigate with submarine-hunting kit, Sea Wolf and Harpoon . missiles, Stingray torpedoes and a Lynx attack helicopter. They have recently been running a training exercise to catch the submarine HMS . Triumph, which bombed Libya in 2011 and now trains future Royal Navy . captain.' There is no sign of the submarine despite sending a helicopter to dip a sonar wire into the sea where it is suspected to be. But . suddenly a periscope is spotted several miles away, sparking Cdr West . into action, who shouts orders for HMS Portland to move in on the sub . and prepares for the similated launch of three Stingray torpedoes. 'Today has been a good day for submarine hunting,' says Cdr West. 'Many more countries have submarines now so there's always a threat out there. What we're doing is really important.' Commander West oversees the hunt for the submarine in the ship's operations room. 'You can have state-of-the-art kit but, without well-trained people wanting to use it, you're useless.' The ship is set to leave HM Naval Base Devonport in Plymouth for six months on patrol in the Atlantic. The crew will face threats from storms, with gale-force winds whipping up waves as high as 40ft. Warships sit high in the water for speed and cannot turn away from a storm for comfort when they have to sail somewhere urgently. Many of those suffering from seasickness will be forced to vomit into buckets while on watch. They are facing testing times as Russia is understood to be on the verge of completing a £1.25 billion K-329 Severodvinsk nuclear-powered submarine which could give it a crucial underwater advantage. | Navy's first female warship commander prepares to lead patrol in Atlantic .
Commander Sarah West says there's a 'real threat' from rise in submarines .
Russia said to be close to completing a £1.25 billion nuclear-powered sub . |
212,832 | 9f972a210b9fb46c5225fed4b11ad4c8d3b32872 | It seems that Nicholas Sparks' bird flew the nest over a month ago. The author's wife, Cathy Sparks, paid $1.1million for a North Carolina mansion back on December 9, a month before the two announced they were splitting after 25 years. She didn't go far though, as the home is just over two miles from the family home in the town of New Bern. Scroll down for video . New digs: Cathy Sparks, paid $1.1million for a North Carolina mansion (above) back on December 9 . Moving on: The couple recently announced they are splitting after 25 years . Nice digs: The home sits on four acres of lakefront property and is just a few miles from where her family lives . The home is fairly modest and sits on 4 acres of lakefront property. It is a huge departure from the massive estate the author built just three years ago and where Cathy was living, with a bowling alley, screening room, and even a hidden room for napping in the basement. As TMZ previously reported, the couple signed a postmarital agreement back in August meaning that they have settled all their property and that neither side will receive alimony. They have not however filed their divorce documents yet. Sparks, who has written 17 novels - and seen almost all of them go on to become Hollywood films - including The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, Message in a Bottle and The Last Song, had spoken of how hard he and his wife work on their relationship in past interviews. 'There are people who are probably much better at marriage than I am – they've lasted a lot longer,' he told People in 2003. 'I could probably learn from them.' He has also revealed that he met his wife on a Monday and told her he was going to marry her the next day. The couple have five children, three sons and twin daughters, ranging in age from 12 to 23. | Cathy Sparks paid $1.1millior a New Bern, North Carolina mansion back in December .
This as she and her author husband Nicholas Sparks have announced they are splitting after 25 years .
The mansion sits on four acres of lakefront property and is just miles from where she was living with her husband and five children . |
120,716 | 28039a39cd7ea369830e8043b2fdd11674e43a5e | They were nicknamed les poilu, meaning the hairy ones. And given the brutal, unrelenting hardships French soldiers had to face in the First World War, that was perhaps understandable. Now a collection of glass plates has emerged giving a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of the French as they defended their homeland between 1914 and 1918. It was amassed by a viscount in the Armoured Cavalry Branch . of the French Army, who left behind several boxes containing more than . 600 plates taken by an unknown photographer. French cyclists of the Cavalry Corps, on the Champagne front, eastern France on September 22, 1915 . French General Joseph Joffre (second right) congratulating and awarding medals to soldiers, who fought in the Battle of Verdun in March 1916 . He was employed as staff officer for French General Joseph Joffre and as part of his duties travelled along the front visiting troops. It is not known how he came upon the images, previously . unseen by the general public, but they appear to document life around the front during . World War One. The collection was found in an attic by a relative of Paris-based Reuters photographer Charles Platiau, who described them in a blog post. Mr Platiau said: 'Fortunately . most of the plates have indications of the location and date when they . were taken, which have helped us identify people and sites when . captioning the photos. 'I checked the information written on the plates with documents available from public sources to verify their accuracy. 'In . my opinion, even if the photographs are not the best of the actual . conflict, many of them document the vision that the generals and . politicians wanted to present of the war – they show resting soldiers . who were well-fed, well-housed and well-treated. 'As . I look at these plates, I think of my own ancestors who fought at . Verdun and wonder how many soldiers in these photographs survived the . battle. I wonder if some of these soldiers were killed days after being . photographed.' The photographs do not show casualties, but they do show the reality of life in the trenches: mud, shell-holes, make-shift defences and the imminent prospect of death. They also show the soldiers' sense of humour: a bath-house offers 'free massages for ladies' and the board outside calls it a 'thermal spa', while a dug-out is called 'the chalet'. And it shows that some aspects of French life were unaffected by the war, with the soldiers going to mass in one scene, and in another, Genral Joffre, the French commander in chief awards medals with a kiss on the cheek. The scene is at Verdun and in the background is the road to the battleground which became known as 'the sacred way' because of the scale of sacrifice of French troops there. It has been calculated that every square centimetre of ground was hit by four shells. French officers inspecting trenches on the Argonne front, eastern France, in May 1916 . A dog pulling a Belgian machine gun at an unknown location in northern France . A French soldier after taking a shower, at the rear guard near the front line, at an unknown location in France. The placard reads 'Thermal complex of the Poilu, showers, massages, chiropodist, manicurist. Free massages for women' The prospects for soldiers like those pictured here were not good. The French mobilised roughly 8.5 million men during the war. More than 1.5 million were killed and three million wounded. This . number represents more than the total number of American, British, . Canadian and Commonwealth forces combined. Field Marshall Douglas Haig riding a horse at an unknown location in France in February 14, 1916. Haig was the British commander-in-chief during the Somme battle . A priest conducting mass for French soldiers on the Champagne front, eastern France in 1915 . French soldiers posing outside their shack, called 'The Chalet', at La Sapiniere near Lachalade on the Argonne front, eastern France . In only the first three . months of the war, the French suffered 350,000 dead alone. The infantry, . being the most exposed branch, suffered a death rate of roughly 25 per cent . with the wounded adding another 40 per cent on top of this - a 65 per cent total . casualty rate. Initially beset by antiquated armaments, systemic disorganisation and . poor leadership by the top command, the French army continued to fight . on despite hardships and death an unparalleled death rate. Battles often dragged on for months, resulting in only minimal gains . with losses for both sides in the hundreds of thousands. The Marne, . Artois, Champagne, Verdun, the Somme and the Aisne: these rank among the . bloodiest battles in history. Yet after 52 months of war, the French Army and its Allies emerged victorious. French soldiers posing in a trench at Suippes on the Champagne front, eastern France . Soldiers attending an entertainment show at Suippes, on the Champagne Front, Eastern France in 1915 . French troops in trenches above Ablain-Saint-Nazaire in the Artois front, northern France, in 1916 . A French soldier in a sap trench just after being shelled at Mont Tetu near Massiges, eastern France . German soldiers (rear) offering to surrender to French troops, seen from a listening post in a trench at Massiges, north-eastern France . Soldiers and horses amid a destroyed spot on the battlefield at Maurepas on the Somme front, northern France October 1916 . | Collection shows hundreds of French soldiers as they defended their homeland .
It was unearthed by the family of a photographer after an appeal for archive pictures .
They were amassed by a viscount in the Armoured Cavalry Branch .
of the French Army .
He left behind several boxes containing more than .
600 previously unseen plates . |
156,538 | 5661d67cb0899a1e7a781e95a95c4ca232894957 | By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 17:43 EST, 3 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:59 EST, 3 December 2013 . Guilty: Nathaniel Flynn is facing life in jail after admitting murdering his 84-year-old grandmother and trying to kill a nine-year-old boy . A man is facing life in jail after admitting murdering his 84-year-old grandmother and trying to kill a nine-year-old boy. Nathaniel Flynn, 26, stabbed to death retired headmistress Louisa Denby at their shared home in Shipley, West Yorkshire. He then tried to kill the schoolboy - who cannot be named for legal reasons - as he played at a local skate park. Today, police said they had no idea what drove Flynn to commit the 'brutal and frenzied' attacks. Julian Briggs, from CPS Yorkshire and . Humberside’s Complex Casework Unit, said: 'This defendant is responsible . for two vicious and unprovoked attacks. 'It has not been possible to establish what drove Flynn to commit these awful crimes. 'He . has now admitted his responsibility and pleaded guilty to charges of . murder and attempted murder. 'We hope this brings some measure of comfort . to the families of both victims.' Flynn, . from Shipley, was due to go on trial next week, but admitted the . charges at Bradford Crown Court this . afternoon. Flanked by four prison officers in the dock, he wore a . blue shirt and jeans and was joined by members of his family. He showed no emotion as he confessed to murdering his grandmother, before stabbing the terrified schoolboy who had been playing nearby. Murder: Louisa Denby, 84, left, was stabbed to death by her grandson, right, at their shared home in Shipley . Scene: The 'brutal and frenzied' attack took place at Ms Denby's home in Shipley, West Yorkshire (above) Speaking after the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police, . said: 'Louisa Denby was subjected to a brutal and frenzied attack at the . hands of her grandson Nathanial Flynn. 'To this day we still have no idea why he attacked her. 'Louisa was a lady, adored by her family, who had only ever shown her grandson love and kindness. 'Having murdered his grandmother, Flynn then targetted and attacked a young boy as he played in a skateboard park. Attempted murder: Flynn then tried to kill a nine-year-old schoolboy as he played at a local skate park (above) Standing guard: A policeman stands at the skate park where the boy was stabbed in the arm by Flynn . Horrific: Today, police said they had no idea what drove Flynn to commit the violent attacks . 'He was stabbed through the arm and it was only through sheer luck that he wasn’t murdered by Nathanial Flynn on that day. 'On . behalf of West Yorkshire Police I would like to pay tribute to the . people of Shipley who assisted the police to quickly detain and arrest . Nathanial Flynn. 'I would also like to thank all of those members of the local community who provided the police with witness statements.' Case: The 26-year-old is due to be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court, pictured, on December 18 . Flynn also faced two other charges, which will remain on file, the court heard. It is believed his mother, who lives in America, will fly over to the UK to attend his sentencing on December 18. The schoolboy's father is also expected to be present. Addressing Flynn today, Mr Justice Keith said: 'There is only one sentence I can pass and that is a sentence of life imprisonment.' | Nathaniel Flynn, 26, stabbed to death his grandmother Louisa Denby .
He then tried to kill a nine-year-old boy at nearby skate park in Shipley .
He is due to be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on December 18 .
Judge has warned Flynn he is facing a sentence of life imprisonment . |
124,880 | 2d682f3ba1ba31c68418be916b533304772695f3 | Dani Alves is coming to England, according to an interview the player has given to O Globo in Brazil. In news that will put half of the Premier League on alert. the full back is quoted as saying he will be playing in the Premier League next season after walking away from Barcelona after seven glorious years. Sources close to the player told MailOnline on Wednesday night that the player was simply expressing an interest in England and stressed that the interview was given at the end of last season. The interview was with Brazilian food critic Luciana Froes and almost all of its content relates to a project Alves has to create a chain of restaurants but when the conversation moves to his future on the pitch he says: 'This will be my last season at Barcelona. Next year I will move to England. I want to play in the birthplace of football.' Alves (left) has enjoyed a remarkably successful seven years at Barcelona, pictured with Lionel Messi . In training this week, Alves (right) runs with Gerard Pique at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris . No club is mentioned in the the O Globo exclusive but the news is likely to increase interest from a host of clubs keen on the defender who arrived at Barça in 2008 and has since won every honour possible including two Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles. Alves' contract runs out at the end of this season when he will be 32. Barça have already made plans to replace him buying Sao Paolo full-back Douglas in the summer. But the new man's recent debut against Malaga gave an early indication of just how much Alves will be missed. Alves didn't have his best night against PSG on Tuesday but he has played a part in Barcelona going five games without conceding in the league and he was at his assist-giving best in the weekend thrashing of Granada crossing for Leo Messi to score. Alves (left) with David Luiz during Barcelona's Champions League match with Paris St Germain on Tuesday . Barcelona manager Luis Enrique (right) has contingency plans in place should Alves leave the Nou Camp . The two have combined brilliantly throughout the last seven years and the Argentine will miss him. What remains to be seen is which Premier League coach is prepared to take a gamble on the world's most attacking full-back. Here are his options: . Manuel Pellegrini: Loves an attacking full-back although he still has Pablo Zabaleta in that position and with a contract until 2017. Jose Mourinho: There is as much chance of Alves fitting into one of Mourinho's finally-tuned defences as there is Mourinho donning one of Dani's red-trouser and denim-waistcoat post-match outfits for his next Premier League press conference. Arsene Wenger: Difficult to see Arsene making the move although with Debuchy injured he could do with Alves now. Brendan Rodgers: Loves an attacking full-back – with Moreno on one side and Alves on the other Liverpool would be some force going forward… and a disaster defensively. Roberto Martinez: Everton have a right-back shortage. Alves could even help realize Martinez' long-term aim of playing 3-4-3. Mauricio Pochettino: With Kyle Walker out Spurs are another who could do with Alves now. And you can see him preferring a move to London if he does switch to England. VIDEO: Dani Alves has earned a reputation for his terrible singing... here's the evidence: . | In an interview with O Globo in Brazil, Dani Alves admitted that his Barcelona career is coming to an end after seven years .
Alves is quoted as saying he wants to play in 'the birthplace of football' in the interview sources close to the player stress took place last season .
No specific club is mentioned in the interview, but the quote is sure to increase interest from a number of top Premier League sides .
Barca have already made plans to replace Alves with the signing of Sao Paolo full-back Douglas over the summer . |
54,429 | 9a2ae859abfe53fab56e125fc65102b44a1b745f | Jerusalem (CNN) -- The health of Ariel Sharon -- a highly decorated if controversial Israeli military figure whose time as prime minister was ground to a halt by an incapacitating stroke -- has taken a turn for the worse, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday. The 85-year-old's life is in danger as he battles serious kidney problems, Israeli media -- including state radio -- reported, citing "sources." Sharon's medical condition has worsened "in the last few days," according to Sheba Medical Center spokeswoman Amir Maron. Sharon has been in a coma since January 2006, when he suffered a major stroke that led doctors to put him under anesthesia and on a respirator. His family planned to meet at the Israeli hospital Saturday to mark the eighth anniversary of his hospitalization, reported Israel's Channel 10 TV, a CNN affiliate. Born in 1928 in Kfar Malal -- a community that would later become part of Israel -- Sharon began working with the Haganah, a militant group advocating for Israel's independence, after graduating from high school in 1945. After a year of studies at Hebrew University, he began his rise through the Israeli military ranks in 1953, including helping establish an elite commando unit and various promotions up to the army's major general. He held this rank during 1967's Six-Day War, which ended with Israel notably, if controversially, expanding its territory. Sharon went on to play major roles in subsequent Israeli military conflicts as well, including as head of the Army's Armored Reserve Division during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He then began segueing into government, including stints as Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's military adviser, agriculture minister and defense minister from August 1981 to February 1983. His actions in this last post led many in the Arab world to label him the "Butcher of Beirut." Sharon orchestrated Israel's invasion of Lebanon, an effort aimed at Palestine Liberation Organization fighters that also left hundreds of Lebanese civilians dead. An official Israeli inquiry found Sharon indirectly responsible for the September 1982 killings of as many as 2,000 Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps outside of Beirut, Lebanon. The report -- which led to Sharon's prompt resignation -- determined the then-defense minister did nothing to stop Christian militiamen allied with Israel from entering the camps, despite fears they might seek to avenge the killing of their leader the previous day. Sharon did not stay out of the spotlight for long, with his adviser Ranaan Gissin saying "he felt betrayed by his government." He sued Time for a magazine article implying that he had foreknowledge and a greater role in this massacre, with a jury later finding the U.S.-based publisher guilty of defamation but not of malice. Sharon went on to hold a several other Cabinet posts from 1984 to 2001, when he won a special election to become prime minister. By then, as head of the Likud party, Sharon was considered a hawk. And early on, he took the offensive by sending tanks and troops into Palestinian territory and ordering the assassination of militant leaders. But Sharon also took steps toward peace, such as agreeing with PLO leader Yasser Arafat on a timeline to halt Israeli-Palestinian violence and resume peace talks -- only to have this effort undermined by his own party, which backed a resolution to never allow the creation of a Palestinian state. Sharon later participated in talks with regional and world powers to discuss a "road map" for Middle East peace. Immediately after he fell ill in early 2006, his power was transferred to Vice Premier Ehud Olmert. Surgeons removed 20 inches of his intestine the following month and, that April, Israel's Cabinet formally ended his run as prime minister after declaring him permanently incapacitated. The former prime minister's health has fluctuated during the time he has been in the coma. In January 2013, doctors said testing on Sharon indicated some brain activity when he was shown photos of his home and heard his son's voice. Sharon brain results not proof he'll wake up . | The ex-prime minister's condition worsened "in the last few days," a hospital official says .
Reports: Sharon's life in danger due to kidney problems, sources say .
Sharon, a decorated war vet before being elected, has been in a coma since 2006 .
Affiliate: His family was set to visit Saturday on the 8th anniversary of hospitalization . |
212,962 | 9fc6df0070011e8061c48fd07c0e93755ece0bd5 | The Beatles were right. Love is all people need to thrive in every way, a new study claims. Researchers claim that relationships help people cope with stress and adversity as well as helping them to learn, explore, achieve goals, cultivate new talents and find purpose and meaning in life. But how someone provides support dictates how successful another person can become. Scroll down for video . Researchers claim that relationships help people cope with stress and adversity as well as helping them to learn (stock image), explore, achieve goals, cultivate new talents and find purpose and meaning in life . Previous research has shown that people with supportive and rewarding relationships have better mental health and quality of life, and lower rates of morbidity and mortality. The new study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Review, builds on this and says that people are most likely to thrive with well-functioning close relationships. These relationships could be romantic or between friends, parents, siblings or mentors. Dr Brooke Feeney, of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Professor Nancy Collins, of the University of California at Santa Barbara, said ‘thriving’ involves five components of wellbeing. These include 'hedonic wellbeing', such as happiness, 'eudaimonic wellbeing' - having purpose and meaning in life as well as progressing towards life goals - and 'psychological wellbeing', such as the absence of mental health problems. They continued that 'social wellbeing' – provided by deep and meaningful human connections and positive interpersonal expectancies – as well as physical wellbeing is necessary to thrive. Video courtesy of The Couple Connection . One expert said that relationships help people recover in bad times (illustrated with a stock image) and not only help people recover, but thrive afterwards . Bosses who shout and send demeaning emails to employees can cause conflict throughout their team, researchers recently claimed. They say the abuse is 'toxic' and can spread through the workplace, leading to everybody suffering. The Michigan State University study, conducted in China and the United States, suggests the toxic effect of nonphysical abuse by a boss is much broader than believed. Study author Crystal Farh said supervisors who belittle and ridicule workers not only negatively affect those workers' attitudes and behaviours, but also cause team members to act in a similar hostile manner toward one another. 'That's the most disturbing finding because it's not just about individual victims now, it's about creating a context where everybody suffers, regardless of whether you were individually abused or not,' she said. The findings could likely be explained by social learning theory, in which people learn and then model behavior based on observing others, in this case the boss. Lead researcher Dr Feeney said: ‘Relationships serve an important function of not simply helping people return to baseline, but helping them to thrive by exceeding prior baseline levels of functioning. ‘We refer to this as source of strength (SOS) support, and emphasise that the promotion of thriving through adversity is the core purpose of this support function.’ She explained that relationships should support a person’s development by helping them seize opportunities and explore, grow and achieve. This type of support is referred to as relational catalyst (RC) support. And the social scientists found that support providers with certain characteristics can provide more meaningful support and the most important is sensitivity. ‘It is not just whether someone provides support, but it is how he or she does it that determines the outcome of that support,’ Dr Feeney said. ‘Any behaviours in the service of providing SOS and RC support must be enacted both responsively and sensitively to promote thriving. ‘Being responsive involves providing the type and amount of support that is dictated by the situation and by the partner's needs, and being sensitive involves responding to needs in such a way that the support-recipient feels understood, validated, and cared for.’ She warned that some support providers may accidentally do more harm than good, by making a person feel weak, needy or inadequate. They could also run the risk of making someone feel guilty, indebted or as if they are a burden. | Experts from Pittsburgh and California said relationships help people 'thrive'
Relationships help people cope with adversity, and achieve goals .
Healthy relationships also help people find 'purpose and meaning in life'
How someone provides support dictates how much a person can thrive . |
28,303 | 5046addda6215033a27eb5226ea6ce40da7e2cca | A school's 'therapy' dog has died after being left in a hot car for six hours because of a 'staff mix-up'. Ruby the labrador was used to help lower-ability pupils at Sittingbourne Community College in Kent. The much loved dog's owner Dave Carden, 53, a PE teacher, would drive her in and leave her in his car for another teacher to collect and take into class. A 'therapy' dog has died after being left in a hot car for six hours because of a 'staff mix-up' at Sittingbourne College in Kent . But on Tuesday - the hottest day of the year so far - she was not collected. It has been reported she remained in the car between 8am and 2.35pm while outside temperatures rose to the 20C mark. Ruby (not pictured) remained in the car between 8am and 2.35pm while outside temperatures rose to the 20C mark . By the time Mr Carden spotted her, five year-old Ruby was dead, and despite rushing with his pet to the vets, there was nothing they could do to save her. Ruby had been used at the school up to three times a week since 2010 - to provide additional support in lessons for lower-ability pupils. Jon Whitcombe, principal of Swale Academy Trust which runs the college, said many pupils had been devastated by the "tragic accident". He said: 'Ruby was a much-loved member of the school community and died in what can only be described as a tragic accident. 'We've got a number of very upset pupils and staff and we're trying our best to provide the necessary support to those concerned.' The RSPCA has launched an investigation and a spokeswoman said: 'We received calls about this incident - from members of the public rather than the police. 'We are currently looking into the matter, so cannot say more about the specific incident at present.' Ruby was presented with a young carers' community award in 2011. | Dog used to help pupils at Sittingbourne Community College, in Kent .
She was driven in by one teacher and left in car for another to collect .
But on Tuesday - the hottest day of the year so far - she was not collected .
After six hours in the car she was found dead when her owner returned . |
209,118 | 9acda7a683b4e38068c4828e53dad4c022710c5e | Johannesburg (CNN) -- A plane carrying Madagascar's ousted leader Marc Ravalomanana was turned away from Madagascan airspace Saturday as he tried to return from exile, his spokesman and the airline said. Ravalomanana, who had been in South Africa in exile, took off from Johannesburg Saturday morning in what was his second bid to return to his home country. But Ravalomanana's spokesman Patrick Gearing, in South Africa, told CNN that the civil aviation authorities on the Indian Ocean island had closed the airspace, refusing the plane permission to land. By Saturday afternoon the plane -- and Ravalomanana -- were back in South Africa, said Gearing. Ravalomanana was ousted in March 2009 through a coup backed by the military, which handed power to current President Andry Rajoelina, the youthful former mayor of Antananarivo. Shortly before boarding his flight to the capital, Antananarivo, Ravalomanana said that he had just spoken with the Madagascan Prime Minister Omer Beriziky, who told him "everything was OK." Speaking before the flight took off, Gearing said: "He has no control over what will happen to him when he arrives but he is prepared to face whatever comes his way." Ravalomanana's previous unsuccessful effort to return last year came to an end in Johannesburg, when the airline he was using was told it wouldn't be allowed to land if he was on board. Madagascar is in the process of implementing a peace agreement facilitated by a regional body, the South African Development Community. Gearing says Ravalomanana met with South Africa's President Jacob Zuma Friday to thank him for letting him stay following his ouster. U.S. and South African diplomatic sources tell CNN his return would be catastrophic for any peace process going forward. CNN's Pierre Meilhan contributed to this report. | NEW: Marc Ravalomanana's plane has arrived in South Africa after being turned away .
Ravalomanana was ousted from Madagascar in 2009 following a military-backed coup .
He has been living in exile in South Africa .
Efforts have been under way to restore peace to the Indian Ocean island . |
182,099 | 77c4d915de7241f3f4f8eb3076d136b258e95fe1 | They are the five 20-somethings who perform sell-out gigs, get flown around the world to perform for their most dedicated superfans and get mobbed by female fans. No, we're not talking about BRIT-winning boy band One Direction but their tribute act, Only One Direction. Matt Brinkler, 24, Henry Allan, 23, Jamie Searls, 23, Aaron Foster, 23, and 22-year-old David Ribi have filled concert venues across the country and played to tens of thousands of screaming fans impersonating the famous five. Heartthrobs: . (L-R) David Ribi (Niall Horan), Jamie . Searls (Zayn Malik), Aaron Foster (Liam Payne), Henry Allan (Harry . Styles) and Matt Brinkler (Louis Tomlinson), have filled concert venues . across . the country and have played to tens of thousands of screaming fans . The boys have just got back from two weeks performing two shows a night in Dubai - where their fans went so wild they stormed the stage. The boys went from struggling musicians to stadium-filling stars within months - and now see every tour as another boys' holiday that earns them thousands of pounds. David, who sings as Niall, said: 'I think the best way to describe it is to say it’s like being in a flash mob. 'There’s all this greatness and craziness when you’re on stage and then as soon as you’ve done the meet and greet afterwards - everything goes back to normal. Look familiar? Meet the five boys who perform sell-out gigs and get flown around the world to perform for One Direction's most dedicated superfans . Spot the difference: The tribute band have been together for two years and were selected from hundreds of hopefuls to be the ultimate 1D cover band . 'It’s like you’re famous for a little while and you get the buzz of being on stage - but none of the stresses and pressure - you can just walk down the street like a normal guy.' The boys have learned every song the boy band have released and perform a one-hour set jammed with 1D’s biggest anthems and latest hits. They went from on-off relationships at home to having thousands of girls desperate for their attention. Henry said: 'There is just nothing better than performing - the crowd are always screaming and loving what we do and there is no better feeling than that. Rise to fame: The boys went from struggling musicians to stadium filling stars within months - and now see every tour as another boys holiday that earns them thousands of pounds . 'We perform at festivals, our own gigs and birthday parties for One Direction superfans.' Like the real 1D - Only One Direction are met at gigs by hoards of screaming girl fans. Matt said: 'They storm the stage afterwards wanting pictures and autographs, it’s crazy. 'The younger crowds like Niall - he’s the cute one, but the older girls love Harry so Henry gets a lot of the attention.' The tribute band have been together for two years and were selected from hundreds of hopefuls to be the ultimate 1D cover band. David Ribi, from Kent, is also a leading man in the West End, Jamie Searls, from Cork in Ireland, was in the original Union J line-up on X Factor before he was booted off, Aaron Foster from Newcastle is a model and dancer, Henry Allan is a barman from London and Matt Brinkler is a solo musician from Cambridge. The London-based band have travelled from Dubai to Aberdeen and have a continuous stream of gigs. Lovestruck: The boys have had fans asking them to touch their hands and sign their skin, which they describe as 'surreal' Jamie said: 'We’re very lucky - we have been on a crazy run of performances all over the country. 'Now we get to perform in places like Dubai, which was amazing - we were performing on this massive stage in this enormous mall halfway around the world. 'We’re a new era tribute band - we all play a character in the band but we are all singers musicians and actors in our own right.' Matt said: 'We learn the new songs as they are released, in the beginning we just had X Factor covers and singles but now we play songs from all three of the One Direction albums. Singstars: The boys have learned every song the billionaire boy-band have released and perform a one-hour set jammed with all the big anthems . Globetrotters: The boys have just got back from two weeks performing two shows a night in Dubai - where their fans went so wild they stormed the stage . 'When one of the 1D songs was leaked online we learnt the song and performed it before they did - all the fans already knew the words.' 23-year-old Aaron Foster who performs as superstar Liam Payne said: 'The reaction of people when we perform is crazy. 'It’s mental - when there are girls crying, they want you to touch their hands and sign their skin - its a really surreal experience.' Henry who plays as 1D heartthrob Harry Styles said: 'We have some girls that will come to all our gigs and we have 5,000 followers on Twitter - which in unheard of for a tribute band. 'We’re on the road travelling to shows a lot of the time but its an incredible experience.' Best mates: The boys see touring as a 'lads holiday' and perform at birthday parties and private gigs . This Is Us: The boys describe themselves as a new era tribute band - they all play a character in the band but say they're all singers musicians and actors in their own right . NAME? David Ribi . WHO? Niall Horan . FROM? Kent . AGE? 22 . SPECIAL TALENT? David was a cast member of the Tour of Hairspray last year where he played 'Sketch'. Played Peter Pan in the Christmas panto alongside Steve McFadden in Croydon . NAME? Jamie Searls . WHO? Zayn Malik . FROM? Cork, Ireland . AGE? 23 . SPECIAL . TALENT? Was in the . original Union J line-up on X Factor before he was booted off. Bandmate George Shelley (who is ironically often compared to Harry Styles) went on to make the final band . NAME? Aaron Foster . WHO? Liam Payne . FROM? Newcastle . AGE? 23 . SPECIAL . TALENT? Is also a model and dancer . NAME? Henry Allan . WHO? Harry Styles . FROM? London . AGE? 23 . SPECIAL . TALENT? He is also a trained barman . NAME? Matt Brinkler . WHO? Louis Tomlinson . FROM? Cambridge . AGE? 24 . SPECIAL . TALENT? He a solo artist himself . | Selected from hundreds to be ultimate 1D cover band two years ago .
Just got back from two weeks performing two shows a night in Dubai .
Say fans went so wild, they storm stage and asked them to sign their skin .
Went from struggling musicians to stadium-filling stars within months .
Earn thousands performing one-hour set jammed with 1D’s biggest hits .
Travel to Dubai and Aberdeen and have continuous stream of gigs . |
255,134 | d640034bf2a7adf697b174d2e6ab6e4e0a798a8c | By . Abigail Frymann . U2 manager Paul McGuinness has announced he is stepping aside after 35 years at the helm of the world famous band. The unofficial fifth member of the Irish rock group is also close to selling his management company, Principle Management, to Live Nation Entertainment. The New York Times said Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary, is set to take over as U2 manager. Retiring: Paul McGuinness, 62, pictured here with his wife Kathy Gilfillan, as well as Bono and his wife Ali Hewson . McGuinness has managed U2 since 1978, two years after four Dublin teenagers - Paul Hewson (Bono) on vocals, David Evans (The Edge) on guitar, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen on drums - formed a band. Under McGuinness' control U2 has gone on to sell in excess of 140 million records and win 22 Grammy awards. The band's last tour, called 360, grossed more than £438m in ticket sales and was seen by nearly seven million people around the world. Legacy: Retiring manager Paul McGuinness is credited with keeping U2 from breaking up early on in their career . Top of their game: U2, performing here in 2010 in Germany, have sold in excess of 140 million records and won 22 Grammy awards . McGuinness founded Principle Management in 1982 and became one of the most highly-rated executives in the music business. His client list also included PJ Harvey, The Rapture and Paddy Casey. In 1979, the year the band released their first single, Bono proclaimed: 'We're not going to let people rip us off, we want the money.' Bono has often called McGuinness U2's fifth member, and he has reportedly taken 20 per cent of the band's income. While other bands in the 1960s and 1970s were ruthlessly exploited or suffered at the hands of their larger-than-life managers, McGuiness was scrupulously fair with U2 and ensured they were never ripped off. A journalist from Hot Press, Bill Graham, persuaded McGuinness to become the band's manager, after they had performed a gig in Dublin in 1978. Back then, he was a film technician and his only prior experience was of managing a little-known Irish folk band Spud. McGuinness always vowed he did not influence the band's artistic direction. But he did exert some crucial influence in 1981 after Bono, The Edge and drummer Larry Mullen Jr became born-again Christians and told McGuinness the band was finished. Legends: at the 2011 Q awards the band was honoured as the greatest act of the past quarter of a century . Going global: pictured here in Sweden, U2 have won over audiences around the world . Wowed at the wall: As a prelude to Berlin's Fall of The Wall celebrations in 2009, U2 gave a free performance at Brendenburg Gate which formed part of MTV Europe Music Awards . McGuinness appealed to Bono's conscience, reminding him how much other people had spent on their forthcoming tour of the US. It worked, and the band went, and kept going back over the years. But one piece of McGuinness' advice that Bono has ignored is his view that artists should describe problems, not get embroiled in fixing them. Bono has lobbied the likes of President George W Bush and Vladimir Putin to urge them to cancel developing nations' debts. But in 2006 it emerged that U2's business transactions had been shifted to the tax-free Dutch holding company Promogroup - a move McGuinness helped to bring about. That revelation left Bono open to the charge of hypocrisy. Commenting on his forthcoming retirement, McGuinness, 62, said was delighted that Live Nation has joined him in creating a powerful new force in artist management. Distinctive: U2's 2009 Wembley gig was attended by a record-breaking 88,000 people and featured a giant spaceship-style claw over the stage . Making music history: Bono and bandmates took to the stage for the Make Poverty History concert in London's Hyde Park in 2005 that urged G8 leaders to cancel developing nations' debt, improve aid and make global trade rules fairer to poor nations . 'It could be seen as slightly poor etiquette for a manager to consider retiring before his artist has split, quit or died, but U2 have never subscribed to the rock 'n' roll code of conduct,' he told the New York Times. 'As I approach the musically relevant age of 64 I have resolved to take a less hands-on role as the band embark on the next cycle of their extraordinary career.' Good causes: Bono has been associated with a host of charitable causes. But details of U2's tax affairs which emerged in 2006 left him open to charges of hypocrisy . Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, is in talks to buy Madonna's management company Maverick. The move will result in Madonna's manager, Guy Oseary, taking over the management of U2 and day to day running of Principle, while McGuinness will become chairman of Principle Management. Live Nation is due to issue a statement on the deal, which is worth an estimated 30 million US dollars (£18.7m). What a line-up: U2 were the supporting act when The Police performed at the International Stadium, Gateshead, in 1982 . Hair to stay: Bono (left) shows off his mullet at a 1985 performance in Milton Keynes . In the beginning: U2, young and fresh-faced in Dublin in 1978 . Before the big time: Bono said at the outset he didn't want anyone to rip them off, and McGuinness ensured that never happened . In 2008, Live Nation struck a deal with U2 to handle the band's touring and merchandising exclusively for 12 years. According to Pollstar, a concert industry trade magazine, the top 10 highest-grossing tours include four by U2 and one by Madonna. McGuinness has received many international awards including Pollstar Personal Manager of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish music industry in 2002, and the Peter Grant International Manager of the Year Award in 2006. In 1999, together with U2, he received the Freedom of the City of Dublin. | Paul McGuinness is to hand the running of the band to Madonna's manager .
The man Bono calls U2's fifth member reportedly takes a 20 per cent stake .
On McGuinness' watch the band has sold more than 140m records .
He is selling his management company in a deal worth an estimated £18.7m . |
190,382 | 827cc73e79dbaf8ff0ebd12152f9e9fe5e796de3 | Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israeli archaeologists have discovered an ancient Roman bathhouse that was probably used by the soldiers who destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday. The surprise discovery includes the mark of Rome's Tenth Legion -- as well as the paw print of a dog. The animal probably belonged to one of the soldiers, excavation director Ofer Sion said. The print "could have happened accidentally or have been intended as a joke," he said. Archaeologists were not expecting to find the Roman structure in the Jewish Quarter, where a mikvah, or Jewish ritual bath, was being constructed. "The mark of the soldiers of the Tenth Legion, in the form of the stamped impressions on the roof tiles and the in situ mud bricks, bears witness to the fact that they were the builders of the structure," he said. "It seems that the bathhouse was used by these soldiers who were garrisoned there after suppressing the Bar Kokhba uprising in 135 CE (A.D.), when the pagan city Aelia Capitolina was established," he explained. The structure includes a number of plastered bathtubs in the side of a pool, a pipe used to fill it with water, and a white industrial mosaic pavement on the floor. Hundreds of terra cotta roof tiles were found on the floors of the pool, indicating it was a covered structure, he added. The bathhouse tiles are stamped with the symbols of the Tenth Legion "Fretensis" -- LEG X FR, he said. The discovery shows that the Roman encampment established to help keep Israel under Roman domination was larger than previously thought, another expert said. "Despite the very extensive archaeological excavations that were carried out in the Jewish Quarter, so far not even one building has been discovered there that belonged to the Roman legion," Jerusalem district archaeologist Yuval Baruch said. "The absence of such a find led to the conclusion that Aelia Capitolina, the Roman city which was established after the destruction of Jerusalem, was small and limited in area," he said. But the discovery of the 1,800-year-old bathhouse "together with other discoveries of recent years, shows that the city was considerably larger than what we previously estimated," he said. Understanding the ancient Roman city of Aelia Capitolina is "extremely valuable," he said, because it determined the shape of Jerusalem's historic walls "and the location of the gates to this very day." | The surprise discovery shows the ancient Roman encampment was bigger than thought .
It includes tiles stamped with the mark of the legion that destroyed the Second Temple .
Archeaologists found a dog's paw print .
The Roman city helped determine the shape of Jerusalem to the present day . |
85,831 | f364e4dbb1b79bec45a217ffeeb31628f64d93b9 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 13:44 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:45 EST, 22 December 2013 . Forensic scientists in Colombia are embarking on a huge project to identify the remains of 500 children who were taken by guerrilla fighters and later found in mass unmarked graves. Their investigations have identified one girl through her bones as the victim of a bombing, after she had been missing for more than a decade after being taken by leftist rebels from her home aged 14. It comes more than 10 years after she was taken and died at a camp run by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the main guerrilla group in Colombia that has recruited child fighters. Identifying: A worker at Colombia's Institute of Forensic Medicine organises the remains of a young woman recruited by a guerrilla group . Huge effort: The institute has now begun a big project to identify the remains of children from mass graves . Project: Around six forensic experts are using the latest technology to compare DNA profiles obtained from remains of around 500 victims with samples from possible relatives . Forensic analysis was carried out by . Colombia's Institute of Forensic Medicine at the request of her family, . who believed the FARC had taken her and she could have been among the . dead. Pedro Morales, the institute’s deputy . director, said: ‘We have a slogan: life took them from us and death . brings them back to us.’ The . institute has now begun a project to identify the remains of . children from mass graves, with more than 17,000 children having gone . missing during Latin America's longest-running insurgency. Around . six forensic experts are using the latest technology to compare DNA . profiles obtained from remains of around 500 victims with samples from . possible relatives. Difficult task: Complicating the project, there is no national database of genetic information in Columbia . Scientific: Experts say identifying remains through DNA is far more difficult than TV shows make it seem, particularly in Colombia, where acidic soil and a hot and humid climate speed up the deterioration of the bones . Tricky job: Children have a lower concentration of the minerals that protect bones than adults, which leaves them more vulnerable to decomposition . In one case, a girl was conscripted by . the far-right United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitary . group and murdered in 2003, according to testimony from an demobilised . fighter. 'We have a slogan: life took them from us and death brings them back to us' Pedro Morales, deputy director of Colombia's Institute of Forensic Medicine . Her remains, . partially decomposed after eight years in a grave, are resting on the . table of anthropologist Lauro Polo, of the institute's laboratory in the . central Colombian city of Villavicencio. ‘She . was executed between August and October 2003 by members of the AUC with . a shot to the head,’ and she was ‘dismembered to hide the evidence,’ explained Ms Polo, while holding the destroyed skull of the young girl . in her gloved hands. A sample was taken from one of the bones to compare the DNA with that of her paternal grandmother. Horror: More than 17,000 children having gone missing during Latin America's longest-running insurgency . Tragic: Children were often taken from his or her village by armed groups, and their families didn't see them again until they appeared years later in mass graves or unmarked graves in cemeteries . In most of the cases Ms Polo has worked on, she said, the child was taken from his or her village by armed groups, and their families didn't see them again until they appeared years later in mass graves or unmarked graves in cemeteries. The experts in Villavicencio emphasise that identifying remains through DNA is far more difficult than TV shows make it seem, particularly in Colombia, where acidic soil and a hot and humid climate speed up the deterioration of the bones. Children also have a lower concentration of the minerals that protect bones than adults, which leaves them more vulnerable to decomposition. Further complicating the project, there is no national database of genetic information. | Girl is identified having been missing for 10 years after being taken aged 14 .
Forensic analysis carried out by scientists at the request of her family .
They believed FARC had taken her and she could have been among dead .
DNA profiles from remains of 500 victims compared with relatives' samples . |
139,123 | 3fea4128f2f60483856b5a74989bb2572f8eeb92 | The Football Association turned down the chance to interview Pep Guardiola for the England manager’s job last year, appointing Roy Hodgson instead having made a policy decision to hire an English manager. The revelation will stun many fans because Guardiola, 42, is viewed as one of the world’s best coaches, having overseen serial successes at Barcelona, including two Champions League wins, three La Liga titles and multiple cups. But an FA insider insists former chairman David Bernstein was right to ‘go English’, not least because it would send the right message concerning home talent. You could have had me: The FA turned down the chance to interview Pep Guardiola for the England job . Successful: The FA picked Roy Hodgson after deciding to appoint an English manager . Sources say Guardiola was interested in talking to the FA when Fabio Capello resigned in February last year and an intermediary contacted the governing body to let them know. He had decided to leave Barcelona at the end of the 2011-12 season but was not 100 per cent certain he would take a sabbatical. It is understood a message was sent to Guardiola by the FA that the new man would need to be in place for Euro 2012, but the FA did not follow up further with him. The insider says the FA were contacted by representatives of multiple ‘top managers’ but only English candidates were considered seriously. Glittering: Guardiola won three La Ligas and two Champions Leagues at Barcelona . Change: Guardiola is now in charge of Bayern Munich and he began his reign by beating Chelsea in the Super Cup . Guardiola announced on April 27 last year that he would take the 2012-13 season off but he has subsequently returned to management this season with Bayern Munich. The FA appointed Hodgson, 66, as manager on May 1 last year. An FA spokesman said on Saturday: ‘This was a confidential process. We made it clear from the outset the preference was for an English manager and appointed the best man for the job, based on the outline set out by David Bernstein at the time.’ | Guardiola expressed interest in managing England after leaving Barcelona .
But the FA decided not to interview the Spaniard, 42, because they wanted an English manager after Fabio Capello quit .
Roy Hodgson was eventually appointed to lead the team into Euro 2012 . |
55,971 | 9ea82e9866b4d238b78f07e48f87deffd951b3ea | A seven-year-old called 999 when her heavily pregnant mother started having life-threatening convulsions - and then had to direct an ambulance driver to the maternity wing. Mum-of-three Louise Evans, 30, was at 35 weeks when she collapsed and suffered a pre-eclampsic fit at home with daughters Evie, seven, and Belle Norman, five. Instead of panicking, cool-headed Evie ran into the house, grabbed the phone and called an ambulance - telling the operator that her mother was asleep and wouldn't wake up. Scroll down for video . Seven-year-old Evie (left) rang 999 when her mother Louise Evans (right) suffered a pre-eclampsic fit. She then had to direct the ambulance driver to the maternity unit at Doncaster Royal Infirmary . She carefully followed instructions until the ambulance service arrived and rushed her mother to nearby Doncaster Royal Infirmary - where she gave birth just three hours later. But once they arrived in the hospital grounds, the ambulance driver couldn't find the maternity wing, as he was used to going straight to the emergency room. So Evie, who had been to the department with her mother for scans, stepped up again and directed him to the right building on August 30 last year. 'Evie was giving him directions, telling him 'that way' and 'round there', because she'd been to appointments with me before,' said Mrs Evans. Ambulances outside the Doncaster Royal Infirmary A&E department. Mrs Evans said her daughter Evie had to direct the ambulance driver to the maternity unity . A map showing the layout of Doncaster Royal Infirmary. Evie directed the ambulance to the maternity wing after they too her mother to the emergency room . 'She really saved the day - my little hero.' Pre-eclampsia can cause fits and other complications, as well as low birth weight and premature birth for the baby. Pre-eclampsia is a condition that can develop in pregnant women. Women with pre-eclampsia have high blood pressure and protein in their urine. Severe pre-eclampsia can be life-threatening for both mother and baby. In the baby it can cause growth problems and a premature birth. Symptoms include: . The severe convulsions, caused by high blood pressure, can be life-threatening for both mother and baby. The only cure for pre-eclampsia is for the baby to be born. Mrs Evans gave birth to her third baby girl later that day - and to say thank you for saving her and the baby's life, she allowed Evie and Belle to name her - which they did, calling her Alice. She had been watching Evie and Belle - now aged eight and seven - dressing up as princesses and putting on shows during the hot afternoon last year. 'I went inside to get them a drink, and that's the last thing I can remember. 'Putting together what I've been told, I collapsed onto the grass as I walked back outside with the drinks. 'Evie said she tried to wake me up, but I wouldn't wake, so she ran inside and grabbed the phone and called 999. 'Ever since my girls were little, I've always made sure they know what to do in an emergency, what their address is, I made up little songs to sing with Evie about our phone number so she could remember it easily. 'I don't know why, I think because I work with children, I was always aware that they needed to know what to do in an emergency. 'So Evie rang the operator and told her mummy was asleep and wouldn't wake up. 'They explained to Evie how to put me into the recovery position, so Evie and Bell put me onto my left side, raised my head.' Dr David Macklin, Deputy Medical Director at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: 'Louise's children are to be commended for staying calm' At one point, the operator asked Evie to check her mum's mouth for food or vomit, asking: 'Is there anything in her mouth?' And she replied: 'Just her teeth'. The ambulance took around ten or 15 minutes to arrive, and Mrs Evans woke up as the paramedics walked into the garden. 'Evie and Belle weren't upset the whole time they were on the phone, but as soon as I came round, they got upset,' she said. 'I think they were just relieved, and I kept asking them if they were ok. 'It's a really scary thought that for that period of time, they were just fending for themselves with noone to look after them.' Mrs Evans was told she would need an emergency caeserian to deliver Alice. She arrived safely at 8.15pm - just three hours after Evie made the 999 phone call and spent a week in the neo-natal unit while her breathing difficulties were resolved. 'Evie and Belle got to meet Alice before I did - because I was being treated in a separate ward so couldn't see Alice for a few days,' said Mrs Evans. 'I told them they could name her, because they saved her life - so they called her Alice, after Alice in Wonderland.' Dr David Macklin, Deputy Medical Director at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: 'Louise's children are to be commended for staying calm and doing all the right things when faced with this daunting situation. 'They carried out the right actions to get help for their Mum, didn't panic and did everything asked of them by our telephone adviser in the Emergency Operations Centre so that immediate care could be provided for Louise until the ambulance crew arrived on scene.' Operator: Are you outside? Evie: Yeah, we're in the back garden. O: Is anybody else there with you? E: No, just me and my sister. O: Right, how old is your sister? E: My sister is five. O: Can you get her to go and get a pillow? E: [whispering to sister, 'get a pillow'] . O: And bring it back to mummy as quick as she can. E: She is, she's running . O: How old are you? E: I'm seven . O: You're doing very well, your're helping mummy. E: What do you want her to do with the pillow? O: You've got the pillow? E: Yeah . O: You need to place her on her left side. Do you know which is your right and . which is your left? E: Mmmm, yes [whispers to sister: 'left side'] . O: Place mummy on her left side with the pillow wedged behind her lower back. E: We've done that . O: Have you done that? E: Errr, yeah . O: Ok my lovely, kneel next to her and look into her mouth for food or vomit. Is there anything in her mouth? E: Errr... just her teeth. O: Ok lovely, now place your hand on mummy's forehead and the other hand on . mummy's neck and tilt her head back. E: Yeah, yeah, yeah . O: Put your ear next to her mouth . E: Yeah . O: Can you feel or hear any breathing? E: Yeah, she is breathing . O: Is she breathing normally? E: Err ... I think it's quite about normal . O: Ok, we're going to do a breathing test, so every time mummy takes a breath, . you say 'now' to me, starting now . E: Ok, now.... now... now... now... O: That's fine, that's ok. Stay right with her and make sure her had is tilted . back. If she vomits you need to clean her mouth and nose but I'll stay with you . on the phone so tell me when the ambulance crew is right with her or if . anything changes. E: Ok. Thank you . O: That's ok, you're doing really well. [Evie can be heard telling her sister 'under lower back' and whispering . inaudibly] . O: Do you want me to repeat anything? E: Yes, please . [Operator repeats instructions about pillow] . E: She is blinking her eyelids [can be heard saying 'mummy, mummy'] . O: Is she responding at all? E: Errr, she's just nodding her head and blinking her eyelids . O: Ok, keep her as she is . E: Ok . O: What's your mummy's name? E: Errr Louise . O: Can the ambulance get round the back of your house? Are you at the front or . back? E: She's at the back. She's starting to talk now. O: Good, good, just reassure her. Is she able to talk now? E: Yeah, I think so . O: Can you put the phone to her ear? E: Ok . Louise [muffled] . O: Hello, can you hear me? It's the ambulance service, love, I think you passed . out. L: hello, yes [starts to cry] . O: You just stay where you are, we're going to get an ambulance to come and . check you out. I understand you're 37 weeks pregnant [35 weeks as previously . stated is correct] . L: [muffled talking] . O: I can't hear what you're saying . L: [crying] girls, don't cry, mummy;s ok. It's ok girls . O: Don't cry, they've done really well. Do you want to pass me back to your . seven year old? Try not to move. L: Ok . E: Hello? O: I'm going to stay with you until the ambulance arrives. E: They're coming in now, they're coming in the door. O: Ok. Your name is Evie is that right? E: Yeah . O: You've done really well Evie. Are the ambulance crew with your mum now? E: Yeah . O: Ok, bye then . E: Bye . | Heavily pregnant Louise Evans, 30, collapsed and started convulsing .
Her seven-year-old daughter Evie rang 999 and followed instructions .
Ambulance rushed mother and two daughters to Doncaster Royal Infirmary .
But driver did not know way to the maternity unit, so Evie directed him .
Mother suffered pre-eclampsic fit and gave birth three hours after 999 call .
Severe pre-eclampsia can be life-threatening for both mother and baby . |
97,451 | 096e0a90fde03fc9f02096dcc9e2ff119e9447f4 | Referee Jon Moss 'wilted' under pressure from Chelsea players and sent off Gareth Barry, according to Everton captain Phil Jagielka. The Toffees were level when Barry received his marching orders for a second yellow card late on for a tackle on Willian following an earlier booking for bringing down Juan Cuadrado. Jose Mourinho's men appeared quick to surround Moss and Jagielka believes the referee was influenced to show the red card before Willian scored a last-minute winner for the home side. Everton midfielder Gareth Barry is sent off by referee Jon Moss during the Toffees' defeat by Chelsea . Everton captain Phil Jagielka (second left) believes Moss 'wilted' under pressure from Chelsea players . Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas and defender Cesar Azpilicueta gesture to the referee after Barry's foul . Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Jagielka said: 'I'm not sure the tackle warranted a second yellow but the ref is surrounded by five or six of their players and is put under tremendous pressure and, unfortunately for us, wilted and sent Gaz off.' Tim Howard replaced Joel Robles in goal after returning to fitness and looked like keeping a clean sheet until Willian's late strike after Chelsea had a goal ruled out just minutes earlier. 'Tim's made some pretty good saves and (Petr) Cech has made a couple as well but you think your luck is in when the deflected goal is ruled out for offside,' explained Jagielka. 'Then there is a mad two or three minutes. Then to compound the misery, the ball deflected two or three times and went in the bottom corner.' Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard watches on as Willian's shot finds the back of the net late on . Midfielder (left) Willian is jubilant as he celebrates his late winner with Didier Drogba . | Gareth Barry was sent off during Everton's defeat by Chelsea .
Toffees midfielder received second booking from referee Jon Moss .
Roberto Martinez's side lost the game to a last-minute Willian strike .
READ: Mourinho threatens to walk out of post-match press conference . |
124,170 | 2c8397b58a789dd2539c7d36e2f5d2774e319f6c | By . Daniel Mills for Daily Mail Australia . Mental health disorders such as depression and work-related stress are now the leading cause of long-term sickness absence in working-age Australians. The absences, many of them permanent, are costing the economy more than $12 billion a year in lost productivity and disability benefits and the risks are just as inherent in teachers and lawyers as they are in front-line emergency service workers. But one Australian group aligned with mental health advocacy is helping treat the 1.4 million Australians coping with the disorder - by introducing new workplace programs to combat increased stress levels. Sam Harvey is helping workplaces better cope with the stigma associated with mental health . A team of researchers from the Black Dog Institute and UNSW are helping people deal with work-related . Workplace Mental Health Researcher Sam Harvey from the Black Dog Institute is teaming up with employers to manage staff stress levels. Firefighters are on the front-line coping with trauma . He, along with a team of researchers from the university of NSW, have identified a number of interventions that are effective in reducing significant mental illness for working-age Australians. 'Consider workplace health promotion strategies that include both physical activity incentives and mental health awareness and education,' he said. He said people in occupations with regular exposure to traumatic events, such the police, paramedics, fire fighters, military personnel, medical staff and journalists have historically been associated with post traumatic stress. His team is helping reduce this - by way of therapy and relaxation training at the place where people spend 'one-half of their waking lives' - at work. Along with in-house workplace counselling and the provision of formal return to work programs for people recovering from mental illness, he said the programs are showing to have an effect in reducing depression. Mr Harvey said employers often do not know how to cope with the issue of mental health in the workplace. 'It is easy for employers to recognise a physical illness, for instance someone who has hurt there leg,' he said. 'They get a get well card and an office on the ground floor.' 'But for someone coming back from depression they (employers and colleagues) don't how to speak to them.' Other experiences such as marital distress, financial strain or dependent children can exacerbate work stress and result in strain, illness and sickness absence. In addition, other issues such as substance misuse, poor diet and limited exercise may be directly or indirectly related to either the organisation culture or personal choices. Write caption here . The Black Dog Institute is a world leader in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. Emergency Service personnel area the highest risk of suffering mental health issues . But despite how bad the workplace might be, Mr Harvey said the impact of unemployment on mental health is much worse. During the Global Financial Crisis, Dr Harvey said the rate of suicide in America and Europe was inflated quite dramatically as a result of job losses and financial insecurity. Some 5000 additional suicides were committed by people across America and Europe in 2008 - the year the GFC hit. In Australia, the problem was less severe. In Australia issues such as 'downsizing corporations,' highlighted most recently by the closure of Holden's Australian arm, are adding to mental health stress on working-aged Australians. In the northern suburbs of Adelaide, at the company's Elizabeth plant, the rate of youth unemployment is already at 44 per cent and the city as a whole experienced 209 deaths by suicide in 2011 - the ABS reported. He said the risk of suicide is greater if people have been dismissed from their job - without finding another in a 12 month period. 'Involuntary job loss also increases the risk of suicide and attempted suicide,' he said. Adding that while front-line emergency service workers such as doctors and nurses are among the biggest risk groups, those employed in other 'highly demanding jobs' where there is a mismatch between effort and reward are also not immune. 'This is highly prevalent in teachers and lawyers and elements of the public sector.' | Work-related stress plays a big part in the risk of mental health and suicide .
Front-line trauma workers at increased risk of mental health issues .
The downturn of manufacturing and Holden closures also a problem .
The Black Dog Institute is developing programs with employers to help . |
78,521 | de820e8f732550bcaef6e37af371d67dc1daf49c | (CNN) -- A sharply taken goal was followed by a celebration which showed he also has a sense of humor. Samuel Eto'o scored the crucial opener in Chelsea's 4-0 rout of Tottenham Hotspur Saturday to take them seven points clear in the English Premier League -- then faked as if he was an old man with a bad back, using the corner flag as a walking stick. Maybe it was in reaction to his manager Jose Mourinho's unguarded comments to a French TV channel last month. The Portuguese apparently questioned the age of the Cameroon star, who is 33 later this week, as well as making unflattering reference to the other strikers at Chelsea. Perhaps it has acted as unintentional motivation, but Eto'o showed his old qualities as he latched on to Jan Vertonghen's clumsy back pass and calmly beat Hugo Lloris to put Chelsea ahead just after half time. Moments later Eto'o raced on to Eden Hazard's through ball and went quickly to ground under challenge from Younes Kaboul. Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot and compounded Tottenham's anger by sending off Kaboul. Hazard converted from the spot and Eto'o's work was essentially done, being replaced by Demba Ba, but earning a pat on the back from Mourinho. He had only earned his place in the starting line up when Fernando Torres injured himself in the warm-up and Mourinho told Sky Sports, that it was "fate" that he later scored his seventh EPL goal of the season. "I think he's amazing. The way he copes with the situation in the last couple of weeks, I think he's fantastic. And today I told him before the game: 'You are going to score for sure.'" Tottenham's part in their own downfall, looking comfortable until Vertonghen's disastrous error after a slip, was summed up by Chelsea's two late goals. Sandro also slipped to allow Ba to score a rare EPL goal this term and he doubled his tally and made it 4-0 after he intercepted Kyle Walker's careless header. Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood was left shaking his head in disbelief, Mourinho had a spring in his step after a victory which left them clear of second-placed Liverpool and nine points ahead of Manchester City, who have three games in hand. Sherwood launched a post-match tirade against his team, whose chances of Champions League football have all but disappeared. "You can't legislate for the capitulation -- you can't have that. Lack of characters, too many of them too nice to each other and you need to show a bit more guts and not want to be someone's mate all the time," he said. "It hurts me and I won't forget about this when we hit the motorway, but some might," he added. Earlier, Manchester United kept their slim hopes of Champions League qualification alive with a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns. Goals from Phil Jones, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck gave United a second straight league win, while Pepe Mel's WBA remained a point above the drop zone after the home defeat. "I thought our forward play was very good," under-pressure United manager David Moyes told BT Sport. Third-placed Arsenal were involved in FA Cup quarterfinal action Saturday and beat Everton 4-1 at the Emirates to book a last four match at Wembley. The match hinged on the award of a penalty to the home side in the second half with the scores tied at 1-1. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was tripped by Gareth Barry and Mikel Arteta converted from the spot. Olivier Giroud came off the bench for the home side to add gloss to the scoreline with two late goals as Everton pushed for an equalizer. Mesut Ozil had put Arsenal ahead before Romelu Lukaku leveled for the visitors. | Chelsea stretch lead at top of English Premier League .
Samuel Eto'o stars in 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur .
Man Utd win 3-0 at WBA to ease pressure on manager David Moyes .
Arsenal through to FA Cup semifinal with 4-1 win over Everton . |
210,428 | 9c88306728a77713195e0cf951722d7a2d09d66f | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 09:01 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:36 EST, 12 December 2012 . God's representative on Earth will soon be spreading his holy message via Twitter . He already has 1.2 billion 'followers' in the standard sense of the word but the Pope now has another type after entering what for any 85-year old is the brave new world of the social media site. It was today announced that Pope Benedict's official handle on Twitter will be @Pontifex and within hours of the account going live this morning, the feed had attracted more than 70,000 followers. Spiritual: Most of the tweets will be updates on his weekly general audience, Sunday blessings and homilies on major Church holidays . Pope Benedict XVI will begin tweeting from December 12, with regular tweets in eight languages from the account . Even though the Pope will not begin tweeting until December 12, the feast of the Madonna of Guadalupe, he is already trending. Greg Burke, senior media advisor to the Vatican said @Pontifex is appropriate for a number of reasons. 'The handle is a good one. It means "pope" and it also means "bridge builder",' he said. 'The Pope wants to reach out to everyone,' he told a news conference. The first papal tweets will be answers to questions sent to @askPontifex. The tweets will be going out in . Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, German, Polish, Arabic and . French. Other languages will be added in the future. Livery: The official account features Vatican livery and images of the city state, as well as the Pope's signature . 'We are going to get a spiritual message. The Pope is not going to be walking around with a Blackberry or an iPad and no one is going to be putting words into the Pope's mouth. He will tweet what he wants to tweet,' Burke said. Primarily the tweets will come from the contents of his weekly general audience, Sunday blessings and homilies on major Church holidays. They will also include reaction to major world events, such as natural disasters. Benedict will be sending his first tweet himself on December 12 but in the future most will be written by aides and he will sign off on them before they are sent in his name. But while the Pope will be one of the world's most high-profile tweeters and have many followers, he will not be following anyone himself. The Pope's Twitter page is designed in yellow and white - the colours of the Vatican, with a backdrop of the Vatican and his picture. It may change during different liturgical seasons of the year and when he is away from the Vatican on trips. The Vatican said precautions had been taken to make sure the Pope's certified account is not hacked. Only one computer in the Vatican's secretariat of state will be used for the tweets. Pope Benedict XVI blessed the possibilities of social media last year but warned it can lead to isolation . 'The Pope's presence on Twitter is a concrete expression of his conviction that the Church must be present in the digital arena,' the Vatican said. 'This initiative is best understood in the context of his reflections on the importance of the cultural space that has been brought into being by the new technologies ... the Pope's presence on Twitter can be seen as the 'tip of the iceberg' that is the Church's presence in the world of new media,' it said in a statement. A few internet wags wryly observed the announcement. Writer Caitlin Moran, who has more than 330,000 followers, tweeted: 'So pleased I have more followers than The Pope (@Pontifex). He did only join ten minutes ago, but, still! I'M BIGGER THAN THE POPE!' The Pope, who still writes his speeches and books by hand, has given a qualified blessing to social networking. In a document issued last year, he said the possibilities of new media and social networks offered 'a great opportunity', but warned of the risks of depersonalisation, alienation, self-indulgence, and the dangers of having more virtual friends than real ones. The Vatican decided against using a personal Facebook page for the pope because they thought it was too personal an interaction and would require more manpower to keep updated. In 2009, a new Vatican website, www.pope2you.net, went live, offering an application called 'The Pope meets you on Facebook", and another allowing the faithful to see the pontiff's speeches and messages on their iPhones or iPods. The Vatican famously got egg on its face in 2009 when it was forced to admit that, if it had surfed the web more, it might have known that a traditionalist bishop whose excommunication was lifted had for years been a Holocaust denier. | The official account went live today and was deluged with followers .
The Pope will begin tweeting on December 12 .
@Pontifex handle means both 'Pope' and 'Bridge builder' |
116,082 | 21d66fab5148eeae5c878d2a4f227f99f55be329 | By . Mark Duell and Michael Zennie . Last updated at 7:33 PM on 24th November 2011 . The three U.S. students arrested in Egypt this week for allegedly throwing firebombs at security forces fighting with protesters were today released. Derrik Sweeney, 19, Luke Gates, 21, and Gregory Porter, 19, were on the roof of a university building near Tahrir Square when they were arrested. The three students - of Georgetown University, Indiana University and Drexel University respectively - all attend the American University in Cairo. Lined-up: Derrik Sweeney, 19, Luke Gates, 21, and Gregory Porter, 19, were arrested on Sunday on the roof of a university building near Tahrir Square . A court ordered the release of all . three following their arrest in Cairo on Sunday. Egyptian officials . anonymously confirmed the news on Thursday. The elated mother of Mr Sweeney, Joy, said news of their pending release is the best Thanksgiving gift. She hopes her son will head home on Friday. Mr Sweeney had worked on Barack . Obama's campaign in 2008, but interned this year with congressman . Blaine Luetkemeyer in Washington. Sources in the GOP congressman's office . said the Missouri native was a 'hard worker' and 'nice' and he worked . there from February to May. Out: Luke Gates, left, is a native of Bloomington, Indiana, while Derrik Sweeney, right, is from Jefferson City, Missouri . Mr Porter is originally from . Pennsylvania and Mr Gates is from Indiana. The three were studying for a . semester in Cairo to improve their Arabic. 'He's a strong believer in democracy and the right to it. But I don't believe he would be involved with intentionally harming anyone' Derrik Sweeney's mother Joy . Officials at all four universities . involved were working with the U.S. State Department and . Egypt’s government to get the Americans released. Video footage taken from the protests . shows at least two of the students, their faces covered by bandanas, . taking part alongside the Egyptians. Mr Gates, the oldest of the captured students, had been sending tweets from Cairo about attending the massive Egyptian rallies. Released: Gregory Porter, 19, attends Drexel University and is from Pennsylvania . 'Earlier tonight rubber bullets a charge and then a retreat, my knee and elbow are f****d up,' he wrote during the protests. 'I am a world citizen. Can I renounce my US citizenship on Twitter? haha... Honestly, hopefully I die here' Luke Gates . He also tweets: 'I am a world citizen. Can I renounce my US citizenship on Twitter? haha'. 'Honestly, . hopefully I die here,' he says later. Tens of thousands of protesters filled . Tahrir Square, demanding the country's interim Egyptian rulers hand . over power to a civilian government. Joy Sweeney's said earlier that she cannot believe the accusations against him. 'He's a strong . believer in democracy and the right to it,' she told CNN. Barbed wire: Protesters gather in Cairo as soldiers build a concrete barricade on the street between Tahrir Square and the interior ministry on Thursday . 'But I don't believe he would be . involved with intentionally harming anyone.' She said he is a . principled person who stands up for his beliefs. She said he attended previous . protests but stopped after a demonstration where dozens were killed. He . had assured his family he was safe. 'He got caught up in the whole college-change-the-world mentality, and he believes in democracy strongly,' she said. | Derrik Sweeney, Luke Gates & Gregory Porter released .
Arrested on Sunday on roof of building near Tahrir Sq .
But court ordered their release, officials confirm today . |
84,501 | efbde569f77e4c62eb33650f1dd101d4cf432d93 | (CNN)Months after a troublesome Rolling Stone article detailed rape claims on campus, the University of Virginia has reinstated its chapter of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. The decision came after Charlottesville police told UVA "that their investigation has not revealed any substantive basis to confirm that the allegations raised in the Rolling Stone article occurred at Phi Kappa Psi," the university said in a statement. "We welcome Phi Kappa Psi, and we look forward to working with all fraternities and sororities in enhancing and promoting a safe environment for all," UVA President Teresa A. Sullivan said. In November, Rolling Stone published "A Rape on Campus" featuring a woman identified only as Jackie. In the article, Jackie said she was brutally raped by seven men at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house during a party her freshman year. The article sparked international outrage and put UVA in the spotlight on the issue of campus sexual assault. UVA shut down Greek social life on November 21, two days after the article was published. But there were problems with the reporting. Within days, critics began to question some of the story's details, as well as Rolling Stone's decision not to contact the alleged attackers. The Washington Post, CNN and other news outlets followed up, identifying a number of contradictions and discrepancies. For example, two of Jackie's friends told CNN that numerous details of the alleged attack described in Rolling Stone were entirely different from what Jackie told them that night. And they said that, while it seemed clear that she had been traumatized, they saw no injuries consistent with an attack as vicious as the article describes. Rolling Stone apologized, acknowledging discrepancies and admitting that its writer had not contacted the man who allegedly orchestrated the attack on Jackie. The magazine also said the writer didn't contact any of the men that Jackie claimed participated in the attack, for fear that they would retaliate against her. "We published the article with the firm belief that it was accurate," the magazine said. "Given all of these reports, however, we have come to the conclusion that we were mistaken in honoring Jackie's request to not contact the alleged assaulters to get their account." The fraternity's chapter president, Stephen Scipione, said there is still "an opportunity to move forward with important safety improvements." "This has prompted us to take a closer look at ourselves and what role organizations like ours may play in this problem," Scipione said in a statement. "It's opened all of our eyes to the problem of sexual assault." Last week, the university reinstated Greek social life and announced new rules fraternities must follow if they want to throw a party. Among them: No pre-mixed drinks. Security at the doors. And sober brothers at every event, guarding the stairs and with key access to each room. CNN's Sara Ganim, Leigh Remizowski and Adam Levine contributed to this report. | The University of Virginia reinstates its Phi Kappa Psi fraternity chapter .
Police have not been able to confirm rape allegations detailed in Rolling Stone . |
122,181 | 29f42675f4abd3e2aae012a9228f361e8ff47ead | KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A fighter jet crashed in southern Afghanistan on Monday, in the fourth wreck in three days, authorities said. A French Air Force Mirage 2000 sits under a shelter on the tarmac at an airbase in Kandahar on January 1, 2009. Authorities were looking into why the plane went down during takeoff from Kandahar airfield Monday morning, but the role of insurgents had been ruled out, said Lt. Col. Paul Kolken, the spokesman at the airfield. The crew ejected safely, and was being treated, Kolken said. Five hours after the crash, the wreckage of the plane was still on fire. Military officials did not identify the type of jet that crashed, nor did they release the nationality of the crew. Weather conditions were fair at the time of the incident, Kolken said. On Saturday, a U.S. fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing its crew of two. In addition, a civilian helicopter went down on takeoff from Kandahar airfield on Sunday, killing 16 people, NATO said. Watch details of the helicopter crash » . And a military helicopter made a hard landing elsewhere on Sunday, apparently injuring at least some of those on board, NATO said. None of the aircraft were shot down, said the International Security Assistance Force -- NATO's mission in Afghanistan. It did not announce the cause of any of the crashes. There were at least two earlier crashes this month. Watch report on UK deaths in Afghanistan » . At least five people were killed when a helicopter went down in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province Tuesday, a local government official said. And on July 6, two Canadian air crew members and a British soldier were killed when a helicopter crashed during takeoff in Zabul province, the Canadian and British defense ministries said. CNN's Ivan Watson contributed to this report. | Authorities looking into why plane went down during takeoff from Kandahar airfield .
Crew ejected safely; Role of insurgents has been ruled out of cause of crash .
Military officials did not identify type of jet that crashed, nor the nationality of the crew .
Crash is the fourth aircraft wreck in three days . |
212,785 | 9f886b6c21addae923bcc05c3b6366c27068c4e1 | Experts may be concerned that a faulty thruster on the Philae lander could potentially scupper the Rosetta mission, but its lead scientist is so confident of success that he already has the triumphant moment of landing tattooed on his leg. British scientist Dr Matt Taylor is one of the most important people involved in the European Space Agency's mission to land on a comet for the first time and has become a Twitter sensation. The Rosetta Project Scientist has caused a stir on the social network because of his unorthodox appearance, involving bright shirts and an array of body art - including a tattoo on his leg of the space probe landing on the comet, which he got in January. Scroll down for video . Dr Matt Taylor, Rosetta Project Scientist, has caused a stir on Twitter because of his unorthodox appearance, involving bright shirts and an array of body art (pictured) Dr Taylor, from north east London, is so positive that the mission to land on the comet will be successful that he has already had the moment permanently etched on his body. He told BBC Breakfast: ‘I'm incredibly confident that we're going to nail this landing. I'm confident enough to have it drawn on my body.’ As he showed off the design on his right thigh, Dr Taylor said: ‘That's my prediction for later today, that we get the lander on the comet.’ The scientist is so positive that the mission to land on the comet will be successful that he has already had the moment permanently etched on his body (pictured) Earlier this morning, Esa's Rosetta probe released its Philae lander to attempt the first ever landing of a spacecraft on the surface of a comet. The separation was confirmed at 9.03am GMT, with pictures of Philae approaching the comet expected throughout the day before it lands on the surface at 3.30pm GMT. But the success of the mission now hangs in the balance after a thruster on Philae was found to be faulty. Mission controllers say there is a 50 per cent chance the cold thruster positioned on top of the lander will work, and without it, Philae will have to rely solely on harpoons to attach to the surface of the comet. The cold thruster was designed to push Philae closer to the comet. Dr Taylor, the son of a brick layer, was reportedly told to cover his tattoos at media events in the past, but his appearance seems only to have increased his popularity. Twitter users praised Dr Taylor for being ‘a proper cool scientist’ and ‘definitely not boring’ after he appeared on the European Space Agency live stream and BBC Breakfast wearing a multi-coloured shirt emblazoned with illustrations of glamorous women, which he teamed with shorts, which showed off his tattoos. To convince his new team of his dedication, Dr Taylor promised that if Rosetta woke up from its hibernation, he would get a tattoo to commemorate the event. This video shows the creation of the tattoo . Esa has successfully made contact with the Philae lander after it separated from the Rosetta spacecraft this morning at 08.35am GMT. It is now heading towards the comet and is expected to attempt to land on the surface at 4pm GMT. Pictured right is Paolo Ferri, Head of Mission Operations, celebrating making contact . When Philae touches the surface of the comet it will fire harpoons into the surface to keep it anchored there. To keep it attached to the surface a thruster at the top will push it down as the harpoons fire. But at the moment the thruster does not appear to be working. This means the lander will have to rely solely on its harpoons to stay attached to the surface. It will have to hope they grab the surface immediately and keep the lander anchored there. If they don’t, the force of firing them could send it floating off into space. 'We’ll need some luck not to land on a boulder or a steep slope,’ said Stephan Ulamec, Philae Lander Manager at the DLR German Aerospace Centre. One Twitter user wrote: 'Dr Matt Taylor is what every scientist should look like - rad shirt, sleeve tattoos. Rad,' while another said: ‘Matt Taylor causing thousands of people to choke on their cornflakes this morning.’ Dr Taylor studied at the University of Liverpool and Imperial College London, winning a PhD in space plasma physics . He has worked at the European Space Agency since 2005 and was given the top scientific job on the mission in the summer of 2013. The role was a real change from his previous job, which was studying the physics of the northern lights, The Guardian reported. Professor Mark McCaughrean, senior science advisor at ESA, who appointed Dr Taylor, said that he took a chance on the young scientist as he would have to come up to speed with the mission quickly and gain the trust of older experts who had been working at ESA for decades. To convince them of his dedication, Dr Taylor promised that if Rosetta woke up from its hibernation, he would get a tattoo to commemorate the event. In January this happened, and a school friend turned tattoo artist etched a reminder of the ambitious mission on his leg. In his profile on the Rosetta project website, Dr Taylor says: ‘The opportunity to work on Rosetta was huge and I cannot begin to describe the excitement associated with this mission. It really is just so cool.’ Rosetta has chased comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko through space for more than ten years in what has been described as 'the sexiest, most fantastic mission ever'. After a four billion mile (6.5 billion km) journey, it is now positioned in an orbit 19 miles (30 km) away from 67P . | Dr Taylor is the Rosetta Project Scientist at the European Space Agency .
He trended on Twitter after a TV appearance this morning, where he wore a colourful shirt and shorts, which showed off his array of tattoos .
One tattoo shows the Philae lander touching down on the comet - although the success of the Rosetta mission is currently hanging in the balance .
He is so confident of the mission's success he got inked in January .
Philae has been released but has a damaged thruster, meaning it will have to rely solely on harpoons to attach to the surface of the comet . |
181,583 | 7718289f453765660f9d8c1ea22535e64dac578f | (CareerBuilder) -- Just because icons like Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison aren't alive today, doesn't mean their leadership lessons should be forgotten. And since history always repeats itself, there is some career advice that never seems to change. Here, we take a look at the leadership philosophies of iconic leaders and how they can help you get ahead in your own career. "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure." -- Colin Powell . Career lesson: When it comes to your career, it's impossible to take the easy way out. Most of those who've found success don't have some secret connections that have helped them get ahead. Moving up in a company or building a business is always done the old-fashioned way -- by striving to do your best. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -- Thomas Edison . Career lesson: Not everyone gets it right 100 percent of the time, and the ability to rebound from career mistakes is just as important as getting it right the first time around. Companies are most interested in workers who can work through problems instead of giving up. "Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere." -- Albert Einstein . Career lesson: These days, innovation is a buzzword, and knowing how to think outside the box is a valuable skill. Companies aren't simply looking to hire clones, so understanding how to differentiate yourself in a corporate environment is a plus. "Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson . Career lesson: There's never a perfect day at work, and dwelling on past mistakes or having a negative attitude can prevent you from making progress. Remember that most of your superiors and managers have erred in the past but somehow managed to score that promotion. "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." -- Confucius . Career lesson: Just because a specific career is associated with a high salary or is in demand doesn't mean you should pursue it. Picking a profession you're genuinely interested in always makes it simpler to enjoy your work. "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." -- Mark Twain . Career lesson: Finding great mentors and avoiding those who don't believe in you is a must as you start your career. Whether it's a bullying boss, a jealous co-worker or an unsupportive classmate -- there's never a reason to be weighed down by negative opinions. "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt . Career lesson: Put your all in to your career -- sometimes you will fail, and sometimes you will succeed beyond what you could have imagined. Take risks, make sacrifices, learn from your mistakes and keep going. "Every now and then go away and have a little relaxation. To remain constantly at work will diminish your judgment. Go some distance away, because work will be in perspective and a lack of harmony is more ready seen." -- Leonardo DaVinci . Career lesson: Sometimes, taking a break is just as important as working hard. Getting burned out will be a lot worse for your productivity than simply stepping back once in while. Alina Dizik researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. © CareerBuilder.com 2011. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority. | Colin Powell: Preparation, hard work and learning from failure is way to success .
Albert Einstein: "Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere"
Mark Twain: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions" |
215,383 | a2cc7c78e605a31457d87a5cfbd43962b57f58df | Home ownership may be what many Australians dream of but the reality of how much your castle will finally cost reads more like a nightmare, as a mortgage of less than $500,000 will actually set you back more than $1 million by the time it's paid. Michelle Hutchison, Money Expert with finder.com.au, told Daily Mail Australia that the hefty price tag 'is not meant to put people off but show home-owners they have options'. Their research found that Australians with a mortgage of at least $489,300 will cost $1 million over the life of a 30-year loan, using the average variable interest rate of about 5.5 per cent. Scroll down for video . An Australian mortgage of less than $500,000 will actually set you back more than $1 million by the time it's paid . Michelle Hutchison, Money Expert with finder.com.au, told Daily Mail Australia that the hefty price tag 'is not meant to put people off but show home-owners they have options' Sydney tops the list for the most expensive median house price of $825,000 and for this price tag, borrowers will hit the $1 million mark by year 11 . If this mortgage size was 80 per cent of the property's value, that means any property priced from $611,625 will end up costing borrowers $1 million. Ms Hutchison, said many borrowers are being stung by this slow-burning hole in their hip pocket but it doesn't have to be that way. 'The fact is that there is such a huge difference in what lenders are offering, there's thousands of types of loans out there and different interest rates,' she said. 'When borrowers look at how much they can afford to repay for a home loan, they might not look down the track to how much they end up spending. The danger lies with spending a lot more than necessary. Sydney: $825,000 ($1.349 million) Melbourne: $633,000 ($1.035 million) Perth: $530,000 ($866,673) Brisbane: $475,000 ($776,735) Adelaide: $421,000 ($688,433) *Based on mortgage with 20% deposit paid over 30 year term and median house price . 'While it’s likely that your home will increase in value over a 30-year loan term, it might not compensate the cost of a home loan as the money you end up spending can be greatly increased if you have a small deposit and don’t shop around for a good value deal,' she said. Her other big tip is to pay that little bit extra each month or every week. 'Just $50 a month on a $489,300 loan can make a huge difference and will save you $26,000 over time,' she said. Ms Hutchison added that an extra $50 a week on the mortgage can trim almost $100,000 by the end. She also urged borrowers to haggle. 'Review your home loan very year, just by arguing with your current lender and getting 10 basis points trimmed, can work,' she added. 'And keep on top of your mortgage, if you get a reduction, make sure it doesn't get absorbed when rates fall. 'There are plenty of options and the lenders know that, so threaten to leave in the nicest possible way - the lenders are clever and know their competition, so use that leverage as a bargaining tool.' 'The fact is that there is such a huge difference in what lenders are offering, there's thousands of types of loans out there and different interest rates,' Michelle Hutchison said . Finder states that: 'Across the country, Sydney tops the list for the most expensive median house price of $825,000 according to figures by CoreLogic RP Data. For this price tag, borrowers will hit the $1 million mark by year 11, based on the average variable rate of about 5.5 percent, with a 20 percent deposit which would mean a loan size of $660,000.' For the median-priced house in Melbourne of $633,000, a mortgage of $506,400 (with a 20 per cent deposit) would cost borrowers $1.035 million over 30 years, hitting the $1 million mark by year 24. 'This research was based on the average variable rate of about 5.5 per cent but borrowers need to remember that there’s a big difference between what lenders are offering, which can mean bigger costs for a home if you’re not careful,' she added. 'Take advantage of the on-line tools and comparisons of different home loans to help you find the best value deals. This calculator helps borrowers determine the monthly repayments for each home loan based on any loan amount.' Michelle Hutchison added that an extra $50 a week on the mortgage can trim almost $100,000 by the end. She also urged borrowers to haggle . | Pay $611,000 for an Australian home and you will fork out $1 million over the life of your mortgage .
If your mortgage total is $489,000 it will also cost you $1 million on an interest rate of 5.5% .
Finder.com.au money expert Michelle Hutchison reveals her 'secrets' to reducing that mortgage pain . |
186,822 | 7df836c49dd74f9e09bdd5fef8fe1ad632f5e7b6 | Mr. Harvey would be so proud today. His voice -- the magnificent voice that he feared he had lost forever -- is back. And people all over the United States are once again moved by the sound of it, and by his words. "And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said 'I need a caretaker.' So God made a farmer." Just as seemingly simple, and devastatingly direct, as that. "God said 'I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt, and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say, 'Maybe next year.' " You probably saw the commercial during the Super Bowl telecast. It was on behalf of a Dodge truck. The voice was that of Paul Harvey, taken directly from a recording of a speech he made in 1978 to the Future Farmers of America. Mr. Harvey died four years ago at the age of 90. I knew him for more than 30 years; he always invited me to call him "Paul," and I never quite could. He was Mr. Harvey, and for a very long time, he was as big a name as there was in the world of radio. His commentaries were heard everywhere. Eatocracy: By the numbers, how has farming changed since 'So God Made a Farmer'? They were so popular because he was unafraid, even in the most cynical and contentious times, to speak from his heart. Because of that, he had admiring listeners of every political persuasion; his own politics were conservative, but because of the care and craftsmanship with which he wrote, people who didn't agree with him on issues of national policy made a daily habit of tuning in just because they liked the warmth and respect he showed them in his storytelling. They considered his voice to be the voice of a friend. "God said, 'I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to yean lambs and wean pigs and tend to pink combed pullets; who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadowlark.'" The writing was what he took such pride in. He would begin well before dawn, in a quiet office above Michigan Avenue in Chicago. He wrote on a favorite old typewriter whose touch he trusted. Within the hour, the words -- punctuated by those wondrous silences between phrases -- would be heard in every corner of the country. They connected, person-to-person, with the intimacy of a whisper in an ear. Truck ad stirs pride, passion and conversation in agricultural circles . Toward the end, illness ravaged his voice, and he was terrified that it had been irretrievably stolen from him. He was off the air for long spans. When he came back, the voice was still his, but it was weakened. He knew it. The knowledge caused him great despair. He had two best friends in life. One was his wife, Angel, who died before he did. The other best friend was his voice. The thought of it, too, being taken from him made Mr. Harvey lie awake at night and pray. There that voice was again, Sunday night. People too young to remember Mr. Harvey's glory days stopped what they were doing and leaned toward the television set, suddenly needing to hear every word. His artistry did that to people. "Somebody who would bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing; who would laugh and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what dad does -- 'so God made a farmer.' " Mr. Harvey would walk out of the studio after each broadcast, then go back into his office and sit down next to that typewriter. He knew that soon enough he'd be at it again. | Bob Greene: Americans of all political stripes listened to Paul Harvey's radio stories .
Greene: Harvey's 1978 "So God Made a Farmer" speech was used on Dodge truck ad .
Harvey wrote his stories on old typewriter and treasured writing and radio, Greene says .
Greene: Even in times of cynicism and upheaval, he spoke from the heart . |
29,538 | 53f71b3575dc11e6b6fe8758984ee1d0a1f9ae99 | Washington (CNN) -- A controversial and leading U.S. general is in line to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis -- if he wins presidential and Senate approval -- will move from being the outgoing commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command to leading the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. The command also monitors Iran. He would take over the post left open by the departure of Gen. David Petraeus, who was asked to take over command of the war in Afghanistan. Mattis was an effective leader in the Marine Corps, in the eyes of the Pentagon, while commanding troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Known for his straight talk and hard-core leadership of Marines in the 2004 battle of Falluja, Iraq, Mattis is considered a dark-horse pick by many in the halls of the Pentagon. His blunt talk has gotten him in trouble: In 2005 he said, "It's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them," referring to Afghan fighters. Asked if the general would be an effective leader for the Central Command region with the shadow of the comments still lingering, Gates said Thursday, "Appropriate action was taken at the time. I think that the subsequent five years have demonstrated that the lesson was learned." "Obviously, in the wake of the Rolling Stone interview, we discussed this kind of thing. And I have every confidence that General Mattis will respond to questions and speak publicly about the matters for which he is responsible in an entirely appropriate way," Gates said. The Rolling Stone interview led to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, then the commander in Afghanistan, because of negative comments about Obama administration officials made by him and his aides. Mattis' comment in 2005 was made when the then-three-star general was in a panel discussion before an audience. "Actually, it's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot," he said, prompting laughter from some military members in the audience. "It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up there with you. I like brawling," he said. "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," he said. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." The commandant of the Marine Corps at the time, Gen. Michael Hagee, counseled Mattis about the remarks but defended him publicly, calling him "one of this country's bravest and most experienced military leaders." "While I understand that some people may take issue with the comments made by him, I also know he intended to reflect the unfortunate and harsh realities of war," he said in a written statement. "Lt. Gen. Mattis often speaks with a great deal of candor." Mattis also was the commanding general overseeing the case of the now-infamous slayings of civilians by Marines in Haditha, Iraq. Some 24 civilians were killed on November 19, 2005, in what a human rights group and military prosecutors said was a house-to-house rampage by Marines after a roadside bomb killed one of their comrades. Eight Marines were charged, and all but one were cleared, some of them by Mattis. Mattis also was the overseeing authority in the murder case involving eight Marines found guilty of taking part in a plot to drag an Iraqi man from his home, kill him and then make it look like the man was an insurgent. That incident occurred near the western Iraqi town of Hamdania in April 2006. Mattis later cut the sentences of at least two of the Marines involved in the plot. Mattis had been preparing to retire after finishing his latest command, Gates said. "General Mattis is one of our military's outstanding combat leaders and strategic thinkers, bringing an essential mix of experience, judgment and perspective to this important post," Gates said. "General Mattis has proven to be one of the military's most innovative and iconoclastic thinkers. His insights into the nature of warfare in the 21st century have influenced my own views about how the armed forces must be shaped and postured for the future." | Gen. James Mattis recommended as next Central Command leader .
He is known for his leadership in the 2004 battle of Falluja .
His blunt talk has gotten him in trouble .
Defense secretary: Mattis will speak "in an entirely appropriate way" |
146,655 | 49a7bd7fb57fa609d6bab36d97e7f5d5a4493d6a | Tokyo (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that he has asked Tokyo Electric Power Co. to decommission two more reactors at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Abe called for the decommissioning of Reactors 5 and 6 "as soon as possible" as he visited the plant, wearing protective gear, to look at efforts to contain leaks from tanks holding huge volumes of toxic water at the plant. Less than two weeks ago, his government said it would spend about $470 million to try to tackle the contaminated water crisis at the plant, which was damaged by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeast Japan in March 2011. Life goes on despite uncertainty in Fukushima . It also follows the announcement that Tokyo will host the Olympic Games in the summer of 2020. Abe has promised that the games will be "safe and secure" despite continuing concerns about the situation at the Fukushima plant. How did we get to this point? Reactors 5 and 6 were in not in operation when the 2011 tsunami hit the power plant and didn't experience the damage suffered by the other four reactors. They have been in "cold shutdown" since the disaster. Meltdowns occurred at Reactors 1, 2 and 3. And concerns remain about the state of the spent fuel rod at Reactor 4. The long road home after 2011 disaster . TEPCO has already said it will decommission the four damaged reactors, but it hadn't clarified what would happen to Reactors 5 and 6. Abe said he also asked the plant operator to fix the problem of toxic water leaks by the end of March 2014. TEPCO is struggling to manage the vast amounts of tainted water stored at the plant and hundreds of tons of groundwater that flow through the area every day. Japan shuts down last nuclear reactor -- for now . | Abe asks TEPCO to decommission Reactors 5 and 6 at the crippled nuclear plant .
Those two reactors didn't suffer the same level of damage as the other four .
The prime minister visits the Fukushima plant amid concerns about toxic water leaks .
He sets TEPCO a deadline of March 2014 to fix the contaminated water problem . |
55,180 | 9c4a428cacd8f5ec4cb229fa0c0e7e518c868737 | First Milk is delaying paying dairy farmers for two weeks after supermarket price wars saw the price of a pint of milk plummet to 22 pence last week . More than 1,000 farmers were not paid for their milk yesterday after a crash in prices plunged the industry into crisis. The biggest dairy co-operative First Milk delayed payments to its 1,300 farmer members by a fortnight – and cut the price it pays them. Campaigners warned it was ‘the worst crisis the industry has ever seen’, with little sign of matters improving. Global milk prices have plummeted in recent months, meaning some British farmers now receive as little as 11.4p a pint (20p a litre) – well below the average 15.9p a pint (28p per litre) it costs to produce it. Just a year ago farmers could expect to receive 19.2p a pint (34p a litre). The amount paid to farms is now at its lowest level for eight years, far lower than in 2012, when farmers blockaded milk processors in protest at the low prices they were paid. First Milk, which sells milk to be turned into cheese, butter, yogurt and powdered milk around the world, has increasingly struggled to pay farmers as the lower prices drive down its income. Its announcement comes after co-operative Arla and processors Dairy Crest and Muller Wiseman also cut their milk prices in recent weeks. More than 60 dairy farmers are now going out of business every month, according to the National Farmers’ Union. First Milk chairman Sir Jim Paice, a Conservative MP and former farming minister, said the dairy industry was going through a period of ‘extreme volatility’. Scroll down for video . Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Iceland are selling four pints of milk for just 89p, while Tesco (pictured) is selling at £1 . He added: ‘We understand that the milk payment deferral will cause concern for members as direct debits and payments will have been lined up against milk cheques.’ He added: ‘We are aware that hundreds of UK dairy farmers are unlikely to find a home for their milk this spring. ‘Our priority is to make the business and our processing assets as secure as possible.’ Farmers have condemned supermarkets for cutting prices even further. Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Iceland now sell four pints of milk for 89p, while Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose are not far behind at £1. The stores insist they are funding the price cut through their own profits and have not changed what they pay farmers. But farmers say selling milk more cheaply than mineral water is devaluing the product. Rob Harrison, of the NFU’s dairy board, said: ‘It looks like this is going to be the worst crisis the dairy industry has ever seen. Retailers are fighting over market share and they are driving farmers out of business. If they don’t support us there will be very few dairy farmers left in this country in six months’ time.’ NFU president Meurig Raymond warned that as farmers have been paid less and less, ‘farm costs remain some 36 per cent higher than they were eight years ago and the single largest cost component of a dairy farm, animal feed, is more than 50 per cent higher than 2007 levels’. He added: ‘This combination has left many producers under extreme financial pressure and fearing for the future of their dairy businesses. You only have to look at the number of dairy farmers now leaving the sector.’ David Handley, of lobby group Farmers For Action, said it was a ‘dire situation’, warning banks may ‘see this as a death knell’ and stop supporting some farmers, many of whom are already financially stretched. Campaigners fear the crisis will particularly hit small traditional farms, with large intensive farms increasing their market share. | Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Iceland are currently selling four pints of milk for 89p .
Buying milk is now cheaper than mineral water in most supermarkets .
Research, based on price per litre, shows four pints of milk is now cheaper than buying multipack of still bottled water from the supermarket .
In 10 years number of dairy farmers has fallen from 20,000 to under 10,000 .
Experts warn if price wars continue UK farmer numbers could halve again .
Around 60 farmers left the profession in December alone because of cuts .
Cost of running a farm has risen while price farmers receive for milk fallen .
NFU dairy board chairman Rob Harrison said being a dairy farmer is like being a boxer - 'on the ropes and taking body blow after body blow' |
44,208 | 7cad15d18d5eed6e44f9c1014d474d6d2a1900a1 | If missing out on the World Cup wasn't bad enough, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was forced to watch from the bench as Sweden slumped to a 1-0 defeat against neighbours Denmark on Wednesday night. Ibrahimovic was hooked at half-time after failing to find a way past a resilient Denmark defence, and things got even worse for the PSG striker when Liverpool's Daniel Agger scored a last-gasp penalty to consign his side to defeat in Copenhagen. VIDEO: Scroll down to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be immortalised in wax at Paris museum . Off night: Zlatan Ibrahimovic was unable to stop Sweden slipping to defeat . Mobbed: Denmark players congratulate match-winner Daniel Agger . The home side dominated the first half with Christian Eriksen, Martin Braithwaite and Michael Krohn-Dehli all denied in the opening period. Leicester City keeper Kasper Schmeichel was a virtual spectator in goal but had to be alert to stop Kim Kallstrom’s strike. Not giving an inch: Former Fulham midfielder William Kvist keeps a close eye on Ibrahimovic . Sandwiched: Ibrahimovic tries to find a way between two Swedish defenders . Schmeichel had more to do after the break, thwarting Kallstrom and Panathinaikos striker Marcus Berg before Agger popped up to snatch victory for Denmark at the death with a cool spot-kick. Wednesday’s friendly was the 102 time the Scandinavians have faced each other in 101 years. Leading by example: Daniel Agger (far right) celebrates his late winner . | Liverpool man keeps his cool to covert stoppage-time spot-kick .
Ibrahimovic fails to find a breakthrough and is substituted at the break .
Leicester keeper Schmeichel records shut-out as Danes given boost . |
115,531 | 21139b481d33a665a0d2e92d1100087e7580056c | Former University of Louisville basketball player Chris Jones pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of rape and sodomy, days after being dismissed from the team. Jones, 23, appeared in Jefferson District Court before Judge Sheila Collins immediately after turning himself in to authorities. He was released to home incarceration. He did not speak during the brief hearing. His attorney, Scott Cox, said Jones is cooperating with the police investigation. 'We believe this gentleman is innocent and he's been falsely accused, and he's going to be found not guilty,' he said. Chris Jones, 23, is handcuffed on Thursday as he appeared in a Louisville, Kentucky court on to plead not guilty to rape and sodomy charges . Athlete: Chris Jones, left is seen in a February 16 game against Rutgers. Jones has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sodomy, days after being dismissed from the team . The allegations involved two women, and the rape is said to have occurred February 22 at a private apartment off-campus, university police said during a news conference. One of the women was identified as a University of Louisville student. Police warrants have alleged that Jones committed the crimes on Sunday. An arrest warrant obtained by Sports Illustrated alleged that Jones forced a woman have both anal and vaginal intercourse on Sunday. The victim identified Jones 'because she recognized him as a University of Louisville basketball player and he also told victim #1 his name,' the warrant said. The news outlet obtained another warrant, which alleged that on Sunday, a second alleged victim was forced to have oral sex and vaginal intercourse by Jones and two others. That alleged victim identified Jones as a college basketball player for Louisville, the warrant said. Two others are charged in the alleged attack on the second woman. Jalen D. Tilford is charged with rape and sodomy, and Tyvon Julah Walker is charged with rape. The two, who are not students, were arrested. The judge set a bond of $75,000 for Tilford and $100,000 for Walker. Jones has withdrawn from classes at the university and has moved out of the athletic dorm and into a hotel room, Cox said. It's the latest turn over nine tumultuous days for Jones, who was dismissed from the team Sunday. That came three days after he was reinstated following a one-game suspension on February 17 for violating an unspecified team rule. Coach Rick Pitino said Jones returned to the team after meeting unspecified conditions for reinstatement. Suspects: Jalen D. Tilford, left, is charged with rape and sodomy, and Tyvon Julah Walker, right, is charged with rape . Jones then scored 17 points in Saturday's victory over Miami before his dismissal was announced a day later in a one-sentence release saying there would be no comment. In a Thursday statement, Louisville sports information director Kenny Klein said 'On Feb. 17 while at a team dinner, Coach Rick Pitino was informed of a text message sent by Chris Jones to another individual. Chris was removed from the dinner table, immediately suspended from the team. After the matter was addressed within the university and Chris surrendered his cell phone, he was permitted to return to the team on Feb. 19 with strict internal disciplinary measures attached, among which included a curfew. It was discovered shortly after noon on Feb. 22 that Chris had violated a curfew and there were other accusations, without knowing specifics. At that time, Chris was immediately dismissed from the team. 'While Chris is no longer a member of our team, we understand that the allegations are very serious. While we cannot comment on this ongoing investigation, we certainly expect our student-athletes to uphold certain standards, including their treatment of others. We have great respect for the legal process and our university procedures and we will cooperate as requested with this matter.' A Louisville campus police report obtained Monday stated that Jones, a Memphis native, sent a woman a text threatening to 'smack' her on Feb. 17. No charges were filed against Jones, but he was suspended from the team hours later and did not travel with Louisville to a game at Syracuse. Jones' dismissal left the No. 17 Cardinals without their assists leader (3.7 per game) and No. 3 scorer (13.7 points). They beat Georgia Tech 52-51 Monday night without him. After that game Pitino said, 'I feel awful for the young man. There's certain rules where you can work with people, and other rules where you've got to move on. Unfortunately, we've got to move on. They're like your children. You don't like to see anybody be hurt. But there's also accountability and doing the right things. He didn't. Now, he's got to get his life together, get on with life. There's no way he's coming back. It's over.' | Chris Jones pleaded not guilty to rape and sodomy charges on Thursday .
Jones, 23, appeared in court immediately after turning himself in to authorities, and was released to home incarceration .
Jones has withdrawn from classes at the university and has moved out of the athletic dorm and into a hotel room .
The allegations involved two women, and the rape is said to have occurred February 22 at a private apartment off-campus, university police said .
One of the women was identified as a University of Louisville student .
Two others are charged in the alleged attack on the second woman . |
113,663 | 1ea8213c17d3ec0da1dac97309d4507742792dbb | In the line of fire: Princess Diana campaigned vigorously for overseas development - but not necessarily on immigration . The Princess Diana Memorial Fund, to which millions of her admirers donated money, has been hijacked by Left-wingers to fund a pro-immigration propaganda campaign. Directors of the charity set up a secretive project called Changing Minds and then channelled hundreds of thousands of pounds into a string of associated organisations. The aim of the scheme is to alter British attitudes to immigration – which are currently in favour of far stricter border controls. Among some of its most successful achievements, it lists the establishment of a new ‘independent’ think-tank – criticised by a Labour MP as a front for Left-wing views on immigration. The Migration Observatory is advised by a senior journalist on the Left-wing Guardian newspaper, and the husband of its star columnist, Polly Toynbee. Last night Rosa Monckton, a close friend of Diana, described the decision as ‘outrageous’. She said: ‘I don’t ever recall Diana expressing any interest in this issue to me, and we spoke a great deal about her passions and concerns, particularly at the time that she was cutting down her charitable commitments. ‘She never wanted to be a figurehead or to be used overtly for lobbying purposes. To the extent that she remained involved in charitable work, it was of a purely practical nature, such as the removal of land mines, and the care of people with AIDS. ‘She was also always extremely careful never to get involved in anything that was remotely divisive along party political lines.’ The Diana Fund was established within days of Diana’s death in 1997, in response to the unprecedented outpouring of public grief. Its coffers were filled with £38million from the sale of the Elton John record Candle in the Wind (Goodbye England’s Rose) – which sold five million copies in the UK alone. Another £34million was raised from individual donations from a distressed public, community groups and companies. Donations included individual 50p pieces sent by pensioners. Later, a further £66million was raised through investments and commercial partnerships.Initially, many of the grants from the Fund were paid to organisations closely associated with the Princess, such as Great Ormond Street Hospital. But, in 2007, its directors and trustees – who include a campaigner against the Government’s benefit cuts – dramatically changed direction. Outrage: Diana's fund is said to have been hijacked to promote migration into the UK . Since then, the Memorial Fund has spent a total of £7,195,575 on 91 grants, made to 79 different organisations working on behalf of immigrants and asylum seekers. One of the biggest beneficiaries of this new strategy was the Changing Minds project, elements of which have received at least £820,0000. The Observatory has been paid £350,000 over the last three years. It does not mention Changing Minds in its self-description or output, and there has been little public mention of the ‘propaganda’ project. According to strategy documents written by the Diana Fund, Changing Minds exists to address ‘the plight of asylum seekers and their children in the UK by seeking to track, inform and influence public attitudes towards migrants, refugees and asylum seekers’. Not what she would have wanted: A close friend of the late Diana Rosa Monkton (left , sitting at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park, has blasted the latest revelations . But last year, a conference of the Association of Charitable Funders said the work was designed to achieve ‘attitudinal change’ on ‘negative attitudes’ to all migrants. It described changing attitudes towards migrants as an ‘example of the sort of “wicked” social problem that foundations are increasingly likely to encounter’. Opinion polls in Britain have repeatedly shown the public’s desire for a sharp reduction in net migration. This has infuriated the Left-wing establishment, which is a long-standing champion of large-scale economic migration. The Diana Fund supports Changing . Minds in tandem with a string of other charities and pro-immigration . organisations. They include the Barrow Cadbury Trust – itself a . recipient of a £40,000 grant from the Diana Fund so it could help fund . Changing Minds – and a New York-based group named Unbound Philanthropy. Unbound . Philanthropy, which has given the Observatory £342,000, says it wants . to ensure migrants ‘can ultimately thrive in a society that is . comfortable with the diversity and opportunity that immigration brings’. It is ploughing huge sums into pro-immigration groups – including the . Migrants’ Rights Network, the new British Future think-tank and the . Observatory. Labour MP . Frank Field says the Observatory, part of the COMPAS think-tank at . Oxford University, has been set up ‘to try to undermine’ MigrationWatch, . a campaign group for stricter immigration controls. He . said it was ‘trying to use the status of Oxford University to peddle . Left-wing views on immigration’, adding: ‘People who gave money to the . Diana Fund would be very surprised to learn it has donated huge sums to a . propaganda effort to change public opinion on immigration.’ The . Observatory’s media advisory board includes Zoe Williams, a writer on . the Guardian, and David Walker. It is chaired by Mr Walker, a former . communications director at the Audit Commission and Guardian journalist, . who is married to Polly Toynbee – the paper’s leading columnist and a . vocal critic of the Royal Family. Pro-immigration: There is the feeling that Diana's work abroad have been blown into a falsehood that she wholeheartedly supported migration . On . the day of the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, Miss . Toynbee described the event as Britain’s ‘Marie Antoinette moment’. Of . the day itself, she asked: ‘Is this what Britain is and who we are? Here . was a grand illusion, the old conspiracy to misrepresent us to . ourselves.’ Other . groups involved in the Changing Minds project include the . pro-immigration Institute for Public Policy Research, and the Migrants’ Rights Network. Both IPPR, an advocate of the benefits of economic . migration, and MRN get money from the Barrow Cadbury Trust. The . directors of the Fund, until it was wound up at the end of last year, . were headed by Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Diana’s eldest sister. Something fishy going on? The Observatory's media board is chaired by Guardian journalist David Walker . The . others were David Isaac, the former chairman of the gay rights campaign . group Stonewall, and Tahera Aanchawan. Mr Isaac is also a trustee of . British Future, another major player in Changing Minds and which itself . received £470,000 from the Diana Fund. Miss Aanchawan publicly signed a . petition for Iain Duncan Smith to live on £53 a week, as demanded by a . protester against benefit cuts. Sir . Roger Singleton, former chief executive at Barnado’s, stockbroker Terry . Hitchcock, Dr Diana Leat, described as a leading voluntary sector . researcher, and John Whitaker, who has worked within the charity sector . for 20 years, were the other directors. The different groups it has been . supporting are intrinsically linked. Don Flynn, a key figure in the . MRN, sits on the Observatory’s expert advisory board. The . Diana Fund was wound up at the end of 2012 and passed to the charitable . foundation set up for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince . Harry. A Palace spokesman said the foundation had not played any part in . the controversial grant-giving. He made clear any residual income . received for the Fund will go to the foundation – which will not . continue the Fund’s grant-making in any way. A . spokesman for the Migration Observatory said: ‘The Migration . Observatory was designed to provide accurate data and information to all . contributors to the migration debate. Our work has been used and cited . as a reliable source by politicians and newspapers across the political . spectrum, including in multiple stories in the Daily Mail. This is a . testament to our success in providing data and evidence that are useful, . accurate, and non-partisan.’ Sir . Roger Singleton said of Frank Field’s comments: ‘I am surprised to hear . that. It is not my understanding of what the Observatory is all about.’ | Secret project saw hundreds of thousands of pounds towards pro-immigration campaigns .
Close friend of the late Diana describes it as 'outrageous'
Labour MP Frank Field says organisations 'undermine MigrationWatch' |
53,920 | 98dcefddb7f3e6843d2ea15fc52f4bfb6c992c80 | Relationship counsellors and lawyers have dubbed today 'Divorce Day' as it is the time when most couples file for divorce. A quarter of parents have secretly considered separating from their partner and the first day back from the festive break is when they are most likely to act on their feelings. After months, or even years, of thinking about it, the stress of a frenetic Christmas and the start of the New Year, are the catalyst for relationship breakdowns. After months or even years of thinking about divorce, the beginning of January is when couples act on it . Andrew Newbury, head of family law at Slater & Gordon, told MailOnline: 'We see a real spike in people enquiring about divorce in January, with twice as many than any other period. 'There are a whole host of reasons for this. One is the hot-house pressure of Christmas, with couples cooped up who might also have had too much food and too much alcohol. 'Two weeks at home can put pressure on couples and if expectations on Christmas are not met there can be a sense of disappointment which can lead them to look at their lives. 'Some people also discover affairs around Christmas with a text message on Christmas Day or the announcement of a new relationship. 'For others, they have been thinking about divorce for a few months or a year and they make it a New Year resolution to finally file for divorce to have a new start.' Now a support charity is calling on couples to bring in experts to help them repair their relations. A poll by OnePlusOne charity found six in 10 people in a relationship admitting to having problems, but only 23 per cent had never sought help from friends, family or professionals. Less than five per cent had turned to a professional therapist or counsellor or a support service for help. OnePlusOne Director Penny Mansfield CBE said: 'People rarely decide to separate or divorce suddenly – often they've been thinking about it for months, if not years. 'Seeking help at an earlier stage – when the first thoughts about separation creep in – can be the first step in resolving problems and make the likelihood of splitting up less likely. 'But for many people, the additional stress of Christmas and the start of the New Year bring these underlying problems to the surface, and they make their final decision to part. 'Separated parents who are able to communicate with one another effectively and are able to work out arrangements about money and the children early on have the best chance of preventing their children becoming stuck in the middle of their disputes.' A quarter of parents have considered separating from their partner and January sees a rise in enquiries . Government figures show that more than half of parents say they find it hard to access the support they need to agree future childcare arrangements when they separate. And a recent poll of children aged 14 to 18 with divorced parents found a third said their parents had tried turning them against one another during their dispute. Jo O'Sullivan, Family Solicitor at O'Sullivan Family Law, who advises relationships charity OnePlusOne said: 'We definitely see a peak in enquiries about divorce in January and by the time people come to us for legal advice, emotions can be running high. 'In TV dramas we see battling parents fighting custody and childcare issues out in court, but court should only ever be a final resort. 'Alternatives to court, like family mediation and collaborative practice, reduce the stress of a split on children and lead to better outcomes.' OnePlusOne is urging parents who are thinking of separating, or have already done so, to visit its website and find out more about its free courses, help and support. | Relationship counsellors and lawyers have dubbed today 'Divorce Day'
After months or years of thinking about it, time couples act on feelings .
Often down to the stress of Christmas and the start of the New Year . |
284,694 | fcdebe57af108ba103d7f654c5c189857100ee75 | A 27-year-old Minnesota State University student and war veteran shot and killed himself in the campus library Monday afternoon. Mankato police responded to the Memorial Library at around 4.10pm after getting a report about a suicidal man. After searching the premises of the library, they found Timothy Lee Anderson on the second floor. He was armed with a gun. Violent end: Timothy Lee Anderson, 27 (pictured left and right) has been identified as the person who shot and killed himself on MSU's Mankato campus Monday . Tragedy in broad daylight: Police responded to MSU's Memorial Library Monday afternoon after getting a report about a suicidal man on the second floor . After searching the library, responding officers found Timothy Lee Anderson on the second floor . Police say at that point, the 27-year-old junior philosophy major turned the firearm on himself and committed suicide. A portion of the campus was evacuated and a text message went out at 5.15pm via MSU's emergency alert system informing the community of the deadly incident. No one else was injured, and police say there was no danger to the public, reported Manktao Times. Off limits: The library reopened early Monday evening, but the second floor remained blocked off . MSU Student Titi Kawonise, who was working on the second floor of the library Monday afternoon, described to the local paper the moment Anderson was tackled by police, followed by the sound of a gunshot. 'It is so weird to have that happen here in a place that I work,' she said. 'I am kind of freaked out.' The library reopened early Monday evening, but the second floor remained blocked off. MSU officials have made grief counselors available to faculty and students in the aftermath of the tragic incident. Anderson's friends and family took to Facebook to express their heartache and shock after news of his suicide spread. 'Please pray for my family as we go through the loss of my precious nephew,' aunt Kimbery Anderson wrote. 'God grant us serenity and strength as we all struggle to understand and hold one another up through this.' Veteran: Anderson (pictured in uniform), 27, served as a gunner in Camp Taji, Iraq, in 2007 . Troubled life: The 27-year-old philosophy major was arrested twice just a month apart on charges of marijuana sale and violation of a protection order . According to his Facebook page, Anderson was a US Army veteran who served at least one tour of duty in Iraq as a gunner in 2007. He retired from military service in 2010 and briefly worked for Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa. Online records indicate that Anderson had a criminal record. In late December 2013, he was arrested for allegedly selling marijuana. Less than a month later, the college student was again picked up by police, this time for violating an order of protection in a domestic abuse case. | Timothy Lee Anderson, a junior philosophy major at MSU, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound .
Police in Mankato, Minnesota, were called to MSU's Memorial Library Monday afternoon after getting a report about a suicidal man .
Anderson served as a gunner in Iraq in 2007 . |
119,132 | 25dd078455c4e1492146cd649220e5a409338faf | (CNN) -- The American woman who sent her adopted son back to Russia must pay $150,000 in child support, a Tennessee judge reaffirmed Friday. Torry Hansen's attorney, Ed Yarbrough, told CNN he will file a motion within a few weeks asking the court to modify or terminate the support, which was first ordered earlier this year. The United States and Russia last year signed an agreement to strengthen procedural safeguards for adoptions following the 2010 incident. Grandmother: Adopted boy sent back to Russia was violent . Artyem Saveliev, adopted from a Russian orphanage, was put on a plane back to Moscow. The Shelbyville, Tennessee, family claimed they feared for their safety after a series of violent episodes from the boy, then 7. An investigation was launched after the child showed up unannounced at Russia's child protection ministry with a letter from his adoptive mother asking Russian authorities to annul the adoption. In the letter, Hansen said the boy was "mentally unstable," and said she had been misled about his mental condition. The World Association for Children and Parents had coordinated the adoption. A lawsuit was filed against Hansen for breach of contract and child support. In May, the association said Artyem is still a U.S. citizen and under Tennessee law Hansen is legally considered to be his mother. The child has been living in a group care facility outside of Moscow. According to CNN Nashville affiliate WKRN, Hansen testified Friday in Lewisburg, Tennessee, that the boy wanted to kill her. But Larry Crain, the adoption agency's attorney, said the boy is not violent. U.S.-Russia adoption agreement reached . | Tennessee family adopted Russian boy .
They returned him in 2010, putting him on a plane .
Mother contended he was mentally unstable .
Judge ruled she must pay $150,000 in child support . |
268,288 | e7821eff12e0d37b1ba6c00a39e09a92a42ae762 | By . Daniel Martin . A cure for dementia could be found by 2025, David Cameron said today as he announced a doubling in finding for the disease. The Prime Minister also announced that . Britain will be the first place in the world where a new brain scan that can help doctors confirm or rule out a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease will be available for free. The test will mean that, for the first time, doctors will be able to definitively rule out Alzheimer’s in some patients for five years. Currently, one in five cases of the disease is misdiagnosed. NHS patients will benefit from a new brain scan that can help doctors confirm or rule out a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The scan on the left is of a brain without Alzheimer's, and the one on the right does have it . Promise: David Cameron told health leaders from the G8 nations that the UK government will double funding for dementia research by 2025 . It could also help doctors to confirm an existing diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, ensuring people get the treatment they need. The World Health Organisation forecasts that numbers of dementia sufferers will almost double worldwide every two decades. Mr Cameron said he wants UK Government investment in dementia research to double from £66 million in 2015 to £122 million in 2025 - with similar increases from the commercial and charitable sectors. He said he hoped it would mark the point when 'the global fightback really started, not just in finding a cure for dementia, but also in preventing it, delaying it and, crucially, helping those with dementia to live well and with dignity'. The PM told a major . international summit in London on dementia that he wanted the UK's life sciences industries to play 'a leading role' in the fight against dementia. 'The challenge is huge and we are a long way from a cure, but there is hope,' he said. 'We meet with the conviction that human ingenuity can overcome the most daunting of challenges and we meet with the determination that we will take the fight to dementia and improve and save millions of lives.' And he added: 'The aim of trying to find a cure or disease-halting therapy by 2025 by a big collective boost to research funding is within our grasp.' Mr Cameron and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (centre) pose with health ministers from the G8 nations at the Dementia Summit at Lancaster House in London . The . new Alzheimer's test – which costs £810 per patient – involves giving the patient a . tiny amount of a radioactive chemical called Amyvid which binds to the . tell-tale plaques in the brain of an Alzheimer’s sufferer. This . chemical will show up the plaques on a brain scan for the first time, . allowing doctors to definitively rule out Alzheimer’s in a patient for . at least five years if no plaques are present. It means the patient will . not be given potentially harmful treatments if they don’t need them. Until . this breakthrough, it was not possible to definitively diagnose someone . as having the disease until after their death, by cutting up their . brain. Such examinations . show that one in five people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s do not in fact . have it, meaning they may have been given the wrong treatment while they . were alive. These patients will be the test’s main beneficiaries. In . addition, if the test reveals the presence of plaques on the brain, it . could confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. However, the plaques can be . present in other conditions and so the scan alone is not enough to . pinpoint the disease. Until this breakthrough, it was not possible to definitively diagnose someone as having the disease until after their death, by cutting up their brain . There . are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK, and about two thirds of . those are Alzheimer’s. By 2021, more than a million people will have . dementia. It is one of the main causes of disability in old age, ahead . of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Mr Cameron said: ‘It doesn’t matter whether you’re in London or Los Angeles, in rural India or urban Japan – this disease steals lives, it wrecks families, it breaks hearts and that is why all of us here are so utterly determined to beat it. ‘In generations past, the world came together to take on the great killers. We stood against malaria, cancer, HIV and Aids and we are just as resolute today. ‘I want December 11th 2013 to go down as the day that the global fight-back began.’ The Amyvid test – developed by US drugs firm Lilly – has previously been used elsewhere in the world, but only through private health schemes. Use of the technique by the NHS is the first time it has been available as part of a state-funded health system. The first British patient to benefit will be scanned tomorrow at Charing Cross Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, in London. Dr Richard Perry, consultant neurologist at the trust, said it could help hundreds of people every year. ‘For people who have memory problems and who are concerned about them, knowing the cause is the first step in getting the right sort of treatment. ‘Until now, diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease has not been always straightforward because we haven’t had a simple test. A positive scan in the right context could support a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, but you would have to look at a person’s other symptoms as well.’ He said research indicates that a negative scan would mean a person would be highly unlikely to develop Alzheimer’s in the next five years. But it would be no guarantee that the condition could develop in future years. | Doctors will be able to rule out Alzheimer's in some patients for five years .
Currently one in five cases of the disease is misdiagnosed .
Could help doctors confirm an existing diagnosis ensuring people get the treatment they need . |
38,745 | 6d84b6dacaeb94937a25733db545f70bab8fd82c | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 1 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:57 EST, 1 March 2013 . A prostitute who murdered a wealthy property developer before pilfering his bank account was jailed for life today. Emma Bate, 26, and her boyfriend Paramjit Singh, 33, battered and stabbed businessman Richard Sherratt to death in his own home after torturing him for his PIN. Just hours after his death, Bate was caught on CCTV smooching and celebrating with Singh after withdrawing cash from the bank account of her 'sugar-daddy'. 'Strong message': Prostitute Emma Bate (left) and her boyfriend Parmajit Singh (right) were jailed for life today for murdering her wealthy businessman 'sugar-daddy' who they tortured before stabbing him to death . Sherratt, who was said to be . 'infatuated' with Bate and showered her gifts as well as giving her . £8,000, was found semi-naked on his blood-stained bed by his former . partner on June 15 last year. He had suffered a total of 38 injuries . including five blows to the head, a stab wound to his arm and puncture . marks on his face and neck. He died from blood blocking his airways. The pair fled the the house in . picturesque Bridgnorth, Shropshire, after stealing Mr Sherratt’s bank . cards, cash and a watch worth £10,000. Pictures released by police after the . case show the moment the couple snogged outside a bank in Handsworth, . Birmingham, the following day and Bate waving her arm around in a . 'celebratory manner.' Horrific death: Richard Sherratt suffered a total of 38 injuries including five blows to the head, a stab wound to his arm and puncture marks on his face and neck . The pair were jailed for life at Stafford Crown Court today after Bate was found guilty of murder at a trial in January. The vice girl, from Birmingham, had . denied murder, but admitted robbing. She told the court during the . trial: 'I feel really bad because he treated me like a princess.' Singh, also from Birmingham, had already admitted murdering, robbing and defrauding Mr Sherratt. Bate will serve a minimum sentence of 25 years for his murder, while Singh was ordered to serve at least 18 years. They were both given 10 years each to run concurrently for robbery. After the case, Detective Inspector . Steve Tonks, from West Mercia Police, said: 'The motive for this crime . was clearly greed and the defendants Singh and Bate resorted to violence . in seeking access to their victim’s money. 'It was a premeditated crime whereby . they planned to rob Mr Sherratt and to commit fraud by withdrawing funds . from his bank accounts. 'They planned to travel late at night when they knew Mr Sherratt would be at home and would be asleep. 'The court heard distressing details . about the degree of violence used while Mr Sherratt was held captive and . tortured in his own home last June. 'He was subjected to a callous and brutal ordeal with the injuries sustained, sadly resulting in his death. 'Today’s verdicts send out a strong . message that anyone resorting to violence for criminal purposes, will be . brought to justice. 'The circumstances of this case with its tragic outcome have been harrowing.' No remorse: The pair were caught on CCTV enjoying a passionate kiss just hours after killing Mr Sherratt . Sent down: Bate will serve a minimum sentence of 25 years, while Singh was ordered to serve at least 18 . CCTV shows Bate walking away from a cash machine with her arms outstretched in a 'celebratory manner' During Bate’s trial, the jury heard . twice-divorced Mr Sherratt had met the hooker and treated her to . expensive jewellery, nights in luxury hotels and thousands in cash gifts . in March last year. Mr Sherratt, who was the brother of . Francine Austin, ex-wife of David Austin who runs world renowned David . Austin Roses, was said to be 'craving companionship'. He took her to four-star hotels, plush . restaurants, put £8,000 in her bank account and even planned to take . her on holiday to Dubai. But they split up in May after she . began bombarding him with text messages begging for cash to fund her . addiction to crack cocaine. The court heard Bate and Singh . targeted Mr Sherratt because she knew he was well off and she needed . cash to fund her addiction to class A drugs. | Emma Bate and Parmajit Singh attacked Richard Sherratt at his home .
Victim suffered 38 injuries and died from blood blocking his airways .
Pair caught on CCTV kissing passionately just hours after killing him .
She sobbed in .
trial: 'I feel bad because he treated me like a princess'
Bate sentenced to minimum of 25 years in jail, Singh to 18 years . |
265,750 | e43336acfac7e35977a665004fcdbe1eef96ccc9 | (CNN) -- A Canadian teenage girl has been found guilty of distributing child pornography in connection with "sexting" pictures of her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, the youth crown prosecutor for Victoria said Friday. The British Columbia case of the then 16-year-old, who is not identified because she is a minor, is believed to be one of the first cases in Canada where a teenager has been convicted of child pornography charges related to "sexting." The teenager, who also was convicted of uttering threats, is out on bail while awaiting sentencing, Crown Prosecutor Chandra Fisher said. She declined to speculate on what sentence the teen might face. Calling the case "precedent-setting," Fisher said the case should serve as a warning to teens about what they text and post online. The case began in November 2012 when the teen learned that her 17-year-old boyfriend was still in contact with his former girlfriend. "The accused was not at all happy that he was still in touch with his ex," Fisher told CNN. The teenager initially threatened the ex-girlfriend on Facebook, the prosecutor said. She then texted five explicit pictures of the ex-girlfriend that she found on her boyfriend's phone to a group of people, Fisher said. The teen's attorney, Christopher Mackie, said the charges were inappropriate. "Our sights have always been set on the constitutional question. ...She never denied that she did this," he told CNN. "Online bullying, yes. Child pornography, no." When bullying goes high-tech . 10% of tweens, teens have 'sexted' | In November 2012, the teen ''sexted'' photos of her boyfriend's ex .
She was convicted of distribution of pornography .
Crown prosecutor Chandra Fisher calls it a "precedent-setting" case .
The sentence is pending . |
165,842 | 6277fac0949a419f88bb6d6ea156004a591bae2f | Ever wondered what celebrities eat when they're not nibbling on canapes at events or dining at lavish restaurants? Thanks to a new charity cookbook we know exactly what David Cameron cooks for Samantha after a long day in Parliament and just how Russell Brand gets an energy kick in the morning. Estate agent Strutt & Parker has launched a charity cookery book featuring 52 celebrity recipes by high profile actors, singers, chefs, politicians and sports people in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Scroll down for video . Chef Cameron: Thanks to a new charity cookbook, Food With Heart, we know exactly what David Cameron cooks for Samantha behind the doors of Number 10 Downing Street . Highlights of the book, entitled Food with Heart, include David Cameron’s very own Italian pasta dish, which he likes to cook for Samantha and the children at No.10, Simon Cowell’s cottage pie, Gary Lineker’s lasagne and even Russell Brand’s detox ‘green breakfast’ smoothie. Those with a sweeter tooth can choose between an array of superstar desserts including Elizabeth Hurley’s decadent chocolate mousse, Amanda Holden’s shortbread and Jack Whitehall’s bread and butter pudding. Inside, the recipes have been brought to life with drawings by distinctive illustrator Louise Morgan, well known for her instantly-recognisable work for Waitrose. Skills: David, who can be seen cooking up a storm with President Obama, loves to cook Italian pasta with red wine and lots of double cream . It seems that the Prime Minister has taken inspiration from the River Cafe - his pasta dish, which is crammed with spicy Italian sausage, red wine and double cream, is a shortened adapted version of the London restaurant. Tony Blair's baba ghanouj recipe was inspired by his travels to the Middle East and he says that he 'loves' the dish and has it 'all the time' when he's visiting. Funny man Jack Whitehall has shared his hot cross bun/pannettone bread and butter pudding recipe and said: 'This won me Comic Relief Masterchef. I was up against Micky Flanagan, who cooked a fish and orange dish, so it wasn't the best competition.' Russell Brand's super clean green smoothie recipe is full of apples, pineapple, ginger, cucumber, spinach, celery and chard, while Emma Bunton's 'delicious squidgy chocolate cake' is a little less virtuous. Blair's bites: Tony Blair's baba ghanouj recipe was inspired by his travels to the Middle East and he says he 'loves' the dish and has it 'all the time' when he's visiting . Sweet treat: Funny man Jack Whitehall has shared his hot cross bun/ pannettone bread and butter pudding recipe, which won him Comic Relief Masterchef . SERVES 4 . INGREDIENTS . 2 red onions, chopped . 6 spicy Italian sausages, meat squeezed out . Handful of rosemary, chopped . 1 red chilli, deseeded and diced . Splash of red wine . 2 tins of chopped plum tomatoes . Parmesan . Pasta (preferably penne) 300ml (1⁄2pt) of double cream . METHOD . Fry 2 chopped red onions in a large, deep frying pan. Add the meat squeezed from 6 spicy Italian sausages. Throw in the chopped rosemary and red chilli. Turn up the heat and break up the sausage. Once the meat has been broken up and browned, add a splash of red wine and reduce. Then add 2 tins of chopped plum tomatoes. Reduce the sauce, as with Bolognese. Grate loads of Parmesan in a bowl. Once the pasta, preferably penne, is ready, add together with the Parmesan, 1⁄2pt double cream and the sauce. With thanks to the River Café Cook Book. This is the Prime Minister’s own shortened and simplified version. Every single penny raised from Food with Heart’s sales will go directly to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. The money will to help fund an ambitious redevelopment programme, which will improve two-thirds of the hospital, providing state-of-the-art facilities to match the hospital’s world-class standards of care. A spokesperson for Strutt & Parker, said: 'Having already raised £160,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity last year, this book marks the final part of our challenge for the charity. 'It started as a simple idea but gained a life of its own, as a host of very generous celebrities - from prime ministers, actors and sports stars, to professional chefs and food enthusiasts - contributed their own special recipes. We’re extremely proud to present this special and lasting cookbook which we couldn’t have done without the help of our creative partners at Sunday, who have donated their time and energy to design the book.' Where the magic happens: Samantha Cameron chats with First Lady Michelle Obama in the new kitchen the Camerons had installed in their apartment at No 11 Downing St . Budding chefs? The recipes featured include Tony Blair's middle eastern dish and Gary Lineker's lasagne . A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity added: 'We would not be able to turn this vision into a reality without the wonderful support we received. 'Money raised through the sale of this book will contribute towards the appeal and will make a real difference to the lives of seriously ill children and their families.' Food with Heart is available to buy at all Strutt & Parker’s 50 offices across the country. Alternatively, visit struttandparker.com for more details. The minimum donation per book is £10. SERVES 4 . INGREDIENTS . 500g (1lb) organic, best quality, very lean mince beef . 2 medium onions, chopped . 1 carrot, chopped very small . Salt and pepper . 1⁄2 tsp mixed herbs . 1 tbsp fresh parsley . 300ml (10 fl oz) beef stock . 1kg (2lb) potatoes, peeled and chopped . Butter . METHOD . Preheat the oven to 190°C/350°F/Gas mark 5. Fry the beef in a frying pan – no need to add oil as the mince has natural fat. Once the meat has started to brown slightly, add the onions and carrot. Stir the meat so the onions and carrots can go to the bottom of the pan, frying in the meat juices for about 10 minutes. When the onions and carrots are slightly browned, add the salt and pepper to season, mixed herbs and fresh parsley. Give the mixture another stir in the pan, adding the beef stock. Simmer on a low heat until the meat is fully cooked. In a large pan, boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked. Drain the potatoes and mash them with butter, salt and pepper to season. Put the meat into a casserole dish and top with mashed potatoes. Pop in the preheated oven until golden brown. | Food With Heart is celebrity charity cookbook .
David's recipe is adapted from River Cafe .
Russell Brand's green smoothie is full of spinach and chard . |
276,115 | f1bd543a9b945bf608967a4aada2c005c8b63918 | Atlanta (CNN) -- Former NBA guard Javaris Crittenton is wanted in connection with the murder of an Atlanta woman, authorities said Monday. Crittenton, 23, of Fayetteville, Georgia, faces murder charges from the August 19 shooting of 22-year-old Julian Jones in Atlanta. Jones suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a hospital, the FBI said. Authorities believe Jones was killed in a drive-by shooting involving a dark-colored SUV and an assault rifle. The FBI said Crittenton probably is in Los Angeles with family and friends. He purchased a one-way plane ticket to Los Angeles five days after the shooting. He is also named in a federal arrest warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Crittenton, who played for Georgia Tech before going pro, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007 and then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He was picked up by the Washington Wizards in December 2008 but was suspended and later released by the NBA in 2010 after a gun-related incident involving teammate Gilbert Arenas. Crittenton's representatives could not be immediately reached for comment Monday. | Crittenton is accused of murdering a 22-year-old woman .
The FBI says the former NBA player has fled to avoid prosecution .
He is believed to be in Los Angeles . |
265,561 | e3ef27c6051910bd52edebfa7e37144d20c9047e | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 11:38 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:59 EST, 5 June 2013 . Fraudster: Lee Tyers was jailed for two weeks by Teesside magistrates after planting his own pubic hair to avoid paying a restaurant bill . A fraudster has been jailed after planting his own pubic hair in a restaurant meal to try and getaway with not paying. Lee Tyers, 40, ate his entire curry dinner before telling staff he found a hair in his food and wouldn't pay the £39.55 bill. But staff at Jamal's Indian restaurant in Middlesbrough knew Tyers was lying and caught him on CCTV putting his hand down his trousers before he made the false claim. Tyers denied the charge of fraud by false representation but was found guilty by Teesside magistrates and jailed for two weeks. Eatery owner Jamal Chowdhury told the court that Tyers had been a customer for around 18 years and already owed him £110 for previous unpaid meals. But Mr Chowdhury told Tyers he would ignore the debt so long as he paid for that evening's meal. Tyers assured the owner he had the cash to pay, before he and a friend ordered two lamb bhunas plus pilau rice, naan bread, drinks, a chapati and a shish . kebab. The pair ate their meals - then Tyers called over a waiter to complain about the hair in his food. After some discussion, the pair left the restaurant without paying. Mr Chowdhury said: 'I told him all the staff have black hair and this is brown - it's not our hair. 'I told him if you pay for the meal now I will look at the CCTV video and if I find there's something wrong I will pay him back. 'I told him "If you don't pay, I'll call the police". I said "You're trying to ruin my business".' Evidence: Staff at Jamal's restaurant in Middlesbrough, where Tyers already owed £110 in unpaid food bills, caught the defendant putting his hands down his trousers at the table . Speaking to the court as a witness in his own defence, Tyers, from Yarm, claimed his friend was the one paying the bill that night, and that Mr Chowdhury would not accept the payment and was insisting on the full amount owed from Tyers' previous visits. He denied the incident over the hair took place. Tyers' friend, also giving evidence to the court, backed up his claim, saying he 'tried to pay three times' but it was declined. He said: 'He (Mr Chowdhury) said he wanted a-hundred-and-something pounds, and I said "that's nowt to do with me".' Alex Bousfield, defending, said there was no physical evidence of the hair as the plate was not kept for police. Following his arrest two days after the incident, Tyers answered all the questions put to him by police with 'no response'. Prosecutor David Ward said Mr Chowdhury was a 'nice man' whose good nature had been taken advantage of. He added: 'If Mr Chowdhury was offered £39.55, why wouldn't he take it? There's nothing on the CCTV that shows anybody trying to pay.' Tyers was sentenced to two weeks' in jail and was ordered to pay £39.55 compensation. | Lee Tyers claimed he found hair during meal at Jamal's Indian restaurant .
But he was caught on CCTV putting his hand down his trousers at the table .
Tyers already owed the Middlesbrough restaurant £110 in unpaid food bills .
Tyers found guilty of fraud by false representation by Teesside magistrates . |
20,244 | 3972fa498ee14f00c105c6ba4e948494f124ca56 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:38 EST, 10 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:32 EST, 10 September 2013 . Kasey Caron, 17, a student at Richland High School in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was assigned as female at birth, but identifies and presents as male . A Pennsylvania school board has agreed to review a request by a biologically female student who was denied the opportunity to appear on the ballot for homecoming king. Kasey Caron, 17, was assigned as female at birth, . but identifies and presents as male. He was born with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that leads to a hormone imbalance where the ovaries make more androgens – sometimes called male hormones – than normal and has had to field the question ‘Are you a boy or . a girl?’ throughout his childhood. For the bulk of his four years at . Richland High School in Johnstown, Caron's teachers and classmates have . recognized him as male. When . a guidance counselor suggested he enter his name for homecoming king at . the beginning of the school year, Caron thought the school was finally . ready to accept his gender identity, reports The Johnstown . Tribune-Democrat. But . on the day the student body was scheduled to vote for the homecoming . court, administrators told Caron that their legal counsel had informed . them they were required to list Caron's name on the female ballot, . because he is legally identified as female on his driver's license. The school board at Richland High School agreed to discuss Caron's plight at a meeting on Monday night, but ultimately no final decision was taken . Even though Caron was listed as female on the ballot, Richland students voted him onto the homecoming court. Recognizing . Caron's 'unique situation,' administrators told him he could attend the . homecoming parade with a date of his choice, rather than automatically . pairing him with another male student running for homecoming king. While Caron was considering the school's offer, his mother, Kathy Caron, and her partner, Cindy Theys, got involved and contacted various groups to mount a defense of their son. The school board agreed to discuss the issue at a meeting on Monday night. Caron's supporters wore blue to show their solidarity, but ultimately no final decision was taken. 'There . is a legal side of this issue and there is a practical side,' school board solicitor Timothy Leventry told the Johnstown . Tribune-Democrat after hearing from Kasey and other supporters. Kasey Caron has the full support of his family, including his two moms, his father, his siblings, and his transgender godmother in Maryland . 'The . school board has looked at the legal side. Tonight, the practical side . is coming forward. 'The board wants to fully look at these issues and take this matter under further advisement.' He believes there is no . doubt that Caron is legally female and that a physician must certify any sex change and a person's birth certificate must be changed in Pennsylvania. Caron, who plans to clinically transition once he turns 18, said he was ‘disappointed’ that the school board didn't immediately rule on the request, but he remains hopeful. ‘I thought they were going to have a change of heart. I am still hoping for one,’ he said . Caron's family, including his two moms, his father, his siblings, and his transgender godmother in Maryland, are standing behind him. | Kasey Caron was assigned as female at birth, .
but identifies and presents as male .
Guidance counselor suggested he enter for homecoming king, but school authorities told him he could only apply for the position of queen .
After his two moms intervened the school agreed to reconsider their position but a meeting on Monday didn't reach a conclusion . |
49,802 | 8ccf1aad719312e6a99b03ad95198b3efd42a43e | (CNN) -- A 24-year-old who was stabbed to death in South Africa is the victim of "corrective rape," gay rights activists said Thursday, a crime where men attack lesbians in an attempt to reverse their sexual orientation. Noxolo Nogwaza was attacked late last month after dropping off her girlfriend in Kwa-Thema township near Johannesburg. She was raped, stabbed with broken glass several times and her face pummelled with rocks, Human Rights Watch said. "A beer bottle, a large rock and used condoms were found on and near her body," the rights group said. Earlier this week, the nation's Justice Ministry set up a task force to address hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender South Africans. The task team was set up after activists worldwide signed an online petition demanding the South African government act to halt the attacks. The call to petition intensified after Nogwaza's killing. Police in Gauteng province, where the township is located, said they have not found any evidence of a hate crime and an investigation is under way. But some gay rights activists disagree. "Her attack is a case of corrective rape," said gay rights activist Lydia Kunu. "Neighbors said they heard her attackers telling her, 'We will take the lesbian out of you. ' They were mocking her and asking her why she acts like a man." Kunu is a community networking organizer for Ekurhuleni Pride Organizing Committee, where Nogwaza worked as well. The death has sparked renewed calls for action as rights groups warn of escalated homophobic attacks. "In these cases, killing is the end of the spectrum," said Siphokazi Mthathi, the South Africa director for Human Rights Watch. "It follows a trail of other problems -- rape, violence, problem accessing health care and violation by police." Mthathi said it is hard to get an overall number of the people subjected to violence because attacks go unreported over the distrust for the judicial system. "There's a great deal of under-representation because they are going to face secondary victimization," she said. "We've heard of cases where when they report a rape, the police tell them, 'aren't you happy that you got a real man for a change.'" The use of the term "corrective rape" started three years ago after the rape and murder of Eudy Simelane, a well-known soccer player who lived openly as a lesbian. Nogwaza's attack is similar to the soccer player's in some ways: police say they were both raped and stabbed to death. And just like Nogwaza, Simelane's body was dumped in a public place in the same township . Two men were found guilty in the soccer star's death and sentenced to prison terms, but the judges quashed any motions linking her attack to her sexual orientation. "Nogwaza's death is the latest in a long series of sadistic crimes against lesbians, gay men, and transgender people in South Africa," said Dipika Nath, researcher in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights program at Human Rights Watch. "Police and other South African officials fail to acknowledge that members of the LGBT community are raped, beaten and killed simply because of how they look or identify, and they are attacked by men who then walk freely, boasting of their exploits," said Nath. A police spokesman slammed the accusations, and said authorities are working to ensure safety for all. "It is our responsibility to provide safety, and we take that job seriously," said Col. Tshisikhawe Ndou, the provincial spokesman for Gauteng. The spokesman said there have been no arrests in Nogwaza's killing, but investigations are under way. "We're following some leads, and in this specific case, we'd like to ask anyone with information to contact the police," he said. "They can even do so anonymously if they are scared." Outspoken gay rights activists have faced harassment and attacks in the nation, Human Rights Watch said. Homosexuality is illegal in most African countries, based on rules left over from the British colonial era when sodomy laws were introduced. However, the post-apartheid constitution bans prejudice against gays in South Africa, the first African nation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Despite the law, attacks based on sexual orientation are still going on, rights groups said. The new task force is scheduled to start working in July. It will address issues such as whether police and social workers should undergo sensitivity training, and whether rapists who target sexual minorities should get harsher sentences. Mthathi said having the anti-prejudicial constitution in place is an indicator that the task force alone won't resolve underlying problems. "South Africa is a very misogynist and homophobic society," she said. "We welcome the task team, but it won't solve social problems. We need to address the culture of accountability in judicial and social institutions, we need to address the attitudes ... disrupt the culture of impunity." | She is attacked after dropping off her girlfriend in a township near Johannesburg .
She is raped, stabbed with broken glass several times and hit with rocks, group says .
South Africa sets up a task force to address hate crimes . |
174,483 | 6dd60dcb8202f05c8dcaee170da1aa27a7830814 | Washington (CNN) -- Recognizing that the "Internet of 2012 is vastly different from a decade ago," the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday announced changes to strengthen privacy for children online "in this ever-changing technological landscape." The revisions to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, also known as the COPPA Rule, which was originally passed in 1998, will make it more difficult for children's personal data to be collected by mobile phone apps, smartphones and tablets. Parents will have greater control over the information that websites and online services can collect from children under 13. Apps, or applications, are software programs that mobile phone users can purchase and install on their devices. "The new COPPA rule captures the new online reality... and puts companies on notice that they must comply with the law," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, told reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference that he's been "stewing inside" about this issue for a while, and he warned that third parties will be held liable for personal information they collect from children. He said third parties also will be held liable "if they know they are collecting information on websites or apps directed toward children." The FTC says one of the proposals will "close a loophole that allowed kid-directed apps and websites to permit third parties to collect personal information from children through plug-ins (software) without parental notice and consent." "Parents should be the gatekeepers to decide whether others can collect information," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. A recent report by the FTC found that only 20 percent of the apps linked to general disclosure information or a privacy policy before the app was downloaded. Many of the apps shared certain information with third parties, such as device ID, geolocation or phone number without disclosing that fact to parents, the FTC said. Companies could potentially develop detailed profiles about children without a parent's knowledge or consent. The commission will require website operators and online service providers "take reasonable steps to release children's personal information only to companies that are capable of keeping it secure and confidential." Another amendment would "modify the list of 'personal information' that cannot be collected without parental notice and consent." "FTC stands for something," said Rep. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, a proponent for updated protection rules. "Today FTC stands for 'For The Children' across the country." Common Sense Media, an organization that provides families with information about kids, media and technology, applauded the new regulations. "These COPPA updates will provide a stern reminder to companies and developers that they need to do more to build a trustworthy online space for kids and families and ensure that kids can benefit from tech innovation without exploitation," said James Steyer, Common Sense Media CEO. The amendments will go into effect on July 1, 2013. CNN's Todd Sperry contributed to this report. | Changes to children's privacy act target the collection of personal data by apps .
Rules are intended to give parents more control over their children's information .
Only 20% of apps explain what data are collected before download, FTC says . |
85,604 | f2cad47b38ac5fef4629a30989cccb2165d4273f | Valentine’s Day wouldn't be the day of love without red roses to declare your devotion (and empty your wallet). But with so many options on sale, hapless romantics are often in a quandary about which red bouquet is the perfect expression of undying love. So for all the clueless chaps out there (and chicas - we are all for equal opportunities on the FEMAIL pages), Good Housekeeping magazine has done the hard work for you by testing out ten floral bouquets for wow factor and it's the M&S Autograph Freedom Roses Bouquet that takes the crown this year. And the winner is: The M&S Autograph Freedom Roses Bouquet (£40 for 12 including delivery) scored top marks with 82 out of 100 in the Good Housekeeping test . Good Housekeeping secretly placed orders . for bouquets of roses ranging from £25 to £50 with leading UK retailers . and scored them on ease of ordering, delivery service, initial . wow-factor and longevity. The M&S Autograph Freedom Roses Bouquet (£40 for 12 including delivery) scored top marks with 82 out of 100 in the Good Housekeeping test. Runners up: Flower Angels Ruby roses was runner up and the impressive Waitrose Luxury Red Roses came next . The long stemmed roses were . beautifully presented with sprigs of eucalyptus, were a vibrant shade of . red and lasted 11 days, according to the magazine. The . attractively presented Flower Angels Ruby roses (£49.99 for 12 . including delivery) was runner up with 81 out of 100 and the impressive . Waitrose Luxury Red Roses (£50 for 20 including delivery) scored 77 out . of 100. Elegant: Serenata 20 Luxury White Roses got the vote for most elegant flowers for Mothering Sunday in the Good Housekeeping's March issue survey . It wasn’t only red roses for Valentine’s Day that Good Housekeeping scrutinised but the magazine also tested a variety of white roses for Mothering Sunday. Again, M&S took the top spot with 81 out of 100. The M&S Autograph White Rose Bouquet (£35 for 12 including delivery) was simple to order, elegant, arrived de-thorned and the flowers lasted for an amazing 26 days. Bloomin’ Lovely...Debenhams Flowers Purity - 79/100 . True Elegance...Serenata 20 Luxury White Roses - 76/100 . Good Value...Waitrose Wonderfully White Roses by Post - 74/100 . Delicate Cream...Fineflora Parisian White Rose Bouquet - 70/100 . Good Housekeeping Consumer Director Caroline Bloor said: 'Roses are a great way of saying many things- thank you, sorry, I love you - but they can be expensive. 'With so many online flower delivery services to choose from how do you know if your money has been well spent? After all, the recipient is unlikely to complain! 'Will that gorgeous bouquet on the website arrive on time, have wow factor and last well? 'In the Good Housekeeping tests, M&S white and red rose bouquets did just that, proving to be a cut above the rest across all criteria. 'So, now we've done the hard work, there's no excuse not to shower your loved ones with roses this Valentine's Day and Mothering Sunday.' For full results, go to www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/tried-and-tested-roses and check out the Good Housekeeping March issue, on sale Thursday 31 January. Also available as a digital edition. | Good Housekeeping magazine rated 10 bouquets .
The M&S Autograph Freedom Roses Bouquet (£40 for 12 including delivery) scored top marks with 82 out of 100 .
Runners up were Flower Angels Ruby roses and Waitrose Luxury Red Roses . |
18,998 | 35c6de98be18a8d6e061ef412ea80d4ba3999b4a | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:12 EST, 30 January 2013 . A renowned Russian ballerina with the illustrious Bolshoi Ballet has decided to leave the theatre and live in Canada after receiving threats. The abrupt announcement by leading soloist Svetlana Lunkina comes only weeks after sulphuric acid was thrown in the face of the theatre's artistic director, Sergei Filin. The historic theatre, first opened in . 1776, is known for its bitter, ego-driven disputes, with some describing . the situation as 'gangsterism'. Scroll down for video . Departed: Svetlana Lunkina is leaving the Bolshoi Ballet after receiving threats . It is considered an . enduring symbol of Russian culture and a big draw for both locals and . foreign tourists, but has seen power struggles among both dancers and . directors during its more than 200-year history. Past incidents include dead cats have been thrown on stag and broken glass inserted into ballet pumps by jealous rivals, reported The Times. The threats against Lunkina, 33, seem not to be linked to those against Filin. Svetlana Lunkina as Aspcia, the Pharaoh's Daughter and Ruslan Skvortsov as Lord Wilson / Taor (L) perform in the Bolshoi Ballet's production of 'The Pharaoh's Daughter' at the Royal Opera House. and she dances in the dress rehearsal of "Swan Lake" at the Royal Opera House in London. According to daily Russian newspaper Izvestia, they are linked to a film her husband, producer Vladislav Moskalev, had been working on. It was due to feature the great Russian imperial ballerina . Matilda Kshesinskaya, but Moskalyev was dropped from the . project after he fell out with his business partner, who is now suing . him for $3.7 million (£2.3 million.) 'I think we need to react to these threats.' Lunkina told the newspaper . Izvestia on Tuesday. Concerning: The threats are linked to a film her husband, producer Vladislav Moskalev, had been working on until he got into a dispute with his business partner . Reopen: The Bolshoi, which has ballet and opera troupes, reopened last February after a six-year renovation to its colonnaded landmark building near the Kremlin . 'These people have no right to interfere in our . private lives or my professional work.' Lunkina, who has a seven-year-old son, has been living in Canada for the last six months and will shortly begin dance classes at a dance studio in Kleinburg, the Toronto Star reports. Her prolonged disappearance from the Bolshoi stage had already puzzled fans who initially suspected she had suffered an injury before rumours spread that she was no longer in Russia, reported AFP. The ballerina had been due to appear later this year in . Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring but has been given leave of absence by . the Bolshoi.. Gangsterism: Sergei Filin, 42, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, was the victim of an acid attack. He was interviewed from the Moscow hospital where he is being treated, left, after the incident . Meanwhile Filin remains in hospital . since the attack outside his apartment and he may soon be transferred . from Moscow to Aachen, Germany for more treatment . His right eye is seriously damaged but doctors are hopeful his left one can be saved. The dancer is thought to have suffered weeks of personal harassment ahead of the incident. The man seen as Filin's main rival Nikolai Tsiskaridze, was one of the first people to be interviewed after the attack. Treatment: The artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet Sergei Filin was interviewed at the hospital in Moscow where he is being treated . Prestigious career: Sergei Filin in 2011 with the then president Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana attending a gala opening of the Bolshoi in Moscow . The Bolshoi, which has both ballet and opera troupes, reopened last February after a six-year renovation to its landmark colonnaded building, close to Red Square in the very centre of Moscow. As a symbol of Russian culture for more than 200 years, it is a big draw for both locals and foreign tourists, and has seen power struggles among both dancers and directors throughout its history. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, many of those conflicts, whether driven by egos or artistic convictions, have been played out in public. After the tightly controlled three-decade tenure of Yuri Grigorovich ended in 1995, the Bolshoi Ballet went through five artistic directors before Filin's appointment. In 2003 Anatoly Iksanov, director of the Bolshoi, dismissed ballerina Anastasia Volochkova after reportedly saying she was too heavy for male dancers to lift, and in 2011 a senior ballet manager resigned after a scandal over sexually explicit photographs. Filin, a Moscow native, joined the Bolshoi's ballet troupe in 1988 and was named its artistic director in March 2011. Tsiskaridze, a traditionalist, was . one of several whom Iksanov passed over in favour of Filin for the post . of artistic director in March 2011. He has been very vocal in the past about criticising the theatre, although he has expressed his outrage at the attack on Filin. General director of the Bolshoi Theatre says Tsiskaridze 'is like an abscess.' 'All . his worldwide speaking bad about his own home which made him a star, . and he is doing it and he never stops and he will not be stopped,' he . told The Daily Telegraph. 'Without . any punishment or any reaction, he is free to do what he wants – it . brings an unhealthy atmosphere inside the company. I am not ashamed to . say it openly, because evil has now appeared here.' In an interview immediately after the attack Filin said the attacker wore a hood and either a mask or a scarf, so only his eyes were visible. 'I got scared and I thought he was going to shoot me,' Filin, his face covered with white bandages, told REN TV. 'I turned around to run, but he raced ahead of me.' Filin, a Moscow native, joined the . Bolshoi's ballet troupe in 1988 and was named its artistic leader in . March 2011, after three years in a similar position at another Moscow . theatre. There was 'fierce rivalry' for the Bolshoi position at the time, according to RIA Novosti. Such is the power and prestige of the post in Russian life that Anatoly Iksanov, director of the Bolshoi, said he believed the attack was a product of envy or rivalry. Filin had already reported having his car tyres slashed and his emails hacked, as well as receiving repeated nuisance calls from someone who stayed silent when he answered. 'He said, `I have a feeling that I am on the front lines,'' Iksanov quoted Filin as telling him Thursday before the attack. The Bolshoi's spokeswoman Katerina . Novikova confirmed to Izvestia that Lunkina had requested leave for the . season and that the company had approved it. | Sergei Filin, 42, was attacked outside his apartment earlier this month .
The threats against Lunkina, 33, seem not to be linked to those against Filin .
Lunkina said the threats were linked to a film project that her husband, the producer Vladislav Moskalyev, had been working on . |
166,569 | 636202850a8dc832b30102c9ae2ae3ab34558f08 | An abandoned dog that was tied up, put in a rubbish bag and dumped in a bin was rescued after its terrified cries were heard by a passer-by. Emilia Lucchese was walking through the streets of Messina in Sicily, southern Italy, with her friend, Enrica Bianchi, when she noticed the animal's whimpers. The pair opened the lid of the bin and were shocked to discover the brown dog lying inside it in a black plastic bag with its legs bound tightly with wire. Scroll down for video . Shocking: This dog was tied up, put in a rubbish bag and dumped in a bin in Messina in Sicily, southern Italy . After lifting the animal out of the bin, they quickly found it was severely dehydrated and so weak it could barely lift its head. But after feeding it water and taking it to the vets, the dog has made a full recovery - and has even been adopted by its devoted rescuers. Today, Ms Lucchese, who later named the dog Oliviero, described the moment she heard the animal's cries coming from the bin. 'I thought maybe the dog had got trapped inside after looking for scraps or something, and somebody had shut the lid,' she said. Abandoned: Emilia Lucchese and her friend Enrica Bianchi were walking through the streets of Messina in Sicily, southern Italy, when they noticed the animal's whimpers. Above, the dog was found in a 'terrified' state . Rescue: The women opened the lid of the bin and were shocked to discover the brown dog lying inside it in a black plastic bag. Above, one of the women feeds the animal water from a bottle as it was severely dehydrated . 'But when I opened it I realised there was something moving in a plastic bin liner and that it must have been the animal. 'When we pulled it out, we were shocked to see the terrified dog had its legs tied up with wire in an apparent bid to stop it escaping.' She added: 'It was in shock and really thirsty so I assume it had been there for a while, it started to come round only after we poured water from a bottle into its mouth.' Location: The dog was found the city of Messina (pictured), which is the third largest city on the island of Sicily . Ms Lucchese and Ms Bianchi filmed their rescue of Oliviero on video, before posting the shocking footage online. The short film quickly went viral on Italian social media networks and was later published in local newspapers. Italian police have now launched an investigation and are appealing for information about the dog's previous owners. Adopted: The animal (pictured just seconds after it was found) had its legs bound tightly with wire and was so weak it could barely lift its head. But it has since made a full recovery - and has been adopted by its rescuers . | Emilia Lucchese was walking through Messina, Sicily, with female friend .
She heard dog's screams coming from bin, so went over and opened lid .
Shocked to discover dog lying inside it in bin bag with legs tied with wire .
Animal was severely dehydrated and so weak it could barely lift its head .
But since rescue, dog has recovered and has been adopted by the women . |
129,863 | 33dd3639d83f263c95f0a85b6e520d36d53c3995 | (CNN) -- It was vintage Andy Kaufman: New rumors that he might be alive. This time, his younger brother gave it credence. Never mind that Michael Kaufman said he was with his brother when he died in 1984. Three decades later, he was now reading from a mysterious letter purportedly written by Andy in 1999 and standing onstage with a woman who presented herself as the comedian's 24-year-old daughter. The announcement just happened to be made at a New York comedy club during the annual Andy Kaufman Awards show. We lapped it up. Because we sooooo wanted to believe it was true: The comedic genius would finally make his grand return. An aging Tony Clifton. A triumphant Latka Gravas. A limping Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World. Anything to keep the hope alive. Then, Michael Kaufman hit us with the next line: He believes he's the victim of a hoax. Kaufman has already been immortalized in the R.E.M. song "Man on the Moon" and in the Jim Carrey movie by the same name. His wrestling antics with Jerry "The King" Lawler are forever etched into American lore from Kaufman's infamous expletive-laced tirade on "Late Night with David Letterman." This week's news got us wondering why Kaufman still fascinates. Here are five reasons, in a reverse-order fashion he would appreciate: . 5. The Ultimate Internet Troll . Kaufman was Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat two decades before "Borat" hit the big screen. He was "Jackass" and "Punk'd" rolled into one. Kaufman was the Internet troll before the Internet was created. "He was like that annoying house fly who won't leave you alone," says Bob Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University. "He was the opposite of a super villain. It's not like he could freeze the world or burn the world up. He could just irritate the daylights out of the world." 4. The Big Rematch . Let's face it: How much fun would it be to see Kaufman step into the ring with Lawler one more time? The Great Ruse: The comedic genius who rocked wrestling . Maybe an Aging-Loser-Leave-Town match. Even Lawler pines for that moment. As the rumors swirled this week of Kaufman being alive, Lawler challenged Kaufman to hop back into the ring. "We would have to have a rematch," Lawler told CNN. "We could rekindle the feud with no problem." 3. Milk and Cookies . He once took an entire audience out for milk and cookies after a show. Enough said. 2. Love Him, Hate Him . If you're 40 or older, you likely have some memory of Kaufman. On the sitcom "Taxi." On "Saturday Night Live." From Letterman. From comedy clubs. From wrestling. For that generation, Americans will always remember Kaufman -- as a comedic genius, as a befuddling buffoon, as a bulging-eyed maniac. "What Andy Kaufman was doing was so new and so groundbreaking," says Syracuse's Thompson. "The idea that you would derive humor out of stupidity and absolute nothingness, I think, was really fascinating." "He was doing a critique of the out-of-control American celebrity back when most people didn't even realize it was out of control." 1. The Longest Joke Ever . Kaufman always talked about faking his death -- and doing so would be keeping within character, playing a joke long past the point of annoyance. The nation loves practical jokes, and clinging to the possibility that Kaufman is still alive lets us feel like we're still playing along. "Andy Kaufman was often about doing an awful lot of stuff and enduring an awful lot of hatred and scorn before the punch line ever arrived, if it ever did," Thompson says. Think about it: The setup comes in 1984 and the punch line gets delivered nearly 30 years later. "You so want it to be true because it would be one of the greatest things to ever happen in the history of comedy," he says. "It would be the longest joke ever told." | Internet buzzed this week after reports that Andy Kaufman might be alive .
Kaufman's brother ultimately said he felt he was victim of hoax .
People want to believe because "it would be the longest joke ever told" |
133,990 | 393b20c8768a60bdb829e78437e7089f48e5ffa8 | By . Ryan Lipman For Daily Mail Australia . Not many 42-year-old mothers can boast earning $390 for 15 minutes work while supporting a family. Former accountant Julie Fennell also known as Bella has been a professional fattogram stripper for four years. Currently weighing close to 140 kilograms, the resident of Swansea, south of Newcastle, has a 19-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son and said she absolutely loves her work. 'The best thing is when I do a live show and everyone is talking about me afterwards for weeks on end,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I love my job'. Scroll down for video . Julie Fennell was a former accountant but since becoming a fattogram stripper about four years ago, can now earn $390 for 15 minutes work . Julie is also known by her performance name Bella and her most popular fattogram stripper outfits include a policewoman and schoolgirl . Having completed more than 400 shows during her career regularly as a schoolgirl or policewoman, she often performs in the Newcastle area and travels to Sydney where she does up to four shows on a weekend in clubs, hotels penthouses and private residences. Bella said she took up fattogram stripping after a conversation with a friend. 'A friend of mine asked if I would be interested in doing it,' she said. 'I have small children so I thought I don't want to do anything that would jeopardise myself.' 'Taking the top part of my clothing off and getting paid $400 - I thought why not.' Shortly after the conversation she joined a stripping agency in the Newcastle area, which has since closed down but she now works for a few different agencies including Damien's Party Entertainment. Bella said she does not offer X-rated shows like traditional 'skinny' strippers, yet can still command $390 for a 15-minute show if she travels to Sydney. She is is also regularly part of radio promotions and competitions and photo shoots. During her career, the fattogram stripper has done more than 400 shows including bucks parties and 18th and 21st birthdays . The Swansea mother said her shows were not X-rated, although she foes take her top off . Bella does shows in the Newcastle area as well as travelling to Sydney for work, where she also does club performances . 'Skinny strippers have to do more than what I have to do for less money,' she said. 'I'm more of a novelty stripper and I can charge more because of it.' 'I come in, give them (clients) a bit of fun and I'm not so serious. Normal strippers won't let you take photos or take videos, but I let them take it all - I don't care. They say: "Oh my God you're so cool".' However Bella does perform topless and mixes her shows up by incorporating whips, chains and gag balls. 'I'm different to an everyday stripper,' she said and added her performances were in high demand. 'Most people forget a skinny stripper's name, but everyone remembers mine. People still talk about me for ages after they see me - and it's all good.' The mother-of-two said while performing she was focused on her work and making sure everyone has a good time. 'I go do my thing and then leave,' she said. 'Sometimes I'm asked to hang around and drink and party, but obviously I've got other shows to do... otherwise I'd love to party.' Earlier this year Bella was part of a KIIS FM radio promotion in Sydney with breakfast hosts Kyle and Jackie O, where callers had to correctly guess if the hosts were telling the truth about a fattogram . The mother-of-two performs at private houses parties, in hotel rooms and penthouses, cafes and clubs on weekends . Thanks to word of mouth, Bella said popularity for her shows was soaring and she has even had invites from cafes asking her to perform for an evening. 'I'm starting to get a good reputation of being a good performer,' she said. She regularly performs at buck nights, 18th and 21st birthday parties. 'Parents book me for birthday parties for something different,' Bella said. The most bizarre thing she has been asked to do was motorboat some women. 'They actually liked it, it was at their request,' she said. 'I've done a couple of lesbian parties - they loved me. I'm open to anything except bestiality,' she joked. While Bella said the feedback from her performances was overwhelming positive, there have been occasions when she has had to leave. Thanks to positive word of mouth, Bella said demand for her shows was booming . Bella said the feedback from customers was generally overwhelmingly positive. She is pictured left with Aaron Wheelz Fotheringham at a Nitro Circus show, and right she was taking part in a NXFM radio promotion dressed in costume as a policewoman . 'People have made me feel not the best and not showing them, I've walked out crying,' she said. 'Throwing full pizzas, lollies - it's degrading by throwing food at you.' Bella said out of 400 shows, only 10 have been a degrading experience, with the worst happening about three years ago. 'I quit (fattogram stripping) for a month... down at Terrigal I was trapped in a house,' she said. 'Food was thrown and a beer bottle at my head.' Bella said she eventually got out of the house after she broke down in tears and her clients let her go as a result. 'It (the bottle) cracked my head. They were jerks. I quit and then I thought down the track, if I quit and don't go back then they have won and I didn't think that was fair. I've been stronger then ever since.' The fattogram stripper said she has always been overweight and due to medication she takes for a bipolar disorder, this causes her to put on even more. 'I'm an emotional eater. If I'm happy or if I'm sad, I eat,' she said. The 42-year-old became a fattogram stripper after a friend suggested it and said it pays her bills and she loves it . Yet four years ago she had lap band surgery and lost about 130 kilograms - nearly half her body weight. 'I've still got a bit to go,' she said. 'I'm six foot two, so it hides quite well.' 'My health is not deteriorating and I'm pretty healthy so I'll keep going (stripping) until I can't anymore... the doctor is not worried about my heart so medically I'm fine to keep going.' 'Doing thee to four shows every weekend, you need to be a bit fit.' Two years ago she underwent another procedure to tighten the band and Bella said if she does this a second time, she could easily loose another 40 kilograms in a couple of months. While some my find her career choice unconventional, Bella said she had the support of her friends, family and even her children. 'My little boy is just finding out recently - I don't think he has a problem,' she said. 'My daughter comes with me to jobs and helps me carry my stuff.' 'My friends and family think I have guts to be doing what I do. My parents were a bit "Oh my God", at first. One of the agencies Bella works for also offers dwarf strippers and gorilla singing telegrams . 'It pays my bills, I get the children what they need and I'm not harming anyone.' Bella appears in Not Your Usual Strippers as part of Outsiders Week on The Feed, tonight 7.30pm on SBS 2. Presenter Jeanette Francis said her understanding of a fattogram before meeting Julie was similar to most people. 'The only thing I knew about fattograms was what the average person knows... they are a form of entertainment, hired for bucks and birthdays,' Ms Francis said. 'I think the most surprising part for me was just how much they enjoy their job most of the time,' she said and added that Julie was often 'pumped and psyched' before a show. She said she expected to the fattograms to have faced stronger criticism during their career, but learnt this was not the case. Bella pictured with her son Darien, 12 and her daughter 19-year-old Tahlia, who accompanies her to shows . 'I was pleasantry surprised at how well they (the shows) tend to go,' she said. Ms Francis said Julie also smashed all sterotypes associated with traditional strippers. 'She's not conventionally beautiful, she a much bigger woman, she couldn't be more different from a sexy stripper,' she said. The presenter added that Julie did have lots of energy and lots of sexual energy and said there could be a sexual and/or funny elements to her shows. 'Bigger ladies can still be just as sexual as any others,' she said. As part of the program Ms Francis also interviewed a dwarf stripper, who said said also enjoyed the work. Not Your Usual Strippers appears as part of Outsiders Week on The Feed, tonight 7.30pm on SBS 2. Despite her unconventional profession, Bella said her family and friends support the work that she does . | Former accountant Julie Fennell has been a fattogram stripper since 2010 .
Known as Bella, she regularly travels from Newcastle to Sydney for work .
The mother performs at private house parties, hotel rooms and in clubs .
She said her family and friends support what she does and her daughter even travels with her to strip shows . |
151,812 | 50351b4caabb624135d60c08c74f219997d0cd3d | Off target: Failed bank boss Sir Fred Goodwin . A damning report into how Royal Bank of Scotland was brought to its knees by a £50billion gamble triggered outrage yesterday after former boss Sir Fred Goodwin escaped any punishment. The long-awaited 450-page report into the bank’s cataclysmic collapse lays bare a catalogue of management incompetence, regulatory failings and disastrous takeover deals which led to the bank’s implosion in 2008. ‘Fred the Shred’ and his colleagues were allowed to run riot because of a ‘light touch’ regulatory regime championed by Labour ministers including current Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, found the report by the Financial Services Authority. The bank was brought to its knees by ‘multiple poor decisions’ and a huge gamble when RBS – as part of a consortium – bought Dutch bank ABN Amro for £50billion in 2007. Despite his pivotal role in the downfall of RBS, Sir Fred, 53, continues to enjoy his gold-plated lifestyle and his knighthood, funded by a £342,500 a year pension. He has not been penalised or prosecuted in any way, despite steering the bank to the brink of collapse. It only survived because of a £45billion bailout by the taxpayer, who still own 83 per cent of the bank. There are fears they may never get all their money back. In the regulator’s report: . ■ Politicians, including Ed Balls and the former Prime Minister Tony Blair, are lambasted for urging the regulator to leave RBS and other banks alone. It says there was political pressures for a ‘light-touch regulatory regime', despite the banking industry having such a vital role in society and the economy; . ■ It is revealed that a year before RBS’s collapse in October 2008, just ‘4.5 people’ at the FSA were in charge of regulating the bank, which the regulator now admits was ‘severely deficient’; . ■ It also says that ‘Sir Fred’s ‘robust and assertive’ management style was flagged as a potential risk as early as 2003; . ■ There are just 13 mentions of Sir Fred’s name in the report, although the FSA insisted yesterday his lawyers had not significantly changed its findings after being given the right to examine them before publication; . ■ It is revealed that at one point, there was just one person responsible for the regulation of RBS’s and Barclays’ investment banking activities, a stance blamed on Labour’s political appetite for minimal regulation; . ■ It says that when RBS bought the Dutch bank, ABN Amro, its research into the deal in 2007 which proved to be disastrous amounted to just ‘two lever arch folders and a CD’; . ■ Sir Fred’s affair with a colleague, which the married father-of-two tried desperately to keep private, was ‘irrelevant to the story of RBS’s failure’, according to the FSA. Sir Fred is unemployed, but has such a super-size pension that he never needs to work again. Lord Oakeshott, the leading LibDem peer, said: ‘Royal Bank of Scotland was a monster – too big to control and to fail, driven by greed and ruled by a tyrant. ‘Reckless train and car drivers go to prison, but Sir Fred goes to the golf course.’ Implications: The FSA report alludes to Sir Fred's infamously aggressive management style, saying his 'perceived dominance' created a risk . To add to the fury of taxpayers, the disgraced Scottish banker also took out a £2.8million tax-free lump sum from his pension before he started receiving it. When Lord Turner, chairman of the FSA, was asked by the Daily Mail yesterday if he thought that it was ‘fair’ that Sir Fred has escaped, he replied: ‘No’. He said: ‘Ordinary people… have a right to be absolutely furious.’ The report says there were a number of reasons behind the failure of RBS, which was a relatively small, prudently managed bank before Sir Fred joined. One of the biggest problems was its ‘over-reliance on risky short-term wholesale funding’, which was unsustainable when the credit crunch killed it off. The former Chancellor, Alistair Darling, wrote in his recent autobiography that RBS was just a few hours from collapse when the Government stepped in. RBS also rushed into buying ABN Amro despite knowing little about it. It discovered problems only after it had paid the bill. The report says: ‘The decision to make a bid of this scale on the basis of limited due diligence entailed a degree of risk-taking that can reasonably be criticised as a gamble.’ It adds: ‘Many will find this conclusion [that no director will face sanctions] difficult to accept. Surely someone can and should be held responsible.’ It also alludes to Sir Fred’s infamously aggressive management style, saying his ‘perceived dominance’ created a risk. Business Secretary Vince Cable said he was taking legal advice to see if there is any way Sir Fred and other ex-directors could be penalised, such as being disqualified from company directorships. Roger Lawson, of the Share Soc, which represents individual shareholders, said: ‘The legal framework is totally inadequate. Directors can be totally incompetent and yet still escape any penalty. ‘The shareholders have seen their savings destroyed.’ RBS shares were worth more than £6 in 2007 compared to 20.55p now. Senior Labour politicians including Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls were yesterday blamed for their role in the near-collapse of RBS. The Financial Services Authority report reveals how it had come under ‘sustained’ political pressure from the previous Government to spare the City from regulation in the run-up to the banking crisis. The body took the extraordinary step of naming three Labour politicians – former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as well as Mr Balls. In the frame: The body took the extraordinary step of naming former Labour politicians Gordon Brown (right) and Ed Balls in its report, as well as Tony Blair . The FSA highlighted a series of speeches and comments by the trio warning that any attempt to tighten the rules would have prompted complaints of ‘heavy-handedness’. The watchdog concluded that deficiencies in management, governance and culture were responsible for dragging RBS to the brink of collapse in 2008. The FSA admitted that its own supervision was ‘flawed’, but it said it had come under sustained pressure to protect the City’s status as a financial powerhouse. Revelations: The report also cited how the then FSA chairman wrote to Mr Blair (pictured) The report is an indictment of Labour’s . role in the crisis. Mr Brown and right-hand man Mr Balls have been . criticised for taking responsibility for bank regulation from the Bank . of England and handing it to the FSA in 1997. The report points to a speech made in 2006 by Mr Balls when he was Treasury Secretary in which he said ‘nothing should be done to put at risk a light-touch, risk-based regulatory regime’. The FSA said that, in this context, it was ‘almost certain’ the FSA would have been accused of pursuing a ‘heavy-handed, gold-plating approach which would harm London’s competitiveness’ if it had argued for the tighter banking rules that were put in place after the crisis. The report adds that it responded to the pressure by reassuring Labour politicians that it only employed a handful of staff to supervise major banks. It goes on to cite how then FSA chairman Sir Callum McCarthy wrote to Mr Blair assuring him that the FSA ‘applied to the supervision of its largest banks only a fraction of the resource applied by U.S. regulators to banks of equivalent size and importance’. Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday that the report was evidence that ‘Labour were to blame for the appalling regulation of RBS’. Tory Party deputy chairman Michael Fallon said: ‘The report exposes how Labour share the blame for the regulatory failures that led to the biggest bank bailout in history. ‘You wouldn’t bring back Fred Goodwin to sort out the banks, so why would you bring back Ed Balls to sort out the economy?’ | Bank was brought to its knees by 'multiple poor decisions'
Goodwin and his colleagues were allowed to run riot because of a 'light touch' regulatory regime . |
92,742 | 034aec2379813a7dbd09fd504e46a561f017a44f | By . Martin Samuel . It was rather fitting that the first coach to use the World Cup drinks break to dramatic effect was Louis van Gaal of Holland. Van . Gaal is what is known as a game-changer. That is the role Manchester . United have set out for him, as the successor to the forlorn David . Moyes. They want the new coach to arrest last season's decline, to . rebuild Sir Alex Ferguson's team and restore the club to the pinnacle . of English football. Yet Van Gaal is a game-changer in a . literal sense, too. He intervenes, he inspires, he diverts the course of . the matches his teams play. VIDEO Scroll down to watch fiery Van Gaal lose his temper during Holland training . The comeback kings: Louis van Gaal celebrates as Holland beat Mexico late on to progress to the last eight . Not his day: Robin van Persie's performance mirrored one of his poor displays for United last season . VIDEO Dutch party rumbles on . He is a 12th man, a non-playing substitute, whose intrusions into the action are, if not always a guarantee of success, then certainly worthwhile. There is a lazy presumption in the English game that once the team enter the field there is little the manager can do about proceedings. Van Gaal challenges that. He certainly did in Fortaleza on Sunday. In searing heat, the most hostile conditions of the World Cup so far, he used the opportunity of a second-half drinks break to alter Holland's shape against Mexico. He took off Robin van Persie and replaced him with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar; he moved Dirk Kuyt from left wing back to a supporting striker role; he went long on his route to goal. The Van Persie decision was brave. This is, after all, his captain and the player who it is said will smooth his path at Manchester United next summer. Van Gaal needs Van Persie to help sell his often-confrontational style and methods to the rest of the dressing room. Yet it was the direct approach in moving the ball forward that was his greatest risk. Already derided by the grandees of Dutch football, including Johan Cruyff, had Van Gaal played in a less sophisticated way in the final minutes against Mexico and lost, he would have been decried as a philistine. Instead, the end justified the means. Mexico wilted under the pressure, Holland won, Van Gaal's intervention was successful. It is this decisiveness that United are hoping to bottle next season, having faltered under Moyes, who seemed to struggle with the big calls. Moyes failed to replace Van Persie during a poor performance against Newcastle United. 'If I'd brought him off some people would say, "What are you doing? You are 1-0 down and you're taking off your top goalscorer",' Moyes admitted. Feeling down: David Moyes looks dejected on the sidelines as he sees United lose again . Making a difference: Van Gaal gives instructions as Holland came from behind to win . Famous pose: United were known for stunning late comebacks in Sir Alex Ferguson's time at the club . It is unlikely Van Gaal would ever factor public reaction into a decision. 'This trainer wants to win,' he said after the match in Fortaleza. 'He . makes the changes and the substitutions he needs. Nothing else matters. It's simple.' He says he . will have no qualms about dropping Van Persie entirely if he feels . fitness issues have affected the performances of his captain. The way football is developing, Van Gaal's hands-on approach is more . important than ever. Huntelaar's injury-time winner from the penalty . spot was the 25th goal scored at this World Cup by a substitute. The . ratio going into Monday's fixtures was a goal in every 2.08 games from a . player coming off the bench, meaning football can no longer be . considered 11 against 11. At World Cups in particular, when a . coach has 12 options on the sideline, game management is vital. As . rugby union has its invasion of replacements in the second half, . baseball its relief pitchers to close out the match, and hockey its . rolling substitutes, so football is increasingly demanding of the . coaches. One of the reasons Norwich City grew dissatisfied . with Chris Hughton was his substitutions. In these days of constant . statistical analysis, it was noted that almost a season had passed . without any of the players he had introduced scoring, or creating, a . goal. Jose Mourinho is regarded as one of the most inspired . game managers in football and Van Gaal is the coach who he says was his . greatest influence. Ferguson, the man whose feats the Dutchman must . aspire to as Manchester United manager, was never shy of the bold . gesture either. In this way, already, Van Gaal seems a more . natural fit than the instinctively cautious Moyes. United fell behind 20 . times and recovered to win on four occasions under Moyes. By contrast, . Holland have come back from behind three times already just at this . World Cup. It would appear United have found their man. Famous pose: United were known for stunning late comebacks in Sir Alex Ferguson's time at the club . | Holland win in Fergie time with a controversial penalty .
Dutch come from behind three times in four games at the World Cup to win .
Manchester United came from behind to win on just four of twenty occasions under David Moyes .
Van Gaal hooks captain Van Persie while Moyes always remained fearful . |
6,965 | 13ba5b5cd4a7453fe34cac8a6eb70ddfb9150e39 | By . Rob Waugh . Last updated at 2:25 PM on 30th December 2011 . The 'Great Firewall of China': The Chinese government has announced it is to work with search engines to protect Chinese citizens. China is the origin of many cyber attacks including several high-profile hacks of foreign government officials . The Chinese government is stepping up internet security for its own citizens this week after a series of leaks of personal data from social networking sites and 'phishing' attacks on bank accounts. The government announced it would work with 10 Chinese search engines - which already censor the internet under Chinese law - to ensure 'fake' banks appear lower in search rankings. The move comes in the wake of several high-profile cyber attacks originating in China which targeted U.S and other government officials. China is widely suspected of being . the origin of many hacking attacks on government and commercial websites . abroad, but officials have repeatedly dismissed reports that the . government or military could be behind such attacks. Earlier this year, hackers based in Jinan, China targeted personal Gmail and Yahoo accounts of government officials. The methods used suggested insider knowledge about the offiicals according to many observers. The Chinese government denied any involvement. 'Blaming these misdeeds on China is unacceptable,' said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei after the attacks. 'Hacking is an international problem and China is also a victim. The claims of so-called support for hacking are completely unfounded.' China bans numerous overseas . websites, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and some foreign media . outlets, fearing the uncensored sharing of images and information could . cause social instability and harm national . security. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security said on Friday it would work with 10 Chinese search engines to protect the website rankings of financial institutions to lessen the chances that Internet users will be duped by phishing websites. A phishing attack occurs when the user is persuaded to part with his or her username and password via a fake webpage that closely resembles the original. Through the collaboration, the official websites of several Chinese banks, such as Agricultural Bank of China and China Construction Bank will be ranked first in the search engine when a user searches for the related keywords, the Ministry said in an online circular on Friday. The move comes after a spate of personal data leaks that alarmed the online community and prompted calls for tougher scrutiny of who has access to online information. China claims the most Internet users in the world at 485 million, state media reported last month, and despite widespread censorship and monitoring online, many users have been up in arms about the reported data leaks and their implications. The user IDs, passwords and e-mail addresses of more than 6 million accounts registered on CSDN - a site for programmers - were leaked, Xinhua New Agency reported last week, citing an anti-virus software provider which discovered the problem. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that it would investigate the hacking incidents, 'The department believes the recent leak of user information is a serious infringement of the rights of Internet users and threatens Internet safety. The department strongly condemns such behaviour.' | Will work with 10 search engines to tighten security for China's 485 million web users .
Many cyber attacks originate in China .
Several high-profile attacks on foreign officials . |
55,527 | 9d6b84110b3b36fd690b908c7d27b5defff6a8c4 | (CNN) -- Search results you can smell, a crowdsourced hunt for pirate booty and paying for vowels on Twitter are some of this year's attempts at tech pranks. Few fooled anymore, but the annual tech ritual is still fun to watch. Every April Fools' Day, tech companies big and small roll out carefully constructed jokes. They're a way for the companies to show they know how to have to have a little fun, while conveniently getting in some free marketing at the same time. Google continues to be the undisputed champion of April Fools' tomfoolery, with elaborate offerings and high-production-value announcement videos across various Google products. Google Maps is following up last year's 8-bit maps overlay with an old-timey treasure map. The real, interactive overlay comes complete with sepia-tinged Street View images and a detailed backstory. It seems the 315-year-old map was found by divers capturing Google Maps underwater street view images. It belonged to pirate William "Captain" Kidd and contains hidden clues and symbols. The company invites people to help search for treasure, admire the hand-drawn landmarks and look out for pirates. Google's iconic search page unveiled smellable search results with Google Nose. When you search for certain keywords like durian, campsite, moth balls, grandpa's hat or maple syrup, a description of that object's odor and a big blue "Smell" button appear alongside the search results. According to the "Google Aromabase," Abraham Lincoln smells like an old, musty "remnant of American history." To experience it for yourself, lean in and press enter. The 15 million-plus sentibytes of data were collected via Android devices and smart vehicles. (There is, of course, a safe-search feature for smells you'd rather not experience.) YouTube announced it was shutting down completely. The past eight years have actually just been a contest to determine the best video ever made. The service has finally collected enough entries and will begin the long reviewing and judging process to select a winner. The process will only take 10 years to sift through 150,000 finalists, the site said. YouTube celebrities such as Charlie of "Charlie Bit My Finger" and Antoine "Hide Your Kids, Hide Your Wife" Dodson make special appearances in the video announcing the contest. Other Google attempts include Gmail Blue (everything is radically redesigned to be blue), Google+ auto-detecting emoticons, and Google Fiber hotspots attached to utility poles. Twitter announced it was splitting its service into two, with a full, paid version that will charge for vowels ($5/month) and a free version called "Twttr" that will allow only consonants. Part-time vowel "Y" will continue to be free, and the length of tweets is being expanded to 141 characters. "We're doing this because we believe that by eliminating vowels, we'll encourage a more efficient and 'dense' form of communication," the company announced in its April Fools' blog post. (True story: Twitter founders considered using that vowel-free version for the site's name). Virgin Atlantic unveiled a photo of its new glass-bottom plane, giving everyone a window seat. Nokia announced it was making a touch-screen microwave that integrates eye-tracking technology and automatic food photography. The Nokia 5AM-TH1N6 Constellation will retail for 399 Euros (about $511), though subsidized versions may be available. "More models, including a mini variant targeted towards people with small appetites, and a 10-inch variant aimed at no one in particular, are also planned," the company said in a blog post. Sony unveiled its latest line of headphones and speakers for cats, dogs and even hamsters, called Animalia. | Google leads the pranks with smell searches and a Google Maps treasure hunt .
YouTube announced it's shutting down to decide best-ever video .
Twitter rolled out a fake product that charges for vowels .
Nokia, Sony, Virgin and other companies also announced fake products . |
102,684 | 1057e06828a16edfe53df898bae21649eca98699 | (CNN) -- A military junta that toppled Guinea's government announced its new leader Wednesday in a nationwide radio address. Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara wrapped in the Guinean flag Wednesday. Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara declared himself president of the National Council for Democracy, which he called a transitional body that will oversee the country's return to democracy. In effect, that would make Camara president of Guinea, which was thrown into turmoil Monday after the death of President Lansana Conte. Camara also declared a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. local time. Guinea's parliament is holding negotiations with the military, Africa News reporter Mamdou Dian Donghol Diallo told CNN. "For the time being the situation is calm and negotiations are under way," Diallo said. "There is no traffic. Everyone is staying inside their homes." Camara, previously the spokesman for the National Council for Democracy, suspended the government, constitution, political parties and trade unions, Diallo said from Conakry. The newly formed government, made up of 26 military personnel and six civilians, is negotiating a power-sharing deal that would reflect its ethnic make-up, Diallo said. But some in the military may not support the new leadership, he said. International institutions, including the African Union, have condemned the coup. Guinea, in western Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean, has had two presidents since gaining independence from France in 1958. Conte came to power in 1984, when the military seized control of the government after the death of the first president, Sekou Toure. The country did not hold democratic elections until 1993, when Conte was elected president. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003 amid allegations of electoral irregularities. Worsening economic conditions and dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006, the CIA World Factbook says. A third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests that resulted in two weeks of martial law. To appease the unions and end the unrest, the Factbook says, Conte named a new prime minister in March 2007. Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite its mineral wealth, according to the British charity Plan UK. The country hosts large refugee populations from neighboring Liberia and Ivory Coast. | NEW: Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara named de facto president of Guinea .
Coup leaders impose overnight curfew; government, constitution suspended .
President Lansana Conte died Monday after near 25-year rule .
Coup condemned by African Union . |
274,926 | f028a7936772f2bf05cda437dd183687f480e009 | By . Sophie Jane Evans . A farmer spoke of his anger today after having to repeatedly rescue stranded drivers from his estate due to sat nav blunders. James Cookson has saved an average of one motorist a fortnight from Meldon Park Estate near Morpeth, Northumberland, over the past 18 months. Each time, the driver had turned on to a narrow dirt path at the guidance of their sat nav, before getting stuck in the muddy, 'rutted' conditions. Angry: Farmer James Cookson has saved an average of one motorist a fortnight from Meldon Park Estate, near Morpeth, over the past 18 months. Above, Mr Cookson with a sign warning the lane is 'unsuitable for vehicles' This is despite a sign at the 3,852-acre estate warning the country lane is 'unsuitable for vehicles'. Today, Mr Cookson said he was 'frustrated' at having to constantly pull cars, lorries and even fuel tankers from the path via tractor. 'I could understand it if it looked pretty accessible. But the farmers do not use the track with their tractor for the simple reason it is a bit too narrow,' he said. 'It is one of these tracks where you are going to think twice, it is not Tarmaced. It is rutted. It is quite rough. Muddy: Each time, the driver had turned on to a narrow dirt path at the guidance of their sat nav, before getting stuck in the muddy, 'rutted' conditions. Mr Cookson was forced to rescue the stricken motorists via tractor . Diversion: Most of the drivers are believed to have been travelling from the centre of Morpeth to nearby High Angerton when their sat navs directed them down the path to Mr Cookson's estate . 'Surely when you go down there you just think, "This can not be right". How they get down there I do not know.' Mr Cookson said a number of drivers, believed to have been travelling from the centre of Morpeth to nearby High Angerton had told him their sat navs had directed them down the path. The lane, which adjoins the B6343 road and has a dead end, was designated a byway open to all traffic (BOAT) around 18 months ago. Since then, the farmer claims at least one vehicle wrongly turns on to the lane every two weeks, before getting stuck in the ground. Frsutrated: Today, Mr Cookson said he was 'frustrated' at having to constantly rescue vehicles from the path . Grand: Mr Cookson is the seventh generation of his family to live at the estate after it was bought in 1832 from the Greenwich Hospital Trust. The building features a walled garden which is open to the public and a café . On one recent occasion, a motorist even opened a gate along the path and failed to shut it - allowing horses to escape from a field, he said. 'There is a sign up which clearly says not suitable for motor vehicles, but they do not read that,' said Mr Cookson, who is the seventh generation of his family to live at the estate after it was bought in 1832 from the Greenwich Hospital Trust. 'Either they can not read or they choose not to.' Path: Mr Cookson said he is considering imposing a £500 charge on anyone who has to be rescued in future . Mr Cookson likened the situation to that at Holy Island, where motorists ignore signs warning them not to cross its causeway outside safe times. He added that he is considering imposing a £500 charge on anyone who has to be rescued in future. The estate, featuring a walled garden open to the public and a café, has 15 miles of public rights of way. | James Cookson rescues one driver a fortnight from estate near Morpeth .
Each time, motorist had turned on to tiny dirt path at guidance of sat nav .
Got stuck in muddy, 'rutted' conditions and had to be pulled out by tractor .
Today, Mr Cookson said he was frustrated at number of stranded drivers .
'Surely when you go down there, you think "this can't be right", he said .
Added he may impose £500 fine on anyone who needs rescuing in future . |
220,239 | a90dca2f4bbb242af3463f0d50364151668023b5 | By . James Rush . This is the uncomfortable moment a group of tourists put themselves 'directly in the line of danger' as they got close too close for comfort to a pair of fighting jaguars. Wildlife photographer Paul Williams was overjoyed when he came across the elusive big cats in their natural habitat, the Brazilian Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland area, while filming for a television series. But Mr Williams, 34, who works for the BBC Natural History Unit, soon found himself becoming increasingly concerned as he watched tour boats jostling to see which could get closest. A group of tourists put themselves 'directly in the line of danger' as they get close too close for comfort to a jaguar . Wildlife photographer Paul Williams was planning on filming the animals but was blocked by several tourist boats who watched the animals as they fought . Mr Williams said the tourists 'went far too close for comfort. These cats have powerful legs and can jump several metres in one bound' Mr Williams had planned to film the animals, but was quickly blocked by several tourist boats wanting to get the best view. He said: 'I came across this group of young males on the corner of a river in the northern Pantanal - they appeared to be play-fighting. It wasn't long before a group of tourist boats also spotted the scene but I kept my distance knowing how dangerous jaguar are. 'The tourists went far too close for comfort. These cats have powerful legs and can jump several metres in one bound. In fact their name comes from the Native American word yaguar meaning "he who kills in one leap". 'At the time we guessed that they were about 5 metres away just of the edge of the bank. 'I was in the Pantanal to film various animals for a TV series. What I really wanted to film and photograph was jaguar - the biggest cat in the Americas and one of the most elusive and difficult to see. 'I couldn't believe my luck when we stumbled across a scene of four jaguar on a bend in the river (we only ever got a shot of 3 in the same frame) - a female and three large, but immature, males. We assumed that they were closely related and this would be a unique opportunity to film and photograph natural behaviour.' Mr Williams was overjoyed when he came across the elusive big cats in their natural habitat, the Brazilian Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland area, while filming for a television series . Mr Williams said while the area is officially protected, it is down to common courtesy and an unwritten code between guides for good practice to be observed . Mr Williams said he was guided by a Mr Toto, who grew up navigating the waterways of the Pantanal. He said: 'His philosophy is very much the same as ours - to observe natural behaviour and not to influence it. So we did the safest and least intrusive thing we could and moved our boat to the opposite bank where we could use our long lens to capture the action from a safe distance. 'Unfortunately less than 10 minutes later several boats sped into the scene, straight in front of us, blocking our view and putting themselves directly in the line of danger. As the numbers of boats increased the drivers became more aggressive towards one another, cutting each other up to get closer and closer until they were too close for comfort. 'The cats were clearly disturbed by this and didn't stay around long - but had they been so inclined it would have been easy for one of the jaguar to run and leap straight into a boat.' Mr Williams said while the area is . officially protected, it is down to common courtesy and an unwritten code . between guides for good practice to be observed. Mr Williams counted himself lucky on the trip, having had 'seven stunning Jaguar sightings in three days', although he describes the experience as having an unsettling aspect . Mr Williams said at one point during the journey he 'had been following otter along a river in the northern Pantanal when I looked up and saw the transfixed eyes of a Jaguar staring out from the shade. It's one of the few times that I've looked an animal in the eye knowing that I was the prey' He said: 'Mr Toto said that many of these boat drivers had no training in good practice and did not realise, or care about how their behaviour influenced the animals. 'Sadly it's a scene that's too common in natural parks around the world, but it's important to remember that without tourism many of these areas would be under threat. Everyone has the right to experience nature and wildlife, but the organisations and companies who manage this have a responsibility to ensure that the welfare of the wildlife is paramount.' Mr Williams counted himself lucky on the trip, having had 'seven stunning Jaguar sightings in three days', although he describes the experience as having an unsettling aspect. He said: 'I had been following otter along a river in the northern Pantanal when I looked up and saw the transfixed eyes of a Jaguar staring out from the shade. It's one of the few times that I've looked an animal in the eye knowing that I was the prey.' | Wildlife photographer Paul Williams came across the elusive big cats in their natural habitat while filming TV series .
But he started to become increasingly concerned as he watched tour boats jostling to see which could get closest .
Mr Williams had planned to film the animals but was quickly blocked by several tourist boats wanting to get best view . |
214,181 | a15e90d8569d8cbc72fe19cca1bca91ff711d5d6 | Scroll down for video . From undulating sand dunes to the Great Barrier Reef, Google has added some of the world’s most spectacular sights to its Street View library over the past year. Now, it has updated some 3D models in Google Earth, including the Statue of Liberty and bay Bridge in San Francisco. The attention to details is incredible, with thousands of tiny windows on skyscrapers showing 'reflections' and features demonstrating the texture of monuments. Stunning: Google has updated some 3D models in Google Earth, including parts of New York (pictured) such as One World Trade Centre, otherwise known as Freedom Tower. The attention to detail is so good that you can see 'reflections' in the skyscraper's glass . New York and San Francisco are the first cities to have got the improved 3D makeover, Susan Cadrecha, of Google, told Mashable. Viewers can take a tour of the cities in 3D via Google Earth, or Earth View in Google Maps. It is possible to spot landmarks from above, before tilting the view to get the whole 3D effect, in order to see all the details. New and improved: Small details can now be seen more clearly, as shown in this zoomed-in image of the AT&T baseball park in San Francisco on the left. The older version is shown on the right, where the colours aren't as good and adverts less legible . Clever: New York and San Francisco are the first cities to have got a 3D make-over. This shot shows a 3D model of the Statute of Liberty from above. Users can tilt the model to see it from different angles, and easily access Street View photos too in Google Maps Earth View . More coming soon: Users can enjoy landmarks in the cities such as the new Freedom Tower in New York and Coit tower in San Francisco (pictured), and the company says that it will update more 3D models of landmarks around the world throughout next year . Spot the difference: While details of the Empire State Building are visible in the picture on the right, the newer version is clearer and brighter (left). Details on he top of the skyscraper as well as small features on the shorter buildings show this well . Google told TechCrunch that it used improved cameras and better algorithms to reconstruct buildings in the cities in three dimensions. Notable improvements include cars that no longer look like they have been flattened and smaller details such as billboards and bus stops looking more realistic than before. However, commentators have remarked that the trees still look a little strange in places. Users can enjoy landmarks in the cities such as the new Freedom Tower in New York and Coit tower in San Francisco, and the company says that it will update more 3D models of landmarks around the world throughout next year. MailOnline asked Google when existing version of 3D Stonehenge and London are likely to get a makeover, but the search giant says no other cities have been planned yet. Google last updated the 3D models in its maps in May 2013, with the new versions boasting more details and sharper graphics. However, the full effect is dependent on a user’s computer, as it can take a long time for such detailed images to load correctly. Clearer: MailOnline asked Google when Stonehenge and London is likely to get a make-over, but the search giant says no other cities have been planned yet. The shot on the left shows tiny details such as individual bricks and advertisement, which are not visible in the older, less colourful image on the right . Attention to detail: Google said that it used improved cameras and better algorithms to reconstruct buildings in the cities in three dimensions. Notable improvements, include cars that no longer look like they have been flattened and smaller details such as billboards and bus stops, looking more realistic if you zoom in beyond a birds-eye-view ( a shot focused on the Chrysler Building is pictured) Sharper: Google last updated the 3D models in its maps in May 2013, with the new versions boasting more details and sharper graphics. A shot of the Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco is pictured . Two months ago, Google strapped its Trekker camera to the back of camel so that Street View users can look across a vast expanse of desert dunes from the comfort of their sofa. Viewers can see glimmers of green in the distance of the Liwa Desert in the United Arab Emirates, which are often oases, but could also be a mirage. Using the virtual map though the desert, people can climb sand dunes reaching towering heights of between 16ft and 147ft (5 and 45 metres) and see the views in Google Street View. Google has strapped its Trekker camera to a camel (pictured) so that you can look across a vast expanse of desert dunes from the comfort of your sofa . The rolling sandy hills were once home to early settlers in the Late Stone Age, making Liwa one of the historic sites in the United Arab Emirates, according to a blog post by Deanna Yick, a Street View Program Manager. Some of the richest history in this desert lies in the Liwa Oasis - the largest oasis in the Arabian Peninsula. Many people from across the United Arab Emirates can trace their origins back to the first tribes who settled there and first established the area as a centre for trade. Dates are grown in the oases, and their fruit is important to local cultures. Google gathered views of oasis plants and vast expanses of sand with beautiful patterns etched by the wind, by attaching one of its Trekkers to a camel, which gathered imagery as it walked. The tech giant said that the use of camels allowed it to collect authentic images as well as minimally impact the environment. By using a virtual map though the desert, people can climb sand dunes reaching towering heights of between 16ft and 147ft (5 and 45 metres) in Google Street View. Here, a Google employee climbs one of the dunes by foot to record the footage . | New York and San Francisco are the first cities to have got a 3D makeover, with more following next year .
Viewers can take a tour of the cities in 3D via Google Earth, or Earth View in Google Maps .
Updated landmarks include the Freedom Tower and Statue of Liberty in New York and Bay Bridge in San Francisco . |
258,609 | dab2dd76cfe1c01cf61df900b7d87cb194f665ed | NEW YORK (CNN) -- The regional airline involved in a fatal February plane crash outside Buffalo, New York, contested a report Monday alleging the pilot did not have the training to handle the emergency that brought the plane down, and that he might have been fatigued on the night of the crash. Debris is cleared from the scene of Flight 3407's crash near Buffalo, New York, in February. Continental Connection Flight 3407, operated by regional carrier Colgan Air, plunged into a house in Clarence Center, New York, on the night of February 12, killing all 49 on board as well as one man in the house. In a story Monday, The Wall Street Journal cited investigators as saying the crash resulted from pilot Marvin Renslow's incorrect response to the plane's precarious drop in speed: He overrode an emergency system known as a "stick pusher," which sends the plane into a dive so it can regain speed and avoid a stall. The Journal's report said Colgan had not provided Renslow with hands-on flight-simulator training for a stick-pusher emergency. Colgan, in rebuttal, issued a statement saying Renslow had received classroom instruction for such an emergency. Watch a Colgan official respond to questions » . The company also emphasized that the Federal Aviation Administration does not require pilots to receive a stick-pusher demonstration in a flight simulator. "The FAA generally trains to standards of routine line operations. They don't focus on the edges of the envelope," stall recovery expert Doug Moss told CNN. Colgan further admitted that during his career, Renslow failed five "check rides" -- occasional tests of pilot proficiency -- including two that Colgan said he did not disclose on his application with the airline. His most recent failed check ride occurred 16 months before the crash. "In the cases while with Colgan, he received additional training and successfully passed the check rides," the airline said. Colgan stressed that despite his performance on check rides, Renslow nonetheless ultimately passed his pilot exams and had "all the training and experience to safely operate the Q400," the airplane involved in the crash. Colgan further insisted that pilot fatigue was not a factor in the crash, noting that Renslow had "nearly 22 consecutive hours of time off before he reported for duty on the day of the accident." In its statement, Colgan did not specifically address potential illness-related fatigue in 24-year-old co-pilot Rebecca Shaw, who, according to The Wall Street Journal report, said before takeoff that she probably should have called in sick. The National Transportation Safety Board begins a three-day hearing on the crash on Tuesday. Renslow's history as well as pilot training broadly will be examined. | Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo in February; 50 people died .
Wall Street Journal report says pilot didn't have hands-on flight-simulator training .
Colgan Air says Marvin Renslow got FAA-required classroom instruction .
Colgan, operator of flight, also insists pilot fatigue wasn't a factor in crash . |
61,994 | b01ac0b7755297801189d567d036355f6dfac8e0 | By . Riath Al-Samarrai . Follow @@riathalsam . Sergiy Stakhovsky has done it again. A year after dumping Roger Federer out of the second round at Wimbledon he sent Ernests Gulbis packing at the same stage. The world No 86 perhaps thought a posting on court 12 might keep him below the radar. But matches involving Gulbis are rarely quiet. And upsetting the 12th seed ensures he will inflate his reputation so long as he keeps his footing on grass. This was a performance of domination, a sustained beating that rarely, if ever, looked like letting up. He ultimately saw off the Latvian 6-4, 6-3, 7-6. Winner: Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine is through to the third round of Wimbledon after beating Ernests Gulbis . Defeated: The Latvian reached the semi-finals of the French Open two weeks ago . It was impressive, but also a combustion of sorts from Gulbis, a man as volatile as he is gifted. The key moment came in the second set when, having already lost the first, Gulbis staved off a host of break points at 3-3. But he finally cracked, two straight double faults giving Stakhovsky the edge. ‘What is wrong with my serve?’ Gulbis shouted. It became a theme, until he later directed his self criticism at his handling of spin. It . was that sort of match for the French Open semi-finalist, but . Stakhovsky did not get distracted by the histrionics and closed out the . third-set tie break 7-5 for another impressive win. Throwback: Stakhovsky celebrating his victory over Roger Federer at Wimbledon last year . Shock result: The Swiss legend was the reigning champion at the time . | French Open semi-finalist Gulbis beaten by Stakhovsky at Wimbledon .
Sees off the Latvian in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 .
The Ukrainian was the man who beat Federer in the second round last year . |
9,969 | 1c462a24872f437e898919d052744e5f46f26e2c | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 22:41 EST, 30 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:57 EST, 31 August 2012 . An emotional crowd broke out in spontaneous applause yesterday when the Red Arrows returned to perform at the same air festival where pilot Jon Egging died last year. The display in Bournemouth, Dorset, was a poignant reminder of the heroic flyer, whose Red 4 aircraft plummeted to the ground. He managed to steer the jet away from houses and a theme park before crashing into a field where he sadly died. Scroll down for video . Poignant: The Red Arrows returned to perform at the same air festival where pilot Jon Egging died last year to spontaneous applause . Tragic: Three months after Ft Lft Jon Egging, left, passed away, a second Red Arrows pilot, Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, died. This year’s show included just seven pilots instead of the usual nine to signify the loss of the two men . Red Arrow pilots . commemorated their late colleague by performing the aerobatic display in . front of thousands of spectators standing on the cliff-top. Mr Egging's widow Dr Emma Egging, who was . witnessed her husband's plane run in to trouble, said she was feeling 'mixed emotions' on her return to the town where her husband and partner . of 13 years died. Speaking of her feelings watching the . famous display team in action, she said: 'I was incredibly proud . of Jon then, whenever I watched him, and I get those same feelings now. Three months after Ft Lft Egging passed away, a second Red Arrows pilot, Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, died. He was ejected from his jet at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire while the aeroplane was still on the ground. This year’s show included just seven pilots instead of the usual nine to signify the loss of the two men. Remembrance: The display in Bournemouth, Dorset, was a poignant reminder of the heroic flyer, whose Red 4 aircraft plummeted to the ground a year ago . Show: Red Arrow pilots today commemorated their late colleague by performing the aerobatic display in front of thousands of spectators standing on the cliff-top . Taking to the sky: They took part in a fly past in a special formation that saw five jets using white smoke and two with red, paying tribute to Fl Lft Egging and Ft Lft Cunningham . They took part in a fly past in a special formation that saw five jets using white smoke and two with red, paying tribute to Fl Lft Egging and Ft Lft Cunningham. A memorial on the resort’s cliff-top was unveiled in Ft Lft Egging’s honour with his wife and the current Red Arrows team present. The sculpture features three aeroplanes and ‘smoke’ carved from metal, each tinted with a different colour. Memory: Dr Emma Egging, widow of Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging, and the Red Arrows team open the memorial designed by Bournemouth school . It was designed by schoolchildren, Ft Lft Egging’s Red Arrows colleague Ft Lft Ben Plank, Dr Egging, and the local council, and created by artist Tim Ward. Dr Egging said: 'It is obviously hard because every time I come here, I think of Jon. 'Life has changed so much in the last year. 'We were together for 13 years, we were our own little team. 'But we both had our own careers. 'Jon might not be here anymore, but I feel very much that everything I have achieved since last August is something that Jon would have been proud of,' said his wife Dr Egging . 'Jon might not be here anymore, but I . feel very much that everything I have achieved since last August is . something that Jon would have been proud of. 'It is fantastic to see the memorial to Jon, on the cliff top with the beautiful views of the sea in the background. 'It represents exactly what Jon stood . for - you should set your goals and reach for the skies. You can . achieve, you just have to try.' Onlooker David Brown, 47, said: 'It was a moving display and there was lots of applause and even tears.' The Jon Egging Trust was set up in the weeks following the pilot’s death, and was launched in Lincolnshire to help 13 to 21-year-olds suffering from low confidence and low self-esteem. They were mentored by pilots and eventually earned credits towards their BTEC qualifications. Flt Lt Egging was inspired to fly by his airline pilot father, who used to let him into the cockpit for takeoff and landing. He joined the RAF in 2000 and served with IV(AC) Squadron based at RAF Cottesmore, flying the Harrier GR9 in support of coalition forces in Afghanistan. Inquests into men's deaths were opened and adjourned last year. | Pilot Jon Egging died last year when his aircraft plummeted to the ground .
Three months after Ft Lft Jon Egging, left, passed away, a second Red Arrows pilot, Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, died.
This year’s show included just seven pilots instead of the usual nine to signify the loss of the two men . |
145,566 | 483bbc2667e1f72040d44a3ce5effea2518703f3 | Senator Rand Paul was spotted hobnobbing at a party in the Hamptons last weekend after he claimed he could not attend a high-profile conservative event he was listed as a sponsor of because he had a 'family commitment.' Paul told the Family Leader he had to skip the group's annual summit on Saturday because he had to attend an event in New York with his family. The presumed 2016 presidential candidate's absence at the influential Iowa gathering was called into question, however, after the New York Post reported that Paul and his wife, Kelley, attended the East Hampton Library fundraiser that day. BUSTED! Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, left, Senator Rand Paul, right, and Paul's wife Kelley, center, were spotted at a fundraiser in East Hampton on Saturday night after Paul ditched a high-profile conservative event he was a sponsor of because he had a 'family commitment' An aide to Paul told The Des Moines Registrar that Paul was indeed in New York for a family event, which Paul, his wife Kelley and one of their sons attended. The Hamptons party was a bonus stop, the staffer claimed. 'We have some friends up here,' Paul told Bloomberg Businessweek of his visit to the Hamptons. 'They invited us to meet some of their . friends.' The Pauls spent the weekend in Hampton Bays with family friend and Hachette Book Group executive editor Kate Hartson. Hartson is the publisher of Kelley Paul's upcoming book, and she has worked with both Rand and his father Ron in the past. Hartson told Bloomberg that she and Kelley worked on photos for her book during the trip. Bloomberg reports that Hartson also took the Pauls on a boat tour, and the trio went fishing in Montauk. It was another Hachette author, Nelson DeMille, who reportedly invited the Pauls to the library fundraiser, which was co-sponsored by actor Alec Baldwin. The 10th annual Authors Night Benefit was held at Gardiner Farm in East Hampton and attracted approximately 1,000 attendees. Doug Stafford, Paul's political adviser, told the Registrar that the Pauls dropped by the fundraiser at the request of Hartson. At the party Paul was photographed yucking it up with Fox News host Bill O'Reilly and other members of the New York elite. Author Nelson DeMille, Sandy D., Hachette Book Group executive Kate Hartson, Rand Paul and Kelley Paul pose for a photo at the East Hampton Library Authors Night at Gardiner Farm on Saturday. An aide to Paul says the Senator and his wife stopped by the event at the request of Hartson, the publisher of Kelley's upcoming book, but it was not the purpose of their trip to New York . Bob Vander Plaats, president of the Family Leader, an evangelical Christian group, indicated to the Registrar that he was not impressed with Paul's behavior last weekend. 'From my perspective, there are always choices to be made of where do . you want to be and what message do you want to send,' he said. 'If you want to be at a fundraiser in the Hamptons with the rich . and famous, you probably ought to tell people you want to be at a . fundraiser in the Hamptons with the rich and famous.' After the brouhaha over Paul's weekend plans erupted, the Registrar says Paul's staff contacted the Family . Leader chief to reemphasize that the Senator did not miss the group's event to attend . the Hamptons fundraiser. 'I guess I can understand as [my wife] Darla and I have a family commitment in . New York beginning tomorrow,' Vander Plaats said afterward. The Family Leadership Summit - which drew 1,200 attendees this year - is considered a must-attend event for presidential hopefuls courting the right. Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum - both of whom are openly considering 2016 presidential runs - made the mecca to Iowa for the event. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz also appeared at the summit. The three men are considered possible presidential candidates, as well. As a consolation prize for attendees . hoping to meet Paul in person at the Family Leadership Summit, the . Kentucky lawmaker had event organizers play a video compilation of his . pro-life speeches. And while Paul did not attend Saturday's event, he did spend the first three three days of last week barnstorming the Hawkeye State, wooing conservative groups and headlining fundraisers for Republican candidates. | Paul told the Family Leader he had to skip the group's annual summit - of which he was a sponsor - for a family event in New York .
The Kentucky Senator was subsequently spotted at a fundraiser in the Hamptons schmoozing with the New York elite .
An aide to Paul said the Hamptons event was not the purpose of the presumed 2016 presidential candidate's trip to New York . |
108,851 | 1857d3a90882eee55b4fdb57d4e4156c93af3d3b | It's not often that you see hardened criminals applying lashings of make-up or enjoying a spot of group meditation while lying on the floor. But a program taking place at Californian prisons is encouraging inmates to do just that. Prisoners at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco took part in the acting workshop 'Commedia Dell'Arte', designed to aid their rehabilitation. The Actors' Gang Prison Project program, which runs the 8-week workshops, believes that through acting convicted criminals can learn develop empathy and start expressing themselves in a positive manner. Inmate William Dillon looks over during the workshop 'Commedia Dell'Arte', part of the The Actors' Gang Prison Project program at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, California . Actor, activist and artistic director Tim Robbins speaks before the workshop 'Commedia Dell'Arte' Inmate Rudolph Ferrel applies make-up on his face before the workshop. Organizers feel that acting can help rehabilitate inmates by helping them explore their emotions and learn social skills . The program is led by actor and activist Tim Robbins, who is most famous for his starring role in American prison epic The Shawshank Redemption. Workshop organizers feel that acting can help rehabilitate inmates by helping them explore their emotions and learn social skills that with aid their return to society. They believe that, ultimately, the workshops can reduce re-offending rates and help ease the pressure of overcrowding on the California prison system. At least three times a year, the theater company brings classes directly into prisons, working to foster 'tolerance and nonviolent expression while significantly reducing recidivism rates'. The program began in 2006, when Robbins was approached by Sabra Williams, now the director of the Prison Project, about beginning an arts rehabilitation program. Inmates Jacquies Manson (Center) and Tarifa Henson (right)take part in an acting class in the prison . Inmate William Dillon prepares to take part in one of the workshops by applying make-up on his face . At least three times a year, the theater company - led by actor and activist Tim Robbins - brings classes directly into prisons to foster 'tolerance and nonviolent expression while significantly reducing recidivism rates' Robbins told Variety magazine that he immediately realized the idea had the potential to change lives. 'My first thought was that it was exactly the kind of work we should be doing,' he said. 'I've worked for years with many different causes … but to actually be on the ground and doing the work is really fulfilling.' The project brings together inmates from different races - and even different gangs - through classes that combine open discussion, theater education and performance. Workshop organizers believe that, ultimately, the workshops can reduce re-offending rates and help ease the pressure of overcrowding on the California prison system . Inmate Tarifa Henson applies make-up. the program's workshops aim to create a setting where inmates feel safe to explore and express emotions rarely seen in prison . Inmate William Dillon participates in the workshop. Robbins said the acting classes create a bond that is profound and lasting, and help inmates learn to foster healthy relationships . Inmate Jacquies Manson participates in the workshop at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco . It aims to create a setting where inmates feel safe to explore and express emotions rarely seen in prison. 'It creates a bond that is quite profound and lasting,' Robbins added. 'And it cuts deeper than previous lines that have been drawn.' This year, the Prison Project was awarded state funding by the California Arts Council, which will help Robbins and his team expand their work. 'Our hope is that within five years we'll be able to train different groups throughout the state in this method,' he told Variety, 'And hopefully empower other organizations, too, to go in and do this work.' Inmates meditate before the workshop. The program began in 2006, when Robbins was approached by Sabra Williams, now the director of the Prison Project, about beginning an arts rehabilitation program . Actor, activist and artistic director Tim Robbins greets inmates before the workshop 'Commedia Dell'Arte' The Actors' Gang Prison Project program, which runs the 8-week workshops - believes that through acting convicted criminals can learn develop empathy and start expressing themselves in a positive manner . This year, the Prison Project was awarded state funding by the California Arts Council, which will help Robbins and his team expand their work . | Inmates at California Rehabilitation Center took part in Commedia Dell'Arte .
Workshop is run by Actors' Gang Prison Project led by actor Tim Robbins .
Aims to foster tolerance and positive expression while reducing reoffending . |
100,470 | 0d6ee9ebc0f2bef3cbec1495bcf575452087c9a4 | We're only two days into this government shutdown, but it already seems like we've been here before. And in a way, we have. The Republicans and Democrats got in each other's faces over the U.S. debt ceiling in 2011. The GOP demanded significant budget cuts before agreeing to give Uncle Sam more borrowing power. That amounted to $2 trillion in cuts over 10 years. But Congress never could agree on where to make the cuts, so they were implemented across-the-board. The package averted a shutdown then, but didn't soothe the hard feelings created by the standoff. Plus, add this to the mix: The tea party can't stand Obamacare. They don't like it, never will. With that history in mind, here's what we know and what we don't know about the shutdown. 1995 and 2013: Three differences between two shutdowns . DIVIDED CONGRESS . What we know: . Democrats and Republicans are deeply divided and barely on speaking terms these days. Feelings are hurt and fingers are pointing. Right now the wounds are too fresh and no one is in the mood to give anyone a break. The Republican-led House tried to pass a piecemeal funding plan on Tuesday night to pay for the District of Columbia, veterans affairs and national parks. It failed to win the required two-thirds vote, but has no future in any case. The Democratic-led Senate wasn't about to agree to it and the White House promised a veto. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called the strategy as "just another wacky idea by tea party Republicans." President Barack Obama chimed in Tuesday, calling the Republicans "reckless" and saying they're holding the nation hostage to defund Obamacare. Republicans in the House say they'll try again Wednesday. Obama, meanwhile, canceled a trip to the Philippines and Malaysia. Secretary of State John Kerry will go in his place. Shutdown 'extremely damaging' to U.S. intelligence operations . What we don't know: . Who will blink first? Right now, both sides are sporting steely eyed stares. The White House appears determined to stand its ground. On Capitol Hill, the House and Senate have both refused to budge from their visions for the budget and, beyond that, health care reform. But behind the tough facades, are cracks forming? A small crack now could bring down a party's strong stance later. Sen. John McCain points out that any attempt to repeal Obamacare will fail because the president will veto it and the GOP doesn't have the votes to override. And Rep. Peter King of New York says tea party conservatives only care about "their own agenda." Meet the man behind the government shutdown . DIVIDED GOP . What we know: . The GOP is almost two parties these days -- call them standard Republicans and tea party Republicans. While not polar opposites, the factions have different approaches to changing government. Both want to cut federal spending, but for the tea party, defunding the president's signature health care law and slashing deficit spending are causes worth staking a political career on. That's what their constituents elected them to do, they say. Republican divisions force delay in Boehner's debt strategy . What we don't know: . How united will Republicans stay as the government shutdown lingers, as government workers go without paychecks and as the spotlight focuses on a Congress that can't govern or members that can't even agree to talk to one another. Tea Party's Amy Kremer : "Harry Reid wants a shutdown because he believes it's a political victory for the Democrats" HOW LONG? What we know: . The last government shutdown took place almost 18 years ago during the Clinton administration and lasted 21 days. What we don't know: . How the major players on Capitol Hill will get over the bad feelings to end this latest political stalemate. Right now things don't look very promising. There's plenty of sniping to go around. In an op-ed published online Tuesday in USA Today, House Speaker John Boehner lays the shutdown at the feet of Democrats, especially President Obama. "Obama owns this shutdown now," screams the headline. Later, the article accuses the president of a "scorched-Earth policy of refusing to negotiate in bipartisan way on his health care law, current government funding, or the debt limit." Of course, the feeling is mutual. On Tuesday, the president said it was "strange that one party would make keeping people uninsured the centerpiece of their agenda." "Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to fund the government unless we defunded or dismantled the Affordable Care Act," he said. Should the rhetoric soften, it could signal the beginning of the end of the shutdown. 10 ways the shutdown would affect you . PAYCHECKS . What we know: . The president, members of Congress, their staffs and the military get paid. Non-essential government employees don't. What we don't know: . How long government workers will have to wait until they see another paycheck. Some 800,000 federal workers are being furloughed. Piecemeal funding for their jobs could eventually be approved. The pressure of that many jobs hanging over both parties could become too much to bear. The shutdown could cost the still-struggling U.S. economy about $1 billion a week in pay. And that's only the tip of the iceberg, experts say. The total economic impact is likely to be at least 10 times greater than the simple calculation of lost wages of federal workers, said Brian Kessler, economist with Moody's Analytics. His firm estimates that a three- to four-week shutdown would cost the economy about $55 billion. PUBLIC REACTION . What we know: . The American public is not amused. According to a CNN/ORC poll, 68% of Americans think shutting down the government for even a few days is a bad idea, while 27% think it's a good idea. The survey taken before the shutdown said most Americans would blame congressional Republicans: Sixty-nine percent said they agreed with the statement that the party's elected officials were acting like "spoiled children." But Democrats aren't off the hook. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they, too, were acting like spoiled kids. Another poll showed public support for Congress at record low levels -- at 10%. What we don't know: . Will this high-stakes game of political chicken hurt the approval ratings of individual members? You know the old expression: The people hate Congress, but love their congressman or woman. CNN Poll: GOP would bear the brunt of shutdown blame . | The government shutdown is in its second day .
Congress is deeply divided, and the GOP is splintered as well .
Public approval of Congress is at an all-time low . |
32,923 | 5d89d0b2899ce1a4b2859e9066472b4940684531 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:57 EST, 10 July 2013 . David Cameron believes Ed Miliband will be ousted as Labour leader before the next election, according to Tory insiders. The Prime Minister has told colleagues in recent days that he thinks his opponent’s attempts to get a grip on the union funding row will backfire and the Labour party is getting panicky as the polls narrow. The two men clashed in the Commons today over party funding, with Labour accused of being in the control of the unions while the Tories faced accusations of giving tax cuts to millionaire donors. Pressure: Ed Miliband (left) will not survive as Labour leader until the 2015 election, David Cameron believes . Conservative strategists want . to keep Mr Miliband in his job, believing he is unlikely to win . widespread support at the general election. Mr Cameron also believes Labour is deeply damaged by Andy Burnham continuing as shadow health secretary after the Mid Staffs scandal happened on his watch as Health Secretary. Mr Miliband’s position has become threatened revelations emerged about his union paymasters trying to influence candidate selection. Mr Cameron has stepped up his attacks on the Labour leader in recent weeks, branding him weak and in hoc to the unions. Now he has made clear to allies that he believes Mr Miliband's time could be up as Labour leader. A . Tory source said: ‘The PM thinks Miliband will go before the election. This union stuff has dragged on now and he really looks in trouble. Foreign Secretary William Hague became embroiled in a row after calling a Labour MP a 'stupid woman' in the Commons. As Cathy Jamieson asked David Cameron about donations to the Tory party, Mr Hague was seen on the frontbench muttering 'stupid woman, stupid woman'. Miss Jamieson had raised questions about whether donations from Aidan Heavey had influenced Mr Hague's decision to intervene in his company's tax dispute. Mr Cameron replied: 'The donations to the Conservative Party do not buy votes to our party conference, they don't buy votes for our leader, they don't mean you can select candidates. That is the unhealthy relationship in British politics.' But Mr Hague was seen making the remark while sitting next to the PM. He later told the Commons: 'I mutter many things in this House. 'Others shout them rather louder than I do but I mutter many things under my breath and I never intend any offence to any other honourable members.' Downing Street said it was a 'humorous remark'. ‘There . was a time when it was doubtful if any of the party leaders would . survive until the election. But the Tories are more settled now and the . Lib Dems seem stuck with Clegg. It’s Miliband who looks vulnerable now. 'Andy Burnham is also a problem for them, after everything that happened at Mid Staffs.' Bookmakers now offer odds of 9/2 that Mr Miliband will be replaced as leader before the election, with Yvette Cooper and Chuka Umunna among the favourites to replace him. In the Commons today the two leaders engaged in angry clashes over party funding in the wake of the Falkirk ballot-rigging row. The . Prime Minister accused the Labour leader of having been 'bought' by . union paymasters, and said he could not gloss over Unite's efforts to . fix parliamentary selections. But . Mr Miliband hit back, insisting that his Tory counterpart was 'owned by . a few millionaires at the top of society', challenging him to agree a . £5,000 cap on donations from individuals, businesses and trade unions. Mr Miliband used a major speech . yesterday to seek to put a lid on the scandal, promising ‘big changes’ to the Labour party’s relationship with the unions. But . after the plans were welcomed by both Unite’s general secretary Len . McCluskey and former Prime Minister Tony Blair, there are fears in the . Labour party that they will do little to reassure voters that Mr . Miliband is showing strong leadership. At Prime Minister's Questions today . Mr Miliband claimed that the Conservative Party had received £24 million . in donations from hedge funds. He urged the Tory leader to reopen stalled talks on party funding reform and sign up to a donation cap. But . Mr Cameron said all donations to his party were publicly declared, and . warned that a cap could cost the taxpayer millions of pounds. The . Prime Minister said: 'Here are the figures - £8 million from Unite, £4 . million from GMB, £4 million from Unison. They have bought the policies, . they have bought the candidates and they have bought the leader. 'I . have long supported caps on donations. I think we should have caps on . donations and they should apply to trade unions, to businesses and to . individuals. 'But let . me be frank with you, there's a problem with a 5,000 cap. It is this - . it would imply a massive amount of taxpayer support for political . parties. 'Frankly, I don't see why the result of a trade union scandal should be every taxpayer in the country paying for Labour.' Weakness: Senior Tories have also identified shadow health secretary Andy Burnham (left) as a target for his links to the Mid Staffs scandal . Row: Mr Cameron, pictured walking to the Commons today, tried to brush aside the Labour call for a £5,000 cap on donations . At Prime Minister’s Questions last . week Mr Cameron accused Mr Miliband of being ‘too weak to sack his . Health Secretary (Mr Burnham)... too weak to stand up to the Unite union, too weak to . run Labour, and certainly too weak to run the country’. The . PM could barely contain his glee that the Unite union was demanding ‘a . firmly class-based and left-wing general election campaign’. Since . then the row over the role of Unite in allegedly trying to fix a . candidate selection in Falkirk and elsewhere has escalated. While Labour has descended into internal warfare, the Conservatives have enjoyed one of their best periods in government. In . the last week Mr Cameron has seen more than 300 Tory MPs backed a Bill . promising an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership, hate cleric Abu . Qatada finally put on a plane to Jordan, increasing optimism that the . economy is growing faster than expected and even welcomed Andy Murray to . Number 10 after his Wimbledon triumph. Glee: Mr Cameron could barely contain his delight at sharing the limelight with Wimbledon winner Andy Murray outside Number 10 this week . Delight: The Tory mood has been buoyed by the success in deporting hate cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan after a decade of legal battles . In recent days Labour’s lead over the Conservatives has fallen to just six per cent in some polls. Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband will lock horns across the despatch box again today, with Labour’s union woes likely to dominate. However, some Tories will urge the Prime Minister to ease off on attacking Mr Miliband, believing the Labour leader remains key to a Conservative election victory. The Opposition leader will attempt to turn the focus back on the Tories after a week of deeply damaging allegations about ballot-fixing in the Falkirk constituency. Yesterday Mr Miliband set out radical proposals to end the automatic affiliation of union members Labour - a move that party figures acknowledge could cost it millions of pounds a year. But Unite general secretary Len McCluskey confounded expectations of a furious showdown with unions by insisting he was ‘very comfortable’ with the idea. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed the plan as ‘a real act of leadership’ and admitted that he should probably have taken the same step when he was in charge between 1994 and 2007. | PM believes Ed Miliband will not survive as polling day approaches .
Plans to target shadow health secretary Andy Burnham over Mid-Staffs .
Row over union influence has destabilised Labour leadership .
Tories buoyed by EU unity, Qatada deportation and economic growth .
Cameron and Miliband again clash at PMQs over party funding . |
72,379 | cd3242efe511fca752bcf493cec7db5061fa87fb | By . Tom Gardner and Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 03:11 EST, 25 June 2012 . It has been almost two years since Aesha Mohammadzai arrived in America having been brutally ortured in Afghanistan by her husband. He hacked off her nose and ears after she tried to escape their abusive forced marriage leaving her mentally traumatised and horrifically disfigured. With the move to the United States came the promise of reconstructive surgery but it has been delayed as she battles with the psychological torment of her ordeal, and of leaving her homeland for a country where she speaks very little of the language. Touching: Aesha (right) has found a close friend in Miena Arsala, the daughter of the family caring for her . Aesha is expected to undergo six . operations, over the course of the next two years, the first of which . took place on Thursday morning at Walter Reed National Military Medical . Centre in Bethesda, Maryland, CNN reported. It began the process of expanding the skin in her forward for future use in rebuilding her nose. Aesha’s treatment at the military . centre was secured by U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett and his office. He said: . ‘People know we take care of wounded soldiers. ‘That's kind of an obligation; what . else could you do?' he told CNN. 'But this – you don't have to do this. It puts a real . human face on our military. How can your heart not go out to Aesha?’ The 22-year-old was accompanied to . the hospital by Mati and Jamila Arsala, a couple who have been caring . for her. They have set up a website called Aesha’s Journey where . messages of support and donations can be posted. Speaking before the operation Aesha . told the news site: ‘I'm not scared. I'm happy. I suffered a lot in my . life. Now I feel that a light comes into my life.’ The Arsala’s have a 14-year-old daughter, Miena, in whom Aesha has found a close friend. Resilient: Aesha Mohammadzai relaxes at her new home in America where she is building a new life . Miena said of her adopted sister: ‘I'm pretty sure, once she gets all her surgery, she'll have a lot of guys drooling.’ The family reported that the first operation was a success, but they have apprehensions for what is to come. Aesha will face looking far worse . before she begins to look better, and the surgeries will bring about . severe pain and discomfort. The young girl’s story was first told . by Time magazine, who published a harrowing photograph of her on the . front page, horrifying people around the world. In 2011 she won political asylum in the U.S where she had fled a year earlier. She was given a prosthetic nose, but . full plastic surgery had to be delayed because it was thought she was . still not yet emotionally stable to cope with the painful and lengthy . surgery required. Those who close to spoke of her . displaying volatile mood swings – oscillating between violent tantrums . and displaying deep affection to people around her. Beginning the surgery is a sign of just how far Aesha has come. Brave: Aisha, now 22, pictured wearing a type of prosthetic nose often used by film actors. Her nose and ears were hacked off by brutal in-laws after she was promised in marriage aged 12 . Psychologist Shiphra Bakhchi, 31, who has helped treat the 22-year-old for post-traumatic stress disorder believes the trauma of her disfigurement may have caused deeper mental scars than physical ones. ‘I really hope at some point she’ll be a functioning young lady that had a terrible trauma,’ the private practitioner told CNN. When Aesha was 12, her father promised her in marriage to a Taliban fighter to pay a debt. She was handed over to his family who abused her and forced her to sleep in the stable with the animals. The UN estimates that nearly 90 per cent of Afghanistan's women suffer from some sort of domestic abuse. When she attempted to flee, she was caught and her nose and ears were hacked off by her husband as punishment. 'When they cut off my nose and ears, I passed out. In the middle of the night it felt like there was cold water in my nose. 'I opened my eyes and I couldn't even see because of all the blood,' she told CNN reporter Atia Abawi. New beginning: Before the surgery was able to begin Aisha was fitted with a prosthetic nose . Left for dead in the mountains, she crawled to her grandfather's house and her father managed to get her to an American medical facility, where medics cared for her for ten weeks. They then transported Aesha to a secret shelter in Kabul and in August 2010, she was flown to the U.S. by the Grossman Burn Foundation to stay with a host family. She was taken in by a charity in New York called Women for Afghan Women who supported her and helped pay for her eduction. But Aesha soon became unhappy and her behaviour gave rise to concern. During one outburst during, she threw herself to the floor and slammed her head against the ground, grabbing at her hair and biting her fingers. Her primary guardian figure at the centre Esther Hyneman, who witnessed the tantrum said no one was able to prevent her from inflicting the injuries and they had to call 911 for help, Ms Hyneman said during the CNN interview. Recovering: Aisha has received counselling following her traumatic experiences . Aesha was admitted to hospital for 10 days following that episode. Those who knew her said Aesha craved the close-knit family environment the centre was unable to provide. She left in December 2011, to live with with Mati Arsla and Jami Rasouli-Arsala, from Fredrick, Maryland - who are relatives of a Women for Afghan Women former board member - where she now appears to be adapting to home life. Ms Hyneman - who Aesha affectionately used to call 'grandma' - told CNN: ‘When she first came to us, she was an emotional wreck. ‘By the time she left, she was a different human being... So we’re all happy if she’s in the right place to further her development, but we miss her.’ Facing reality: Aisha's photo was on the front cover of Time Magazine in August 2010 . During the momentous few years since arriving in America, Aesha has had a prosthetic nose fitted at the non-profit humanitarian Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital in California as part of her eight-month rehabilitation. Dr Peter H Grossman said they hoped to give Aesha a more 'permanent solution', which could mean reconstructing her nose and ears using bone, tissue and cartilage from other parts of her body. Dr Grossman's wife Rebecca, the chair of the Grossman Burn Foundation, said Aesha was just one of the thousands of women who are treated with appalling harshness. She said: 'Aesha is reminded of that enslavement every time she looks in the mirror. But there are still times she can laugh. And at that moment you see her teenage spirit escaping a body that has seen a lifetime of injustice.' | Aesha Mohammadzai was horrifically disfigured and left for dead for trying to flee abusive forced marriage .
The 22-year-old fled to America, aged 18, for reconstructive surgery and won political asylum .
Aesha now battling to put traumatic past behind her and adapt to her new life . |
146,969 | 4a0cda65087dd22ab0020a940d65da1d0b49a112 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 21:33 EST, 1 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:41 EST, 2 May 2013 . A private hospital has stopped all surgery on children after a damning report said patients’ lives were being put at risk. The unpublished report from the health watchdog said children admitted for surgery at the hospital in Guildford, Surrey, were ‘particularly at risk of unsafe and inappropriate care and treatment’. It follows inspections in January at the hospital, run by BMI, one of Britain’s biggest private healthcare groups, in response to concerns raised with the Care Quality Commission. The report into Mount Alvernia hospital, Guildford, found children were 'particularly at risk of unsafe care' The report into Mount Alvernia hospital was due to be published yesterday but has been delayed, according to the CQC. It states categorically that patients’ lives were at risk at the luxury 76-bed hospital, where every room is en-suite. It reads: ‘The care and treatment provided to patients at BMI Mount Alvernia hospital was unsafe. ‘People were put at significant risk of harm to a life-threatening level. Children admitted for surgery were particularly at risk of unsafe and inappropriate care.’ Inspectors had several serious concerns, including occasions when surgery was unsafe and staff being told not to resuscitate some patients when their condition deteriorated, even though there had been no discussion with the patient or relatives. It also says communication in the hospital was poor. One patient was transferred from an NHS hospital by his consultant ‘when the patient was acutely unwell’. But the patient was not then reviewed by the consultant who admitted him to Mount Alvernia, and deteriorated. There was no communication with the previous consultant. When the patient’s condition worsened the consultant told staff not to resuscitate, even though there had been no discussion with the patient or relatives as to their wishes. Concerns were also raised by an incident where surgery was carried out in an area without the correct system for ventilation and the disposing of gases used in anaesthesia. The report says: ‘The unit was therefore unsuitable for undertaking any procedures under general anaesthetic and the lack of theatre-standard ventilation posed a danger of infection to patients undergoing anything but very minor surgery.’ Inspectors considered this a particular danger to children. Inspectors raised concerns about unsafe surgery and staff being told not to resuscitate some patients even thought their relatives had not been informed (file picture) BMI Healthcare is one of the biggest providers of private healthcare in the UK and earned more than £200million from the NHS in 2011. The report, when published, may raise questions about the Government’s encouragement of more private sector involvement in the NHS. BMI Healthcare has written to patients to apologise. Chief executive Stephen Collier said: ‘I would like to go on record to state that the failings at Mount Alvernia during 2012 were entirely unacceptable.’ A spokesman for the CQC said: ‘BMI agreed to voluntarily suspend children’s surgical admissions at the hospital and to start making other changes required. ‘We have continued to monitor the hospital closely. Full details of our inspection will be published shortly.’ | Mount Alvernia hospital accused of 'inappropriate care and treatment'
BMI-run hospital posed 'significant risk of harm to a life-threatening level'
Children's surgery stopped after report by Care Quality Commission .
Health watchdog found children at 'risk of unsafe and inappropriate care'
Consultant told staff not to resuscitate child without talking to parents . |
266,406 | e50e4c1f39cc54c4e1961137fe10e50e6e06ece9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:57 EST, 3 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:58 EST, 3 November 2012 . It seems Blackberry’s impending revamp is too little too late to save the aging platform’s exclusivity deal with the Pentagon. The Pentagon wants to establish a ‘multi-vendor environment’ while still adhering to ‘strict security requirements’, spokesman Lieutenant Damien Pickart told News24. The move comes just days after Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced it had bought $2.1 million worth of iPhones as Blackberry’s current platform just isn’t on the cutting edge anymore. The Pentagon (pictured) has decided to establish a multi-vendor environment costing Blackberry millions in exclusivity deals as the aging platform loses customers to next generation smartphones . Losing exclusivity with civil servants is a trend Blackberry has been weathering for a while. In February the General Services Administration announced it would expand support to iOS and Android in February, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it would switch off Blackberry servers that same month. When Blackberry was at the peak of its popularity, the reliable email and security were considered exceptional draws but now those features are common on competing phones. The iPhone’s iOS security and its manufacturers were advantages which attracted the Immigration Department over the Android with a range of hardware supplied by unknown manufacturers. Blackberry is betting everything on a revamp next year to win back millions of customers who have abandoned the device . Other major losses for Blackberry include US government consultant Booz Allen which announced its 25,000 staffers would no longer use the handsets and Yahoo’s decision last month that staff could have any device except a Blackberry. The Canadian firm behind Blackberry, RIM, says it still has at least a million users in the U.S government. The company is betting heavily on its six smartphone model releases in 2013 to win back the millions of users who have moved on to iPhones and Androids. | Move comes days after announcement saying platform is not cutting edge .
Blackberry's email and security are no longer considered strong draws .
Six new smartphone models are due to be launched in 2013 . |
181,335 | 76c097456f0bc13a6888ac4b48fbf585f3f9756d | By . Martha De Lacey . The Duchess of Cornwall has hinted at the similarities between herself and the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr, who had already been married twice by the time she married the Tudor king, . Camilla, who married Prince Charles following her divorce from Andrew Parker-Bowles, made the comments in a foreword to a new collection of prayers written by Parr - who was married to the king from July 1543 until his death in 1547 - and now translated into modern English. In the book, The Spice of Wisdom, put together by Rev John Partington, the Duchess writes that Parr - England's most-married queen, with four husbands in total - had a 'passionate' and 'eventful life', and that her voice 'speaks to us still'. The Duchess of Cornwall, left, has praised Henry VIII's final wife Catherine Parr, right, in the foreword of a new book, a collection of prayers written by the 16th century Tudor queen . A drawing of Henry VIII and his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr, to whom the Duchess of Cornwall has implied an affinity with in the foreword to a new book . As reported by Melanie Hall and Jasper Copping in the Telegraph, Camilla writes: 'Her commitment to what is right and good, . expressed with humility and openness to others, is as valuable now as it . was in the more turbulent times of the Tudors.' She goes on to say: 'Few women's writings have come down to us from so many . centuries ago. In the pages that follow are found not only some of the . carefully crafted prayers that Katherine intended for publication, but . also the more personal hopes and fears of a woman who was as passionate . in her faith as she was in other aspects of her eventful life.' Prince Charles and the former Camilla Parker-Bowles, now the Duchess of Cornwall, following their wedding at the Guildhall in Windsor on 9 April 2005 . When Catherine Parr married Henry VIII in 1543 - here captured in an 18th century drawing - she had already been married twice . Parr was married to Edward Burgh in 1529 and widowed in 1533. She then married John Neville in 1534, only to be widowed again in 1543. She married Henry VIII in the summer of that year. Camilla, meanwhile, was married to Andrew Parker-Bowles in 1973 until their divorce in 1995. She had had a relationship with Charles prior to her first marriage. Both women are known to be or have been close to their step-children. Katherine was step-mother to Henry's children Edward, Mary and Elizabeth, and when her only biological child, a daughter with fourth husband Thomas Seymour, was born in 1548 she named her Mary in honour of her step-daughter. Katherine has been credited with campaigning tirelessly for the restoration of the line of succession in the new Act of Succession of 1544 that allowed Mary, then Elizabeth, to take the throne after their brother Edward. Camilla is close to both her stepsons, Princes William and Harry, and William's wife Kate . Camilla is known to enjoy a close friendship with her stepsons Princes William and Harry, and to have mentored Kate when she joined the royal family upon her 2011 marriage to Charles and Diana's eldest son. The Duchess became involved with the book due to her close friendship with the owner of Sudeley Castle - Parr's former residence and the site of her burial - Lady Ashcombe. She was shown a copy of the prayer collection by Rev Partington, who then wrote to her and asked if she would contribute a foreword because he saw the similarities between the two of them. He admitted he was 'chuffed' when she agreed to do so. The Duchess of Cornwall at the wedding of her daughter Laura with her husband Prince Charles and, behind her, her ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles . Camilla with her ex-husband Andrew and their children Tom and Laura . | Both women (and their royal husbands) were married previously .
Duchess of Cornwall's first husband was Andrew Parker-Bowles .
Both women close to step-children and mentored younger female royals . |
32,758 | 5d1c76483f29a06a5d3980cc0e208d27b225626e | By . Luke Salkeld . Sara Ege has been sentenced to 17 years in jail for murdering son Yaseen Ege, 7, in Cardiff in 2010 . A mother who murdered her son for failing to learn passages of the Koran by heart was jailed for life yesterday. Sara Ege, 33, beat seven-year-old Yaseen to death and then burned his body in an attempt to destroy the evidence. Yesterday she sobbed and collapsed in the dock as she was told she will spend a minimum of 17 years in prison for the killing. Afterwards Yaseen’s father and teachers paid tribute to a ‘beautiful’ and ‘happy’ boy. Ege had previously blamed her husband for their son’s death. But a jury found her to be solely responsible for Yaseen’s death after she admitted beating him ‘like a dog’. The court heard that Ege had become obsessed with her child’s apparent inability to learn entire tracts of the Koran which he was taught after school at a mosque. On the day he died, the popular schoolboy had been due to go to a teddy bear’s picnic but did not attend because his mother wanted him to spend more time on the Koran. After he died, Ege, who had been beating her child for the previous three months, set fire to the family home in Cardiff, and it was thought the boy had died in the blaze. It later emerged that Yaseen had died before the flames took hold, and his mother was arrested on suspicion of his murder. Ege, a mathematics graduate, told investigating officers she was trying to teach her son the Koran. She said: ‘I was getting more and more frustrated. If he didn’t read it properly I would be very angry – I would hit him. Yaseen Ali, 7, was found to have died before the blaze at his home started, leading police to investigate the mother who issued a frank confession before retracting her statement . Ege (left) described her son (right) collapsing at home on the day of his death while still murmuring extracts from the Koran . Yousef Ege, 38, pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court, was cleared of causing or allowing his son's death . ‘We had a high target, I wanted him to . learn 35 pages in three months. I promised him a new bike if he could . do it. But Yaseen wasn’t very good. After a year of practice he had only . learned a chapter. ‘I was getting all this bad stuff in . my head, like I couldn’t concentrate, I was getting angry too much, I . would shout at Yaseen all the time. I was getting very wild and I hit . Yaseen with a stick on his back like a dog. He would be doing his work . and wouldn’t complain and I would hit and hit him more and more. ‘He was a good boy but I used to get angry and he wouldn’t even stop me or say anything to anyone.’ Ege hit Yaseen with a stick, a hammer, a rolling pin and a slipper as well as repeatedly punching him. She later told her GP: ‘It is the . devil which is telling me to do all these bad things. I have become so . harsh, I even killed my own son.’ Ege also told the doctor she felt ‘100 . per cent better’ after her son died. Yesterday she collapsed during . sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court which followed her convictions last . month for murder and perverting the course of justice. Mr Justice Wyn Williams told her . Yaseen had been subjected to ‘prolonged cruelty’ and suffered a ‘good . deal of pain’ before he died from internal injuries in July 2010. He . added: ‘This was a dreadful crime.’ Ege had previously falsely accused her . taxi-driver husband Yousef Ege, 38, of being a violent bully who beat . her and claimed he was their son’s real killer. Yaseen Ali's funeral drew large crowds from the Cardiff community saddened by the loss of the seven-year-old . Yaseen Ali's funeral in Cardiff following his death in July 2010 . He was later cleared of . causing or allowing his son’s death by failing to act to prevent it and . told the jury he had never seen his wife raise her hand. Both parents had encouraged Yaseen to . attend advanced classes at their local mosque because they wanted him to . become ‘Hafiz’ – an Islamic term for someone who memorises the Koran. Pathologists found multiple injuries . on Yaseen’s body including broken ribs, a fractured arm and a fractured . finger. Barbecue lighter fuel was found on Ege’s clothing when she was . arrested after the post-mortem examination. She was found guilty of . murder and perverting the course of justice by burning Yaseen’s body. Yesterday her husband said of his son: . ‘He was loved by all who had known him due to his beautiful nature and . his high academic level.’ Ann James, head teacher at Radnor . Primary School in Cardiff where Yaseen was a pupil, said: ‘He was a . delightful little boy and beautifully behaved who always had a smile on . his face.’ | Sara Ege, 33, beat son with a stick and burnt his body to conceal injuries .
She confessed but later retracted her statement .
Tried to blame her husband for killing their son but he is cleared . |
163,470 | 5f5ecff9c48269321cdd7e2a30ce3de20f426e48 | Getting into character: David Suchet, pictured in Agatha Christie's Poirot: Appointment With Death, has revealed he squeezes his bottom while walking to perfect the character's unusual walk . Actor David Suchet has told of the lengths he went to in order to perfect Hercule Poirot's distinctive walk when he first took the role. The actor, 67, said he wanted to get right his character's 'rapid, mincing gait', as described by Poirot's creator Agatha Christie. Suchet, who plays the famous detective for the last time in ITV's Curtain: Poirot's Last Case later this month, told the Radio Times: 'I took that (Christie's) description and I practised and practised and practised. 'Laurence Olivier, when he was playing a fop in a Restoration play, wanted to mince ... and famously he put a penny in the crack of his bottom and walked and wouldn't let it drop. If you do that, you can't walk fast, so I did the same thing.' Asked whether he had to use the penny trick for the last 24 years, Suchet replied: 'No, but what I made myself do when I wanted to walk like Poirot was to squeeze my bottom. 'That makes you walk with short strides and that's all I do. If you think of Poirot and how he walks - that precise little thing is very much who he is. He is not a man of broad, relaxed gestures.' Suchet said it was emotional saying goodbye to the mustachioed detective after so long in the role. 'I quite openly admit that doing Poirot's final scene was the hardest day's filming of my career. And it was hard because that is the end ... for me,' he said. 'I know there's going to be a new book (written by Sophie Hannah) so that's going to be strange to see him resurrected - depending on where she places him. But that will probably be it for me.' Suchet, who said he was about to accept a job offer to become a junior manager at menswear store Moss Bros when he was called to say he had been offered a small role in The Protectors, said he had never forgotten what it was like 'to be broke' before his acting career took off. 'If you've got nothing, they say there's nothing to worry about. But not in our society. If you've got nothing, there's plenty to worry about. 'Those who haven't anything are very aware they haven't and it's very, very hard for them and it was very hard for me and it was very hard for my wife,' he added. Curtain call: David Suchet, pictured in his last episode as Poirot in the Curtain with Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, played Agatha Christie's funny little Belgian detective in adaptations of all her stories over 13 series . | Agatha Christie described Hercule Poirot's 'rapid, mincing gait' in her novels .
The 67-year-old actor used Christie's description as his inspiration .
He repeatedly practised walking while squeezing his bottom to achieve the short, precise strides . |
190,663 | 82df9876106f5d72275bb412bab7eee31678a457 | (CNN) -- Through some highly successful crowdfunding and skillful negotiation, the last remaining laboratory of futurist inventor Nikola Tesla is now in the hands of a nonprofit group that wants to preserve the site and make it a museum honoring "the father of the electric age." The Tesla Science Center announced that it's completed the purchase of the building and land of Wardenclyffe Tower in Shoreham, New York, after trying for more than 18 years. The original asking price was $1.6 million, but the deal closed for $850,000. Last year, the nonprofit made a plea on the Internet for donors. Tesla fan Matthew Inman, creator of the Web cartoon "The Oatmeal," started an IndieGoGo crowdfunding effort irreverently titled "Let's Build A Goddamn Tesla Museum." Fans of Tesla's responded, raising more than $1 million in about a week before wrapping up with $1.37 million. The Wardenclyffe Tower was to be where Tesla realized his dream of developing wireless communications and clean, free energy for the world. It was never completed, and the building was later used by a photo processing company, leaving the area tainted with chemicals. The money left over after the purchase will be used to clean up and renovate the property. The ultimate goal, an interactive science museum honoring Tesla, will require much more cash. "Now begin the next important steps in raising the money needed to restore the historic laboratory," Mary Daum, treasurer of the Tesla Science Center, said in a statement. "We estimate that we will need to raise about $10 million to create a science learning center and museum worthy of Tesla and his legacy. We invite everyone who believes in science education and in recognizing Tesla for his many contributions to society to join in helping to make this dream a reality." On his website, Inman thanked donors and said an event is planned this summer in Shoreham to help finance the science center. Musical performances, lectures, interactive exhibits and tours -- with Inman as one of the guides -- are planned during the two-day event. Inman also plans a special Tesla demonstration during the event. "I own a fully functional Tesla coil cannon and I plan to BBQ some Sriracha-bacon sandwiches by shooting them with its 20,000 volt electric arc, so the event will be both scientific and delicious," Inman wrote on his site. "Again, we're shooting for this summer but we haven't pinned down a date yet." The Tesla Science Center is also calling on volunteers to come out Saturday to assist in the cleanup along the perimeter of the site. Interested people can sign up using VolunteerSpot.com, which is helping organize the event. Largely forgotten for decades in the shadows of inventors like Thomas Edison, Tesla has emerged in recent years as a sort of unsung hero among the science-minded. Tesla foresaw the need for wireless transmissions in the late 1800s -- a hundred years before anyone picked up a cell phone. But Tesla's work lost much of its financial backing after inventor Guglielmo Marconi sent radio signals across the Atlantic Ocean, and the lab site was lost in 1915. Now, the nonprofit group hopes to soon be welcoming visitors who can understand and appreciate all the accomplishments and ideas envisioned by the inventor. "This is a major milestone in our almost two-decade effort to save this historically and scientifically significant site. We have been pursuing this dream with confidence that we would eventually succeed," said Gene Genova, vice president of the Tesla Science Center. "We are very excited to be able to finally set foot on the grounds where Tesla walked and worked." More information about fundraising events and the Wardenclyffe site can be found on the Tesla Science Center website, Facebook page and Twitter feed. | Nonprofit group has purchased former lab of inventor Nikola Tesla .
After years, purchase was aided by drive by "The Oatmeal" creator Matthew Inman .
Group seeks to turn the ground-breaker's former lab into a science museum .
Inman promises Tesla coil-fried sandwiches at upcoming fundraiser . |
73,918 | d195fe9a3a761acb9cac2844f44aed1342e14c2b | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's father will have to wait until next month before a judge decides whether he'll get a monthly allowance from the pop star's estate. Joe Jackson, who was not included in his son's will, is asking for as much as $20,000 a month. At a hearing Thursday, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff delayed arguments until January 28, because not all of the lawyers involved had been notified. Beckloff also threw out a petition by a British woman who claims she was married to Michael Jackson when he died and is the mother of his three children. Beckloff told Nona Paris Lola Jackson, who was on the phone from England, that her petition claiming the rights to Jackson's estate was "replete with deficiencies." "You have no evidence you were married to Mr. Jackson," Beckloff said. Her legal efforts to claim Jackson's children as her own began three years ago, but she filed her probate claim soon after his death last summer. Billie Jean Jackson, another woman claiming to be the mother of Jackson's children, also was in court, but her long-standing claim was not heard. The estate executors have not filed any objections to Joe Jackson's request for a monthly allowance, although lead lawyer Howard Weitzman did not rule out the possibility it would be contested. Katherine Jackson, 79, supports her husband's request for a monthly allowance, her probate lawyer, Adam Streisand, said last month. The petition of Joe Jackson, the 81-year-old patriarch of the Jackson family, said he has been financially dependent on Michael Jackson for years. It estimated that his monthly expenses come to $15,000. Jermaine Jackson said it was ridiculous that his father even had to ask. "That shouldn't even be," Jermaine Jackson told CNN. "The fact is my father is the estate. He created the estate." Michael's mother and his three children, who live with her now, share an $86,000 monthly allowance. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, from what the coroner ruled was "acute propofol intoxication," referring to an anesthetic. A criminal investigation is continuing. A 2002 will placed Jackson's estate -- estimated to be in the hundreds of millions -- into a trust that benefits Michael Jackson's mother, his three children and charities to be chosen later. Joe Jackson told CNN earlier this year that he was not surprised or hurt to learn Michael left him out of his will. "That's the way he wanted it," he said. "And it's not going to hurt me that I was left out of his will. But it happened." Joe Jackson's lawyer, Brian Oxman, is pursuing a legal challenge of the will, but Beckloff ruled Jackson had no voice in the matter. That decision is now before a California appeals court. Joe Jackson is challenging Michael Jackson's signature on the will because it was dated on a day he was in New York, not in Los Angeles as the document said. He is also challenging the fitness of John Branca and John McClain, the executors named in the will who now control the estate. Katherine Jackson, who had engaged in a bitter challenge of her own against Branca and McClain, dropped her opposition at a hearing last month. It was a surprise to her husband's lawyer, who was in court to launch Joe Jackson's challenge. "She has now reneged on her obligation to her family," Oxman told the judge. Oxman said Katherine Jackson's reversal was "one of the most despicable displays" he's ever seen in court. Oxman accused Katherine Jackson of reaching a secret deal with the men who control their son's estate. Her lawyer fired back. "That is not only baseless, but just a product of Mr. Oxman's imagination," Streisand said. There was no deal and it was a surprise to the estate lawyers, he said. Four of the Jackson sons, who are promoting the premiere of their new reality show, declined to talk about the squabble. "To be honest with you, we've been busy shooting this, and no, we've not been following the estate," Marlon Jackson said. "There's other family members that keep us abreast of what's going, the day-to-day details," Tito Jackson said. "But we know what's going on," Jermaine Jackson said. Marlon Jackson said he couldn't understand why the public is so interested in negative news about the Jackson family. "You're busy getting your little Jackson fix, we're busy trying to finish our show. We're really not interested in that part," he said. "We're trying to keep things on a more positive front and move forward on that level, because there's so many positive things that has taken place with this family." The Jackson brothers' TV show, "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty," debuts on the A&E cable network Sunday night. | NEW: Arguments delayed until January because not all lawyers notified .
Joe Jackson seeking up to $20,000 monthly from son Michael Jackson's estate .
Joe Jackson was not included in son's will .
He says he has been dependent on Michael Jackson for years; monthly expenses are $15,000 . |
141,461 | 42eb3f6cf762733506c33054ae739c7adea92378 | By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 09:05 EST, 14 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:15 EST, 14 August 2012 . A four-week old baby girl has become the youngest Briton to receive a life-saving cardiac operation, after her heart swelled to twice its normal size within days of her birth. Phoebe Whittle was born with a congenital defect which gave her tiny heart only a third of the oxygen it needed to work. As a result, Phoebe’s heart ballooned to twice its size - swelling from the size of a walnut to the size of an orange. But Phoebe, who was dubbed . ‘Braveheart’ by her parents Charlotte, 27 and Carl, 32, made an amazing recovery following . groundbreaking surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Recovery: Phoebe a week after her life-saving surgery (left) and now with her mother Charlotte (right) Mrs Whittle said: 'It’s horrible to think the pain she was going through. She looked healthy on the outside for those first few weeks but inside she was so poorly. 'But she’s meant to be here and it’s incredible the recovery she’s made. She was home within ten days and it can take babies up to four weeks to be ready to come home. 'She’s tiny for her age but we’re all just so glad she’s here.' She overcame a bout of pneumonia when she was just a week old but her family from Aspull, Lancashire, were left fearing for her health once again on Mother’s Day this year. Scans at Royal Bolton Hospital raised concerns over her heart and she was rushed to Alder Hey, in Liverpool, in a critical condition on March 19. She was diagnosed ALCAPA, . Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery, that meant the . artery to her heart muscle was connected incorrectly, starving it of . oxygen. Within hours doctors confirmed a high risk life-saving five hour operation, called a Coroary Artery Bypass Graft, was needed to save Phoebe’s life. Left untreated, a massive 90 per cent of children born with the ALCAPA defect do not live to see their first birthdays. Phoebe two days after surgery at Alder Hey hospital. Doctors were amazed at how quickly she recovered . Charlotte said: 'I felt . like I was a bit of a fraud taking her back to hospital after her . pneumonia but one of the nurses noticed she was starting to go blue. 'At . the time I don’t think I understood the enormity of the nurse taking . that blood test. It was her quick thinking that saved her life and got . her to Alder Hey. 'We were told her condition was life threatening and that surgery would be needed to save her life. 'If they hadn’t checked the blood we could have taken her home and just found her dead one morning. 'I . can’t look at photos of Phoebe in those first few weeks, its just too . upsetting. She just couldn’t breathe and there was no way she could tell . us.' The condition affects around one in 20,000 newborns and is often not detected until weeks or months after birth. Doctors took Phoebe straight into theatre for heart surgery and prepared her parents for a long and difficult recovery. After spending three days in intensive care and a week in the cardiac ward, Phoebe was able to go home with her parents and 19-month-old brother Louis. Relief: Phoebe is held by her mother Charlotte a week after the operation to fix her heart defect . The timely surgery should now see Phoebe live a normal life with regular check-ups and medication to help regulate her heartbeat. Charlotte praised staff at the Bolton hospital for the checks on her heart that ultimately saved her and said she now looks back on the days of Phoebe’s surgery as a bad dream. She said: 'It’s amazing to look at her now, I thought we had lost her. They prepared us for the worst and said it would be horrific for months afterwards but then she recovered so quickly. 'It’s so emotional to look back on now. At the time I held it together but I’ve been worse since, constantly checking her breathing and that she’s okay. 'It’s scary to think what could have happened because she did nearly die. Even though she made such a good recovery, she has still has a way to go to be the size she should be for her age. 'We’ve still got a long road to go but we know what we’re dealing with now.'Dr Rob Johnson Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at Alder Hey Hospital explained how the condition can often be diagnosed as just a cold. He said: 'She is the youngest we’ve operated on and was lucky in some ways because she was diagnosed at half the age some children are. 'Often, like Phoebe’s case of pneumonia, the condition is often diagnosed as just a heavy cold so ALCAPA can take several heart scans to detect. 'It’s quite a subtle condition to pick up even when you’re dealing with a specialist centre like you are here, it can be difficult to pin down. 'The ultrasound tests we did at Alder Hey meant we were able to identify the abnormality. 'The blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are not connected so the heart beats at a lower pressure and is not fully saturated with oxygen. 'As a result the heart swells and enlarges and Phoebe’s heart was double the size it should have been. 'As in Phoebe’s case, it gets worse after birth but it is hard to detect as babies’ heartbeats are often fast. This means they can mask defects such as ALCAPA. Alder Hey hospital prepare Phoebe for the life-saving surgery. She spent three days in intensive care afterwards . 'The operation is still a fairly high risk procedure. The heart muscle is already sick at the start of the procedure and whilst the operation is usually a success, there is a period afterwards where the heart cannot cope on its own. 'That meant we had to provide mechanical assistance to help the heart still pump blood all round the body. 'Phoebe’s recovery time was remarkable, it’s usually three or four weeks before babies of this age are ready to go home. 'There’s only seven centres that do this procedure nationally and we were really pleased we could help. 'Phoebe hit the sweet spot of the NHS. The team in Bolton did a great job spotting it and we have great surgeons here who provided an excellent outcome for Phoebe and her family.' Charlotte and Carl organised a sponsored spinathon in July for the Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey, a purpose built facility that allows parents to stay on site whilst children undergo operations. Charlotte said: 'Had this facility not been available we would have been sleeping on chairs at Phoebe’s bedside. 'The house allows families to be two minutes away from their sick child giving a little peace of mind at such a horrendous time. 'It also means that your other children have somewhere to stay and play so you don’t have the added feelings of being torn between your sick andhealthy children.' Donations to their cause can still be made at www.justgiving.com/princessphoebe . | Phoebe was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect that meant the blood vessels that supplied blood to her heart were not connected .
One in 20,000 newborns have the condition and 90 per cent don't survive beyond their first birthday without surgery . |
175,373 | 6efa502c4a548cb46a51b0688f224d2c9f5f4620 | By . Lizzie Parry . A severely ill little girl who suffers up to 60 seizures a day is given daily doses of cannabis by her parents, who claim the drug eases her condition. Two-year-old Larisa Rule suffered brain damage when she was born, leaving her partially blind and deaf, and with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. From just two days old she started having up to 60 uncontrollable seizures a day - some lasting more than an hour. Doctors tried almost everything to stop the convulsions - which they warned would soon stop her brain from growing - and even considered brain surgery. Jaylene Siery and her partner Peter Rule give their two-year-old daughter Larisa, second left, daily doses of cannabis claiming the drug helps ease her seizures . Two-year-old Larisa, suffered brain damage when she was born, leaving her partially blind and deaf, and with cerebral palsy and epilepsy . But when nothing worked her parents Jaylene Siery and Peter Rule discovered that a daily dose of liquid cannabis had helped other children like Larisa. They found a man on the internet who grows the plant for the sole purpose of helping poorly people and within just a day of trying it Larisa was having just five seizures a day. Miss Siery, 22, said: 'People tell me I’m a terrible mother and they say things like "you wouldn’t give your daughter heroin". 'But little do they realise, most of the medicines the doctors gave us before had opium in - the same plant heroin is derived from. 'I’m not a bad mother, I want nothing but good for my child. 'She was in pain, she was suffering, and I tried everything before I tried this. 'Sadly, my miracle treatment is illegal and in administering it to my daughter three times a day, I’m breaking the law. I risk prison.' Larissa was born in Gosforth Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, suffering from diabetes and with her cord wrapped round her neck. Her mother claims it left her with feeding problems, causing a low blood sugar, leading to seizures which further damaged her brain and caused more convulsions and epilepsy. Doctors tried countless anti-convulsant treatments but none worked and many had terrible side effects including painful rashes, breathing problems and a soaring heart rate. Some conventional treatments made her lose her appetite all together while others made her gain so much weight her devastated parents found it hard to lift her. Larisa used to suffer up to 60 seizures a day, but her mother claims since giving the toddler doses of cannabis she now suffers five fits a day . Miss Siery said: 'I'm not a bad mother, I want nothing but good for my child. She was in pain, she was suffering, and I tried everything before I tried this' The use of medical marijuana and pure cannabidiol - an active substance in the cannabis plant - for neurologic conditions is controversial. Cannabidiol, or CBD, has medicinal properties, but does not provide the 'high' associated with the drug. It is thought the CBD quiets the excessive electrical and chemical activity in the brain that causes seizures. Research carried out at Denver Health Medical Centre in the U.S. discusses a child with a severe form of epilepsy given cannabis in conjunction with anti-epileptic medication. The child went from suffering 50 convulsions a day to around night-time convulsions per month, doctors say. However some research has suggested that medical marijuana, when given to epilepsy patients, can cause anxiety, schizophrenia and addiction. Medical marijuana has also been used to treat people with MS, post-traumatic stress disorder and nerve pain. It is also used to alleviate nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients. Mother-of-two Miss Siery, said: 'Prescribed drugs made her blood vessels swell and burst in her face. 'Her throat swelled and she needed a feeding tube. It felt hopeless - all these horrible drugs and side effects, yet still 60 horrific seizures a day. 'It was very difficult. You just want to take your new baby home and enjoy them, but we couldn’t do that.' But while researching other options, Larisa’s father Mr Rule, a painter and decorator, heard other children like Larisa had been helped by marijuana. Full-time carer Miss Siery asked her doctors about medical cannabis but after they laughed at her she took to the internet to find a supplier on the internet. Now a man called Peter sends them 250ml of cannabis tincture a month - a liquid made by soaking the cannabis flowers, leaves, or stems in ethyl alcohol to create a medicine. He does not charge for the medicine - which Larisa has been taking in her bottles since December - and only supplies to the parents of poorly children. Miss Siery said: 'We’d watch helplessly as she suffered up to 60 seizures a day, some lasting as long as an hour. Larissa was born in Gosforth Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, suffering from diabetes and with her cord wrapped round her neck. Her parents have to give her a host of medicines, right, each day . 'But the first day Larisa had the cannabis tincture, she went from 60 seizures to five, and they only lasted one minute. 'She was more alert, she could move about, she had an appetite. 'The difference is it has given her a life which she never had. She is awake more, we’ve got her off the opiate medication, and we have had to go to hospital since we tried it. 'She also hasn’t suffered any more brain damage.' But her 'dealer' has been charged with cultivating and growing marijuana and is due in court next month, where he could be given a prison sentence. Desperate Miss Siery faces having to find another way to get the medicine for her daughter - or watch her go back to having 60 seizures a day. 'Without him, there are 200 families like us who will be without our medicine,' she said. 'I don’t know what we’ll do if he goes to prison. 'If we can’t keep accessing cannabis tincture it means that Larisa’s seizures will kill her. 'Giving our daughter marijuana is the best option. It’s our only hope.' | Larisa Rule suffered brain damage when she was born, leaving her partially blind and deaf, and with cerebral palsy and epilepsy .
From the age of two days old she started suffering 60 seizures a day .
Doctors prescribed a range of medications, which her parents Jaylene Siery and Peter Rule have to give their daughter each day .
Researching Larisa's symptoms online, Mr Rule discovered a daily dose of liquid cannabis was an alternative therapy .
The couple risk prison to give their daughter the drug, which they claim has reduced her fits to five a day .
Miss Siery said: 'I'm not a bad mother, I want nothing but good for my child' |
216,556 | a45d8e132fd4d217199ff32aa0362e97661d5af4 | It is ten times harder for a woman to become pregnant at 43 than at 37, doctors have warned. The rapid speeding up of a woman’s biological clock means that by the time she is 43, she will need to go through 44 eggs on average to produce just one normal embryo. At 37 she needs just 4.4, on average. A woman typically produces one egg a month, so this means it will take her almost four years to conceive – rather than only four months. Researcher Meredith Brower said that the number of eggs needed for a viable pregnancy rises ‘almost exponentially’ after 42, and urged women to freeze their eggs without delay. British experts said that while, ideally, women would have their babies in their twenties, the realities of modern life mean many have no choice but to wait. The research comes amid concern that growing numbers of women are risking the heartbreak of infertility by leaving it until middle-age to try to start a family. Education, careers, lack of money and the hunt for ‘Mr Right’ are all causing women to put motherhood on the back burner. No delay: Experts say that women who want to freeze their eggs should do so in their late twenties or early thirties to have the best chance of success later. Above, a female egg is artificially inseminated . Nearly half of all British babies are now born to women aged 30 and older, and the number born to women in their late thirties has almost trebled in recent years. Controversially, internet companies Facebook and Apple are offering to pay female employees to freeze their eggs. On the back burner: Nearly half of all British babies are born to women aged 30 and older. File image . The ‘perk’ – at the moment for employees in the US only – is aimed at boosting the number of women staff by allowing them to focus on their careers without sacrificing the opportunity to have children later in life. Dr Brower, of the University of California, Los Angeles, analysed data on 198 women aged between 20 and 45 having IVF treatment. This included how many eggs they produced, and the health of the embryos produced after they were fertilised in a dish. Not surprisingly, the younger women produced more eggs – and more genetically normal embryos. Dr Brower calculated that a woman under 35 would on average need just 3.8 eggs to make one healthy embryo. Between the ages of 35 and 37, 4.4 eggs would be needed. The figure starts to climb at 38. Women aged between 38 and 40 need 9.4 eggs and women aged 41 to 42 need 10.1. The number then soars, as fertility plummets, with women aged over 42 needing 44 eggs, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual conference in Honolulu heard. Importantly, the women studied were fertile, despite having IVF, and so it is thought the results apply to women trying to conceive naturally. Experts say that women who want to freeze their eggs should do so in their late twenties or early thirties to have the best chance of success later. But IVF pioneer Lord Winston has said that fewer than 8 per cent of those who thaw their eggs and have IVF will go on to have a baby. Around 500 women a year pay up to £3,000 to freeze their eggs until they want to start a family. | Number of eggs needed for pregnancy rises 'almost exponentially' after 42 .
Careers and hunt for 'Mr Right' are causing women to put off motherhood .
Nearly half of all British babies are now born to women aged 30 or older .
Researcher urged women to freeze their eggs without delay . |
187,663 | 7f06791cb56d4e49ca335b2ab07bb8d3b9588b17 | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 18:52 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:56 EST, 4 October 2013 . Calls: Tory MPs have demanded Ed Miliband fire Andy Burnham amidst claims he tried to block a report into hospital neglect . Former health secretary Andy Burnham is facing calls to quit after claims he tried to block the publication of a devastating report into hospital neglect before the last election. Tory MPs demanded Ed Miliband fire Mr Burnham as shadow health secretary after the Mail published damning emails which show the health watchdog was asked to stop the release of a report on Basildon and Thurrock hospital in Essex where patients were left to die. Britain’s most powerful civil servant Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood was last night examining whether he needs to set up a Whitehall investigation into whether civil servants breached their code of conduct. Emails released under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed that the Department of Health stopped the watchdog Care Quality Commission from releasing the report just hours before it was due to be published in November 2009. The report revealed that death rates in A&E were a third above average while catheters were strewn on the floor and blood was spattered on the walls and curtains. Mr Burnham was ‘furious’ when news of the poor standards of care was leaked, the emails reveal. In a second controversy, the commission was due to publish its ‘state of care report’ into hospitals and care homes in February 2010, three months before the election. Yet an email sent round by a senior CQC boss following a meeting with one of Mr Burnham’s junior ministers instructs them that, ‘given the political environment’, the report should be ‘largely positive’. In July, in a House of Commons debate on hospital scandals, Mr Burnham rounded on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt after he was accused of covering up poor care. Mr Burnham said at the time: ‘The Secretary of State claims that we were covering up...it is outrageous for [him] to come to the House and repeat those concerns without a shred of evidence to back them up’. Mr Burnham is now accused of misleading MPs about his role in the affair and is facing calls to make a statement to Parliament next week. Tory MP Stephen Barclay, who obtained the emails, said: ‘Labour tried to cover up failing hospitals before the last general election. Andy Burnham told the House of Commons in July there was no shred of evidence of political interference with the health regulator. ‘But these emails show a clear paper trail of political meddling – leading back to him. ‘He owes a big apology to the patients and families who suffered, and he should resign. No one will ever trust Labour with our hospitals again.’ He added that he had written to Ed Miliband demanding Mr Burnham be sacked. Denial: Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham denied a cover up as recently as three months ago . '[Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt] claims that we were covering up ... it is outrageous for him to come to the House and repeat those concerns without a shred of evidence to back them up.' As recently as July 16, Andy Burnham insisted the CQC had not been pressured by Labour. Appearing in the Commons he said: ‘The Secretary of State claims that we were covering up, so let me answer on the question of ministers’ integrity... Let me quote to him from a letter sent by [ex CQC chairman] Baroness Young to the Prime Minister yesterday: “CQC was not pressurised by the previous government to tone down its regulatory judgments or to hide quality failures”.’ However, as the Mail reported yesterday, emails show he was ‘furious’ when a report on poor care at Basildon and Thurrock was issued to the media. They also showed his junior minister, Mike O’Brien, warning the CQC close to the election that ‘at this sort of time everything you do is going to be political’. Another message from February 2010, when the CQC was due to publish its ‘state of care report’, said it should be ‘largely positive’. Martin Marshall, the CQC’s director of clinical quality, wrote: ‘It is really important that we get the tone absolutely right.’ Baroness Young has indicated she was forced out of the CQC by political pressure by the last Labour government. Roger Davidson, the former CQC head of media said: ‘The message that “we don’t want bad news” infected the whole organisation. There was no compass.’ Former CQC head of media, Roger Davidson, has previously said the watchdog was told by Labour before the general election that ‘we don’t want bad news’. Baroness Young, the former chairman of the CQC, told the Francis inquiry into deaths at Mid Staffordshire Hospital Trust, under oath, that the CQC was ‘under more pressure...when Andy Burnham became minister’. Professor Sir Brian Jarman, the country’s foremost expert on hospital death rates, has said Labour ran an NHS ‘denial machine’, which ignored issues in the NHS when they were politically inconvenient. After the publication of the emails yesterday, Tory MP Stephen Metcalfe wrote to Sir Jeremy Heywood asking him to investigate whether the civil service code was breached. He wrote: ‘The evidence presented this morning suggests that Andy Burnham, then health secretary, and his team, attempted to manipulate the release of CQC reports for political gain. ‘I am deeply concerned civil servants came under undue political pressure from the front bench Labour team and those associated with them, who were nervous about the proximity of the general election.’ Tweet: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was 'shocked' by the revelation . Health Secretary Mr Hunt tweeted: ‘Shocking revelations on Andy Burnham’s attempts to cover up failing hospitals.’ He added: ‘What it looks like … is that the last government wanted the NHS to be a good news factory, really, in the run-up to the last election – to the extent that they were prepared to lean on the regulator not to publish a report about poor care at one hospital, and I think that’s wrong. ‘That’s why I announced this week that we will make the CQC, the regulator, completely independent in the way the Bank of England is.’ Mr Burnham demanded an apology from the Tories and threatened to sue Mr Hunt. He claimed he was only ‘furious about the release of the information on the hospital because the leak of the report into Basildon hospital broke Department of Health rules’. In a letter to Mr Hunt he said: ‘The unauthorised briefing by a CQC press officer, which broke the CQC/DH rules, was not agreed with the senior leadership of the CQC. ‘I ordered a press release, in accordance with proper process, be issued later that day. It is impossible to see how you can claim this amounted to a cover-up.’ He asked for evidence ‘to substantiate your assertion. If you fail to provide such evidence, I will require a full retraction and public apology. If that is not forthcoming I will consider further action’. Labour said it had asked Mr Hunt to ‘substantiate his comments or withdraw them’. | Tories demand Andy Burnham be fired for 'blocking' devastating report .
Damning emails show health watchdog was asked to stop release .
It featured Basildon and Thurrock hospital, where patients were left to die .
The report revealed A&E death rates were third above average . |
12,359 | 23007fafd3986e9838b151495a9ee9034ee0c275 | By . Associated Press . The WTA says Sabine Lisicki has hit the fastest record serve in the history of the women's tennis tour, reaching 131 mph (211 kph). Lisicki hit the serve at 5-5, 40-30 of a first-round loss against Ana Ivanovic in the Bank of the West Classic on Tuesday. Ivanovic got her racket on the ball, but the attempted return landed wide. The previous fastest WTA serve was 129 mph (208 kph), by Venus Williams at the 2007 U.S. Open. Lisicki, a 24-year-old German, was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2013. Scroll down for video... Power shot: Sabine Lisicki hit a serve of 131mph to beat the previous record of 129mph, set by Venus Williams . Sabine Lisicki blasted the fastest recorded serve in WTA history on Tuesday, hitting a 131 mph scorcher during her first-round match against Ana Ivanovic . Sabine Lisicki preapres for her record breaking serve . Hard to believe it but that ball is traveling at 131mph! Lisicki set the record during a first-round defeat in the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford . Men . 1 163.7mph: Samuel Groth, Aus, 2012 Busan Open Challenger . 2 160mph: Albano Olivetti, Fr, 2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel-Faip . 3 156mph: Ivo Karlovic, Cro, 2011 Davis Cup . 4 155.3mph: Milos Raonic, Can, 2012 Rogers Cup . 5 155mph: Andy Roddick, US, 2004 Davis CupWomen . 1 131mph: Sabine Lisicki, Ger, 2014 Stanford Classic . 2 129mph: Venus Williams, US, 2007 US Open . 3 128.6mph: Serena Williams, US, 2013 Australian Open . 4 126.1mph: Julia Görges, Ger, 2012 French Open . 5 126mph: Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Neth, 2007 Indian Wells Masters . The crowd were deligted at seeing history made. 'Well at least I broke the world record for fastest serve,' Lisicki tweeted after the defeat. On the men’s side, Australia’s Sam Groth possesses the fastest serve of all time – 163mph – set at a Challenger event in South Korea in 2012. Lisicki, the 2013 Wimbledon finalist, is well known for her big serve. It’s earned her the affectionate nickname “Boom Boom” from tennis nickname guru Brad Gilbert. Lisicki finished second in WTA aces last year, but hasn’t cracked the top 10 this year, thanks to a dearth of matches due to both poor play and injuries. She hit an unreturnable 131mph serve at 5-5 in the first set against Ana Ivanovic, much to the delight of the small crowd that gathered on the Stadium Court. Ivanovic went on to win 7-6, 6-1 . | German hits 131mph to better Venus Williams’ record .
Ana Ivanovic defeats world No29 in Bank of the West Classic . |
223,291 | ad0f5eb5b7d7a060b2b70b408c16d2162ef4b09c | The identity of the traveler who was filmed as he made homophobic comments at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport last Thursday before attacking a man has finally been revealed. Airport police reports released on Tuesday show that he is a 27-year-old from Shelbyville, Tennessee, whose name is McCleish Christmas Benham. Video of Benham's attack, which ends with him being tackled to the ground by a group of heroic fellow travelers attempting to help the victim, has been viewed 4 million times on YouTube. Scroll down for video . Meet McCleish: The homophobe who became infamous after a video of him attacking a passenger went viral has been revealed as McCleish Christmas Bunham (above) of Shelbyville, Tenneesse . Assault: Bunham can be seen above as he kicks a man in a pink shirt he believed to be 'queer' According to the complainant in the report, who is the man in the pink shirt Benham can be seen attacking in the video, the whole melee began when Benham got into an argument with an American Airlines gate agent. After insulting the agent, the complainant informed a visibly intoxicated Benham that police were on the way in an attempt to diffuse the situation, and when the agent then asked if Benham had been drinking, the man replied, 'Yes, 100 drinks.' At this point, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Benham punched the complainant in the eye, for no apparent reason, called him a gay slur, and then began berating another traveler. It seems that it was only then that Andrew Kennedy, the man who posted the YouTube video, began filming the incident on his cellphone, actually missing the beginning of the physical altercation. How it all began: The complainant (above in pink shirt) angered Benham (in a green sweatshirt) when he tried to defend a gate agent the man had been berating . Then, as the airport officer arrived on the scene, Benham again starting attacking the complainant, kicking him in the groin and pulling his hair before five nearby passengers tackled him to the ground. When asked why he was attacking the complainant, Benham told one of the men subduing him, 'This is America, that’s why. It’s the same reason you get to live, to breathe, to walk black. You know what I’m talking about?' Benham is being charged with simple assault and public intoxication. The complainant, who wishes to remain unnamed, declined medical attention and had no visible marks or bruises. One positive: One of the men who took down Benham, Ben Kravit (above), was confused for actor Paul Rudd when the video went viral . Double take: Kravit (circled in red) does bear a striking resemblance to Rudd . At least one person is getting something good out of this incident however, as Ben Kravit, a 28-year-old Dallas man who helped take Benham down, caused quite the stir on Monday when many watching the video believed him to be famed actor Paul Rudd. Kravit said of that experience in an email to Jezebel on Tuesday, 'It was certainly fun to be a part of for a day, and something my friends and I will look back on and laugh about for many years.' | The homophobe filmed attacking a man he though was gay at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport last Thursday is McCleish Christmas Benham .
The 27-year-old from Shelbyville, Tennessee, also punched his victim in the face before anyone started filming the incident .
The fight began when Benham's victim attempted to help a female gate agent who the man had been berating .
At one point, Benham told the gate agent he had consumed '100 drinks' that day .
He is being charged with simple assault and public intoxication, but his victim is not pressing charges . |
219,771 | a87abde394a8572665c824ca35710a168d3096a2 | One of the three Drug Enforcement Administration agents under investigation for allegedly soliciting sex in Cartagena, Colombia, had a long-term relationship with a prostitute, potentially exposing himself to blackmail by drug cartels or other criminals, according to two government sources familiar with the investigation. Investigators at the Department of Justice and the DEA are trying to determine if that woman was aware that the man she had multiple liaisons with was stationed by the DEA in her drug-torn country. Officials have tried to interview her -- even compelling the agent to get her on the phone -- but have not been able to talk to her yet, the sources said. "The reason this is troubling is that these women are really unknown to our law enforcement personnel," said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is investigating the use of prostitutes by Secret Service agents in Colombia before President Barack Obama's visit there last month. "We don't know if they are associated with drug cartels. Whether they have been sent into entrap the agents or compromise them in some way which could endanger their mission -- whether it's protecting the president in the case of the Secret Service agents, or whether it's pursuing drug activities in the case of the DEA agents." The DEA agents were not involved in the security for the president's trip, the government sources said. The DEA agent's relationship with the prostitute came to light after a Secret Service agent voluntarily reported to his superiors that he was at a party at the agents' Cartagena apartment on April 13 with the three DEA agents and several women, according to the government sources. One of the sources said the Secret Service agent reported that he went into a bedroom with one of the women and had "a massage with a sexual aspect to it." Later, the Secret Service agent witnessed the women he was with being paid in local currency by one of the DEA agents, the sources said. But the Secret Service agent has insisted to investigators that it was not his intention to pay for sex. "Because of all the pressure, he wanted to self-report and basically confess that this had occurred instead of getting caught," said a government source who described the Secret Service agent as "guilt-ridden." The Secret Service agent is the 13th agency employee to get caught up in the Colombia prostitution scandal. He is currently on administrative leave but is not expected to lose his job because he came forward on his own to report the incident, according to several sources. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, R-New York, told CNN the Secret Service agent took and passed a polygraph test. But he said the alleged behavior by the DEA agents puts lives at risk. King said any time U.S government personnel are "involved in any sexual manner...you are leaving yourself, at the very least, you're opening yourself to blackmail. Secondly in these countries like Colombia or the old Soviet bloc, you run the risk (of people) being recruited to get something on you or to drug you to get information from you, to compromise you, to kidnap you." The Colombia scandal will be the subject of a hearing Wednesday before Sen. Collins' committee. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan will testify at the hearing in his first public appearance before Congress about the incident. In remarks prepared for delivery as her opening statement at the hearing, Collins says, "This reckless behavior could easily have compromised individuals charged with the security of the president of the United States." She adds, "The facts so far lead me to conclude that, while not at all representative of the majority of Secret Service personnel, this misconduct was almost certainly not an isolated incident." | Sources cite potential for agents being blackmailed by drug cartels or other criminals .
The Colombia prostitution scandal will be the subject of a Senate committee hearing .
Sen. Collins: "This is troubling ... these women are really unknown" to federal authorities . |
22,364 | 3f82189910b853d4ba5d39a299f39673280feaf2 | Cairo (CNN) -- Horrified witnesses described how Egyptian police officers stood by as violent clashes between rival fans at a football match in the northeastern city of Port Said left scores dead. Hundreds of supporters of clubs Al-Ahly and Al-Masry were critically injured in the attacks and as they tried to flee. The violence is one of the world's worst sporting disasters and prompted officials to indefinitely suspend Egypt's football premier league. The attacks started out of sight of television cameras in the stadium's hallways and terraces. When the referee blew the final whistle, thousands of Al-Masry home team fans stormed the pitch despite their team's hard-fought 3-1 victory. See high-res images of the riots . Police conscripts then stood by as rival fans attacked each other with rocks and chairs. "The police did nothing to stop it," said Amr Khamis, an Al-Ahly supporter, at the train station in Cairo after returning from the match. "Officers refused to open the gates of the stadium, so we could not escape and had to face thousands of Al-Masry hooligans attacking with rocks, knives, swords and anything else you can imagine." Mamdouh Eid, executive manager of the Al-Ahly fans committee, also blamed officers. "The police stood there watching, and the ambulances arrived late. I carried several dead fans in my arms," he said. Tension was building throughout the game, Eid said, as Port Said fans threw bottles and rocks at players. Hours after the match ended, thousands of Al-Ahly fans -- who bore the brunt of the violence -- gathered with anti-military protesters at Cairo's main train station. Families of victims wailed and cried as chants of "down down to military rule" echoed through the station's hall. It was unclear whether intense sports rivalries or political strife caused the clashes. However, many supporters blamed the tragedy on the ruling junta that they said had failed them after the overthrow of former ruler Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011. "This orchestrated attack comes a day after the minister of interior failed to convince parliament that the emergency law must be reinstated in order to maintain stability in Egypt," said Ahmed Fawzy, an Al-Ahly soccer fan who has participated in the protests against both Mubarak and the military council that once reported to him. On television talk shows, analysts and anchors discussed the massacre, but few could explain why so many fans had died. Why deadly riots go beyond football . Interior ministry officials blamed the referee for failing to stop the match earlier as signs of violence against players and between the fans became clear. "There were organized groups in the crowds that purposely provoked the police all through the match and escalated the violence and stormed onto the field after the final whistle," said Gen. Marwan Mustapha of Egypt's interior ministry. "Our policemen tried to contain them but not engage." New violence erupted Thursday in Cairo, where protesters confronted police near the Interior Ministry headquarters. At least 900 people were hurt in clashes near the ministry, officials reported. Protesters remained in the area early Friday. Egypt has recently experienced a breakdown in security, with several armed robberies, kidnappings and random killings taking place across the country in the past week alone. A French tourist was caught in crossfire and killed in Sinai during an armed robbery at a foreign currency exchange, an HSBC bank was robbed in broad daylight, and a busy Cairo street was blocked by families of an angry bus driver who was shot dead by another angry driver. Bedouins from Sinai also kidnapped 25 Chinese workers for 24 hours on Tuesday, releasing them only after the military promised to retry five inmates on death row for their role in the 2004-06 bombings in Sharm El Sheikh in Sinai. Parliament held an emergency session on Thursday to discuss the sporting tragedy, while Egypt's military junta has announced three days of mourning. Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri suspended Port Said's security chief and the head of police investigation. The two men will face an inquiry. Ganzouri also accepted the resignation of Port Said's governor. It remains to be seen now whether the Port Said massacre further stirs tensions that were already high after the first anniversary of the January 25 uprising. Journalist Ian Lee contributed to this report. | Eyewitnesses: Police officers stood idle during violent clashes at football stadium .
Scores of football supporters were killed; hundreds were critically injured .
Police conscripts stood by as rival fans attacked each other with rocks and chairs .
Tensions high in Egypt one year after the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak . |
135,472 | 3b41ee60a8cd1c944fe09c1e2e03119529ec6fe7 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:35 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:49 EST, 10 July 2013 . A four-year-old boy has tragically died after climbing into a boiling-hot car during a heatwave on Tuesday. Cyller Nelson was discovered soon after his family reported him missing at the Pine Oaks Mobile Home Park in Mobile, Alabama around 2.15pm. A neighbor reported hearing his mother screaming as a man tried desperately to revive the little boy. Paramedics pronounced the four-year-old dead at the scene. Devastating loss: Four-year-old Cyller died on Tuesday after climbing into a hot car . Tragedy: The body of Cyller Nelson (pictured center with his parents and newborn sister) was discovered on Tuesday after he climbed into a car in 100F heat in Mobile, Alabama . Accidental: It is not expected that criminal charges will be filed after the little boy wandered off from his home on Tuesday afternoon . Temperatures in Mobile registered at 91F . on Tuesday but authorities said the temperature in the car would have soared to more than 100F. A neighbor told examiner.com that Cyller was at home with his mother Heather Queysen and his newborn baby sister while his father Chris Robare was at work. No criminal charges are expected to be filed as the death is thought to be accidental after the little boy wandered away from his home. Neighbor Tonya Smith told Fox 10: 'It’s very tragic. There’s another angel in heaven now, one that didn't need to be there, he just started his life.' Adorable: Parents Chris and Heather must now face the unbearable loss of four-year-old Cyller who died after climbing into a car near his trailer home . Angel: Neigbors reported Cyller's mother screaming on Tuesday as a neighbor tried in vain to revive her son . According to website KidsandCars.org, 32 . children were killed in the U.S. last year when they were left in hot . cars. The number of tragedies this year stands at 21 in the U.S. and two . in Canada. An eight-month-old boy in Virginia died on July 5 after being left in a car all day by his mother in temperatures reaching 90F. The woman told police she had forgotten her child was in the car when she drove to work in Arlington last Friday. When . she left work that afternoon she discovered her son in the car and . drove him to INOVA Alexandria Hospital around 4pm, according to . NBCWashington. The child was pronounced dead at the hospital. Summer threat: The number of children who have died in hot cars this year in the U.S. currently stands at 21 . National breakdown: The map shows the death toll across the U.S. (provided by kidsandcars.org) A . similar tragedy happened on the same day in Baltimore where a . 16-month-old girl died when a relative forgot her in his truck when he . went to take a nap. He was meant to drop the child off at daycare but drove home instead. Four . hours later he got into his vehicle and drove to the Head Start centre . to pick up the girl, but when he was told the child had not been dropped . off, he discovered her unresponsive in his truck. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Be prepared: The national organization offers tips to parents to prevent tragedies . | Cyller Nelson wandered off in Pine Oaks Mobile Home Park in Mobile, Alabama on Tuesday . |
267,579 | e6879465da7e2b431c9011019c2cd64c3a4d13fe | (CNN) -- Renowned as much for her behavior out of the pool as her victories in it, Dawn Fraser is the greatest, and certainly most colorful female swimmer in Olympic history. Fraser was the first woman ever to successfully defend an Olympic title. The Australian won eight Olympic medals and was the first swimmer, either male or female, to win gold in the same event at three successive Olympiads. The youngest of eight children, she suffered from chronic childhood asthma and took up swimming to help improve her breathing. "Mine was a complete love affair," she later recalled. "It's a beautiful thing, diving into the cool crisp water and then just sort of being able to pull your body through the water and it opening up for you." Her talent was spotted by coach Harry Gallagher, the latter agreeing to train her for free on account of her family's poverty. By the age of 16 she was already breaking national records, one of a group of outstanding young Australian female swimmers of that period known collectively as "The Water Babes." She came to world attention in February 1956 when she bettered Willy den Ouden's 20-year old world record for the 100-meters freestyle. At her first Olympics later that year, in Melbourne, she set another world record in the same event -- 62 seconds -- and took a second gold in the 4x100 meters freestyle relay, the latter also in a world record time (four minutes 17.1 seconds). Successful defense . She repeated her 100 meters freestyle victory in Rome four years later, the only Australian woman to win a gold medal at that particular Olympiad, and the first ever woman to successfully defend an Olympic swimming title. She also picked up two silver medals, in the 4x100 meters medley relay and 4x100 meters freestyle relay. For all her success, however, the 1960 Games were notable as much for her clashes with sponsors, teammates and Australian swimming officials as her triumphs in the pool. She was subsequently dropped from the Australian squad and, after further run-ins with officialdom, received a two-year ban from international competition. Despite this, and a horrific car crash in early 1964 in which her mother was killed and Fraser herself seriously injured, she again successfully defended her 100-meter freestyle title at the Tokyo Olympics, beating off a spirited challenge from Sharon Stouder of the United States to become the first swimmer ever to win the same event at three successive Games. The high-jinx and confrontations continued, however -- she was arrested for allegedly stealing a flag from the Japanese Imperial palace -- and shortly after the 1964 Olympics the Australian Swimming Union banned her for 10 years, bringing her competitive career to an end. She subsequently went into politics and remains an iconic figure in Australia, despite, or perhaps because of, her determined non-conformism. "I've always been known to speak my mind," she once commented. "I think that's why Australian people like me." In 1996 she was voted the Person Who Best Symbolizes Australia. | Olympic record: 4 gold medals, 4 silver medals .
The first swimmer to win gold in the same event at three successive Olympiads .
In 1996 she was voted the Person Who Best Symbolizes Australia .
Swimmer was born September 4, 1937, in Sydney, Australia . |
281,843 | f9189e28912eff660a65ff4ca703879fd92f4850 | Parents take note: Spain is cracking down on its sulky teenagers. And not before time, some argue. Under a draft bill approved in the Spanish Parliament, under 18s will be legally obliged to do chores and be 'respectful'. Teenagers in Spain could be forced to help out with the chores under a draft bill in Spain. Pictured here is a 16-year-old boy being made to do housework . If it is passed, children in the country will have to help out with the housework 'in accordance with their age and . regardless of their gender'. They will also have to 'participate in family life' and respect 'their parents and siblings', Spain's ABC newspaper reported. The Child Protection Bill children would also have to 'respect school rules' and 'study as required'. More generally these children 'will have to maintain a positive attitude about learning'. At the same time, will also have to 'respect their teachers and other staff at education teachers', as well as their fellow students. The draft law doesn't set out penalties for children who fail to fulfill these requirements, but marks a new shift in the legislation with its focus on the responsibilities of children. Sulky teenagers will also have to be more 'respectful' to their teachers at school (file picture) Other key elements of the proposed bill include the establishment of a list of known paedophiles who could be banned from working with children. Schools and companies hiring staff to work with children will have to ask applicants to provide a copy of their criminal record. The legislation would also require people working with children to report possible crimes against children and failure to do so will be considered a crime of omission. | The bill has been approved in the Spanish Parliament .
If it is passed, under 18s will have to help out with housework .
They will also have to respect 'their parents and siblings' |
219,808 | a885db94e104d3646e82e853a8550376d7dd4058 | (CNN) -- North Korea has rescinded its invitation for a U.S. envoy to visit the secretive nation to discuss the fate of Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American man who is being held there, a State Department official said Sunday. Bae, of Lynwood, Washington, was arrested in November 2012 in Rason, along North Korea's northeastern coast. Pyongyang sentenced him last year to 15 years of hard labor, accusing him of planning to bring down the government through religious activities. He is widely reported to have been carrying out Christian missionary work in North Korea. Bae, 45, operated a China-based company specializing in tours of North Korea, according to his family, who have described him as a devout Christian. No reason was given for the trip cancellation. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki expressed disappointment that Ambassador Robert King's visit was called off and noted North Korea had said it wouldn't use Bae as a "political bargaining trip." This is the second time North Korea has canceled a planned visit by King. Bae was moved to a hospital last year after his health deteriorated. But last week the United States said he had been moved back to a labor camp, a development his family described as "devastating." "We again call on the DPRK to grant Bae special amnesty and immediate release as a humanitarian gesture so he may reunite with his family and seek medical care," Psaki said Sunday. "We will continue to work actively to secure Mr. Bae's release." The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the U.S. civil rights leader, has offered, at the request of Bae's family, to "travel to Pyongyang on a humanitarian mission focused on Bae's release," Psaki added. She said that annual joint military exercises by U.S. and South Korean forces, due to begin later this month, are "in no way linked to Mr. Bae's case." Tensions over exercises . The large military drills anger the nuclear-armed North Korean regime, which says it views them as a prelude to an invasion. Last year, Pyongyang's threatening rhetoric reached alarming levels during the exercises, heightening tensions in the region. North Korea has been urging the South not to take part in the drills -- a call that Seoul and Washington have rejected. This year's exercises, involving thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops, will begin February 24, United States Forces Korea said Monday. One of the exercises, Key Resolve, in which about 5,200 U.S. troops will participate, will run until March 6. The U.S. military says Key Resolve makes sure forces are prepared to defend South Korea and trains them to "respond to any potential event on the peninsula." The other exercise, Foal Eagle, in which about 7,500 U.S. troops will take part, continues until April 18. Foal Eagle, according to the U.S. military, is "a series of joint and combined field training exercises" that combine ground, air, naval, expeditionary and special operations. United States Forces Korea said the North's Korean People's Army had been informed of the dates of the exercises and of "the non-provocative nature of this training." The dates of the drills overlap with planned reunions of families in North and South Korea who were separated by the Korean War in the 1950s. The reunions of about 200 people -- 100 from each country -- are scheduled to take place between February 20 and 25 at a resort on the North's side of the heavily militarized border. But Pyongyang said last week it may back out of the arrangement -- as it has in the past -- if South Korea goes ahead with the joint military drills with the United States. CNN's Jamie Crawford and Elise Labott contributed to this report. | NEW: The Rev. Jesse Jackson has offered to go to Pyongyang .
Ambassador Robert King was scheduled to visit and discuss Bae's case .
North Korea has held Bae, a Korean-American, since November 2012 .
Annual U.S.-South Korean military drills, which anger Pyongyang, begin later this month . |
41,130 | 7405d8e367b132cdefa387983582fa78e92314f4 | (CNN) -- Paris Hilton entered guilty pleas on two misdemeanor counts in a Las Vegas court and was placed on probation for a year Monday morning under a plea deal to settle a cocaine possession charge. Hilton admitted to the judge that cocaine found in a purse she was carrying after a traffic stop last month was hers and that she lied about it. "I said that the purse wasn't mine to the officer, your honor," Hilton said. A felony cocaine possession charge was dropped in exchange for Hilton's guilty pleas on misdemeanor charges of drug possession and obstruction of an officer. The celebrity-socialite will have to stay out of legal trouble for the next year or face time in a Las Vegas jail, Judge Joe Bonaventure told her. Any arrest, other than a minor traffic citation, would trigger a probation violation ruling, he said. "The Clark County Detention Center is not the Waldorf Astoria," Bonaventure said to Hilton. The judge also ordered Hilton to complete an intensive substance abuse program. "We've arranged for Ms. Hilton to be in an outpatient program," defense lawyer David Chesnoff told the judge. Hilton also will have to pay a $2,000 fine and complete 200 hours of community service, the judge said. She will not have to report to a probation officer. "You have to understand When you break the law here, there are consequences," the judge said. Bonaventure said it is not unusual for such felonies to be reduced to misdemeanors for defendants with no criminal record. "This is a typical negotiation," he said. "I know that Ms. Hilton is contrite and accepts responsibility for her actions," Chesnoff said. Hilton was arrested after a traffic stop on the Las Vegas strip on August 27. A motorcycle officer reported smelling the odor of marijuana coming from the Cadillac Escalade driven by her boyfriend, Cy Waits. A small plastic bag of cocaine fell out of a purse she was holding and into the hand of a police lieutenant while Hilton was being questioned, according to the police report. Hilton does have a criminal record, including a Los Angeles drunken driving arrest in 2006. She was arrested three times in the following months for driving on a suspended license. She spent two days in jail in June 2007 before Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca released her, saying she could complete her 45-day sentence at home. The next day, however, a judge ordered her to return to jail, where she remained 18 more days. | Judge to Hilton: "You break the law here, there are consequences"
Hilton will enter an outpatient drug treatment program .
She was sentenced to a year probation and 200 hours community service .
Another arrest would send her to jail, the judge said . |
20,206 | 395b76f8b0b4bce7a2ee56885bb681ab0bab7e67 | By . Tara Brady . A street in Blackburn has been turned into a fictional sectarian battleground in Belfast during the height of the Northern Ireland troubles. Smoke, armoured cars, a burnt-out bus and rubble filled the streets as 10 days of filming got under way for the new movie. Other explosive scenes include a man jumping from an upstairs terraced house and a bus explode into a fireball during gritty rioting scenes. The Troubles: Actors film a scene in this back street in Blackburn which became the backdrop to a new film set in Belfast about Northern Ireland in 1971 . Six terraced streets in the town were sealed off to become home to some of British cinema and TV's rising stars as a 65-strong crew films the story of a young Northern British soldier's nightmare journey after separation from his colleagues. The thriller '71' stars 22-year-old actor Jack O'Connell, who played Pukey Nicholls in 'This Is England', Marky in 'Harry Brown', and James Cook in the E4 teen drama Skins. In the film he takes the part of a young British squaddie accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, and wary of his comrades, the raw recruit must survive the night alone and find his way to safety through a disorientating, alien and deadly landscape. An actor with fake blood on his face takes time out of filming on the set of new drama 71 which focuses on a British soldier's nightmare journey during one night in 1970s Belfast after he is separated from his colleagues . Troop carrier: An armoured car of the type used by police and soldiers in Northern Ireland is used in the filming . Smoke, armoured cars, a burnt-out bus and rubble filled the streets as 10 days of filming got under way for the new movie . Violence: Six terraced streets in Blackburn were sealed off and transformed into 1970s Belfast for the film starring Jack O'Connell who has been in This is England . The Blackburn streets feature as the daytime start of his horror. Director Angus Lamont said: 'We chose Blackburn because it has the type of Victorian terraced mill-town streets typical of parts of Belfast before the damage and redevelopment caused by the Troubles. The council were very helpful with us.' But local resident Deborah Sengel, 45, who lives just yards from the location said: 'They never said a thing to me about what they were going to be doing and it's really close to my house. 'It's been horrible and my house stinks of smoke. I have even been getting headaches and I put it down to all the fumes coming from when they are burning the bus. 'My cars are filthy and I've even had to put one in the garage. 'They have said that they will pay for our windows to be cleaned but I think they should pay for the cars too. They have offered people on the street money but they told me that they had run out of their budget but will look into it. The film is allegedly costing £7million. Burnt out: Not everyone has been happy about the filming with some residents complaining about noise and smoke . Director Angus Lamont said he chose to film the drama in Blackburn because of its Victorian terraced streets which is typical to some parts of Belfast . A member of the cast on set of the new film 71 which is set in 1970s Belfast (left). A row of streets in Blackburn were transformed into the Northern Ireland city . Actors film a scene for 71 - a new drama which follows a young and disorientated British soldier who is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot in Belfast . Action: Actors on the set of 71 which was filmed in Blackburn. The town was chosen because of its Victorian terraced streets . The streets were sealed off for filming and became home to some of British cinema and TV's rising stars with a 65-strong cast seen here in action . Conflict: Actors throw stones at a British Army truck in a scene for new drama 71 which is set in 1970s Belfast . "I can honestly say I feel very disturbed by what I have seen. I have had all the cast sat outside my house and all the army trucks parked up outside. The noise has been terrible and it's been going on until 9.30pm. I honestly never thought I'd be so distressed.' Shopkeeper Irfan Sanje, 46, said: 'It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness this and I think it will plug the town and give it more recognition. 'I'm loving watching it because I take a real interest in films. It's amazing their attention to detail and the effects that are going on. 'The only disappointing thing is that you can't get too close when they are filming. You watch a film and you don't realise all the work that goes into it and what is behind the scenes. This gives us a glimpse of what it is like and how much work is done for a matter of minutes. 'I've seen them re-shoot the same scene over and over again. 'You hear about the troubles and what happened in Belfast to some extent but this really opens the mind up to what it was like back then.' Michelle Lovatt, 42, who works in the street's tanning salon, Mambo's, which is being featured in the film under the new name, Donard's Cafe, said: 'They obviously didn't have sunbed shops in 1971 so we've been made to look like a cafe and they've boarded up all the windows so it is part of the set. Female actors film a scene in Blackburn for new thriller 71 which focuses on a British soldier's fight for survival in 1970's Belfast . Filming took place over 10 days in Blackburn which saw a row a terraced houses transformed into Belfast in the 1970s . Other explosive scenes include a man jumping from an upstairs terraced house and a bus explode into a fireball during gritty rioting scenes . Destruction: A burnt-out bus on the set of 71. Although the street was transformed into Belfast in the 1970s, neighbours in Blackburn have complained about the noise and disruption during the filming . 'We are having to get the customers come in through the back door when they are filming. I think people think we are closed because we have the burned out bus right outside they think there has been some sort of incident or a bus has crashed. It was good to watch it go up in flames. 'I've been watching them every day and it's been really good. We've had a lot of people coming to have a look and see what's going on too, normally it's a pretty quiet street. 'I think it will be good for the area because its different and we're not used to stuff like this. We've seen them shooting the different scenes and we've had chance to see the rioting and get a feel for what it was like back then with the IRA. 'We've watched the riots between the people and the police and witnessed them throwing water bombs. 'It's a really good location for them to shoot and it's good that the terraced rows are still here but they are getting pulled down after the filming. 'They have been noisy but it's been fun to watch. The actors have been good but there has been some bad language but that is when they are in character. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it has finished.' In 1963, the prime minister of Northern Ireland, Viscount Brookeborough, stepped down after 20 years in office. His long tenure was a produce of the Ulster Unionist domination of politics in the north since partition in 1921. By contrast the Catholic minority had been politically marginalised. This was largely a product of Northern Ireland's two-thirds Protestant majority but was exacerbated by the drawing of local government electoral boundaries to favour unionist candidates. War zone: British soldiers in riot gear detain a man during The Bloody Sunday riots in 1972 Londonderry . Additionally, the right to vote in local government elections was restricted to ratepayers - again favouring Protestants. This bias was preserved by unequal allocation of council houses to Protestant families. Catholic areas also received less government investment than their Protestant neighbours. Police harassment, exclusion from public service appointments and other forms of discrimination were factors of daily life, and the refusal of Catholic political representatives in parliament to recognise partition only increased the community's sense of alienation. But there had been improvements. Post-war Britain's new Labour government had introduced the Welfare State to the north, and it was implemented with few, if any, concessions to old sectarian divisions. In a series of radical moves, he met with the Republic of Ireland's prime minister Sean Lemass - the first such meeting between Irish heads of government for 40 years. This represented a serious threat to many unionists. O'Neill's policies provoked outspoken attacks from within unionism, not least from the Reverend Ian Paisley who rose to prominence at this time. With Catholic hopes raised on one side and unionist fears on the other, the situation quickly threatened to boil over. As a result, Catholic children in the 1950s could reap the benefits of further and higher education for the first time. Viscount Brookeborough was replaced by a former army officer Terence O'Neill who introduced a series of measures to improve the economy. Violence finally erupted in 1966 following the twin 50th anniversaries of the Battle of the Somme and the Easter Rising. Rioting and disorder was followed in May and June by the murders of two Catholics and a Protestant by a 'loyalist' terror group called the Ulster Volunteer Force. O'Neill immediately banned the UVF, but it was too late. The cycle of sectarian bloodletting that would become known as 'the Troubles' had already claimed its first victims. | Smoke, armoured cars, a burnt-out bus and rubble filled the streets as filming got under way for the new movie .
The thriller, called 71, stars 22-year-old actor Jack O'Connell who also appeared in This Is England and Skins . |
89,143 | fd02d6f54ebcebd9b03f83381c6a427cf69fc813 | By . Sean Poulter for the Daily Mail . Supermarkets are putting customers in danger by demanding price cuts from suppliers that effectively force them to commit fraud, a food safety expert has warned. And the situation has worsened since the horse meat scandal, according to Professor Chris Elliott, who was asked by the Government to investigate industry practices. He said the current high street price war means the pressure on suppliers is worse than in January last year, when it emerged that horse meat was being passed off as beef in supermarkets and fast food restaurants. The current price war means that pressure on suppliers is worse than in January last year, when it emerged that horse meat was being passed off as beef in supermarkets and fast food restaurants. ‘Procurement policies in some food businesses, particularly some of the larger retailers, are a matter of concern,’ he said. Prof Elliott’s review is highly critical of the supermarkets and suggests the Government and Food Standards Agency were slow to react to the scandal. The professor, who heads the Institute for Global Food Security, in Belfast, insisted that fraud is far more widespread than just consumers being fooled into eating horse meat. There has been evidence of cancer-risk chemicals being added to foods, peanuts used in place of other nuts creating the risk of serious allergic reaction, and dirty, condemned meat being sold for human consumption. A recent FSA survey of 145 lamb takeaway meals found 30 per cent contained other meat. One in five contained no lamb. The professor said the aggressive approach by the big supermarkets to their suppliers, sometimes demanding food at below the cost of production is opening the door to fraudsters, some of whom are resorting to threats and violence to cover up their activities. A recent FSA survey of 145 lamb takeaway meals found 30 per cent contained other meat. One in five contained no lamb. Above, file picture of lamb rogan josh . ‘The review has been presented with information about threats made by criminals to regulators inspecting food businesses, and by honest businesses trying to compete with cheats,’ he said. Prof Elliott has called for the establishment of a new Food Crime Unit with police powers to implement a zero-tolerance approach to fraud. None of the supermarkets, such as Tesco or Asda, brands such as Findus, or restaurant chains like Burger King have been prosecuted for selling horse meat dressed up as beef in burgers, lasagne, Bolognese sauce and other products. None of the supermarkets, such as Tesco or Asda, or brands such as Findus, have been prosecuted for selling horse meat dressed up as beef in burgers, lasagne, Bolognese sauce and other products . They denied wrongdoing and said they relied on written assurances from their suppliers they were supplying was beef. Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said the Government would accept the review’s recommendations. The British Retail Consortium, which speaks for supermarkets, said it has taken steps to prevent a repeat of the horse meat scandal. | Supermarkets sometimes demand food at below cost of production .
The practice is opening the door to fraudsters, warns food safety expert .
FSA survey of 145 lamb takeaway meals found 30% contained other meat .
There is also evidence of cancer-risk chemicals being added to food . |
64,418 | b6e2fcc3b2988df3dc2376c2fa94448bfa4f27b0 | (CNN) -- One long, brutal year has passed since the Syrian people launched their revolution, demanding an end to the dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad. Since then, the regime has killed at least 8,000 people, according to the U.N., and it has sent the rest of the world a quiet but blunt message: You are fools. Fools because much of the world fell for, and even participated in, al-Assad's manipulative, decade-long game in which he portrayed himself as a modernizer and reformer. But now we know what al-Assad really thought about reform. In his own, ultramodern shorthand: LOL. From the day he came to power in 2000, al-Assad, a London-educated ophthalmologist, has used the media and massaged the egos of politicians to put forth the fiction that he would bring freedom and openness to Syria. But the charade started to come apart one year ago. If the massacres committed by Syrian forces on his behalf had not provided enough proof that the image was all fake, a new trove of private e-mails confirms just how far Western observers had missed the mark when they judged the lanky doctor-turned-dictator as one of the good guys. The Guardian obtained 3,000 e-mails from private accounts used by the president, under the address [email protected], and his wife, Asma, as [email protected]. The Guardian says the e-mails, which were provided by a Syrian opposition source, are verified as real by many of its correspondents. They confirm that Bashar and his stylish, British-born wife are keenly tuned into the modern world. They shop extravagantly online and consume mass-market cultural fare such as Harry Potter, "America's Got Talent" and country music. Their e-mail discussions about shoes, jewelry, chandeliers and fondue pots, along with ideas about how to put down the uprising and how to spin the events for foreign audiences, occurred between June and February, as forces loyal to al-Assad slaughtered thousands of mostly unarmed protesters. In one e-mail, al-Assad laughs at democratic reforms. When his wife tells him she'll come home early one day, he quips, "This is the best reform any country can have that u told me where will you be, we are going to adopt it instead of the rubbish laws of parties, elections, media ..." Other e-mails show one of al-Assad's media advisers, Shererazad Jaafari, whose father is Syria's U.N. ambassador, helping arrange interviews with American networks such as ABC and dealing with CNN. Al-Assad joked with Hadeel al-Ali, one of his media consultants, while Arab League monitors were in Syria seeking to bring an end to the carnage. Al-Assad ridiculed the mission, sending al-Ali a YouTube parody of the violence that uses children's toys. "Check out this video," he wrote. She responded with, "Hahahahahahaha, OMG!!!" If there is any hint that al-Assad has any misgivings about the human cost of his political survival, it comes in an e-mail that attaches an iTunes download of a country song by Blake Shelton, with the lyrics written out for Asma: "I've been a walking heartache / I've made a mess of me / The person that I've been lately / Ain't who I wanna be." Al-Assad and his wife have been deftly playing international public opinion from the beginning. A Washington Post article in April 2000, a few weeks before he became president, describes him as "soft-spoken and congenial, a fan of Faith Hill and Phil Collins ... mapping his own path by trying to address the social and economic demands of the next generation." Two months later, The New York Times explained that "thanks to an orchestrated campaign in the state news media to credit him with fighting corruption and promoting a more open economy, Dr. Assad also is seen as a beacon of hope for a new, more relaxed Syria." The image held for years, even if the reforms never quite arrived. In 2005, the Bush administration withdrew the American ambassador to Syria, and European countries froze relations with Damascus for its role in the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. But the Obama administration and many in the Washington establishment and in Europe still believed that al-Assad was a closet reformer. As recently as April, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said members of both parties "believe he's a reformer." And Sen. John Kerry, who has met al-Assad about half a dozen times, said he expected that al-Assad would enact meaningful reforms. Over the years, al-Assad's wife, Asma, cast a spell on the media. In February 2011, Vogue magazine published a glowing spread about the fashionable first lady entitled "A Rose in the Desert." The article explained that "In Syria, power is hereditary" but called the al-Assads "wildly democratic." Asma has always been key element of the propaganda effort. Former Bush administration official Flynt Leverett praised al-Assad, saying, "I think who a man marries says a good deal about him." The first lady, he said, "is going to bring exposure to absolute world-class standards and practices in the globalized economy of the 21st century." Clearly, Bashar and Asma al-Assad are creatures of the modern world. They watch YouTube videos, shop online and use secret e-mail pseudonyms. I bet they're buying the latest iPads. But those in the West who believed that their modernity meant they would bring democratic reform got it all wrong. What their experience in the West taught them was not a love of democracy and human rights. Instead, it showed them how to manipulate the media and how to create an image that would let them rule by the old-fashioned ways of dictatorship: by imprisoning and killing opponents. Anyone who believed otherwise was taken for a fool. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frida Ghitis. | The Guardian obtained e-mails from private accounts of Bashar al-Assad and his wife .
Frida Ghitis: The e-mails reveal that the Syrian president has been fooling the West all along .
She says that despite al-Assad's embrace of Western culture, he's a dictator .
Ghitis: Couple are creatures of the modern world; they know how to manipulate the media . |
109,721 | 196c654372be987a20c67ba7f00cb3ae37c614cd | By . Martha Cliff . 'Choose your weapon!' This might sound like the opening line of a film about ninjas or soldiers but instead, it's an everyday phrase for the UK's dominatrices - a group who spend their days taking whips, riding crops and canes to their willing clients. One of their number is Mistress Dita, a former prison administrative officer from Hull, who agreed to speak to Rupert Everett as part of his new documentary series, Love for Sale. She's offering him a close encounter with her arsenal of riding crops and canes, which she intends him to use on her willing 'slave' standing in a corner, trussed up in full leather bondage wear. Rupert Everett talks to Dominatrix - Mistress Dita in her home in Hull . He chooses a cane and then watches in fascination as Mistress Dita wields it with panache, each thwack leaving red stripes on her client's back. 'That was a particularly shocking moment,' he reveals. 'Being in the same room as a dominatrix as she dealt with her client, that is not normally in a day's work.' Michael Waldman, the director of Channel 4's Love for Sale has explored the sex world before in previous documentaries but had never been treated to a live show. This time around, the director was determined to find out exactly who was paying for these kind of niche sexual services. 'We wanted to talk to both Dita and her client. We spoke to him once the cameras were off and he wasn't wearing his gimp mask and he was a perfectly normal, nice, intelligent man.' Rupert with Mistress Dita in her S&M dungeon . Mistress Dita has around 100 clients and says that she could have another ten years in the business . The services of Mistress Dita, who has around 100 regular clients, may come as a shock to those who are unfamiliar with the world of S&M, although not quite as much as the latest addition to her repertoire. 'I've introduced hard sports into my repertoire' she tells a curious Rupert. 'So hard sports is the poo and water sports is the wee. I save my waste from the morning then I feed it to my clients. There's a big market for it.' Astonishingly, Mistress Dita says there is such a large demand for her waste she even has own website, selling everything from gift vouchers, to toe nail clippings and worn underwear but she says that by far the most popular item on sale is her faeces. 'I sell a . lot ,' she explains. 'I send it through Royal Mail, my first one yesterday went to Stoke on Trent, it was £25.' Even Mistress Dita says that she doesn't really understand what her clients get out of it. 'I've been in this business . for three years and I still can't put my finger on why guys want it but . all I can say is each to their own,' she says. Mistress Dita uses a selection of 'weapons' on her clients . 'I . never judge anyone because I've worked in a prison with sex offenders . and paedophiles so all I think is that there are far worse things men . can be doing.' Bizarrely, halfway through her interview, Dita's mother enters with the promise of a quiche for Rupert, so what do her family make of her profession. 'The only way I could have . shocked my friends and family is if I had told them I was settling down . and having kids,' she reveals. 'They were really supportive, especially my mum who even . made Rupert and the crew a packed lunch.' Dita works seven days a week and never takes any holiday so she's certainly not lacking in work ethic but will she ever swap the world of the dominatrix for something more mainstream? 'As . a dom, you are expected to be older, and at 44, I could have another ten years . left in me,' she says, thoughtfully. 'I don't think I want to do it for that long though,' she qualifies. 'I'd love to . help the street walkers of Hull who are vulnerable. Maybe set up a . centre for them. But at the moment I love what I'm doing.' Mistress Dita, Rupert Everett and her client at her home in Hull . It's certainly not for everyone, although Everett remains cool throughout - even when confronted with some of the more arcane tools of Dita's trade. 'Oh yes, he is completely unembarrassed by anything which is extremely unusual' says director Waldman. 'The fact that he is so unfazed makes him completely perfect for the job. Other people might be worried or scared or concerned about how they look but Rupert sails through. 'And the fact that we are shocked by how unfazed Rupert is makes us question why we are so fazed ourselves.' Rupert believes that sex workers need protecting and we should stop discriminating against them . The fact that Rupert comes across as so nonjudgmental was key to making the sex workers who appear in the documentary feel comfortable enough to share a glimpse into their lives. And Mistress Dita certainly isn't the only unconventional star of the show. Another is Sammy, a former builder and father of two, who allows Everett to perch on the bed at his home in Milton Keynes as he prepares to set up a live webcam for 50p a minute online sex. Sammy has been taking female replacement hormones for the past three years but still possesses male genitalia and caters to a very specific type of client. As Sammy begins to provide the service for one of his regular clients, in full view of Everett and the Channel 4 film crew, he continues to chat - despite the bizarre situation. 'Meeting . Sammy was a very odd situation' continues Waldmann. 'The film crew were . stood in the room, Sammy was lay on the bed with his legs apart and . Rupert was balanced on the bed looking bemused but not taken aback. 'That . is my job as the director to create an atmosphere that is more relaxing . for people like Sammy so you can achieve a more human reaction.' Everett himself has strong opinions on the sex trade, confessing to having used male . prostitutes himself and says sex workers are in need of . support not discrimination. 'I . don't think it's an issue - too bad if some people have a problem with buying . sex,' insists the 54-year-old. 'They should be so lucky to be . buying sex! Selling sex is much more precarious, it's a terrifying thing . to do, but they need support that's what I really think.' Rupert joins sex worker Sammy, for a session of online sex . Despite Everett's support for sex work, Waldmann insists that this is not necessarily the message the documentary carries. 'Rupert had a very personal view, he wasn't an objective reporter,' he explains. 'He was passionately interested. 'However we wanted to make sure that he heard voices of those he didn't agree with and make sure there was a range of views.' The programme is undeniably eye opening but does Waldmann believe it will alter the British attitude to the sex industry? 'Society will always have a problem with prostitution,' he admits. 'And I wouldn't say that there is no problem,. 'It is by no means an enviable profession, but what I do hope is that the programme makes us a little less judgmental. 'You can't assume everyone who's involved is evil and I hope people think about that.' Love for Sale:Why People Buy Sex, tonight at 10pm on Channel 4 . | Mistress Dita is a 44-year-old dominatrix who works from her Hull home .
Clients wear gimp masks and are trussed up in chains before being beaten .
She appears in Rupert Everett's Channel 4 documentary, Love for Sale .
Everett spoke to client and said that he was a 'normal guy' behind the PVC . |
21,364 | 3ca75fc31fc0306cf1693a1c0ed5b5247550cf19 | An allotment holder who tends to his plot all year round has been landed with an eviction order - because he took a fortnight off. Robert Stone, who has tended to the plot for the past eight years, received a letter from the council giving him a month's notice on the tenancy after claiming he was not 'cultivating the plot to the required standards'. The 64-year-old grandfather admits he took a two-week break from tending his plot in Scotchman Road allotments, Manningham, Bradford - but only because of heavy storms and rain. He said: 'For about two weeks we couldn't get on to the ground at all. There had been a lot of wet and stormy weather and it would have done more harm than good.' Facing eviction: Robert Stone, 64, received a letter from Bardford City Council telling him he is being evicted from his allotment for failing to 'cultivate the plot to the required standards' Keen gardener: Mr Stone says he tends his allotment all year round - growing vegetables and herbs - but admits to having had two weeks off over winter when heavy gales meant he couldn't work on the plot . Mr Stone responded to the letter with a detailed . account of the vegetables grown on the plot and fruit trees that his . wife Wendy uses to make jams, but received no response from Bradford . City Council. He added: 'After I received the notice I worked the land for two days and dug up some plants to give them away. 'The land was 80 per cent cultivated anyway because we grow a lot of fruit and flowers for the house. I took photographs to show the condition after two days but have had no response. 'In the first instance I thought it was a genuine mistake. I thought they've got the wrong allotment and that it would be sorted out. But after sending two emails I've heard nothing from the council and as far as I'm aware the notice still stands.' The letter sent to Mr Stone, an aerial and satellite rigger, who grows a vast array of herbs, fruits and vegetables on the plot, also had three photos attached to support the eviction. But Mr Stone said the pictures were taken . during the winter when the allotment was dormant, with some photos . actually showing an overgrown tree outside the boundaries of his plot. He . added: 'The pictures they took were just dried plants, which you can't . do anything about in the winter. The council must have come to plot on . the first dry day of the year to take the photograph. Working progress: Mr Stone has been slowly cultivating his plot over the course of eight years . Stunned: Mr Stone initially thought his eviction notice must be a mistake after receiving this letter from Bradford City Council . Evidence: Bradford City Council attached three images with the letter as proof that the plot in Scotchman Road allotments, Manningham, was not being 'cultivated' 'I get a lot of . use from the allotment and my grandchildren love it too. They don't . come to help, they come to eat peas off the pod and grow sunflowers. I . just don't want to lose it.' Mr Stone said he will do everything he can to keep the plot which has become a 'huge part' of his life. He said: 'The letter broke my spirit, if I'm honest. I've had no response from the Council, and the thought of having to leave is absolutely devastating. 'At the moment I am digging my heels in until someone puts pen to paper and informs me what's happening. 'I plan to fight my cause, but I hope common sense will prevail. I feel helpless. I'm just an ordinary man who enjoys growing and planting things, but I'm here every week, and my allotment is a huge part of my life.' The Council has said it has revamped its allotment services, speeding up the process of transforming derelict or vacant sites to reduce waiting lists. Devastated: Mr Stone, pictured in his plot, goes to the allotment every week and says he doesn't want to lose such a 'huge part' of his life . Waiting game: Mr Stone has sent a letter of appeal to the council but has still not been told whether it was successful . But Jane Robinson, from the Bradford Community Environment Project, which allocates temporary starter plots at the Scotchman Road allotments in Manningham, said that while recent improvements in certain council services had been welcomed, communication problems still existed. 'We all want uncultivated plots to be moved on swiftly, but the process has to be effective,' she said. 'This case emphasises how important it is to be careful and get things right. Some long-standing plot holders who have received warnings about their level of cultivation felt the letters were both unprecedented and heavy-handed.' Belinda Gaynor, Bradford Council's operational estate manager, said 32 tenancies had been terminated so far during 2013/14, with approximately ten of those evictions leading to appeals. 'There are waiting lists for council allotments and we have a duty to make sure that those who have plots are actually working them,' she said. Prior to any termination notice being issued plot holders are given a written warning and advised that improvement is required. Ms Gaynor continued: 'The termination of Mr Stone's tenancy will be put on hold to allow time for his appeal to be determined.' Productive: Mr Stone's wife Wendy even makes her own jam with fruit from trees in the allotment . Varied selection: Wendy Stone's collection of jams she made using fruit growing at the allotment . | Robert Stone, 64, grows a selection of vegetable and herbs at his allotment .
But Bradford City Council sent him an eviction notice because his plot was not 'cultivated to the required standards .
They sent pictures taken during the winter to support the eviction notice .
Mr Stone admits taking two weeks off - during severe gales and heavy rain .
He is appealing the eviction notice but hasn't heard back from the council . |
129,990 | 3408f8beaf6180e2d84b7799ea2955e3ac926599 | A US-led operation has disrupted an international crime ring that infected hundreds of thousands of PCs across the globe with malicious software that stole more than $100 million from businesses and members of the public since 2011. The Justice Department announced on Monday that anywhere between 500,000 and 1 million machines worldwide were affected by the virus's known as Gameover Zeus which stole banking passwords and Crytolocker, which encrypted files and blackmailed the users for their release. Among the victims of the cyber-attacks were Pittsburgh based Reinforced Plastics of Erie, which lost $373,000 in one money transfer and the Swansea, Massachusetts police department, which paid a $750 ransom after their computers were infected. Scroll down for video . Threat: U.S Deputy Attorney General James Cole announces two global cyber fraud disruptions of the Gameover Zeus and Cyrptolocker programs at the Department of Justice in Washington on June 2, 2014 . Other victims included a Florida bank that lost nearly $7 million through an unauthorized wire transfer. Authorities in nearly a dozen countries worked with private security companies to wrest control of the network of infected machines. 'These schemes were highly sophisticated and immensely lucrative, and the cyber criminals did not make them easy to reach or disrupt,' said Leslie Caldwell, who heads the Justice Department's criminal division, to a news conference. But while the grip of those behind the 'malware' has been weakened by the counter attack, computer experts said users must take this opportunity to install anti-virus software and update their operating systems to the latest versions to stop it regaining its hold. 'The criminals effectively held for ransom every private email, business plan, child's science project, or family photograph - every single important and personal file stored on the victim's computer,' Leslie Caldwell, the head of the Justice Department's criminal division, said at a news conference. Those who fail to do so risk having their valuable data, including precious photographs, music and personal files held to ransom. In the worst cases, victims could lose access to their bank accounts which could be systematically drained by the criminal network. The Gameover Zeus software, has spread worldwide but has been temporarily disabled by the international effort by law enforcement agencies. Potential victims can protect themselves but have only a short time to do so before the hackers rebuild the network. Hackers will be able to install new ones, but it is thought that there will be a window of opportunity of at least two weeks for computer users to protect themselves. Many of those whose computers have already been infected will be contacted by their internet service providers. The software installs itself on a computer when the victim clicks on a link in an unsolicited email or via a website. It then sends out more emails to lure further victims, without the knowledge of the computer users, and spreads quickly across the internet. In the worst cases, victims could lose access to their bank accounts which could be systematically drained . Could Russian Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev, pictured, be the behind the global cyber virus pandemic? He is the man suspected of being behind a gang that has sparked a global cyber virus pandemic. But the FBI has already spent years looking for Russian Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev who uses the online names ‘lucky12345’ and ‘slavik’. The 30-year-old is already wanted for his alleged involvement in a ‘racketeering enterprise’ that installed malicious software known as ‘Zeus’ on victims’ computers. The software was used to capture bank account numbers, passwords, personal identification numbers, and other information needed to log into online banking accounts. The FBI believes Bogachev knowingly acted in a role as an administrator while others involved in the scheme conspired to distribute spam and phishing emails, which contained links to compromised websites. Victims who visited these web sites were infected with the malware, which Bogachev and others allegedly used to steal money from the victims’ bank accounts. This online account takeover fraud has been investigated by the FBI since the summer of 2009.Starting in September 2011, the FBI began investigating a modified version of the Zeus Trojan, known as Gameover Zeus (GOZ). It is believed GOZ is responsible for more than one million computer infections, resulting in financial losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars. On August 22, 2012, Bogachev was indicted under the nickname ‘lucky12345’ by a federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska on a number of charges including Bank Fraud, Conspiracy to Violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and Aggravated Identity Theft. On May 19, 2014, Bogachev was indicted in his true name by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania on charges of Conspiracy, Computer Fraud, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud and Money Laundering. Then just days ago on May 30, a criminal complaint was issued in the District of Nebraska that ties the previously indicted nickname of ‘lucky12345’ to Bogachev and charges him with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. He is described as white with brown hair (though his head is usually shaved) and brown eyes. He is 5ft 9ins tall and weighs around 180 pounds (82kg). Bogachev was last known to live in Anapa, Russia. He is believed to enjoy boating and may travel to locations along the Black Sea in his boat. He also owns property in Krasnodar, Russia. The virus lays dormant until it spots an opportunity to steal personal details such as online banking information and passwords. It then transmits this information back to the criminal network who use it to drain the victim’s accounts. In a further twist, if the user is not a ‘viable’ victim then the software locks the information on the computer and holds it to ransom. Last night, the U.S. Justice Department filed papers accusing a Russian named Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev as being the leader of the gang behind the software. U.S. officials said Bogachev was last known to be living in the Black Sea resort town of Anapa. A civil suit in Pennsylvania helped authorities get court orders to seize parts of the infected network, and on May 7, Ukrainian authorities seized and copied Gameover Zeus command servers in Kiev and Donetsk, officials said. Potential victims can protect themselves but have only a short time to do so before the hackers - whose attempts have been temporarily thwarted - can rebuild their network. The US Department of Homeland Security urged users to install anti-virus software on their computer and ensure that the latest operating systems were also installed on their computers. If systems do not offer automatic updates, people should enable it, the department said. It also advised changing passwords, as original passwords may have been compromised during the infection. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security set up a website to help victims remove the malware, www.us-cert.gov/gameoverzeus. From that website, computer users can download tailored anti-virus software which has been provided for free. Experts have also warned users to back-up all valuable data. Many of those whose computers have already been infected will be contacted by their internet service providers. He faces criminal charges in Pittsburgh, where he was named in a 14-count indictment, and in Nebraska, where a criminal complaint was filed. He has not been arrested, but Deputy Attorney General James Cole said U.S. authorities were in contact with Russia to try to bring him into custody. Russia does not extradite accused criminals to other countries, so Bogachev may never be arrested. 'The criminals effectively held for ransom every private email, business plan, child's science project, or family photograph - every single important and personal file stored on the victim's computer,' Leslie Caldwell, the head of the Justice Department's criminal division, said at a news conference. The FBI called the alleged ringleader, 30-year-old Evgeniy Bogachev, one of the most prolific cyber criminals in the world and issued a 'Wanted' poster, pictuted, that lists his online monikers and describes him as a boating enthusiast . Officials say the case is another stark reminder of the evolving cybercrime threat, though it's unrelated to the recently unsealed cyber-espionage indictment of five Chinese military hackers accused of stealing trade secrets from American firms. Both sets of hackers relied on similar tactics - including sending emails to unsuspecting victims that installed malware - but the Chinese defendants were government officials who sought information that could bring companies in their country a competitive advantage. Bogachev's operation, prosecutors say, consisted of criminals in Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom who were assigned different roles within the conspiracy. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security set up a website to help victims remove the malware, www.us-cert.gov/gameoverzeus. | Russian-led band of hackers stole $100 million through powerful 'Gameover Zeus' program .
The software can also lock computers and demand a ransom to unlock .
Department of Homeland security has set up a website to help victims and those concerned remove the malware . |
100,985 | 0e230d6eb243c8f12c167554b18605e6a844984a | (CNN) -- Thailand is no stranger to civil unrest -- just four years ago the same emergency laws brought in this week were used to end political protests that left scores dead and thousands injured. While this year's state of emergency may not differ in substance, it is being projected by the government of Yingluck Shinawatra as different in style. The 60-day clampdown gives the government the power to implement curfews, censor the news media, disperse gatherings and use military force to "secure order." Analysts say in this respect it is no different to the law that Suthep Thaugsuban -- a former deputy prime minister who is now leading anti-government protests -- used in 2010 to bring a violent end to months of protests in the capital Bangkok. But this time, the government says it has no plans to crack down on the protesters that have disrupted the capital Bangkok for weeks. Labor Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who will oversee the joint operation between the military and the police, told a press conference this week the government would not use weapons and would not attempt to disperse protesters at night. In 2010, the military's attempt to clear protester encampments at night was widely held to have been responsible for the high death toll of around 80 people. The use of the police as a stabilizing force in the deadlock has been widely seen as an attempt by the government to inject a civilian element into the state of emergency. In recent weeks, the government has been praised by foreign governments, including the United States, for its restraint in handling the protests. Despite this, human rights groups fear the state of emergency could boil over if protesters -- who aim to disrupt elections scheduled for February 2 and want to institute an unelected "people's council" to run the country ahead of a political overhaul -- ratchet up the pressure. "This is the same piece of legislation with the same powers," Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch told CNN. "Her (Yingluck Shinawatra) powers are not limited by this." "While she says she will not use these powers immediately, it will very much depend on the situation," he said. "If she felt that the protesters were instigating violence to stop the elections, she might use some of these powers. "Our view is that we're concerned that this (the state of emergency) will be viewed as an escalation by the protesters, but on the other hand governments do have a responsibility to maintain some sense of law and order. "As long as they do this in a rights-friendly way, I don't think people will complain about it. Everything will swing on what happens next." While Thailand has said it remains open for business despite the state of emergency, the US State Department issued a travel alert for Thailand this week, warning U.S. citizens of the "unpredictable and ongoing demonstration activity" ahead of the elections. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, a total of 34 countries and regions have issued travel warnings for Thailand, including China, France, Australia and Japan. The protests have already rattled the nerves of some of Thailand's biggest investors. On Monday, the president of Toyota's Thailand unit Kyoichi Tanada told a press conference the company may reconsider up to 20 billion baht ($609 million) in investment -- and could even cut production -- if political unrest continues. "For new foreign investors, the political situation may force them to look for opportunity elsewhere. For those that have already invested, like Toyota, we will not go away. But whether we will invest (further) or not, we are not sure." Thailand is the biggest auto market in Southeast Asia and is a production and export hub for car manufacturers such as Honda Motor Company and Ford. Despite political instability, Thailand has shown formidable economic growth over the past decade and is still attracting foreign investment from small to medium-sized enterprises. In 2010, the medium-sized design company Design World Partnership decided to remain in Bangkok despite having its office windows shot out during the crackdown. "We have to take the long view. If you look at the view over the past five to ten years the growth in Thailand has been phenomenal," Brenton Mauriello, DWP Chief Executive Officer, told CNN. "Of course it would be better if it wasn't there and in the short-term our business has been affected but it's not catastrophic," he said. "You don't come to a country like Thailand and invest over a three or four-month period -- it's a long-term commitment." He said that his company was expecting the situation to resolve itself and that by April or May it would be business as usual. "We are now starting to invest back into Australia," said Mauriello, whose company began in Australia, established itself in Thailand in 1994 and and now has nine offices and 450 staff worldwide. "I think that shows that if we can do it, anyone can." | Thailand has a long history of civil unrest, with dozens of governments since 1946 .
The state of emergency invokes the same powers that were used in the bloody crackdown of 2010 .
The 60-day clampdown gives the government wide-ranging powers to maintain public order .
Large investors such as Toyota have said continuing unrest could damage the Thai economy . |
158,893 | 596d8dfaa3d8812739df3f44f67a36c58b6e7ddb | 'Esteemed journalist': The body of Dominic Di-Natale, 43, who traveled around the world with Foz News, was discovered on Wednesday . A veteran Fox News correspondent has been found dead in his Colorado apartment following an apparent suicide. The body of journalist Dominic Di-Natale, 43, who traveled around the world with the broadcaster, was discovered on Wednesday. Officials in Jefferson County were alerted by a friend of the reporter who was aware of his state of mind, relating to serious undisclosed health issues, according to the station. They confirmed that he had taken his own life. His career took him all over the globe covering top stories. He visited Osama bin Laden's compound after the terror leader's death and was in Egypt's Tarhir Square during the uprising against President Mubarak in 2011. Mr Di-Natale started working for Fox in 2007, covering world news, economics and business on a variety of platforms. A spokesman for the station said: 'We were extremely saddened to learn of Dominic’s passing and send our deepest condolences to his family and friends. 'He was an esteemed journalist and an integral part of our news coverage throughout the Middle East.' Fox anchor Megyn Kelly wrote on Twitter: 'So sad to hear Fox's Dominic Di-Natale has died. A great reporter, who off-air was always trying to help US troops. I will miss him.' Jessie Jane Duff, a former US Marine gunnery sergeant posted: 'Dominic Di-Natale loved the military & never walked away from a tough story, died at 43. Rest in peace.' Mike Emmanuel, who has been with the channel since 1997, said he was 'shocked and saddened' by the news. Mr Di-Natale, who was born in Britain, began his career in 1989 as a magazine writer in Portugal, where he covered the European drug trade. He moved to the UK in 1995, where he did freelance work for several national newspapers before taking a position as correspondent for BBC World. He spent time working in Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, London and New York. After joining Fox in 2007, he studied Arabic at Damascus University the following year - when the country was still safe - and went on to work in Baghdad, at the time one of the most dangerous assignments for a Western journalist. Following the death of bin Laden in May 2011, Mr Di-Natale chiseled a brick from the foundations of the terrorist leader's compound and donated it to the 9/11 museum in New York. Tragic: Officials in Jefferson County, Colorado, were alerted by a friend of the journalist who was aware of his state of mind, relating to serious undisclosed health issue . Mr Di-Natale started working for Fox in 2007. He covered some of the world's biggest stories including the death of Osama Bin Laden and the 2011 protests in Tahir Square, Egypt . | Body of Dominic Di-Natale, 43, was found in a Colorado property .
Jefferson County Officials say they were alerted by a friend who was aware of his state of mind .
It reportedly related to serious undisclosed health problems .
Covered the death of Osama bin Laden and protests in Tahrir Square . |
279,401 | f5f3742400f4dac1467934a2bc9961e15f80a94f | (CNN) -- Amenah Ibrahim vividly remembers her first introduction to thermodynamics. It was her freshman year at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and she sat in a large auditorium filled with students aspiring to degrees in chemical engineering. "The first thing the (professor) told us was, 'You should expect to see this class dwindle down as the semester goes on.' It was the first thing they told us," she said. Ibrahim said the professor's expectation came true. As the semester progressed, students began to drop the class, some switching to other majors entirely. Ibrahim hung on, although it took her five years and three summer sessions to complete her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. "I was a very persistent and resilient person," Ibrahim said. "I remember bombing my first calculus exam, and I could have dropped. If it wasn't for my (persistence), I could have seen that score and said, 'Well, maybe this isn't for me.'" Undergraduates across the country are choosing to leave science, technology, engineering and math programs before they graduate with those degrees. Many students in those STEM fields struggle to complete their degrees in four years, or drop out, according to a 2010 University of California, Los Angeles, study. The study, conducted by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute, found students in science, math and engineering take longer to complete their degrees than students who start out majoring in other fields. The study tracked thousands of students who entered college for the first time in 2004. Thirty-six percent of white, 21% of black and 22% of Latino undergraduate students in STEM fields finished their bachelor's degrees in STEM fields within five years of initial enrollment. Nearly 22% dropped out after five years. Low graduation rates among science and math undergraduates affect how the United States competes globally. Fewer biology and math majors means fewer doctors and engineers later. How to stop America's math, science lag . In President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech this year, he said science, technology, engineering and math will guide the country's future, and education improvements are needed. "Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America's success ... if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas, then we also have to win the race to educate our kids," Obama said. James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition, said a big problem is that educators don't often realize the urgency of fostering the next generation of American scientists and engineers. "People who follow this issue understand the connection between a STEM workforce and national competitiveness. But that's not enough," Brown said. "Universities and faculty have to understand this is a national priority." 'Sink or Swim' Sylvia Hurtado, director of the Higher Education Research Institute and one of the UCLA study's authors, said high school seniors are interested in pursuing science, math and engineering degrees more than ever. But research shows that most don't make it to the finish line. "Many students want to be in science, but very talented people are choosing other fields. That shouldn't be the case," Hurtado said. "It's important to understand how we close this gap." Poor scientific literacy among college students is one reason students pursuing science and math are less likely to graduate from those programs. High school graduates aren't prepared for first-year science classes in college, Hurtado said. But there's another problem, too: Higher education, itself. Science and math programs are designed and taught to winnow down the number of students. University tenure systems often reward professors who conduct research and publish their work, but not those who teach well. Among students who majored in liberal arts, business or other fields, 73% of white students and about 63% of black and Latino students finished their degrees in five years. Forty-one percent of American students who start off majoring in science, math, engineering or technology fields graduate from those programs within six years. More collaborative and supportive environments for STEM students are one of the solutions to the problem, Hurtado said. One girl's academic success defies all expectations -- even her dad's . Ibrahim, the University of Illinois student, said her classes were all "sink or swim." "There were not a lot of resources to develop interest in students," Ibrahim said. (Professors) say, 'Here's the workload, if you can handle it, you're good to go. If not, sorry.' " When Lena Groeger majored in biology at Brown University, working one-on-one with a science professor was key to maintaining her interest in the field, she said. She managed to finish her bachelor's degree in four years. "I had a really good experience majoring in biology because my junior year, I did an independent study with a professor," Groeger said. "It was great to have the freedom to do that." Freeman Hrabowski, president of The University of Maryland Baltimore County, said American attitudes toward science are hurting STEM graduation rates. "We in America have accepted that science is just not for everybody. We send messages to students all the time that, 'This is not really for you,' " he said. "One of the reasons American (students) aren't more excited about science is that adults themselves aren't excited. Most (students) have been weeded out before they even get to college." Hrabowski said many people assume they're not smart enough to study science or math. His response? "No. Your teacher wasn't innovative enough." Changing the culture . Schools admit more science majors than they expect to graduate, and don't teach students to support each other, Hrabowski said, instead fostering an atmosphere of cutthroat competition. "We say, 'If we accept you in science, you have ability to do it, and we'll help you succeed,' " Hrabowski said. "What has made the difference at UMBC is the way we encourage group work and teachers to rethink their approach in the classroom. The results are significantly more students are succeeding." The University of Maryland Baltimore County puts an emphasis on research, Hrabowski said. The university has space for biotechnology companies that can work with students on campus. The school's curriculum emphasizes student collaboration and research projects that require students to solve real-world problems. Hurtado, the UCLA researcher, said the school has earned a reputation for solid completion rates in science and math fields, especially among black students. In 2010, U.S. News and World Report ranked it first among "up-and-coming schools," and gave it a high rank for undergraduate teaching and undergrad engineering programs. Opinion: Why liberal arts matter . "We need more supportive programs and less sorting," Hurtado said. "The most important practice in terms of sustaining interest among students is faculty involvement in research programs that connect students and give them a feel for what it's like to be a scientist." Ibrahim said research was an elective class during her undergraduate years, and nobody encouraged her to pursue it. With little mentorship made available, it was easy to become discouraged. "My parents didn't go to college and I didn't have a support system," Ibrahim said. "There were no (students) ahead of me in the program who could give me encouragement. It's very difficult to do it alone, without a support system." After taking five years to graduate with her bachelor's degree, Ibrahim went on to get a master's degree in science and engineering and now works as a chemical engineer for PepsiCo, as part of the team developing advancements in the sports drink, Gatorade. "I chose to keep going," she said. | Science and math students struggle to complete their degrees in four years, if at all .
Researchers say higher education must "weed out" students .
More and better prepared science and tech students keep the U.S. competitive. |
260,807 | ddc314a4d5666b035cdd49e87fc41befce621a2b | The National Football League's new domestic violence policy will be tested just three days after it was implemented by Commissioner Roger Goodell. San Jose, California, police arrested the San Francisco 49ers' starting defensive end Ray McDonald on Sunday on felony domestic violence charges. Police say they responded at 2:48 a.m. to a reported incident, and after "the domestic violence allegation was substantiated," they took the 6-foot-3, 290 pound lineman into custody and booked him. CNN affiliate KTVU reports that several of McDonald's 49er teammates were at his house at the time of the arrest. "The 49ers organization is aware of the recent reports regarding Ray McDonald and we take such matters seriously. As we continue to gather the facts, we will reserve further comment," team General Manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. After he posted bail and was released from jail later Sunday, McDonald told KTVU he couldn't say much about what happened. "The truth will come out," he said. "Everybody knows what kind of person I am....a good-hearted person." This isn't McDonald's first brush with the law, according to KTVU. The station says in 2010, McDonald was arrested for an outstanding warrant stemming from a DUI arrest. Goodell announced on Thursday that the league was instituting a six-game unpaid ban for personnel who violate the league's policy on domestic violence. A second domestic violence incident would be punished by a lifetime ban from the league, Goodell said in a letter and memo to the owners of the league's 32 teams. The NFL had endured relentless criticism after only suspending Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games, several months after video showed Rice dragging his unconscious fiancee -- whom he later married -- from an elevator. Without referring to Rice by name, Goodell acknowledged in his letter that he made the wrong decision in that case. "I didn't get it right. Simply put, we have to do better. And we will," he wrote. The NFL Players Association responded on Thursday to Goodell's enhanced penalties . "We were informed [Thursday] of the NFL's decision to increase penalties on domestic violence offenders under the Personal Conduct Policy for all NFL employees. As we do in all disciplinary matters, if we believe that players' due process rights are infringed upon during the course of discipline, we will assert and defend our members' rights," said the association's statement. McDonald, 29, is expected to play a key role in the 49ers defense this coming season. The team has already lost outside linebacker Aldon Smith, arguably its best defensive player, to a nine-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse and personal conduct policies. McDonald has played almost all of the 49ers' games since 2008. He was drafted out of the University of Florida in 2007. | "The truth will come out," Ray McDonald tells CNN affiliate KTVU .
The 49ers' defensive lineman was arrested on domestic violence charges .
The team says it is taking the matter seriously .
NFL increased standard punishments for domestic violence on Thursday . |
273,594 | ee6a96d18070a07a67f9c3953c217ac1d842308f | Shawn Bair, the 22-year-old gunman who shot two women at an Indiana grocery store on Wednesday night, was a serial killer-obsessed loner who had suffered drug problems according to a friend of one of his victims. The killer's two victims have been named as 20-year-old Krystie Dikes, a supermarket employee who knew Bair, and a 44-year-old shopper called Rachelle Godfread. Natasha Sellers, 22, a friend of Dikes, told The Elkhart Truth that she believed her friend had known Bair and that he had suffered from problems with drugs. Scroll Down for Video . Shawn Bair, 22, walked into Martin's Super Market in the city of Elkhart, Indiana, on Wednesday night and shot two women before cops killed him . ‘I . did know him. He dated one of my friends in high school. He always . seemed like a really nice guy,’ she said. ‘I had heard he had a few . drug problems, but I never would have thought of this.’ According . to Sellers, Dike had only moved back to Elkhart in November after spending . the past year living in Muncie. Both were Elkhart Central High School . graduates. The son of Bair's second victim, Joe Godfread, posted on . Facebook on Thursday: 'For those who don’t know, my mom . was shot and killed last night at a grocery store. R.I.P. Rachelle . Godfread we love you.' According to local county court records, Bair had a criminal record and had been convicted of several petty criminal offenses. The killer's first victim has been named as 20-year-old Krystie Dikes, a supermarket employee who knew Bair . In 2009, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony, and misdemeanor marijuana possession, receiving 12 days of jail time altogether and additional suspended jail sentences. In 2010, he was sentenced for theft, also a Class D felony, receiving an 18-month jail term with 12 of those months suspended. He was also ordered to pay $5.89 in restitution to Martin’s Super Market, although the incident occurred at a different store from where the shootings occurred. According to court records, Bair was ordered to obtain 'addictions assessment... and follow-up' as part of his sentence in that matter. He also received an 'order of commitment' and, after a probation violation, another commitment order. 'If the (defendant) becomes involved in the outreach program as directed by Oaklawn as well as attends individual therapy and obtains a primary doctor or nurse practitioner,' the court records said, 90 days jail time in the probation violation would be suspended. Oaklawn Psychiatric Center is a psychiatric treatment facility based in Goshen, Indiana. Bair's second victim was a 44-year-old shopper called Rachelle Godfread . Bair's Facebook page gives a clear indication that had an interest in serial killers and scenes of violence. His profile photo is a man holding an axe under another man’s throat as two young girls look on in shock. His Facebook listings contain quotes about violence and death attributed to notorious serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, H.H. Holmes and Gary Ridgeway, as well as several serial killers’ mugshots. He had also 'liked' pages . included the National Rifle Association, National Association for Gun . Rights, Serial Killer Central and God. Since August 2011, Blair had been relatively quiet on the social media forum, but one of his final comments from just before he stopped posting was: 'I may be going to hell but at least I'm going honest and you know what that's all I've even been you look at me and see this freak I see a God because I embrace my fucked up side.' Officials visited Elkhart's home on Thursday morning to collect evidence and are looking into his criminal background for clues. 'He was going to the store with a mission,' said Indiana State Police spokesman Trent Smith. Martin's supermarket in Elkhart, which was flanked by police and fire officials after a shooting last night claimed three lives, including that of the gunman . Bair's Facebook page includes this photo, right, of the killer plus quotes from serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy . Smith said it was a 'huge crime scene' and that shots had been fired from one end of the store to the next. The . victims were found 10 to 12 aisles apart. Bair is believed to have walked to the store from his home and entered at about 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday. He then walked around for 30 or so minutes before the first shooting occurred, that of Dikes, at around 10:05 p.m. Then Bair headed toward another employee and confronted her. She ran and Bair shot in her direction, but the bullet missed. Meanwhile, the initial call about the incident went into authorities at around 10:07 p.m. After . shooting at and missing the Martin's employee, Bair shot a 44-year-old . woman, a customer in the store and the second fatal victim, Smith said. Subsequently, Bair located the store manager and held him hostage, apparently, pointing a gun at him and taunting him. A large knife was also found near Bair's body inside the supermarket . Elkhart police, by that time, arrived on the scene. When Bair saw them, he ran. The manager ran as well, exiting the store. Shortly thereafter, Elkhart police shot and killed Bair, according to authorities. No motive has been established so far, . but officials are looking into a possible connection between Bair and . one of the victims. Two police officers, who were on a routine call nearby, were able to quickly respond to the scene, Smith said. No other people were injured, . which Sgt. Smith credited to the . prompt response by the police officers. He said: 'The . quick action of the Elkhart City Police Department responding to this . active shooter undoubtedly saved several lives tonight.' The Indiana State Police will investigate because the Elkhart Police Department was involved in the shooting, Smith said. The shooter was pointing his gun at a third person when the officers found him in a store aisle . 'We do have a lot of things to look at as far as video surveillance,' Smith said, noting that state and city police were also interviewing witnesses. Martin's Super Market posted a statement on its Facebook page, saying: 'Thank you to our community for your thoughts and prayers tonight. We will comment further when we can do so responsibly and appropriately.' Elkhart is in far northern Indiana, just south of the Indiana-Michigan border, and about 15 miles east of South Bend. | Shawn Bair, 22, opened fire in Martin's supermarket in Elkhart, Indiana, on Wednesday night before being shot by police .
His victims were 20-year-old Krystle Dikes, a shop employee, and 44-year-old Rachelle Godfread who was shopping at the time .
No motive established so far, but a friend of Dikes has confirmed that she knew her killer .
Bair suffered drug problems and had only recently moved back to the area after a year away .
His Facebook page includes photos and quotes from serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy . |
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