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214,392 | a1a2523fe3aa82bf0be5166287b46c9885d43819 | (CNN) -- A government audit on Navy security found that the Navy Yard and other installations may have increased security risks in an effort to reduce costs, a federal source told CNN. "Navy installations command attempted to reduce access control costs," according to a soon-to-be-released report from the Department of Defense Inspector General. The source read CNN portions of the report. "As a result, at least 52 convicted felons received routine unauthorized installation access, placing military personnel at increased security risk." The audit covered "a variety" of military installations, of which Navy Yard was one, according to the federal source with access to the report. The source shared the information on the condition of anonymity because the report has not yet been officially released. In the wake of the shooting on Monday, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, a member of the Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to the Pentagon inspector general demanding he brief members of Congress on the Navy security audit. What is security like at the Navy Yard? "It is my understanding that the IG report indicates the Navy may have implemented an unproven system in order to cut costs," read the letter, first obtained by CNN. "I also learned that potentially numerous felons may have been able to gain restricted access to several military installations across the country due to insufficient background checks, increasing the risk to our military personnel and civilian employees." According to a memo announcing the launch of the audit posted on the Department of Defense Inspector General website, the investigation began in September 2012. "Our objective is to determine whether the Navy Commercial Access Control System (NCACS) is mitigating access control risks to Navy installations. We will consider suggestions from management on additional or revised objectives," the memo said. In August 2013, the inspector general posted an update saying the report would be published "within the next 30 days." | Audit to be released on security at Navy Yard, other installations .
Problems uncovered include felons gaining access to installations, source says .
Monday's shootings prompt congressman to ask about the audit . |
9,796 | 1bc1b9018321535083e35e10e9be13d37520aa2d | Labour was accused of insulting the victims of the Mid Staffs hospital scandal last night after its health spokesman suggested it would have been better if the report into their deaths had never been published. Andy Burnham said events had borne out his view that the benefits of a public inquiry had not outweighed the reputational damage to the hospital. The Francis report into Mid Staffs Hospital unveiled a catalogue of neglect and abuse that contributed to up to 1,200 needless deaths from 2005 to 2009. Mr Burnham provoked a flood of comments on Twitter after attacking Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt over the growing crisis in A&E . The report also savaged the then Labour government's target culture, blaming it for prioritising box-ticking over patient care. On Saturday Mr Burnham provoked a flood of comments on Twitter after attacking Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt over the growing crisis in A&E. In response Shaun Lintern, a reporter on the Health Service Journal, pointed out that Mr Burnham had always blocked a full public inquiry into Mid Staffs while in office, preferring a more limited probe. Mr Burnham replied: 'I was worried that a full public inquiry would damage the trust beyond repair. Think that's been borne out.' Mr Hunt last night condemned Mr Burnham's comment and said it was clear Labour had not learned the central lesson of the scandal, that patients should be put first. 'It's an insult to the victims of Mid Staffs that the Labour Party is still denying the need for a full public inquiry into the awful events at that hospital,' said Mr Hunt. 'The Francis Inquiry recommended a fundamental change in the culture of care in the NHS. If Labour refuse to accept its findings then they cannot be trusted to run the NHS.' Mr Hunt last night condemned Mr Burnham's comment and said it was clear Labour had not learned the central lesson of the scandal, that patients should be put first . Mr Burnham's intervention prompted an angry reaction from some relatives of the victims of the scandal. Julie Bailey, who blew the whistle on Mid Staffs after the death of her mother at the hospital, said: 'The message he's sending out is that it is better to cover things up than criticise the NHS, however bad things are. 'The inquiry uncovered huge failings in the NHS, and he thinks it shouldn't have taken place at all. It is very worrying, because if he becomes Health Secretary again at the election it is clear we would go straight back to the old days of covering up.' Deb Hazeldine, who was yesterday marking the anniversary of her mother's death at Mid Staffs, said Mr Burnham's comments had left her in tears. In a direct message to him, she said: 'I didn't want to damage any reputations, Mr Burnham. I just wanted other daughters to take their mums home.' Mr Burnham appointed QC Robert Francis to investigate Mid Staffs in 2009 but blocked calls for a public inquiry, saying it would be too 'distracting for managers'. His Tory successor Andrew Lansley upgraded the investigation to a full public inquiry after the Coalition took office in 2010. The Francis report uncovered evidence of similar scandals in other NHS hospitals and produced 290 recommendations to improve patient care and safety. Last night Mr Burnham said his comments had been misunderstood. He said the lessons could have been learned without a full public inquiry. And he accused ministers of failing to stand by the hospital trust as its reputation was shredded in public. Mr Hunt announced this year that the trust is to be dissolved. Mr Burnham said: 'I did not oppose a public inquiry when it was proposed by Andrew Lansley. But I always worried that a lengthy public inquiry might have implications for the hospital and said the Government should provide it with more public support, which I don't think it did.' | Shadow Health Secretary said benefits of a public inquiry had not outweighed the reputational damage to the hospital .
Francis report into Mid Staffs Hospital unveiled a catalogue of neglect and abuse that contributed to up to 1,200 needless deaths from 2005 to 2009 .
Jeremy Hunt said it was clear Labour had not learned lesson from scandal . |
238,900 | c146aa6e8c8e963e55457993198ec5300231bae3 | (CNN) -- Professional kiteboarder Sean Reyngoudt is unique -- and it is not just the dangerous stunts he performs that set him apart. "I'll be out there doing all my tricks and everything -- having a good time and then I come in to the beach and people realize that I'm missing my leg and they are totally shocked by it," says Reyngoudt. Reyngoudt, 27, is an amputee. About eight years ago, he fell off a forklift and the accident caused him to lose his left leg just below the knee. Before the accident, Reyngoudt had played football, baseball, soccer and ran track for his high school team. His mother Esthi Reyngoudt was devastated when she saw her son after the surgery. "I just saw my kid without a leg and thought that he would sit around on the couch and he wouldn't be able to do anything anymore," she said. That thought did not last long, since her son was back in the water swimming before he was even fitted for his prosthesis. "When I first got my prosthesis, that made a huge difference," says Reyngoudt, "I was running out of their office." He hasn't stopped running since. It was soon after when Reyngoudt took up extreme sports like kiteboarding and wakeboarding. His dedication and perseverance had Reyngoudt exceeding all expectation and his talent landed him a spot on the Best Kiteboarding Team. He now competes solo. Fellow professional kiteboarder Matt Sexton agrees that it is Reyngoudt's abilities and not his unique status as the only professional amputee that earns him respect. "He's beaten us a lot of times in races and freestyle stuff," says Sexton. "It's motivating for us as much as it is for people sharing the same problems as his." Reyngoudt says he doesn't view his amputation as a problem. He says he looks at it as more of a challenge -- one that he appears to have overcome. "We actually have a poster of Sean up in the shop, riding," says Mike Walsh, owner of Otherside Boardsports a sponsor of Reyngoudt. "Unless you look close, it's just a sick picture of a kiteboarder doing a nice trick." Walsh didn't look close when he first met Reyngoudt. He says Reyngoudt must have been wearing long pants when he first started coming into his shop because it took months until Walsh noticed his leg. It was Reyngoudt's talent that Walsh first noticed. "It is a disability, but I don't think he's by any means disabled." "I don't have a disabled parking sticker on my car, I enjoy walking far away from the store," Reyngoudt says. "It doesn't bother me." Referring to him as disabled doesn't bother him either, says Reyngoudt. "I think what every amputee should do is to just take full advantage of what you have. And live life every day as you can and enjoy it." Reyngoudt and his friends enjoy spending every minute they can out on the water where he isn't treated any different. Walsh says, "It just takes an extra minute to get ready, but other than that, he's just one of the boys." Getting treated like and acting like one of the boys is exactly what his mother hoped for after her son's accident. Offering advice to other families of amputees, Esthi Reyngoudt says, "You got to encourage them to get up every day and do what they did before and not give up. Because it's not the end of the world. It's your attitude that keeps you going." It's Reyngoudt's attitude that has put him in the unique position of being the only professional kiteboarder that happens to be an amputee. "He's an excellent ambassador for the sport," and that has nothing to do with his leg, says Walsh, and everything to do with "his personality, his perseverance, his commitment, his loyalty." | Sean Reyngoudt is a professional kiteboarder, which includes dangerous stunts .
He learned the sport after losing his leg in an accident .
Before his accident, Reyngoudt played football, baseball, soccer and ran track .
Reyngoudt: "Live life every day as you can and enjoy it" |
14,894 | 2a49f5bd7767af50208eda22b4e9b833778119f1 | (CNN) -- Many were shocked this week when New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and linked to an unsolved double-homicide case from 2012. The tone in the sports community has been muted because this is occurring during the off-season and the impact on the "game" is minimal. There are many unanswered questions about the Hernandez case. What does it tell us about the intersection of sports and the violent and sometimes criminal behavior of athletes off the field? With a few exceptions, the National Football League's governance of players' lives is restricted to behaviors that impact the game and the business of the league. Players who violate the law and the rights of others are subject to the much broader laws that govern every citizen. When players commit crimes such as murder, looking to the league for answers is not the solution. The Patriots have quickly cut ties with Hernandez but are faced with a "dead money" issue (the ironic name for money tied to a player no longer with the team, that counts against a team's salary cap). On the field, they are left with a more uncertain hole at the tight end position. There's a sentiment that on-field performance is all that we should be concerned with when it comes to sports and athletes. No more was that on display than this past Super Bowl where the most popular player on the field was Ray Lewis, who 13 years ago was in a similar position as Aaron Hernandez is today. Lewis was in jail charged with murder. While he was later exonerated, Ray Lewis has been, in part, redeemed by football. As incidents of violence increase in volume and severity it is becoming more difficult to ignore the social transgressions of athletes simply because they entertain us. The bigger question is: What is the tipping point? The dissonance regarding sports in our society is palpable. The NFL is the most successful and powerful sports entity in the world. For many, it symbolizes the greatest elements of the meritocracy of sports and business. Success is built on sound principle, discipline and character. The NFL's success is not simply due to the popularity of the game itself, but the business of monetizing the game. The players are merely widgets in that business. However, as the NFL continues to grow in revenue and appeal, the off-field behavior of some of the players threaten to tarnish the pristine veneer of the brand. The sport has an esteemed place in our culture by helping to build communities, teaching young people leadership and discipline, and promoting team spirit. But why is it that so many successful athletes -- those who have reached the pinnacle of their game -- seem to lack discipline in their lives away from the game? Why is there such a glaring discrepancy? The problem for the NFL is that there is little the league can do to influence the behavior of its current players. The NFL is not the nurturer of men; it is not responsible for the attitudes and behaviors of the men its teams employ. As the great former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, "sports don't build character. They reveal it." While the players on the field are stars of the business, they are not stars because of their depth of character or values and judgment. Their individual moral compass is their own, even if the sport has some influence over their perception of the world. Their stardom lies in the volume of exposure the business affords them. And, like the mega-salaries that make headlines, the business is such that the individual doesn't matter. What matters is that the individual can get the job done in the context of the business. And, in this case, character and discipline off the field have no relevance to success on the field. NFL players are products of our collective society and they take center stage in one of the most successful enterprises of our society. When we hear about Hernandez or Javon Belcher, we shouldn't assume that it's solely an NFL problem. It's a larger societal issue. No child is born to be an NFL player. The young men who grow up and are recognized for their talents need to be more than warriors on the field. The positive influences outside of their athletic lives need to be stronger and at every stage of their lives. The pursuit of excellence can exist in all aspects of a young athlete's life and it should begin with civility before any games are played. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Don McPherson. | Don McPherson: Many are shocked that Aaron Hernandez was charged with murder .
McPherson: When players commit heinous crimes, the NFL doesn't have answers .
He says there is little the league can do to influence the behavior of its players off field .
McPherson: NFL players are products of our collective society . |
208,275 | 99a32b72fa8dcf2d197c507b381c42edd427833d | A camera set up in the Australian bush has caught the shocking moment a fox snatches a baby wallaby and attempts to run off with it in its mouth. Without realising, the predator runs straight into the path of the poor joey's mother, and the hunter becomes the hunted. The protective wallaby takes off after the fox, giving it a taste of its own medicine, as the pair flash past the screen, in south-west Victoria. Scroll down for video . Pictured: This is the vicious moment caught on camera when a baby wallaby is being mauled by a fox . The footage shows the orange-coloured wild fox pouncing on its victim as it mangles the baby joey in its mouth. But within seconds, the fox is seen sprinting off alone while the mother wallaby angrily hops after it not far behind. The video, titled 'Fox mauls young Wallaby.Mother Wallaby chases fox.Australia' was posted onto YouTube by Michael Moss on Wednesday. A caption along the video said: ‘My trail camera in late October 2014 caught this dramatic footage. ‘I am the leading Tasmanian Tiger/Big Cats searcher/researcher since 1995 on mainland Australia. The fox was introduced in the late 19th century on mainland Australia and is a pest animal in Australia. ‘This trail camera one of two in the Portland Catchment in far south west Victoria I have located in two sightings hotspots. I visit the cameras every six weeks and last Sunday I visited them and noticed this footage. 'Enjoy! PS There is no remains in this area and I have footage since then on this track of a wallaby and mum like what you can [sic] see on this video footage.' The wild orange-coloured fox aggressively attacks the baby joey and wrestles it with its mouth . It quickly mauls the marsupial before running away with it in its mouth . But in a fateful twist, the fox sprints away with nothing in its mouth . The mother wallaby is seen angrily chasing after the fox to scare her attacker away from her baby . | Vicious moment when a baby wallaby is being mauled by a fox .
But in a fateful twist, the mother wallaby chases her attacker away .
Footage shows the fox sprinting away alone as the wallaby seeks revenge .
The video was posted onto Youtube on Wednesday . |
281,387 | f87c0199d8ba33c2391d8035890e66757f8b8a27 | This is the touching moment a NASCAR driver kissed his girlfriend who is battling Stage III ovarian cancer just seconds before competing in a race. Martin Truex Jr, 34, was captured embracing his long-time partner, Sherry Pollex, in glorious sunshine before the green flag dropped at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. It was just the third time Miss Pollex had been at a race track since she underwent life-saving surgery on August 15 following months of doctors visits with no answers. Donning a large hat to protect her head from the sun, the 35-year-old beamed as she greeted friends, some of whom she was seeing for the first time since her devastating diagnosis. Supporting each other: This is the touching moment NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr kissed his long-time girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, who is battling Stage III ovarian cancer, just seconds before competing in a race . Before her boyfriend of eight years took to the track, she also joined him in singing along to the national anthem, and offered him a final word of support. Truex and his Furniture Row Racing Sprint Cup team placed 26th in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on Sunday, which was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr, his 23rd NASCAR Sprint Cup victory. Later in the day, Miss Pollex, who was wearing a blonde wig, tweeted about the day's events, saying: 'What a beautiful day for a race! I'm SO happy to be here in Martinsville!' Miss Pollex, from North Carolina, who runs the popular Mooresville boutique shop, Lavendar, and whose father, Greg, owned a NASCAR team from 1993 to 2006, started feeling ill in mid-summer. Couple: Truex, 34, was captured embracing his long-time partner in glorious sunshine before the green flag dropped at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Above, the couple are pictured at the track . In good spirits: Later in the day, Miss Pollex took to Twitter to express her delight at being able to witness the event, saying: 'What a beautiful day for a race! I'm SO happy to be here in Martinsville!' Thankful: A week earlier, while at Talladega Superspeedway, Miss Pollex tweeted: 'Feels SO good to be back at the track to see all my friends. God is good.' She is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment . She and Truex had just started thinking about having their first child, so she initially thought she might be pregnant. But after visiting a number of doctors, she still had no definitive answer. 'She had gone to three or four doctors, and they couldn't figure out what was going on,' Truex, a two-time Nationwide Series champion (in 2004 and 2005), told USA Today. "This went on for a couple of months. Finally, we got her to a surgeon - a friend of a friend - in Lake Norman. He said right away, "Let's do a CT scan". Two hours after the scan in early August, the surgeon called the couple and asked them to come to his office. He then delivered the shocking blow - Miss Pollex had ovarian cancer. Race: Truex and his Furniture Row Racing Sprint Cup team placed 26th in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on Sunday, which was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr (pictured doing a victory lap following his win) Together: Miss Pollex is one of around 22,000 U.S. women to be struck down with ovarian cancer annually, according to the American Cancer Society. Above, the businesswoman and Truex are pictured in 2007 . Miss Pollex - one of around 22,000 U.S. women to be struck down with the disease annually, according to the American Cancer Society - immediately asked doctors if she could save her eggs. However, she was told she would die if her surgery was delayed . 'I don't know what hit me worse – the devastation that I couldn't carry my own child or the devastation that I had Stage III cancer. To hear all that in a matter of five minutes - it was so hard,' she said. Miss Pollex and Truex, who met around eight years ago, are pictured embracing in November 2007 . During the lengthy operation, Miss Pollex's appendix, spleen, ovaries, Fallopian tubes and parts of her stomach were removed. It was eight days before she was well enough to leave hospital. Four weeks later, she started weekly chemotherapy treatments, that will last until January. These involve receiving medicine through a port in her stomach. Miss Pollex, a native of Michigan, told the newspaper her reaction to the treatment has been relatively mild, but she has lost her hair, dropped in weight and tires easily. She said the slower lifestyle was a huge contrast from her previous way of living life 'in fourth gear', co-founding and running the Martin Truex Jr Foundation alongside her own business. Over the past seven years, the Foundation has assisted many children who have been affected by pediatric cancer, as well as their families. Miss Pollex is now working closely with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance to promote awareness of the deadly disease, which is not often spoken about. 'I don't know if I'm going to be here in five years. I don't know if I'm going to be here in two years,' she said. 'All I can do right now is fight and try to help other women so they don't make the same mistake.' Symptoms of ovarian cancer include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, feeling full quickly, fatigue and the need to urinate urgently or more often. Miss Pollex and Truex, who met around eight years ago when she was working in racing public relations and he was trying to build his career on-track, live in Mooresville. | Martin Truex Jr, 34, seen kissing girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, at race track .
Miss Pollex, 35, was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer in August .
Diagnosis followed months of visiting different doctors with no answers .
She has lost all of her hair and is now undergoing weekly chemotherapy .
Truex and Miss Pollex had just started thinking about having first child .
But in surgery, businesswoman's ovaries and Fallopian tubes removed .
Truex placed 26th in Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 race in Virginia . |
42,253 | 773e67fbb010db4f9f9504004c7dbb3b280eb29f | Sticky labels on supermarket fruits are set to be replaced by laser 'tattoos' printed onto their skin, under new rulings from the European Union. The EU approved the use of iron oxides and hydroxides in lasering citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates last week and the law comes into force from 23 June. Although the technology has been around since 2009, the use of these chemicals - which enhance the contrast between the lasered and non-lasered parts of the fruit making the mark much clearer - had previously been banned. A new ruling by the European Union means grocers and retailers can now use lasers with iron oxides, hydroxides and other e-numbers to 'tattoo' the skin of fruit. These lasered marks can contain barcodes or fruit information and could be used to replace sticky labels . From 23 June, shops in the EU can laser branding information to the skin of fruits. Suppliers can use the technology to trace where their products are picked and where they're sold . Retailers and suppliers can use the 'tattoos' to mark the fruit and track where it has been and where it is sold. Under the new ruling they can additionally add barcodes or other information to the skin of fruits which removes the need for sticky labels. Trade magazine The Grocer said that the previous ban on the chemicals hindered the adoption of lasering and the publication, along with suppliers, have welcomed the EU's decision. The company behind the technology is Valencia-based Laser Food. It has spent three years liasing with the EU to get the use of iron oxides and hydoroxides approved. It claims that one of the main benefits of laser technology is 'improved traceability for shoppers.' Jaime Sanfelix, managing director of Laser Food, told The Grover: 'Consumers will have absolute certainty the product they are buying is fully guaranteed.' He said that currently loose products were removed from cartons and sold 'anonymously.' Lasering . would also bring considerable cost advantages and environmental savings . for retailers and suppliers as it would remove the need for paper, ink . and glue typically used in sticky labels to add information and branding . to fresh produce. Mr Sanfelix added: 'It limits the risk of losing, mixing up or inverting food items and therefore facilitates transportation and storage.' The EU ruling applies to lasering citrus fruits, such as oranges (pictured), melons and pomegranates. Valencia-based company Laser Food, which develops the technology behind the ruling, worked with the EU to get approval. It has previously branded fruits with Valencia FC badges and other sporting brands . Suppliers also believe the hi-tech . change will provide a huge marketing opportunity for retailers as the . lasering could be used as a promotional tool to mark products with . motifs during special events during the year. For example, Laser Food has previously marked fruit with the Valencia FC football club badge. The company has also previously branded fruit with the Hello Kitty logo. The . amended EU regulations now allows the use of iron oxides, hydroxides, . hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and polysorbates for marking certain . fruits. These are all . examples of so called E-numbers and can be used to create a contrast . between the laser marking and the fruit's skin. Iron oxides and hyrdoxides are know as E172. They are natural minerals commercially made from iron powder which can be yellow, red, orange, brown or black in colour. Manufactured . by treating a solution of ferrous sulphate or chloride with an alkali . and oxidising the precipitate in hot air. As the iron present in these . oxides is in the ferric form it is not very actively available to body . tissues. E172 can be found in cake and dessert mixes, meat paste, salmon and shrimp paste. They are only used for coating the surfaces of things but are safe to eat because they are not absorbed into the body. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (E 464) is made from cellulose and commercially prepared from wood and chemically modified. It is mainly used as a thickening agent, but also as filler, dietary fibre, anti clumping agent and emulsfier. Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose is soluble and can be fermented in the large intestine. Large doses can cause intestinal problems, such as bloating, constipation and diarrhoea. Polysorbates . (E 432-436) is a synthetic compound made from ethylene oxide, sorbitol . and lauric acid - a naturally occurring fatty acid. It is mainly found in ice cream and soft drinks. Humans . can take in 25mg for each kg of body weight and there are no known side . effects, although people intolerant of propylene glycol should avoid . the E430-E436 group. | Latest EU ruling allows grocers and retailers to use hi-tech lasers to mark the skin of fruit .
The approval applies to citrus fruit, melons and pomegranates .
Laser fruit tattoos can replace sticky labels and the iron-based chemicals were previously banned . |
127,407 | 30ac9f4ec91c1b5d78e2afc7e4e93e444b45f03f | Blue jumpsuit with plunging neckline is from her first collection for River Island . Range available in stores Spring 2013 . By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 09:51 EST, 4 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:18 EST, 22 February 2013 . Rihanna has an army of stylists and designers desperate to dress her in bespoke creations, but even a superstar loves a bit of high street in their wardrobe. It helps - of course - if they have designed it themselves. And the navy blue jumpsuit she was been snapped in recently is the first piece we have seen from her hotly anticipated clothing line for River Island. Scroll down for video . Rihanna was seen chatting on the phone on Sunday in a navy jumpsuit, which is actually from her upcoming line for River Island . Although the capsule collection for the high street store won't hit shops until Spring 2013, the star is already promoting her creative efforts. Rumours were rife Rihanna was going . to work with River Island after she was spotted visiting the chain's . head office in London in March and the singer recently admitted she has wanted to . become involved in fashion for a while. Her recent 777 tour was partly sponsered by the brand, who sent a fleet of fashion journalists around the world on the private party jet. River Island spokesmen have said the range will reflect her street style, which is clear to see . She said: 'I’ve been wanting to design my own collection for some time. River . Island is the perfect partner for me to collaborate with and working . with a British, family run business also really appealed to me. 'I find . London really inspiring and River Island loves to have fun with clothes. I’m looking forward to working with them and creating something really . special.' River Island chief . executive Ben Lewis said the range will reflect her 'street to chic' style which is clear to see from the latest photos of her wearing a piece from her collection. Rihanna's capsule collection range will be in stores from spring 2013 . He said: 'We are thrilled to be collaborating with Rihanna and to be the first fashion brand to work with her in this way. 'Rihanna . is a style icon, from street to chic she enjoys her fashion. As soon as . we started to work together we knew this was a perfect fit. 'Rihanna . will be designing the collection and we will be sharing our fashion . experience with her to develop a range her fans will love.' Rihanna for River Island is available online at www.riverisland.com/rihanna-for-river-island and in store from 5th March . Rihanna's savvy street chic style will be reflected in her capsule collection for the high street store . | Blue jumpsuit with plunging neckline is from her first collection for River Island .
Range available in stores Spring 2013 . |
233,881 | bac93b269258ee712fbbb83a7506d1aca927db40 | By . Hugo Gye . Last updated at 2:38 PM on 29th August 2011 . A 100-year-old Rolls-Royce built for an Indian prince is going under the hammer - and is set to fetch £400,000. The Silver Phantom is customised to include a colourful umbrella, reminiscent of flashy Penelope Pitstop from classic cartoon Wacky Races. The unusual addition was ordered by Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV, Maharaja of Mysore, to shield his servants from the sun. Pricey: This 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Phantom owned by the Maharaja of Mysore, right, is set to fetch £400,000 . Luxury Rolls-Royces were popular among Indian rulers because their sturdy construction equipped them to negotiate the tricky terrain. The maharaja who ordered this model in 1911 called it 'Victoria'. He was one of the world's wealthiest men, being worth the equivalent of £35billion at his death in 1940. He was so keen on Rolls-Royces that he used to order them in batches of seven. Within the company, 'doing a Mysore' became a shorthand for placing bulk orders. Krishna IV was the 24th ruler from the Wodeyar dynasty, which ruled Mysore in south-west India from 1399 to the country's unification in 1947. He was called 'Rajarshi' - 'Saintly King' - by Mahatma Gandhi. Colourful: The custom-made car includes an umbrella to keep the sun off the Maharaja's bodyguards... ...but some might say the decor is more suitable for Penelope Pitstop from TV's Wacky Races . His Silver Ghost 40/50hp Six Cylinder . car is being sold by a private collector, and will be auctioned by . Bonhams at the Goodwood Revival meeting on September 16. A spokesman from the auction house said: 'The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was the origin of the company's claim of manufacturing the "best car in the world". 'Rolls-Royce began building their 40/50hp Six Cylinder model in 1907, and it quickly became known as the "Silver Ghost". This was a reference to the company's own silver-painted trials car, which earned the name for its pace and silence in operation. 'Such was the evolution of the model, with improved technical details each year and often many times within the year, that it has long been the desire of car collectors to acquire what they consider to be a "full set" of pre-war Silver Ghosts, one from each production year.' A second Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, dating from 1908, is also being sold at the same time. It is one of only four surviving examples from that year and was restored in the 1990s. | Krishna Raja Wodeyar, who was worth £35billion, bought SEVEN Rolls-Royces in one go . |
157,877 | 581d6afcd0f4cd7e0dc5856af3094851ebdfc128 | As delegates ended the three-day Rio+20 summit with a 53-page statement called "The Future We Want," activists slammed the U.N. conference on sustainable development as a "failure of epic proportions." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the document as a "firm foundation for social, economic and environmental well-being." "Rio+20 has affirmed fundamental principles -- renewed essential commitments -- and given us new direction," Ban said in a statement. Five cities fighting for climate survival . But the conservation group Greenpeace said the summit, formally known as the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, was "over before it started." "One by one, the few proposed commitments and targets were deleted," Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo said in a statement. "Rio+20 has been a failure of epic proportions," Naidoo added. "The only outcome of this summit is justifiable anger, an anger that we must turn into action." Aid group Oxfam also slammed the once-in-a-decade event as a failure. "Rio will go down as the hoax summit," Oxfam chief executive Barbara Stocking said. "We elect governments to tackle the issues that we can't tackle alone. But they are not providing the leadership the world desperately needs." "Paralysed by inertia and in hock to vested interests, too many are unable to join up the dots and solve the connected crises of environment, equity and economy," her statement added. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard defended the summit Saturday, saying she understood why many people were dissatisfied with the outcome, but stressed there had been progress. "I do understand that there are people who will look at aspects of what has been resolved here and feel some sense that it's not enough, but we shouldn't forget where progress has been made," she said. "I think agreeing to sustainable development goals is progress," Gillard added. About 100 heads of state and government were among roughly 40,000 delegates who attended the meeting, which the U.N. called an "historic opportunity to define pathways to a safer, more equitable, cleaner, greener and more prosperous world for all." It came 20 years after the Earth Summit in Rio which adopted Agenda 21, an action plan for sustainable development in the 21st century. During the meeting, the U.N. said some $513 billion had been committed to a number of issues including energy, food security, access to drinking water and ocean management. Pledges made during the summit include a 100-million tree planting program, plans to lift African women out of poverty through green economy businesses, and a commitment to recycle 800,000 tons of PVC each year, the United Nations said. On Thursday, Ban launched a "Zero Hunger Challenge," an initiative backed by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank and Bioversity International. The U.N. described it as a "personal challenge" to everyone worldwide to work together to end hunger. The "challenge" has five main goals, including "100%" access to adequate food all year around, ending malnutrition in pregnancy and early childhood, making all food systems sustainable, increasing productivity and income on family farms and eradicating all food waste. The initiative earned praise from the head of Oxfam, which called it a "welcome ray of hope." | Campaigners call Rio+20 summit a "hoax" and a "failure of epic proportions"
The three-day meeting ended with an agreement on the document "The Future We Want"
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Rio+20 "affirmed fundamental principles"
$513 billion has been committed to a number of causes, the United Nations says . |
43,369 | 7a4b2d126c406e3e54333efd43c983d7722e7992 | Among the reaction and criticism of Apple's latest iPhone event, one feature that many experts agree on is that its upcoming iOS 7 software is a game changer - in the way it looks and the way its new features will 'revitalise' older models. Current iPhone 5 and 4 owners, plus people with the iPad 2 and iPad Mini, can get the new software from 18 September, which means all devices released since 2010 will benefit from the release. The software has been in beta since Brit designer Sir Jonathan Ive unveiled its flatter look in June, and despite the visual changes being initially met with hostility, experts who have installed and used the operating system have been raving about it, with one classing it as 'incredible.' Apple's iOS 7 software includes a new feature called Airdrop that lets users share photos, video and contacts simply by clicking share and selecting a fellow iOS 7 user from a contacts list . Michael Liedtke from Associated Press said: 'One of the best things about Apple's latest iPhones is the slick new iOS 7 software that runs the devices. 'But that souped-up operating system could end up hurting sales because the free software upgrade will also work on iPhones released since 2010, giving owners of the older models less incentive to buy Apple's newest products.' He continues that even Apple's software boss, Craig Federighi predicts that anyone installing iOS 7 will feel 'like they're getting an all-new device.' James Chandler, head of mobile at media agency Mindshare UK told MailOnline: 'I've had iOS 7 on my iPhone 5 for the last three months and have to say that it's incredible - it is literally like getting a whole new device. 'Airdrop, quick access menu and the way photos are organised by location, event and time make for a brilliant new user experience.' The new Apple Control Center can be accessed from any screen in iOS 7, including the Lock Screen. It lets users quickly access settings, change their handset's brightness level, control playback and access AirPlay . Individual apps can also be controlled and closed by double-clicking the 'home' button and swiping up in iOS 7 . Airdrop is a brand new feature to iPhone that lets users share photos, video and contacts simply by clicking share and selecting a fellow iOS 7 user from a contacts list. A similar feature is already available for Mac computers. All transfers are encrypted and items can be sent using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The quick access menu is called the Notification Centre and it has been revamped to show the most relevant information. It shows new mail, missed calls and other notifications, but iOS 7 additionally has a feature called Today that gives an at-a-glance look at the day ahead. The menu can also now be opened while the screen is locked. It shows live weather and traffic information, for example, updated in real-time as well as birthdays or upcoming events. In addition to the Notification Centre, iOS 7 has a Control Centre that can be opened by swiping from the bottom of the screen and lets the user quickly access the Wi-Fi and network mode settings, change the screen's brightness and play or stop music. The Control Centre looks similar to the Notifcation Menu on the latest versions of Android Jelly Bean. Individual apps can also be controlled and closed by double-clicking the 'home' button and swiping up in iOS 7. Apple's . updated photo feature has added Years, Collections, and Moments that . groups images and videos together based on when and where they were . taken. When taking shots, budding . photographers can also now focus using the volume down key on the side . of the handset, while the volume up button takes the picture. Apple's Craig Federighi, pictured, unveiled the iOS 7 software in June. It has a flatter look and was designed by Brit Sir Jonathan Ive . The new iTunes Radio streaming service, pictured will only be available to U.S phones when it launches. It lets users stream radio stations on and create playlists . The Compass app, found in the Utilities folder in iOS 6, now includes a spirit level. Apple has also added built-in a torch feature that uses the phone's flash, removing the need to install torch apps. The firm has additionally made password manager apps redundant by introducing an encrypted folder that can automatically store multiple account logins and passwords. It can save credit card details using its iCloud storage service, too. Similar to how LastPass works, the software can automatically fill forms with names, addresses and personal details to save time at the checkout, for example. Because these passwords use iCloud, the details can be synced across other iOS 7 devices. Additional new iOS 7 features include a Find My iPhone Activation Lock, that asks for an Apple ID and a password before the feature can be disabled. This means if a phone is stolen, the thief can't stop the original owner from being able to locate it. It will also prevent people from deleting data from the handset. Apple has also added the Popular Apps Near Me feature that personalise which apps appear when a user opens the App Store, based on the current location. Not all the features of iOS 7 will be available to older handsets because some require the iPhone 5S' fingerprint scanner, for example, while others work best on the high-end model's faster 64-bit chip. The new iTunes Radio streaming service will only be available to U.S phones when it launches on the same day as iOS 7. Apple's updated photo feature has added Years, Collections, and Moments that groups images and videos together based on when and where they were taken. Each year holds Collections and Moments are shown in each Collection . It lets users stream radio stations on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and create playlists based on genres or artists. The service will work in a similar way to Last.fm's 'scrobbling' feature that personalises radio stations based on past listening history. A UK release date has not been confirmed, although it is likely to be dependent on agreements from record labels. Speaking at Wednesday's launch Federighi said:'iOS 7 is completely redesigned with an entirely new user interface and over 200 new features, so it’s like getting a brand new device, but one that will still be instantly familiar to our users.' He added that Apple has shipped 700 million iOS devices and 94 per cent of users are running the most recent software, iOS 6, with predictions that the majority will download the seventh-generation system when it launches next week. | Airdrop feature shares photos, videos and contacts at the press of a button .
Control Centre mimics Android's menu bar giving fast access to settings .
Photos are organised by time and location to make them easier to find .
Stored card details and passwords are filled into forms automatically . |
166,800 | 63afc78744bb3d73682ea7db1f8569d140cb5971 | (CNN) -- Investigators in Bosnia have uncovered a mass grave thought to contain several hundred bodies of victims of the conflict that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia two decades ago. The remains are believed to be those of victims of Bosniak and Croat ethnicity from Prijedor and its surroundings, killed in the summer of 1992, according to the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The site, at Tomasica in Prijedor municipality, is one of the biggest mass graves found in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the conflict, said Boris Grubesic, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office. As of Thursday, 231 complete bodies had been exhumed, as well as the body parts of another 112 people. But, he added, the number found goes up by the day or even the hour. More than 30 personal items have also been found, he said. Excavation of the mass grave, which goes to a depth of 10 meters (33 feet), began in early September and is expected to continue into next week. The remains are being taken to an identification center in Sanski Most, where they will remain until the forensic analysis and identification process is completed, the prosecutor's office said. Representatives of the International Commission on Missing Persons, the interior ministry for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the prosecutor's office are present for the dig, as well as an expert forensic pathologist. Missing relatives . Identification of the remains may help bring closure for the many families whose relatives vanished in the course of the conflict, which ended in 1995. About 9,000 people are still missing, about 30% of all those reported after the conflict. Another 22,000 have been accounted for, according to the International Commission on Missing Persons. Ambassador Peter Sorensen, head of the delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina, was part of a delegation that visited the Tomasica site just over a month ago, when he spoke of the thousands still missing. "Their families have the right to know what happened to their missing relatives," he said. "Governments, military authorities and former armed groups have an obligation to provide all the relevant information they hold, and assist in efforts to put families back together." He and others also visited another grave site under excavation, this one at a garbage disposal site in Sarajevo. Witness statements suggest that as many as 100 bodies may be found there, but two decades worth of garbage must first be removed, according to a statement from the International Commission on Missing Persons. Kathryne Bomberger, director general of the commission, praised the work of the investigators, saying that the excavation works at the two sites were "some of the most complex undertaken in the region." "The process of investigating these disappearances is a painstaking one which requires careful excavation of clandestine gravesites and precise documentation of evidence that is recovered," she said. War crimes trials . The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, a U.N.-backed court, continues to prosecute war crimes committed during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s. Four cases remain at trial, including that of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The other three on trial are former Bosnian Serb army leader Ratko Mladic, who's indicted for genocide and other war crimes; Croatian Serb rebel leader Goran Hadzic, accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes; and Vojislav Seselj, a Serb nationalist politician who faces charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The tribunal said "the most significant number" of its cases dealt with alleged crimes by Serbians or Bosnian Serbs. But there have been convictions for crimes against Serbs by others, including Croats, Bosnian Muslims and Kosovo Albanians. Serbia's president declines to define killing of 8,000 in Srebrenica as 'genocide' CNN's Talia Kayali contributed to this report. | The bodies are thought to be those of victims of Bosniak and Croat ethnicity killed in 1992 .
Excavation work began at the site in Tomasica, in Prijedor municipality, in September .
About 9,000 people are still missing after the conflict in the region two decades ago . |
109,583 | 19445c0fc27c16d95d14b688c395c23f569dda45 | By . Associated Press . Pope Francis journeyed Saturday to the heart of Italy's biggest crime syndicate in southern Calabria, met the father of a three-year-old boy slain in the region's drug war, and declared that all mobsters are automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church. During his one-day pilgrimage, Francis comforted the imprisoned father of Nicola Campolongo in the courtyard of a prison in the town of Castrovillari. In January the boy was shot, along with one of his grandfathers and the grandfather's girlfriend, in an attack blamed on drug turf wars in the nearby town of Cassano all'Jonio. The attackers torched the car with all three victims inside. Blessings: Pope Francis kisses a girl in front the Duomo of Cassano allo Jonio, southern Italy, Saturday, June 21 . The boy's father and mother already were in jail at the time on drug trafficking charges. The Pope had expressed his horror following the attack and promised to visit the town. Francis embraced the man. He asked the pope to pray for the boy's mother, who was permitted to leave prison following her son's slaying and remains under house arrest. The pope also met two of the boy's grandmothers. A Vatican spokesman, the Reverend Ciro Benedettini, said Francis told the father: 'May children never again have to suffer in this way.' 'The two grandmothers were weeping like fountains,' Benedettini added. Popular pope: Pope Francis caresses a child as he leaves after visiting the inmates of the prison of Castrovillari, southern Italy, Saturday . Visiting hour: Pope Francis talks with Nunzio Galantino, Bishop of Cassano allo Ionio, and general secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference, as he leaves after visiting the inmates of the prison of Castrovillari . Calabria is the power base of the . 'ndrangheta, a global drug trafficking syndicate that enriches itself by . extorting businesses and infiltrating public works contracts in . underdeveloped Calabria. During . his homily at an outdoor Mass, Francis denounced the 'ndrangheta for . what he called its 'adoration of evil and contempt for the common good.' 'Those who go down the evil path, as the Mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated,' he warned. Francis greeted about 200 other prisoners during his visit there. When . Francis visited a hospice, a doctor there removed a bothersome wooden . splinter from one of the pope's fingers at his request, organizers said. Flying visit: Pope Francis boards an helicopter to Cassano allo Ionio, as he leaves after visiting the inmates of the prison of Castrovillari . The faithful: Catholics clamor to touch Pope Francis as he leaves after visiting the inmates of the prison of Castrovillari . Mafia turf: Pope Francis caresses a child as he leaves after visiting the inmates of the prison . Holy ice-cream: A man waits in front of a local ice-cream store, where a banner announces they have a new taste of ice cream dubbed 'Gusto Papa' (Pope flavor) Tea break: One of the faithful hands out some mate' tea, the typical Argentine tealike drink, to Pope Francis as he leaves after visiting the inmates of the prison of Castrovillari . Honored guest: Players of a local orchestra wait to welcome Pope Francis in front the Duomo of Cassano allo Jonio, southern Italy. The banner reads 'I come to ask forgiveness' referring to the naming of Cassano all' Jonio bishop Nunzio Galatino as secretary general of Italian bishops conference . Warm welcome: Players of a local orchestra wait to welcome Pope Francis in front the Duomo of Cassano allo Jonio where he is paying a one day visit to Castrovillari and Cassano allo Jonio, in the Calabria region of Italy . Comforting the sick: In this picture made available by the Vatican newspaper L' Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis poses with personnel of an hospice he visited in Cassano allo Jonio, southern Italy, Saturday . Mafia heartland: In this picture made available by the Vatican newspaper L' Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis delivers his message during his meeting with local priests in the Cathedral of Cassano allo Jonio . Prison visit: Pope Francis is welcomed by children as he arrives for his meeting with inmates and personnel of the prison of Castrovillari . Community torn apart: Pope Francis is applauded after delivering his message during his meeting with inmates and personnel of the prison of Castrovillari where he offered words of comfort to a father whose toddler died in the drug turf war . Pope Francis delivers his message during his meeting with inmates and personnel of the prison of Castrovillari, southern Italy, Saturday . Pope Francis has offered words of sympathy to a slain toddler's inmate father during a visit to prison to a southern Italian region infested by one of the world's most powerful crime syndicates . Pope Francis salutes faithful flanked by Monsignor Nunzio Galantino, Bishop of Cassano allo Ionio, and general secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference, as he arrives in Cassano allo Jonio Duomo . Pope Francis salutes faithful in Cassano allo Jonio, southern Italy, Saturday . | Pope Francis traveled to the south of Italy Saturday .
The town of Cassano all'Jonio is the site of an ongoing turf war between mafia figures .
He met the father of a three-year-old who was killed in an attack that was blamed on the drug war .
The Pope declared that all mafia members are automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church . |
209,366 | 9b1e07a1b1cfb30d101faeefeac44b978183eb54 | (CNN) -- A male suicide bomber dressed in women's clothing killed three members of Somalia's U.N.-backed interim government and 16 others Thursday when he detonated at a medical school graduation ceremony in Mogadishu, government officials and witnesses said. The Transitional Federal Government said Education Minister Abdullahi Wayel, Health Minister Qamar Aden and Higher Education Minister Ibrahim Hassan Adow were among the dead after the bomber attacked Banadir University's medical school commencement. The African Union, which leads a peacekeeping mission in Somalia, put the death toll at 19. The victims also included nine students and two doctors, according to a professor at Banadir University, while journalists said two of their colleagues died in the blast. In addition, Sports Minister Suleman Olad Roble was hospitalized in critical condition, his relatives told local media. Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed blamed the Islamist rebel group Al-Shabaab for the attack and displayed what he said was the body of the bomber for reporters, a local journalist who attended the news conference told CNN. The body the president displayed had a beard. The president also showed the remains of the suicide belt and shreds of a hijab -- a garment worn by some Muslim women to reflect modesty -- at the news conference, according to the journalist, whom CNN is not naming for security reasons. At the United Nations, the Security Council condemned the bombing as an act of terrorism against "people dedicated to building a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the people of Somalia." It urged a "thorough investigation" and expressed hope that those responsible would "be brought swiftly to justice." "The Security Council expresses its deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of those killed and to those injured in the attack, as well as to the Transitional Federal Government and the people of Somalia," the council's current president, Burkina Faso's U.N. Ambassador Michel Kafando, said Thursday. Video of the graduation ceremony showed Dr. Osman Dufle, the country's former health minister, speaking as the camera begins to shake -- apparently from the explosion. Afterward, Dufle told journalists that he saw a person dressed in black moving through the audience just before the blast, according to the Radio Mogadishu journalist. Al-Shabaab is made up of former allies of Ahmed, once a leader of the Islamist movement that briefly held power in Mogadishu in 2006. Adow, a Somali-American, served as the foreign secretary of the Islamic Courts Union when it held Mogadishu. But while Ahmed and other former members of the ICU accepted a U.N.-brokered peace agreement with the government they once fought, Al-Shabaab -- which the United States says has links to al Qaeda -- has rejected the peace agreement and has waged a bloody campaign against the transitional government. The African Union's peacekeeping mission AMISOM condemned Thursday's attack. It vowed to "spare no efforts to ensure that the perpetrators of this act and such heinous crimes against humanity being carried out in Somalia" will be brought to justice. The journalists killed were Mohamed Amiin Abdullah of Shabelle Media Network and freelance cameraman Hassan Ahmed Hagi, who worked closely with the network. CNN regularly works with Shabelle Media. The African Union condemned the attack, saying it would "spare no efforts to ensure that perpetrators of this act and such heinous crimes against humanity being carried out in Somalia" will be brought to justice. The National Union of Somali Journalists also condemned the attack and said it brought the number of journalists killed in the country this year to eight. CNN's Ben Brumfield and journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report. | Three government ministers, two journalists, two professors and nine students among 19 killed .
Attack struck ceremony held at Hotel Shamo for Banadir University's medical school .
President blamed Islamist group Al-Shabaab for attack . |
158,093 | 5868eea7d41217756bb4ef28038f905281e26661 | By . Liz Hodgkinson . PUBLISHED: . 15:48 EST, 7 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:35 EST, 7 August 2013 . Sitting at the kitchen table, a pensive look on her face, I could tell my 11-year-old granddaughter Delilah had something on her mind. 'Don't you like Grandpa Nev?' she asked of my ex-husband, Neville. 'Yes, I do like him,' I replied. 'Then why are you divorced?' 'We like each other,' I tried to explain, 'but we just don't like living together.' As Delilah tried to absorb this, with a puzzled look on her face, I felt a great sadness that two of her loving, doting grandparents couldn't be the traditional granny and grandpa she would clearly love to have. 'My ex and I love the grandchildren equally, but being divorced grandparents means everything has to be done separately' The fact is, I am a prime example of that discomforting modern phenomenon: the divorced grandparent. Unlike the grandparents of old, my ex-husband Neville and I don't have a cosy, easy family home for our grandchildren. We can't offer what they would probably like: a safe, shared refuge, with deep old sofas for them to sink into and memories stretching back into our own childhoods. We cannot give them the experience of two people who have grown old together, who have tolerated each other's funny little ways, and who speak of each other with, mostly, affection. Now that our five grandchildren are growing up - the eldest is 13 - it seems a tragic loss for them that they have to visit us separately in homes that are far from child-friendly. It also means, sadly, that they are forced to come to terms with divorce at an early age. When my husband Neville and I split up in 1988, grandchildren were not even the merest speck on the horizon. It eventually became apparent that we could not co-exist under the same roof, so the divorce at least brought our bloodcurdling rows to an end. And once divorced, we got on fine. Our two sons, Tom and Will, teenagers at the time, seem to have lived their lives unaffected by it all. Our grandchildren though - still lovely, fresh-faced, innocent young people - are another matter. My ex and I love the grandchildren equally, but being divorced grandparents means everything has to be done separately. Liz and Neville with their baby son Tom aged one week in April 1968 . Once, just once since they were born, we managed to take Will's two children to Cotswold Wildlife Park together - after months of planning and co-ordination. The kids absolutely loved being with both their grandparents, and we had enormous fun, too. Joint grandparenting is so much more enjoyable than when you take them out alone. It's jollier, more varied and less lonely for the adult. You can relive the event afterwards, together - in fact, my ex and I always talk about that wonderful day out on the occasions that we do speak. But it was never to be repeated. If I want to have my grandchildren to stay, I do so by myself. If Neville wants to take them to the seaside while they are with me, I drive them to the station to meet him, drop them off, then pick them up later, which is strange and unsettling for them. The reasons for this are both historical and logistical. By the time the grandchildren were born, Neville and I were living in different parts of the country, and could not easily get together anyway. I was also in another relationship and Neville remained resolutely single. Now that my partner, John, has died, I know my grandchildren would secretly like Neville and me to be a nice elderly couple like their other grandparents. Liz with two of her grandchildren, Arthur, left, and Otto, in London . But even though my ex and I remain good friends, too much time has passed for this. It all means that we miss out on many milestones. I don't think we have ever celebrated a grandchild's birthday together - we've been separated for so long that it would feel unnatural to be together at a family gathering. Our sons have got used to scheduling us in separately. We're fine when it's just the two of us, but when the family are present, old slights, hurts and arguments come to the surface, reminding us why we separated. Christmases are another difficult time. My sons always stay with their in-laws rather than descending on me, a lone grandparent living in an upstairs flat. I feel envious of Tom, who every year goes to a big house, where his mother-in-law organises picture-perfect family get-togethers. Would I like to join in? Yes - I feel extremely left out. It would never even occur to either of my sons to come and stay with me or my ex - the atmosphere would never be the same - so I have never witnessed my grandchildren's excited faces as they open their presents. They tell me about the games played, the walks with the cousins and the way they all reconnect. 'We're fine when it's just the two of us, but when the family are present, old slights, hurts and arguments come to the surface, reminding us why we separated' It would be a deprivation for the families to come to me - even if there was room for them all - so I have to be pleased that at least their other grandparents can give them a fantastic Christmas. It is all a stark contrast to the wonderful, simple relationship my sons and I used to have with my own grandparents. I was happy and relaxed in their home and always look back on them with love and gratitude. I saw my grandparents most days and loved to 'help' my grandfather on his allotment. He would choose the smallest carrots and new potatoes for me and pick the sweetest peas. I chatted to him about World War I and to my gran about going into service at 12 years old. They never seemed to argue. At least, I tell myself, neither of us has remarried, so there is not a step-grandparent for them to get used to - the situation that faces Prince George as he grows up. When my own grandchildren were born, I felt an overwhelming and completely unexpected outpouring of love for them. I am quite indifferent to all non-related babies, however cute they may be - they are not the flesh of my flesh and therefore there is no bond, no attachment. So I could not expect my partner, John, who was still alive when four of my grandchildren were born, to feel the same emotional tug. When you have a non-related partner, you can't do that delicious grandparently thing of cooing over the new baby together to see the family resemblances. Nor will you have the same interest in poring over endless pictures of them, or laughing at their amusing little sayings. 'It's true that I may be a fun, modern, up-to-date granny with the latest computer - but I can never welcome them into the family home where their own parents grew up' In the Royal Family, there have been rumours that Charles gets impatient with Camilla's existing five grandchildren - no wonder; he's not their real grandfather. My grandchildren far prefer to stay with their other grandparents than with me or my ex. They are solid, traditional elderly couples who are still married and who have lived in the same house for decades. My heart sinks when Will tells me they are going to Cornwall, where his wife's parents live, as he does several times a year - it hurts to know the other grandparents have a much closer relationship with the children than I do. His mother-in-law is a wonderful old-fashioned granny, who loves to bake special cakes when she knows they are coming. Tom's in-laws have lived in the same beautiful house for more than 40 years, and the grandchildren love to explore it. Such grandparents, devoted to each other for life, are an increasingly rare breed, probably soon to be replaced by one biological grandparent and a step. And instead of remaining in family homes, the grandparents of tomorrow will move into smart new flats where they don't like to cook in case it messes up the designer kitchen. It's true that I may be a fun, modern, up-to-date granny with the latest computer, 3D TV and surround sound, and I can give them all sorts of treats. But I can never welcome them into the family home where their own parents grew up. And it saddens me beyond measure that this is the case. | Writer divorced husband Neville, with whom she is good friends, in 1988 .
Says she regrets her grandchildren not visiting them together . |
27,166 | 4d0161afe42ca7188dacbd9ca32e34c6e6ae4d4a | Hillary Clinton got back at a heckler who interrupted her with a bullhorn on Sunday by making a joke about his mental health. Clinton was giving a speech on early childhood development to the American Academy of Pediatrics in San Diego, California, when an unidentified man set off an alarm on the noise-amplifying device and began shouting at her. 'You know there are some people who miss important developmental stages,' Clinton facetiously told the 3,000 or so pediatricians listening to the speech after the man was hauled out by security. Hillary Clinton was interrupted during remarks on Sunday in San Diego, California, by a heckler with a bullhorn. Clinton winced, made a joke about the heckler's mental health, then went on with her speech . The unidentified heckler can been seen in this photo, taken from a video of the event, hollering at Clinton as he is led out by security . It was not immediately clear what the individual who made the disturbance was upset up about as he did not make his case through the bullhorn. Clinton was at the event to announce a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and the Academy, according to The Hill. As part of the foundation's To Small to Fail program, Clinton said, it would work with the Academy to encourage parents to begin reading to their children at a young age. The former secretary of state and presumed 2016 presidential candidate is no stranger to heckling at her speaking events. At an event last October in New York, a man began harassing Clinton about her involvement in the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. 'Benghazi, Benghazi, you let them die!' he shouted at her. Clinton responded to that man with a lecture on democracy and appropriate behavior in a civil society. 'We have to be willing to come together as citizens to focus on the kind of future we want, which doesn't include yelling, it includes sitting down and talking with one another,' she said. At an April event in Las Vegas, Nevada, Clinton was memorably accosted by a woman wearing a blonde wig. The woman threw a black and orange athletic shoe at Clinton for inexplicable reasons. Clinton responded to that incident lightheartedly. She ducked the flying object and made a Vegas-themed joke. 'Is that somebody throwing something at me?' she asked the 1,000 person audience at the event sponsored by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. 'Is that part of Cirque de Soleil?' she said, referring to the popular acrobatic group that performs in Vegas and at other venues across the country. 'My goodness, I didn’t know that solid waste management was so controversial,' she continued. 'Thank goodness she didn’t play softball like I did.' | Clinton was giving a speech on early childhood development to American Academy of Pediatrics in San Diego, California, at the time .
The man set off an alarm on the noise-amplifying device and began shouting at her .
'You know there are some people who miss important developmental stages,' Clinton facetiously said after the man was hauled out by security . |
80,552 | e457be784a2b0baf833648e9484895a71d5e354f | Beijingers are once again choking as smog levels hit "heavy or even worse" levels in the capital and a number of other cities across the country. Persistent problems with city air have prompted officials and entrepreneurs to consider ways to protect their citizenry from the pollution. Beijing was under an "orange" smog alert Monday, which marks the first time the second-highest warning level of a new system introduced last year has been raised. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) Tuesday continued the alert for another 24 hours. Capital measures come amid fog of pollution . Heavy smog routinely blankets the capital, all but blotting out the sun and forcing residents inside. Australian Open champion Li Na revealed she's had to train indoors in Beijing due to the high levels of pollution, while smog across most of northern and eastern China has prompted officials to send teams of investigators to the worst-hit parts of the country. Officials at the Ministry of Environmental Protection cited "unfavorable meteorological conditions and firework and firecracker spree(s)" as the cause of the heavily polluted air. China's Lunar New Year celebrations, which took place earlier this month, are often accompanied by firework displays, and neighborhoods resound with the sound of firecrackers. The air pollution index recorded levels of over 400, referring to the number of PM2.5 -- harmful particulates measuring 2.5 microns or larger -- per cubic meter of air. The World Health Organization recommends guideline values of 25 PM2.5 in a 24-hour period. The smog is expected to ease towards the end of the week. Many are at least trying to tackle the matter themselves. From ubiquitous air filters in people's homes to the near-mandatory facemasks that Beijingers wear outdoors on heavily-polluted days, personal health is a priority. Given the restrictions in place on residents -- particularly the young and the elderly -- when the warnings go up, some more extreme measures have been taken. Life under the dome . The International School of Beijing has taken to shielding their young charges from the city's air as the next logical step. At a cost of $5 million, the school has constructed two domes that enclose the entirety of its outdoor areas, allowing students to play and exercise year-round, regardless of how smoggy life is outside the enclosure. While it is a costly solution, other schools, alongside sports facilities and even wealthy individuals are placing orders. Until the skies clear, life in the bubble seems surprisingly good. The world's factory . China's aggressive economic growth model means that heavy industrial activity also contributes heavily to the degradation of the air quality. As part of their anti-pollution measures, some factories surrounding the capital -- Hebei is a huge steel-producing region -- have been forced to close temporarily following the raising of the orange alert. Earlier in the year, the ministry upgraded emission standards for various heavy industries and waste disposal processes, upgrading protocols that were in some cases legacies of original standards, set in the 1980s before the onset of much of China's present industrial capacity. Problems, however, persist. The Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and the Beijing-based Social Science Academic Press released a report in early February which ranked the two cities towards the top of a list of the worst-polluted cities. Beijing ranked second, just behind Moscow. Blue-sky thinking? In the face of growing social unease at worsening environmental conditions, authorities are committed to rectifying the problem, and Beijing will allocate 760 billion yuan (about 124.64 billion dollars) to improve the city's air quality by 2017, Mayor Wang Anshun said last month at a municipal NPC meeting. The figure includes incentives for clean factories, and the municipal government has also improved the case for electric vehicles (EVs) by granting subsidies and license plate lottery waivers to those buying Chinese-made cars, while switching government fleets to electric. The country is one of the world's largest producers of green energy technology, although much of it is exported at present. More ambitious fixes have been proposed, including more "meteorological support services" -- such as cloud seeding -- as well as a giant "vacuum cleaner" designed by a Dutch artist, and skyscraper-mounted sprinklers. These solutions, their inventors promise, will either trap or wash the smog away. Naked run . A novel approach to highlighting the problem came on Sunday as more than 300 runners, according to official news sources, took to Beijing Olympic Park wearing no more than their underwear -- and in at least one instance a gas mask -- to join a "naked run" protesting the city's poor air quality. The best defense is a good smog . A silver lining to the smog-cloud might be the military advantage it offers. Chinese military theorist Rear Admiral Zhang Zhaozhong told the Beijing Youth Daily that smog could be a defense against "laser weapons", given that heavy smog can impede or block the technology. "Smog with PM2.5 readings of 500-600 is virtually impenetrable to lasers. In clear weather, laser weapons have a range of 10 kilometers, but smog can reduce this to less than 1 kilometer," he said, although later was forced to defend his remarks against accusations of naivety and advocating a reckless defense theory. | Beijing experiences Orange smog alert for the first time .
Government and individuals put forward a variety of solutions to air pollution crisis .
Air pollution index scores of 400 far exceed recommended levels .
Economics trump environment as factories shown to be leading contributors . |
171,916 | 6a7e9ae889867d5d283dda3f8fea65b2bc8545ca | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:11 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:31 EST, 14 June 2012 . Brutal Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's forces are murdering civilians in organised attacks on towns and villages that amount to crimes against humanity, Amnesty International said today. The rights group has now repeated its call for the United Nations Security Council to refer Syria to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and to impose an arms embargo. Amnesty's findings, detailed in a 70-page report, add to reports of massacres elsewhere in Syria as the 15-month-old uprising against President Bashar Assad was declared a civil war. It comes as a booby-trapped car exploded in a Damascus suburb this morning, wounding at least two people. Blast: A car bomb exploded in Damascus today as Amnesty International accused Syrian dictator Bashar Assad of crimes against humanity . Aftermath: The bomb exploded in a suburb home to a popular Shiite Muslim shrine, wounding at least two . Devastation: Damaged shops at the site of a car bomb in the Sayyida Zeinab suburb of Damascus this morning . Researchers visited 23 towns and villages in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces between April and May. They conducted interviews with more than 200 people, including many whose relatives had been killed or whose homes had been destroyed. Amnesty adviser Donatella Rovera said she had found repeated examples of brutality against civilians during two months of unauthorised visits to northwest Syria. She said: 'Wherever I went, in every town, in every village, there was a very similar pattern. 'Soldiers who went in, in very large numbers, for very short but very brutal incursions where they extra-judicially executed young men, burned down their homes. 'Those who they arrested were then tortured in detention. And that was really repeated in every town and every village that I visited. Fighters: Free Syrian Army members, with covered faces and holding weapons, sit by the side of a street in the Qaboun district of Damascus . Plea: France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (left) wants the UN to make Kofi Annan's (right) peace plan obligatory . 'The bulk, the overwhelming majority of the violations are being committed by the government security forces and their paramilitary militia against the civilian population.' A peace plan brokered by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan has failed to end bloodshed that has cost the lives of more than 10,000 people. Syria's government says it is not cracking down on activists, but fighting foreign-backed 'terrorists' it blames for killing hundreds of soldiers and police. Witnesses quoted in the Amnesty report said most of those killed had nothing to do with the resistance to Assad's rule. A resident of Saraqeb in Idlib . province described how soldiers had carried out door-to-door searches, . killing people as they fled or in their homes. Conflict continues: An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube on Monday shows smoke billowing from the flashpoint Syrian city of Homs which activists said was being attacked by regime forces . Demanding change: Demonstrators in Kafranbel, near Idlib hold a placard (left) that reads: 'Are you dumb? Is there any sane person who really believes there could be a peaceful solution?' He said: 'The army seemed to consider all the men in these towns, especially young men but not only, as terrorists. 'Most of those executed in this way . were not fighters, just ordinary people. Some were killed just because . the army could not find their wanted relatives.' Amnesty . said the report provided 'further evidence that deliberate and unlawful . killings are part of a widespread and systematic attack against the . civilian population'. A Labour town councillor who tweeted for the conflict in Syria to end claims his website has been hacked by supporters of dictator Bashar Assad's regime. A group calling itself Syria Storm has taken over the site detailing cllr Ben Hart's work for Lydd Town Council in Kent. Mr Hart, 23, said he was amazed someone thought his views were important enough to merit a personal attack. He said: 'I just don't understand it. I've spoken about Syria on Twitter, but mentioned nothing on my own website. 'I am not intimidated by the attack and it has given me the chance to go back and redesign it as I was intending to do anyway.' The homepage was left with a black background, a picture of the brutal Syrian leader, and the message it had been 'HaCk3d By Syrian Storm'. It was 'carried out in an organised manner and as part of state policy, and therefore amount to crimes against humanity'. Yesterday France called for the UN to enforce envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan for Syria - in a move which could see force used against Assad's regime. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he was hoping that Russia, a key ally of Syria, would agree to invoking the UN's Chapter 7 to make it happen. It allows the use of military force. The first stage could be to impose a No Fly Zone and allow humanitarian aid into the country. But, as seen in other conflicts, it could escalate to more drastic action if the regime doesn't bend to international demands. And echoing UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous's comments the day before, he said the Syrian conflict was now a 'civil war'. He said: 'We propose making the implementation of the Annan plan compulsory. 'We need to pass to the next speed at the Security Council and place the Annan plan under Chapter 7 - that is to say make it compulsory under pain of very heavy sanctions.' France would propose toughening sanctions on Syria at the next meeting of EU foreign ministers, he added. And the international community would prepare a list of second-ranking military officials who would be pursued by international justice, alongside President Bashar Assad and his immediate entourage. He said: 'They must understand that the only future is in resisting oppression. The time for taking a decision has arrived. They have to jump ship.' International attention: UN observers view bodies at a hospital morgue before the burial of the Houla dead . Outrage: Mourners attend a mass burial in Syria for more than 100 people, half of whom were children, killed in a massacre in the city of Houla last month . The chaos continued today as a car bomb exploded in a Damascus suburb home to a popular Shiite Muslim shrine, wounding at least two people. Activists said regime troops were also continuing to shell rebellious areas in central Homs province. It was not immediately clear what the target of Thursday's blast in Sayyida Zainab was. State news said the car bomb detonated in a parking lot near the Imam Sadr Hospital, causing substantial material damage. Car bombs and suicide bombings have become common in Syria as the 15-month uprising against President Bashar Assad has become increasingly militarised with both sides of the conflict now using more powerful weapons. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three civilians were killed overnight in clashes at the entrances of the Jouret el-Shayyah neighborhood in Homs city. Another died in the rebel-held town of Rastan north of Homs, which has been under constant and intense fire from regime forces for days. Syrian forces yesterday overran a mountain enclave near the Mediterranean coast, seizing the territory back from rebels after battles that raged for eight days. State television said regime forces had 'cleansed' Haffa of 'armed terrorist groups' and the Foreign Ministry urged UN observers to immediately head there 'to check what the terrorist groups have done'. UN observers did not go to Haffa yesterday though and are assessing the situation to determine when they can successfully reach the town, UN peacekeeping spokesman Kieran Dwyer said. On Tuesday, an angry crowd hurled rocks and sticks at the UN mission's vehicles, forcing them to turn back. None of the observers was hurt. Sausan Ghosheh, a spokeswoman for the observers, said they have been trying to reach Haffa since June 7. | Rights group calls for United Nations to impose arms embargo on Syria .
70-page report reveals repeated examples of brutality against civilians . |
268,200 | e7604f3237cdf3dccc7c4b575c3ecb08e781df06 | ESTERO, Florida (CNN) -- Alana and Joe Consolo should have had the excitement of a young couple enjoying their first house, but the South Florida pair was walking through it recently with a healthy dose of fear. Alana and Joe Consolo tour their Florida house after it was gutted because of concerns about the drywall. They've been caught in a maelstrom of headline news events that would make your head spin. Both were laid off as the economy soured. The nation's housing crisis cut their Florida house's value in half. And now their home's interior is being rebuilt because it contained Chinese-made drywall that they say has made them sick. The Consolos are among homeowners in several states who allege Chinese drywall has emitted corrosive gases they believe have given them headaches and upper respiratory problems and caused household systems such as air-conditioning units to fail. "I'm holding back tears," Alana Consolo said as she walked through the house, which is in the middle of the reconstruction project. "I have chills and I'm angry -- really, really angry -- and really sad, too." The Consolos moved into the home in Estero, near Fort Myers, less than three years ago. But they moved out six weeks ago, and even though it's being rebuilt, they doubt they'll return there to live because they've yet to be convinced they'd be healthy. "The last time that we saw the house in this condition," Alana said, looking at the gutted interior, "we came in excited, holding our hands, planning on where we were going to put our [baby] room for our new family." Watch the Consolos tour the gutted home » . Concerns about Chinese-made drywall emerged in Florida last year but by now have spread to other states. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said it's investigating complaints in Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, Washington and North Carolina. And class-action lawsuits are lining up against Chinese manufacturers as well as suppliers and builders. The Florida Department of Health said complaints it received -- more than 180 as of Thursday -- generally involve homes built between 2004 and 2007, around the time that a building boom and post-hurricane reconstruction caused a U.S. drywall shortage and spurred imports from China. A study done for the Florida department by private laboratory Unified Engineering Inc. found that samples of certain Chinese drywall gave off a sulfurous odor from "volatile sulfur compounds" when exposed to extreme heat and moisture. It also found that vapors "in the residential atmosphere created a corrosive environment in the presence of moisture," according to Unified's report. But state and federal officials said they're still testing to determine whether the drywall poses health risks. The Consolos, who now have a 4-month-old daughter, said they first noticed a problem in December when their smoke detectors kept going off inexplicably. An inspection revealed that copper wiring inside the house had turned black. And the couple said they suffered from headaches and upper respiratory problems while living in the house. So they moved out. Now the house, which had Chinese-made drywall, has been stripped. The builder, Lennar Homes, is footing the bill for the reconstruction and a nearby rental house for the Consolos. Moving out came at a trying time for the family. Both were laid off about a year ago by Countrywide Bank, where they were mortgage loan originators. Joe Consolo is now a restaurant manager. Also, the nation's housing crisis hit their home. Purchased for $528,000, it has recently been appraised for $280,000. Trying to get out from under a bad investment, they went to their bank to do a short sale. "The value had decreased so much, we were throwing money out the window," Alana Consolo said. Two offers for $250,000 and $255,000 were rejected. So, they made a business decision: They stopped paying their mortgage and declared bankruptcy. The Consolos are now three months behind in their payments. They're not sure yet if foreclosure is in their future, but they don't think it will be easy to sell a house that's had drywall issues. The Gypsum Association said that enough drywall was imported from China since 2006 to build 30,000 complete homes. Most of the Chinese drywall, it said, ended up in southwest Florida during the housing boom. As for the Consolos' health problems, Alana said her headaches stopped after they moved out of the house. Joe said he's been hospitalized twice for pneumonia, and he's been diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease of the blood. The Consolos said they believe drywall was the cause. Lennar Homes, the Consolos' builder, said it has identified at least 80 homes it built with Chinese drywall. It is offering to gut and rebuild those homes for free. "They're doing what's responsible, we believe," Alana Consolo said. "We're repairing the homes by removing every piece of drywall from the home and replacing all affected copper," said Chris Marlin, a vice president for Lennar Homes. Lennar also is suing Chinese manufacturers and their U.S. suppliers. But while the Consolos' home is being rebuilt, their lives still are filled with stress and unanswered questions. They said they think foreclosure may be the best way to get away from a house that they think has made them sick and that they don't believe they could sell because of the housing crisis and drywall issues. "There's the fear, 'Are they taking everything out?' " Alana Consolo said. "We want to have more children, and Joe has an autoimmune disorder. [Going back is] just a risk I'm not willing to take." She added, "The economy started it. The Chinese drywall cemented it for us." | Florida couple's house being revamped; they say Chinese drywall made them sick .
Drywall concerns came after layoffs, home devaluation .
Family living in different home at builder's expense while theirs is fixed .
Homeowner says she's "really, really angry" |
218,457 | a6d0047bbcead8ccb3b4f1235f90f7d2a59ca516 | For most people, swimming with whales is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - but not if you've grown up like these children. From as young age age four, these kids have grown up alongside the majestic mammals. It all began when British underwater camera operator, Darren Rice, moved from the UK to Tonga to oversee the Matafonua resort with his wife, Nina. Scroll down for video . For most people, swimming with humpback whales is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but not if you've grown up like the Rice children . Darren Rice and his wife Nine have raised their three children in Tonga and encouraged them to mingle with marine animals. Pictured: JJ (aged 9) and Lily (aged 6) swimming with humpback whales . It's there where his three children, JJ, aged nine, Abbie, aged eight and Lily, aged six, have had the opportunity to mingle with marine animals in water as shallow as 500m deep. While many parents would be reluctant to let their children swim with 40 tonne humpback whales, Darren insists that his kids are safe. He said: 'The whales are very gentle and accommodating. I have noted over the years that they enjoy interacting with children, especially the mothers with young babies of their own. There is no danger. 'As a resort we specialise in taking people out everyday during the season to swim with the whales.' And the whales are as gentle and accommodating as the children are! Here, the marine mammals get close to JJ during a swim in 2012 . The resort that the Rice's operate specialises in taking visitors out to swim with whales, which Darren insists is perfectly safe . The proud dad wouldn't dream of putting his kids in danger and insists that the company takes about 500 people out per year to swim . 'We are one of the few places in the world where this is permitted,' he added. 'I have been an underwater cameraman now for 20 years and wouldn't dream of placing my children in any danger. 'We take about 500 people a year to swim with the whales without incident.' Each year the humpback whales return to waters surrounding Foa Island, where the resort is based, to mate and give birth. And Darren's three children have been present in the ocean to witness such miraculous events. The children have even formed a special bond with two of the whales, which they have nicknamed Narla and Geraldine. Each year, the humpback whales return to the waters surrounding Foa Island, where the resort is based, to mate and to give birth . When the children aren't playing with the majestic marine mammals, they are often spotted snorkelling in the clear waters. Pictured: Abbie (aged 8) swimming on Foa Island . Time of their lives! Here, Abbie poses for the camera with a humpback whale behind her in the shallow waters . Darren said: 'They have been here several times with newborn babies and they particularly enjoy the children's company. 'Last year Geraldine kept pushing her new baby boy over toward the children encouraging him to interact. 'We see lots of the same whales every year. Mothers with newborns tend to visit the same nursery areas to give birth and to nurse.' Darren and Nina Rice pose with their three children: Lily, Abbie and JJ outside the resort that they manage in Matafonua, Tonga . The children have even been present for the birthing of whales, so it's no surprise they've formed a special bond with two of the mammals . These children enjoy spending time engaging in a wide range of water activities, especially JJ who loves to go paddleboarding . Darren adds that while the children love to spend time with the whales, they always keep a safe distance because the babies can be 'clumsy' But Darren and his young charges are always careful to give the mammals their much-needed space. 'We always maintain a safe distance from the whales not because they are a threat but the babies often only weeks old can be very clumsy and when a five tonne baby gets clumsy you don't want to be nearby.' | Darren and Nina Rice are British ex-pats who oversee a resort in Tonga, where whales often come to mate and swim .
Their three young children have grown up around the mammals, even forming special bonds with two of them .
The kids often swim in the 500m deep water with the humpback whales, which Darren insists is completely safe . |
168,500 | 65f24ebcf3247db5a839b288765931ab17e6cc3e | A dozen men were seized and stripped naked before they were forced to undergo circumcisions in western Kenya as part of a 'ceremony', it has been reported. The 12 men, from the Luo, Turkana, Iteso and Luhyia communities, were reportedly subjected to the procedure after their wives revealed they had not had it done previously. A number of women in the town of Moi's Bridge, in western Kenya, where the incident took place, said they were pleased the men went through the procedure because it made them cleaner and perform better in bed. Scroll down for video . A dozen men have been forced to undergo circumcisions in western Kenya. File picture shows a male Masai as he is circumcised by a nurse during an initiation ceremony in the village of Eremit in 2012 . According to Kenyan radio station West FM, the men who underwent the procedure had either previously avoided having it done or had come from a Luhyia sub-tribe which did not carry it out. A crowd reportedly sung circumcision songs as they gathered the men up before taking them to a nearby medical centre where the operations were carried out. One of the wives, Anne Njeri, who witnessed the incident on Friday, told the radio station: 'We are happy with the move to have such men cut because uncircumcised men are dirty and do not perform well in bed and thus we are sure their wives will now enjoy their marriages.' Each of the men have been provided with money by others in the town for treatment, according to the report. The men who carried out the procedure have said all the men who have not been circumcised will undergo the procedure in what has been dubbed 'circumcision season', according to theKenyan Daily Post . The season is said to last for the first three weeks of August, the International Business Times has reported. A number of women in the town of Moi's Bridge, in western Kenya, where the incident took place, said they were pleased the men went through the procedure because it made them cleaner and perform better in bed . About 50 men have now reportedly asked police for help to protect them from the forced procedure. In January this year it was reported that three teenage boys were hospitalised following a circumcision ceremony in the Northern Territory of Australia. The boys were evacuated to Darwin from a remote community near Borroloola, 700km away in the Gulf of Carpentaria, after suffering severe cuts during the ceremony. The incident sparked anger and debate in the community over safety procedures surrounding indigenous initiation ceremonies. | Men forced to undergo procedure after wives reveal they had not had it done before .
Call has now been made for all men in the town of Moi's Bridge who have not been circumcised to have the procedure done . |
85,605 | f2cb8bf55db23fa6d50bcbe0608712babf695276 | By . Grant Miles . Newcastle and Manchester City both offered tributes to John Alder and Liam Sweeney ahead of their Premier League clash. The pair died on flight MH17 as they were travelling to watch the Magpies' pre-season tour in New Zealand. A minute's silence was held as Vincent Kompany and Fabricio Coloccini laid wreathes in the centre circle as both teams paid their respects. Fitting tribute: Vincent Kompany and Fabricio Coloccini lay wreathes in the centre circle . Embrace: Both club captains express their heartfelt condolences for John Alder and Liam Sweeney . Paying respects: Newcastle put the tribute to the pair on the front of their matchday programme . Fan Feeling: Newcastle fans offer their own banner to show their respects for Alder and Sweeney . United front: Manchester City also make their own banner to show the mutual respect for Alder and Sweeney . Laying down flowers: Newcastle fans put flowers underneath the statue outside St James' Park . Fan Badge: Some Newcastle supporters wore RIP badges as a token of respect . The families also came out onto the pitch before kick-off and received a warm reception from the crowd. There was an applause on 17 minutes right across St. James' Park in memory of Alder and Sweeney from both sets of fans. Newcastle players wore special t-shirts commemorating the pair before their pre-season match against Sydney AFC. An online fundraising page set up in memory of the pair has raised more than £30,000. | Newcastle and Manchester City both paid their respects to John Alder and Liam Sweeney .
Vincent Kompany and Fabricio Coloccini laid down wreathes in the centre circle .
Newcastle dedicated the front of their matchday programme to Alder and Sweeney . |
86,345 | f5102a35471290286c20272207e17dfbd0640499 | By . Darren Boyle . A killer who strangled his teenage girlfriend after she told him she was pregnant had earlier killed a cat and left its severed head on an ex-girlfriend's pillow. Ben Blakeley, who was jailed for life for the murder of Jayden Parkinson, spotted his then girlfriend talking to a male friend and accused her of sleeping around. The 22-year-old killer flew into a violent rage before attacking the cat with a knife. Jayden Parkinson, left, was murdered by Ben Blakeley, right, just hours after the teenager told her violent and abusive boyfriend that she was expecting her first child on December 3, 2013 . Ms Parkinson, pictured, was due to give birth this week according to her mother Samantha Shrewsbury . The un-named girl said: 'This man is pure evil. Once, he saw me chatting to a man in a local shopping centre and confronted me later at my home.' The girl said she tried to convince Blakeley that the man was simply a school friend but the killer could not be convinced. She said: 'He ran out into the street and picked up a neighbour's cat and raced upstairs into my bedroom. When I ran up after him he had killed the cat with a kitchen knife and cut the bloody head off and left it on my bed.' Blakeley told the girl that he killed the cat because she had been sleeping around. She told the Daily Star Sunday that she was lucky not to have been killed herself. However, she did not report the cat killing to the police because she was afraid of Blakeley's reaction. Ms Parkinson's mother Samantha Shrewsbury, 47, said she hopes Blakeley dies in prison as her daughter was due to give birth this week. She said that Blakeley groomed her daughter with a range of gifts, many of them stolen. Ms Shrewsbury said that once Blakeley had seduced her daughter, he became violent and controlling. Three of Blakeley's ex girlfriends told the court that he was violent and abusive towards them during their relationships. Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury said she wished she had pushed Blakeley down the steps from her flat as her daughter might still be alive . Ms Shrewsbury said she tried to split up the couple and get her daughter to return home to Didcot. She told The Sunday People: 'We had a stand-off once when he went to pull this screwdriver he had and I dared him. 'I told him I would charge him and take him down the steps from the top floor of our flat, which shut him up. He was your typical cowardly bully. 'But I wish to God I had pushed him down those stairs because maybe Jayden would still be here. Oxford Crown Court heard that Blakeley smoked cannabis almost daily from the age of 11. He told one prison officer 'I'm a celebrity now miss' after spotting a story about him on the television news. Blakeley killed Ms Parkinson on December 3, 2013 and initially dumped her body in a countryside ditch. He later moved her, digging up his uncle's grave in Didcot, Oxfordshire, dumping her body inside the grave. Ms Parkinson was last seen on CCTV on the night she went missing. A jury at Oxford Crown Court yesterday found Blakeley guilty of murder following a five-week trial by a majority decision of 11-1 after more than 20 hours of deliberations. Blakeley, of Reading, Berkshire, had denied murdering Jayden but admitted her manslaughter. The court heard how he was obsessive and controlling and threatened to post intimate videos and photographs of Jayden on Facebook after their break up, hoping she would kill herself as a result. His brother, Jake Blakeley, 17, admitted a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by helping to dig the grave in which Jayden was later buried. The jury of six men and six women was dismissed today having failed to reach a verdict on whether Jake Blakeley, of Didcot, prevented a lawful burial for Jayden. The judge said: ‘On December 3 you took Jayden Parkinson, a complicated but loving and vulnerable 17-year-old girl into open countryside near Upton in the dark of an early winter’s evening, you murdered her by strangulation.’ The judge said that his ‘unreasonably jealous’ treatment of Jayden had involved ‘physical and emotional abuse’ during their relationship. ‘You dominated and controlled her daily life,’ the judge said. ‘You removed her phone so she couldn’t contact others and when she was at the hostel you demanded that she stayed in her room even to the extent of forbidding her from using the toilet, forcing her to urinate in a plastic bottle. ‘Jayden was infatuated with you, her violent abuser, and found it difficult to separate emotionally from you.’ The judge said Jayden finally plucked up the courage to end the relationship in November last year, with Blakeley threatening to pose intimate photographs online to ‘humiliate’ her. ‘Unfortunately she discovered that she was pregnant and you were the father,’ the judge said. ‘Being a decent young woman she wished to inform you of that fact.’ The jury at Oxford Crown Court were shown CCTV images of Ms Parkinson and Blakeley, both circled, walking through Oxford train station on the last day that the pregnant teenager was last seen alive . The judge said the pregnancy was the only reason Jayden met Blakeley on December 3. ‘At the time you were in my judgement consumed with anger having found out that Jayden had been intimate with another young man after she had broken off her relationship with you,’ he said. The judge said Blakeley murdered Jayden without thinking of the possibility she could be carrying his unborn child. Police used CCTV in a bid to trace Ms Parkinson's movements in the hours before her death . The judge told Blakeley: ‘You first concealed her body in a ditch. It is clear that you later decided to move her body. ‘In the early hours of the morning of December 9 2013 you returned to the ditch and dug up Jayden Parkinson’s body. ‘You then crammed the mortal remains of poor Jayden into a suitcase. ‘You then persuaded an unwitting taxi driver to transfer her body to All Saints’ Church in Didcot. ‘You had dug a grave for Jayden over the interred body of your Uncle Alan. ‘To your twisted mind you might have thought a graveyard was a better place for Jayden to be buried than a ditch in a field but there was no respect or remorse in this hasty interment.’ The judge said Jayden’s father had died shortly before the trial and must have been ‘haunted’ by what Blakeley had done. He said Blakeley had caused upset to the priest, congregation and family members of those buried in the graveyard by the ‘sacrilege done there’. Blakeley decided to dump Ms Parkinson's body in his uncle's grave in All Saints' Church in Didcot, pictured . The judge also jailed Blakeley for eight years for attempting to pervert the course of justice, to run concurrently with his murder sentence. Members of Jayden’s family shouted ‘See you in hell’ as he was led to the cells. Emotional victim impact statements from Jayden Parkinson's family were read to the court, describing how her murder has affected them. Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury, wept as her lengthy statement was read, detailing how her family's lives had been ‘changed forever’. ‘Jayden was not only my youngest child but also my best friend,’ she said. ‘The day I had to attend the John Radcliffe hospital mortuary to identify the remains of my beloved daughter will remain sealed in my memory until the end of my days on this earth. ‘The sight of Jayden's bruised and battered beautiful face is an image that can never be erased from my mind.’ Ms Shrewsbury said the impact of her daughter's death had left her contemplating suicide, but the support of her family helped her make it through the days. ‘I am mentally and physically exhausted,’ she said, stating that her weight had dropped to below seven stone. ‘The only solace I can find is to keep a diary and write to Jayden about how my day has been, mostly about how much I love and miss her and the girly chats and fun which we used to share,’ she said. ‘I know she will never be here with me to tell her about my day or to tell her how much I love and miss her. ‘When I visit Jayden's grave it breaks my heart to not be able to hold Jayden safe in my arms, take her home with me and tell her how much I love her, in order to lay Jayden to rest and knowing that I will never be able to see her in a wedding dress and to have children of her own to love and cherish. ‘My family had to choose a dress for her to be buried in yet we will never be able to see her happy and smiling in that dress.’ Blakeley and his brother Jake dug up their uncle Alan's grave before dumping Ms Parkinson in the hole . Before her murder, Ms Parkinson, pictured here on CCTV, arranged to meet Blakeley to tell him about the baby . Ms Shrewsbury described how the ‘evil person’ who took Jayden was still able to breathe and eat three meals a day. ‘The thought and reality that I and my family will never be able to celebrate birthdays, Easters, Christmases with Jayden and take her to the music festival I promised her for her 18th fills me with deep sadness,’ she added. ‘Nothing will be able to remove the anger and heartbreak that fill my life every waking day.’ Ms Shrewsbury said she was haunted by questions of whether her daughter was ‘crying out for help’ or ‘aware her life was being taken’ during her murder. ‘I and Jayden's family cannot and never will find any forgiveness,’ she said. Jayden's sister, Shardy George, also submitted a victim impact statement to the court. ‘There isn't a day that goes by I don't think of Jayden but I don't get upset anymore,’ she said. ‘Instead I think of the good times we had. Although my heart aches my face smiles. Ben Blakeley has done enough to my family without ruining my happiness. ‘I won't give him the satisfaction. When he took my sister's life he didn't just take her life and that of her unborn child, he ripped our family and community apart.’ | Ben Blakeley severed a cat's head after a row with a former girlfriend .
Blakeley stole the cat from the street and decapitated it with a kitchen knife .
He also threated Jayden Parkinson's mother with a screwdriver after a row .
Blakeley will serve at least 20 years of a life sentence for the cruel murder .
He dumped Ms Parkinson's body in a ditch before moving her remains .
Parkinson eventually put Ms Parkinson in his uncle's grave in Didcot . |
83,504 | ece10a25f030c115213bed65ebd620df6d753ff0 | By . Sam Webb . and Jill Reilly . He has spent the past year flying high in a helicopter but now he has taken on a desk job in London Prince Harry has swapped the skies for speed and taken delivery of a flashy new 174mph Audi. Although his new toy - worth at least £59,530 - sets him apart from many other young men in Britain, the Prince then came back to down to earth by driving the gunmetal grey Audi 5S5 to an evening kick-about with a few close friends. Last night Harry was seen playing football at a pitch in Battersea Park in the London Borough of Wandsworth on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea. Scroll down for video . He has spent the past year flying high in a helicopter but now he has taken on a desk job in London Prince Harry has swapped the skies for speed and taken delivery of a flashy new 174mph Audi . Although his new toy - worth at least £59,530 - sets him apart from many other young men in Britain, the Prince then came back to down to earth by driving the gunmetal grey Audi 5S5 to an evening kick-about with friends including Tom Van Straubenzee, pictured, part-owns the Bodo's Schloss nightclub in Kensington and is married to Lady Melissa Percy . The Royal family are understood to be benefiting from a leasing arrangement by German car manufacturer Audi which could offer them up to a 60 per cent discount on their cars. As valued customers, the Royals are able to take advantage of the company's VIP terms and conditions - meaning their cars are also personally delivered . With his aggressive studs-up tackling, . Prince Harry evoked Chelsea legend Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris with some ugly . tackles in last year's fixture. His . robust style of play could have earned a red card if his boots had made . contact with his opponent in a competitive game . But that didn’t stop . him making other heavy-handed attempts to win the ball in a festive . friendly – even if his brother William was on the receiving end. An . onlooker at the Christmas Eve game said: ‘William and Harry are both . fairly reasonable players – but it seemed that Harry had the edge when . it came to fitness. It is probably not surprising because Harry is a . serving soldier and has just come back from a 200 mile trek to the South . Pole. Commanding presence: Prince Harry was seen playing football with friends in Battersea Park . Healthy and hale: The Royal looked trim as he enjoyed a kickabout with friends under the watchful eye of three royal protection police officers . Under the watchful eye of three royal protection police officers, the prince, wearing a grey T-shirt, black shorts and grey trainers in bright orange laces, dashed after the ball but didn't appear to have many touches. After the game he was seen driving away with friend, Tom Van Straubenzee, who part-owns the Bodo's Schloss nightclub in Kensington and is married to Lady Melissa Percy, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland. Harry and William are both keen football fans and the younger prince has been snapped playing football at West Ham's Upton Park, with orphaned children during a visit to a children's centre in Lesotho, Africa and even in Afghanistan. Every year the pair play a game involving estate workers near the Queen’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Christmas Eve. Soccer mad: Both Princes are keen football fans and are often seen playing . Sombre, with a splash of colour: Harry wore a dark grey t-shirt, black shorts but bright orange underwear . Run onto it! Harry seemed a little static during the kickabout . Crowning achievement: Harry celebrates in the classic spread-armed pose beloved of footballers of every stripe . Harry and William are both keen football fans and the younger prince has been snapped playing foorball at West Ham's Upton Park, with orphaned children during a visit to a children's centre in Lesotho, Africa and even in Afghanistan . Smiles: The players grin during the game at Battersea Park, a large park opposite Chelsea on the south bank of the Thames in London. Right, the Royal looks on as a friend in a distinctly un-regal green and yellow hoody celebrates . Chat: Harry wore just a t-shirt and shorts, despite the chill and rain in the capital last night . Exhausted: Harry wipes sweat away from his face on the shoulder of his t-shirt and, right, concentrates on the game . Trim: Army life appears to agree with Harry. In a football game with royal staff on Christmas Eve, the Prince was noted for his no-nonsense tackling . ‘Harry was getting around all over the pitch and was beating his brother in most challenges, but William won his fair share of balls. ‘It was a very good-natured game with no serious fouls or injuries, but they were not shy about steaming into each other.’ In October The Duke of Cambridge kicked off the first football match to be played at Buckingham Palace - after warning that any players breaking windows would answer to the Queen. Before kick-off, Prince William got involved in a kickabout and was spotted wearing a bright orange pair of boots... that once belonged to Wayne Rooney. William helped to organise the match between two of England's oldest amateur clubs - Civil Service FC and Polytechnic FC - who took to the pitch marked out in the Queen's garden for a competitive amateur league fixture. Prince Harry takes a penalty kick during a visit to West Ham United's Upton Park ground in London in 2002 . Charitable: Prince Harry shows some silky skills with orphaned children during a visit to the Semongkong Children's Centre in Lesotho . Much of the Royal's involvement in the Beautiful Game is related to the various charities he supports . Prince Harry and members of the Household Cavalry take part in a 'Kick 4 Life' football match at the Thuso Centre for disabled children in Lesotho, Africa . Prince Harry enjoys an early morning kickabout at dawn in the desert in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan . The Royal family are understood to be benefiting from a leasing arrangement by German car manufacturer Audi which could offer them up to a 60 per cent discount on their cars. As valued customers, the Royals are able to take advantage of the company's VIP terms and conditions - meaning their cars are also personally delivered. Such favourable leasing arrangements are not available to ordinary motorists and shows why the Royals have favoured the manufacturer over the last decade. The Prince of Wales owns several models, including an A8 limousine that cost £92,500 and a pair of Allroad estate for personal use by himself and the Duchess of Cornwall. He has also purchased two A4's for his staff. Prince William drives a S4 saloon which has a 4.2 litre engine while the Duchess of Cambridge owns a silver A3 model. The couple now also have a £250,000 Bentley for high-profile official engagements. In his first public visit to his prospective in-laws in 2009, William chose a black Audi for the journey to their home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, from his father’s Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire. The deal with the company may also explain why its head of PR Jon Zamett was invited to the couple's wedding. The manufacturer is understood to be investing thousands of pounds in boosting its image - and getting close to the Royals. They have made large donations to charities that are supported by the Princes and signed an agreement in 2005 to sponsor the English polo squad. Marketing experts say that offering their cars at competitive rates could offer unique prestige. Ian Stephens, of Saffron Brand Consultants, told the Times: 'Giving away cars is a bit sensitive.If you rent them at a discount you get around concerns over bribery or corruptions and still gain the association.' 'Audi are competing against other German and luxury brands that are established in the UK market, and they've always been outsiders. They are trying to buy their way into the establishment.' | The Audi 5S5 starts from £59,350 - the Royal family are understood to benefit from leasing arrangement .
The 29-year-old enjoyed a game of football with his friends at Battersea Park in south London .
Watched by three police protection officers, the Prince looked in great shape as he chased the ball .
Both Harry and older brother Will are keen football players and every Christmas Eve play each other and staff . |
130,236 | 345a1b7c736d8b6ef8d0cd983e614980df4ddb19 | A couple who plan sail around the world with their three-year-old daughter have said the dangers are no greater than those posed 'on the school run'. Kim Brown, 39 and her husband Simon, 47, have faced criticism for potentially putting their toddler in danger by taking her on their three-year, round-the-world tour. The couple will be sailing in a modest 56ft yacht and will face stormy seas and dangers posed by pirates as they circumnavigate the globe. Setting sail: Kim Brown considered turning back from the three-year family adventure after her daughter Sienna turned into a 'hell child' The Browns are setting off from Gibraltar today to sail around the Mediterranean before making the 3,000-mile Atlantic crossing in November to reach the Caribbean. They plan to educate their daughter, Sienna, during their travels and say their yacht, Britican, will be stocked with medical supplies in case of an emergency. However, writing on her website, Kim said she feels there has been an air of condemnation about their decision to take a young child on such a long voyage. Young adventurer: Kim admitted that some criticised her decision to take Sienna to sea while she is so young - and said there had been temper tantrums . Family at sea: Simon was a PE teacher for under 21s at Aylesbury Prison before giving up his job to make his dreams of a round-the-world adventure come true . She wrote: 'People . ask, "Is it safe for you to sail to certain locations with your . daughter? Will she wear a life jacket? Can she swim?" 'And . then we get a few questions regarding health risks such as, "What . happens if Sienna gets sick? What will you do if she needs medical . attention? What if she gets malaria?" 'For . the most part I think people are genuinely interested, but I can’t help . but feel that some of the questions are asked with a tone of . condemnation. 'Friends and family can’t say, or don’t have the courage to say, "are you crazy - how irresponsible can you get?" 'Of . course, I could be way off the mark on this, but I sometimes feel . judged when people shout at me, "But what about your child?”' Sea legs: Sienna Brown's behaviour has improved since Kim found a parenting book online which gave useful advice . The couple gave up their jobs and sold their six-bedroom house in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to buy the yacht and fund their three-year trip. Simon, who is originally from London, had been working as a PE teacher for under 21s at Aylesbury Prison while Kim started up two successful currency exchange and property businesses. US-born Kim grew up in New York state and regularly went boating on Lake Ontario. The couple also practised their sailing skills on The Solent to prepare for the round-the-world voyage. On board: Simon and Kim set sail from Gibraltar and are currently exploring the Greek islands before crossing the Atlantic later this year . Kim added: 'From what I’ve read, . children that spend more time with adults - eg. homeschooled kids - . actually tend to have more advanced social skills. 'Rather than learning both the good and bad traits from their school peers homeschooled children mature a bit quicker. 'Let’s face it, Sienna is less likely to be a bully, be bullied, act immature for her age or be mean.' | Kim and Simon Brown plan to spend three years sailing the world .
Three-year-old Sienna will be home-schooled by her parents on board .
Kim has admitted she feels there has been an air of condemnation about her decision to take her child to sea .
The family have quit their jobs and sold their house to fund the trip . |
84,587 | eff6892a1c63f014e53064261a40af118545d905 | A former NBC employee who says he used to keep guard outside Bill Cosby's door after teenage models were taken to his dressing room has spoken out about his shame. Frank Scotti, who has also claimed that he funneled thousands of dollars to women the star favored, said some of the visitors were as young as 16. 'I felt like a pimp,' Scotti, now 90, told the Today show on Monday. 'I felt dirty.' He said he decided to come forward now after 18 women stepped forward to accuse Cosby of inappropriate behavior - from unwelcome advances to drugging and rape. Scroll down for videos . Secret shame: Frank Scotti said he waited outside Cosby's dressing room after girls as young as 16 visited him during the filming of The Cosby Show. He spoke out after multiple women accused the star of rape . Old friends: Scotti, pictured right, claims he worked as NBC's 'fixer' for the comedian for years . Scotti said he feels sorry for the women. 'I just felt he's not the person I thought he was,' he said. Scotti first spoke to the New York Daily News about his relationship to the comedian, claiming he spent years as NBC's 'fixer' for Cosby, funneling thousands of dollars to his virtual harem of women as The Cosby Show was being filmed. 'He had everybody fooled,' said Scotti. He eventually walked away from the star because of how he treated women, he said. The NBC veteran said Cosby had a rotating lineup of young women brought to his Brooklyn dressing room by a complicit modeling agency in Manhattan. Old friends: Scotti, pictured with Tom Selleck and Cosby, said he also paid off women Cosby especially liked . Thankful: Pictured, a signed image Cosby gave to Scotti - who eventually quit over how the star treated women . Scotti said the Manhattan agency's owner would lead the girls there and leave once Cosby picked his chosen lady. 'She knew exactly what was going to go on,' Scotti told the News. 'Then he'd tell me, "Stand outside the door and don't let anyone in." Now you put that together and figure (out) why.' According to Scotti, some of the girls were as young as 16. Scotti claims Cosby would put women he especially liked up in apartments and give them up to $2,000 per month. After decades, Scotti has even saved receipts from money orders he says he gave those women for Cosby. One of those women, Shawn Thompson, had a daughter named Autumn Jackson who would claim Cosby was her father. The money orders, though, are in Scotti's name and not Cosby's. Beloved: Despite threats of protests, Cosby received standing ovations during shows this weekend (pictured) Halcyon days: Scotti worked with Cosby during his time on The Cosby Show (pictured) in the 80s and 90s . 'I did a lot of crazy things for him,' Scotti told the Daily News. 'He was covering himself by having my name on it. It was a coverup. I realized it later.' And when he did, Scotti said he had to walk away. 'You've got all of these kids, every time,' he told the Daily News. 'I used to like him, but that's the reason I quit him after so many years — because of the girls.' In recent weeks, at least seven women have publicly accused the 77-year-old Cosby of sexual assault years ago. Cosby has not been charged in connection with any of the allegations. Only one woman has filed suit - Andrea Constand, who sued in 2005 and settled for an undisclosed amount before the case went to trial. Models: Model Janice Dickinson, here in a file photo, is one of several women who claim they were raped by Cosby. Scotti claims the actor once had a deal with a Manhattan modeling agency, who delivered young women to his dressing room door . Cosby's attorney, Martin Singer, has criticized previous 'decades-old discredited allegations' and denied some others. He suggested in a Friday statement that Cosby's accusers may have another agenda. 'There has never been a shortage of lawyers willing to represent people with claims against rich, powerful men, so it makes no sense that not one of these new women who just came forward for the first time now ever asserted a legal claim back at the time they allege they had been sexually assaulted.' A statement issued Friday by Bill Cosby's lawyer, Martin Singer, in response to allegations of sexual assault against the comic: . 'The new, never-before-heard claims from women who have come forward in the past two weeks with unsubstantiated, fantastical stories about things they say occurred 30, 40, or even 50 years ago have escalated far past the point of absurdity. These brand new claims about alleged decades-old events are becoming increasingly ridiculous, and it is completely illogical that so many people would have said nothing, done nothing, and made no reports to law enforcement or asserted civil claims if they thought they had been assaulted over a span of so many years. Lawsuits are filed against people in the public eye every day. There has never been a shortage of lawyers willing to represent people with claims against rich, powerful men, so it makes no sense that not one of these new women who just came forward for the first time now ever asserted a legal claim back at the time they allege they had been sexually assaulted. This situation is an unprecedented example of the media's breakneck rush to run stories without any corroboration or adherence to traditional journalistic standards. Over and over again, we have refuted these new unsubstantiated stories with documentary evidence, only to have a new uncorroborated story crop up out of the woodwork. When will it end? It is long past time for this media vilification of Mr. Cosby to stop.' See below for video . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Former NBC employee Frank Scotti, 90, says he worked for Bill Cosby during the 1984-1992 run of The Cosby Show .
He claims Cosby funneled thousands of dollars to women during that time, like Shawn Thompson, whose daughter claimed to be Cosby's child .
Scotti says Cosby had an agency bring a rotating line-up of young models to his dressing room - some as young as 16 .
The NBC veteran says he finally walked away from the star because he felt sorry 'for the girls' |
192,812 | 859dfe322521176f6c8a9570704787030101177a | As massive pipes snake through chambers filled with abandoned machinery, it could almost be the set of Ridley Scott's horror classic Alien. But this is, in fact, The National Gas Turbine Establishment, known simply as Pyestock - once an iconic site of British engineering. Since its closure in 2000, it has fallen into a state of neglect and is now scheduled for demolition. In its place will stand a vast retail distribution depot. Pyestock, in Fleet, Hampshire, was opened after the Second World War and for more than 50 years was at the forefront of gas turbine and jet engine research, development and testing. Scroll down for video . A blast nozzle at engine test cell 3 at the abandoned National Gas Turbine Establishment, known simply as Pyestock . Pyestock, in Fleet, Hampshire, was opened after the Second World War. Above, engine test cell 4 pipes . For more than 50 years, Pyestock was at the forefront of gas turbine and jet engine research, development and testing. Left, buttons on a control desk and, right, a gauge for the air house . The eerie photos look like they were taken from the set of Ridley Scott's Hollywood blockbuster, Alien, but instead give a glimpse into the demise of British industry . Regarded as the biggest facility of its kind in the world, V bomber (Valiant, Vulcan and Victor), Harrier and Tornado engines were all tested at high speeds there. In the once state-of-the art site is Cell 4, the largest engine test cell of its kind in the world, which was used to test Concorde's engines at a staggering 2,000mph and at an atmospheric pressure of 60,000ft. The Royal Navy used gas turbine engines that were all tested at Pyestock, and during the Cold War captured Soviet engines were scrutinised. These amazing photos were snapped by graphic designer Matt Emmett, 41, from Reading, Berkshire. A jet engine lies abandoned in cell 2. Regarded as the biggest facility of its kind in the world, V bomber, Harrier and Tornado engines were all tested at high speeds . These amazing photos were snapped by graphic designer Matt Emmett, 41, from Reading, Berkshire . The Royal Navy used gas turbine engines that were all tested at Pyestock, and during the Cold War captured Soviet engines were scrutinised . An air dryer at the CECA unit - so called because it was manufactured by the British Ceca Company Limited. It dried the compressed air flow being sent to all the major test cells . A chamber in engine test cell 4 - the largest of its kind in the world. This was used to test Concorde's engines at a staggering 2,000mph and at an atmospheric pressure of 60,000ft . Mr Emmett has visited the site ten times, spending over 75 hours capturing the incredible abandoned site. He said: 'Standing in these empty and broken places rouses strong emotional responses for me. It sounds very clichéd but the past becomes a very tangible thing when surrounded by the ruins of an old industrial plant or a school classroom that hasn't seen a taught lesson in years.' 'With just a small amount of imagination, you can hear the roar of the turbine hall or picture the rows of eager hands hoping to catch the teacher's attention.' 'In taking pictures in locations such as these, I want to try to capture those emotions within the frame - it's a very retrospective and indulgent use for photography but one I enjoy immensely.' After its closure in 2000, the facility was left in almost the same condition as it was when operational - huge pieces of industrial equipment and even full jet engines remain gathering dust, rusting into history. Controls for engine test cells 1 and 2 (left); and plugs in Battle Test House, which was originally the site of one of the boilers (right) After its closure in 2000, the facility was left in almost the same condition as it was when operational - huge pieces of industrial equipment and even full jet engines remain gathering dust, rusting into history . Engine test cell 1 gathers rust and dust as it lies abandoned . Mr Emmett feels that the loss of Pyestock marks a significant loss for British industry. Left, the power station control room and, right, plant house machinery . An old wall poster from the facility, showing the might of the British armed forces . Many of the site's original fixtures such as dials, knobs, buttons and electrical boards are still in place, harking back to the age of British ingenuity. Mr Emmett feels that the loss of Pyestock marks a significant loss for British industry. He said: 'Pyestock played such a important world-leading role in engine development that it's hard not to feel a sense of loss when standing inside one of the testing cells there and realising that it's something that we willingly let go of.' 'Our industries are disappearing as we become more and more reliant on other nations to lead the way. It signals us stepping back on the world stage. 'As such, exploring Pyestock is like stepping back into a golden era of British engineering and industrial prowess.' Engine test cell 3 played its role in the golden era of British engineering . Today, Pyestock is the frequent target for urban explorers and is set to be demolished and replaced by a vast retail distribution depot . Mr Emmett said: 'Pyestock played such a important world-leading role in engine development that it's hard not to feel a sense of loss when standing inside one of the testing cells there and realising that it's something that we willingly let go of' 'I find it amazing the way in which the various site buildings worked in unison like a town-sized machine - each had a purpose or service they provided to another building, all working together towards the end goal of creating supersonic air flow and atmospheric pressure within the four engine testing cells. 'It is very sad that such an important part of our country's industrial heritage is simply going to be broken up and sold off as scrap, but to keep it would be simply be too expensive, particularly in these days of austerity when everything needs to be financially justified.' Recalling how he had read of the site when it was operational, he added: 'I have read an online account by the child of a staff member that said "when Cell 4 came online at night, you could hear a distant low rumble even from several miles away". Engineer Dr Roxbee Cox (right) and Arthur Woodburn, Joint Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Supply, inspect a W2/700 gas turbine during the late 1940s . The Olympus 593 engine for Concorde is tested at cell 4 in the 1960s (left); and, right, technicians wearing ear-pads watch a test in progress on a Rolls-Royce R.A. 14 jet . 'In contrast, the buildings now are almost totally silent besides the occasional flap of wings high above or the dripping of water.' Today, Pyestock is the frequent target for urban explorers - at least it will be until the base is destroyed. Demolition work is set to start on the site, renamed Hartland Park, soon, according to the Get Hampshire website. More than 12,000 people objected to the scheme, arguing that it would destroy the green ‘lung’ between Fleet and Farnborough and lead to a glut of lorries on the area’s already over-stretched roads. However, the site's developers said the new depot would create up to 1,600 jobs. | National Gas Turbine Establishment - known as Pyestock - closed in 2000 .
Pyestock, in Fleet, Hampshire, opened after the Second World War .
Was at forefront of gas turbine and jet engine research, development and testing for over 50 years .
Also scrutinised Soviet engines captured during Cold War .
Now set for demolition, to be replaced with retail distribution depot . |
26,827 | 4c28f81adbef5edc98a079b4724a11ebad24190f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Four in ten brides admit they became 'fiercely competitive' when planning their wedding, research has shown. A study carried out among 1,000 newly married women has also revealed six in ten chose aspects of their big day just to make theirs better than their friends did. Many also admitted they'd be 'livid' if a fellow bride-to-be copied her plans, but over a third confessed they had in fact stolen wedding ideas from their own friends. Competition: Four in ten brides admit they became 'fiercely competitive' when planning their wedding, just like in the film Bride Wars starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway . And having great photos for social media was listed as a big motivator, as three in ten said how their wedding looked on Facebook was one of their prime wedding concerns. A spokeswoman for online gift retailer GettingPersonal.co.uk, said: 'We all know that a woman's wedding is supposed to be the best day of her life - so of course wanting it to be just right can really build pressure. 'With wedding blogs, social media and the huge furor over celebrity weddings, no wonder a bride-to-be can become overwhelmed with making everything perfect. Stresses: In addition to competition family politics, the bridesmaids putting on weight and the mother-in-law taking over were listed as most common wedding fears for modern day brides . Picture perfect: Having great photos for social media was listed as a big motivator, as three in ten said how their wedding looked on Facebook was one of their prime wedding concerns . 'But though it's stressful, it's the personal touches that really add that special something to a wedding day, so that everyone can enjoy it as much as the newlyweds.' The research showed half of all brides have gotten married within the same year as one of their friends, with a quarter who booked their weddings within the same month. And comparison to other brides-to-be was a big cause of anxiety for the women polled. One in ten brides said they would be 'livid' if a friend bought the same wedding dress as them and that it was an 'unforgivable' act. Unwanted wedding guests . Bridesmaids complaining about dresses . Negative comments about bride's choices . Family politics due to step-parents . Mother-in-law taking over . Complaints about the seating plan . Not enough help planning the wedding . A disappointing hen-do . A misbehaving best-man . Photos being tagged on Facebook . The bridesmaids putting on weight . Pressure to look great in the dress . Stories from the stag-do . Looking her best in professional photographs . Choosing food everyone will like . Bad weather . Bridesmaid outshining the bride . Too many children coming to the wedding . Wanting a better wedding than a friend's . Not wanting guests to get bored . A third also insisted details such as their table settings, the dress designer and general wedding theme had been copied by another engaged friend, including ten per cent who verbally accused a fellow bride of copying her. Despite this, a similar figure of 36 per cent admitted to copying aspects of other women's weddings they'd either attended or seen on social media. In addition to competition - family politics, the bridesmaids putting on weight and the mother-in-law taking over were listed as most common wedding fears for modern day brides. Whilst pressure to look great in photos, a misbehaving best man and worries about the weather also made the list. Keeping up appearances was a big issue for over a fifth who worried their photographer wouldn't capture them in the best light. One in ten fretted that their bridesmaids wouldn't be happy on the day, whilst others were anxious they'd wear unsuitable make-up or shoes. A further 16 per cent were sick with nerves over what the best man would plan during the reception. And this high level of stress lead to multiple petty arguments, the research showed - in fact, one in twenty said they even made themselves ill in an effort to make their wedding better than anyone had seen before. Over half fell out with family and friends during the planning process, with the bride's mother and future mother-in-law taking the most blame during feuds. Disputes over who could be invited to the wedding was a big argument trigger, said the women polled. Not helping the bride to plan enough was also named as a reason the women became riled, or conversely, if someone tried to butt in and take over the planning. Many claimed asking the bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses caused bad feeling, whilst one in six brides fell out with somebody who made negative comments over her choices. The spokeswoman said: 'There's definitely a trend now for every wedding to go one step further than the norm. 'We can see how important this has become to brides on our site as we now sell more personalised wedding favours and accessories than ever before.' | Study of 1,000 newly married women found 40% are 'fiercely competitive'
Many would be 'livid' if a fellow bride-to-be copied her big day plans .
Brides also worry about Facebook photographs and family politics . |
145,129 | 47b2edc9fca75147665b94cf7a42fc94144fde1e | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 17:19 EST, 19 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:13 EST, 19 December 2013 . A TV host who mistakenly received a pair of hamburger earmuffs due to a mix-up with his Amazon order has helped turn the kitsch item into a highly sought-after – and extremely rare - gift this Christmas. Josh Gates, who hosts the SyFy reality show Destination Truth, ordered a $9.99 T-shirt from the online retailer on December 6, but was perplexed when last Thursday he received a pair of hamburger earmuffs instead. An avid Tweeter, Gates took to the social media forum to voice his confusion over the unusual item to his 200,000 plus followers. TV host Josh Gates mistakenly received a pair of hamburger earmuffs due to a mix-up with his Amazon order and he's helped turn them into a highly sought-after Christmas gift . Gates received the earmuffs in an Amazon delivery mix-up . Gates, who hosts the SyFy reality show Destination Truth, ordered a $9.99 T-shirt from the online retailer on December 6, but was perplexed when last Thursday he received a pair of hamburger earmuffs instead . Mix-up: Gates ordered this $9.99 T-shirt with the title of his SyFy show written across from Amazon, but instead got the earmuffs . Gates initially seemed bemused by the mix-up, but his tweets quickly became more comical as he realized that a set of hamburger earmuffs was something that he had been missing his entire life - even if he had never realized it before. Over the past week Gates has posted a series of hilarious photos of him wearing the earmuffs in a number of situations and even his girlfriend joined in the fun. He has documented his earmuff adventures on Twitter with the hashtag #HamburgerEarmuffs. ‘I was immediately confused because there were hamburger earmuffs looking back at me,’ Gates told GoodMorningAmerica.com about the moment that he opened the package. ‘I was then immediately amazed and overjoyed by it. They are just so hilarious. Of all the things that could accidentally have been shipped to you, hamburger earmuffs are probably the best thing.’ The publicity that Gates’ viral campaign has created is something most retailers can’t buy, but unfortunately so too are the earmuffs after the company selling them on Amazon sold out of their final few pairs. Shoppers clamour for hamburger earmuffs after TV anchor gets novelty items instead of T shirt from Amazon . Gates's girlfriend also joined in the fun by posing for several photos wearing the hamburger earmuffs . ThatsRad had already sold 85 per cent of their stock prior to Gates’ receiving a pair by accident. In the flurry of publicity after Gates started to posting, ThatsRad quickly sold out of his remaining 30 pairs sold and unfortunately because the product is manufactured in China it will now be weeks before there are more in the country. ThatsRad owner Todd Herriott told Mail Online that the timing of the sudden spike in interest was unfortunate. He has been selling the product for the past three or four years and while it has always been a good seller, the publicity surrounding Gates’ tweets meant there was more demand than ever before. Gates's Twitter escapade has gained him a few thousand Twitter followers to the earmuffs and he says he feels like he has come out on top in the Amazon mixup . Herriott said it was unlikely that he . would seek to restock on the product because he fears that . post-Christmas most people will have moved their attention on to some . other must-have item. Gates, who has gained him a few thousand Twitter followers following the whole earmuff debacle, has said he really feels like he has come out on top thanks to the mistaken delivery. 'I feel like I won here. Dollars and cents wise, I'm ahead. I just feel like it's a gift. I don't want to return them,' Gates said. '[Amazon] would be happy to fulfill my original order. … They have not asked me to return them. They'll have to pry them out of my cold dead hands at this point. 'They are weirdly kind of great. They are warm and fuzzy and kind of amazing. It's a Christmas miracle,' said Gates. Gates' gave the product a glowing review on Amazon, but unfortunately it is now sold out . | TV host Josh Gates mistakenly received a pair of hamburger earmuffs due to a mix-up with his Amazon order .
He has since tweeted a series of hilarious photos of him modeling the earmuffs which have gone viral .
The photos have sparked a lot of interest from people who want to purchase their own hamburger earmuffs .
Unfortunately the seller was low on stock and only had 30 pairs left and it will take several weeks to import more from China .
Gates has described the muffs as a 'Christmas miracle' and he says Amazon will have to 'pry them out of my cold hands' |
39,189 | 6ebe3f5793793411cb2e33226a4748f01a0a259d | (CNN) -- The orgy of violence that has greeted Kenya's disputed election result has led to hundreds of deaths and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. But away from the tragic human cost, the unrest has also provoked concerns about the stability of the east African country's economy, until now seen as a model for the region. Businesses have been destroyed and looted and supply routes disrupted after the opposition accused incumbent president Mwai Kibaki of election fraud after he was declared winner Sunday. Investors are watching events closely in the country, fearful of how it could affect one of Africa's few economic success stories. And the early signs have been worrying. The equity market on the Nairobi Stock Exchange lost 40 billion Kenyan Shillings ($591 million) in value on its first day of New Year trading Wednesday, the Kenyan financial newspaper Business Daily Africa reported. And business leaders said that the government was losing around 2 billion Shillings ($29.5 million) a day in lost revenue as a result of the political violence, the paper reported. "We do seem to be in a new place, there's a lot of uncertainty about where we go from here. And a lot depends crucially on how long-lasting this is," said Razia Kahn, an analyst specializing in Africa at Standard Chartered bank. Kenya has attracted a large number of multi-nationals and is home to one of the world's fastest growing stock exchanges. Its relative economic success has been helped in part by its thriving tourist sector, with visitors attracted by its abundant wildlife and pristine beaches. Provisional figures for 2006 from the Kenya's tourist board said the country had received 1.5 million visitors for the year, a growth of 5.2 per cent. However, fears that the tourist industry could take a heavy hit from the unrest grew with the British Federation of Tour Operators announcing Thursday it was suspending all holidays to the country departing up to and including this Saturday. Watch an aid worker describe fears that crisis may resemble Rwanda's » . British tourists already in the country have been advised by the British Foreign Office to stay indoors and to stay away from the major cities. There are also worries about the knock-on effect for the region, since around 40 percent of Kenya's exports go to other African nations, Kahn said. Of even greater concern is the effect on Kenya's lucrative agriculture industry. Exports of tea, coffee, vegetables and flowers are big earners for the country, with agriculture making up about a fifth of the total economy. There have been media reports of tea and coffee auctions being halted by the violence as well as widespread disruption to transport routes as rioters blockade major roads across the country. Arun Shah, who runs a coffee import business based in London, told CNN his livelihood depended on a stable Kenya. "We have had absolutely reliable supply," he said. "We have had reliable quality and the quantities that we need for our trade." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Jim Boulden in London contributed to this report . | Kenya's once-stable economy faltering due to violence following disputed election .
Equity market on Nairobi Stock Exchange lost $591 million on first day of 2008 .
Business leaders say the government losing $29.5 million a day in revenues .
Thriving tourist industry also hit, with British tour operators calling off flights . |
70,742 | c88ba2224cb575392aa5baa8fb7044d7727870c3 | Moving on: Cristy Deweese tweeted this picture before going 'on-camera,' but it is not clear what the appearance was for . A Dallas high school Spanish teacher who posed naked for Playboy while in college has been fired. Cristy Nicole Deweese, 21, who was featured in the magazine three years ago as 'Coed of the Month,' was terminated after outrage from students' parents came to a head last week. Ms Deweese, who taught Spanish at Townview Magnet High School appears ready to relaunch her modeling career. The saucy Spanish teacher was fired late last week, according to the Dallas Observer, only days after her naughty past was in the media. Though she was not a Dallas Independent School District employee at the time the pictures were taken, administrators may have deemed her past inappropriate for a 21-year-old teaching students only a few years younger. Ms Deweese has not waged a public battle with the school, instead focusing on the students. 'I miss the kids, so I'm sad about that, but otherwise I'm doing fine,' she tweeted. After thanking someone for their support, she tweeted 'I'm just hoping they find a new teacher soon so it doesn't affect the students.' The former Playboy Coed of the Month (February 2011) looks to have moved on from being a teacher for the time being, based on a profile started on Model Mayhem. 'I've been modeling since I was 12, quit for a while to pursue teaching and now I'm back,' she wrote on the site. Cristy Nicole Deweese (pictured left) is now a Spanish teacher in Dallas, Texas. When she was 18, she posed as 'Coed of the month' for Playboy . Staying positive: Despite no longer being a teacher, Ms Deweese has remained positive and not hit out against the Dallas ISD - but she may have hired a lawyer . Though saying on Twitter she's unable to discuss her firing for now - perhaps a sign she's retained a lawyer, according to the Observer - she posted a picture on the social media site of herself before going 'on-camera. She then tweeted a picture of herself on TV that she says her mother took. It is not clear if that on-camera appearance was a modeling audition or for another reason. Ms Deweese also tweeted that she signed a contract saying she can't do any media interviews until November 8. Miss Deweese's sexy shots are available for all to see online - including the teenage boys she currently teaches. Among her pictures are full-frontal naked shots, photos of her wearing 'winter bunny gear' and lingerie, a simulated lesbian sex scene and a 'Naked Outdoors' gallery. In a behind-the-scenes video clip from the photoshoot, when asked about her hobbies, the teenager says: 'Hunting, shooting... I shot me a buck last year.' Model behavior: Miss Deweese relaxes and eats beef jerky in between modeling for Playboy's 'coed of the month' in 2011 . She adds that she is majoring in Spanish and 'going to be a Spanish teacher'. One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Dallas Morning News, . that although her Playboy past should not prevent Miss Deweese from . being a teacher, it did affect the way she is viewed by some students. 'Are her male 16- and 17-year-old students looking at her without picturing her nude?' Another added. 'And for the female students, is this someone they can respect as an educator, someone that they can look up to?' The Dallas school district would not comment on Miss Deweese's pictures, saying that it was a 'personnel matter'. She was not employed by the school district at the time the pictures were taken. | Cristy Nicole Deweese posed naked for the magazine when she was 18 as a 'coed of the month'
Ms Deweese taught Spanish at Townview Magnet High School in Dallas .
Once named 'Coed of the Month,' Ms Deweese is attempting to relaunch her modeling career . |
206,959 | 97f7da3043ccb4aa233ef2f46326432bccafd6f8 | Things have gone from bad to worse for Rob Ford, but despite being told his cancer has a survival rate of only 50 percent, the Toronto mayor said Thursday he's 'going to give it everything I have.' Ford. 45, has refused to resign from the mayor's office over the diagnosis, even though it comes after numerous scandals including his revelation that he has a long-running crack cocaine addiction. Visibly weakened by chemotherapy treatments, Ford was at city hall Thursday for a full day's work after attending a debate Wednesday and being spotted at the scene of a fatal crash Tuesday. Scroll down for video . Weakened: Chemotherapy treatments had 'knocked the you-know-what' out of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who is battling malignant liposarcoma . 'The kids, it's ripping my heart out,' said Ford about his two children, ages 9 and 7, adding that they know exactly what's happening with their father's diagnosis. 'Some nights I just cry myself to sleep, but what can you do, there's only that many tears that can be shed,' he told reporters. CBC reports that Ford began chemo treatments in September shortly after doctors found signs of malignant liposarcoma in his abdomen. The cancer is extremely rare, affecting only about 2.5 people for every million, and doctors say the survival rate is a coin toss. He told reporters he 'sees the glass as half full' and that he is taking it 'day to day.' In spite of his refusal to resign, he dropped his re-election campaign for the mayor's office after his diagnosis and will compete instead for a Toronto city council seat. Day to day: Rob Ford has refused to resign his post as Toronto mayor, though he has dropped out of the campaign for re-election on October 27 . Family: Ford poses with his brother Doug (left) and his two children, Stephanie, 9, and Douglas, 7, at Ford Fest, a barbecue held by the political family . Disease: Ford admitted to his constituents that he had a 'disease' since before he became mayor that had him smoking crack cocaine while in a 'drunken stupor' His brother, Doug, is running in Ford's place. Doug Ford is currently a Toronto city council member. Admitting that cancer 'knocked the you-know-what' out of him, Ford still briefly attended a mayoral debate and said he was up until 3 a.m. making campaign signs. Speaking with a hoarse voice, Ford admitted there was criticism for him seeking political office in his condition, but he told those people to 'vote for someone else.' | Ford, 45, has refused to resign as mayor, though he has dropped his re-election campaign, only to run for a seat on Toronto city council .
Now at the end of his first round of chemo treatments, Ford returned to work and briefly attended the mayoral debate Wednesday .
Ford says he has told his kids about the diagnosis and that sometimes he cries himself to sleep . |
65,132 | b8ef33b86e3b22e71eb9264afbbdebf2ed1161f3 | By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 12:31 EST, 17 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:36 EST, 17 June 2013 . At least 23 people have died and 50 more remain missing after torrential downpours in northern India swept away roads, buildings and vehicles. One building collapse today killed at least three people who were washed . away when an entire apartment block toppled into a river, a . government spokesman said. Most of the destruction is concentrated in the state of Uttarakhand, where the Ganges river and its tributaries are flowing at dangerously high levels. Scroll down for video . Heavy monsoon rain left locals in Uttrakhand state, in the foothills of the Himalayas, fearing for their lives as fast-moving water swept away whole buildings . The swollen rivers have toppled buildings and other vehicles, which are drifting downstream, causing more destruction . River water topped houses and streets, forcing residents of flooded towns to wait for rescue on their rooftops . More than a dozen people have died in . the state's Rudraprayag district alone, while another 50 people were . missing, according to Amit Negi, an official in Uttarakhand. Another landslide triggered by the monsoon rains buried a bus, killing three people in Almora district. Adding to the crisis, many more people have been left totally stranded in their homes by collapsing roads and bridges. Torrential downpours left Sikh devotees from a temple looking for anywhere safe to stand on a destroyed road in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand . Thousands of residents across Uttrakhand have been left stranded as roads and buildings were swept away in front of them . Heavy rains in the foothills of the Himalayas mean many residents have abandoned their homes and possessions . More than 10,000 pilgrims on a mountain pass leading to a Hindu religious site had to be evacuated by helicopter after roads to the pilgrimage spot were unusable. In response, army and paramilitary troops are leading efforts to rescue scores of people from the rooftops of their flooded homes. The state government has prepared food . parcels and drinking water pouches to be air dropped to villages cut off . now that so many roads were washed away. Casualty figures are expected to rise as the rains continue and missing people are accounted for . Authorities are preparing to evacuate people from the worst-hit areas to relief camps as many villages have become entirely cut-off . The strength of the current in the flood waters of the Bhagirathi River have swept along trucks and entirely submerged houses . 'The situation is very grim. The meteorological office has predicted that the rain will continue for another three days at least,' an official said today. State authorities were also preparing to evacuate people from the worst-hit districts to relief camps, he said. Flood warnings have been issued across Udhampur district and in the Hindu holy city of Haridwar as rivers breached their banks. India's capital, Delhi, has also been hit by the heavy rains as many roads were flooded after recent blistering summer heat. Even major roads have been struggling to cope with the amount of water, as rivers breached their banks . With the heavy rains expected to last another three days, emergency services will struggle to reach stranded residents in need of food and water . The army has tried to rescue residents in the worst affected areas but many routes are impassible from the flood damage . Delhi airport was affected after . more than four inches of rain fell in five hours on Sunday afternoon. Passengers were seen having to wade knee-deep in water to get to Terminal 3. The flooding is an annual occurrence in India, which depends on the monsoon rains for agriculture. The heavy downpours often cause loss of life and property and has come two weeks early this year. | Floods in northern India have washed away whole buildings, roads and vehicles .
More than 10,000 pilgrims were left stranded on a mountain pass as many roads become impassible .
The River Ganges and tributaries are flowing above danger level in several areas of Uttarakhand state . |
11,500 | 20af6e4423016ceeeaf1a60aa507822673f09f14 | (CNN) -- Second seed Maria Sharapova continued her quest for a career grand slam with a convincing win at the French Open on Friday, while world No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska and former champion Ana Ivanovic crashed out of the Paris tournament. Sharapova has tasted success at three of tennis' four grand slams, but she has been no further than the semifinals at Roland Garros -- losing at that stage last year and in 2007. However, the Russian looked in fine form as she brushed aside Japan's world No. 88 Ayumi Morita 6-1 6-1 in exactly one hour to set up a third-round tie with Chinese 25th seed Peng Shuai. The match was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, but it was delayed by Paul-Henri Mathieu's marathon win against John Isner in the men's tournament. "I had never faced my opponent before, and when she has time she really goes for her shots, so I wanted to get her on the move," the 25-year-old Sharapova said on the WTA Tour's website. "I played well, aggressive, and moved in when I had to. With every round I'm going to be playing tougher opponents, and that's when you really want to raise your level. That's what I'll try to do in the next round." Sharapova's compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova produced the day's biggest shock by registering a comfortable 6-1 6-2 third-round win against Radwanska, who eliminated former world No. 1 Venus Williams on Wednesday. "I haven't played that well in a long time," said the 2009 French Open champion. "I was in control of my things. "When I feel in control of my moves and am not depending so much on my opponent, it brings me the best feelings. That's why I really enjoy tennis, that's why I love tennis. And I haven't had this feeling for quite some time." The world No. 28's reward is a last-16 encounter with Italy's Sara Errani, who also upset the odds to progress as she knocked out Ivanovic. The 21st seed came from one set down to beat the Serbian 1-6 7-5 6-3. Ivanovic has not been past the fourth round of the clay-court event since winning the title four years ago. "I was really pleased the way I started," said Ivanovic, who followed fellow former world No. 1s Serena and Venus Williams in exiting the tournament. "I was really aggressive and created a lot of opportunities for myself. "Then in the second and third sets she started raising her level a lot and putting a lot more on the ball. I also started getting a bit flatfooted and hitting more unforced errors as the match went on." Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur, the beaten finalist in 2010, breezed past Russian No. 27 Nadia Petrova 6-3 6-3. The 2011 U.S. Open winner set up a match with American youngster Sloane Stephens. Stephens' 6-3 6-2 win against France's Mathilde Johansson meant the 70th-ranked 19-year-old reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time in her career. | Second seed Maria Sharapova cruises into the French Open third round .
The three-time grand slam winner is looking to complete a career grand slam .
World No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska and 2008 winner Ana Ivanovic both crash out .
2011 U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur safely into the fourth round . |
286,060 | fea8c710d72f9038a367a60e1f4c4be73723e1d6 | By . Dan Bloom . Jeremy Clarkson claims the BBC has put him on his final warning for 'appearing' to use the n-word in unaired Top Gear footage - and he will be sacked if he ever makes an offensive remark again. The 54-year-old admitted 'not even the angel Gabriel' could survive after the threat - especially not a presenter renowned for controversy. And despite begging for forgiveness less than two days ago for the clip of him saying the nursery rhyme Eeny Meeny Miny Mo, Clarkson also claimed the Corporation had forced him to apologise and he did not want to. Scroll down for video . Apology: Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson said he had made . every effort to make sure he did not use the racist slur in a video less than two days ago - but has now said the apology was the BBC's idea and he didn't want to . Warning: The presenter, pictured apologising, said he is now on his final warning from the Corporation . Mr Clarkson, shown filming for Top Gear, when it is alleged he used the n-word - a claim he denies . Writing in his weekly column in The Sun, the presenter compared the apology to saying sorry for starting the Syrian civil war because they were both things he had not done. 'I've been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked,' he wrote. 'And even the angel Gabriel would struggle to survive with that hanging over his head. 'It's inevitable that one day, someone, somewhere will say that I've offended them, and that will be that.' He also wrote: 'Happily, the BBC had a plan. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very good one. 'An apology is a good idea if you've just spilled some beer down someone's shirt...But saying sorry for using the most racist word of them all, and hoping the story would die down as a result?' The pressure to apologise even went against the advice of his own lawyer, he claimed. A solemn-looking Jeremy Clarkson said the item was recorded a 'couple of years ago' and said he 'did everything in my power to make sure that that version did not appear in the programme that was transmitted' Eventually, he said, he agreed to say sorry and insisted that when he did, he meant it from the heart. In his weekly column the presenter added he had 'become Hitler' and was being attacked by people calling for him to join sex offender Max Clifford in jail. The star became embroiled in controversy after unaired footage of him using the nursery rhyme to compare two sports cars was leaked to the media. Historically the rhyme was 'Eeny meeny miny mo, catch a n***** by his toe', and Clarkson said he 'mumbled' in two takes to avoid using the racist term - which made it sound like he was saying it. In the third, which was broadcast, he said the word 'teacher' instead. An online petition calling for the BBC presenter to be sacked has reached more than 1,000 signatures. Intervention: Deputy Labour leader . Harriet Harman (left) has called for the BBC to sack Clarkson over his . so-called use of the 'N-word' but Education Secretary Michael Gove (right) has . urged him to be kept . Labour figures including deputy leader Harriet Harman also demanded he should be sacked. 'Anybody who uses the N-word in public or private in whatever context has no place in the British Broadcasting Corporation,' she wrote on Twitter. And Labour MP Chris Bryant wrote: 'Clarkson announces he has one last chance. He's been in that saloon so long now he must be hammered.' But Education Secretary Michael Gove urged the BBC not to axe Clarkson because he had been 'clear in his apology'. And the Prime Minister appeared to agree. Mr Cameron's official spokesman said: 'He does . share the Education Secretary's view: it is absolutely right that there . has been an apology.' Pressed on whether he also shared the . view he should keep his job, he replied: 'His view is that in terms of . actions and the like, that's for the BBC.' Denial: The BBC presenter's first tweet immediately after the storm broke earlier this week . Row: Former newspaper editor Piers Morgan has tweeted regularly about a man who is often his nemesis . In his video apology - which he said took hours to complete because he could not remember his Twitter password - Clarkson said he 'did everything in my power to not use that word'. He added he was now 'begging your forgiveness for the fact that obviously my efforts weren't quite good enough'. 'I was mortified by this, horrified. It is a word I loathe,' he said. Controversy: The Top Gear presenter is regularly accused of being offensive . The BBC previously said it had 'left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this'. The claims come days after the motoring show's producer apologised for broadcasting a 'light-hearted' joke by Clarkson that sparked a complaint of racism. An episode filmed in Burma and Thailand featured a scene in which the presenters built a bridge over the River Kwai, and as an Asian man walked over it Clarkson said: 'That is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it.' Somi Guha, an actress who complained to the BBC, said the use of the word 'slope' was an example of 'casual racism' and 'gross misconduct'. In recent years Clarkson has been cleared of breaching the broadcasting code by watchdog Ofcom after comparing a Japanese car to people with growths on their faces. He previously faced a storm of protest from mental health charities after he branded people who throw themselves under trains as 'selfish' and was forced to apologise for telling BBC1's The One Show that striking workers should be shot. The motoring show has also faced complaints from Indian and Mexican politicians over remarks made about their countries while filming on location. A BBC spokesman told MailOnline today: 'We have nothing to add to the statement issued on Thursday.' That statement said: 'Jeremy Clarkson has set out the background to this regrettable episode. 'We have made it absolutely clear to him, the standards the BBC expects on air and off. 'We have left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this.' 'Ordinarily I don't respond to newspaper allegations, but on this occasion I feel I must make an exception. 'A couple of years ago I recorded an item for Top Gear, in which I quoted the rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny Moe. 'Now, of course, I was well aware that in the best known version of this rhyme, there is a racist expression that I was extremely keen to avoid. 'The full rushes show that I did three takes. 'In two I mumbled where the offensive word would normally occur and in the third, I replaced it all together with the word "teacher". 'Now when I viewed this footage, several weeks later, I realised that in one of the mumbled versions, if you listen very carefully with the sound turned right up, it did appear that I'd actually used the word I was trying to obscure. 'I was mortified by this, horrified, it is a word I loathe. 'And I did everything in my power to make sure that that version did not appear in the programme that was transmitted. 'In fact, I have here the note I sent at the time to the production office. 'And it says, "I didn't use the n-word here but I've just listened through my headphones and it sounds like I did. Is there another take that we could use?" 'Please be assured I did everything in my power to not use that word. 'And as I'm sitting here begging your forgiveness for that fact that obviously my efforts weren't quite good enough. 'Thank you.' | He said he will be dropped if he makes a remark 'anywhere, at any time'
Presenter with long history of stirring controversy said it is unavoidable .
Top Gear host 'begged' for forgiveness for appearing to use racist word .
Today he also said apology was BBC's idea and 'it wasn't a very good' one .
More than 1,000 sign sacking petition as Michael Gove and PM defend him . |
177,849 | 7239f1a0a1381a008ac3724f4c4986cce2321a1e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:06 EST, 13 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:05 EST, 13 July 2012 . Scientists have unearthed evidence of a 500-year-old settlement near Lake Ontario so cosmopolitan it has been branded the 'ancient New York City of Canada'. The recently-discovered 'Mantle site' is thought to have had almost 2,000 inhabitants in a 'cosmopolitan' area in 1500 A.D. which was the size of Manhattan. Archaeologists say pottery and art found at the site shows how inhabitants had 'unprecedented' trade with the Iroquois - the nations and tribes of indigenous North America. Scroll down for video . Discovered: A model representation of a longhouse from the Mantle site, displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum. Parts of the longhouses were just some of the 2,000 artifacts found on the site dating from the 1500s . But amazingly, the same groups also acquired European goods a full century before the first European explorers arrived in that region. Despite its huge size, the giant site is thought to have remained undiscovered for so long because its longhouses were primarily made of wood. Among the stunning finds made on the Mantle site are the earliest European goods ever found in the Great Lakes region of North America. Experts recently found copper beads, wrought iron objects, as well as effigies painted into pottery. The discoveries - part of the 'largest, most complex, cosmopolitan village of its time - have been heralded by experts as an 'Indiana Jones moment' in archaeology. Also uncovered during excavations on the site between 2003 and 2005 were 98 longhouses, a palisade fence of three rows, and about 200,000 artifacts. A wrought iron mask found at the site was traced to northern Spain, with its material suggesting it came from the 16th century. The hoard of artifacts will be revealed in a documentary this week on the History Channel in Canada. Evidence found at the Mantle site showed that its inhabitants had 'cosmopolitan' lives in a settlement the size of Manhattan . Signs of life: This human pipe effigy gives a fascinating glimpse into what was found at the Mantle site near Lake Ontario . Ron Williamson, an archaeologist who led dig efforts at the site, said in the programme: 'This is an Indiana Jones moment, this is huge. 'It just seems to be a game-changer in every way.' Williamson, the founder of Archaeological Services Inc., a Canadian cultural resource management firm that excavated the site, told LiveScience: 'It's the largest, most complex, cosmopolitan village of its time. 'All of the archaeologists, basically, when they see Mantle, they're just utterly stunned.' Jennifer Birch, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Georgia, said in the documentary: 'When you think about a site like Mantle, 2,000 people, massive stockade around a community, a better analogy is that of a medieval town. 'While the cultures are very different, the societal form really isn't.' | Experts unearth 2,000 artifacts from site near Lake Ontario .
'Mantle site' is thought to have had 2,000 inhabitants in 1500s .
Evidence that locals even acquired European goods a century before European explorers arrived in the region . |
13,630 | 269fc23dd44a53e7250c82c621d6c3b66ef2422e | (CNN) -- Lauren Bacall, who died Tuesday at the age of 89, always said, not altogether happily, that she would be defined by her relationship with her husband, the great actor Humphrey Bogart. She was not entirely wrong. It is hard to think of Bacall without thinking of Bogart. When she first arrived on screen in 1944 in "To Have and Have Not," at the ripe old age of 19, the thing that captivated audiences was not her beauty -- there were lots of pretty girls on screen -- so much as her preternatural steeliness. Here was a woman who could stand up to Bogart purring line by purring line, menacing look by menacing look, sneer by sneer, which may be why he wound up falling in love with her in real life. She was not a shrinking violet. She was a Venus flytrap. But if Bacall was unflappable, she was different from her steely predecessors, the so-called tough "broads" of the 1930s like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. They were victims of the Depression, victims of male dominance, victims of bad breaks, victims of life in general. Those things made them feral, which is not an adjective anyone would ever have used on the self-contained, self-possessed Bacall. They were at war with life, hoping to find some good man with whom they might be able to make a truce. Bacall didn't seem to be at war with anyone, and she certainly didn't seem to think she needed a man to fulfill her. In fact, she was pretty much unpossessable. She did things on her terms. If you think of Davis and Crawford as curs, Bacall was a cat. She arose at a time when World War II was ending and film noir was beginning, and she was the perfect noir woman. Noir was a style of film, dark and edgy, but it was also an attitude of post-war ennui and cynicism. Her memorable quotes . In noir, you trusted people at your peril. Bacall embodied that attitude perfectly in films like "The Big Sleep," "Dark Passage" and "Key Largo," all of which co-starred Bogart. There was something slippery and unknowable about her, some sort of concealment, which fit the whole noir ambiance. And it wasn't coincidental that the perfect noir woman was also the perfect complement and foil for the great existential hero of the movies, Bogart. She was the great existential romantic partner. That attitude of hers seemed to arise from a personal grievance that Bacall developed growing up in New York as Betty Joan Perske, a Jew who was remade into a cinematic gentile by the anti-Semitic director Howard Hawks. As Bacall tells it in her first memoir, "By Myself," Hawks was a Pygmalion who discovered her and then taught her how to move, how to talk (that deep, sultry husk of a voice) and how to act. But the umbrage she felt toward Hawks in making her deny herself may have been the razor's edge she brought to her performances. She was always forced to be in camouflage -- a hidden Jew. She even raised her children as Episcopalians, Bogart's religion, because she feared what might happen to them as Jews. For noir, the edge certainly worked. Hollywood recalls screen legend Lauren Bacall . But the persona outlasted its time. Well before Bogart died of cancer in 1957, Bacall's career had begun to slide, in part because noir had begun to slide, relegated to B movies. She was able to reinvent herself in romantic comedies like "How to Marry a Millionaire," where she turned her sultriness into a kind of brisk efficiency, a no-nonsense woman for the 1950s, that contrasted with co-star Marilyn Monroe's flouncy availability, but the glory days were pretty much over. In retrospect, she hadn't been so much a star as she was a flare. Her late great triumphs were on stage -- in "Applause," a musical adaptation of "All About Eve," and "Woman of the Year," a musical adaptation of the 1942 film of the same name, both of which earned her Tonys. Still, the fact that she was reprising roles originally played by Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn respectively was a sign that Bacall's own feline charm had not endured. In the end, she was a glamorous figure from another, darker era. . . and the wife of Humphrey Bogart. | Lauren Bacall, a Hollywood icon, died on Tuesday at the age of 89 .
Neal Gabler: She would be defined by her marriage to the great actor Humphrey Bogart .
He says self-possessed Bacall was the perfect noir woman, she had the right attitude .
Gabler: Despite the razor's edge she brought to screen, her persona outlasted its time . |
261,364 | de7ca860a5bbe4f6e2024a629d659c6965cd5647 | The husband and work partner of a Japanese reporter who was killed in Syria has told how his wife was shot dead moments after they were ambushed by government troops. Mika Yamamoto, 45, an award-winning journalist, was gunned down last month in the flashpoint city of Aleppo on her first day in the country. Her husband, photographer Kazutaka Sato, who was with her at the time, described how they fled in panic after the soldiers opened fire. Scroll down for video . Kazutaka Sato has told of the horrifying moment his wife Mika Yamamoto was shot dead after they were ambushed by government forces while on assignment in Syria . Mr Sato, 56, said he saw 10 to 15 men walking towards them who he assumed were members of the Free Syrian Army, who had been accompanying them. He told CBS news: 'I held up my camera and started shooting. It was then that it happened. 'I thought I was going to be hit and that's when I was separated from Mika. At no point did I think that she had died. 'I asked a rebel fighter where Mika was. He told me, "She's at the hospital, go and see for yourself." 'At that point I pretty much imagined what had happened to her. 'On the first floor of the hospital, in . the lobby to the left on a stretcher, I saw a body wrapped in a sheet. And I knew then it was Mika.' Final moments: Mika Yamamoto is seen at work in Syria on the day she was . killed. Her husband was just metres from her when she was shot . Mika Yamamoto, 45, an award-winning journalist was shot dead in the flashpoint city of Aleppo in Syria . Mika Yamamoto talks to the camera as she and her team are driven through the flashpoint city of Aleppo . Mr Sato is seen on the streets of Aleppo in footage taken on the day his wife was shot. He spent an hour trying to find her before learning she had been killed . Mika Yamamoto, was an experienced and award-wining reporter, who had worked in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans and Mr Sato spoke of her dedication to the job. He added: 'I think it was her firm belief that you can stop a war with journalism ... she would also turn her attention to children. 'I believe she wanted to tell the world how they are hurt, dead and bruised in their hearts.' Mr Sato said the only way he believes he can come to terms with what happened is to find out exactly what happened. Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo . after he accompanied her body home from Syria he said: 'I suspect the . government side is afraid to see Western journalists, including us, . report facts.' 'What they fear most is a camera,' Grief: Kazutaka Sato breaks down in tears after seeing his wife's body in a Syrian hospital . Mr Sato spoke of his wife's belief in the power of journalism and how she would often turn her attention to the plight of children caught up in warzones . Earlier in the day, Sato visited the Syrian embassy in Tokyo and handed over a letter requesting a thorough investigation of the case. In the letter, Sato said: 'If your country shoots journalists who report things it finds unfavourable, it is an outrageous act threatening the freedom of the press, which can never be forgiven internationally.' Sato said the Syrian embassy official who received the letter told him the government was not responsible for the well-being of the two journalists because they had entered the country without the proper visas. However, he undertook to pass the letter to Damascus. Yamamoto's . funeral was held in her hometown of Yamanashi, west of Tokyo, last . week. An autopsy revealed she had been shot nine times, including in the . neck where the bullet had fatally damaged her cervical spinal cord. After accompanying his wife's body back to Japan, Mr Sato visited the Syrian embassy in Tokyo and handed over a letter requesting a thorough investigation of the case . Yamamoto is the fourth foreign journalist to have been killed in Syria since March 2011 and the first to have died in Aleppo. She had covered several armed conflicts, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. She became a well-known face on Japanese television after surviving a US tank shelling on the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad in 2003 in which two journalists, one from Reuters and one from a Spanish broadcaster, were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 26,000 people have been killed in Syria since the revolt began in March last year -- more than two-thirds of them civilians. VIDEO: Partner of Japanese journalist killed still looking for answers... | Experienced war reporter Mika Yamamoto, 45, was shot dead in the flashpoint city of Aleppo last month .
Her husband, photographer Kazutaka Sato, .
told how how they were split up moments after being ambushed by government forces .
After returning to Japan with her body he delivered a letter to the Syrian Embassy in Tokyo demanding an investigation . |
190,590 | 82c1152c1abf33972f09b023a6efe17162cf3e49 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Payday loan adverts will not be banned from children’s TV despite warnings lenders were ‘grooming’ youngsters to become the next generation of borrowers. The government has rejected calls to stop promotions using catchy songs and puppets during programmes aimed at children. Despite research showing adverts from firms offering high interest, short-term credit were watched almost 600million times by children last year, ministers said it was still a ‘relatively small’ problem. Payday lender Wonga has been criticised for using puppets which appeal to children in its advertising . Labour leader Ed Miliband called for the adverts to be banned while money expert Martin Lewis told MPs they amounted to ‘inappropriate propaganda’ which meant even the under-10s now nag their parents to borrow money to buy toys. The Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee published a report calling for the adverts to be banned from children’s shows. It said: ‘Research undertaken by Ofcom has shown that payday loan advertising is prevalent on daytime television and children's channels. ‘We do not believe that these are appropriate channels for payday loans. We recommend that payday loan adverts are banned from programming aimed at children.’ It was shown evidence that the average child aged between four and 15 was exposed to 70 payday loan adverts last year and was being persuaded that using such credit was ‘fun’ and ‘easy’. The number of payday loan adverts hit almost 400,000 in 2012, up from just 17,000 in 2008 . But in its official response to the report the government rejected the demand, and played down the scale of the problem. ‘The increase reported by Ofcom in the number of payday lending ads seen by children is concerning,’ it said. ‘But it is also important to note that they comprise a relatively small 0.6 per cent of TV ads seen by children aged four to 15. ‘The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), the body that writes the Broadcast Advertising Code, is considering the extent to which payday loan advertising features on children's TV and whether there are any implications for the ASA's regulation of this sector.’ More than half of all payday loan adverts are seen during daytime TV, according to Ofcom . In November Mr . Miliband called for the ads to banned during any programmes . aimed at children. He said: 'As a father of two young boys, I know how . influenced they can be by what they see. 'And I don't want payday lenders taking advantage of the cost of living crisis and targeting children in this country. Money saving expert Martin Lewis accused payday lenders of using adverts to 'groom' the next generation of borrowers . 'It . is wrong, it is not what should be happening and that is why a Labour . government would stop them advertising during children's TV. 'It's bad for young people, it's bad for families and it's bad for communities.' At a hearing of the committee last . year Mr Lewis, founder of the MoneySavingExpert.com website, called for a . blanket ban on advertising designed to ‘normalise’ the idea of . short-term loans among children. He accused the firms of ‘grooming a new generation towards this type of borrowing’. He . told the committee: ‘If you think we have got problems now, you wait . for 10 years’ time. Grooming is the right term. We are talking about a . market that didn’t exist five years ago.’ He . condemned the adverts as ‘deliberately contrived and controlled’, . singling out Wonga’s adverts featuring puppets to appeal to children. A survey on MoneySavingExpert.com found a third of parents reported their under-10s repeating payday lenders’ slogans, while 14 per cent said that when they had refused to buy a toy, their child had nagged them to take out a payday loan. According to Ofcom, in 2009 there were just 17,000 payday loan adverts shown on UK television, recording 12million views or ‘impacts’ among adults and 3million 4-15-year-olds. By 2012 the number of adverts had rocketed to 397,000, with 7.5billion impacts among adults and 596million for children. It means that in a year every adult saw 152 payday loan adverts, and 4-15-year-olds watched the equivalent of 70 each. | Commons committee called for ban on adverts on children's shows .
But the government dismissed it as a 'relatively small' problem .
14% of parents of under-10s say their children nag them to take out loans .
Labour's Ed Miliband has called for the ads to be banned from kids' TV .
Ofcom says number of ads soared from 17,000 in 2008 to 400,000 in 2012 . |
111,108 | 1b4629aca6dd43c12c45685cdbcd8a7ef1a8fc71 | By . Louise Boyle . A fraudster, who took exotic vacations and wined and dined with her boyfriend on friends' credit cards, was jailed again for shoplifting on Tuesday. Jocelyn Kirsch and her former boyfriend Edward Anderton were dubbed 'Bonnie and Clyde' after being convicted in 2007 of stealing almost $120,000 to spend on vacations, clothing, jewelry and even $2,000 hair extensions. The 28-year-old was sentenced to five months at a Philadelphia court after violating her federal probation by shoplifting and failing to pay restitution for her previous crimes. Jocelyn Kirsch, 28, makes her way into court on Tuesday. She was sentenced to five months in jail after she violated her parole by shoplifting . 'Bonnie and Clyde' thieves Jocelyn Kirsch (left) and Edward Anderton (right) spent time behind bars for identity theft. Kirsch, 28, was sentenced to five months on Tuesday for violating her probation by shoplifting . Kirsch was arrested in 2007 after spending thousands of dollars of other people's money on exotic holidays to the Caribbean and Europe . According to philly.com, U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno asked on Tuesday: 'Is the defendant mentally ill or is she a self-indulgent criminal? This court cannot fully answer this question.' Kirsch, wearing a green jumpsuit, refused to answer but her lawyer Ronald Greenblatt said her thefts were caused by the depression and anxiety she suffered from media attention. The prosecution argued that because of her past, Kirsch deserved to be punished. The 28-year-old was busted in 2012 for shoplifting clothes from Banana Republic, BCBG, J. Crew and Nordstrom’s stores at a mall in Walnut Creek, California. She had been living in the state since being released from prison in 2011. The former Drexel University student also failed to make any of the . court-ordered, $250 monthly restitution payments to the victims of a scam . that saw her and Anderton opening credit cards, writing checks and even . just stealing cash from others. Kirsch told a packed courtroom during . her 2008 sentencing that her ‘regret runs bone deep and she will never . repeat this mistake again,’ according to KYW. They spent the money on lavish vacations to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe and Morocco. Kirsch, 28, lived a lavish lifestyle by defrauding friends and neighbors. She was jailed again on Tuesday for stealing clothes from Nordstrom . Evidence collected by police revealed that Kirsch (left) had been flying all over the world on other people's money . Anderton and Kirsch dined in the best . restaurants and attended the most exclusive parties. They flaunted their . excess on Facebook and in Philadelphia’s society pages - which . ultimately led to their downfall. They were busted in 2007 after writing a phony check to a Philadelphia salon to pay for $2,000 hair extensions. A . little digging by the stylist led her to a postal box rented at UPS . Store on the campus of Drexel University, where Kirsch was a student. They were arrested retrieving a package of lingerie delivered to the post box but addressed to their neighbor. Evidence recovered from their apartment included a professional ID maker, computer spyware and lock-picking tools. Kirsch was sentenced to five years in prison and Anderton received four years but both . were released early for good behavior. Kirsch served three years and five . months of her sentence and was released in November 2011. Kirsch and Anderton pictured on a Caribbean vacation that was paid for using a victim's credit card . | Jocelyn Kirsch, 28, sentenced to five months after she was caught shoplifting clothes in 2012 which violated her probation .
She and former boyfriend Edward Anderton were jailed in 2007 for a $120,00 identity theft scheme .
Kirsch was released in November 2011 for good behavior . |
196,495 | 8a4cbf44e624b9209c10dcc7b44b50a1948b3d4e | Gable Tostee was covered in scratches on his face and all over his body after having drunk and rough sex with New Zealand woman Warriena Wright on the night she died, court documents say. Documents tendered to the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday state Tostee had marks on his face, neck, back, leg and hand when he was examined by forensic medical officer Dr Nelle van Buuren, the Courier Mail reported. This comes as a judge has said the charge of murder against Gold Coast man Gable Tostee is 'weak' and 'difficult' because the 28-year-old was not on the balcony when Warriena Wright plunged to her death from his Surfers Paradise apartment last month. Scroll down for video . New Zealand citizen Warriena Tagpuno Wright was on a two week holiday in Australia when she plunged 14 storeys to her death, after organising to meet with Gold Coast man Gable Tostee through dating app 'Tinder' Police documents allege that an audio recording from Tostee's phone reveal the sounds of a struggle, during which someone is choked and taunted. Tostee has been charged with Ms Wright's murder. Police documents have been filed in the Supreme Court ahead of Tostee's bail application on Monday . Considering Tostee's bail application in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday, Judge Debra Mullins asked Crown Prosecutor Sarah Farnden, 'The prosecution case is that the applicant wasn't on the balcony that Ms Wright fell from?'. 'That appears to be the most likely scenario,' Ms Farnden said. Police will allege Tostee and Ms Wright had violent sex, and afterward a scuffle took place inside his Gold Coast apartment before the 28-year-old forced Ms Wright onto his balcony and locked her out. Ms Wright then fell to her death. Tostee allegedly recorded over three hours of audio during the time he spent with Ms Wright, who he met via the dating app Tinder, on August 7 and in the early hours of August 8. Court documents also state that neighbours living in the apartments one and two floors below Tostee told police they heard 'thudding and scuffling' and loud bangs like furniture was being dropped on the floor on the night Ms Wright died. Gabriele Collyer-Wiedner, who lives on the floor under Tostee, said she woke up at 2am to the loud noises, the Courier Mail reported. 'A short time after that I heard a female person shout the words "no, no, no",' she said. Emergency crews at the scene of Ms Wright's death at the foot of the highrise Avalon apartments in Surfer's Paradise in Queensland, where Tostee resided. Ms Collyer-Wiedner told police she went out onto her balcony where she saw two legs dangling from above. 'The person did not say anything and neither did I,' she said. 'In a matter of seconds I saw the person fall from the balcony above mine... I screamed when the person was falling and I think that the person screamed as well.' Tostee has been in custody since mid-August when he was arrested and charged with murder. In court on Monday, Justice Mullins told the accused's barrister, Anthony Kimmins: 'If your client was not on the balcony, it makes the murder case a lot more difficult . 'But in the context of what happened in the apartment, I would think a manslaughter case is not weak.' Justice Mullins postponed the bail application, requesting more information after she read sworn statements by police, Tostee and Tostee's parents about his autism diagnosis. She said his previous diagnosis of being on the autism spectrum was referenced in the Crown's material, but was not addressed in defence documents. Tostee's high-rise apartment is investigated by detectives. The secret recordings ultimately led the police to arrest Tostee on August 15. Police have opposed bail for Tostee, saying he contacted more than 250 girls on Tinder in the months before he allegedly murdered Warriena Wright. Police say Tostee would immediately go back on Tinder if released and contact young women and, given his 'propensity of violence' would pose an 'unacceptable risk' to the community. A document filed in the bail application in the says an examination of Tostee's mobile phone 'has identified that he has been in contact with over 250 female persons using the Tinder application since March 2014'. 'Police hold a strong belief that if Tostee is granted bail, he will recommence his using social media,' a document filed in the court said. 'Police believe Tostee's blatant disregard for human life and his propensity of violence displayed in this instance would place the safety of the community at an unacceptable risk.' Documents filed to the Supreme Court claim the Gold Coast man charged with murdering his New Zealand Tinder date told the young woman 'you're lucky I haven't thrown you off the balcony' before she plunged 14 storeys to her death. Ms Wright was a 26-year-old, visiting Australia for a two week trip to attend the wedding of friends . Tostee maintains his innocence and will fight the charge, after he was arrested on August 15 for Ms Wright's death on August 8. Documents, filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, allege a recording on Mr Tostee's phone captured three hours and 19 minutes of audio from the night that Warriena Tagpuno Wright died. The documents claim the recording started just before 1am, and 20 seconds into the recording a male voice says 'F*** me', Brisbane Times reported. Sounds of groaning can be heard, then the male tells the woman she is being too rough during sex, and says 'I don't like being beaten up'. The documents assert that an fight erupted at around 2.13am, and the male tells the woman 'That is enough. You have worn out your welcome. You have to leave.' The female, who sounds out of breath, says 'OK'. A male voice allegedly says: 'I thought you were kidding and i have taken enough. This is f***ing b***s***, you are lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony you goddamn psycho little b****'. The male then tells her he is going to walk her out of his apartment without her belongings. She says 'I am so sorry' to which he replies 'I don't care'. There are sounds of a struggle and the male says 'Let it go' repeatedly before a metallic object is dropped. A door can be heard opening and the woman tells the male, 'no, no, no'. The male then says: 'You tried to kill me huh? Well why did you try and hit me with that huh? Shut your filthy mouth.' The woman then says 'No, no, no, no, no' repeatedly and a door is heard slamming shut. The female then says 'Just let me go home' before faint screaming is allegedly heard. A phone call is then reportedly made to a lawyer and to Tostee's father. Police claim that CCTV captures Tostee leaving the building. It is alleged that the Gold Coast man then ordered pizza within an hour of Ms Wright's death. Neighbours earlier reported hearing an altercation and the sound of a woman screaming at around 2:30am. Ms Wright and Tostee contacted each other through dating app Tinder and met in Cavill Mall in Surfers Paradise, before returning to Tostee's apartment. Ms Wright lived in New Zealand's Lower Hutt region and was in Australia for a two-week holiday to attend a wedding. Tostee maintains his innocence and says he will fight the charge. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Gable Tostee 'had scratches on his face, neck, back, leg and hand' when he was examined after Warriena Wright's death, court documents reveal .
Police say Tostee contacted 250 women in four months on Tinder .
Police have opposed the Gold Coast man's release on bail .
If released, police said he would go back on Tinder and pose an 'unacceptable' and violent' risk to young women .
Tostee, 28, is charged with the murder of Warriena Tagpuno Wright .
New Zealand citizen Ms Wright plunged 14 storeys to her death from a Surfers Paradise apartment balcony on August 8 .
Tostee is a diagnosed autism sufferer, court documents reveal . |
221,292 | aa7621a28119b44f319c349ff97ea6ddf0955c09 | By . David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor and Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 09:31 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:08 EST, 19 November 2013 . When President Obama came under fire Tuesday for choosing to skip the ceremony commemorating the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, a senior White House aide tweeted sarcastically that 'it didn't work schedule-wise' because his boss was too busy working to fix the Obamacare website. 'Serious question,' National Journal editorial director Ron Fournier wrote to White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer on Twitter: 'What is on his schedule that is more important than Gettysburg anniversary?' 'Oh, I don't know,' Pfeiffer snarked in reply, 'there's this whole website thing that someone suggested might destroy the Dem[ocratic] Party.' In what quickly became a Twitter free-for-all, other journalists pointed out that the president's official schedule for Tuesday didn't mention any meetings related to the Affordable Care Act. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Claws out: White House communications chief Dan Pfeiffer (L) said that Obama skipped the ceremony honoring President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (R) because he was busy fixing healthcare.gov . The fatally flawed website has made the Obama White House a punching bag for conservatives who say the Obamacare law should be repealed or changed significantly. Its October 1 launch was marked by crashes, downtime, and embarrassing leaks of Americans' personal information. Obama told a New Orleans crowd on Nov. 8 that 'I wanted to go in and fix it myself, but I don't write code' Despite his busy schedule, the president found time on Sunday to attend a college basketball game with his daughters. Mrs. Obama's brother is the head coach for one of the teams that played. Pfeiffer attracted barbs this month for using his Twitter account to criticize a terminal cancer patient who spoke out against Obamacare. Angry Pennsylvanians directed their ire toward the president on Tuesday, condemning his apparent snub of an invitation to attend the famed 'Four score and seven years ago' commemoration. 'His dismissal of the request shows a man so detached from the duty of history, from the men who served in the White House before him, that it is unspeakable in its audacity,' Salena Zito wrote in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 'Four score and seven years ago': A recently-unearthed photo from November 19, 1863 actually shows President Lincoln (in the center, not wearing a top hat) at the battlefield dedication ceremony . Remembrance: A ceremony is being held at the Gettysburg National Cemetery where Union soldiers are buried, and the President will not be attending . Preparations: Ceremonies have been held for the entire year leading up to today's anniversary . Zito added that the National Park Service has no record of President Obama ever visiting the historic battlefield, she told Fox News. Instead of making the trip from the White House to the famed Civil War battlefield, Obama was scheduled to take a meeting with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and had a speaking engagement at an annual Wall Street Journal conference of CEOs. The Gettysburg Address has long been considered both one of the most important turning points in the Civil War and one of the greatest speeches in American history. Despite Obama's decision to skip the 150th anniversary ceremony, he regularly says he feels a particularly strong bond with President Lincoln. In his honor: Then-Senator Barack Obama chose to announce his 2008 presidential campaign in Springfield, Illinois where President Lincoln gave his famed 'House Divided' speech . Other plans: President Obama, seen with his daughters at a basketball game on Sunday, will be staying in Washington today rather than traveling to Pennsylvania for the ceremony . Obama, then a U.S. Senate freshman from Illinois – the 'Land of Lincoln – launched his 2008 presidential campaign from the state capitol of Springfield where Lincoln gave his 'House Divided' speech. He also chose to place his hand on the Lincoln Bible while taking the oath of office during both of his inaugurations . The White House has tried to downplay the significance of the president's choice to skip Tuesday's Gettysburg event. 'I think that is an enormously significant event in our history, and I think Americans will take the appropriate time to consider it, consider the speech that was delivered there,' White House press secretary Jay Carney said on October 31. In costume: An actor takes on the role of President Lincoln in Gettysburg on Monday, the night before the formal ceremony . 'But beyond that, I don't have any updates on the President's schedule.' The Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, attended in Obama's place. Obama helped to commemorate the historic day by participating in a pre-recorded compilation video that featured all of the living former presidents and a number of celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Bill Gates, Usher, and Uma Thurman, reciting the Gettysburg Address. Obama attracted a second wave of criticism when it emerged that he omitted the words 'under God' from his reading. But film producer Ken Burns later added a note to the project's website, saying that the president was asked to read from one of of the speech's few existing hand-written copies that does not include those words. | White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer snarked on Twitter that fixing Obamacare – 'this whole website thing' – took precedence .
Detractors pointed out that the president's official schedule for the day didn't mention anything about the Affordable Care Act .
Tuesday marked the 150th anniversary of the battlefield dedication ceremony that was a turning point in the Civil War .
It was there that President Lincoln gave the 'Gettysburg Address'
President Obama did not attend the ceremony but participated in a public service announcement about the speech . |
53,617 | 98114fbcd9d31b7864c2149cad2d5b16581ffed7 | Arsene Wenger will be handed £20million in January to help rescue Arsenal’s season. And with that cash, the Gunners boss will prioritise a new central defender after it became clear his side are drastically short in the position. Wenger has also accepted he must capture a new holding midfielder, but he is likely to wait until the summer when he will have a larger budget. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be handed £20million in January to help rescue their season . Wenger will prioritise a new central defender after it became clear his side are drastically short in the position . Signing a centre back is the most pressing issue, with Wenger’s decision not to replace Thomas Vermaelen proving a major mistake after the Gunners were hit by a string of injuries. Left back Nacho Monreal has been played as a makeshift central defender following injuries to Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny. Arsenal’s problems in defence were underlined last week when they threw away a 3-0 lead against Anderlecht in the Champions League, then lost 2-1 to Swansea on Sunday despite being 1-0 up with 15 minutes left. Arsenal will discuss their defensive options during a scouting meeting this week, as revealed by Sportsmail. Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk, West Ham’s Winston Reid, Aston Villa’s Ron Vlaar and Manchester United’s Chris Smalling were all considered in the summer. Vlaar and Reid could both be available in cut-price deals because their contracts expire at the end of the season. West Ham’s Winston Reid (pictured, left) was considered in the summer and may be available in January . Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar (right) and Reid could be available as their contracts expire at the end of the season . VIDEO Chelsea "untouchable" - Wenger . | Arsene Wenger will prioritise buying a new central defence for Arsenal .
The Gunners manager also knows he must sign a holding midfielder .
Thomas Vermaelen was never replaced and injuries have taken their toll . |
95,365 | 0690ebfe92834ecce546a65f38280726da502363 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:05 EST, 22 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:59 EST, 22 March 2012 . DNA test results today confirmed a baby boy who disappeared eight years ago is the child of the couple who reported him missing, but doubts have now been raised as to whether or not they gave the boy away with their other children. Fernando Morin and Auboni Champion-Morin, from Houston, Texas, are seeking to regain custody of the child, Miguel, who's been in foster care since last week. They declined to answer questions about why their other four children are no longer in their custody and haven't been for years, but said they wanted to focus on Miguel . A woman described by officials as the child's godmother and former neighbor, Krystle Tanner, is jailed in San Augustine in East Texas for his alleged kidnapping but officials are trying to discern whether or not her was given up. Found: Miguel Morin, left, went missing in 2004 while being babysat by his godmother Krystle Tanner, right . Biological parents: Fernando Morin, center, and Auboni Champion-Morin, right, speak to the media after an emergency court hearing Wednesday to reveal the results of the DNA tests . Tanner faces a kidnapping charge related to the child's disappearance in late 2004, when he was eight-months-old. State District Judge Mike Schneider, . who ordered the DNA testing at an emergency custody hearing last week, . is set to hold another hearing in the case next week. Child welfare officials last week . said Morin and Champion-Morin, both 29, were uncooperative with . investigators when the boy initially was reported missing. The parents . deny the allegations. Another couple told Houston . television station KHOU on Tuesday that they've been caring for the four . other Morin children, who are between the ages of seven and 14. They said Champion-Morin gave the children to them years ago and that they are the legal guardians. Champion-Morin, emerging from a . courtroom on Wednesday, wouldn't discuss the TV station report: 'Right . now, everything's a private matter. I'm not going there right now with . any of the news.' Suspicions: Questions are being asked about whether or not the Morins have their son up or if he was kidnapped from them by his godmother . Child Protective Services spokeswoman . Gwen Carter said the situation involving the other children is part of . the child welfare agency's investigation into the outcome of Miguel's . custody. 'In regard to the other children, . there's no current concern about their safety and well-being,' Carter . said. 'But in the normal course of investigating, we talk to siblings to . find out what may be going on.' Last week, Champion-Morin implied her . four children were at home and looking forward to becoming acquainted . with their long-missing brother. She said she and the children would celebrate Miguel's birthday each year and pray for his safe return. Officials have disclosed in court that Miguel, in interviews with child welfare authorities, said his name was Jaquan. They said the eight-year-old didn't . know his last name, thought he was 6 years old and identified Tanner as . his mother when shown a picture of her. The officials described the boy as . well-mannered and said he told them he attended school but couldn't read . and couldn't name his teacher or any classmates. They said there was no . evidence he was enrolled in school. CPS spokeswoman: Estella Olguin spoke to the media to confirm that Mr Morin was the biological father of the boy . The long-dormant case got new life last summer when Tanner took the boy to a hospital for treatment of a leg injury. When she couldn't provide his name or . a Social Security number, hospital staff became concerned and contacted . child welfare investigators who eventually were able to link Tanner to . the 2004 Houston case. Tanner was arrested March 12. Her . sister, after seeing reports about the arrest, called police the next . day and offered to turn over the child she believed was Tanner's . stepson. Gary Cunningham, chief deputy for the . San Augustine County Sheriff's Department, said Wednesday the case . remained under investigation and that Tanner, who was being held without . bond, was not available for interviews with reporters. | Miguel Morin was abducted in 2004 when he was eight-months-old .
His godmother Krystle Tanner has been arrested on suspicion of the crime .
Real parents seeking custody .
Suspicions they may have given him up . |
12,347 | 22fa30e139478beef19fbdbd7d41c91d16e7cfe6 | By . Chris Pleasance . A toddler's beating heart was exposed through a hole in his chest for five days after a life-saving operation to flip it over. Doctors worked for ten hours to perform the complex surgery on three-year-old Carson Ayre, who was born with his heart back to front. The youngster had transposition of the great arteries, an extremely rare and life-threatening deformity, which would have resulted in heart failure. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT . Toddler Carson Ayre was born with transposition of the great arteries, a life-threatening condition meaning his heart was back to front. He had to have an extremely complex operation to flip the organ round the right way . The serious condition meant his heart's chambers and the veins and arteries which carry the blood were the wrong way around. A team of experts tirelessly worked at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital to flip the vital organ back the right way round during a pioneering procedure three weeks ago. They then left the toddler's chest open for five days to allow the swelling on his heart to go down. Parents Danicka, 27, and Luke, 25, were able to watch and made an incredible video of their son's heart beating through the hole in his chest while they maintained a bedside vigil. The couple, who live in Carlton, Notts., thanked experts for giving saving their toddlers life. Luke, who works as a care assistant in a nursing home, said: 'We're very proud. He's absolutely shocked us. 'He was out [of hospital] in two weeks when they said it would be a month. We were very pessimistic about the entire situation - we thought this was it. 'So to see him get through, no words can describe it. Some of the children that were on the ward were just waiting to die - we were just one of the lucky ones where everything turned out great.' The dad-of-two was also full of praise for consultant Giles Peek and the team - who jetted in from London to save his son's life. It took a team of specialist surgeons ten hours to complete the procedure. They then left a hole is his chest for five days, with his beating heart visible through it, while the swelling went down . He added: 'He is one of the very few people who can do this kind of surgery and they brought in people especially to help him do it. 'We had all the best people in the UK to do it - that was very reassuring. We can't thank them enough.' Remarkably, the operation was the third open heart surgery little Carson has had in the last three years. He initially went under the knife just weeks after he was born and then had a pacemaker fitter when he was just nine-months-old. And the toddler finally underwent the corrective surgery three weeks ago - with his delighted parents able to sit by his bedside 10 hours after the operation. Mr Peek, a consultant surgeon at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital, described the operation as one of the rarest they do. He said: 'Carson had one of the most complicated heart conditions and the operation, which we call a double switch, is one of the most complex operations that we do. 'There are 153 operations that we do and this is one of the rarest. 'I'm very pleased with him, he's done very well. With any major heart operation we don't know what's going to happen but we're very pleased with how well he's done so far. 'It's wonderful when the children do well and it's soul destroying when they don't.' | Carson Ayre born with rare condition meaning his heart was back to front .
Three-year-old had to undergo ten-hour life-saving surgery to flip the organ .
Doctors then left a hole in his chest for five days while swelling went down .
Beating organ was visible through clear bandages placed across the wound .
After two weeks recovering in hospital Carson is back at home with parents . |
235,502 | bcdce00a33eb9a3286cda289b5fcdfcdf484631f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:31 EST, 2 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:52 EST, 3 February 2014 . Cate Blanchett continued her successful tour of the awards circuit in the US over the weekend despite being drawn into the Woody Allen sex saga. The 44-year-old actress wore an exquisite dress at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where she was awarded with the 2014 Outstanding Performer of the Year Award for her performance in Allen's Blue Jasmine. On the awards circuit: Cate Blanchett shone in an exquisite dress at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Saturday . The executive director of the Santa Barbara festival, Roger Durling, said: 'In her first collaboration with master director Woody Allen, Blanchett knocks it out of the park in the best performance of her already illustrious career.'We're so grateful to be able to celebrate her achievement.' It came after Blanchett was named in an open letter posted by Allen's 28-year-old adopted daughter Dylan Farrow. In the letter, posted in the New York Times on Saturday, she accused her adoptive father of sexually assaulting her when she was seven. The letter also asked various actors who had worked with Woody - including Blanchett and Alec Baldwin - how they would feel if it was their child. Honoured: The 44-year-old actress was being awarded the 2014 Outstanding Performer of the Year Award for her performance in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine . Winning role: In Blue Jasmine, the five-time Oscar nominee portrays a deeply troubled New York socialite who arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister . Cate - mother to Roman, nine, Ignatius, five and Dashiell, 12 - said she hopes Allen and the Farrow family can resolve their situation privately. She told journalist Jeffrey Wells: 'It's obviously been a long and painful situation for the family and I hope they find some sort of resolution and peace.' Responding to a fan asking if he felt he should apologise to Dylan, Baldwin - who has daughters Ireland, 18, and Carmen, five months - wrote on Twitter: 'What the f&@% is wrong w u that u think we all need to b commenting on this family's personal struggle? 'You are mistaken if you think there is a place for me, or any outsider, in this family's issue.' Controversy: Blanchett was named in an open letter printed in the New York Times on Saturday by Woody Allen's adopted daughter Dylan . Dynamic duo: Cate pictured with Rooney Mara at the festival . Woody - who was first alleged to have sexually assaulted Dylan in 1993 - has always maintained his innocence and never been prosecuted. He has yet to respond to Dylan's allegations. Dylan was supported by her 26-year-old brother Ronan on Sunday who publicly stood beside her on Twitter. 'I love and support my sister and I think her words speak for themselves,' Ronan tweeted to his more than 200,000 followers on Twitter. Show of support: Ronan Farrow tweeted his support for sister Dylan . Lena Dunham, 27, of HBO's Girls praised Dylan for writing the open letter. 'To share in this way is courageous, powerful and generous,' Lena tweeted on Sunday to her more than 1.3 million followers in a posting that included a link to the letter in the New York Times. Woody's publicist Leslee Dart on Sunday released a statement from the director denying Dylan's accusation.'Mr. Allen has read the article and found it untrue and disgraceful,' the statement said. In Blue Jasmine, Blanchett portrays a deeply troubled New York socialite who arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. After already sweeping up best actress accolades at the SAG Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, and Golden Globes, Cate is now predicted to win an Oscar for her performance, though she has some stiff competition. She is competing for Best Actress in a Leading Role against Amy Adams in American Hustle, Sandra Bullock in Gravity, Judi Dench in Philomena, and Meryl Streep in August: Osage County. The Academy Awards will be held on March 2. Cate Blanchett's performance in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine has been lavishly praised, but could Dylan Farrow's letter derail her chances? Leading lady: Cate Blanchett and Woody Allen on the set of Blue Jasmine . It may seem that an 21-year-old alleged crime should have no bearing on Blanchett's 2014 Oscars, but being called out over the issue may make voters think twice before casting their ballots. Farrow concluded her open letter by singling out stars who have starred in Allen's films, including Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett. 'What if it had been your child, Cate Blanchett?' she asked. Blanchett has been tight-lipped on the issue but addressed it last night, saying to journalist Jeffrey Wells, 'It's obviously been a long and painful situation for the family and I hope they find some sort of resolution and peace.' If Blue Jasmine picks up any of the three awards for which it is nominated, is the Academy complicit in the alleged abuse by feting Allen and ignoring his crimes? Allen's guilt is currently being tried in the court of public opinion, and it's unclear whether the Academy will take a stand. So far, Blanchett has won the best actress award at the Critics Choice, Golden Globe, SAG, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association and National Society of Film Critics awards. | Blanchett named in open letter by the director's 28-year-old adopted daughter Dylan Farrow .
Mother-of-three said she hopes the family can find 'resolution and peace' |
204,360 | 9491912dfc2842c9357afc05ab278eb8a0e4aecd | Moscow (CNN) -- Two policemen were killed by a suicide car bomber in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, the Dagestani Interior Ministry said on its website Monday. The ministry said the officers were patrolling the town of Kizilyurt in a minivan around midnight when an unidentified bomber sitting in a parked Lada car set off an unidentified explosive device in his car as the police minivan was passing by. The explosion left a crater 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide and 15 centimeters (6 inches) deep, the ministry said. The police minivan was burned out, the ministry said. Dagestan has been hit by a series of deadly attacks recently, including fatal bombings and shootings. It is the largest and most volatile of the five Northern Caucasus regions. Rebels continue to stage frequent attacks on security forces, police and civilians. In August, the head of the Federal Security Service Alexandr Bortnikov told the Russian president that in the first six months of this year, 169 terrorist acts were committed, of which 110 took place in Dagestan. In recent years, Dagestan has faced ethnic friction, spillover from the discord in neighboring Chechnya and attacks on government officials by militant Islamists, the International Crisis Group has said. | The officers were on patrol when a car bomber detonated a device .
The bombing leaves a crater 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide and 15 centimeters (6 inches) deep .
Dagestan is the largest and most volatile of the five Northern Caucasus regions . |
72,806 | ce73ce2e44afd4b714d8ded54f077852ada13a31 | (CNN) -- Here's what I want for Father's Day: I want my children to develop a passion for science. I've decided to grease the wheels. I've called the best for advice. His name is Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. He's getting kids engaged at his World Science Festival. He has even written a children's book based on relativity, "Icarus at the Edge of Time." Icarus was the boy in the ancient Greek myth whose father crafted him wings of wax. The father warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun. Icarus ignored him. His wax wings melted, and he died. Greene's reincarnation of Icarus was born on a space ship -- part of a community of explorers on a 25-trillion mile search for life on another planet. He is 14, which gets my attention, because it's about the same age as my oldest daughter. The length of the spaceship's journey means Icarus must live his whole life within the confines of that ship. "But," writes Brian Greene, the boy "had a palpable yearning for something beyond the life he'd been handed." One day the ship's captain, Icarus' father, announces: "We are making an emergency course diversion to avoid an uncharted black hole." Icarus has built his own small spacecraft. He has done the calculations. He ignores his father's warning. He sets out to approach the black hole, to get within "a hairsbreadth above the point of no return." He miscalculates ever so slightly and is thrust 10,000 years into the future. He is found by a new generation and is briefed on the long history he just missed, including the fact that the universe was now, as a result of the mission his father commanded, in an era of interstellar cooperation and lasting peace. When Greene's wife read the story to their young son, the boy cried at the thought of the permanent separation. My own son, after he heard the story, wanted Greene to write a sequel that could bring Icarus back in time to be reunited with his dad. I do not want my children to follow Icarus' perilous and lonely path. Or do I? The young explorer . Greene says he wrote the book in part because he felt the Greek myth sent the wrong message: "That if you're a courageous young spirit, you pay for it with your life," Greene tells me. "My experience as a scientist is that, in order to push the boundaries of knowledge, you need to go where people tell you not to go." It's an approach to life that psychologist Carol Dweck has found to be critical in a child's development. Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University. And in some ways Icarus is her kind of kid. Not that Dweck would ever encourage a child to fly near a black hole. But she's impressed that Greene's Icarus took a calculated risk -- not a reckless one. And his goal was worthy. "It sounds as though Icarus weighed the pros and cons and made an informed decision. He was in search of knowledge and satisfying a real intellectual curiosity." Mindset . In 40 years of studying children, Dweck has identified a key factor that makes some children more resilient than others -- a characteristic that enables them "to be able to withstand turbulence, to bounce back when they're knocked down." Dweck calls it mindset -- the growth mindset. With a growth mindset, says Dweck, "people believe their basic abilities can be enhanced, developed through hard work, appropriate risk taking, experimentation, good instruction." With a fixed mindset, "a child tends to view intelligence as a trait you either have or don't. You are either smart or dumb. That's it." Kids who have this fixed mindset, says Dweck, see it as "a huge risk to try something hard because then they may stumble and prove themselves not smart." So they play it safe. Too safe. They don't challenge themselves. When Dweck works with children, she teaches them "how their brains grow new connections every time they move out of their comfort zones -- every time they try hard things." So, Dweck asks, "How do we create conditions for children to try hard things -- to be appropriately risk taking and resilient?" Her answer: "They are the same conditions that create a growth mindset." The dinner table . Dweck suggests we find ways to communicate to our children that "we value doing hard things, persisting, focusing -- without preaching, of course. ... Even sitting around the dinner table and asking, 'Who had a great struggle today? What are you going to struggle with tomorrow?' " The more you listen to Dweck's insights about the growth mindset -- the more you realize how much it has in common with the spirit of science. It's about taking the risk to explore. To discover. To fail. To get back up when you're knocked down and explore some more. Icarus revisited . "Icarus at the Edge of Time" was performed last month by "Star Trek" actor LeVar Burton and an 80-piece orchestra in a 3,000-seat theater in New York packed with teachers, parents and students. A girl in the audience, Sadie, later asked: "Will Icarus be OK?" That's what we parents want to know. Will our children be OK when we're not there to protect them? Brian Greene's Icarus took a risk. He miscalculated. He survived. And he has a growth mindset. He is curious and resilient. I have to imagine, Icarus will be OK. Do you think encouraging risk-taking in children is a good idea? Share your opinion in the comments section below. | Michael Schulder asked some experts how he could interest his kids in science .
Physics professor Brian Greene wrote "Icarus at the Edge of Time" to inspire kids to take risks .
Psychologist Carol Dweck says kids can have a "growth mindset" or a "fixed mindset"
Those with a growth mindset learn to take on hard challenges, Dweck says . |
122,154 | 29ea3056663a84cf8f393a7c635d7cf8a598ea0b | Washington (CNN) -- Prescription drug overdose is now the fastest-growing drug problem in the country, surpassing the number of people who overdosed during both the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and the black tar heroin epidemic of the 1970s combined, the Obama administration says. The problem is so severe, the administration is releasing a plan to combat what it calls a crisis of epidemic proportions. "The toll our nation's prescription drug abuse epidemic has taken in communities nationwide is devastating," said Gil Kerlikowske, White House director of national drug control policy. "We share a responsibility to protect our communities from the damage done by prescription drug abuse." According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in 2007 about 28,000 people died from drug overdoses. Most were accidental and were related to prescription drugs. "Today, we are making an unprecedented commitment to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse," said Vice President Joe Biden as he announced the administration's plan Tuesday morning. "The government, as well as parents, patients, health care providers, and manufacturers all play a role in preventing abuse. This plan will save lives, and it will substantially lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families, communities, and workforce." The effort, called "Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis," is primarily aimed at cracking down on abuse of opioids, some of the most powerful pain relievers on the market. Opioids are a class of drugs used to treat chronic pain and include products like OxyContin, Vicodin, Darvon, Dilaudid and Demerol. When abused they can be highly addictive. Prescriptions for these painkillers have increased dramatically over the past 10 years. In 2000 pharmacies filed 174 million opioid prescriptions. By 2009 that number was 257 million. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, over the past five years, hospital emergency room visits linked to prescription drug abuse or misuse have doubled. "Unintentional drug overdose is a growing epidemic in the U.S. and is now the leading cause of injury death in 17 states," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "There are effective and emerging strategies out there to address this problem. Support for this action plan will help us implement those strategies which will go a long way to save lives and reduce the tremendous burden this problem has on our health care system and our society." The plan seeks to reduce abuse and drug diversion, educate both parents and health care providers, find better ways to dispose of unused pills, and beef up enforcement efforts by clamping down on pill mills and doctor shopping. The Food and Drug Administration will provide support by requiring an opioids Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy to determine that a drug's benefits outweigh its risks. Under this process, drug manufacturers must make educational materials on proper prescribing and disposal available to anyone writing prescriptions for long-acting and extended-release painkillers. The agency must approve all materials before they are released. "Long-acting and extended-release opioid drugs have benefit when used properly and are a necessary component of pain management for certain patients, but we know that they pose serious risks when used improperly, with serious negative consequences for individuals, families and communities," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg. "The prescriber education component of this opioid (risk evaluation and mitigation strategy) balances the need for continued access to these medications with stronger measures to reduce their risks." Thirty-five states already have prescription drug monitoring programs in place that help track how prescriptions are prescribed and distributed by authorized healthcare providers and pharmacies. The program's main goal is to prevent abuse and diversion at the retail level. Under the new plan, agencies will work to establish prescription drug monitoring programs in every state. The Drug Enforcement Agency will be heavily involved in enforcement, recovering prescription drugs, and focusing on doctors who illegally prescribe and dispense these drugs. They will also target "doctor shoppers" -- people who visit multiple doctors to secure multiple prescriptions and pill mills. "When abused, prescription drugs are just as dangerous and just as addictive as drugs like methamphetamine or heroin," DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart said. "The more we can do to stop the abuse of prescription drugs, the more effective we will be in reducing the death, destruction and despair that accompanies all drug abuse." A number of other federal agencies will also be involved in the effort, including the departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Defense and Veterans Affairs. | Abuse of prescription drugs is reaching epidemic proportions, the administration says .
A new effort to combat the problem is being launched .
Biden: The plan will "lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families" |
73,435 | d03720b7d848457601f0b245e120ec3b73ed4e7a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:56 EST, 9 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:49 EST, 10 June 2013 . A former NHS employee has described the hospital where her elderly father died as the worst she had encountered during her 30-year career. James Bollen, 92, died last week after contracting three illnesses during a four-week stay at Weston General Hospital in Somerset. The pensioner, whose family said he had always feared he would die on one of its wards, had been admitted to the hospital in Weston-super-Mare with norovirus. James Bollen, with wife Susanne, contracted three illnesses including boils after being admitted to Weston General Hospital . Jane Gill said the ward her father died on was the worst she had seen in her 30 years working in the NHS . His daughter Jane Gill said the hospital was ‘filthy’ and understaffed. The former senior pharmacy technician, who has worked at ten hospitals, said: ‘I have never seen such disregard for patients, relatives and a lack of cleanliness. ‘I have been retired five years having worked in a chemotherapy ward and know how important hygiene is.’ Mrs Gill, 53, from Yatton, north Somerset, claims her father went without food or water in the month during his stay and accused the hospital of ‘starving him to death’. She said she passed out from shock when she went to identify his ‘emaciated’ body. She said: ‘The lack of dignity and care shown to him was appalling. ‘They denied him food, they didn’t care. When I went to identify him he was in a dirty gown, unshaven and I was so shocked I passed out. ‘Nine days before he went into hospital he was told he was in excellent condition for a 92-year-old. ‘I didn’t recognise him four weeks [later]. He was thin and emaciated. He looked like he had come out of a concentration camp.’ Her father had an IV drip which was on ‘sporadically’, she said. After two weeks he was given a feeding tube. Mr Bollen’s widow, Susanne, said by the end she hardly recognised her husband of 62 years and regretted the trust did not agree to move him to another hospital, as the family requested. She said: ‘The last thing he said to me was, “Food, food.” I’ll never forget that.’ Mrs Gill, a full-time carer who lives with her husband Melvin, has called for an inquest and fears the hospital could turn into ‘another Mid-Staffs’. She added: ‘I worked in hospitals for 30 years, I know how they should look and I’ve never seen anything like it at Weston, it was disgusting.’ It is understood Weston General Hospital is for sale as bosses struggle to deal with a £3.5million deficit. Mr Bollen, who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, was taken there on April 29 after catching the norovirus. His health improved but after moving on to the Kewstoke Ward he contracted hospital pneumonia, septicaemia and boils. Mrs Gill said her father, pictured left on his wedding day in 1950 and right on his 90th birthday, always feared he would die in the hospital and claims he went without food and water during his one month stay . Mrs Gill said the family have complained to the trust that runs Weston General Hospital. The trust said it had invested £1.7million on improving staff levels . Mrs Gill said the illnesses’ specialist nurse was on leave without cover arranged. ‘I kept saying he needs his Parkinson’s medication, he needs food, he needs water,’ she said. Mr Bollen also could not reach an alarm to call nurses and was out of sight of their work station. Mrs Gill does not believe her father was on the Liverpool Care Pathway. When he contracted pneumonia it was agreed he would have a ‘do not resuscitate’ sign. He was understood to have improved in the last week and his daughter assumed he would have been taken off ‘DNR’. She said: ‘There was no doctor to talk to us after he died. ‘My dad said, “If I go to Weston General Hospital I will die in there.” That’s exactly what happened.’ The family have made a complaint to the trust. A spokesman said it had invested £1.7million on improving staffing levels, adding: ‘We cannot discuss any individual case while an investigation is ongoing. ‘However, we have scored “good” for cleanliness over the past five years. No one is ever refused the opportunity to speak to a member of staff here about their concerns.’ | Jane Gill said James Bollen contracted three illnesses while in hospital .
The former senior pharmacy technician said standards at Weston General Hospital were the worst she had seen in her 30 year career .
Claims 92-year-old father went without food and water during stay . |
105,493 | 1409de49291d07185e7ec33a9f973ae34023c13e | (CNN) -- Miles Craigwell is a 21st-century warrior. The armor has come off, the helmet lays on the side of the field. Gone are his gridiron days -- this is rugby sevens and it's as fast as it is brutal. "We're modern-day gladiators," the 27-year-old told CNN's Rugby Sevens Worldwide show. "We are out there fighting, we are brotherhood, together, we're teammates. We hit each other for one another and we have each others' backs, so I think that sums it up very much." Craigwell knows all about being in a battle -- after an impressive college career at Brown University, he was tipped for big things when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins. But after failing to make the grade and with his life at a crossroads, he moved back to Boston where a chance glance at a television changed everything. "I just happened to be in a diner and I saw the rugby on TV," he said. "And then, right then and there I called my agent and told him, this is the sport I want to do. "Football wasn't working out at the time and I didn't want to go into the corporate 9-5 just yet. "I felt like I still had athletic bones in me. So I saw it and I was like, you know, it involves a lot of things that football does; running, tackling, hitting. Just using your speed and physicality. "So I called up my agent, told him to get in touch with the USA coach, and then from there I was welcomed to try out with his summer club team, and then from the club team I went to nationals, and then from there got invited to the USA camp." Since making the switch in 2010, Craigwell has not looked back, becoming an integral part of the U.S. team -- which is seeking to break into the sport's top-10 rankings -- despite his late entry into the game. But while some of the skills he gained in gridiron have helped him adapt, Craigwell still can't get over how different the game is from the one he witnessed in the comfort of that Boston diner. "It was definitely appealing on TV but in real life it was more than I expected," he explained. "The fitness levels necessary was beyond my imagination. I ran track and played football in college at the collegiate level, and coming off of the rugby pitch you're more drained and more tired than any other sport I've participated in. "I'd say football has the hardest hit because you wear a helmet and shoulder pads -- people think they're invincible. "But it's going to hurt on the rugby pitch as well because you don't have any padding. It's flesh to flesh, so whatever you work out and whatever you have, whatever God's given to you and whatever you make in the gym is going to help you out on the pitch. "So it's imperative that you work out, you lift and go out there with your best birthday suit on." One of the biggest differences Craigwell encountered was the speed of the game and the levels of concentration. Sevens is a non-stop sport, with games divided into seven-minute halves -- a world away from the stop-start nature of the NFL. "In football it's really just three or four seconds of concentration," he said. "But in rugby it's the full seven minutes so you're hitting someone here, then you have to get up, then you might have to hit the next person who has the ball -- it's just continual play. "Whereas in football you have water breaks, you have timeouts, TV timeouts and then you go from offense to defense and vice versa. "You have to be skilled in both attack and defense in rugby, which is pretty different from football, where you might just focus on offense or you might just focus on defense." While his friends and family might not have caught up yet with all the new rules and changes, Craigwell says he has been given a huge amount of support following his decision. With the sevens circuit set to arrive in Las Vegas on January 24, the winger is hoping the tournament will capture the imagination of the locals -- although he's already looking forward to a night out in "Sin City." "The Vegas tournament is great," he said. "I mean it's Vegas -- what more do you need? "What better attraction do you need to get out there and go? "We have a great following in the States and everybody loves to go to Vegas, so it's a really good tournament. It's one of my best." | Miles Craigwell plays rugby sevens for the United States .
He was drafted by NFL team Miami Dolphins after college .
Craigwell failed to make the grade and took up rugby instead .
U.S. welcomes sevens circuit to Las Vegas in January . |
60,045 | aa92151648d79c15f38917f7305a619184d61568 | By . Damien Gayle . Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon has admitted he contemplated suicide when he realised he was getting dementia, which he blames on the punishment he sucked up during this football career. He said he would leave home and forget how to get back and spend weeks at a time in a darkened room because the pain in his head was so bad. In his darkest moments, he said, he thought of ending his life. Scroll down for video . Former NFL football quarterback Jim McMahon speaks during a news conference in Chicago where he told reporters of his ongoing battle with dementia that he believe is related the punishment of pro football . 'I am glad I don't have any weapons in my house or else I am pretty sure I wouldn't be here,' he said. 'It got to be that bad.' McMahon is one of several players in a federal lawsuit filed last month in California that accuses teams of dishing out powerful drugs to keep players on the field despite injuries. He is also part of a class-action lawsuit which the NFL has agreed to settle for $765million without admitting it hid the risk of concussion from players. McMahon, 54, spoke about his struggles with dementia and depression with a small group of reporters, including Associated Press sports writer Andrew Seligman, yesterday. He was clear that he believes his health problems were brought on by the beating he suffered as a professional footballer. McMahon playing with the Chicago Bears in 1983. He said he had three to five diagnosed concussions and, he believes, many more that went undiagnosed . McMahon said he had three to five diagnosed concussions and who knows how many more that went undiagnosed, reported the Associated Press. He also suffered injuries to his kidney, broken ribs, an addiction to painkillers and even a broken neck he claims that team doctors never told him about. It was only five years ago, after X-rays and an MRI, that doctors told him he had broken his neck at some point. McMahon believes it happened while he was playing with the Minnesota Vikings in 1993, when he got sandwiched by two Giants defenders in a playoff game at New York - and was left unable to move his legs. Eventually he made it off the field but, after just 10 minutes, 'like an idiot' decided to get back on the pitch. Another slight graze to his head and his legs went numb again, forcing him out of the game. McMahon told the reporters that despite the match-ending injury, a doctor only asked him how he felt and did not examine him. He said there's 'no doubt about it', the team knew his neck was broken, AP reports. The news agency asked the Vikings for comment, but had received no reply by the time its writer Mr Seligman published his story. McMahon's dementia diagnosis came at about the same time he learned of his broken neck. He had begun having trouble remembering names of people he'd met, and even people he knew for years. Then he started getting lost after leaving his house, suffering mood swings, and holing up in his bedroom in the dark for weeks on end, leaving only if he had an appearance to make. 'I can see how some of these guys have ended their lives, because of the pain,' AP quoted McMahon as saying. The more than 4,800 former players who are party to the concussion lawsuit had alleged the NFL misled players about the long-term dangers the brain injuries posed. The lawsuit doesn't specify which medical problems are suffered by the retired players. But it says they have included headaches, dizziness, loss of memory, dementia, depression, impulse control, impulsivity to anger, physical disability, embarrassment, and a 'loss of the pleasures of life'. And it is similar in wording to several previous lawsuits, accusing the NFL of 'carelessness, negligence, intentional misconduct and concealment of information' directly connected with the players' injuries. McMahon messages his head and neck after game against the New England Patriots in Chicago. He also suffered injuries to his kidney, broken ribs, a painkillers addiction and even a broken neck he says he wasn't told about . The 18-page document, seen by MailOnline, says the plaintiffs are seeking damages to be decided by a jury for long-term or chronic injuries, along with funds for medical treatment. 'For over 40 years [the NFL] have continuously and fervently denied that it knew, should have known or believed there to be any relationship between NFL players suffering concussions while playing, the NFL policies concerning tackling methodology,' the complaint says. It adds that evidence showing concussion causes the brain condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been readily available 'for more than 100 years'. The complaint notes that the most dangerous tackles - where players used their heads as a 'weapon' - were outlawed in the late 1970s. But it adds that the laws were not well-enforced, saying: 'The NFL wanted to keep its fan base excited by the visual exhilaration witnessing such hazardous techniques. 'Despite the NFL’s knowledge of such dangerous practices and the increased risk of head injury to the players, the NFL turned a blind eye for decades.' McMahon is bitter about the way the NFL has treated former players. 'The NFL continues to make billions and billions of dollars every year, and some of these guys are homeless,' he was quoted as saying. 'They don't know who they are, and they were the ones who built this brand to where it's at.' | 52-year-old suffers from memory loss - even forgetting his way home .
He says he suffered a broken neck which team doctors never told him about .
Now he is party to two lawsuits alleging the NFL of unscrupulous behaviour .
One claims the league hid the dangers posed by concussion from players .
The second accuses teams of dishing out narcotics to dull pain from injuries . |
189,612 | 818b2abb5519b5e2fad9389adf12370c0a1bc75c | After she appeared on The Tonight Show wearing an unflattering nude jumpsuit, Gwyneth Paltrow was lambasted for her choice of outfit. The garment clung to all the wrong places prompting fashion critics to ask, 'is this the actress's worst outfit yet?' It's a tough one to call as there are certainly a number to chose from when it comes to Gwyneth's fashion fails. Scroll down for video . Not dressed to impress: Gwyneth wore this unflattering £1,000 Elie Saab jumpsuit on The Tonight Show . Worst outfit yet? Gwyneth drew criticism from fashionistas for the outfit that clung to all the wrong places . ELIE SAAB Pre-Fall 2015 jumpsuit . Go nude . Visit site . On the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Gwyneth stepped out to greet the crowd with a huge grin...but it was a shame that Elie Saab jumpsuit wasn't a huge success. Fashion Finder wasn't convinced on the piece. It seemed to cling in all the wrong places and the style did the star no favours. But that doesn't mean that blush jumpsuits are out of the question. Because while Gwyneth may have made a fashion faux-pas with her ill-fitting piece, you don't have to. We have been scouting around for some alternatives and we think we've come up trumps. If you've got a big budget, then the Valentino piece gets the thumbs up and what's more, is that it's got almost 75% off - so get shopping ladies if you want a designer bargain. But Boohoo and Missguided have great cheap and cheerful options available, so don't feel priced out - there's something for everyone. Valentino silk open-back jumpsuit at STYLEBOP.com (now $1107) Visit site . Missguided alexa belted cap sleeved jumpsuit . Visit site . Boohoo steffy wrap over silky jumpsuit . Visit site . Kaelen rose tie front jumpsuit at Avenue 32 . Visit site . Whether it has been revealing more than intended on the red carpet or taking a trend too far, the 42-year-old has often struggled to hone her style over the years. Last night's mishap in a £1,000 Elie Saab-designed pink jumpsuit - in which she was compared to a 'naked mole rat' - isn't the first time Gwyneth has made waves in the fashion world. From her Academy Awards appearance in 2002, dressed in a gothic full-length ruffled black skirt with a see-through top - and no bra, showing off her nipples - to the sheer panelled Antonio Berardi gown worn to the Iron Man 3 premiere in 2013, with which she wasn't able to wear knickers, there have been many fashion faux pas. Floral faux pas: At the Berlin Film Festival in 2000, the actress looked older than her years thanks to this frumpy purple dress with flowers - and a lace cardigan attached . Regrets: Gwyneth said these Oscar looks were her worst. In 2002, she wore this gothic Alexander McQueen gown that flashed her nipples, left, while 2002's Calvin Klein choice, right, 'wasn't Oscars material' However, Gwyneth, who is 'consciously uncoupled' from husband Chris Martin, doesn't always get it wrong. In 2012, she was crowned the World's Best Dressed Woman by People magazine. Her stylist Elizabeth Saltzman remarked: 'She doesn't do fringe. She has a uniform. It’s simple, not overdone.’ Even Gwyneth admits she's got in wrong at times. On her lifestyle website Goop, she wrote that 'two that come to mind' are 'looks I wore to the Oscars in 2000 and 2002.' She explained: 'The first is the Calvin Klein. It's an okay dress but not Oscars material. I chose it because I wanted to disappear that year. Also, the goth Alexander McQueen I wore a few years later. 'There were a few issues; I still love the dress itself but I should have worn a bra and I should have just had simple beachy hair and less makeup. Then, it would have worked as I wanted it to - a little bit of punk at the Oscars.' Here, we reveal some of the Oscar winner's worst looks. Too revealing: Gwyneth admitted this sheer panelled Antonio Berardi gown worn to the Iron Man 3 premiere in 2013 was a 'disaster' because it couldn't be worn with knickers. 'Let's just say everyone went scrambling for a razor,' she said of her preparations to wear it on the red carpet . At last year's Golden Globes, the actress wore this unflattering dress which looked more like a baggy jumper . Heading to a night out in London in 2013, Gwyneth has a strange belt accessory adding to her too fussy outfit . Unusually covered up at the Met Ball in 2013 in a vintage Valentino gown, this shade is too bright and the nude strip looks strange on the actress who also clashes with the red carpet . When pregnant in 2004 at an awards event in Las Vegas, left, and then at the Golden Globes in 2006 in a Balenciaga gown, right, Gwyneth's baggy dresses that made her look frumpy . Toga party: Gwyneth, pictured right at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, appears to be wearing a bed sheet, while the white mini dress worn to a party in Miami during the same year, left, flashes too much flesh . Inspired by Superman? Gwyneth wears underwear as outwear at a 2008 film premiere in Paris in another daring Antonio Berardi-designed dress . Cheap look: A dress exposing her side paired with high black heels creates an outfit reminiscent of a stripper when she attended a Country Strong film screening in 2010 . Keen to show off the body she works hard for: An odd panel is cut out of the centre of her blue dress, left, worn to a charity event in 2014. Right, a dress worn to the 2010 CMA Awards is slashed in too many places . It appears someone has been at Gwyneth's clothes with the scissors again as this 2013 LBD, worn to a gala in New York, is cut away too much at the shoulders and chest . On the Cannes red carpet in a Stella McCartney gown, left, in 2008 that is slashed to the navel with unusual ribbons. Right, wearing a pink dress with a giant bow that overwhelms her look at a UNICEF benefit also 2008 . No wow factor: Gwyneth looks like a WAG in this short, silver dress and sky high heels worn to the Met Ball in 2007, which also flashed some side boob . Disco ball gone wrong: A shiny, silver party dress is not complemented by these grey tights . Not office-attire: In an attempt to look smart, Gwyneth wears a suit jacket but it looks ridiculous paired with shorts at her book launch left, while her trousers, right, are too tight and the top has odd ruffle detail . Hangs off her: This vintage Yves St Laurent dress worn to an awards dinner in 2008 is another frumpy look that hides the Oscar winner's physique and make her look stocky . Fashion fails: This dress worn to a 2004 film premiere pushes her cleavage up too high and looks cheap, left, while to the Oscars in 2011, she wore this Calvin Klein dress that looked like she was wrapped in tin foil . The dress, left, worn to the Country Strong premiere in 2010 is so stretched the fabric has ripped, while she has the legs to pull off the LBD on the right at the Ironman premiere in 2008 but it's a little on the short side . Not the best dressed: She won the Oscar in 1999 but not everyone was a fan of her Ralph Lauren pink gown that appeared to be too big for her and made her look washed out . It looks like she forgot to put a top on at the Vogue Fashion Awards after party in 2001 . | Actress made waves in an unflattering nude jumpsuit on The Tonight Show .
Fashion critics described it as the actress's worst look yet .
Mother-of-two has worn number of outfits lacking in style over the years .
Fond of dresses that cut away to flash the flesh . |
112,662 | 1d5b404f93fdbe919d25ef6e417696c583ddb795 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:38 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:46 EST, 3 January 2014 . He's a guy who couldn't afford to go to college, so he spent his days dancing on the side of a ride holding a sign for a mattress store. For eight hours a day, five days a week, through rain, snow and sleet, Cody Crothers danced and waved at motorists in Cincinatti, Ohio. In doing so, he became something of an icon to the town - always there and always infecting passers-by along Beechmont Avenue with his unwavering positivity. 'I was driving and I was having a really crappy day, and I looked over at him and he was just dancing and so happy and I instantly got got a smile,' said local Danielle Toft. Scroll down for video . Cody Crothers spent eight hours a day, five days a week dancing on the corner of Beechmont Avenue in Cincinnati driving to save enough money to be able to afford college . But on Sunday December 19 when he turned around, over 100 passers-by that had been touched by his dancing and dedication and decided to organize a flashmob . Surprise! Cody Crothers turns around from this day job to realize more than 100 people were dancing the Cherry Grove car park just for him . Not only did the group turn out to show Crothers he had support, they set up a PayPal account in his name in order for people to make donations that would go towards his tuition fees . Lisa Connelly (left) and Danielle Toft(right) are the women who set up the Facebook page Beechmont Dancing Man celebrating Cory Crothers (center) that allowed for the flash mob planning . 'So every time I came through Beechmont, I was always looking at him, and [he] just gave me such instant happiness.' Feeling she needed to do more - even though she'd never met Crothers - Toft and her friend Lisa Connelly set up a Facebook page in his celebration called Beechmont Dancing Guy. His fans soon grew from a few dozen to several thousand. Another resident, Susan Hardoerfer, was particularly taken by the young man and. 'I admire him. I was like, wow, there is a hard working young man. I was amazed he was always, always dancing,' Hardoerfer told WCPO Cincinnati. The Zumba instructor marched into the mattress store and demanded Crothers get a raise. She also learnt some things about him - he had been accepted to his dream college, Ohio State University, but couldn't afford to go. A supporter attends the Beechmont flash mob in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sunday December 29, 2013 . Cody Crothers worked as a sign artist for a mattress store in Cincinnati, Ohio, dancing on a street corner eight hours a day, five days a week. Hardoerfer then found the Facebook page and go in touch with Toft and Connelly. Together, they decided to plan a flash mob, inviting members from the Facebook page. On Sunday December 29, over 100 'fans of the Beechmont Dancing Man' descending upon the Cherry Grove shopping outlet and surprising Crothers. Blaring Eye Of The Tiger and dancing, cheering and holding handmade signs, the caring crew first moved Crothers to dance some more and then to tears. To make the moment even more poignant, a PayPal account set up to accept donations for Crothers college was put on the Facebook page. The donations, couple with Crother's dancing money, have allowed him to enrol in college for spring. 'I was raised by parents who instilled in me a strong worth ethic,' Crothers said. More fans show their signs of support for street dancer Cody Crothers in Cincinnati . Cincinnati residents who drove past Crothers were uplifted by his energy and motivation, so decided he deserved something special . In addition to that, in the beginning, I wanted to be able to let go of what others think of me. 'That’s originally what made me do it. I wanted to gain that confidence that I never had.' Crothers said since starting, he gained that confidence, and now thanks to the flash mob, he has even more more. 'The fact it had that kind of impact on others is remarkable to me and means a lot to me,' he said. 'I can’t even describe how grateful I am. Everyone who organized and everyone who participated don’t really know me. They are incredibly kind and I am grateful for them.' | Cody Crothers was accepted to Ohio State University but had to turn down the offer because he couldn't afford it .
He works five days a week standing on the corner of Cherry Grove shopping outlet in Cincinnati, Ohio, dancing with a 'mattress sale' sign .
He has become something of an icon in the town. infecting passers-by with his tireless positivity .
A group of over 100 strangers came together and decided he needed to know how inspirational he is . |
50,405 | 8e9739720bc264c371027120eee2047d45ac123b | By . Simon Jones for the Daily Mail . Norwich have agreed a fee with Stoke City for Cameron Jerome. The 28-year-old also has an offer from Celtic but has been offered better terms by Norwich who are ambitious to return to the Premier League. Norwich also moved to sign free agent defender Carlos Cuellar, 32. The new arrivals could pave the way for midfielder Leroy Fer to leave the club. The Holland international has been pursued by QPR manager Harry Redknapp throughout the summer. Pott luck! Norwich are close to signing Stoke City forward Cameron Jerome . Incoming? The Canaries are also considering a move for free agent Carlos Cuellar . Rangers have agreed an £8 million fee with Ranger for the 24-year-old after having an initial £4m offer turned down and then a further proposal of cash plus midfielder Karl Henry. Fer was part of Holland's World Cup squad that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup under Louis van Gaal and is keen on a return to the Premier League. He signed for Norwich last summer after missing out on a move to Everton the previous January following a knee injury. Going Dutch: QPR have agreed an £8 million fee for Holland international Leroy Fer . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Norwich have agreed a fee for Stoke forward Cameron Jerome .
Canaries are also interested in free agent Carlos Cuellar .
New arrivals could pave the way for Leroy Fer's £8m move to QPR . |
180,380 | 75848edf8549a03cfc836d0321a5d91da7c7cc2a | Starting next year, the names of religious holidays like Christmas and Yom Kippur will no longer appear on the school calendar in Montgomery County, Maryland. Instead of Christmas break, students will have winter break. And when Yom Kippur rolls around, the calendar will simply state that there will be no school. This new calendar won't affect the days students have off, and they'll still be out of class on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Christmas and Easter weekend. It's just that the names of religious holidays won't appear on the school calendar. The county's Board of Education made this decision Tuesday, pointing out that schools don't close for religious reasons but for secular ones, such as high absenteeism among students and teachers. The decision also arrived amid a push from leaders in the Muslim community to see their faith's holidays, such as Eid al-Adha, get the same treatment from Montgomery County schools as the Christian and Jewish observances. Though students who need to be absent because of religious reasons do receive excused absences, Muslim leaders have argued that's unequal treatment. "Currently, the thousands of Muslim staff and students (within Montgomery County Public Schools) have to choose between their education and observing their religious practices," says a statement on the website of the Equality for Eid Coalition, which has been advocating for Montgomery County to close school on Muslim holidays. "They either skip school (an excused absence) to celebrate Eids or they skip their religious observances to attend school. Many choose to do the latter. However, this is not a choice that, for the most part, our Christian and Jewish neighbors face on their high holidays." Plus, there's the question of equality. "Sometimes I don't like it because everybody gets their days off and whenever I have celebrations, I don't get off," 9-year-old student Mussa Siddique told CNN affiliate WBFF. That said, the Board of Education's decision to scrub the school calendar of all religious holiday names isn't what the coalition was hoping to see. "By stripping the names Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, they have alienated other communities now, and we are no closer to equality," Saqib Ali, a co-chairman of the Equality for Eid Coalition, told The Washington Post. "It's a pretty drastic step, and they did it without any public notification." But to board member Rebecca Smondrowski, who also spoke with the Post, "this seems the most equitable option." Montgomery County isn't the first district to remove the names of religious holidays from its school calendar; Maryland's Baltimore City Public Schools have done something similar. One parent in Baltimore County, Tracey Pettingill, told WBFF that she disagrees with Montgomery County's decision. "I believe religion is what holds our nation together, and I think it's the glue that keeps our society together, whether you're religious or not," Pettingill said. Her son, Devon Jones, saw it as an attempt at political correctness. "They're trying to be politically correct so they don't offend anybody," he said. "But let's be real here; they're going to offend a few people. People always get offended." | Montgomery County will remove names of religious holidays from the school calendar .
It was done to emphasize that schools close for secular reasons, not religious .
The decision was made in light of a push from Muslim leaders to see their holidays included . |
193,247 | 86315090aa1068857ac8c557f5b0c9b2727d2c4d | They boast some of the most famous faces in the country among their number but not every member of the Royal Family is so easily identified, as police outside Buckingham Palace discovered today. Officers had to resort to a crib sheet to pick out the likes of Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent but had no such difficulty with the senior royals on the guest list, among them the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and Prince Harry. Prince William, who was fresh from an early morning visit to homeless charity Centrepoint in London's Soho, arrived with his glossy-haired wife, who looked lovely in her festive cherry-red dress and dramatic chandelier earrings. Scroll down for video . Adorable: Prince George was driven into the event seated in the back of his parents' car and clutching a bright yellow book . Busy day: The Duke of Cambridge, fresh from a trip to Centrepoint, arrived with a fresh-faced Duchess of Cambridge . All together: 16-month-old Prince George joined his parents in the car along with his nanny, Maria Theresa Borallo . Looking good: Despite her husband insisting that it is a nightmare, the Duchess' hair looked glossy and gorgeous . Accessories: The Duchess teamed her cherry-red dress with a pair of striking chandelier earrings. Maria Theresa Borrallo is seated behind . Bold choice: Kate has made increasingly bold fashion choices in recent months, most notably the hot pink Mulberry coat worn in New York . His brother Harry arrived seated beside his formidable looking close protection officer but, ever charming, was all smiles as he was driven past waiting photographers. Equally cheerful was Canadian Autumn Kelly, the blonde wife of Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips, who offered waiting members of the public a wave as she flashed past. Princess Anne and the Earl of Wessex were also at the luncheon, as was Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence who, unusually, arrived for the event on foot. Others invited to join the party included Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, their daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and a fresh-faced Princess Beatrice who smiled happily as she was driven in. Who's who? The police guarding the Buckingham Palace gates needed a crib sheet to identify more obscure members of the family . Family affair: Senior royals to attend the event included Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge . Cheerful: Prince Harry was all smiles as he was driven through the Buckingham Palace gates for the lunch . Tight security: Prince Harry was seated beside a formidable-looking protection officer for the ride to Buckingham Palace . Good form: Peter Phillips arrived with his Canadian wife, Autumn Kelly, who looked delighted to be at the lunch . Royal wave: The fresh-faced royal even waved at members of the public as she was sped through the gates . Busy: The Prince of Wales took time out from his breakneck festive schedule to attend the family lunch . Hard at work: Prince Charles spent yesterday touring Essex before returning to open an exhibition at the Science Museum . Pretty: A glamorous Princess Beatrice, who sported chic plum coloured nails, was driven through the gate by a security guard . Cheerful: The princess, who boasted hair glossy enough to rival Kate's, was another member of the family who seemed to be in good spirits . Hard-working: The Princess Royal is recently returned from trips to Canada, Ethiopia and Tanzania among others . Ready to eat: Prince Edward drove himself to the event and arrived with his close protection officer seated beside him . Cheerful: Prince Edward smiled as he drove through the gates for the Queen's annual pre-Christmas lunch . Just as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge like to dress their son in contemporary versions of traditional classics, so too with his reading material. As the 16-month-old prince was driven into Buckingham Palace, what looked like a copy of one of the Curious George books could be seen clutched in his fingers. Written by Hans Augusto and Margret Rey, the first book in the series, Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys, made its debut in France in 1939, although the central character was called Fifi instead. When the book made its UK debut in 1941, the monkey, by then called George elsewhere, was rechristened Zozo to spare King George VI the embarrassment of sharing his name with an ape. By the time the second book in the series, Curious George Takes A Job, was published in 1947, the monkey had his name back and Curious George has remained Curious George ever since. Although the Reys wrote only the first seven books, such is their popularity, new books written and illustrated 'in the style' of the Reys have been appearing since 1998. Authors and illustrators of the second series include Mary O'Keefe Young, Martha Weston, Anna Grossnickle Hines, Michael Jensen, and Vipah Interactive. The Queen's annual pre-Christmas lunch is a royal tradition and allows her to catch up with more distant relations, who are not invited to join her at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on the 25th. All of the senior royals, among them Prince Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex are expected at the country estate on Christmas Day and appear alongside the monarch at the traditional Christmas morning church service. One member of the Royal Family who appeared to be particularly looking forward to his lunch was Prince George, who was driven into the Palace beside his nanny, Maria Theresa Borrallo in the back of his parents' car. George, who was adorably smiley as he peered out of the window, is due to celebrate his second Christmas at Sandringham next week - and his last as an only child. The 16-month-old royal and his parents are also due to relocate to Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate where an extended nursery big enough for two babies has been prepared. George's new sibling is due in April and will live with his or her parents and older brother at the Norfolk property. The little prince will also have to share his nanny, who is expected to help care for the new arrival. Carole and Michael Middleton, who have spent a considerable amount of time with Prince George over the last year, are also expected to take a hand in raising the new arrival and will join the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Anmer Hall on Boxing Day. Low key: Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the husband of Princess Anne, was the only royal to arrive at the Palace on foot . Royal arrival: Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is driven into Buckingham Palace for lunch . Nice day out: Princess Alexandra of Kent arrives for lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace today . Obscure: Julia Oglivy, who is the wife of James Oglivy, the son of Sir Angus Ogilvy and Princess Alexandra, was at the lunch . Adorable: Lord Nicholas Windsor brought his adorable sons Albert and Leopold to meet their more famous relations . On their way: Timothy Taylor, Lady Helen Taylor and their daughter Estella arrive for the lunch party . Big arrival: Prince and Princess Michael of Kent drove in with their festively-dressed daughter, Lady Gabriella Windsor . Stylish: 33-year-old Lady Gabriella teamed her scarlet dress with a pair of matching red coral earrings . Solemn: The Duke of Kent, who is the Queen's first cousin, looked solemn as he was driven into the Palace . Visiting: The festive lunch party was completed by Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel . She is almost as famous for her shiny locks as her cousin by marriage, the Duchess of Cambridge, but Princess Beatrice was taking no chances when it came to having lunch with the Queen. The 26-year-old royal was spotted emerging from a South Kensington hair salon, hours before being driven to Buckingham Palace for the royal family's annual pre-Christmas lunch. Beatrice, who is currently completing an internship, was caught up in the recent Sony scandal after details of her salary were among those leaked by hackers, believed to be linked to North Korea. Despite having endured a torrid few days as a result, the Princess was all smiles as she left the salon and appeared to be on cheerful form as she was driven into Buckingham Palace. Taking no chances: Princess Beatrice was spotted leaving a South Kensington hair salon early this morning . Looking good: The 26-year-old cut a glamorous figure as she strolled down the London street after her hair appointment . | The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were among the royals to arrive at Buckingham Palace .
Prince Charles, Princess Beatrice, Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly were also driven through the gates .
The police were forced to resort to a crib sheet to identify more obscure royals such as Lady Gabriella Windsor .
Duke of Gloucester and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent also arrived for the annual pre-Christmas lunch .
Other royals to attend included Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence .
Prince George was driven in with his parents, seated alongside nanny Maria Theresa Borrallo . |
205,564 | 9619a92c822904c7302fed0409dc22ec03e8d607 | Have you ever thought about how you would survive if the nation, or even the world, faced a disaster? For many Australians, the question is simply an uncomfortable thought, but for a small section of society, known commonly as 'preppers', it is a driving passion. Despite the hype around the term which may call into mind doomsday preachers or conspiracy fanatics, the close-knit community want to be known simply as regular people who are prepared- very prepared. Scroll down for video . Peter (above) runs the Australian 'prepping' website OzPrepper and has filled his house with prepping gear . Peter, head of Australia's prepping website OzPrepper, said that he saw the movement as a way of 'making active preparations for a possible catastrophic disaster or emergency'. 'Being a prepper is no more crazy than buying a first aid kit, its just a sensible thing to do,' said Peter. 'In general, I live a relatively 'normal' life, but prepping tends to make me more aware of my surroundings and the possible things that can go wrong,' he said. After becoming interested in world politics a decade ago, Peter became increasingly fascinated with events that could end society- nuclear war, financial collapse, electrical grids shutting down, water running out. He became convinced that it was only a matter of time before some sort of disaster happened in Australia, and decided to prepare for the imminent event. Peter said he is a 'regular guy', and sees prepping as something sensible to protect himself and his dog Minnie (right) for who he has a baby holster for her to sit in when he is bush tracking . Peter with his 'bug out bag' filled with necessities in case of an emergency or natural disaster . While Peter is prepared for large-scale catastrophes and smaller natural disasters such as bushfires or earthquakes, he doesn't put much stock in the fear of some in the community who predict the end of the world. 'There are preppers who are seriously preparing for a zombie apocalypse, but personally I think that’s absurd,' Peter said. Paul, another prepper who chronicles his cross-country travels, said that prepping is 'all about being ready to deal with the curve balls that life can throw at you,' 'In other words take responsibility for your own wellbeing. There are hundreds of likely events like power outages or job losses that can befall any of us. 'Forget Armageddon and zombies, think "company restructure" or "backhoe cuts power lines",' said Paul. After working in a corporate environment for many years, Paul decided to go off the grid, 'returning to a simpler more independent and self-sustaining lifestyle.' Peter's unit has prepping items including batteries, supplies of food and water, world-band radios, and first aid . 'There are preppers who are seriously preparing for a zombie apocalypse, but personally I think that’s absurd,' Peter said . 'Being a prepper is no more crazy than buying a first aid kit, its just a sensible thing to do,' said Peter . For him, prepping simply seems like a logical step to take in order to protect himself and his loved ones against the possibility of a disaster. 'Why shouldn't people be preppers? They prepare for the chance of a flat tyre by having a spare, they prepare for the chance of a house fire by holding insurance,' Paul pointed out. 'These are very infrequent events, and yet almost everyone prepares for them. So why not prepare for events such as a pandemic, a financial collapse or even just a cyclone or flood?' Paul said that he viewed the economy as a very fragile system which could be easily upended by a disaster, as most people source their food from companies who have it imported from thousands of kilometers away. 'What happens when the trucks can't deliver the food because the power grid has failed, and diesel isn't available?' he asked. 'After about three days the supermarket shelves will be empty and people will start looking for food. You are better off not being one of those people.' Peter agreed, saying that without power society would quickly deteriorate into chaos, which is why he has identified three main areas of prepping: bugging in, bugging out, and everyday carry items. 'Bugging in' means 'staying put in your place of residence in an emergency or disaster' and 'bugging out' means 'leaving your place of residence in an emergency or disaster, typically to a bug out location (BOL), a predetermined location that has a clean and plentiful water source, and is private and secure,' said Peter. Peter's 'bug out vehicle' (BOV), a specially designed bicycle with a 1000 watt electric hub motor with 100 kilometre range . 'In a true SHTF (S**t Hit Th Fan) scenario, driving a car would be useless, because the roads would be grid locked. Here in Sydney, on a normal day, the roads are close to grid locked in peak hour,' Peter said . Peter's specially modified bicycle has a pet basket for Minnie, his 12-yeat-old chihuaua . Peter's 'bug out bag', a pack which contains all the esential items he would need in case of an emergency, is one of his most prized possessions. From Army-grade energy bars and cooking devices, to weapons, a world-band radio, a first aid kit, and a complete survival manual, the bug out bag stays in his 'bug out vehicle' (BOV), a specially designed bicycle with a 1000 watt electric hub motor with 100 kilometre range. 'In a true SHTF (S**t Hit Th Fan) scenario, driving a car would be useless, because the roads would be grid locked. Here in Sydney, on a normal day, the roads are close to grid locked in peak hour.' 'Imagine just a small disaster, it would be chaos, let alone a full blown emergency. So, that said, I plan on using my BOV'. Paul said that preppers are often depicted as 'tin-foil-hat-wearing paranoids,' and though he admitted that a minority may be fanatics, 'most are just providing their own insurance against whatever may happen in their lives,' an attitude he encourages others to adopt. Peter's unit uses every inch of his living room and bedroom for his prepping gear . Peter has created machines in anticipation of a disaster, and is seen here with his mobile solar panel . 'Figure it out now, not after there's a disaster,' Paul said. Even for those who aren't interested in becoming preppers, both men insist that some level of preparation is essential. 'It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea to be prepared for the end of the world, but there are small things people should do, things that won’t impact on their everyday life, like having 3 to 4 months supply of food and water. And a first aid kit,' said Peter. 'Depending on where you live, you should at least be prepared for likely local disasters. Like far north Queenslanders should be prepared for a cyclone. Or someone in a bush fire prone area should be prepared for a bush fire.' Paul said that it was a good idea to consider being prepared for the most likely scenarios, to store some food and water that would last at least a few days. 'Buy a small generator so you don't lose everything in the fridge if the power fails and you can charge you phone, and maybe pick up a 50-cal Barret to fend off the zombies...just kidding.' | 'Preppers' are a tight-knit community of people who are taking measures to ensure that they are prepared for disaster or emergency .
Despite a few fanatics, preppers insist they are regular Australians who are simply more prepared .
The head of OzPrepper said: 'Being a prepper is no more crazy than buying a first aid kit, its just a sensible thing to do'
They are preparing for everything from nuclear war, financial collapse, electrical grids shutting down, and water running out to natural disasters .
Preppers recommend storing food and water in case of an emergency, and say that a large-scale disaster 'will happen' |
172,191 | 6add0d95dd519445bbeb5d0a549de186a56d1b71 | A jobless man died after a vibrator became lodged in his body and was too embarrassed to see a doctor, an inquest has heard. Nigel Willis, 50, could not remove the sex toy and spent five days lying on the sofa, unable to get up because of the agonising pain, at a house he shared with his elderly mother in Forest Hill, south-east London. A friend begged him to get help, and he eventually went to University Hospital Lewisham suffering from septic shock. Scroll down for video . Treatment: Nigel Willis, 50, was taken to University Hospital Lewisham in south east London after the sex toy became stuck inside him. The pain meant he couldn't move from his sofa for five days . Southwark Coroner's Court heard he was admitted to intensive care on New Year’s Eve 2013 as a result. Surgeons managed to remove the vibrator, but he died two months later after failing to recover from his injuries. A consultant at the hospital, Dr Adebowale Adesina, told the hearing: ‘The history was that his friend or carer called an ambulance because he complained of dizziness, weakness and was unable to move from the sofa for five days.’ It was discovered Mr Willis had a ‘foreign body’ in his anus and he underwent emergency surgery. Doctor Bernd Rose, a consultant with the intensive care unit, said: ‘Mr Willis was a 50-year-old gentleman with a history of diabetes. Together with his neighbour he looked after his very elderly mother who he lived with.’ Hearing: Southwark Coroner's Court was told that the 'foreign object' caused Mr Willis to suffer septic shock . In a statement read at the inquest he said Mr Willis had been unable to remove the vibrator which he had inserted into his rectum days before his admission to hospital. ‘He was admitted to the ITU on December 31, he had a very prolonged ITU stay,’ he added. Mr Willis’s condition deteriorated and he became less responsive, dying at 7am on February 7 this year. Assistant Coroner to inner-south London Sarah Ormand-Walshe said: ‘This is a sad case of a man who died at 50 years of age. ‘He appears to have had a foreign object which has become stuck in the lower part of his bowel and had been there for a number of days when he was encouraged to go to hospital by his friends on 30 December 2013.' Ms Ormand-Walshe said Mr Willis was left ‘fighting for his life’ over the ensuing days. ‘The main cause of death clearly is just the abdomen injury,’ she said. The coroner ruled Mr Willis died as a result of an accident. | Nigel Willis could not remove the vibrator at his home in Forest Hill, London .
The 50-year-old could not move from the sofa because of his condition .
Was taken to University Hospital Lewisham after a friend told him to get help .
Diabetic was admitted to intensive care after suffering from septic shock .
Inquest heard medics could not save him and he died two months later . |
185,852 | 7cb4a03e897256dc87acb108b563a13deb385bb4 | An online petition urging politicians to create a bank holiday for Hindu festival Diwali and Muslim celebration Eid has attracted more than 119,000 signatures and could be debated in the House of Commons. If applied, it would be the first . non-Christian religious holidays in Britain and could lead to calls from . other faiths for their events to also be recognised. As the e-petition has reached 100,000 signatures it has to be considered in parliament under rules set up in 2011. Plea: A petition to the House of Commons has urged politicians to consider having a bank holiday for the Hindu festival of Diwali and the Muslim celebration, Eid . Nationalists have complained that St George’s Day and St David’s Day are not holidays but an e-petition calling for these days to be marked has only 34 signatures. Diwali is described as the 'Festival of Lights' and is celebrated by Hindus in the Autumn while Eid is held at the end of Ramadan when Muslims break their fast. Details of the petition are said to have been passed to the Backbench Business Committee, which will consider its suitability for debate. Set up by Jon Timmis, it states: 'I believe that, given the number of Muslims and Hindus in this country it is only fair we allow them to have the most important days in their faiths recognised in law.' Backing: The petition was set up by Jon Timmis and has attracted 119, 605 signatures . The e-petition has sparked widespread debate on internet forums and social media, especially those aimed at British Muslims and Hindus. While religious and community leaders have distanced themselves from the idea, popular opinion is evenly split. Vinod Popat, chairman of The British Hindu Voice, told the Sunday Express: 'I don’t think it is a very good idea. How many festivals are there for other religions. Should they all be marked with a public holiday?' He also pointed out that Diwali is set on a lunar calender, so would fall on a different day every year. David . Jones said on Twitter: 'Now Parliament want to introduce public bank . holidays for muslims and hindu's- this is the UK don't like it leave.' Critics have also suggested there are enough problems with Easter, which can . take place any time over a four-week period as its timing depends on . the full moon and spring equinox. Celebration: David Cameron joins a ceremony marking Diwali at a Hindu temple in 2013. The 'Festival of Lights' is held every Autumn . However, Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicester, told the paper: 'Any move to recognise other faiths is a good thing but I do not think there should be a public holiday.' Graham Smith, who launched the St George Unofficial Bank Holiday campaign, has accused recent Labour and Conservative governments of anti-English bias. He said: 'They just don’t seem to want to grasp English nationalism, they are afraid of it for some reason.' Britiain has eight days of bank holidays every year, the second lowest in the world behind Mexico. | Online petition requesting day off for Eid and Diwali has 119,000 signatures .
Under rules topic has to be debated in parliament once it reaches 100,000 .
Would be first non-Christian religious holidays to be marked .
Has angered nationalists who complain St George's day is ignored . |
60,603 | ac3eb58f6c2ca0bdf350dbb584acd24de049cfc1 | Washington (CNN) -- Arizona's controversial new immigration law could harm local law enforcement efforts, a delegation of police chiefs from across the country told Attorney General Eric Holder in a closed-door meeting Wednesday. The officials, representing several major cities and a handful of Arizona communities, told Holder the requirement to check the immigration status of many individuals stopped by officers would divert police resources away from crime-fighting efforts and build mistrust between police and the Latino community. They warned that members of immigrant communities could become more reluctant to step forward and talk to police. "In fact, the majority of us believe [the Arizona law] will actually cause crime to increase," said Chris Burbank, the police chief of Salt Lake City, Utah. A spokesman for Holder said after the meeting that the attorney general had heard the chiefs' message. "The attorney general thought the police chiefs raised important concerns about the impact the Arizona law will have on the ability of law enforcement to keep communities safe," spokesman Matthew Miller said. The chiefs told reporters that Holder gave them no indication of when -- or if -- the federal government would file a legal challenge to the law. Holder said "there would be a decision coming soon on some of the federal issues associated with this," said John Harris, police chief for Sahuarita, Arizona. Harris, who heads the Arizona Police Chiefs Association, said law enforcement officials have consistently supported the use of more federal resources -- including National Guard troops -- to clamp down on illegal immigration. President Barack Obama plans to deploy up to 1,200 more National Guard troops to the U.S. border with Mexico, an administration official said Tuesday. In addition, the president will request $500 million to supplement current spending for enhanced border protection and law enforcement activities, the official said. "Any resources at this point are going to be useful," noted Tucson, Arizona, Police Chief Roberto Villasenor. "But I don't want to just treat the symptoms of the problem." Villasenor said the federal government must act to resolve the illegal immigration problem or face a "patchwork quilt" of state laws trying to deal with the issue. Arizona's law allows officers to check the residency status of anyone who is being investigated for a crime or possible legal infraction -- if there is reasonable suspicion the person is an illegal resident. Critics -- including Holder -- have argued the law will promote racial profiling. Representatives of law enforcement groups supporting the law were not included in the delegation that met with Holder. Several Arizona sheriffs and other individual police officers have backed the measure as a necessary step in the face of what has been widely construed as a federal failure to protect the Mexican border. "Arizona sheriffs are elected officials and that changes your perspective," noted Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. Ramsey, who opposes Arizona's law, said if the measure is upheld by the courts it would be enforced by law enforcement officials, despite any misgivings they might have. Ramsey and other chiefs said they understand the public's frustration and they recognize the popularity of Arizona's action in several state legislatures. | NEW: Aide says Holder thinks police chiefs raised important points about Arizona law .
Police chiefs tell AG Eric Holder that Arizona's new statute could harm law enforcement efforts .
The chiefs say the law could make immigrants more reluctant to work with local police .
Law enforcement officials who back Arizona's law aren't included in the meeting . |
21,039 | 3bb713a0554ca287af196099873f5b4ff84dcfa0 | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:46 EST, 26 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:25 EST, 26 July 2012 . A convicted child rapist sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl after spiking her Fruit Shoot drink with vodka while on bail for another sex attack on a youngster. Twisted Samuel Omar, 64, was given the opportunity to offend again after his court case for a vile attack on a young girl was delayed because of government funding cutbacks. The paedophile had been due to stand trial in May for sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl last July and superimposing her face onto pictures of topless models. But his case was adjourned until June 12 this year after Ministry of Justice spending cuts reduced the number of trials sitting at Northampton Crown . Court. Depraved: Convicted Child rapist Samuel Omar (left) sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl after spiking her Fruit Shoot drink (right, file picture) with vodka while on bail for another sex attack on a youngster . Despite Omar, from Semilong, Northamptonshire, previously serving a 12-year prison sentence for raping a six-year-old girl in 1987, he was allowed out on bail after being charged with the sexual assault. The delay in his trial gave Omar the chance to strike again and four days before he was due back in court he spiked a 12-year-old girl's Fruit Shoot drink with vodka before sexually abusing her. Last Friday, he was finally jailed after he admitted the two sexual assaults and making indecent images of children. He was sentenced indefinitely to imprisonment for public protection and must serve a minimum of three years and three months before being considered for parole. Judge Sylvia De Bertodano told him: 'That does not mean you will be released then. 'You will only be released once a determination has been made you are no longer dangerous and that may be a very long time indeed.' July 2011: Family of 10-year-old girl make complaint to police about Samuel Omar . August 8: Charged with sexual assault . August 24: First appears before Northampton magistrates and granted conditional bail . October 5: Appears again before Northampton magistrates and granted conditional bail as case is sent to crown court . October 31: Appears at Northampton Crown Court and pleads not guilty of sex assault . June 9, 2012: He is arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl . June 11: Breach of bail hearing at Hatfield Magistrates and remanded in custody . June 12: Appears at Northampton Crown Court, above, and pleads guilty to two sexual assaults and making indecent images of children . July 20: Jailed indefinitely for public protection . Children's charities blasted the decision to release Omar on bail in the first place. The Ministry of Justice also waded into the debate today by telling MailOnline that dangerous offenders 'should always be remanded into custody' while awaiting trial. Peter Bradley, Deputy Director of Kidscape, said: 'This is a horrific and worrying case of sexual abuse. 'Not only is Omar a dangerous paedophile whose rehabilitation was not effective, but also the system that is designed to protect children has clearly failed. 'The apparent failure of effective management of this case is partially to blame for the harm the girls and their families have suffered. 'There are many questions which need to be answered if the public are to have faith in the safeguarding system. 'I am particularly concerned that cutbacks in the number of trials at Crown Courts is allowing dangerous offenders to have extended access to the public and risk further assaults.' Jon Brown, Head of the NSPCC's Sexual Abuse programme said: 'As this man was a convicted child rapist serious consideration should have been given to keeping him in custody. 'He had already proved a risk to children and this should have been taken into account when he appeared in court to face this new charge. 'There are always various matters to be considered when someone is given bail but protection of children should always be the priority.' The court heard Omar was arrested in July last year when a 10-year-old told police he regularly touched and kissed her when alone. Shockingly, despite his earlier conviction for child rape, he was granted bail by magistrates in Northampton and ordered to stand trial in May. But when his trial was adjourned as a result of a cluttered court timetable, he targeted a 12-year-old in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. James McLernon, prosecuting, told the court: 'While on bail for the Northampton offence and a week before his re-listed trial, the defendant sexually assaulted another victim. 'On Saturday, June 9, an ambulance was called to her address where she was extremely intoxicated. 'Paramedics arrived and the defendant tried to drive away, but the ambulance blocked him in. 'She was incoherent and extremely distressed. Paramedics arrived and the defendant tried to drive away, but the ambulance blocked him in. She was incoherent and extremely distressed.' Officers discovered the girl's Fruit Shoot drink had been topped up with vodka. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'Dangerous offenders who pose a threat to society should always be remanded into custody while they await trial. 'The decision to grant bail is taken by the police and courts based on the full facts of each case. 'The overwhelming majority of people bailed do not reoffend and are often given strict conditions such as electronic tags and curfews. 'Anyone who reoffends while on bail will usually receive a longer sentence as a result.' | Depraved Samuel Omar, 64, was due to stand trial for sexually abusing child .
But was able to strike again after being granted bail despite rape conviction .
His trial had been adjourned because of Ministry of Justice funding cutbacks .
Jailed indefinitely for two sex attacks and making indecent images of children .
Children's charity says decision to release Omar shows system has 'failed'
MoJ says dangerous offenders 'should always be remanded into custody' |
182,154 | 77d62f8ab031e7a02cd8db9f8dbb1718c3119512 | Lindsey Vonn's tough week at the skiing world championships in Colorado continued as boyfriend Tiger Woods watched from the sideline. Vonn, who broke down in tears after being disqualified from the Alpine combined race on Tuesday, was targeting her last chance of a medal in the giant slalom event on Thursday. Vonn made several mistakes and wound up 2.67 seconds behind the leaders during the first run of the event. Lindsy Vonn (right) kisses her boyfriend Tiger Woods after her first run in the giant slalom event . Vonn made several mistakes and wound up 2.67 seconds behind the leaders during the first run of the event . Vonn, four-time world champion, has had a tough week on the slopes at the Skiing World Championships . Anna Fenninger of Austria has a comfortable lead after the first run of the event finishing in 1 minute, 8.98 seconds and holds a 0.81-second advantage over teammate Michaela Kirchgasser. Sweden's Jessica Lindell-Vikarby trails by 0.90 seconds heading into the afternoon run. There are still lower-tier skiers competing, with 116 entrants in the field. Four-time wold champion Vonn made her competitive comeback to skiing at the beginning of the year having had to pull out of the Sochi Winter Olympics after suffering a potentially career-threatening knee injury in January 2014. Vonn equaled Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell's 35-year-old record of 62 women's Alpine skiing World Cup victories when she won a downhill race in Cortina d'Ampezzo in January. Vonn will need a massive performance in the second run to stand any chance of securing a medal . Woods recently announced he would be taking break from golf in a bid to overcome his latest injury scare and poor form. The 14-time major champion withdrew midway through his first round at last week's Farmers Insurance Open in California due to back pain although he has allayed fears over the setback. Of more pressing concern for the 39-year-old is his recent struggles on the course, with his injury coming six days after recording the worst round of his career - an 11-over-par 82 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Woods is taking a break from competition golf to work on his game and regain full fitness . | Vonn finished 2.67 seconds behind the leaders in the first run of the giant slalom event at the alpine skiing world championships .
Vonn was disqualified from the Alpine combined race on Tuesday .
Anna Fenninger of Austria has a comfortable lead after the first run . |
28,596 | 511d5c3597f3b049ba4fcafcfc580ec76febe4e0 | By . Tara Brady . Paedophile broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations . Paedophile broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations, a jury has been told. Hall, 84, has pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls. The complainants came forward after he was jailed last year for a string of historical indecent assaults against 13 young girls. Following the end of the prosecution case, Crispin Aylett QC, defending Hall, said: 'I am not intending to call the defendant to give evidence.' It is said the former It’s A Knockout presenter groomed his victims and plied them with alcohol before he raped them. One of the complainants, Girl B, said Hall raped her when she was aged 12 at a stables and went on to rape her at various locations, including at two BBC studios, when she was 14 and 15. The other alleged victim, Girl A, said she was raped on numerous occasions at the same Manchester studios at Piccadilly and Oxford Road when she was aged between 14 and 16. Hall said the alleged rape at the stables did not take place, while other sexual contact was consensual. He has admitted to indecently assaulting Girl B when she was aged 13. Earlier, the jury heard that Hall told police he was 'surprised' when confronted with fresh sexual assault allegations made by two women. He added it was 'of serious concern' that they had 'waited nearly 12 months' to make their claims, which he denied. The first complainant, Girl A, contacted a firm of solicitors on June 5 last year - a month after it entered the public domain that Hall had pleaded guilty to 14 offences involving 13 young girls. Two days later she contacted police and went on to make a witness statement on August 7 last year.Girl B was asked by police in December 2012 - when Hall was initially arrested in the first investigation - whether she would make a witness statement in relation to a complainant but she said she did not want to become involved. Last October, Hall was brought from prison and interviewed about the new allegations . Girl B made her first contact with the police over her own allegations on July 12 last year, the jury was told. She gave video recorded interviews in the days that followed. Last October, Hall was brought from prison and interviewed about the new allegations. After he was formally cautioned, Hall’s solicitor read out a statement on his behalf in which the defendant said he had accepted legal advice not to answer any questions put to him regarding the accusations. In his statement, Hall said he had known both complainants for a number of years. He went on: “I am surprised by the nature of their allegations and I deny them. 'I am concerned that they have been made only after I pleaded guilty to a number of offences and then was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. 'It is only now at the end of October that I am being interviewed about these allegations. 'In relation to (Girl B), (Girl B) spoke to the police in December 2012 before I was charged with the offence in relation to (victim from first court case) and at that time declined to assist the police. 'Thereafter (Girl B) offered her support to me.' Hall, 84, has pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls . He added that it should be noted that Girl A had approached a firm of personal injury solicitors before going to the police. Hall continued: 'I am now approaching my 84th birthday and my health understandably continues to deteriorate. 'It is of serious concern that these two complainants have waited nearly 12 months after I was arrested (December 2012) to make their allegation and in the light of extensive media coverage I do not think it possible to have a fair trial.' Hall was jailed last year for 15 months after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls, aged from nine to 17 . He was subsequently charged and made no comment. Hall was jailed last year for 15 months after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls, aged from nine to 17. The sentence was increased to 30 months by the Court of Appeal after the Attorney General argued it was 'unduly lenient'. A psychologist, instructed by the defence, said it was possible that Girl B’s memory of being raped in the stables was 'confabulated' in that the event did not happen. The jury heard that therapy or dreams could produce false memories. Dr Ian Anderson said: 'The person who has the memory has a honest belief that it is true.' He said a confabulated memory could not be disentangled from a genuine one without 'external reference'. He explained that might be done with a photograph, a video recording or if a number of witnesses said an event did not occur. Girl B told a therapist that she had a 'recurring dream' about the alleged rape but said it was a memory of an incident that she knew had happened. Dr Anderson agreed with Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, that it was also possible that the recurring dream was “a product” of the trauma of being raped at the age of 12. Next the jury heard a statement from Jean Tetlow, a production secretary, who worked at the BBC in Manchester with Hall during the relevant period. She said she had never known him to drink alcohol before broadcasting or other professional commitments. She added she had never seen anything inappropriate in his dressing rooms at Piccadilly or Oxford Road. Ms Tetlow said she did not recall seeing Girl A at the BBC studios. She did remember being introduced to Girl B at Oxford Road but stated 'there was nothing in her demeanour or attitude to indicate there was anything untoward happening with her and Stuart'. Ms Tetlow said she would have raised the matter with Hall or a senior colleague if she had. She added she always found Hall 'respectful' in her company and again would have made any concerns about him known to bosses if she had any. The trial continues tomorrow. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Hall has pleaded not guilty to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault .
The allegations took place between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls .
Complainants came forward after he was jailed last year .
Alleged the former presenter plied them with alcohol before he raped them . |
109,797 | 1985775060e1c196fab2140813e2565cd77b1e7b | There are many odd sports taken up by thrill-seekers looking for that next adrenaline rush, but a new game of Russian roulette using Tasers must surely be one of the most extreme - and bizarre. The sport sees a group of hardcore pain addicts electrocuting themselves with the weapons, which shoot out two electrical darts through which courses 50,000 volts of electricity. Pictures show the competitors - many of them shirtless - holding 'guns' to each others heads, or their own heads, before firing them. But it seems the fun of the game is not getting shocked, but rather 'surviving' to fight another round. Scroll down for video . The game - named Perm, after the Russian city it was invented in - sees people shooting each other, or themselves, with Tasers . Tasers shoot out 10,000 volts of electricity - but players say it is just like being punched . There is only a one-in-seven chance of being electrocuted at the start of the game, as there is only one live cartridge in the seven chambers . Each of the gun-like weapons only has one 'live' cartridge in the barrel of the seven chambers - so there is only a one in seven chance you will end up writhing in pain. Players claim the shock is a bit like being punched. However, if a player 'survives' the first round, a second live cartridge is placed in the gun which doubles the chance of them firing the weapon into their body. As each round continues the number of cartridges increases accordingly. And if people get bored with just shooting just one person, there is the 'Love Triangle' where three players face off against each other . However, the game is still probably a more sensible option than the original version of Russian roulette, which uses actual bullets and comes with a substantial risk of death. And there is an added bonus for the winner, who gets to take home the 200 roubles - about £2 -each player has paid to take part. Very lucky players even win competitions, medals - not to mention the respect of their competitors. The winners - the last man or woman standing - take home the money collected from the 200 rouble entrance fee . If people get bored with just shooting just one person, there is the 'Love Triangle' where three players face off against each other . It is said the game was invented by an ex-champion fighter, who wanted to find a new thrill after injury ended his career . The game is named Perm - after the industrial city on the edge of the Ural Mountains where the participants live. According to local legend, it was invented by former champion fighter Valery Eschenko, who invented it after realising his days in the ring were over due to an injury. However, whether the game is risk free remains to be seen: people suffering from epilepsy are banned from playing in case a shock induces a seizure. Meanwhile, there are questions in the West - where Tasers are regularly used by police forces - about the safety of the weapons. | Players have a one-in-seven chance of being electrocuted by the weapon .
Tasers shoot out 10,000 volts but players say it is like being punched .
People pay 200 roubles - about £2 - to take part in the game .
Winners - the last player standing - take home cash and even medals .
Underground 'sport' developed by ex-champion fighter in Russia . |
142,973 | 44e7605f7e170c08f74a999d86f47176e8bf0f2d | (CNN) -- Proving there are still millions to be made off that magical little boy with the lighting bolt scar on his forehead, Universal Studios Japan on Tuesday unveiled its long-awaited Wizarding World of Harry Potter to thousands of delighted muggles. (Muggles being non-magic folk, for those of you who haven't seen the films or read the books.) Based on the phenomenally popular book series by British author J.K. Rowling and subsequent films produced by Warner Bros, the new Osaka attraction is Universal Studios' second Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. The original opened at Universal Studios Florida in 2010 -- which just last week launched Diagon Alley, a second area of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter -- while Universal Studios Hollywood is said to be getting its own version in 2016. Two stars from the films, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) were on hand for the Universal Studios Japan opening ceremony on July 15, wearing their obligatory Slytherin and Ravenclaw scarves. Early Tuesday morning, Lynch and Felton performed a mock "Revelio" spell -- a charm used to reveal concealed objects -- after which the archway entrance filled with smoke. As it cleared, Hogsmeade village was revealed to the masses of fans waiting to access the new attraction. While we can only assume Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were too busy for the honorable task, Rowling herself reportedly visited the park prior to its opening. "The craft and attention to detail across The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan is incredible and I will take away the memory of Hogwarts castle reflected on the Black Lake in particular," said the author in a statement. "I'm delighted that Harry fans in Japan and around Asia can experience a physical incarnation that is so close to what I imagined when writing the books." Butterbeer and magic wands . The Osaka version of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has many of the same attractions found in its Orlando counterpart. This includes Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where visitors will find the signature "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride, an amazing flight simulator filled with special effects. Getting there is half the fun as guests get to tour the castle, which is filled with a few of Hogwarts' most famous spaces, such as the portrait room with its talking photos, Dumbledore's office, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, Gryffindor common room and the Room of Requirement. There's also a "Flight of the Hippogriff" mini coaster, in which guests pass by Hagrid's Hut before climbing into a wicker Hippogriff -- a winged horse with an eagle head. In Hogsmeade, a recreation of the village Hogwarts students visited to get their fill of Butterbeer, there are a few shops that appear in the books/films. These include: wand maker Ollivanders, where visitors can choose their own magic wand; Honeydukes, which sells popular wizarding world sweets such as Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs; and The Three Broomsticks, a tavern serving traditional British fare. Universal Studios Japan says there are a few park features not found in Orlando such as Hogwarts' Black Lake -- as mentioned by Rowling above -- and live owls. Trying to compete with Disney? The Wizarding World of Harry Potter cost Universal Studios Japan ¥45 billion ($442.2 million) to construct. Universal says it's hoping to earn the park ¥5.6 trillion ($55 billion) over 10 years. According to an earlier report in Japan's Asahi Shimbun, the park's main competitor is Tokyo Disney Resort, which attracted 31.3 million visitors in fiscal 2013. Universal Studios Japan only saw 10.5 million visitors during the same period, though it was the first time the number of visitors exceeded 10 million since fiscal 2001, its first year of operation says the report. Universal Studios Japan is located in the city of Osaka and can be accessed by train. The nearest station is JR Universal City. Park hours vary according to day/season, visit the official website for more info. Tickets from 6,980 yen per adult, 4,880 yen per child (ages 4-11) | Universal Studios Japan's Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened to the public this week .
Mirroring its American counterpart, the Osaka attraction features recreations of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts .
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was built at a cost of ¥45 billion ($442 million) |
42,173 | 7708f7fda2f021fa6ceb00191a6665904687e683 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 10:13 EST, 11 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:13 EST, 11 November 2013 . A fire at a New York factory billed the world's biggest maker of knishes has created a nationwide shortage of the Jewish treats anywhere. A fire on September 24 at the Gabila's plant in . Copiague, Long Island, damaged the machinery that makes the company's . biggest seller - The Original Coney Island Square Knish, which also . come filled with kasha or spinach. Delis, diners, food carts and grocery stores have been short on the snack since the six-week-long shortage began, but lovers of the square, fried, doughy pillows of pureed potatoes may not have to go without much longer. This photo shows Gabila Food Products's Coney Island square knishs . The factory promises an end to the knish crunch by Thanksgiving, which coincides with the start of Hanukkah. 'Our customers... are calling us saying they are literally searching supermarkets and stores and they're all asking when we'll be back,' Stacey Ziskin Gabay, one of the owners of the 92-year-old Gabila's Knishes, which sells about 15 million knishes a year. Gabila's, which also makes matzoh balls, blintzes and latkas, sells the knishes both online and at retail outlets around the country, with New York, Florida and California leading the sales. 'For the last month I haven't had any knishes — my heart is broken,' said Carol Anfuso, a native New Yorker who has been without a knish to nosh since the BJ's Wholesale store near her Atlanta home suddenly stopped stocking them. But Anfuso didn't learn of the shortage until she visited her sister for lunch at the Pastrami King restaurant in Merrick, Long Island, and found that it was out of stock, too. A food cart in midtown Manhattan in New York sports signs offering square potato-filled Jewish snacks . Pastrami King owner Joe Yamali said he normally sells about 2,000 knishes a month. 'It brings you back to your childhood and they're just so delicious,' Yamali said. 'Gabila is square and fried. You bite into it and the potato oozes out. It's very good.' Katz's Delicatessen, the 125-year-old landmark on Manhattan's Lower East Side, ordinarily sells about 6,000 knishes a month. 'I usually get four to take home,' grumbled Brooklyn native Forrest Gurl. 'Their crunchiness, their hard corners, the mustard and sauerkraut you put on them. You can't beat a knish.' Like most places, the round, baked version is still available. But Gurl harrumphed a familiar sentiment of knish devotees: 'Who gets round knishes?' Jesse Hochberg, a retired IT employee, didn't know there was a shortage until he got to the Katz's counter. 'I miss them,' he said. 'It's something I grew up with. I like the taste, sliced with mustard. ... I always look for them, and I haven't seen them recently.' Katz's chef Kenny Kohn has grown weary of explaining the shortage to customers. Along with the pastrami sandwiches, he serves up a typical New York attitude to the ongoing complaints. 'Get over it! Get a life! It's just a knish.' | Gablia's plant in Copiague, Long Island, was damaged by fire on September 4 .
The knish's should be back in stock by Thanksgiving and Hanukkah . |
98,924 | 0b66ddf738d8dbda5921c60308a598741fd28a67 | (CNN) -- When he wasn't laughing, Joe Biden sounded like a belligerent old man. Paul Ryan sipped from a cup and looked like a beleaguered altar boy. Fair or not, those were just two characterizations of Thursday's vice presidential debate on Twitter, where a Greek chorus of jokesters kept up a witty commentary throughout the 90-minute throwdown. As with any live TV event in the social media age, the people of Twitter let no gaffe or verbal tic go unnoticed. Here are 25 of our favorites: . GuyEndoreKaiser -- Tonight's debate is scheduled for ninety minutes, but Paul Ryan is already claiming he can finish in fifty something. Ana Marie Cox -- I actually happen to have "malarkey" in the drinking game! Oh geez... Jill Morris -- The VP candidates get to sit because they're exhausted from standing up for our values. #VPDebate . Morgan Murphy -- Biden's teeth are so white they're voting for Romney. #VPDebate . The 25 funniest tweets about the first presidential debate . Indecision -- Watered-down sanctions are the worst. You need four just to get tipsy. #vpdebate . Patton Oswalt -- Ryan is a nervous Walmart manager. Biden is an irate customer with the receipt, the warranty & he's friends w/ the store owner. #debate . Indecision -- Joe Biden would very much like for Paul Ryan to get off his lawn. #vpdebate . Laughing Joe Biden -- Looooooool . Paul and Storm -- You can't make Joe Biden look bad. He is your favorite uncle. He pulls quarters from behind your ears. #VPDebate . Seth Masket -- Actually, this is like if Aaron Sorkin wrote an exchange between the Skipper and Gilligan. #vpdebate . Leah -- JOE. SHUT THE HECK UP AND WAIT YOUR TURN. #VPdebate . Sean Becker -- "Oh, I get it now." - Jim Lehrer . Paul Ryan Gosling -- Hey girl, I'm not taking nervous sips of water, I'm drinking every time Biden laughs at me. #vpdebate . Jose Antonio Vargas -- Before this #VPDebate, @JoeBiden had a Venti macchiato and two cans of Red Bull. James Garrett -- I kind of feel like Joe Biden is Kanye and Paul Ryan is Taylor Swift. #VPDebate . National Review -- Wait, is Biden yelling at Martha Raddatz right now? I thought he was debating Paul Ryan...#VPDebate . Brent Black -- I HAVE HAD A CHILD IN THE SHAPE OF A BEAN PLEASE INTERRUPT ME #VPDebate . Jeffrey Wisenbaugh -- Biden is yelling less. I think it's getting closer to his bed time. #sleepy #VPDebate . Chad Schomber -- To think, all this just to sway 4-6% of undecided voters. And those folks are not watching the #VPdebate . OK, so the headline on this story says 25 tweets. But here are some more, suggested by our users: . Bearded Stoner -- Chuck Norris sleeps with the lights on because Joe Biden can strike at any time. #VPDebate . Albert Brooks -- Biden just had a good run. I don't know if these lines I'm watching on CNN are voters or his heart rate. Patricia Lockwood -- Well of COURSE Joe Biden was laughing. He was literally debating a box of Count Chocula . Did you see other debate tweets that made you laugh? Let us know in the comments or by tweeting us @cnntech and we'll add the best ones to the list. CNN's Doug Gross and John D. Sutter contributed to this story. | The Twittersphere weighs in on Thursday's vice-presidential debate .
Jokes referenced Vice President Joe Biden's laughing and constant interruptions .
People also commented on challenger Paul Ryan's frequent sips of water .
The one and only vice-presidential debate was held in Danville, Kentucky . |
283,144 | fac3f88eac66afbc3e8c750f145ee1863815e9aa | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:23 EST, 14 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:47 EST, 14 October 2013 . Killer and rapist: Marvin Samuels who has been jailed for life with a minimum of 33 years after he murdered his on-off girlfriend hours after brutally raping a stranger . A man convicted of murdering his on-off girlfriend hours after brutally raping a stranger has been jailed for life with a minimum of 33 years for the 'horrifying' attacks. Marvin Samuels, 31, stabbed Sharlana Diedrick, 32, 16 times and would have continued the frenzied attack if he had not hurt his hand. Hours earlier he attacked a 43-year-old woman as . she walked her chihuahua around a reservoir in Brent, north London, because she looked like Ms Diedrick. The victim was dragged into the undergrowth before being ordered to strip naked and was then raped. The Old Bailey heard he tried to strangle her with her scarf, before repeatedly . beating her over the head with a bottle and tree branch. He then left her . for dead. He was found unanimously guilty of murder at the Old Bailey last week and had admitted two other charges of rape and grievous bodily harm. Sentencing Samuels today, Judge Timothy Pontius told him: 'These three crimes are all individually horrifying in the extent of the mere brutality with which they were committed. Taken together, they represent a level of violent behaviour carried out during a period of just a few hours that I have rarely encountered. 'You went out armed with at least one knife that day and by the time you murdered Sharlana Diedrick you had two knives.' The judge said it was noted that he did not use a knife on his rape victim. 'Nevertheless, you raped her brutally and beat her savagely with a tree branch and, on your own admission, a bottle,' he said. 'Furthermore, you used a scarf to strangle her.' Victim: Sharlana Diedrick was stabbed 16 times and Samuels would have continued the frenzied attack if he had not hurt his hand . The woman 'remains so traumatised by the extent she suffered at your hands that she has been unable to describe any of it', the judge added. 'It was only six hours or so later that you killed Sharlana Diedrick, the mother of your young son.' Powerfully-built Samuels, of Stonebridge, north west London, showed no emotion as he was told he would serve three concurrent life sentences for the three counts. He denied murder, claiming he was not 'mentally responsible' at the time. Crime scene: The 43-year-old woman was attacked as she walked her chihuahua around Welsh Harp reservoir - also known as the Brent reservoir - in north-west London . The judge went on: 'In all the evidence the jury and I have heard, in particular the number of blows and the force with which they were inflicted on a wholly defenceless woman sitting at the wheel of her car, I am not of the slightest doubt that you intended to kill her. Terrible crimes: Hours before Sharlana Diedrick was murdered, Samuels brutally raped a woman because she looked like her . 'Furthermore, whatever your mental state at present, there is no doubt in my mind that on September 29 last year your mind was not so afflicted as to lessen the culpability of what you did to any extent.' Jurors heard he launched the terrifying attack on a 42-year-old woman who was walking her pet chihuahua by Welsh Harp Reservoir in Neasden, north west London, at around 5pm. He battered the woman, who looked like Ms Diedrick, with a bottle and a piece of wood after dragging her into undergrowth. He strangled her with her scarf, rendering her unconscious, and then left her for dead. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was unable to give information about what happened to her but forensic evidence was found linking Samuels to her. Her naked and badly-beaten body was found when her worried husband and others carried out a search after she did not return home. Ms Diedrick, with whom Samuels had a 'volatile' relationship, was found at 11.16pm that night with her body slumped halfway out of her Hyundai car, which was parked near his home. Witnesses said they had heard her screaming. She suffered 16 stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. Samuels, who the court heard has suffered from an anti-social personality disorder and paranoia since childhood, was also charged with the attempted murder of the rape victim but was cleared by jurors. | Marvin .
Samuels, 31, murdered Sharlana Diedrick, 32, in frenzied knife attack .
Hours earlier he raped a dog walker because she looked like his ex-girlfriend .
Samuels was jailed at Old Bailey for life today for the 'horrifying' attacks . |
76,512 | d90009a354fe9133381cd9973c9747e4ff6fbd23 | By . Eleanor Crooks, Press Association . The jostling began in the bottom half of the women's draw on Thursday with a place in the French Open final very much up for grabs. Although it is the exit of Serena Williams that made the biggest headlines, with Maria Sharapova still in the top half of the draw, there is a clear favourite. Without Australian Open champion Li Na in the bottom half, things are much more open. Contender: No 4 seed Simona Halep plays a backhand during her third-round victory at Roland Garros . The highest seed left is Romanian Simona Halep, whose remarkable rise up the rankings made her fourth seed for the tournament. Last year she was ranked outside the top 50 but seven titles since have turned her into a real contender for the biggest prizes. Halep, though, has only reached one grand slam quarter-final, at the Australian Open in January, so a semi-final or final would be breaking new ground. The 22-year-old looked in good shape against Britain's Heather Watson in round two, winning 6-2, 6-4 to set up a clash with Spain's Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor. Asked if she was feeling the pressure, Halep said: 'A little pressure, but I want just to stay focused for every match, because here every match it's very tough. 'It's a tough tournament and I have to play my best, to do everything on court match by match, and I will see how far I can go. I expect every match to be difficult, so I cannot say that I'm thinking about the finals or something like this.' Through: Halep shakes hands with Britain's Heather Watson (left) after winning in straight sets . The direct beneficiary of Li's first-round loss could be 28th seed Andrea Petkovic, a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 winner over Stefanie Voegele on Thursday. The German is the only seed left in her quarter and next meets Li's conqueror Kristina Mladenovic, who backed up her big victory by defeating American Alison Riske in three sets. Petkovic said: 'I always only look match by match, but when things happen like with Li Na, everybody sort of approaches you like, "Your draw is wide open, you're going to win the tournament". 'You have to stop them, because Li Na lost for a reason, because there are other good players that can beat you if you're not at your best. It's not that your draw is wide open. 'It's a cliche to say I just look at the next round, but anybody who does anything else is going to lose.' Tongue out: Germany's Andrea Petkovic reacts during her three-set victory over Stefanie Voegele . There are five players left in the bottom half who have made a grand slam final - Sara Errani, Jelena Jankovic, Petra Kvitova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic - with the latter three having won titles. Kuznetsova and Ivanovic have both won the French Open, and the latter is having her best season since her Roland Garros triumph in 2008 and must be a strong contender. Ivanovic, who overcame a tricky hurdle in teenager Elina Svitolina, next plays Lucie Safarova while Kuznetsova, always a big danger on clay, takes on Kvitova. Pumped up: Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic celebrates her progression to the third round . Another player who will have her eye on the latter stages will be American Sloane Stephens, who reserves her best form for the grand slams. The 15th seed has never made a final on the WTA Tour yet has reached at least the fourth round at her last five grand slams, including a semi-final at the Australian Open last year. Stephens again looks to be hitting form at the right time, beating Polona Hercog 6-1, 6-3 on Thursday. Asked to explain the discrepancy, Stephens said: 'If I had the answer for you I would tell you, but I don't have the answer. Hitting back: American Sloane Stephens was on top form as she beat Polona Hercog in straight sets . 'I probably would be doing whatever it is that I do here, I'd do every week. But I just come out and play and compete, and I guess at the slams it's a little bit better than the other weeks.' Sharapova is in third-round action on Friday against Argentina's Paula Ormaechea while third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, the highest seed left in the tournament, opens proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier against Ajla Tomljanovic. | The early exit of Australian Open champion Li Na has opened up the bottom half of the women's singles draw .
Romanian Halep is the highest seed left in the bottom half at No 4 .
German Andrea Petkovic is the only seed left in her quarter .
Former French Open champions Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova both progressed to the third round . |
80,035 | e2db0b6941b1a2bc677c0ef5f1d7bd300ab4344d | Children's charity Barnardo's has admitted offering Made In Chelsea star Binky Felstead thousands of pounds to promote its work online. In a decision that has horrified supporters the organisation confessed agreeing to pay the 24-year-old £3,000 to take part in a campaign to get more people to shop in its 500-plus UK stores. The revelation came after Binky, whose real name is Alexandra, posted a photograph of herself on Instagram, in which she held a hand-written sign asking her followers to 'please follow Barnardo's' on the social networking site. Barnardo's, which earned an income of about £242million last year, confirmed on Twitter it had offered her in the region of £3,000 for her support. Today the Made In Chelsea star's spokesman said she had not yet been paid by Barnardo's and has now asked the charity to keep the money. Children's charity Barnardo's has admitted paying Made In Chelsea star Binky Felstead, 24, (pictured) £3,000 to help promote it. The revelation came after Binky posted a photo on Instagram encouraging her followers . Her spokesman said: 'Binky has agreed to waiver her £3,000 fee. Her decision to work with Barnardos was always for good intentions. She was offered this fee to front a campaign. However her intention has always been to give the entire fee back to charity in some way'. Initially the reality TV star had said she planned to donate some of her fee to a cancer charity but has now changed her mind. However, both Barnado's - which supports vulnerable children - and Binky denied reports in The Sun that she had been paid £20,000. Taking to her official Twitter page, Binky dismissed the claim as 'total lies', while the Barnardo's Twitter page said: 'Our retail trading arm operates in commercial environment & is paying £3k for campaign.' Barnardo's added in a statement that it had taken a 'business decision to acquire the support' of Binky. A charity spokesman said: 'Barnardo's retail shops are part of the charity's trading arm and as such operate in a commercial environment. 'We are soon to launch a new campaign to encourage much-needed donations to our shops. 'We took a business decision to acquire the support of Alexandra Felstead to bring the appeal to a new and wider audience. We expect the campaign to increase donations significantly and will be monitoring its impact on our sales. 'Barnardo's does not usually pay celebrities who support our work with the most vulnerable children across the UK.' Barnardo's, which earned an income of about £242million last year, confirmed on Twitter it had paid in the region of £3,000 for the Made In Chelsea star's support but denied other reports that the figure was £20,000 . Binky, a 24-year-old fashion and beauty blogger, rose to fame after appearing on E4's Made In Chelsea . The move sparked outrage from some charity fundraisers, with campaigning Tory MP Charlie Elphicke describing it as an 'insult to volunteers who toil to raise cash for needy children'. One source, reportedly a friend of Binky's, told The Sun: 'To take money from a charity to help it is morally repulsive. The fact Barnardo's is paying her in the first place is even worse. 'If I give fifty quid to help abused kids I want it to be used for that purpose – not redistributed by a celebrity to a different charity.' The fashion and beauty blogger, rose to fame after appearing on E4's Made In Chelsea, alongside the likes of Spencer Matthews, Louise Thompson, Lucy Watson, Oliver Proudlock and Jamie Laing. Binky is not the first celebrity to be paid to promote a charity. Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern - who plays Cora, Countess of Grantham - was paid £28,000 by World Vision in 2013 for her band Sadie and the Hotheads to record an album and tour the UK in return for promoting the charity. She said at the time without the cash her band would 'never survive'. Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern - who plays Cora, Countess of Grantham - was paid £28,000 by World Vision in 2013 for her band Sadie and the Hotheads to record an album . | Children's charity Barnardo's has admitted paying reality TV star Binky .
Barnardo's said it paid Made in Chelsea star for help in promoting charity .
Binky - real name Alexandra Felstead - encouraged followers on Instagram .
Barnardo's said it took a 'business decision to acquire support' of the star .
Miss Felstead says she's not been paid and asked Barnardo's to keep cash . |
180,363 | 757ed0f1acdbe7e7b0da95da3ec2f554659f10b9 | Dr. Martin Salia, who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone, is in extremely critical condition on Sunday at a Nebraska hospital . A surgeon who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone is in extremely critical condition on Sunday at a Nebraska hospital, his doctors said. Dr. Martin Salia, who was diagnosed with Ebola on Monday, arrived in Omaha on Saturday to be treated at the Nebraska Medical Center's biocontainment unit that has successfully treated two other Ebola patients this fall. Salia is 'extremely ill,' said Dr. Phil Smith, who is helping oversee Salia's treatment. The 44-year-old Salia might be more ill than the first Ebola patients successfully treated in the United States, according to the hospital. 'This is an hour-by-hour situation,' Smith said on Sunday, adding that a team of specialists is treating Salia's most serious issues. 'We will do everything humanly possible to help him fight this disease.' Ebola has killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leona. Of the 10 people treated for the virus in the U.S., all but one has recovered. After Salia arrived in Omaha, his ambulance to the hospital was accompanied by a single Nebraska State Patrol cruiser and a fire department vehicle - a subdued arrival in contrast to the August delivery of Dr. Rick Sacra, whose ambulance was flanked by numerous police cars, motorcycles and fire vehicles. Salia has been working as a general surgeon at Kissy United Methodist Hospital in the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown. It's not clear whether he was involved in the care of Ebola patients. Kissy is not an Ebola treatment unit, but Salia worked in at least three other facilities, United Methodist News said, citing health ministry sources. Scroll down for video . Touch down: Health workers in protective suits transport Dr. Martin Salia, a surgeon working in West Africa who had been diagnosed with Ebola, from a jet that brought him from Sierra Leone to a waiting ambulance that will take him to the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday . Salia, a Sierra Leone citizen who lives in Maryland, first showed Ebola symptoms on November 6 but tested negative for the virus. He eventually tested positive on Monday. The U.S. State Department said it helped facilitate the transfer of Salia; the U.S. Embassy in Freetown said he paid for the expensive evacuation. The travel costs and care of other Ebola patients flown to the U.S. have been covered by the groups they worked for in West Africa. Salia's wife, Isatu Salia, said in a telephone interview that when she spoke to her husband early Friday his voice sounded weak and shaky. But he told her 'I love you' in a steady voice, she said. The two prayed together, and their children, ages 12 and 20, are coping, Isatu Salia said, calling her husband 'my everything.' Arrival: Dr. Salia left landed in Nebraska from Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Saturday amid high security . Transport: The driver of the ambulance carrying Dr. Martin Salia, a surgeon working in Sierra Leone who had been diagnosed with Ebola, gives a thumbs-up sign as he heads to the Nebraska Medical Center . Treatment: Dr. Martin Salia is placed on a stretcher upon his arrival at the Nebraska Medical Center Biocontainment Unit in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday November 15, 2014 . Nebraska Medical Center spokesman Taylor Wilson said members of Salia's family were not at the hospital on Saturday, but were expected to arrive 'in the near future.' Sierra Leone is one of the three West Africa nations hit hard by an Ebola epidemic this year. Five other doctors in Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola, and all have died. Dr. Salia is the third Ebola patient to be treated by the UNMC, one of a handful of medical facilities in the United States specially designated to treat Ebola patients. Both of the previous patients survived. 'Just as we have done in previous cases, every precaution is being taken to ensure the evacuation is completed safely and securely, that critical care is provided en route, and that strict isolation is maintained,' said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. 'We immediately started preparing the unit and notifying staff members of this possibility,' biocontainment unit medical director Phil Smith said in a statement. Wife: Isatu Salia, seen here with her husband, described him as 'caring' and 'hardworking'. She will now travel to Nebraska to be with him . Scene: The UNMC in Omaha is one of a handful of medical facilities in the United States specially designated to treat Ebola patients . 'We've obviously been through this a couple of times before so we know what to expect.' There are currently no cases of Ebola in the United States, where nine people have been treated for the killer virus. Dr. Salia is the tenth. Only one - Liberian-born Thomas Eric Duncan - has died from the disease on U.S. soil. The cases are part of the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever, which has killed more than 5,100 people in West Africa and infected nearly 15,000 in total, mostly in hardest hit Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Despite some hopeful signs - Liberia has lifted its state of emergency and the DR Congo announced the end of its own, unrelated, outbreak of Ebola - the recent deaths of three people in Mali have fueled fears of a new African hotspot. Epidemic: . Health workers prepare to carry the body of an Ebola virus victim in Kailahun, Sierra Leone, as the country tried to combat the Ebola virus disease outbreak . Ebola outbreak in West Africa . Health workers from the Sierra Leone's Red Cross Society Burial Team 7 place a body in a grave at King Tom cemetary in Freetown on November 12, 2014. Dr. Martin Salia arrived in the U.S. from Freetown on Saturday . There is no known cure for Ebola, one of the deadliest known pathogens, but trials for several possible treatments were announced this week in West Africa and Canada. The disease is spread through contact with bodily fluids. Salia received his surgical training from a group called the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons, which seeks to train African doctors on a level comparable to training they would receive in the U.S., said Richard Toupin, of Auburn, Indiana, a fellow medical missionary. 'He is one of the best-trained surgeons in his country,' Toupin said. 'He is a very competent surgeon.' Bruce Steffes, executive director of PAACS, said Salia graduated from the surgical training program in 2008. The training includes a requirement to practice in Africa for four years after completion. As a result, Steffes said, Salia was free to practice anywhere he wanted, but elected to stay in Sierra Leone, where the need for surgeons is immense. Dr Salia (pictured, second right, with his wife and sons) was born in Sierre Leone, but is a permanent resident of the U.S. who lives in Maryland with his family . Sons: The medic, who has at least two sons, including Hinwaii (left) and Maada (right), came down with symptoms of Ebola on November 6. Tests results on Monday were positive, according to the official . 'People like Martin are just absolutely dedicated, highly trained... and doing their best in absolutely horrifying conditions,' Steffes said. Jeff Bleijerveld, director of global ministries for the United Brethren in Christ church, said he last talked to Salia in February 2013, when they met to discuss planning for a hospital in the southern part of Sierra Leone. He recalled watching Salia perform a hernia surgery on a young boy, assisted by a handyman who was not actually a doctor. He recalled Salia leading the surgical team in prayer before the operation. The United Brethren played an early role in Salia's medical training. 'He's a quiet leader,' Bleijerveld said. 'Our people still have a real affection for him.' | Dr. Martin Salia, 44, is undergoing treatment at the the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha .
He arrived in the country Saturday from Sierra Leone in West Africa .
Surgeon was born in Sierre Leone, but is a permanent resident of the US and lives in Maryland .
Dr. Salia's condition is said to be critical and he is 'possibly sicker' than any other Ebola patient treated in the U.S.
Came down with Ebola symptoms on November 6; tested positive Monday .
He is the tenth person to be treated for Ebola in the U.S.
Patients fled the Nebraska hospital as news of the Ebola case emerged .
Five other doctors in Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola and all have died . |
79,333 | e0e7bc9df810515f2cc00df2ebd85c00c0fb0aa9 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suspected U.S. drone strike killed 12 militants in Pakistan's volatile tribal area late Saturday, officials told CNN. Two intelligence officials say a militant hideout was targeted by a missile in the village of Issori in North Waziristan, one of the seven districts of Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan. Officials asked to not be named because they were not allowed to talk to the media. | NEW: Suspected U.S. drone kills 12 militants in Pakistan's tribal region .
The target was a militant hideout in North Waziristan, officials say . |
252,093 | d2447d6f276121cfc9f9488baf5b3eaa887d011c | By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 04:25 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:54 EST, 10 October 2013 . The creeping paralysis began in Emily Thompson’s hands and feet and eventually became so complete that she could not speak or move her eyelids. But the former dancer has astonished doctors by recovering in weeks from a rare medical condition which left her helpless and in intensive care. Miss Thompson, 20, was diagnosed with the disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome, which affects one in 50,000 people and attacks the lining of the nerves. It is so serious that one in five patients never make a full recovery. Emily Thompson (pictured with her mother, Carolyn) was left unable to move after developing the nerve condition Guillain-Barré syndrome - it causes the immune system to attack the nerves resulting in paralysis . Her family was devastated when she . developed pneumonia and spent five weeks on a ventilator and a further . two weeks in intensive care. But this week, after a total of only ten weeks in hospital, Miss Thompson was able to take her first two steps. ‘Being unable to move was terrifying,’ she said. ‘I thought I could not take any more. I wanted to die. ‘But after five weeks the feeling started to return to my face, and slowly I was able to speak again. Ms Thompson (pictured with her sister, Victoria, and brother, Michael) spent ten weeks in hospital. For seven weeks she was in intensive care and developed pneumonia meaning it was feared she might not survive . Ms Thompson (pictured before she fell ill) was diagnosed after noticing her hands and feet had gone numb. She has now taken her first steps and is finally being released from hospital . ‘I . am starting to take my first steps, and doctors say I will make a full . recovery. To say I am relieved would be an understatement.’ Miss . Thompson, of Newton Hall, near Durham, first realised something was . wrong in August, when she developed a numb feeling in her hands and . feet. A few days later she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome and taken into hospital. Her . family, including her mother Carolyn, 51, father David, 49, sister . Victoria, 29, and brother Michael, 27, kept a bedside vigil. Soon . Miss Thompson, who is studying to become a social worker at Sunderland . University, could not move a single part of her body. Ms Thompson (pictured before her illness) will now spend time in rehabilitation learning how to walk again. She says that for a while she believed she would not ever be able to walk again . Ms Thompson said: 'There were 10 days when I couldn't remember anything. I just didn't know what was real or what was a dream' She . went into a dream-like state for ten days, having hallucinations that . she was a Big Brother contestant and that her father had won the . lottery. After seven weeks in intensive care, Miss Thompson’s condition improved and she began to regain feeling in her body. She . said: ‘I just wanted to cry when I started to move. It was so . overwhelming because I thought it was never going to happen.’ Guillain-Barré . syndrome occurs when the immune system attacks the nerves. Most . patients develop it shortly after having a viral or bacterial infection. Treatments target the antibodies in the blood that are attacking the . nerves. Ms Thompson (pictured before her illness) does not remember very much from her time in hospital so her oler sister, Victoria, has written her a diary of her time in intensive care . Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune disease which affects just one in 50,000 people in the UK. Symptoms, including pain, tingling and numbness, begin in the feet and hands and move into the arms and legs. It can also cause muscle weakness, co-ordination problems, paralysis and even death. The exact cause is not known, but most people develop the syndrome after a viral or bacterial infection. It attacks the peripheral nervous system - the network of nerves outside the central nervous system, including the motor nerves, used by the brain to control muscles. Around 20 per cent of people never recover fully from the syndrome. | Emily Thompson, from Durham, was healthy until she got Guillain-Barré syndrome which causes the immune system to attack the nerves .
Has been in hospital for 10 weeks, spending seven weeks in intensive care .
She developed pneumonia and her parents were told she might not survive .
She has now been discharged from hospital and took first steps yesterday .
Will now spend time in rehabilitation learning to walk again . |
97,241 | 0921910e3c85b7ffa8dea9f9a0bc1fc8b12b7aec | Police are searching for an Ohio State University football player who went missing after going out for a walk. Defensive tackle Kosta Karageorge told his roommate in Columbus that he was leaving for a late stroll on Tuesday and has not been seen since. The former wrestler who is now a walk-on for the Buckeyes failed to turn up to his team's practice today ahead of their game against Michigan on Saturday. He is one of 24 seniors who will be recognized as part of their final home game. Defensive tackle Kosta Karageorge, 22, told his roommate in Columbus that he was leaving for a late stroll on Tuesday and has not been seen since. The 22-year-old's sister Sophia told The Columbus Dispatch there had been some 'extenuating circumstances' that may have caused him to be upset. Karageorge's family are also concerned that he may be feeling the side-effects of a number of sports-related concussions, the latest of which he suffered last month. 'He never misses practice,' Sophia said. 'I've seen him go to wrestling practice with a broken foot. I've seen him sick as a dog go to practice. He's always on schedule. He always has somewhere where he checks in. 'We’re very concerned that he’s not himself and that he maybe doesn’t know what’s going on.' Authorities traced the player's phone nearby, but were unable to retrieve it. He does not have a car on campus and he wasn't on his motorbike, leading authorities to believe he took public transport or is still on foot. Karageorge's family are also concerned that he may be feeling the side-effects of a number of sports-related concussions, the latest of which he suffered last month . Karageorge played in one game this year, against Penn State. He was credited with one assisted tackle. Sophia also told the paper that he does not have his identification on him because his girlfriend has his wallet. The athlete is 6ft 5in, weighs 285 pounds and has a shaved head. The athlete was a wrestler for the university before he started as a walk-on defensive tackle. He has played one game this season against Penn State . | Kosta Karageorge, 22, told his roommate that he was going for a walk .
Has not been seen at the Columbus campus since he left the apartment .
His sister said there are 'extenuating circumstances' that could've upset him .
Family say he may 'not be himself' because of concussions he has suffered . |
162,302 | 5dd6f50f8db7450caa8bb3406a3d3f81c6e176d4 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 16:15 EST, 3 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:35 EST, 3 September 2012 . Anger: Pauline Hayes is furious over husband Allan's treatment . An elderly dementia sufferer has been forced to move seven times in just over a year, leaving his wife fuming. Pauline Hayes says she often finds husband Allan, 73, in tears when she visits him at his care home in Leeds. The 72-year-old is furious that Allan has been moved from a purpose built unit because of a reorganisation within the local NHS Trust. Allan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2006 and his wife of 41 years cared for him in their home until last June. He . has since been moved seven times something which has upset both him and . Pauline as she says his condition means he needs to be settled. Allan . was first taken into a mental health in-patient facility called The . Mount in Leeds but was able to return home after several weeks. He . was forced to return following a water infection and was then . transferred to an assessment bed in a care home, then back into . hospital, then a different care home. Most recently he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act for the third time and moved to Asket Croft. Pauline . said the facility, which was purpose built for dementia patients, was . ideal to meet his needs but unfortunately Allan was moved back to The . Mount in early August. It followed a decision made by Leeds and York Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health care in Leeds, to centralise in-patient dementia services there as part of a plan to create a ‘centre of excellence for older people’ and Asket Croft is to be redeveloped as a community hub for mental health services in east Leeds. Alzheimer's patient Allan has been moved seven times in a year from care homes to hospitals and hos wife Pauline says she often finds him in tears . Mrs Hayes say that although the care provided at The Mount is good, the facilities are not and she questioned the judgement of moving patients away from a specially built facility. ‘The Mount does not have the lovely facilities that this purpose-built building had. ‘I want to know why they are closing these places but then re-opening them to someone else.’ ‘It’s terrible. I know he’s safe at The Mount but it’s only a stopping place.’ She said it was devastating to see the . ‘gentleman’ with whom she has four children and share six grandchildren . and two great grandchildren become a different person because of the . disease. ‘Even last year he would say “I know it’s hard for you.” ‘Then this plateau drops and their mind just goes. It’s a horrible, nasty illness.’ Change: Pauline says her husband has been crippled by the 'horrible' illness, right, and is not the gentleman he was, left . A spokesman for Leeds and York . Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘The service at The Mount offers . far more treatment and activity and has access to the skills and . experience needed including medical and pharmacy provision. ‘The . trust has also reinvested a large resource in both memory services, . which will ensure that the need for beds reduces over time, and care . home services, so staff can support those with more complex needs who go . into long term care. ‘Due . to an increasingly ageing population we need to ensure we focus on . earlier detection rather than waiting for people in crisis who then need . a bed.’ The spokesman added that the trust accepted more could be done to improve facilities at The Mount. Back in the days: Pauline and Allan pictured in the seventies . | Alzheimer patient Allan Hayes, 73, has moved seven times since June 2011 .
'Reorganisation' within NHS Trust has led to facilities being redeveloped . |
106,345 | 152846308f32f15a49db662232d3fa3493ea8384 | The rapper with loose connections to hip-hop's famed Wu-Tang Clan who cut his penis off before jumping off a second-floor balcony last week was high on PCP, it was revealed Friday. Additionally, Andre Johnson - whose stage name is Christ Bearer - posted on social media that he feels 'blessed;' after he used a serrated steak knife to cut off his genitals before jumping from the balcony of a North Hollywood apartment building about 1 a.m. Wednesday. Police officers who were called to the apartment tried to talk Johnson off of the balcony before he said 'OK' and jumping. PCP: Despite initial reports that drugs weren't involved, it was revealed Friday that Johnson had PCP in his system when he cut off his penis and jumped off a balcony . Johnson was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where doctors weren't able to reattach his severed penis. The day after the grisly incident, Johnson posted 'Peace -- feeling blessed' on his Facebook page, according to TMZ. The post has since been deleted. Johnson . is in the group Northstar. The act was discovered by Wu-Tang producer . and rapper RZA in 1998. He produced their 2004 debut album RZA Presents . Northstar. Since the incident, the Wu-Tang Clan has distanced themselves from the troubled rapper, with RAZA releasing a statement saying he has had nothing to do with Northstar for years. Rapper . friends told TMZ about the incident, saying happened so quickly, that . by the time friends made it to the ground floor, Mr Johnson was on his . feet and 'running around screaming', the site reported. 'If . this behavior is attributed to drugs of such we hope he gets help in . this as well. However none of this is Of Tribute to the Wutang clan . movement, way of life or legacy.' Rapper . friends told TMZ it all happened so quickly, that . by the time friends made it to the ground floor, Mr Johnson was on his . feet and 'running around screaming', the site reported. | Andre Johnson was rushed to hospital along with his penis on Wednesday after he jumped from a second-floor balcony at a building in Hollywood .
Doctors were unable to reattach the penis .
Friends said Mr Johnson 'acted without warning and no hard drugs were involved' although he is believed to have mental health problems .
It was revealed Friday that Johnson had PCP in his system .
Johnson posted on Facebook after the incident that he now feels 'blessed' |
11,666 | 21265d0e93f78e23f1d933a076ceb0a1c81bb12a | By . Alex Finnis . They may be one of the world's favourite pets, but it appears not everyone loves looking after cats - after five tiny kittens were found abandoned in a battered suitcase, with one stuck in the zip. The adorable nine-week-old cats were discovered In Cardiff when a passer-by opened the suitcase - and saw the five sets of eyes staring up at him. One had been stuck in the zip, another had a sore right eye and all five had dirty fur and fleas, but they were otherwise in a healthy condition. Purrked up: Five adorable kittens have been saved from a suitcase in a Cardiff back street . Ouch: One of the cute little cats was stuck in the zip and another had a sore right eye . The kittens are mostly white and have black and ginger markings. Three are male and two are female. They were found dumped on Clive Street in Grangetown, Cardiff, and the RSPCA are appealing for any information on the moggies. RSPCA animal collection officer Rachel Chapman said: 'They are lovely kittens. It is just so sad that someone has just left them. Saved: The RSPCA will make the kittens available for re-homing if the original owners do not come forward . Cute: There are three males and two females. All are mostly white with ginger and black markings . Help: Anyone with information about this incident should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 . 'We would rather the person called us first instead of just being irresponsible and abandoning their pets. 'The cats have been placed into our care and will be made available for re-homing if the owners do not come forward.' Anyone with information about this incident should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. Spotted: Google Street View of Clive Street in Grangetown, Cardiff . | Adorable kittens discovered by passer-by on Cardiff back street .
They had dirty fur and fleas, and one had a sore right eye .
RSPCA is appealing for information and plans to re-home the cats . |
40,304 | 71c164386eec16aa0b16929bb7fc2ad28b86730a | (CNN) -- Senegal's Demba Ba scored twice on a dream debut as English FA Cup holders Chelsea won 5-1 at Southampton in their third round tie Saturday. Ba was one of the first big signings of the January transfer window and immediately proved his worth after his new side had fallen behind to their English Premier League (EPL) counterparts through an early Jay Rodriguez goal at St Mary's. He equalized as he touched home Juan Mata's shot before Victor Moses made it 2-1 and Branislav Ivanovic headed a third. Ba's second and his team's fourth after an Eden Hazard assist sealed victory, which was rounded off by a penalty from Frank Lampard late on. The FA Cup is football's oldest cup competition, dating back to 1871, and Chelsea have a superb recent record in the competition, winning four of the last six stagings, including a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Wembley to lift the famous trophy last year. Interim manager Rafa Benitez, criticized for resting key players as they lost 1-0- to QPR in midweek, was delighted Ba led the way as they got back on track. "It is always important for a striker to score goals, but more than just the goals was his contribution for the team," Benitez told ITV Sport. Ba's former side Newcastle United became the first high profile team to exit a competition famous for upsets. They were beaten 2-0 at second flight Brighton, who had also put them out last year. Goals in each half from Andrea Orlandi and Will Hoskins put the skids under Alan Pardew's men, who have slipped alarmingly down the EPL in recent weeks and have a lengthy injury list. A sorry afternoon was rounded off when striker and captain Shola Ameobi was sent off for a second yellow card. The other big upsets saw non-league Luton put out second flight Wolves, while Cardiff, who look set for promotion to the EPL, were beaten 2-1 by lowly Macclesfield. EPL leaders Manchester United, the record 11 time winners of the competition, were also close to going out at West Ham in the late kick off. They trailed 2-1 at Upton Park after a pair of headed goals by James Collins, but the prolific Robin van Persie, on as a late substitute, equalized in injury time. The Dutchman converted after a superb crossfield pass from veteran Ryan Giggs. Tom Cleverley put United ahead in the 23rd minute, but new Hammers signing Joe Cole provided two fine crosses for Collins to give the home side the lead. Tottenham Hotspur, among the favorites for the competition, thrashed third flight Coventry 3-0 at White Hart Lane. Spurs were shocked by Coventry in a famous 1987 final, but there was to be no repeat as United States international Clint Dempsey scored twice in the first half. Gareth Bale, returning after suspension, grabbed the other to confirm his fine form for the side managed by former Porto and Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas. EPL champions Manchester City also eased through with a 3-0 home win over Watford. Mario Balotelli, under the spotlight after his training ground tussle with manager Roberto Mancini, came off the bench to set up the third for Marcos Lopes. In Spain, La Liga resumed after a Christmas break and Deportivo La Coruna made a great start under new coach Domingos Paciencia with a 1-0 win over fourth-placed Malaga. A second-half Luis Pizzi strike took the off the bottom of the standings. Leaders Barcelona are in action Sunday. In Serie A, Lazio cut the gap on leaders Juventus to five points with a dramatic 2-1 win over nine-man Cagliari. Abdoulay Konko's 79th minute strike equalized Marco Sau's opener for Cagliari before a late penalty from Antonio Candreva sealed the three points. Cagliari had goalkeeper Michael Agazzi and midfielder Andrea Cossu sent off in the penalty incident. | Demba Ba double as FA Cup holders Chelsea win 5-1 at Southampton .
Ba's old side Newcastle shocked by second flight Brighton .
Robin van Persie late equalizer for Manchester United at West Ham .
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City ease through . |
127,908 | 3157cedaf443a33d2abfeb9a5a7f38cb6237e2e0 | There was not a hairdryer in sight but there was plenty of hair standing on the backs of necks. ‘I went into a sort of trance listening to him,’ said Rory McIlroy, perhaps explaining what happened to certain referees at Old Trafford over the years. McIlroy was speaking on the morning after the highlight of his Ryder Cup week so far, the presence in the European team room at Gleneagles of Britain’s finest-ever football manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Rory McIlroy has admitted he was 'in a trance' during Sir Alex Ferguson's motivational speech . World No 1 McIlroy is preparing for the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles with the European team . Sir Alex Ferguson has been used to be giving motivational speeches during his time at Old Trafford . The great man went into fine detail about how to deal with the mantle of favouritism, and how he made Old Trafford a fortress. ‘He talked about how when teams went there it was very hard for them to compete and how we’re slight favourites for a reason and we should embrace it,’ said McIlroy. ‘I was looking up at him and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I’m just listening and thinking this is all the stuff he’s probably said to all the great Man United teams over the years. ‘He told us a couple of stories about his experience in big matches, and we got to ask him questions about what he thought was a key element to being successful as a team. ‘He’s just a very inspirational man when he talks. He’s got a lot of authority and the room just goes quiet and everyone listens.’ Not everyone was quite as rapt as the big United fan, of course. Not with fans of Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich represented among the other 11 team members. ‘Believe me, they let it be known that not everyone in the room was a Manchester United fan,’ said McIlroy. Real Madrid fan Sergio Garcia probably spoke for the rest. ‘Given who I support you’ll appreciate I’m probably not his biggest fan in the world, but I think when you have the chance to listen to somebody who has been up there in sports, it’s always interesting to pick their brain,’ he said. ‘He was fascinating and I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re glad we got to know him a little better.’ It wasn’t just the players Ferguson addressed. He had a little banter with the caddies as well. ‘As you can imagine, he enjoyed all that,’ said Europe captain Paul McGinley, who hatched the idea some months ago. ‘I was upstairs at the time having a rules meeting and even though it was one floor down and five rooms across, I could hear the laughter coming up. It went very well.’ McIlroy is a huge Man United fan and said the former manager's speech was inspirational . McIlroy takes part in a practice session at Gleneagles Golf Course on Tuesday . Ferguson's entrance at Gleneagles was supposed to be a surprise, according to captain Paul McGinley . Day two of official practice and plenty of pairings that will see service during the Ryder Cup itself were in action on both sides. Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson were in tandem, as were Thomas Bjorn and Stephen Gallacher. Graeme McDowell and Victor Dubuisson got another trial runout together, while Henrik Stenson played with Justin Rose. It is what will happen with the other four players that is particularly interesting — McIlroy, Garcia, Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer. All four will surely see action on the first morning but who will be paired with whom? Will McGinley take the high-profile option and go for McIlroy and Poulter, with the former playing with Kaymer in the foursomes after lunch? Just as he has all week, McIlroy had a new driver in the bag yesterday and was quick to allay any fears that it represented a gamble. ‘This is a driver that I have been actually using and practising with since June, and I wouldn’t be putting it in the bag if I didn’t feel it was better,’ he said. ‘It’s the only driver I have been practising with, so I think that probably gives a clear idea of what is going to happen.’ As for the Americans, captain Tom Watson’s selections appear cast in stone. For the second day running he sent them out in the same order. You’ve got the A team of Keegan Bradley (left) and Phil Mickelson. Masters champion Bubba Watson will partner Webb Simpson and Rickie Fowler will team up with rookie Jimmy Walker. Veteran Jim Furyk has been paired with another debutant, Patrick Reid. Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan will see action together, as will Matt Kuchar and Jordan Spieth. To be fair to Watson, all make perfect sense, but it does lead to the question of where’s the Plan B if things are not going to plan. The action unfolded on a sublime autumn day and was played out before a vast crowd. Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond turned up, looking none too bruised from last week’s experience. What Salmond and the organisers would give for three days of such weather come tomorrow. This particular course at Gleneagles might be far from a masterpiece but it is clear it is going to be a great Ryder Cup course, with fabulous viewing spots for spectators and sumptuous glimpses of the amazing scenery. Only one day to go now, and Mickelson has raised the stakes deliciously with his tasty, barbed attack on McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, while poking fun at Europe’s supposedly superior team spirit. All we need now to complete the scene is for Rory and Phil to be drawn to play against one another tomorrow morning. Wouldn’t that set the Ryder Cup alight? VIDEO Monty's Europe . | McIlroy says speech was inspirational ahead of the crucial tournament .
World No 1 is a huge Manchester United fan and admits he was in a trance .
McIlroy has a new driver in his bag ahead of the weekend . |
247,252 | cbf9dd85b6c70d2721c1270787843801c51c9537 | (CNN) -- A truck carrying nearly 400 sheep tipped over while on an Australia overpass, sending the helpless animals tumbling down on shocked drivers below, CNN affiliate Network Ten reported. The incident occurred Thursday night in Laverton North near Melbourne. "We looked up and we could see the truck flip on its side and then the next minute, we were underneath and yeah, raining sheep doesn't happen everyday," said Kristy Davis, a witness. Hannah Sidebottom, another witness, said the incident was a surprise. "I saw them coming down like a mountain of, it looked like dirt but obviously wasn't, and then, there was nothing we could do they were literally on top of us," she told the affiliate. Only one person was hospitalized, but the sheep did not fare as well. Less than 10 of them are expected to survive. Animal welfare officials said the road was littered with dead and dying sheep. "They were confronted with a very horrific, very distressing sight," the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. | Hundreds of sheep die after the accident near Melbourne .
One person is taken to the hospital .
"I saw them coming down like a mountain," a witness says . |
278,534 | f4ce76c6cfbc32c4c00097be7c63a8f872d7857f | Washington (CNN) -- An American held in Qatar in the death of his adopted daughter stood up and yelled, "You lie! You lie!" after a Qatari prosecutor told a court that Matthew Huang and his wife, Grace, had let their daughter starve to death. "This court is a sham," Matthew Huang said after the rare dramatic outburst, evidence of his frustration at being convicted of killing his own daughter on what he and his wife say are trumped-up charges. Their best hope now may be that the U.S. government applies diplomatic pressure to free them. The couple pleaded with the U.S. government to end their two-year legal nightmare, warning that without direct American intervention, they will be falsely imprisoned once again. "We feel kidnapped and trapped. It feels like there is no end to this," Matthew Huang said Monday, after the appeals court hearing ended without his release. The Huangs are appealing their conviction, which has garnered international attention and raised questions in the media about the prosecution and overall fairness of the Qatari justice system. The case puts the United States in a difficult situation with a close ally with whom it is working on hot-button issues in the Middle East. Qatar is helping the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS and is hosting many countries' forces involved in airstrikes. The Qatari government was instrumental in securing Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release from the Taliban. And the U.S. is involved in several lucrative arms deals with Qatar, one of which was announced the very day the Huangs were convicted. But the Obama administration has expressed concern about the fairness of the legal proceedings and has slowly upped the pressure on the Qatari government to resolve the case and allow the couple to return to the United States. This month, the State Department issued a statement calling on the Qatari government to "immediately" lift the Huangs' travel ban and bring the case to an "expeditious and just conclusion." And on Monday, State Department Deputy Spokesman Marie Harf urged Qatar to allow the Huangs "to return to the United States on a humanitarian basis to be united with their children and family." 'We have to respect the judicial process' The court set November 30 to decide whether to grant the defense request to overturn the conviction, or to grant the prosecution's request that the full sentence of up to 3 years in prison be upheld. "One thing today did is help confirm that this is not about a legal court process and the solution is not going to come from the court. It has to come from U.S. intervention." said Eric Volz, who heads the firm David House Agency that is assisting with the Huangs' case. Citing numerous violations of due process, Volz added that "we have no reason to have any faith in the court system that is already broken." Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari, the Qatari ambassador to the United States, told CNN in an interview that his government had "full confidence in the integrity of the Qatari justice system." "We understand this has a human aspect. We understand their family is waiting for them, and we sympathize with that. But we cannot deny there is a death in this case. There was a death of a little girl, and now, the case is in the court. We have to have respect in the judicial process." Dispute about child's cause of death . When their 8-year-old daughter, Gloria, died in January 2013, the Huangs were immediately arrested and accused of starving her to death. Matthew Huang was employed in Doha by an international company working on construction projects for the 2022 World Cup. The Huangs have maintained their daughter suffered from an eating disorder. After a lengthy trial, they were convicted of endangering the life of their child. After spending a year in prison, they were released on bail in November 2013. In April, they were sentenced to another three years in prison, and they are prohibited from leaving Qatar during their appeal. U.S. officials have privately expressed confidence in the Huangs' innocence, calling the case a "sham." But the Obama administration has sought to exhaust all legal proceedings before seeking the Qatari government's direct intervention in the case. A United Nations official investigating the justice system in Qatar has also called attention to the Huangs' case and urged the government to send them home. A report by pathologists hired by the defense, obtained by CNN, says they found no evidence that tissue samples were taken from Gloria's body after her death, even though Qatari investigators submitted an autopsy report. Advocates for the Huangs suggested the lab report was fabricated and said their request with the Qatari judiciary for a formal investigation has gone unanswered. 'This place ... is not safe for Americans' At Monday's hearing, the Huangs' defense attorney attempted to cross-examine the forensic doctor about the suspicious autopsy report but was cut off by the presiding judge. "Today's court shows a disregard and a disrespect for the call of the U.S. government for a just and judicious process," said Grace Huang's brother, Daniel Chin. "This place, Qatar, is not safe for Americans." Volz, the advocate for the Huangs, said he was surprised by the "audacity" of the court at Monday's hearing and fears that without direct involvement of the U.S. government, the couple has no chance of being released soon. "They are completely depending on the U.S. movement to take aggressive action to secure their release," he said. U.S. officials said they continue to raise the case with the highest levels of the Qatari government. Most recently, Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the issue with the Emir of Qatar on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The officials say they are hopeful that the appeal will result in the court releasing the Huangs before November 30. But they acknowledge that if that doesn't happen, the administration will need to become more directly involved. "We are hopeful the Qatari justice system will work, but barring that, there has to be a way to get these people home to their children," a senior official said. "The Huangs have been through enough." Al Kuwari, the Qatari ambassador, said the case is "not a political issue" and the government cannot interfere with the court. But he said the government did not want to let the case affect his country's ties with Washington. "Of course we don't want this to affect our bilateral relations," he told CNN. "We have to respect the integrity of the court until the decision, and then hopefully, this problem will be solved." | An appeals court hearing ends without the release of Matthew and Grace Huang .
The couple seeks U.S. intervention after their conviction on child endangerment charge .
Conviction draws world's attention, raises questions about Qatari justice system's fairness .
The case puts U.S. in a difficult spot with a close ally with whom it is working on Mideast issues . |
201,300 | 90a5ee9fccc7cc3dffcf686ddd2f0a7a4fa5b3be | Forget all the bells and whistles of today’s smartphones, these high-tech models are being abandoned in favour of the flip and ‘brick’ style devices of the 1980s and 90s. Celebrities including Anna Wintour, Rihanna and Kate Beckinsale have all been spotted on vintage handsets in recent months. So much so, there are now even crossover devices designed to look like retro handsets but with many of the functionalities of modern-day smartphones. Earlier this year, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour (pictured) was spotted using a flip phone at the US Open in New York. It was believed to cost just $15 (£10) In particular, the Binatone Brick resembles the Motorola’s DynaTAC device from 1984. It can be used for calls, when used with a pay-as-you-go or contract SIM card, and it also connects to smartphones over Bluetooth. The £28 device even has a version of Snake installed. Demand for these old-school phones is so high, some models of old Nokias, Ericssons and Motorolas are fetching up to €1,000 (£810 or $1,360) a piece online. While they may lack features, these retro phones are simple to use, have batteries that last the week and are practically indestructible compared to their smartphone equivalent. The popularity is so high, there are even crossover devices designed to look like retro handsets but with many of the functionalities of modern-day smartphones. In particular, the Binatone Brick (left) resembles Motorola’s 1984 DynaTAC (right). It can be used for calls and also connects to smartphones over Bluetooth . Other celebrities including singer Rihanna (pictured left) and actress Kate Beckinsale (pictured right) have also recently been spotted using flip phones in place of modern smartphones . Demand for these old-school phones is so high, some models of old Nokias (Nokia 8210 pictured), Ericssons and Motorolas are fetching up to €1,000 (£810 or $1,360) a piece. While they lack features, these retro phones are simple to use, have batteries that last the week and are practically indestructible . ‘Some people don't blink at the prices,’ said Djassem Haddad, who started the site vintagemobile.fr in 2009. ‘The high prices are due to the difficulty in finding those models, which were limited editions in their time.’ For instance, a Nokia 8800 Arte Gold was recently listed on the site for €1,000 (£810 or $1,360), while a Nokia 8800 could be purchased for €250 (£200 or $337). Mr Haddad had been hoping to explore what he believed to be a niche market, but since last year, sales have taken off. The £28 Binatone device even has a version of iconic mobile game Snake (pictured on a Nokia) installed . In October last year, an unlocked 8GB iPhone 2G was being offered for £1,399 ($2,190), while another 16GB version was available from the U.S for $1,499 (£957). The trend for retro gadget's celebrity status was cemented in September when Vogue editor-in-chief, Ms Wintour, was pictured glancing at a dated-looking flip phone at the US Open. The 64-year-old fashion maven was seen peering at a device, which appeared to be a $15 pay-as-you go phone from AT&T. In October last year, an unlocked 8GB iPhone 2G was being offered for £1,399 ($2,190), while another 16GB version available from the U.S for $1,499 (£957) Vintage handsets are also said to be growing in popularity because they are more secure than smartphones. For example, they don’t connect to the cloud so photos and other details can’t be hacked into easily. This year was the 20th anniversary of the world's first smartphone, called Simon (pictured left next to an Apple iPhone) August saw the 20th anniversary of the world's first smartphone, called Simon. The phone was developed by firm IBM and the American cellular company BellSouth. IBM said it was called Simon because it was 'simple and could do almost anything you wanted'. The Simon, with its green LCD screen, had a stylus with touchscreen technology. Software allowed users to write notes, draw, update their calendar and contacts, and send and receive faxes, as well as allowing calls. It even had a slot for cartridges that were primitive 'apps'. But at around nine inches long (23cm) it was also about half the size of a house brick. It had an aerial and its battery lasted just an hour when making phone calls. It also weighed the same as half a bag of sugar. The battery life is much longer, up to a month on standby in some cases, and they are more robust, especially if dropped. New York Times journalist Michael Musto recently said: 'Call me a Luddite, the flip phone makes perfect sense to me. 'After all, my apartment still has a VCR and an array of ’90s club costumes and magazine clippings, all of which prove surprisingly useful from time to time. I even have a landline phone. 'If I were suddenly seen taking notes on an iPhone instead of on my usual stained napkin, it would look as wrong as red and green after Christmas.' Earlier this year, a team of designers created a video that plots the major milestones in the 40-year history of the mobile. It starts with the original DynaTAC, and ends with last year's Apples iPhone 5S. The first cellular voice calls were made in 1973 and it took ten years for the first handheld phone, called the DynaTAC 8000x, to go on sale. Since then the number of phones has risen to more than 6 billion and the video shows how market leaders of the 1980s and 90s, such as Nokia and Motorola, have made way for the likes of Apple and Samsung. And it’s not just smartphones that are being ditched in favour of older gadgets. Last month, reports said celebrities are also switching digital cameras for Polaroids following Apple’s iCloud leak. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, and members of the public alike, are embracing retro technologies in order to keep their pictures private - and on paper. Sales of Polaroid cameras, which were particularly popular in the 1980s, and produce a developed film image, have risen by around three quarters in less than a year. Kaley Cuoco, who stars in The Big Bang Theory declared: ‘Polaroids are the way to go. 'No one can get those.’ Her comments were made following a recent spate of iCloud leaks, which saw private photos of more than 100 celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, leaked online. The popularity of the retro camera has been attributed to people’s love of Instagram, as well as the number of celebrities embracing the devices, including Lana Del Rey. A Polaroid photo forms the front cover of Taylor Swift’s new album, 1989, making the format fashionable again, too. Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, and members of the public alike, are embracing retro technologies in order to keep their pictures private - and on paper. Sales of Polaroid cameras, which were particularly popular in the 1980s, and produce a developed film image, have risen by around three quarters in less than a year . | Earlier this year, Anna Wintour was spotted using a flip phone .
Other celebrities, including Rihanna and Kate Beckinsale have also been spotted with retro devices .
Last month, reports said celebs are ditching camera phones for Polaroids .
Vintage handsets sell online for as much as much as £800 ($1,360)
They are said to be simpler to use and more secure than smartphones, with batteries that last for a month . |
36,514 | 677ef6cade34912f44014fbc6c2f78575ff19a7f | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 13:52 EST, 6 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 03:30 EST, 7 February 2014 . Exploring the world’s treasures in crystal clear oceans can be an exhilarating experience. But not if you feel like you’re drowning from wearing snorkels that are difficult to use and constantly steaming up. A new mask that lets you breathe through your nose claims to combat this problem and make first-timers feel like they’re professionals. Scroll down for video… . The £33 Easybreath claims to feel more natural than traditional snorkeling and prevents fogging . Conventional snorkels are designed to let users breathe through their mouth – a skill that some people find difficult to master. Rather than covering the user’s eyes with goggles, and then using a separate tube for breathing through the mouth, Easybreath covers the whole face. This keeps the mouth and nose open so that the swimmer can breathe normally using a double air-flow system. Paris-based Triboard said the snorkels will be sold later this year. Designs are expected to come in transparent, blue, green, red, purple and white . Rather than covering the user’s eyes with goggles, and then using a separate tube for breathing through the mouth, Easybreath covers the whole face. This keeps the mouth and nose open so that the swimmer can breathe normally using a double air-flow system. The system makes sure that the moist air exhaled is quickly removed and provides the added benefit that the mask, according to its French makers Triboard, will never fog up. The system makes sure that the moist air exhaled is quickly removed and provides the added benefit that the mask, according to its French makers Triboard, will never fog up. The snorkel tube, which stays above water and releases the exhaled breaths, also features a special valve that seals the tube when the mask is completely submerged. Goggles used with traditional snorkels can cut off peripheral vision, but Easybreath’s design allows the user to see a much wider view. Paris-based Triboard said the snorkels will be sold later this year at a price tag of (£33) $54. Designs are expected to come in transparent, blue, purple, green, red and white. The system makes sure that the moist air exhaled is quickly removed and provides the added benefit that the mask, according to its French makers Triboard, will never fog up . The snorkel tube, which stays above water and releases the exhaled breaths, also features a special valve that seals the tube when the mask is completely submerged . A more radical design was recently unveiled by a South Korean designer Korea which claims to instantly transform the user into a human fish. The mask, dubbed Triton, acts like a fish gill to extract oxygen from water so that the user can keep on breathing while under the sea. To use Triton, swimmers would bite down on a plastic mouth piece. Two arms, which branch out to the sides of the scuba mask, can then function as efficient gills to deliver oxygen. It may be sometime, however, before the technology is ready to make James Bond-style rebreather possible. But designer Jeabyun Yeon, who came up with the concept, innovations such as these could change the way people approach water. A more radical design was recently unveiled by a South Korean designer Korea which claims to instantly transform the user into a human fish . The mask, dubbed Triton, acts like a fish gill to extract oxygen from water so that the user can keep on breathing while under the sea . | Easybreath keeps mouth and nose open so that user can breathe normally .
Double air-flow system makes sure moist .
air exhaled is quickly removed .
This also provides the added benefit that the .
mask will never fog up . |
78,917 | dfaff831a9affda664e94dc4f4096c25b1399804 | By . Simon Walters . PUBLISHED: . 19:30 EST, 16 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 17 November 2013 . Action: Prince Charles has written in the Mail on Sunday today about his initiative to stop a 'lost generation' of young people . Prince Charles is to mark his 65th birthday with a radical attempt to force the three main party leaders to help him stop a ‘lost generation’ of young people drifting into crime and unemployment. In a highly unusual move, the Prince will be joined this week by David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg to try to recruit a ‘community army’ of nearly two million young people. The Prince regards this as the most important event surrounding his landmark birthday. Announcing the initiative in today’s Mail on Sunday, the Prince writes that youngsters will be encouraged to take part in a range of activities – from helping the elderly and disabled to joining the scouts or guides and clearing up the countryside. In return they may be rewarded with better chances of finding work or getting a promotion. The Prince wants concrete recognition for those who have served the community, including that they be put to the front in competition for jobs. Well-placed sources say his Step Up 2 Serve (SU2S) campaign is the product of years of frustration that policies for the young are changed each time one political party replaces another in government. The SU2S project, which will cost £4 million over seven years, is designed to put an end to that through securing the backing of all three leaders of the main parties. The costs will be shared between private business, donors and the taxpayer. The scheme is also a sign of the Prince’s determination to show he is ready to be an active, engaged monarch when he succeeds the Queen. He has previously been accused of ‘meddling’ in political affairs and pressuring Ministers to back his causes. But by getting the support of all three leaders for SU2S, he aims to show he is a unifying political force. He also hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka this weekend, indicating his intention to play a high- profile role in both domestic and foreign affairs. The Prince said he hopes SU2S will reduce the danger that young people join street gangs, and revive the tradition where it was a ‘rite of passage of youth’ to be active on behalf of the community. To make the scheme work he will call for: . Celebrations: Charles, pictured with his birthday cake, recently turned 65 while on tour in India . The Prince says he was moved to act by tragedies such as the brutal killing of 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen in 2008. Jimmy bled to death in the arms of his brother Tommy after Jake Fahri, then 19, hurled a Pyrex dish at him in a bakery. The dish shattered, severing the arteries in his neck. Writing in The Mail on Sunday, the Prince says: ‘Sitting listening to families whose children have been murdered through street violence, I found it impossible to ignore their pleas for help in finding solutions to a problem which has blighted too many lives. ‘I often reflect on the bravery and courage of Barry and Margaret Mizen [Jimmy’s parents]. They are convinced – as I have been for the past 40 years – that part of the solution is in providing more structured activities for young people.’ He argues that tragedies such as the murder of Jimmy are ‘the extreme result of too many young people no longer guided through a rite of passage’ – a chance to be involved in the community. It was the Mizens, and others like them, who persuaded him to try to find a lasting remedy. ‘That is why I am joining the leaders of Britain, including David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband, together with 50 young people, at Buckingham Palace to launch a pledge campaign (on Twitter), #iwill, through Step Up 2 Serve. Family: Prince Charles meets with Barry and Margaret Mizen during a visit to the Cafe of Good Hope after the death of their son Jimmy . ‘This long-term campaign, supported by all sectors of society and involving faith and political leaders, education, business, trade unions and the voluntary sector, has a unifying vision.’ That vision is to increase the number of people aged ten to 20 who take part in community or volunteering activities, raising it from the current estimated 29 per cent to 50 per cent. That would mean an extra 1.7 million young recruits. He has studied similar schemes in parts of the US, such as California, where the figure is already around 50 per cent, and in Canada, where it is nearly 60 per cent. The Prince also wants more older people to step forward to organise activities as, for example, Scout and Guide leaders. He writes: ‘I have long believed we are failing to do enough to unlock their talent and unleash their energies to help tackle all sorts of challenges in our society. They are the solution to so much and yet, too frequently, are seen as the problem. ‘All over our country are thousands of lonely old people who need company, younger children who need alternatives to hanging about on the street corner, crucial environmental work that needs doing and local causes that need espousing.’ ‘We must enlist thousands more adults to help support and motivate younger people in their social action and to encourage those who have already been involved to engage and lead others.’ ‘The Confederation of British Industry recently reported that employers needed young people who were optimistic, determined and emotionally intelligent – and research shows that young people who take on challenging volunteering activities increase all those character traits and virtues.’ The Prince sees SU2S as just as important a venture as his highly praised Prince’s Trust scheme, which has helped 160,000 disadvantaged young people gain job skills. Information on how to get involved in the community will be available on the SU2S website. | Prince in radical attempt to stop young people drifting into crime .
Will work with three main party leaders to recruit a 'community army'
Young people to be encourage to take part in a range of activities including helping the elderly and disabled to joining the Scouts and Guides .
His Step Up 2 Serve campaign will cost £4million over seven years .
Schools to make community activities part of their curriculum.
Ofsted education inspectors to give bonus points to schools who encourage volunteering.
Employers to look favourably on job applicants who have taken part in voluntary service.
Community participation to form part of apprenticeship schemes. |
251,062 | d0ec76a91eb6cfc463b21e686f10b431dbdcb8ca | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 05:49 EST, 18 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:06 EST, 18 May 2013 . Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will announce the scheme on Monday . Senior civil servants in the Department of Health will have to work on the frontline of the NHS if they want to be promoted, the Health Secretary is to announce. From next month, 200 senior officials will have to perform tasks such as mopping floors, emptying bedpans and serving meals to care home residents as the Government responds to the Francis Report into patient neglect at the Mid Staffordshire Trust. The plans, to be unveiled on Monday by Jeremy Hunt, will require top Whitehall officials to perform roles such as GP receptionist and hospital porter for a total of four weeks a year for six years. It will be rolled out to all 2,000 of the department's civil servants later this year. Those who do not clock up their frontline hours will miss out on opportunities to climb the Whitehall ladder. 'This will not be a clip-board . exercise,' a Whitehall source told the Times. 'Officials will not do jobs they . are untrained for like nursing but they will be getting a clearer idea . of what it is like to be a patient.' The Francis Report, published in March, described how patients at Mid Staffordshire had been left ‘unwashed, unfed and without fluids’ and ‘deprived of their dignity’. But it concluded that such failings were not a ‘rare event’ and almost certainly existed at other hospitals across the country. The report made 290 recommendations to how the NHS and Department of Health should improve patient care. It urged health officials to make more effort to get out of Whitehall and meet patients. Civil servants will have to complete four weeks of work as hospital porters, cleaners, and GP receptionists a year . Last week Mr Hunt manned the phones at GP surgeries in Kennington and Wandsworth, south London. He has also spent time as a hospital porter and cleaner in two of the capital's accident and emergency departments. 'To understand more about what . patients and service users need and the issues which are important to . them, civil servants need to walk a mile in their shoes,' he told the Times. The scheme follows recommendations by the Francis Report into patient neglect at the Mid Staffordshire trust . | Top 200 mandarins in Department of Health must carry out frontline tasks .
They will be required to do four weeks a year for six years to be promoted .
Scheme will soon be rolled out to the department's 2,000 civil servants . |
37,460 | 6a190c33d2e56584262bcebeb46a20ce97ba4b61 | The Rijksmuseum, home to one of the world's most celebrated collections of art and historical artifacts reopened Saturday after a 10-year, $489 million rebuilding project which saw many of its treasures travel the world while the gallery was closed. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands performed the opening ceremony in Amsterdam, one of her final official duties before she abdicates at the end of the month. Once open, the Rijksmuseum will welcome visitors 365 days a year. Thousands attended the ceremony and poured into the museum, eager to reacquaint themselves with old favorites including Rembrandt's "Night Watch," Vermeer's "Milkmaid," and Frans Hals' "Merry Drinker," or to catch a glimpse of new highlights: An Yves Saint Laurent "Mondrian" dress, a 16th Century sculpture of the "Mater Dolorosa," or a war plane dating to 1917. Interactive: Explore Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' "It is the beginning of a new era, an exciting new future for a new museum, the museum of the Netherlands," says Rijksmuseum director Wim Pijbes. "Everything is new. "Everything has changed, the only thing that hasn't is 'The Night Watch'. It is the altarpiece of the Rijksmuseum, and the whole place is arranged around this beautiful masterpiece." The new chronological displays place paintings and historical objects alongside each other "to give context," says Pieter Roelofs, curator of 17th century art at the museum. The aim, he says, is "to tell stories, to tell the story of Dutch history and culture." "We want to give visitors a sense of time, and a sense of beauty," says Taco Dibbets, director of collections. "When you enter the Rijksmuseum, you are transported into another world -- the world of Rembrandt, of Vermeer and of Mondrian." The renovation has seen some parts of the gallery, designed by Pierre Cuypers, restored to their former glory. The original entrance hall's opulent stained glass and wall paintings, considered so cathedral-like they sparked protests in fiercely Protestant Amsterdam in 1885, are back. The four-story library, featuring ornate ironwork, a vertiginous spiral staircase and 5.4km (3 miles) of bookshelves, is open to the public for the first time. But huge swathes of the gallery have been radically modernized -- Spanish architects Cruz y Ortiz have stripped out the makeshift galleries installed in the museum's courtyards over the decades. In their place is a huge, bright and airy atrium. Interior architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte has overseen the removal of all potentially distracting elements from the galleries: Gone are the colored walls, heavy drapes and gloomy display cabinets. Instead the jewel-like paintings are hung on minimalist gray walls, priceless items are displayed in ultra-clear glass boxess. If glass boxes are not absolutely necessary, we don't use them," insists Roelofs. The whole collection is illuminated with the latest LED lighting. But while the displays themselves are the height of modernity, there is one 21st Century touch missing from the galleries: "There are no video screens and no computer screens in the galleries," says Dibbits. "We believe the works of art should speak for themselves." In any case, the experts say, most visitors interested in a high-tech view of the collection will have smartphones or tablets with which to access the Rijksmuseum's new website. While the main museum was under reconstruction, some of its best-known artworks, including "The Night Watch" were kept on display in a small annexe. Others were lent to exhibitions around the world, from Los Angeles and Vancouver, to Sao Paulo, and to Sendai, after the 2011 Japanese earthquake. | Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum reopens after a 10-year, $489 million rebuilding project .
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands opens gallery -- one of her final duties before abdicating .
The new-look Rijksmuseum showcases 8,000 works of art spanning 800 years of Dutch history .
At its heart is Rembrandt's "Night Watch," which the original museum was built around . |
131,529 | 361302ea071b038469931f249f09f35bb5a9cfc0 | (CNN) -- The young stars of "The Hunger Games" may remember the blockbuster movie as the one that propelled their careers to the next level. But the biggest breakout star of the "The Hunger Games" may well turn out to be the state of North Carolina. With $152.5 million opening weekend at the box office, the movie based on the New York Times bestseller by Suzanne Collins had the third best opening weekend of all time (and the best ever opening for a non-sequel), according to Hollywood.com. And its frenzied fans are already showing up at movie locations around the state to see where scenes were shot. "People are obsessed with 'The Hunger Games,' " says Marnee Revri, a Raleigh-based travel agent affiliated with Frosch Entertainment, who booked travel for the movie's cast and crew and blogged about it. "I think there will be a bigger interest in people coming to visit, the same as the 'Twilight' movies. Kids are going to want to (see) where it was filmed." Find Katniss Everdeen's hidden pond . Many scenes were filmed in the woods of DuPont State Forest, a 10,400-acre wilderness where waterfalls, lakes and fishing streams made ideal settings for the movie's outdoor scenes. Fans are likely to follow forest trails in search of character Katniss Everdeen's pond, the bottom of Triple Falls waterfall and the remnants of the fireball sequence. A hike to Hooker Falls, Triple Falls and High Falls is part of the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy's eight-hike challenge. Rated "easy," the 2.6-mile waterfall hike has an elevation gain of 160 feet. (Triple Falls also stars in Michael Mann's movie "The Last of the Mohicans.") It's true that the abandoned Henry River Mill Village, about 70 miles from Asheville in the small town of Hildebran, was home to the film's "District 12" Mellark family bakery and the Everdeens' shanty. But it's private property -- so just look as you're driving by -- and respect any "No Trespassing" signs. Party where the stars hung out . Parents of tweens and teens on this movie tour, take note. The movie's stars spent their after-work hours in Asheville, a town you'll enjoy independent of your child's movie obsession. With its funky architecture, independent spirit and thriving restaurant and brewing scene, artsy Asheville didn't need a movie to confirm its tourist appeal. Actors reportedly dined at the Laughing Seed Café, Lexington Avenue Brewery, Wasabi and the Southern Kitchen and Bar. They also stopped by Malaprop's Bookstore/Café, the local independent bookseller. Cast member Woody Harrelson enjoyed the 46-foot rock-climbing wall at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, which served as the capitol in the film. (The center will host the U.S. Olympic Trials for canoe slalom April 12-14.) Harrelson also enjoyed playing chess with locals at Amélie's French bakery in Charlotte. Not a "Hunger Games" fan? You could still be inspired to learn some post-apocalyptic survival skills. If you're in decent physical shape, learn to survive in the wilderness by taking courses at Nantahala Outdoor Center. Summer programs at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown include courses on cooking over an open fire, cooking with wild edibles, beekeeping and woodworking. If you prefer the work of Patrick Swayze, Kevin Costner or Daniel Day Lewis, you're in luck. "Dirty Dancing," "Bull Durham" and "The Last of the Mohicans" were all shot in North Carolina. While your younger family members obsess on "The Hunger Games," you can celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Dirty Dancing" this year with the 3rd annual Dirty Dancing Festival at Lake Lure (August 17-19). Fans of the "Ironman" series can expect the third installment of the movie, which is in pre-production in Wilmington, to draw attention to that location. And with North Carolina's tax incentives for productions filmed in the state, expect more movie and television shows to bring their projects there. Make me a schedule . Don't want to plan your entire trip yourself? The North Carolina Division of Tourism has made it easy for movie fans to make their "Hunger Games" plans. The office has a four-day itinerary and a list of 12 places to experience the movie. | Movie fans are already visiting North Carolina to see where "The Hunger Games" was filmed .
The Triple Falls waterfall, part of an easy hike in the DuPont State Forest, is integral to the movie .
The film's stars enjoyed Asheville's restaurants and culture after shooting . |
103,843 | 11ff26ef6d8230beb2e0daa3a65c858bda70c932 | Microsoft is considering releasing a free version of its Windows 8.1 software in a bid to persuade customers to upgrade to the latest versions. Reports claim a new version, called Windows with Bing, could be given away. The firm is also rumoured to be considering dropping the price or even giving away its Windows Phone software. The controversial 'Metro' interface for Windows, which confused many users. Microsoft is now considering going back to the normal desktop when users first switch on their machine. According to reports at The Verge, 'Microsoft is currently experimenting with a free version of Windows 8.1 that could boost the number of people using the operating system. 'Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company is building 'Windows 8.1 with Bing,' a version that will bundle key Microsoft apps and services,' the site claims. The firm has already made major changes to Windows 8 in a bid to make it more appealing to consumers. It is also believed to be planning to abandon its controversial 'tile' start screen and reverting to the classic windows desktop every time a user switches on their PC, it has been claimed. The latest test versions of Windows 8.1 released to developers have this option on by default. Microsoft was also last year forced to reinstate the start button to Windows 8 following customer complaints. According to Russian developer known only as Wzor , the latest version now starts in the desktop rather than Microsoft's tile system, called Metro. The Verge claims sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans have revealed to that the upcoming update for Windows 8.1 will enable this by default. Microsoft was last year forced to reinstate the start button to Windows 8 following customer complaints. 'Like many other changes in Update 1, we’re told the reason for the reversal is to improve the OS for keyboard and mouse users,' the site says. The firm hoped the system would make it easier for touchscreen users, and is the same across Microsoft's phones, tablets and PCs. However, many users were confused, and Microsoft recently reinstated the classic start menu on its desktop. ‘Let’s make it easier to start applications in the way we are used to,’ boss Steve Ballmer told its annual Build developer conference, to cheers from the audience. ‘We will bring back the start button, and you can boot straight to the desktop if you want to.’ ‘We have refined the blend of our desktop experience and our modern app experience.’ Ballmer also said the firm was not abandoning its start menu and said it was slowly beginning to attract app developers to Windows 8. ‘Within this month we’ll pass the 100,000 app mark in the Windows store,’ said Ballmer. Flipboard, Facebook and the NFL all revealed new apps. However, the latest rumours suggest Microsoft will allow these apps to run on the desktop. | Free version to be called 'Windows with Bing'
Microsoft recently forced to reinstall start button after customer complaints .
Free version could be announced in April at developer conference . |
13,125 | 2543940dd01a0faf30aa2b1a4807948cdb7590d0 | By SAM MARSDEN . PUBLISHED: . 13:33 EST, 16 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 17 March 2014 . Prince Charles claims the expense poured onto his 15-acre estate is a protest against 'fashionable vandalism' Prince Charles has admitted that critics may see his organic garden at Highgrove as an 'expensive indulgence', but insisted that it helps to heal 'damaged souls'. Launching an outspoken attack on the 'short-sighted' destruction of rare plants, fruit and vegetables, he defended the care and money he has lavished on the grounds of his country estate in Gloucestershire. Since buying Highgrove in 1980, Charles has transformed its once drab gardens by planting unusual British varieties of apples, restoring a wild flower meadow and allowing only natural fertilisers to be used. He said he saw his efforts as a reaction to the 'carnage of fashionable vandalism' that has left many once common shrubs, trees and farm animals on the endangered list. Writing in a foreword to a new book about his estate, the 65-year-old Prince said: 'In many ways the garden at Highgrove represents one very small attempt to heal the appallingly short-sighted damage done to the soil, the landscape and to our own souls. 'Some may not like it, others may scoff that it is not in the "real world" or is merely an expensive indulgence.' Highgrove's 15-acre grounds, which are open to visitors, also feature an 'ego garden' containing busts of Charles, a thatched tree house built for Princes William and Harry, and a 'stumpery' composed of dead trees. The new book, Highgrove: A Garden . Celebrated, by Bunny Guinness, which is published next month, reveals . that the Prince asked his gardeners to cut gaps in the yew hedges so his . security personnel could take short cuts while protecting him. The second in line to the throne has been adding rare apple trees and wild meadows to the land since 1980 . It is a 'very small attempt' to heal the damage done to our 'soil and souls', the prince writes in a new book. The young princes spent much of the year in the colourful Highgrove meadows with their parents Charles and Diana . Charles, pictured with his mother the Queen in Highgrove garden in 1998, once joked he talked to his plants . Charles famously once admitted that he talked to his plants, although last year he joked that he had changed this practice, telling an interviewer: 'Now I instruct them instead.' His criticism of trendy fads in gardening has echoes of his trenchant opposition to modern architecture, which he summed up by describing a planned extension to London's National Gallery as a 'monstrous carbuncle'. | Blasts 'carnage of fashionable vandalism' in new book about Highgrove .
Been adding rare trees and fruits to Gloucestershire estate since 1980 .
15-acre grounds feature busts of Charles and thatched houses for his sons . |
265,852 | e45781bbfaef3f6708b14b681d63fe10261d7eaa | (CNN) -- Henrik Stenson may have just become golf's $11.4 million man, but the Swede insists it's not all about the money. It is perhaps easier to say that after scooping the most lucrative prize in his sport, but the Swede insists "at this stage of my career, I'm playing for trophies." "I'm not really out there for the money," the newly-crowned FedEx Cup champion told CNN. "The money is a nice bonus, but to be able to beat the best players in the world gives me more satisfaction than a nice pay check." The new world No. 4 won the $1.4 million Tour Championship in Atlanta to finish top of the FedEx Cup rankings, a position that comes with a cool $10 million check. Stenson's three-stroke victory at the East Lake Golf Club is the highest peak -- so far -- of a barely believable ascent up the rankings. He won the Players Championship in 2009 to reach a then career high ranking of fifth, but an alarming plummet followed and by January 2012 he had dropped to 230th in the world. But a standout 2013 has seen Stenson reestablish himself in golf's upper echelons when a joint third-place finish in July's Scottish Open was followed by a runner's up spot at the British Open. Stenson then finished third in August's PGA Championship -- the year's final major -- before winning the Deutsche Bank Championship earlier in September. "It's just been an amazing run of play, from the Scottish Open through the British Open and all the way up until now," explained the 37-year-old Swede. "It's the best season of my career by far and I've achieved some great things in the last couple of months. "I think it says that we don't give up ... If I ever thought that I wasn't going to get back I don't think I would've. I'm hanging in there even when times aren't great. "I've got a great support team around me as well, that support me in good times and bad times." Bad times arrived in February 2009 when Stenson became embroiled in the Alan Stanford financial scandal, an episode which goes some way to explaining his philosophical view on his newly-acquired fortune. Stenson invested a significant amount of his own money in the investment company run by Stanford, who is now serving a 110-year prison sentence for running a Ponzi scheme.where investors are offered high returns in a very short space of time. The scheme operates on paying off the early "investors" from the cash from new "investors." "It was not a great scenario," said Stenson. "I wouldn't say it had much effect on my golf. Of course you're not going to be happy when you're involved in a thing like that, but there were a lot of other people who lost money too." After successfully swelling his coffers at the weekend, Stenson has set his sights on addressing a significant gap in his trophy case. "I want to win a major championship," he added. "I'm excited, looking ahead to next year. We've still got a lot of golf to be played this side of Christmas and I've got a good chance to win the money title in Europe. "The Race to Dubai final series is coming up -- four big tournaments -- so I'm going to try my hardest there to be No. 1." | Henrik Stenson wins the FedEx Cup to pick up $10m winner's check .
The Swede wins additional $1.4m for winning the Tour Championship .
Stenson insists titles are more important than money .
The new world No. 4 has set his sights on winning one of golf's four major titles . |
141,604 | 431ec39d0b101f226da8e890e90afc11b2a891fb | (CNN) -- A Florida judge's ruling Wednesday will allow a foreign-born high school basketball player who was ruled ineligible and his team to compete in the playoffs, even though they could ultimately be stripped of any title they win. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Spencer Eig temporarily barred the Florida High School Athletic Association from disqualifying Brian Delancy, who was born in the Bahamas, and Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School from the district playoffs, which begin Thursday. Delancy "is very happy and relieved and he feels happy for his teammates," said attorney David Baron, who helped represent the athlete, 19, and two other players. The board of the athletic association, which said Krop did not file proper paperwork on Delancy's eligibility and immigration status, on Tuesday ruled he was ineligible and that the top-ranked team must forfeit the 19 games it won when the senior guard played. Eig did not rule on Delancy's eligibility, but granted a temporary injunction to allow Krop to play until a full slate of hearings and appeals can take place within the athletic association, . Roger Dearing, the association's executive director, said it was too late to appeal Eig's ruling and Krop will compete. But, he said, the ruling is not the end of the matter. Dearing said the association will hear new appeals after the tournament, likely in April. Now that Krop is in the playoffs, North Miami High School will be bumped from the four-team field in the district playoffs, Dearing said. "There is no win for kids here," said Dearing. "What about the schools that played fair?" Alan Goldfarb, another attorney for Delancy, said it was unfortunate about North Miami, but the school would not have made the playoffs if the athletic association had not ruled Krop ineligible. Goldfarb said the association only recently decided to act. "There's no proof yet that we've done anything wrong," Goldfarb said. Dearing said Krop reported the paperwork issue last week and sought the emergency board appeal. Federal law prohibits school districts from asking about a student's immigration status. The Florida athletic association does require information on players' eligibility and residency. The association keeps such records so that "there is a fair and equitable playing field for all student athletes" and to discourage recruiting, association spokesman Seth Polansky said Tuesday. Where athletes come from "is not an issue," he said. "It is the paperwork." "Playing athletics is a privilege and not a right," said Polansky, adding that it is up to schools to police themselves on student eligibility. Baron said Delancy first attended a private school, which required an I-20 form. An I-20 is a student visa that gives international students permission to attend school. But Delancy or Krop were not required to provide such a form when he transferred to Krop, a public school, Baron said Tuesday. Dearing said public schools must have such student visa forms and that Delancy's form had expired. Although the athletic association board ruled Delancy ineligible and vacated the school's wins, its decision did not keep Krop out of the playoffs, said Polansky. Each district in Florida decides independently how its sports teams will advance in the post-season. The emergency petition that was taken before Eig argued the athletic association never set a hearing or requested information from Delancy before making a "unilateral" determination on his eligibility. Dearing disagreed. "We have due process in every rule in our book," he said, adding it was Krop that asked for a waiver of the normal appeals process in order to get a ruling from the full board. Baron argues Delancy has always been forthright with the school on his background and should not have to prove his legal status to play. The athletic association believes Krop is being "disingenuous" about its knowledge and compliance with rules, Dearing said. The school was walked through proper paperwork last year because of another case involving international students, he said. The executive director said the athletic association must ensure rules are met. Baron said he knows that Krop could win it all and then lose the crown if the athletic association ultimately decides Delancy was ineligible and the wins should be forfeited. "These kids are only concerned about playing for the championship," he said. | NEW: High school basketball player from Bahamas can play, judge says .
Statewide athletic board says Brian Delancy, a native Bahamian, is ineligible .
It argues school did not provide proper paperwork on his legal status .
Attorney for star says he met requirements and is being singled out . |
208,797 | 9a5f3accf8ad8358db33ee1d3b516eccfa894f87 | A new social hotspot is taking New York by storm this New Year's Day, offering up effective hangover cures to ailing revelers - from inside a bus. The suitably-named Hangover Bus is a mobile lounge in which sore-headed party-goers can seek sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, while also enjoying a vitamin-infused IV drip which promises to rid them of all their hangover symptoms. Created by New York-based company the Hangover Club, the bus, which will be stationed outside of popular nightspot Bounce Sporting Nightclub on West 21st Street until 7pm this evening, comes complete with a team of trained nurses who administer the drips and offer additional medical advice to anyone who needs it. Scroll down for video . Help is here: The Hangover Club's new mobile lounge is already proving to be one of New York's most popular destinations . A complete cure: Customers can choose from a concise menu of vitamin drips, all of which include painkillers and vitamin infusions . 'We like to call it the "whoops!" button,' Hangover Club nurse Lynnette Ayuso told the New York Village Voice. 'People do drink and unfortunately sometimes we go a little overboard and the aftermath is feeling very dehydrated... essentially, what your body needs is cellular hydration. 'The IV fluid is going directly into your bloodstream and replenishing the thirsty cells in your body.' The IV drips - which can also be infused with painkillers and anti-nausea medication at the nurses' discretion - don't come cheap, however. According to the New York Post, the drips, which take about 40 minutes, are being offered at a discount on the bus. The Classic, which includes hydration and nausea or pain medication, is priced at $129 (full price $175), the Super, which also includes a vitamin B booster, is $149 (full price $219) and the Mega, which contains a detox and vitamin C booster is a whopping $169 (full price &249). Drip life: Prior to launching the Hangover Bus, the company delivered custom IV drips to its clients at their homes . Anyone with a slightly smaller budget can also opt for a half-bag option, which costs $79. And it's not just IV drips that the bus is serving up. Customers are also given free access to Bounce Nightclub, where they can enjoy a selection of New Year's Day football, screenings of The Hangover and a variety of delicious hangover foods such as mac and cheese, Parmesan truffle fries and pigs-in-pretzels. Given that the bus can only fit 15 people inside at any one time - although it is equipped with enough IV drips to serve more than 200 hangover sufferers - the space of the nearby nightclub will no doubt come in handy. Prior to launching the Hangover Bus, the Hangover Club delivered custom IV drips to its clients at their homes. Following today's successful debut however, the company has announced that the Hangover Bus will be stationed at a different nightclub every Sunday in order to cater to the swathes of struggling revelers who are in need desperate need of its services. | The mobile lounge offers suffering revelers vitamin drips to help them recover from their hangovers .
It is parked outside Bounce Sporting Nightclub on West 21st Street in Manhattan and will be stationed there until 7pm .
Nurses are on-hand to tend to ailing party-goers and administer the drips . |
69,172 | c42663244f6711164178f89b1a93007ab9cdb482 | An American cameraman working for NBC News in Liberia has tested positive for Ebola, the network reported Thursday. He will return to the United States for treatment. The freelance cameraman, Ashoka Mukpo, 33, was hired Tuesday and came down with symptoms on Wednesday, NBC News reported. Liberian President: Patient's leaving for U.S. was 'unpardonable' "We are doing everything we can to get him the best care possible. He will be flown back to the United States for treatment at a medical center that is equipped to handle Ebola patients," NBC News President Deborah Turness reportedly said in a note to staff. "We are also taking all possible measures to protect our employees and the general public," she said. According to NBC News, he was hired to be a second cameraman for Dr. Nancy Snyderman, NBC News chief medical editor and correspondent. How the Ebola virus spreads . "The rest of the crew, including Dr. Nancy, are being closely monitored and show no symptoms or warning signs. However, in an abundance of caution, we will fly them back on a private charter flight and then they will place themselves under quarantine in the United States for 21 days -- which is at the most conservative end of the spectrum of medical guidance," Turness said in her note. Your Ebola questions answered . The cameraman is believed to be the fourth American stricken by the disease while in Liberia. Dr. Rick Sacra, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol all contracted the disease while working in the country. Each has recovered. Complete coverage on Ebola . | Cameraman is believed to be the fourth American stricken while in Liberia .
He will return to the United States for treatment .
The freelance cameraman, 33, was hired Tuesday, the network reports . |
44,318 | 7cf9a135d7458ab3ba8ddc267cc12f6fea987720 | A five-minute brain scan could give healthy people early warning of dementia, scientists believe. They found that by measuring blood flow in the brain, it is possible to distinguish healthy people whose memory will decline from those who stay mentally sharp. In other words, tell-tale signs are present in the brain long before the memory fades. Scroll down for video . A five-minute brain scan could give healthy people early warning of dementia, scientists believe . Those given warning of the disease could take preventative measures such as changing their diet and taking more exercise. Quicker detection would allow earlier treatment and, with the help of new drugs, some who test positive might never develop the disease. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia affect some 800,000 Britons and the number is predicted to double in a generation as the population ages. David Cameron has described dementia as ‘the key health challenge of this generation’. The Swiss researchers used a version of the MRI scans carried out regularly in hospitals to measure blood flow in the brain of more than 200 elderly men and women. Some were healthy, while others had mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – the slight memory lapses that can develop into full-blown dementia. Generally, up to 15 per cent of people with MCI develop Alzheimer’s within the next year. The men and women were also put through a battery of mental tests, including memory. Not surprisingly, the healthy subjects did better than those with MCI. But when the tests were repeated 18 months later, half of the healthy men and women found them harder. And, importantly, their brain scans, from the start of the study, were like those of the people who already had MCI. It is thought that other parts of the brain had initially compensated for damaged areas – masking the problem at the start of the study. But, by 18 months on, the symptoms were showing. Their brain scans showed that less blood was getting to an area in the middle of the brain called the posterior cingulate cortex, which is active when our mind is at rest. Previous research has shown this region to be less active chemically in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Researcher Sven Haller, of the University of Geneva, whose study is published in the journal Radiology, said it isn’t clear whether lack of blood to the brain causes memory loss, or whether blood stops flowing because the brain is damaged. Researcher Sven Haller, of the University of Geneva, said it isn’t clear whether lack of blood to the brain causes memory loss, or whether blood stops flowing because the brain is damaged . But, in either case, he thinks the scan, which takes as little as five minutes, could provide vital early warning of memory problems. Being able to predict who will become ill could speed the search for new drugs that can delay or even prevent Alzheimer’s. Existing medicines are of limited use and several promising pills and potions have failed to live up to hopes. However, many believe this is because they are being tested too late in the disease – and may work if given in the very early stages. Dr Simon Ridley, of charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘There is a growing amount of research into using various brain-scanning techniques to accurately detect changes to the brain before dementia symptoms show. ‘This study was very small and the volunteers were not diagnosed with dementia so it is not possible to tell at this stage whether this technique can be used to identify those at risk of the condition. ‘Larger and longer-term studies are needed. ‘Current methods can only accurately diagnose the condition long after the damage to the brain has started. ‘There are no drugs available at the moment that can stop or slow dementia. ‘Detecting changes in the brain as early as possible will allow people to enter clinical trials for much-needed new treatments before their symptoms have progressed too far and when they’re most likely to benefit.’ | Scientists found they can distinguish whether memory will decline in healthy people from measuring blood flow to their brains .
Those given warning of the disease could take preventative measures .
Quicker detection would allow earlier treatment and maybe prevention .
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia affect some 800,000 Britons .
Number expected to double in a generation as population ages . |
198,807 | 8d5a6179b5da7763053c01437394a41bf64327d8 | (CNN) -- Faster than a speeding bullet, Warner Bros.' $225 million franchise reboot Man of Steel has become a box office behemoth. The superhero film began its run with a massive $125.1 million ($113.1 million over the traditional weekend, $12 million from corporate screening programs on Thursday), breaking the record for the biggest June opening weekend ever, ahead of Toy Story 3's $110.3 million bow in 2010. Among 2013 films, Man of Steel had the second best debut of the year behind Iron Man 3, which started with $174.1 million in May. Man of Steel garnered a fantastic $29,731 per theater average from its 4,207 locations. The film grossed $13.3 million in IMAX theaters, and 41% of its business came from 3D ticket sales. Audiences were 56 percent male and 44 percent female, a more even gender distribution than Iron Man 3, which had a 61/39 percent male/female split on opening weekend. The dashing looks of Henry Cavill (and Amy Adams' appeal) no doubt helped Man of Steel play well with women. Reviews were mixed, but crowds issued the film a strong "A-" CinemaScore. For Cavill, Adams, and the rest of the cast — which includes Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, and Michael Shannon — Man of Steel became their best ever opening weekend. The same goes for director Zack Snyder, who formerly saw gigantic numbers when 300 bowed with $70.9 million in 2007. What 'Man of Steel' gets wrong about Superman . Man of Steel also clobbered the debut of 2006′s Superman Returns, which opened with $52.5 million and earned $200 million domestically against a $270 million budget. Widely considered a box office misfire, Superman Returns did not, in fact, return. In about one week, Man of Steel will likely have surpassed that film's domestic total. The news couldn't be better for Warner Bros., which — with the exceptions of The Great Gatsby and 42 — has badly struggled at the box office in 2013. Films like Jack the Giant Slayer, The Hangover Part III, Beautiful Creatures, Bullet to the Head, and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone have massively under-performed at the box office, so Man of Steel's success is a welcome change. "We're thrilled," says Dan Fellman, the studio's president of domestic distribution, "and it will fly through the summer. We're going to have legs on this film." Fellman also notes that Man of Steel's success brings Warner Bros. and DC Comics one step closer to creating a Justice League franchise that might rival Marvel/Disney's Avengers. The exec wouldn't confirm whether Henry Cavill has already been contracted to star in Justice League films, though he did coyly remark, "Henry will be around for a while." Watch Henry Cavill train shirtless of 'Man of Steel' Internationally, Man of Steel soared with $71.6 million in its first weekend, including $17.6 million in the United Kingdom and $9.8 million in Mexico. The film has yet to open in a number of large markets, but it's already clear that it will easily outdo Superman Returns $191 million international haul. In second place, This is the End opened with $20.5 million, giving the raunchy R-rated comedy $32.8 million total since its Wednesday debut. While that's not a huge start, Sony spent only $32 million on the comedy, which stars Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, and Danny McBride. This is the End started in the same range as Franco and Rogen's hit Pineapple Express, which opened with $23.3 million in 2008. Thanks to great reviews and strong word-of-mouth (the film earned a fair "B+" CinemaScore, but the polling service rarely favors edgy content), This is the End may find legs at the box office and could become a $100 million hit. Audiences were 60 percent male and 48 percent below the age of 25 — and considering Man of Steel provided direct competition for male viewers, This is the End's healthy start is commendable. Now You See Me managed to hold strong in third place with $10.3 million, marking a drop of only 46 percent. Summit's $75 million magician caper has now earned $80 million after three weekends, and if it can manage a few more slim holds, it could wind up passing $100 million. Fourth place belonged to Fast & Furious 6, which fell 52 percent to $9.4 million in its fourth weekend. The $160 million Universal release has now earned $219.6 million total, surpassing Fast Five's $209.8 million cume and making it the highest grossing Fast film domestically. Worldwide, the same is true: Fast & Furious 6's $636.9 million haul is a franchise best. Last weekend's champion, The Purge, plummeted 76 percent to $8.2 million in its sophomore frame. The thriller, which earned a weak "C" CinemaScore has now earned $51.8 million and may have to settle for a finish in the $60-65 million range — a very low number considering The Purge opened with $34.1 million. Universal isn't worried, though. The Purge cost only $3 million to produce. 1. Man of Steel -- $113.1 million . 2. This is the End -- $20.5 million . 3. Now You See Me -- $10.3 million . 4. Fast & Furious 6 -- $9.4 million . 5. The Purge -- $8.2 million . See the original story at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | With $125.1 million, 'Man of Steel' holds the record for the biggest June opening weekend ever .
Star-packed comedy 'This Is the End' took second place with $20.5 million .
Last week's box office winner 'The Purge' plummeted 76%, coming in fifth place . |
213,495 | a07d7f5d03b3c0967b6675af74334139692e55a7 | Britain's exports to countries outside the European Union have soared to a record high as demand around the world grows, official figures showed yesterday. The Office for National Statistics said exports rose 4.9 per cent between April and June to a record £78.4billion in a major boost to the recovering economy. The surge in demand for goods stamped ‘Made in Britain’ was driven by countries outside the EU as manufacturers entered growing markets in Latin America and Asia. UK trade up: Britain's trade deficit - the difference in the amount it exports versus the value of everything it imports - narrowed to a better than expected £8.1billion in June . Exports to non-EU countries have grown by more than 40 per cent over the past five years while sales to Europe have risen by just 3.1 per cent. Sales to China, India and Thailand have all more than doubled in that time. Experts said the shift in trade away from Europe towards other markets ‘is great news for the UK economy’. Business leaders said it gave David Cameron an opportunity to demand ‘a much better deal for Britain’ in negotiations with Brussels over membership of the European Union. Exports to the EU rose by 2.3 per cent between April and June to £38.1billion. But sales to non-EU countries jumped 7.5 per cent to £40.3billion – the first time quarterly sales to the rest of the world have topped £40billion. In June alone, exports to the EU fell 0.6 per cent to £12.8billion while sales to the rest of the world rose 10.4 per cent to £14.2billion, also a record. Katie Evans, an economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research in London, said: ‘Advanced economies are going to struggle to regain the growth rates they were used to before the financial crisis, and so the switch towards emerging markets is great news for the UK economy. 'By tapping into fast growth elsewhere in the world the UK can secure a share of this new wealth for itself.’ Economist Jim O'Neill said the figures support his thoughts that there are fewer benefits of being in the EU . Trade with countries beyond the EU is seen as crucial to Britain’s recovery as the crisis in the eurozone depresses demand close to home. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Business for Britain, a campaign group in favour of renegotiating the terms of UK membership of the EU, urged the Prime Minister to demand a better deal from Brussels. ‘With the failure of the euro depressing demand on the continent, and the success of the emerging markets in Asia and Latin America, it should come as no surprise British companies are increasingly looking outside the EU to do business,’ he said. ‘The onus is now on the Government to recognise that business focus is turning towards markets outside the eurozone and use this to leverage a much better deal for Britain in the upcoming renegotiation with Brussels.’ Although the UK’s share of world trade has shrunk in recent decades, manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems remain global powerhouses and the value of exports has soared. Jim O’Neill, the economist who coined the term BRIC to describe the emerging powerhouses of Brazil, Russia, India and China, said the benefits of being in the EU are dwindling. He said: ‘Given the dramatic changes in world trade as a result of the emergence of the so-called BRIC countries, China especially, neither the EU or eurozone are as important trade or economic blocks as one might have thought. The benefits of being “in” are certainly not as strong as they might have once been.’ The surge in exports has helped narrow Britain’s trade gap with the rest of the world. The goods trade deficit – exports minus imports – shrank to £8.1billion in June from £8.7billion in May and well below the £8.5billion expected by economists. Nida Ali, economic advisor to the Ernst & Young Item Club, said: ‘This confirms the strength of the UK’s recovery.’ | New figures reveal exports rose 4.9per cent between April and June .
Exports to non-EU countries have grown by 40per cent in past five years . |
137,682 | 3e0ed34a6b36890d4a015ccf2bf5bc5bcab6b481 | (CNN) -- They came from all over, police say, and at least one carried condoms in his pocket. A middle school teacher, a tourist visiting from Turkey, college students, a businessman from North Carolina. All of them were arrested in a week-long law enforcement operation, which ended Monday, that targeted men seeking sex with children. About 16 Florida law enforcement agencies came together to create the ruse that the suspects were chatting online with children or parents offering up their kids for sex. The men drove down to a pristine home in the city of Oviedo, about 19 miles from Orlando. Footage released by authorities captured their surprise as their illicit date turned into a rough tackle by a posse of officers. The black and white footage shows officers slamming the men against the wall of the home before cuffing them. At least one man led police on a brief footchase in the front yard before they took him down. One of the men, authorities said, was a Florida high school English teacher who arrived at the decoy home with condoms in his pocket planning to have sex with a 14-year-old girl. Before coming to the home, he sent photos of himself to the undercover officer, Florida detectives said. "He said he had a lot to lose," Seminole County Maj. Dennis Lemma told reporters. A middle school science teacher arrived, planning to have sex with a 14-year-old boy, authorities said. Another man arrested was an elementary school interpreter for deaf children, investigators said, who had posted an online advertisement for a 13-year-old boy. A school janitor also turned up, police said. In all, 50 suspects where arrested. They ranged in ages of 19 to 60. 245 arrested in U.S.-led child sex abuse operation . 2 arrested in child porn cases after request for public's help . | Police: The men thought they were chatting with children .
Suspects were in fact talking to undercover officers .
They were arrested when they drove to a Florida home .
Three teachers and a janitor were among those arrested . |
64,301 | b69f4064700e914ef89ed545148a18522bc94f11 | (CNN) -- The 6-month-old girl whose parents created a "bucket list" blog for their daughter after doctors said she would not live past age 2 died Monday, her father said. Avery Lynn Canahuati, who was born in November with spinal muscular atrophy type 1, died of pulmonary complications related to the genetic disorder, Mike Canahuati said on the blog Tuesday. "In short, one of her lungs collapsed and she went into cardiac arrest," said Canahuati, 31, of Bellaire, Texas. "I immediately performed CPR on her and was able to bring her back to life, but only for a brief period of time before she passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. "Avery's passing this quickly came as a complete shock to all of us, as she had just been given a thumbs up at her last doctors appointment only three days ago," her father wrote Tuesday. "While we were aware of the severity of her diagnosis, we never lost hope for Avery and even in her passing, we still have hope for our daughter and all of her friends." The infant's parents had written the blog as though Avery would make it past age 2 and experience life's milestones as a healthy girl. Canahuati wrote Monday that there were two items he could now scratch off Avery's "bucket list": . 1. Not let SMA take my smile away. 2. Take one last breath, then take one more before I go to live with my Uncle Bryant, Nana Carolyn, Papa George and all my great-grandparents. He published the last photo the parents took of Avery, which he said showed her "sitting on her mommy's lap looking at me and all it took to get her to smile this big was for me to keep saying 'Hi.' " The blog began as an efficient way to keep family and close friends in touch about their baby's health. But when the father came upon the idea of writing a "bucket list" for his Avery -- a list of things to do before death, normally drafted for adults -- his blog went viral and now has 2.4 million page views. The "bucket list" is so sensitively penned that many of his readers are convinced that it's mom, not dad, typing the entries, he said. "A lot of people, when they post on there, they say, 'you and your husband.' They obviously assume Laura is writing it," he said. The bucket list's entries are lighthearted, humorous and decidedly hopeful, though Avery had the worst order of an incurable disease caused by a genetic defect that attacks the muscles, especially the respiratory system. Only type 0 is worse, but that usually occurs with fetuses, the couple said. One in 6,000 babies is born with one of four types of SMA, according to the Canahuatis, whose daughter was diagnosed on Good Friday. One in 40 people is a carrier of the gene, and the Canahuatis had a one in 1,600 chance of both being carriers -- which they believe they are, the couple said. Writing in the first person as if his daughter were the author, Canahuati created new bucket list entries during the week on the family's averycan.blogspot.com website or their "Avery's Bucket List" Facebook page. They included: . 1. Wake up smiling. 2. Have a bad hair day. 3. Ride in an ambulance. 4. Get picked up by a fireman. 5. Meet a fan. 6. Talk to mommy & daddy. 7. Eat a cupcake & a Blow Pop. 8. Play with Play-Dough. 9. Play a practical joke on someone. CNN's Michael Martinez contributed to this report. | "Avery's passing this quickly came as a complete shock to all of us," her dad writes .
Doctors told her parents she would not live past 2 .
A blog created by her parents includes a "bucket list" for Avery .
Avery's blog went viral, drawing millions of page views . |
68,962 | c38f613b7ce33b5030e75ab1da364bcc162d4f9c | The vast majority of Manchester United fans want David de Gea to sign a new contract rather than see him used in any swap deal for Gareth Bale, according to a new poll. De Gea put in another top-class performance on Saturday in United's 2-0 win at QPR. The Spaniard, who has 18 months left on his contract, has been linked with Real Madrid and reports over the weekend suggested the goalkeeper could be used in an exchange that would see Bale move to Old Trafford. Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea has been in imperious form for Manchester United this season . United supporters do not want De Gea to be part of a swap deal with Gareth Bale . The Manchester United Supporters' Trust have challenged Ed Woodward (pictured) to offer De Gea a new deal . The Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) asked United fans what their preference would be in a poll on their Facebook page. MUST asked: 'If you had a straight choice to either keep David de Gea or sell him as part of a player exchange deal for Gareth Bale with Real Madrid, what would you choose to do?' Twelve hours after posing the question, MUST said 'over 99 per cent' of the 600-plus fans who responded said they would prefer to keep De Gea. 'With this in mind it signals the challenge (executive vice-chairman) Ed Woodward and (owners) the Glazers have to get Manchester United's most popular player signed up on a new contract, before Real Madrid attempt to prise him away,' a MUST spokesman said. | Of over 600 Manchester United fans polled, 99% want David de Gea to stay .
He has been linked with Real Madrid and a swap deal with Gareth Bale .
Manchester United Supporters' Trust want De Gea to be offered a new deal .
Click here for Manchester United transfer news . |
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