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43,206 | 79dcbc39d83ea0464210d1471376c8f3224d0bbf | White people who kill black people in 'Stand Your Ground' states are 354 per cent more likely to be found justified in their killing than a white person who kills another white person, according to research. On Saturday George Zimmerman, 29, was acquitted of . second-degree murder and manslaughter in the shooting death of 17-year . old-Trayvon Benjamin Martin. But he was not arrested for 44 days after the February 26, 2012, shooting as police in Sanford insisted that Florida's Stand Your Ground law on self-defence prohibited them from bringing charges - Florida gives people wide latitude to use deadly force if they fear death or bodily harm. Scroll down for video . On Saturday George Zimmerman, 29, was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the shooting death of 17 year old Trayvon Benjamin Martin . The result was drawn from a study using FBI data conducted by John Roman, a senior analyst at Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center. He examined racial disparity using data on 43,500 homicides from 2005 to 2009 - the most recent years for which data was available, reported PBS. He narrowed the sample to about 5,000 homicides by only analysing killings in which there was a single shooter and a single victim, both of whom were strangers to each other. Breakdown of the killings: The figures represent the percentage likelihood that the deaths will be found justifiable compared to white-on-white killings . Roman looked specifically at 'justified' homicides - defined as the killing of a felon during the commission of a felony, committed by private citizens. He discovered that killings of black people by whites were more likely to be considered justified than the killings of white people by blacks. Frontline then asked him to analyse the data and look for findings between states which had Stand Your Ground versus those without the laws. Under the Stand Your Ground law, which . was approved in 2005 and applies in over 30 states, people fearing for their lives can use deadly force without . having to retreat from a confrontation, even when it is possible. The self-defence law applies in Florida where Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin dead. The court was told that he had followed the unarmed youngster through a park because he looked like he was 'up to no good.' But Zimmerman, . a volunteer neighbourhood watchman, claimed he shot Martin in . self-defence, and that the teen punched him repeatedly before deciding . to use lethal force. The statute is central to Zimmerman's defense in a case that captivated the United States throughout much of 2012 because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman based on his self-defense argument and right to use deadly force under Florida law. Roman analysed the pool of 43,500 homicides by race in states with Stand Your Ground laws and those without them. He found that whites who kill blacks in non-Stand Your Ground states are 250 percent more likely to be found justified in killing a black . person than a white person who kills another white person. But in Stand Your . Ground states, that number jumps to 354 percent. Footage: CCTV footage shows Trayvon buying Skittles and a soda at a 7/11 . Evidence: A shirt worn by Zimmerman on the night of the shooting was used as evidence in the trial . Injuries: Photos of cuts to the back of Zimmerman's head and his face were included in the evidence . Fatal mark: A bullet hole can be seen in the front of the hooded top Trayvon was wearing on the night he died . Crime scene: Trayvon was shot outside with Florida complex . But the findings are not yet conclusive - the . data doesn’t show the circumstances behind the killings, for example . whether the people who were shot were involved in home invasions or in a . confrontation on the street. Plus . there are less white-on-black shootings in the FBI data -only 25 total . in both the Stand Your Ground and non-Stand Your Ground states. Additionally Stand Your Ground laws can be applied at multiple points during an investigation. Zimmerman . was not arrested for over a month following the shooting as police in . Sanford insisted that Florida's Stand Your Ground law on self-defence . prohibited them from bringing charges. A special prosecutor later brought the murder charge. The prosecutor accused Zimmerman of profiling Martin and chasing him vigilante-style rather than waiting for police to arrive. Zimmerman . left the courthouse as a free man, although the NAACP has called for . the Justice Department to open a civil rights case against Zimmerman. Though . the department has a history of using federal civil rights law in an . effort to convict defendants who've previously been acquitted in state . cases, it's not always easy. Forceful: Thousands of protestors gathered in Times Square on Sunday night to demonstrate against the acquittal of George Zimmerman in Florida late Saturday. The march continued up 5th Avenue toward Harlem when arrests began . Massive: The crowd of pro-Trayvon Martin protestors swelled in Times Square, where they marched from Union Square on Sunday before continuing uptown . Blocked: With emotions high and traffic stopped, tensions rose as protestors blocked the Los Angeles freeway . The department said in a statement Sunday afternoon that it's looking into the case to determine whether federal civil rights charges should be filed. Supporters have suggested that Martin's parents file a wrongful-death civil lawsuit against Zimmerman. Zimmerman's lawyers have said he'll seek immunity. Florida's stand your ground law may offer him that immunity if a judge concludes he acted in self-defense, said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in Miami. | Drawn from a study using FBI data on homicides between 2005 to 2009 .
31 states across the U.S. have the 'Stand your Ground' law .
Florida where Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin has the self-defence law . |
81,099 | e5d6de4f1189fc3e949c59524c3de7d4257d9de7 | By . Sarah Bull and Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 07:18 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:05 EST, 19 June 2013 . Break in: Helen Flanagan is seen outside her home in Cheshire this morning after the break-in last night . She was condemned for tweeting a picture of herself wearing lingerie and wielding a gun just days after a shooting massacre at a US school. Now it appears that Helen Flanagan may have again come unstuck on Twitter after letting slip that she was at home without her footballer boyfriend Scott Sinclair. Hours later, three men wielding a screwdriver and a saw burst into the house, confronting Flanagan and a female friend before fleeing with jewellery and a mobile phone. The men burst into the Cheshire home she shares with her footballer boyfriend Scott Sinclair shortly before midnight. A spokesman for the former Coronation Street actress confirmed she was left 'shaken' by the incident but is 'coping well'. The incident happened after Helen, 22, let slip on Twitter that she was in the large detached . home alone as Manchester City star Scott was away. She wrote: 'Super tired today, which makes me emotional, sensitive and mental! 'Can't wait to have my boyfriend home.' The raiders confronted two woman who were inside the home at the time, a police spokesman said. The incident happened after Helen was seen out in Alderley Edge yesterday afternoon. Police . were seen outside the property this afternoon, and have been . interviewing Helen as well as taking evidence from inside. A spokesman for Cheshire Police said they were treating the incident as an aggravated burglary. 'We are . investigating a burglary at a private address in Prestbury reported at . 11.50pm on Monday 17 June,' he said. 'Thieves broke into the detached property and stole items of jewellery and a mobile phone. 'The investigation into the incident is continuing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cheshire Police.' Helen's boyfriend Scott is a 24-year-old winger who plays for Premier League side Manchester City. Tweet: The break-in happened just hours after Helen Flanagan hinted in a message on Twitter that she was home alone . Probe: Police officers are seen at Helen Flanagan's house which she shares with her boyfriend Scott in Prestbury, Cheshire . Star: The model and former Coronation Street star is seen driving away from her home this afternoon after the break-in last night . The . footballer was recently told he needs to have his top rib removed . because he has a blood clot in his shoulder. The surgery will stop him . from training for the next three months. It . has been reported that Helen is planning to stay with a friend for the . next few days before making a decision about whether or not she can . return to live in the house. There have been rumours that Helen is . set to split from her long-term partner Scott after he allegedly had a . fling with a mystery woman while on holiday in Monaco. The star was seen flirting with woman while on holiday and it is thought he did not want a relationship. However, the model was apparently looking forward to seeing the star when he got back. Helen reportedly underwent a nose job recently after suffering years of abuse. Since the age of ten the actress has become a regular face on television screens. Boyfriend: Helen Flanagan (left) is dating Manchester City footballer Scott Sinclair (right). She Tweeted yesterday that he was away - hours before the break-in happened . Shaken: Helen Flanagan was left in tears after three armed men broke into her house and robbed her . Standing guard: Police were seen at the property on Tuesday morning and are investigating the incident . She played hell-raiser Rosie Webster in Coronation Street since 2000, and after she quit the role in 2012 participated in the twelfth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, where she finished in seventh place out of the 12 celebrities competing. In October last year she moved her things from her home in Swansea, Wales,into her Sinclair's £6,500 a month Cheshire mansion. The expensive home is situated in . Prestbury, Cheshire, an affluent area that is well populated with other . Premier League footballers. The surroundings are a far cry from . the more humble settings Helen and Scott were used to in Swansea, Wales, . where they lived together for just over a year before moving out in . August last year. The couple spent most of September living in a suite at the Radisson Blu Edwardian in Manchester. It has been a tough year for Flanagan. She faced a public backlash during . her stint on 'I'm A Celebrity', where the public kept voting for her to . endure Bushtucker trials. Police investigation: An officer stands guard outside the property in Prestbury, Cheshire, as they investigate the aggravated burglary . Scene of the crime: A woman, believed to be Helen, was seen heading inside to speak to police . Collecting evidence An officer in gloves enters the property to collect evidence . Then in December last year she revealed her secret battle with depression and how she considered ending her life during her time on Coronation Street. The fragile actress said that she is on medication for Bipolar disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder but stopped taking it for a year and a half, culminating in a dark spiral into despair. It was then that the actress decided to quit the soap opera and concentrate on battling her illness, putting herself back on her medication in a bid to turn her life around. The actress, who has become well-known for her racy photo shoots, is now appearing in her first feature film. Set in 1970s Lancashire, Fizzy Days is a coming of age story inspired by director Mark Millicient's own teenage years. The movie tells the tale of school pals Eddy and Tomo, who have their hearts set on owning a Yamaha 'Fizzy' bike in the hope of achieving pop stardom and bagging gorgeous girlfriends. After getting jobs in a supermarket to fund their dream, the duo decide their plan isn't panning out quickly enough and decide to hold-up their place of work to get enough money for the bike. Helen plays 'supercool chick' and blonde bombshell Rachel Roberts, the object of affection for the group of teenage boys. Described as a 'warm and funny film about growing up', Fizzy Days also stars This Is England’s Stephen Graham and Shameless stars Jody Latham and James Drefus. | Three men broke into her home in Prestbury, Cheshire, last night .
Hours before hand she wrote on Twitter that she was home alone .
Thieves burst into her property shortly before midnight last night . |
149,191 | 4ce9d27d3f3d4f3bc2978b3d883fc2e5f0d1f9b0 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actress Lindsay Lohan missed her first day of community service at the Los Angeles County morgue Thursday, one day after a judge rebuked her for similar failures, revoked her probation and forced her to post $100,000 bail. "Lindsay arrived at the morgue approximately 20 minutes late and will be returning for orientation tomorrow," said her publicist Steven Honig. "Her lateness was due to a combination of not knowing what entrance to go through and confusion caused by the media waiting for her arrival," Honig said in a statement. "Lindsay spoke with the supervisors at the morgue. They showed her how to get in, and everything is all cleared up." Chief Coroner Craig Harvey said Lohan failed to show up on time -- 7 a.m. PT Thursday -- to the coroner's office. Though she arrived late, Lohan was turned away because there wasn't enough time to complete her hours for the day, officials said. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner ruled Wednesday that after Lohan posted $100,000 bail for her probation revocation, she had to perform two working shifts -- or eight hours a day -- twice a week until her probation revocation hearing November 2. Lohan's tardiness Thursday doesn't mean she is turned away from the program, Harvey said. If Lohan shows up Friday on time, she will be allowed to work and perform her community service, Harvey said. The coroner's office will dismiss Lohan from her morgue duties only if she does something "terribly" wrong or shows misconduct, Harvey said. Sautner revoked probation for Lohan because of her failure to comply with community service at a downtown Los Angeles women's center. Under Sautner's ruling, once Lohan made bail the same day, the actress now must perform 16 hours of community service a week -- over a minimum of two days a week -- at the county morgue before her probation violation hearing next month. Lohan, 25, was on probation after pleading guilty in May to stealing a necklace from a Venice, California, jewelry store. She served five weeks of home confinement ending in June for that misdemeanor theft and violation of another probation. Lohan's legal woes began in 2007 with two drunken driving arrests and have been compounded by her failure to attend counseling classes and her failures of alcohol and drug tests. Her current probation calls for her to perform 360 hours at the Los Angeles Downtown Women's Center and 120 hours at the county morgue within a year. But the judge expressed anger Wednesday at Lohan's repeated probation failures. She said Lohan posted nine absences at the women's center since her last court hearing July 21 -- and performed, at most, only two hours of service. Lohan's attempt to perform community service at a nearby Red Cross facility -- instead of the women's center -- was voided Wednesday because the judge said she didn't authorize that change. After the hearing, Lohan publicist Honig released a statement: "Lindsay is hoping this matter will be resolved on November 2 and the court will reinstate probation and allow her to continue fulfilling her community service." Lohan's estranged father, Michael Lohan, told HLN's "Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell" that his daughter needs "a very, very intensive" program of rehabilitation for substance abuse. "What the judge did, she had to do," he said Wednesday. But he said jail time would not be the proper remedy. "She's not going to be working the morgue. She's going to wind up in a morgue if someone doesn't do something to get her help," he said. At one point during this week's hearing, Los Angeles city attorneys Lisa Houle and Melanie Chavira asked the court to revoke Lohan's probation and impose jail time because of her failure to do community service. One of the city attorneys said Lohan "is in violation for getting herself kicked out of the women's center, which she was ordered to do." But Lohan's attorney told the court that the actress received "a glowing" probation report, which said that "Ms. Lohan has reached a turning point" in her behavior and maturity. The judge raised several questions about the reliability of that report, however. Sautner remarked how the probation report showed Lohan had excused absences from community service between September 9 and October 5 so that she could travel to New York, Milan, Italy, and Paris for work. But a psychologist's report said Lohan had perfect attendance for counseling every week, the judge observed. "The psychologist said she appeared in person for her counseling every Tuesday," the judge said. "I don't know how she did that." "Did she go to Milan for five days and come back in time or go to Paris for five days and come back in time?" Sautner asked the defense attorney. "If she was gone from September 9 to October 5, did she get beamed across the pond? I don't know how that happened," the judge said. Lohan's attorney, Shawn Holley, told Sautner that she didn't know the specifics of Lohan's psychological appointments, but the attorney said the arrangement did call for phone conferences. Holley added that Lohan's work in Europe was done to support her and her family -- and affected her ability to carry out the community service. "Because the work is out of the county, it did cause a disruption to her schedule" to do community service, Holley said. Lohan's community service at the county morgue won't be easy, the judge noted. "They don't mess around and you show up and do what they tell you to do," Sautner said. CNN's Carolyn Sung contributed to this report. | NEW: Coroner says Lindsay Lohan missed her 7 a.m. PT start time .
Publicist: She arrives 20 minutes late to do community service at Los Angeles County morgue .
Actress will return to the morgue Friday and try again, her publicist says .
A judge has already revoked Lohan's probation because of other similar failures . |
253,431 | d40cd112e0cb4889156f3e1e8b444929c5a3aae4 | The iPhone 5 is the slowest smartphone among the best selling brands on the market, consumer watchdog tests claim. Technical tests to measure processing and memory speed ranked the Apple handset bottom of seven of the most popular phones on the market in the UK. It is slower than both the main Samsung models as well as rivals from Google, Sony, HTC and Blackberry for popular tasks such as playing games, editing pictures or using apps. Samsung's Galaxy S4 (left) outperformed Apple's iPhone 5 in Geekbench tests for Which? Apple is expected to unveil its next model later this year as the companies battle it out in the $253 billion smartphone market. And the top ranked phone, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is almost twice as fast, according to consumer champions Which? who carried out industry-recognised laboratory tests. The findings will be a blow to those iPhone 5 fans who have wrongly assumed their trendy mobile, the best-selling in the world, is also the best. Which? used what are known as the Geekbench speed tests. The higher the score, the faster the phone. The Samsung S4 scored 3,188 and the iPhone 1,664. The speed of the processor is important but so is the type - for instance, the winning Samsung has a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, the Apple a 1.2GHz dual-core. But Which? said: 'Bigger processors do not always mean better speeds - that’s why we put all the handsets through the same test. 'This measures processor and memory performances across smartphone platforms to provide a standard speed rating.' JK Shin, President and Head of IT and Mobile Communication Division, at the launch of the S4 in New York. Among the features which the company hoped would propel it to dominate the market was a bigger screen and features such as gesture controls . It added: 'If a phone has a high Geekbench score it will perform well when photo-editing, running graphically intensive games and multi-tasking across numerous apps in general.' 1.Samsung Galaxy S4 - 3188 points2.HTC One - 27983.Sony Xperia Z - 21734.Google Nexus 4 - 21345.Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - 19506.BlackBerry Z10 - 16987.Apple iPhone 5 16GB - 1664 . The HTC One was in second place and . Sony’s Experia ‘sneaked’ into third ahead of the Google Nexus 4 but the . Google does have the advantage of being up to £200 cheaper than its . rivals. The fastest phones tend to be the most expensive, costing up to £450 is bought sim free, yet all models are eventually replaced by better and faster ones. Which? said: 'Undoubtedly, Apple will upgrade its next iPhone with an improved processor when it launches later this autumn. 'For the moment, Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is the phone to beat when it comes to speed.' | Geekbench tests reveal Samsung Galaxy S4 to be the fastest smartphone .
Apple iPhone was shown to be bottom for processing and memory speed .
Technical tests showed that bigger processors do not always mean better speeds . |
101,644 | 0f00bc08defb76e65c9e8eb9942c08498c4daee7 | Editor's note: Jack Cafferty is the author of a new book, "Now or Never: Getting Down to the Business of Saving Our American Dream." He provides commentary on CNN's "The Situation Room" daily from 4 to 7 p.m. ET. You can also visit Jack's Cafferty File blog. Jack Cafferty says people are losing faith in their ability to realize the American dream. NEW YORK (CNN) -- There is a chill wind blowing across this land of ours. People are losing faith in their ability to realize the American dream. While AIG pays out $165 million in bonuses to people who arguably contributed to the need for the federal government to hand them $170 billion of our money, and while politicians lie about who crafted the language that allowed this kind of stuff to happen (Are you listening Chris Dodd?), the average American is seeing his future disintegrate in front of his eyes. Here are some numbers that suggest we are losing hope: . A CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll shows 39 percent of those surveyed say they're very confident they'll be able to keep up their quality of life. That's down from 45 percent a year ago. Fifty percent of homeowners with a mortgage say they're very confident they can keep making their house payments. Again, that's down from 58 percent a year ago. Also down are the percentages of Americans who are confident they can pay their other debts, things like credit cards and car loans. When it comes to saving for long-term goals, it's even worse. Only 24 percent of parents say they're very confident they'll be able to pay to send their children to college, and only 22 percent of those who are still working think they'll be able to save enough for retirement. This used to be the country where each succeeding generation could look forward to a better quality of life than their parents enjoyed. In the meantime, as the federal government continues to print money that isn't worth the paper it's written on and as our national debt soars past $11 trillion, a United Nations panel is set to recommend that the world ditch the U.S. dollar as its reserve currency in favor of a shared basket of currencies. One of the enduring strengths of the dollar has been that it has always been the currency of choice in times of crisis. But that's not the case anymore. Our ballooning deficits have driven down the value of the dollar so much that the Chinese government recently asked for guarantees from Washington that the Treasury bills they own are safe. All of this isn't lost on the average American. Last week there were protests and demonstrations by taxpayers in cities all around the country who are beginning to object in increasing numbers to runaway government spending, taxes, bailouts and our growing national debt. These protests were called tea parties. Has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jack Cafferty. | Jack Cafferty: People are losing faith in their ability to achieve American dream .
He says poll found fewer are very confident they'll maintain quality of life .
Americans worried about paying off loans and sending children to college, he says .
Cafferty: Idea that next generation would have a better life is now at risk . |
216,354 | a41722ddab80d9d65a09fdc0f24cab6697f5add8 | An anonymous letter sent to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which he is called a ‘filthy abnormal animal’ and urged to kill himself has been made public for the first time in its unredacted form . An anonymous letter sent to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which he is called a ‘filthy abnormal animal’ and urged to kill himself has been made public for the first time in its unredacted form. The letter, written in 1964 by an FBI deputy posing as a disillusioned civil rights activist, was an attempt by J Edgar Hoover to unsettle the civil rights leader just days before he received the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize. A heavily censored version of the ‘suicide letter’ has been published before, but a Yale University historian recently unearthed an unredacted copy. Beverly Gage was researching a book about Hoover in the National Archive when she accidentally came across the letter. ‘I was surprised to find a full, uncensored version of the letter tucked away in a reprocessed set of his official and confidential files at the National Archives,’ she told the New York Times. Former FBI director Hoover feared King so much that he had classified him as 'the most dangerous and effective Negro leader in the country'. With his agents desperately searching for something they could use to destroy King, the only thing they could find was about his extramarital affairs. When Hoover learned that King would be the recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, he stepped up his attack, instructing his agents to send King the anonymous note in which they threatened to divulge details about his affairs if he didn't take his own life. Scroll down to the letter in full . Former FBI director Hoover left, feared King so much that he had classified him as 'the most dangerous and effective Negro leader in the country', while the original letter was recently uncovered by Yale University historian Beverly Gage, right . The typewritten note, featuring misspellings and deliberately poor grammar, was written by an agent called William Sullivan. It was accompanied by a cassette recording containing evidence of King’s now well documented extramarital liaisons, which the FBI had obtained by wiretapping his homes and hotel rooms. 'King, look into your heart. You know you are a complete fraud and a great liability to all of us Negroes,' the nasty note reads. In a previously redacted part of the letter, Sullivan is especially vicious in his criticism of Dr. King. 'Lend your sexually psychotic ear to the enclosure. 'You will find yourself in all your dirt, filth, evil and moronic talk exposed on the record for all time … . Civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo in December 1964 . 'You will find on the record for all time your filthy, dirty, evil companions, male and females giving expression with you to your hidious [sic] abnormalities. 'It is all there on the record, your sexual orgies. Listen to yourself you filthy, abnormal animal. 'You are on the record. You have been on the record – all your adulterous acts, your sexual orgies extending far into the past. This one is but a tiny sample. 'You will understand this. Yes, from your various evil playmates on the east coast to [name redacted] and others on the west coast and outside the country, you are on the record. King you are done.' It concludes by urging King to take his own life within 34 days – thought to be a reference to a date on which he was due to collect the Nobel Peace Prize in Sweden. King left for Norway before the letter arrived and it was left to his wife Coretta, center, to open it . 'There is but one way out for you. You better take it before your filthy, abnormal fraudulent self is bared to the nation.' King left for Norway before the letter arrived and it was left to his wife Coretta to open it. When King showed the letter to his advisers, they agreed that it was clearly the work of the FBI and a blatant attempt to blackmail him into taking his own life. 'One oddity of Hoover’s campaign against King is that it mostly flopped, and the FBI never succeeded in seriously damaging King’s public image,' write Gage in the Times. 'Half a century later, we look upon King as a model of moral courage and human dignity. Hoover, by contrast, has become almost universally reviled. 'In this context, perhaps the most surprising aspect of their story is not what the FBI attempted, but what it failed to do.' A heavily censored version of the ‘suicide letter’ has been published before, but Yale University historian Beverly Gage recently unearthed this unredacted copy . | A Yale University historian has unearthed an unredacted copy of the FBI's infamous 'suicide letter' sent to Dr. King .
The letter was an attempt by J Edgar Hoover to unsettle the civil rights leader just days before he received the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize .
The letter threatened to expose King's extramarital affairs and urged him to kill himself .
'There is but one way out for you. You better take it before your filthy, abnormal fraudulent self is bared to the nation,' reads the letter .
King left for Norway before the letter arrived and it was left to his wife Coretta to open it . |
44,867 | 7e7437fcc1874f612f92f67a420eda910d78d242 | Defence officials have secretly started examining plans to move Britain’s nuclear-armed submarines from Scotland to Wales, the Daily Mail can reveal. The Scottish Nationalists, on course for an unprecedented breakthrough at May’s General Election, insist they want the Trident fleet removed from its base on the west coast of Scotland. David Cameron refused to allow any contingency planning for Scottish independence to take place before last September’s referendum, not wanting to give the impression that the UK Government was even contemplating defeat. Scroll down for video . As polls revealed the SNP may have the power of king-maker after the general election, Parliament has begun drawing up plans to move the nuclear deterrent to Wales (pictured, HMS Vanguard at the Faslane base) But now, despite the ‘no’ vote in the referendum, pollsters say the SNP is on course to win dozens of Commons seats and may hold the balance of power at Westminster after the Election. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s new First Minister, has made scrapping Trident a condition of entering any sort of power-sharing deal with Labour. The Ministry of Defence insists it has no intention of moving the nuclear deterrent from the Faslane naval base on the River Clyde and is committed to maintaining a continuous, submarine-based missile system to protect the UK. But sources have disclosed that work has now begun on the practicalities of shifting Britain’s nuclear defence systems to Pembrokeshire, should that prove necessary. Labour’s First Minister in Wales, Carwyn Jones, is understood to have indicated he would be prepared to see Trident relocated to Milford Haven, a natural deep water port. Britain has four Royal Navy Vanguard submarines, based at Faslane, which can deploy Trident ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads. One well-placed source said political leaders in Wales were keen for the Ministry of Defence to ‘look at Welsh sites – not just Milford Haven’. Nicola Sturgeon (right) said scrapping trident would be a condition of a power-sharing deal with Labour, while Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones is understood to have volunteered Milford Haven as a replacement . The source said it would be negligent not to prepare for all contingencies, given the SNP surge in Scotland and the possibility of the party holding the balance of power. Mr Cameron said this week that the prospect of a Labour government being ‘held hostage’ by Scotland’s former First Minister Alex Salmond, who is running for a Westminster seat, was ‘genuinely frightening’. Ed Miliband has been forced to restate his commitment to replacing Britain’s nuclear weapons, after failing to vote against an SNP Commons motion calling for Trident to be scrapped last week. The Labour leader’s spokesman said: ‘Our position on Trident is clear and unchanged. 'Labour believes Britain should be leading international efforts for multilateral nuclear disarmament while maintaining a minimum, credible independent nuclear deterrent.’ However, one pro-nuclear Labour MP accused Mr Miliband of ‘trying to be cute’, adding: ‘He wants to carve a different position to that of the Tories but it’s a dangerous game.’ The SNP yesterday welcomed a YouGov poll showing that, when ‘don’t knows’ are removed, 53 per cent of people in Scotland agree that the UK should give up nuclear weapons. Across the UK, however, only 25 per cent of voters want Britain to give up Trident when it reaches the end of its useful life in 13 years. British fighter planes could return to Afghanistan to tackle the Taliban months after the last troops were withdrawn. Defence chiefs are examining plans to send a squadron of Tornados to bomb militants following a series of major Taliban attacks. A senior Whitehall source said: ‘We are looking at sending Tornados back.’ But resuming combat operations would be seen as an admission that Britain quit too soon after 13 years of fighting. Tornados could return to Afghanistan in the wake of several Taliban attacks, but resuming strikes would be seen as an admission that Britain quit too soon after 13 years in the country . As British soldiers pulled out late last year, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said they would not go back ‘under any circumstances’. But despite his confidence, 2014 was the deadliest year of the conflict, with the Afghans losing more than 4,500 men – more than Nato forces lost in 13 years. However, the country is still said to be three years away from having an air force. An MoD spokesman said: ‘We do not expect to send fighter jets to Afghanistan. There is nothing in train on this.’ | Nicola Sturgeon said scrapping trident is key to any Labour election deal .
Ministers thought to be planning move to Milford Haven, Pembrokenshire .
Polls show SNP could be in position of king-maker after next election . |
123,290 | 2b615125b6d5c2acb0216dc6d02f8c44d33b6415 | If you thought Apple and North were bizarre baby names, it seems that HBO's hit fantasy series "Game of Thrones" has spurred Americans to name their babies some strange ones. According to data from the Social Security Administration, in 2012, there were 146 female babies born named Khaleesi — the title given to Emilia Clarke's character in "Game of Thrones" after she marries a Dothraki leader in season 1. 'Game of Thrones': Full coverage on EW . This trumps some more common female names such as Brandy (130) and Alex (128). Khaleesi's given name, Daenerys, wasn't quite as popular but still garnered 21 namesakes. With the recent news that "Game of Thrones" was renewed for two more years, hopefully we'll get some even more bizarre names like Ygritte and Bran in the years to come. See the original story at EW.com. | HBO's "Game of Thrones" is inspiring baby names .
According to SSA data, 146 baby girls were named Khaleesi in 2012 .
That makes the name more popular than more common names like Brandy . |
218,763 | a730a31f4e58d3adb38511399d74f163ed890093 | (CNN) -- "You press the button, we do the rest." The words of Kodak's first advertising slogan, coined by its founder George Eastman in 1892, still seem relevant 120 years later, even among rumors that Kodak is considering bankruptcy. With the digital age upon us, the term "point and shoot" has developed a new meaning. But for those who grew up using -- and developing -- film, there was a lot more to photography than just pointing and shooting. CNN iReport contributor Lynn Kordus found that out the hard way. As a 17-year-old fan of the Beatles, it was only in her wildest dreams that she would attend their concert. Hanging out with them in their dressing room was unfathomable -- until 1965. "My most memorable Kodak moment has got to be the day I spent 30 minutes with the Beatles," she told CNN iReport. Her Kodak Instamatic camera in hand, Kordus went backstage to meet the Fab Four in Bloomington, Minnesota. She realized too late that her one flashcube -- a disposable flash that had four one-time-use flashbulbs -- was missing a bulb. Her father had gone back to the car to get another cube but didn't return before Kordus was whisked backstage. She took photos of John Lennon flipping through a magazine, Ringo Starr acting goofy and George Harrison in the shower room tuning a guitar before her flashcube ran out of juice. She said Paul McCartney -- her favorite Beatle at the time -- looked around for an extra but couldn't find one. They took the photo anyway; the florescent lights brightened the room plenty. A problem of the film age: Not realizing until too late that the image would be underexposed. Without the additional light from the flash, the photo was too dark and didn't turn out. Her photo set with the Beatles was incomplete. "My loss," she said. But having those other images made the surreal experience come to life. Not only did she have proof of her visit for others to see, but she said it was also validating for her: "It really did happen." Photos: Kodachrome collection looks back at mid-century America . Professional photographer and iReport submitter Lee Gunderson has been shooting with a Kodak since he was a kid, mastering his photography skills with the help of his father since age 4. The company's purportedly inevitable Chapter 11 saddens him. "Kodak set the bar on color contrast, saturation and the parameters of color I look for," he said. This was something Gunderson believes Kodachrome in particular really excelled at. It was this film that National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry used for his famous 1985 "Afghan girl" image. Kodak stopped manufacturing that line of film in 2009 because it represented less than 1% of the company's film sales. Mastering film isn't easy, Gunderson said. "You get good really quick or you go broke," he added. "It's not like digital photography where you click away at no cost." While he still uses film, Gunderson has noticed a sharp drop in its availability in stores. When processing fees are added -- at around $50 a roll -- the price jumps quickly. Still, he said, the quality just isn't there with digital, so for special occasions he still uses film -- and Kodak's Ektachrome 100 is one of his favorites. "Kodak's trademark was rock solid," he said of growing up with the brand. "It always performed; it was always reliable." The popularity and usability of Kodak's cameras changed the way the world captured precious "Kodak moments." "The Instamatic was the proverbial point-and-shoot," iReporter Kordus said. "I liked the ease of shooting photos. It was simple. You didn't have to learn a lot." "Kodak film was the bread and butter of my career," Gunderson said. The brand will be missed, he added. See more Kodak moments on CNN iReport. | Amid rumors of Kodak's bankruptcy, iReporters sent in their favorite 'Kodak moment'
Lynn Kordus' most memorable Kodak moment was with the Beatles .
Lee Gunderson's favorite Kodak film is Ektachrome 100 . |
69,654 | c5749f9fcdaaa1d40d36a2f92ba93422976ef391 | By . Sophie Jane Evans . Commons Speaker John Bercow has run up a staggering half a million pounds in office expenses in just five years, it has been revealed. Mr Bercow has incurred £495,592 in taxpayer-funded events, travel, clothes and other supplies since taking up the prestigious role in June 2009. This includes £100,000 on overseas jaunts and £26,000 in formal dresswear - with £3,700 spent on just two suits. Speaker: John Bercow has run up half a million pounds in office expenses in five years, it has been revealed . It also includes more than £170,000 on 'official entertainment', £40,283 on UK travel, and even £2,400 on curtain cleaning. Details of the Speaker's office expenses were obtained by The Sun under Freedom of Information laws. The figures reveal Mr Bercow has run up £3,442 on TV licences, £7,104 on telecoms, and £7,308 on newspapers. But he has notched up a less pricey sum of £251 on late night transport - with just £9 spent on postage. Prestigious role: Mr Bercow has incurred £495,592 on taxpayer-funded events, travel, clothes and other supplies since taking up the Commons role in June 2009. This includes £170,000 on 'official entertainment' Last year's bill - totalling £59,709 - was two-thirds lower than in 2009/10, during which more than £180,000 was run up in expenses. This appears to be due to the government's chauffeured car service - which cost taxpayers a whopping £36,254 in 2009/10, £11,362 in 2010/11, but nothing in the past three years. A spokesman for the Speaker's office, which has six staff, told MailOnline: 'Every effort is taken to keep running costs down. 'Office costs have been cut by two thirds since Mr Speaker took office.' Controversy: It comes just days after Mr Bercow - pictured with his wife Sally and a Metropolitan Police officer - backed the 'sack[ing' of Scotland Yard and use of private security to take on a high-profile role at the Commons . It comes just days after Mr Bercow was accused of putting MPs’ safety in jeopardy after backing the 'sack[ing]’ of Scotland Yard and use of private security to take on a high-profile role at the Commons. Mr Bercow was told he was risking ‘disaster’ by agreeing to the privatisation of the airport-style searching and screening of visitors to the Palace of Westminster. The move, agreed with the House of Lords, comes amid complaints that the cost of the Metropolitan Police’s contract for the security of the entire Palace – £31 million a year – is too high. | Commons Speaker John Bercow has notched up £495,592 bill since 2009 .
This includes £26,000 in formal dresswear - with £3,700 on just two suits .
£100,000 incurred on overseas trips and £170,000 on official entertaining .
Details of office expenses were revealed under Freedom of Information laws . |
222,559 | ac1e9be2a40561e69da1f3aaf834f2f8ff943c5b | (CNN) -- With its heaving highways, glittering skyscrapers, contemporary art and design spaces, and countless new developments, Beijing is a thoroughly modern city. But beyond its contemporary facade are the remnants of hundreds of years of traditional history. Home to numerous ruling dynasties, Beijing is famed for its Forbidden City, a majestic court surrounded by high walls, once all but impossible to enter, which can now be visited by locals and tourists alike. Palaces temples and observatories dot the city, usually set in parks providing respite from the hustle and bustle. CNN's World's Treasures offers its top five picks of Beijing's traditional sites, from palaces laden with jaw-dropping artifacts to tranquil sculpted gardens that will -- almost -- make you forget you're in a buzzing modern metropolis. The Forbidden City . Built in the early 15th century, this gilded fortress was the seat of power during the Ming and Qing dynasties. With its breathtaking art and furniture and its sheer scale, the Forbidden City is a must on any Beijing travel itinerary. Visitors can easily lose themselves for hours admiring its opulence, sheltered from the outside world by high walls. Secret Garden of Beijing's Forbidden City garden revealed . The Summer Palace . Set in a landscaped park, the imperial court's summer residence is now a beautiful resting spot for the city-weary. Pavilions, temples and palaces make up the stunning vista, but perhaps the most memorable feature is a marble boat commissioned by the Empress Dowager Cixi. It also boasts the 900-meter Long Gallery -- home to paintings of mythological scenes -- and a lake on which you can row boats in summer and ice skate in winter. The Temple of Heaven . The Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing's Tiantan Park, was built in the 15th century during the Ming period and is admired for its complex architecture that symbolizes the meeting between heaven and earth, with the Emperor believed to have been the link between the two. The Temple was where sacrifices were offered to heaven and earth, and these were carried out for nearly 500 years before being banned at the beginning of the 20th century. Ancient Observatory . The history of this observatory stretches all the way back to the days of Khubilai Khan, grandson of the feared Mongolian warlord Genghis. It is set in a tranquil park, features eight Ming dynasty astronomical instruments on its roof, and is attached to a small museum. Khubilai Khan's riches travel to New York . Confucian Temple . Completed in 1306, during the Yuan dynasty, the Confucian Temple was both a place of learning and where emperors offered sacrifices to the philosopher Confucius up until the beginning of the 20th century. Carvings, commemorative stone tablets and numerous statues of wise men make this a quiet pit-stop, perfect for a spot of contemplation. | Beijing may be a bustling modern metropolis but it is steeped in hundreds of years of history .
CNN World's Treasures selects five top sites for travelers eager to sample the city's imperial past .
Highlights include the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven . |
99,358 | 0bf60d0a7b6e0eaeec5a91f2936918a2cc95831f | By . Matt Rocheleau . The FBI revealed on Tuesday it is investigating whether 'high-speed trading' companies, which use ultra-fast computers and complex algorithms to complete transactions, are guilty of insider trading. Authorities are scouring for possible illegal scenarios such as if a high-speed, or high-frequency, trading firm has used fast-moving, information not available to other investors to trade ahead of market rivals. High-speed trading and other . potentially illegal practices on Wall Street have come under increasing . scrutiny from regulators recently. The FBI investigation launched a year ago targets high-speed trading companies on Wall Street (Stock Image) The agency said its probe, called the . 'High-Speed Trading Initiative,' was launched about one year ago and is . still in the early stages, FBI officials told the Wall Street Journal. The FBI has deployed a large number of . agents, looking at proprietary-trading outfits as well as fast-trading . operations at brokers who buy and sell orders on behalf of clients, such . as mutual funds and pension plans. 'There are many people in government who are . very focused on this and who are concerned about it and who think it . breaks the law,' an FBI spokesman told the Journal. 'There is a big concern that . high-frequency traders are getting material nonpublic information ahead . of others and trading on it.' The Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority are among the regulators helping the FBI to investigate. Over the past four-and-a-half years, insider trading charges have been brought against 90 people, 79 of whom have either been convicted or pleaded guilty. None have been acquitted. News of the investigation comes one day after best-selling author Michael Lewis released a new book claiming some high-frequency traders on Wall Street use their speed to rig the market for their own advantage. | FBI revealed on Tuesday that the probe began a year ago .
'High-speed trading' firms use super-fast computers to make deals .
'Illegal scenarios' could include using non-public data to trade ahead of the market .
Since 2009, insider trading charges have been brought against 90 people, 79 of whom have pleaded guilty or been convicted; none have been cleared . |
167,713 | 64e92dcc0b785eaa00f074c98edd6af335bdb239 | A schoolgirl took a fatal overdose 'on an impulse' while experimenting with self harm, an inquest has heard. Thirteen-year-old Gabriele Rimseviciute sent pictures on the Snap Chat app to friends, showing a photograph of an arm with injuries and another holding a hand full of tablets. An inquest in Bolton heard, that she also exchanged messages on the controversial social media site Ask FM discussing suicide. Eventually after using the internet to research pills, the teenager - who was upset about the breakdown of her friendship with a boy - took an accidental overdose of tablets. She was found on the bathroom floor by her mother at home in Wigan, Greater Manchester after suffering a seizure, and died two hours later in hospital. Police examined her phones and computer and found 23 body harm photographs. She had also been exchanging messages on the controversial social media site Ask FM. The hearing in Bolton was told Gabriele, originally from Lithuania, had been living in Britain for three years and appeared happy to family and teachers at Deanery Church of England High School in Wigan. Her mother Vilija Achranoviciene said her daughter was popular and well-liked with a wide circle of friends. She had a good school attendance record and had no illness or mental health problems and Mrs Achranoviciene said she didn't know about any history self harming. Her school also had no concerns about her well being and had said she had been 'a normal girl who had settled in well and spoke good English'. But the hearing was told that friends discovered Gabriele had been having 'suicidal thoughts' and in the hours before her death last February she told one boy at school she could 'kill herself without hurting people.' Mrs Achranoviciene heard her daughter being sick at 1am and went to help. Gabriele initially told her mother to leave but a shortly later she asked for assistance and she was found lying on the bathroom floor having a seizure. An ambulance took her to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan where she was pronounced dead at 3.40am. The inquest heard the medication was kept in the kitchen and also in a first aid box which had been in her daughter's room, the inquest was told. Det Insp Joanne Clawson of Wigan Police said Gabriele's phone and computer was examined and it was found between 23.52pm and 00.02am in the hours before her death, she had searched the internet for information about overdosing. She added: 'We spoke to nine of her friends from school and a number were aware that she previously self harmed. Part of our questioning covered whether they informed an adult which they hadn't. In fact no parent, teacher or adult had been informed. 'Around Christmas time two of the children had received a Snap Chat message which had a picture of an arm with self harm injuries and another with a hand full of tablets. ' The officer added that as part of the investigation Gabriele's iPhone and Samsung mobile phones were examined as well as a laptop. She said: 'Two of the friends at school confirmed they received a Snapchat on Saturday 15th February. 'The other girl didn't open the message until the following morning Sunday 16th and in doing so attempted to contact Gabriele. When she wasn't able to she went on ASK FM and struck up conversation with someone from Lithuania who told her of Gabriele's death. She spoke of a male school pal who had been conversing with Gabriele. Det Insp Clawson added: 'It would appear from the conversation she had previously had conversations with this boy. He didn't think she was serious.' The hearing at Bolton Coroner's Court was told Gabriele, originally from Lithuania, had been living in Britain for three years and appeared happy to family and teachers at Deanery Church of England High School in Wigan . 'He sent her an anti-self harming song from You Tube but a message from Gabrielle had words to the effect of "I won't be here any more". The medication Gabriel took was not available in the UK. Pathologist Dr Philip Lumb said there were three reported deaths associated with high concentrations of the drug and that it could cause seizures. Returning a conclusion of misadventure assistant coroner Simon Jones said: 'To her teachers and school and to her family Gabrielle was a happy 13-year-old with no problems. The other sequence of events is a 13-year-old girl carrying out acts of self harm taking photographs of her and having done so sending them to school friends with messages expressing thoughts of suicide and similar comments. A supportive message posted on the AS.FM website to Gabriele . 'I find it difficult to believe that a 13-year-old would understand the implications of what she was doing against a background of a young person who was clearly troubled or upset who had been self harming and who had had a disagreement with a young boy whom she had had some relations with. 'I recognise that taking a large quantity of tablets may simply be an expression of the way she feels rather than a serious attempt to end her life.. In these circumstances I don't believe for one minute Gabriele intended to kill herself. 'What I think is a far more likely explanation is that what Gabriele did was either in the form of experimenting with tablets or an expression of her mood and unhappiness in the same way that she had been self harming. 'It was a reflection of how she felt about herself and her relationship with the boy to whom she had been friends. I believe this was an impulsive act carried out shortly after a number of very brief internet searches.' For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details . | Gabriele Rimseviciute sent self harm pictures to friends on Snapchat .
Used controversial social media site Ask FM to discuss suicide .
Inquest heard she was upset about breakdown of a friendship with a boy .
After using the internet to research pills, the teenager took an overdose .
Coroner returned conclusion of misadventure, saying she 'acted on impulse' |
114,466 | 1fb5d7e964b9ebfc111da0af2b643e379f63b084 | By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 12:48 EST, 27 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 28 September 2013 . Unusual move: David Cameron plans to keep his senior ministers where they are . David Cameron has today revealed that his most senior ministers will not be moved in the Government reshuffle expected early next month. In a highly unusual move Mr Cameron said George Osborne, William Hague, Theresa May, Michael Gove and Iain Duncan Smith will all be singled out for praise when he makes his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference next week. In an interview with regional newspapers, Mr Cameron said: ‘I will be referring strongly to the great team that I have got. ‘You have seen the key figures have been in place, know their departments well and are really delivering - whether that is welfare, education, the Home Secretary, the economy, Foreign Secretary. ‘I have a really strong team, and I will have the opportunity to emphasise that.’ Mr Cameron’s comments effectively guarantee the five senior ministers their jobs in the long-delayed reshuffle, which could come at the end of next week. Instead, the Prime Minister is expected to focus on moving talented female ministers into more senior positions with a view to promoting them into the Cabinet ahead of the General Election. Education minister Elizabeth Truss, welfare minister Esther McVey and junior whip Nicky Morgan are all tipped for promotion to bigger jobs. Home Secretary Theresa May and Chancellor George Osborne will be staying put after the prime minister praised them for knowing their departments well and delivering good results . The Prime Minister is under pressure from some senior Tories to ease out some veteran Tories to ease out some veteran ministers, including Chief Whip Sir George Young and Commons Leader Andrew Lansley, to free up room at the top. Sir George faced criticism last month after overseeing a Commons defeat on Syria in which 10 members of the Government failed to vote. Mr Cameron has faced criticism for his failure to promote women in the past, amid claims he left two female Cabinet ministers in tears when he sacked them in last September’s reshuffle. In 2009 he promised that at the end of his first term as Prime Minister he wanted a third of all of his ministers to be female. But the Cabinet still has only four female members. Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove . Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions . British Foreign Secretary William Hague . Mr Cameron is also under pressure to find jobs for talented backbenchers from the 2010 intake, such as Nadhim Zahawi and Gavin Barwell. The reshuffle was originally due to take place before the summer but has been delayed a number of times. The programme for next week’s Conservative Party conference in Manchester does not list any ministers by name, referring instead to their job titles. Ed Miliband is expected to match Mr Cameron with his own, wider reshuffle in the coming days. The Labour leader, who did not refer by name to any of his Shadow Cabinet colleagues in his own conference speech last week, will also use his shake-up to promote more women. Treasury chief secretary Rachel Reeves, shadow health minister Liz Kendall and backbencher Stella Creasy are all expected to get big promotions. Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg and Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liam Byrne are among those tipped for the sack. Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham is also likely to be moved to a new role after he was targeted by the Tories over his record as health secretary under Gordon Brown. | George Osborne, William Hague, Theresa May, Michael Gove and Iain Duncan Smith will all be singled out for praise .
Effectively guarantees the five ministers their jobs in the delayed reshuffle . |
232,745 | b9595216ed20455692ee9d307250d9f9717de14b | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 12:01 EST, 13 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:58 EST, 13 February 2013 . Say it with...cucumber. Gin firm Hendricks have grown romantically-shaped cucumbers . Bored of flowers and roses? Then how about a cucumber to show your loved one how much you care? Spanish vegetable farmers have grown heart-shaped cucumbers just in time for Valentine's Day. The farmers grow the cucumbers with specially-designed heart-shaped moulds so that when the cucumber is sliced, it produces perfect romantic slices. While they may be good in salads, they were actually designed as garnishes for drinks. Banffshire-based Hendrick's Gin came up with the idea as sliced cucumber is a popular garnish to serve in gin-based drinks,particularly in Spain where there are bars devoted to gin where customers choose their preferred gin, tonic and garnish. The Scottish drinks company approached the Tecnova Technology Centre at the University of Almeria which was looking at ways to promote cucumbers following the 2011 E.coli crisis. They then asked farmers to grow the veg into the desired shape. Bars in Valencia, Seville, Barcelona . and Madrid have been serving drinks with the heart-shaped cucumber, and . the company says it will extend the cucumbers to Britain if they prove . popular enough on the continent. Romantic: The cucumbers are grown in heart-shaped moulds so that they look just right in your gin and tonic . David . Piper, a Hendrick's spokesman, said: 'The giving of a red rose or . sharing of a glass of bubbly are pleasant enough ways to mark . Valentine's Day. 'But a gin and tonic complete with a most unusual garnish of heart-shaped cucumber slices is even better. 'Over . the winter months, our cucumber plants have been slowly bearing their . most marvellous fruit and hopefully their work will start a few . Valentine's celebrations off in Spain.' | Unusually-shaped veg are grown by Spanish farmers in plastic heart moulds .
Idea came from Scottish gin firm Hendrick's, as garnishes for gin and tonics . |
235,044 | bc4175caaad68883e72abc2e94580b28be22b24f | He was drunk, obsessed with murder and seething at life in the Royal Navy, but Able Seaman Ryan Donovan was still handed a loaded machine gun and allowed to guard a nuclear submarine. Donovan then murdered a senior officer and attempted to kill three other shipmates in April this year. Last night he was beginning a 25-year sentence for murder after a court heard how he had repeatedly promised to unleash a massacre. Charged: A photo of Ryan Donovan (left) taken two days before the killing and, right, victim Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux and wife Gillian . The attack finally came after a row with two officers over poorly performed cleaning duties. Despite the row, he was allowed two days of shore leave – which ended at 3:30am on the fateful day when he was put to bed extremely drunk. At noon that day – having told colleagues he was going to kill someone – he began a guard duty stint and was handed an automatic rifle. Moment afterwards weapons engineer Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, 36, was shot in the head at point blank range. The submariner – obsessed with gangster rap and violent computer games – admitted committing murder during a goodwill visit to Southampton by his submarine, the £1.2billion HMS Astute. Hero: Councillor Royston Smith with Commander Breckenridge alongside HMS Astute two days before the shooting. It was Cllr Smith who wrestled the gun from Donovan when he started firing during a tour of the submarine . It emerged that the Navy missed a string of warnings about his behaviour. They knew he had a police caution for assault, had been arrested for drunkenness and referred to doctors for alleged misuse of drugs. One former submarine commander said: ‘That he could be given a firearm after a heavy drinking sessions is astonishing. ‘If this had happened at sea the Royal Navy could have had a catastrophe on its hands.’ Wounded: Lieutenant Chris Hodge, circled, having dinner with some of his colleagues. Donovan admitted the attempted murder of Mr Hodge . Donovan fired seven shots in 13 seconds in . the confines of the vessel before being wrestled to the ground by . visiting dignitaries. Another officer was hit in the abdomen as others . dived for cover. Last night top brass were facing . urgent questions about why he was given an SA80 automatic rifle and 30 . rounds of live ammunition and put on guard duty. Because life on submarines can be so cramped and claustrophobic the selection process for the ‘silent service’ is supposed to be more intensive than for other parts of the Armed Forces. Submariners can be away from families for at least six months at a time. But, despite them having to pass an aptitude test, there is no formal psychological test. Instead, senior officers believe the rigorous training which can last up to two years will weed out unsuitable recruits. Before they begin training, personal qualities and life experiences are assessed. Candidates must also pass a a medical and security checks. Over the following weeks and months they will complete courses and exercises to judge whether they have physical and mental fortitude to operate in a confined environment for long periods and interact with a small crew. The final section is the ‘Part 3’ training course where recruits put to sea in a sub. Those who become submariners are supposed to continually assessed to make sure they remain fit for the job. A year before the shooting Donovan had . told fellow seaman Andrew Love that he was thinking about the best way to ‘start a . massacre’ in the control room. He said he wanted to stage a ‘kill . frenzy’ from computer game Grand Theft Auto. Prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC told Winchester Crown Court: ‘The defendant just giggled and said he was thinking how to start a massacre. ‘He started talking about Grand Theft Auto, where you start a massacre and rack up points by killing. The prosecutor added: ‘Witnesses said Donovan had wild eyes and the look on his face was of somebody who was in another place – like they were in a dream and they were doing this like in a video game.’ Mr Justice Field yesterday branded the shootings a ‘murderous onslaught’. He said it was a miracle that Donovan had not killed two other officers. As Lr Cdr Molyneux’s widow Gillian sobbed in court, he said that the loss for her and their four young children will be ‘crushingly hard to bear’. The judge added: ‘In killing that officer, you robbed him of a bright future within a loving family and with a promising career as a naval officer.’ The court heard that the seaman had faced up to a month in a naval prison after refusing to get up and help reclean a floor. He was nevertheless granted two days’ shore leave during the five-day stop in Southampton as children and VIPs toured the submarine. He spent the time drinking and visiting strip bars before volunteering for the first available guard duty on April 8. On that day, as he travelled back to the submarine, he told fellow seaman Colin Banks: ‘I’m going to kill somebody’ adding, ‘I’m not kidding, watch the news.’ Donovan told another sailor before going on duty: ‘One day I will be famous.’ Asked why, he replied: ‘You will see.’ Despite being helped into bed while . drunk at 3.30am, Donovan was handed the gun at noon after an officer . sniffed his breath and checked his eyes to see if he was sober. As . he walked away Donovan suddenly swung around and began firing at Petty . Officer Chris Brown, 36, and Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, 37, from . less than 10ft. Four bullets missed the men. Donovan then walked towards the control room where he was met by Lt Cdr Molyneux who shouted: ‘What have you done?’ He shot the officer in the head . before stepping over his body and wounding Lieutenant Commander Chris . Hodge, 45. The gunman was then tackled by Southampton council leader . Royston Smith and chief executive Alistair Neill. HMS Astute docked in Southampton for a five-day goodwill visit that included visits from civil dignitaries. Pictured, the sub just days before the shooting took place . Describing Lt Cdr Molyneaux’s . actions, prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC said: ‘It was a totally heroic . attempt to stop an armed man in his tracks.’ Mr Lickley added that Mr . Smith and Mr Neill displayed ‘remarkable courage’. The . court heard details of how Donovan had been arrested in Canada in 2008 . for being drunk and had a police caution for assault in 2007. HMS Astute leaving Southampton following the shooting to return to its base at Faslane, Scotland . In 2009 he was referred to a Navy doctor because of fears he may have been taking drugs but no evidence was found. Donovan’s barrister Christopher Porter, QC, described his client as feckless and grossly immature and said he had intended to kill himself at the end of the shooting. The widow of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux said nothing could ever replace her ‘soulmate’. Gillian Molyneux yesterday sobbed and prayed in court as her husband’s brave last moments were relived through the words of witnesses. Weapons engineer Lt Cdr Molyneux, 36, did not work with Ryan Donovan and the killer had no argument with him, but mercilessly gunned him down anyway. Tragic: Widower Gillian Molyneux (left) said that she had lost her 'soulmate' Commander Ian (right) Mrs Molyneux said outside Winchester Crown Court: ‘Nothing can ever replace Ian – my husband and soulmate and the father of our four beautiful children. ‘There is no pleasure or relief for me today – only the ongoing, heartbreaking sadness for the loss of Ian. ‘I find huge comfort in the abundance of love and support I have received from my family, many friends, Ian’s colleagues in the Royal Navy. ‘I will now try to rebuild my life with my gorgeous children and the eternal memory of Ian, my hero and true love.’ Addressing the children directly, she added: ‘To Jamie, Arron, Bethany and Charlie – your Daddy and I love you very much and our future will always be guided by him.’ Colleagues of Lt Cdr Molyneux described him as a devoted family man who was proud to serve in the Royal Navy. Known to comrades as Molly, he lived with his wife and children, aged between three and 13, in Standish, Wigan. HMS Astute’s commanding officer commander Iain Breckenridge described the dead man as a ‘gentle giant’ with a ‘mischievous twinkle in his eyes’. He said: ‘I know that every man in Astute considered Molly as a true shipmate and held him in the highest regard.’ | 'Immature' Ryan Donovan was put on sentry duty despite being drunk .
He could have killed more if council officials had not tackled him .
Donovan was resentful after learning he would not be transferring ships as he had disobeyed cleaning orders .
He told a fellow sailor he was planning a 'Grand Theft Auto-style' massacre . |
30,532 | 56d2496de48fb9ac93084f72c9c84b2c4cfaaa0b | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:08 EST, 27 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:07 EST, 28 April 2012 . Greedy: The former president of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers Neil . Greatrex stole £150,000 from a charity care home to do up his house . The former president of a mineworkers' union who stole almost £150,000 from a miners' charity to improve his home has been jailed for his 'calculated and sophisticated greed'. Neil Greatrex, ex-Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) president, was sentenced to four years for stealing money intended for a home for sick and retired miners. Judge John Wait said the thefts, from Phoenix Nursing and Residential Home, were 'a breach of the highest degree of trust'. Greatrex, 61, of Stanley, Nottinghamshire, spent £148,000 of the money on outside paving and new windows and doors for his home, as well as the home of co-director Mick Stevens, Birmingham Crown Court heard. He was convicted of 14 theft charges earlier this month, while UDM general secretary Mr Stevens, accused of the same charges, was cleared. Greatrex was a founder of the UDM in the 1984-85 miners' strike. The UDM, which was largely made up of Nottinghamshire miners, split from the National Union of Mineworkers after disagreeing with NUM president Arthur Scargill's leadership. Trustee Greatrex stole the cash and spent £11,750 alone on a new kitchen, with much more going on new windows, doors and landscaping work at his house in Nottinghamshire. Sentencing him yesterday Judge Wait said: 'As a trustee of the charity you were not entitled to profit from your role. 'Over the five year period you stole very nearly £150,000 from those you held office to protect. 'You have never accepted you did anything wrong despite the blatant breach of trust and procurement of false invoices. 'I reject as did the jury you had an honest belief that you were entitled to payment for your work at the Home. If you had had any such belief I have no doubt that you would have canvassed with advisors how such payment might be made. 'This was calculated and sophisticated greed. You used your influence with contractors to persuade them to provide false invoices, each of them knowing your position and no doubt hoping for further work. 'After the incorporation of the company you saw an opportunity to make personal profit at the expense of those less fortunate than yourself whose interest you had agreed as a trustee to protect.' DIY job: The stolen money was used to give his home, pictured, new windows, door and a kitchen among other improvements . Mr Greatrex, from Stanley, Nottinghamshire, showed no emotion during his sentencing and waved to members of his family in the public gallery as he was led away to to prison. Greatrex had spent more than 20 years in the National Union of Mineworkers before forming the UDM in 1985. He became a controversial figure for speaking out against then president Arthur Scargill’s tactics in the 1985 strikes. He formed the UDM claiming that nobody was speaking out for Nottinghamshire miners, prompting a great split between workers. In 1987 he was earning £67,000 a year in that role. Christopher Sallon QC, defending Greatrex, said he was 'instrumental' in the sale of the Phoenix Home, which was bought for 1.65 million in 2007. Scam: Greatrex wrote himself cheques and cashed them because he was a trustee of the Lincolnshire care home (pictured outside court with an unknown woman) He said it would have fetched a higher price but Mr Greatrex had insisted that the staff would be kept on as a term of the sale. Mr Sallon added that Mr Greatrex and his family had been subjected to harassment since the end of his trial earlier this month. He said: 'Since his conviction he and members of his family have been the victims of sustained harassment, with unsolicited text messages containing threats demanding money for those from whom it was said to have been stolen, namely miners. 'Political animosity is now being channelled into these kinds of communications.' The court heard that a police investigation into the alleged threats against Mr Greatrex and his family has been launched. UDM general secretary Mick Stevens, who was accused of the same charges, was cleared by the jury. A further hearing to decide issues of confiscation, compensation and costs will be held on June 29. | Scargill-rival Neil Greatex, former president of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers, wrote himself cheques .
He spent £11,750 on a new kitchen as well as thousands more on new windows, a door and landscaping around his Nottinghamshire home . |
191,749 | 844d2cdd268b139c93b567b136808149b1d80a57 | Travis VanderZanden has been accused of stealing trade secrets from rideshare company Lyft . The former chief operating officer of Lyft is being sued by the rideshare company for allegedly stealing more than 1,400 sensitive documents before joining arch rival Uber. Travis VanderZanden has been accused of uploading the files to his personal Dropbox account before leaving Lyft in August. Weeks later, he joined competitor Uber as vice president of international growth. Lyft claims some of the documents contained extremely confidential information, including the company's strategic plan for 2014, financial plans through 2016, growth data and international expansion plans. The complaint, filed in San Francisco yesterday, alleges Mr VanderZanden has used the confidential data in his current employment with Uber, Bloomberg reports. 'We are disappointed to have to take this step, but this unusual situation has left us no choice but to take the necessary legal action to protect our confidential information,' Lyft said. 'We are incredibly proud of the dedicated and people-powered culture that we've fostered to support drivers, passengers and the entire Lyft community and we will not tolerate this type of behavior.' According to the complaint, Uber's lawyers told Lyft that Mr VanderZanden 'has no Lyft proprietary information in his possession, not now, not when he started at Uber, and not since he left Lyft'. It is thought Mr VanderZanden left Lyft after falling out with its co-founders, Logan Green and John Zimmer, over how the company was being run. Lyft, whose drivers sport distinctive pink moustaches on their cars, is seeking to have the confidential documents returned and destroyed from Mr VanderZanden’s personal computer or any other devices he might be able to use to access it. In addition, the company has accused Mr VanderZanden of soliciting Lyft employees to leave Lyft and to join Uber, including vice president of operations Stephen Schnell and fellow employee Ryan Fujiu. Mr VanderZanden quit Lyft, whose drivers sport iconic pink mustaches on their cars, last August reportedly over differences with the company founders about how the company should be run . Both Uber and Lyft use special apps to connect passengers who are their customers with drivers of vehicles for hire. The two San Francisco-based companies have battled in the taxi market since Lyft came onto the scene in 2012, three years after Uber. Their rivalry has been dogged with allegations of backstabbing, spying, turf wars and driver-poaching. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick openly acknowledged he tried to disrupt Lyft's funding efforts. He told the magazine: 'We knew that Lyft was going to raise a ton of money and we were going [to their investors saying], 'Just so you know, we're going to be fundraising after this, so before you decide whether you want to invest in them, just make sure you know that we are going to be fund-raising immediately after.' Uber CEO Travis Kalanick openly acknowledged that he tried to disrupt funding efforts of arch rival Lyft . | Travis VanderZanden accused of uploading documents to personal Dropbox .
Weeks later, he left Lyft and joined competitor Uber .
Lyft claims the 'sensitive and confidential' data is being used in his new job .
Two San Francisco-based companies are locked in battle over taxi market . |
115,089 | 208711814dab7e3bf472967110de946403840611 | Rugby bosses will this week unveil wide-reaching measures to tackle head injuries, with the introduction of compulsory concussion education for all players, coaches and referees. The initiative, prompted by the Mail on Sunday’s long-running concussion campaign and backed by the Rugby Football Union, Rugby Players’ Association and Premier Rugby, will be unveiled at the Twickenham Stoop on Wednesday and brings concussion education in line with other serious issues in the game such as doping and illegal gambling. Concussions are common in rugby, thanks in part to moments like this, in the Super League final . It's been a long time coming but British sports associations are finally taking the issue of concussion seriously . Chris Ashton concussed on the field while playing for England . The Mail on Sunday launched the concussion campaign in September 2013 and has already had a strong impact . RFU figures show concussion is now the most common injury suffered by professional rugby players and concerns have grown about the long-term consequences for players routinely exposed to head injuries. Ground breaking research in the United States has found significant neurocognitive damage to former American Football stars and a multi-million dollar lawsuit has seen hundreds of players and their families sue the NFL for underplaying the risks. | Rugby bosses are set to unveil measures to tackle head injuries .
Compulsory concussion education will be introduced .
All players, coaches and referees will need the training .
RFU figures show that concussion is now the most common injury suffered by professional rugby players . |
23,688 | 4342611cb028a5cc5ebe72229fd3af2cfa6b87e9 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 12:06 EST, 11 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:12 EST, 11 March 2013 . A dairyman who killed a 22-month-old girl in a 'tragedy of untold proportions' when he reversed over her in a milk float has been spared custody. Christopher Davidson, 20, was reversing at around 14mph in Halifax, West Yorkshire, when he collided with Zoya Hussain who ran into the road from between two parked cars. The toddler died the following day with abdominal and head injuries from being run over by both the back and front wheels of the float. Christopher Davidson (left), outside Bradford Crown Court, killed 22-month-old Zoya Hussain (right) when he was driving a milk float in Halifax . Davidson, who was 18 at the time of the collision, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at Bradford Crown Court. He . was handed a 10-month sentence in a young offenders' institution, . suspended for two years, and was ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work. Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC described Davidson's driving as 'remarkably foolish'. He . said: 'A 22-month-old child who wandered from the safety of her home . into the street lost her life instantaneously when the front and rear . wheels of the milk lorry went over the child. 'This is a tragedy of untold proportions. Nothing this court can do can bring this child back. 'My . sympathies and sensitivities are with the family of the child who was . killed by a remarkably foolish but short-lived piece of driving by an . otherwise decent young man.' The court heard Zoya would have been visible to Davidson for around 0.8 seconds before the impact . Davidson, of Halifax, was collecting money on a milk round at around 5.30pm on August 25, 2011. Nick . Adlington, prosecuting, told the court Davidson was aware that children . were playing in the street and did not ask his colleague to watch for . hazards as he reversed. Davidson . reversed around 60 metres down the road when he saw a blur in his wing . mirror as Zoya ran into his path and heard a bang as the milk float hit . her, Mr Adlington said. He braked but the front and back wheels reversed over the little girl before the vehicle could stop. It was calculated that Zoya would have been visible to Davidson for around 0.8 seconds before the impact. Experts . found that if Davidson was travelling more slowly, the milk float could . have stopped before the wheels ran over the toddler, or the collision . could have been avoided completely. Mr Adlington said Davidson's speed was 'unsafe for the conditions'. Judge Durham Hall said Zoya's family, who were not in court today, had experienced the 'ultimate nightmare of any parent'. Sentencing Davidson, he said: 'The little girl's family will have a lifetime of unthinkable despair, for you cannot recover from the death of a child.' He continued: 'Speed kills. Speed, and the devices to control it, are not nuisances to be avoided and cheated. Speed kills. And in your case, your speed killed that little girl.' Judge Durham Hall said Davidson, who was described as a 'thoroughly decent, hard-working, law-abiding young man', would have to live with what he had done for the rest of his life. 'It was an error, for which you directly and fully bear responsibility, which robbed a 22-month-old baby girl of her life,' he said. 'Your driving was inappropriate, was careless and you caused the death.' He added: 'You reversed too fast, too long, in a completely risk-full situation with a restricted view.' Davidson, who stood in the dock wearing a dark-coloured suit and tie, showed no emotion as he was sentenced. He was disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years. | Christopher Davidson, 20, was reversing at 14mph when he crashed .
He hit Zoya Hussain who ran into road from between two parked cars .
Toddler died the following day with abdominal and head injuries .
Davidson, from Halifax, admitted causing death by careless driving . |
12,954 | 24b9e60edba4594dbf3746b80d8d44ec74a5c299 | The body of a pensioner lay undiscovered at a sheltered housing complex for a month - and was only found when maggots 'dropped down through light switches' in a residents' flat. The housing association which manages the site has apologised following the discovery at the complex in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Berkshire coroner's office said the man was believed to be Benigno Lacey, 74, but formal identification was still taking place. His body was discovered at Blandford House in the town after he was understood to have lain undiscovered for up to four weeks. The body of the pensioner is understood to have lain undiscovered at Blandford House sheltered housing complex for up to a month . The body was only found after maggots were discovered in the building's hallways. One Blandford House resident, who did not want to be named, said a neighbour had noticed maggots 'dropping down through the light switches' in her flat. He added they initially thought the smell was from a dead cat. The tenant says he and his neighbours estimate the man may have been dead for three to four weeks. He said: 'There are still flies flying around.' Housing Solutions manages the site and said it has now cleaned contaminated areas to get rid of the infestation. A letter to tenants from Housing Solutions said: 'It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I have to inform you that your neighbour has passed away. 'Unfortunately, due to the circumstances of the death Housing Solutions were unable to react as quickly as we would have liked. 'We are aware this is an unpleasant situation and apologise for the inconvenience caused.' The letter goes on to say the number of maggots should 'decline' as a result of the cleaning and the level of communal cleaning would be increased to'reduce any further impact on residents'. A spokeswoman from Housing Solutions said: 'Sadly one of our sheltered housing residents was found dead in his flat. Housing Solutions, who manage the complex, have issued an apology to residents for the inconvenience . 'This resident had signed a disclaimer that he did not want daily contact with our staff, just monthly health and safety visits. 'We would like to apologise to our customers for any inconvenience this has caused.' Police confirmed they were called to a property in Ashcroft Road on October 30. The death was being treated as unexplained but 'not suspicious' and the details have been passed to the coroner. As well as identifying the body, the coroner's office is trying to trace Mr Lacey's next of kin. | Man was believed to have lain dead in the flat for up to four weeks .
Residents initially put the bad smell in the complex down to a dead .
Grim discovery made after maggots fell through light switches in .
Coroner's office believes the dead man is 74-year-old Benigno Lacey .
Housing Solutions has issued an apology to residents at the complex .
They said they 'were unable to react as quickly as we would have liked'
The dead man had said he did not want daily contact with staff . |
123,443 | 2b91949d8adadc53ae70d2a7e04045f5ae48c146 | ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani forces have killed as many as 200 Taliban militants in the past day in the Swat and Shangla areas, the military said Sunday. Pakistan has launched a massive military operation against the Taliban in the Swat Valley. CNN could not verify the account, because journalists are barred from the region. The military blamed the Taliban for injuring civilians as the offensive entered its third week. "Indiscriminate mortar firing and planting of IEDs [improvised explosive devices] in the streets and roads by the miscreants in the populated areas of village Thana, Malakand and Mingora, resulted into civilian casualties," the military said in a statement. Watch more on crisis » . The military eased a curfew on the region, allowing civilians to flee the fighting between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. (7 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday EDT). The United Nations refugee agency warned Friday of a "massive displacement" of civilians as the military wages its campaign with helicopter gunships, tanks and artillery. Watch as CNN's Ivan Watson tours a refugee camp » . In the last few days, an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 Pakistanis have fled the military operation, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Ron Redmond, citing provincial government data. Another 300,000 Pakistanis were on the move or expected to flee the fighting. At least two soldiers were killed Sunday, and another died of wounds he suffered on Friday, the military statement said. Watch why civilians have backed the Taliban to survive » . The military has been releasing regular reports saying it has killed Taliban militants in the region, but it has produced little evidence of the successes it claims. Journalists have not been permitted to observe the offensive and the army has not shown the bodies of the dead militants. It is also not clear what effect the offensive is having on the overall fight against the Taliban in the region, as fears grow that they could threaten the stability of Pakistan, a nuclear-armed power and key U.S. ally. | Pakistani military says 200 Taliban fighters have been killed in 24 hours .
An unknown number of civilians have also been killed and injured .
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled as the military campaign intensifies . |
160,667 | 5bb55dfa6c9f3049e0298fe253918f3439c8bf71 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:29 EST, 21 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:09 EST, 21 September 2013 . Confined to tiny, filthy cages and suffering from skin infections, this is how farmers are treating Asian civet cats which produce one of the most expensive coffees in the world. The shocking conditions were discovered by animal investigators on farms in Indonesia and the Philippines which produce the much sought-after kopi kuwak, sold in Harrods and which can cost up to £60 a cup in some restaurants. Locals pick the ‘coffee beans’ from the faeces the cats which eat the ripe coffee berries as part of their diet. Once they are cleaned they are roasted. The coffee they produce is described as filled with a deep, mellow flavour, not acidic, with a ‘unique, soft, sweet taste’. However, undercover video footage shows civets . exhibiting neurotic behaviour such as incessant pacing, spinning and . head-bobbing – indications that the wild-caught animals are going insane . from boredom and depression. Scroll down for video . Caged: A civet cat on a farm in Indonesia. An investigation found the animals, which produce the sought-after kopi kuwak coffee, suffer in appalling conditions . Distressed: Investigators from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals found cats injured, pacing and showing signs of depression . Frightened: The coffee beans are produced from the civet cats' excrement and can cost up to £60 a cup . Cramped: The coffee has become popular among the rich and famous - but these pictures shine new light on how the expensive delicacy is produced . One farmer explained civets are . generally kept caged for around three years. Another farmer compared . civets eating too many coffee berries to humans smoking, as the civets' health deteriorates greatly during captivity because of a lack of . vitamins and nutrition. Despite the battery farm conditions, many farms sell the product as 'wild', sourced in the jungle from the droppings of free-roaming animals. Tony Wild, former coffee trader and author of 'Coffee: A Dark History', told the BBC: 'The whole reason everybody regurgitates that story is that by being incredibly rare, you can keep a ridiculously high price.' The coffee has surged in popularity, especially in the U.S. and Japan after featuring on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the film, The Bucket List. In a separate investigation by the BBC, it was found one of the most popular products called Wahana Luwak, which is supplied to Harrods, was being produced by a company, Sari Makmur, which uses caged civets. Trapped: The animals are fed vast amounts of berries, which help produce the rich and distinctive flavour of the beans . Dark secret: The final product is often sold as 'wild' - but these images prove the cats are anything but free-range . Confined: Cats are kept in tiny cages for most of the day . Workers said some civets were kept enclosed, despite initial denials from the company, which later backed down and admitted it DID use cages. However, it said the product supplied to Harrods came only from free-range animals and animals were put inside only to study their behaviour. The comapny said in a statement: 'In our caged civet cats programme, we study the animal behaviour, diet and its breeding behaviour. 'In order to sustain or meet the demand for this market, we breed our own civet cats and then release them in our farm when they are mature enough. 'We do not sell any of the coffee beans from the caged luwak as it is against our business model.' Let me out: Industry experts are convinced non-wild civet coffee has ended up on the London market . Money spinner: Harrods is among the shops to sell the delicacy in London but it insists its product is entirely ethical . No hope: This cat looks particularly unhappy as it peers into the camera lens of an animal cruelty investigator . There is no suggestion of animal cruelty on the company's estate. Harrods said: 'Harrods works closely with all its suppliers to ensure the highest standards of ethical sourcing, production and trade are maintained. This is carried out through strict auditing procedures. 'Our exclusive supplier… has given Harrods every assurance the coffee we are provided with is organic, and comes from wild palm civets.' Shop: Harrods said it was confident in its suppliers. The up-market shop sells the beans which can fetch more than £300 a kilo . PETA UK Associate Director Mimi Bekhechi said farms which do enclosed civets were cruel. 'Confining civet cats for years – as they go mad and lose their fur from the stress – for an expensive coffee would turn the stomach of any compassionate person.' In the wild, civets frequently climb trees to reach the ripe coffee berries, but in captivity, they are fed more of the fruit than would ever be natural for them. | Animals which produce sought-after kopi kuwak kept in appalling conditions .
Footage shows them with infections and going 'insane' from boredom .
Beans are sold in Harrods and can fetch more than £300 a kilo . |
150,764 | 4eeb9fd052cc2165c423047f92c0d3f0a952aee8 | Snapchat secretly acquired a company working on a wearable video camera designed to broadcast your every move. The purchase of Vergence labs and its Google Glass type of product happened in March, according to documents that leaked as a part of the Sony hack. Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton is also a Snapchat board member, and emails reveal the deal, with terms that show Snapchat paid $11 million in cash and $4 million in stock. The $299 glasses, which look similar to Raybans, have a hidden video camera. The firm that makes then was bought by Snapchat in March for $15, according to emails from Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton, who is also a Snapchat board member . Scroll down for video . One of the products created by the firm is Epiphany eyewear. The glasses, which look similar to Raybans, have a hidden video camera. 'Slide your right finger across the smooth soft-touch side until you feel the tactile Epiphany Eyewear button, and gently press against your temple to turn the computer on,' the firm says. 'Capture your experience in HD video, knowing that you're wearing one of the highest quality designer frames in the world. The firm offered a range of glasses for $299 that allowed the wearer to record videos at a touch of a button. The videos are then uploaded to a cloud storage, but in the meantime they have the ability to hold 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB worth of videos, depending on which storage option you purchase. The glasses could record HD video from a tiny camera mounted in one arm, and upload it to social networking sites. The glasses are designed to look like ordinary prescription frames . 'Epiphany Eyewear are designer smart glasses that contain a computer, up to 32 GB of storage and an HD video camera with high-quality optics for recording (or streaming) video of your point-of-view experience, and a rechargable litium-ion battery,' the firm says on its web site. There are apps that can work with the glasses allowing you to record point of view videos of your life's moments, livestream video to the web, share your recorded first-person point of view experiences, and utilize your glasses as file storage with online cloud sync. Although the version released for $299, which is no longer on sale, did not have a display, the firm was working on one similar to Google's Glass. Although the version released for $299, which is no longer on sale, did not have a display, the firm was working on one similar to Google's Glass. 'We are currently exploring the user experience for an elegant display feature-set and developing a detachable smart-display add-on called 'Glance' for the display of smart-phone and connected web data,' it revealed. | Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton is also a Snapchat board member .
His emails were among those exposed by hackers - and reveal deal .
Vergence labs make glass with hidden video camera . |
154,832 | 541460019e471b1a28e33069888e39e9a7561cd1 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- Three people were arrested Saturday after chaos broke out at an "America's Next Top Model" audition at a New York hotel, police said. A large crowd at the Park Central New York hotel got unruly Saturday during a "Top Model" audition. Six people were injured, and two of them sought treatment at a hospital, authorities said. Police said they didn't know what provoked the bedlam. Three people were charged with disorderly conduct and inciting a riot in connection with the incident at the Park Central New York hotel in Manhattan. The audition was shut down after the incident, authorities said. Calls to Park Central management were not immediately returned on Saturday. The "Top Model" competition, hosted and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks and aired by the CW network, is in its 12th cycle. | Police: 3 people were arrested Saturday after chaos broke out at a TV show audition .
"America's Next Top Model" audition was being held at a New York hotel, police said .
Two people sought treatment at a hospital, authorities said .
"Top Model" competition is hosted by Tyra Banks and airs on CW network . |
96,444 | 0817fe959f60e8839d8342adf7d143be1c3722fa | By . Associated Press and Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:14 EST, 2 December 2013 . A man who was trapped for six days in a truck after it crashed in southern Colorado spoke about how his friend, the dead driver, helped him survive. Richard Koester was in the passenger seat when Ronald Lee Mohr suffered a sudden diabetic coma and lost control of the vehicle near Canon City, Colorado on October 11. Mr Koester says the truck flew through the median onto the other the side of the road and off a 30 foot cliff into a ravine . Mohr died on impact while Mr Koester survived. But the crash crumpled the truck's cab, pinning Mr Koester inside so he was unable to escape. Scroll down for video . Lost and found: Richard Koester was stuck in a crashed car for six days last October. After being rescued, both of his legs had to be amputated . Crashed: Mr Koester (left) was going on a trip to Cripple Creek with Ronald Lee Mohr (right) when his friend went into a sudden diabetic coma behind the wheel and lost control of the truck . He says he wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for his dead friend's body keeping him warm. 'I was laying on top of him the whole six days and nights. I had no idea he was with me when I woke up,' Koester told ABC News. 'That and a couple of other things kept me alive. He kept me a little warmer for a few extra days.' Stuck: Mr Koester's legs were pinned in the crashed trucks cab, so he couldn't escape . When he came to after the crash, the last thing Mr Koester remembered was calling his daughter to wish her happy birthday. Mr Koester tried to move but to no avail. 'I stuck my arm out the big hole in the back of the truck and was yelling for help,' he said. For the next six days, Mr Koester was wedged in the cab without food or water. But he wasn't forgotten. The two were . reported missing when they didn't return from a trip to Cripple Creek, a . historic Rocky Mountain mining town now popular for its casinos. 'We knew he was missing because he left his dog behind,' his mother Barbara Dial told Today. 'He never leaves his dog anywhere.' Rescued: Mr Koester was discovered six days after the crash by a road worker . Survivor: An injured Mr Koester survived without food or water in near-freezing temperatures for almost a week. Pictured above with his mother, Barbara Dial . Left behind: Mr Koester's mother Barbara Dial (pictured) noticed her son was missing because he didn't bring his dog with him . Mr Koester's sister Michaelle Wollery drove up and down dirt roads, looking for a sign of her missing brother. He was finally located six days later on October 17, by a transportation worker who spotted the truck when looking down a guardrail. 'They were found and one person had severe injuries and I knew that was my son,' Ms Dial said. 'I'm always going to celebrate that day as a second birthday.' Though he had to have both legs amputated after his rescue, Mr Koester says he appreciates life more now after his brush with death. 'There's just so many ways I should have been dead,' he said. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Richard Koester was driving with Ronald Mohr when his friend suffered a sudden diabetic coma and crashed the pick-up truck .
Mohr died in the crash while Mr Koester survived, but he was trapped in the cab .
It took authorities six days to locate the truck, while he went without food or water but kept warm covered by Mohr's body .
When Mr Koester was found on October 17, he was taken to the hospital where doctors decided his legs needed to be amputated . |
102,942 | 10ac7c01da9652690987af657d3d5c0403baa3de | Millions of couples have delayed starting a family over financial concerns according to new research . Millions of people are delaying having children until they have paid off their debts, new research shows. A study found that deciding when to start a family had become a matter head over heart as cash-strapped couples get their finances in order first. Research showed one in seven UK adults – the equivalent of seven million people – are considering starting a family or having another child. But up to a third of these will have to pay off debts first, while a fifth are saving for a bigger house before doing so. The Debt Advisory Centre said two-thirds of respondents admitted personal finances played a part in deciding when to have children, while a fifth felt this was central to their decision. Ian Williams, of the DAC, said: ‘Sadly, for millions of people, deciding when to have children has become a financial decision. ‘Do they have space? Can they afford to a bigger place? Will they be able to afford their existing commitments if they lose an income or pay for childcare? ‘Paying off debts is sensible, although it’s surprising to see that so many people are having to take this step.’ The survey questioned 2,000 adults, of which 270 expressed a desire to have children in the future. A separate study released yesterday showed that by talking about financial worries remained a ‘taboo’ subject among reserved Britons. Legal & General launched a campaign called the ‘Great British Money Taboo’ to encourage people to discuss money and plan for their financial future. Research found two fifths of the population said their money was one of the biggest stresses in their lives, but half it was a personal matter and should not be talked about. Financial worries placed the greatest pressure on family life, the study found, but also affected people’s moods and their ability to sleep at night. Researchers found that couples worry about whether they have space to add to their families, file photo . | One in seven UK adults is considering starting or adding to their family .
One-third of these want to clear their debts before having a baby .
Couples are worried about the loss of income associated with a baby . |
133,603 | 38c4e7bf4fb91f8037437735c705e37bc700768c | The featureless plains of Kazakhstan belie what riches lie buried beneath them. The country has an abundance of natural gas and oil that if developed could more than double the country's crude output in the next decade to 4 million barrels per day, according to the International Energy Agency. That would make it one of the top 7 oil producers in the world. Add a boom in uranium mining to the country's raw materials portfolio and government figures reveal that 70% of its economy comes from its natural resources. Kazakhstan's mineral wealth will be a major source of income for decades to come, but it won't last forever. The country is trying to use it wisely to transition to a broader economic base while developing the natural resources industries to the maximum. Last year Kazakhstan was the world's top producer of uranium, accounting for over a third of global production. The industry's rapid expansion, plus the good quality of the uranium and the comparatively cheap method of mining it have combined to give Kazakhstan an advantage over other big exporters like Australia and Canada. With continued investment, Vladimir Shkolnik, the head of Kazakhstan's national atomic energy company, Kazatomprom, is keen to maintain that position. "We are hoping to keep our leadership position in the uranium field," he says. "We have dozens of facilities and hundreds of mines and we think we will remain a world leader in the uranium sector." Kazakhstan's government is also trying to encourage more foreign investment. Since independence in 1991, around $150 billion of foreign investment has flowed into the country; $18 billion dollars last year alone, according to the government. Companies like GE and Eurocopter have been attracted to the country, entering partnerships with national companies that have helped bring training and new skills to the local workforce. While money is flowing from the country's natural resources industry, the government is using some of its revenue to boost other sectors, like IT and engineering. The aim is to make the economy more resilient when commodities prices fall and better prepared for the day when the gush of oil and gas reduce to a trickle. "Of course revenues from raw materials are still by far the largest share of the country's budget," says energy analyst, Murat Karymsakov. "But in recent years the president (of Kazakhstan) has announced and put into place a plan for industrial and technological development to diversify the economy." A program that pays for the best and brightest of Kazakhstan's young citizens to study aboard, as long as they return to the country upon graduation, is also helping to create a more knowledgeable, young workforce. Nurzhan Nazarbayev studied in the U.S. but now works at a new hydrocarbon purification plant in western Kazakhstan. He says he feels it is important to play an active role in contributing to the country's development. "I am proud to work in this sector; to be a benefit to the nation," he says. "With my background, ten years ago I went to a western university to get education and now I am back in my country, to serve my country." | Oil, gas and uranium account for 70% of Kazakhstan's economy .
Government is developing natural resources industries .
Revenue from natural resources used to encourage growth of other industries .
Scheme to pay for citizen's education abroad also used to develop skills and knowledge economy . |
254,578 | d58881c6be055e10c02345fa2323ffea3432b845 | She may have poked fun at her own political career earlier in the evening. But when Sarah Palin came face-to-face with hecklers at the SNL 40th anniversary after-show party, they were the ones who became the butt of the joke. The former Governor of Alaska was captured by TMZ dishing out insults to mouthy individuals standing next to the red carpet after the star-studded event in New York, which finished in the early hours of Monday morning. The 51-year-old politician, who wore a white mini-dress to the landmark show, became involved in a back-and-forth of snide remarks when she was told she looked old and was asked to put her clothes on while posing for selfies. Scroll down for videos . Comeback: Sarah Palin confronts hecklers on her way out of the SNL 40th anniversary after-show party in New York after she was told to 'put some clothes on' Dishing out insults: During the back-and-forth with the mouthy fan she told him not to be jealous of her and added that she was on the right side of the velvet rope . She told them they could talk to her when they had a job while boasting she was on the right side of the velvet rope. During the footage one man is heard shouting: 'Can you pose for a photo because I have Obamacare expenses?' In response, she said: 'Are you in show-business? No? So don't be jealous.' The man then continued: 'You look old Sarah. Put some clothes on Sarah,' to which she retorted: 'When you get a job, you can talk to me.' As she walked away, another person said: 'Good luck in Iowa, no one is going to vote for you.' During the encounter with fans one complimented her mini- dress. Palin then admitted it was her daughter Bristol's. Response: Before walking away she told one man who told her she looked old: 'When you get a job, you can talk to me . Posing: In between the remarks, she posed for selfies with more appreciative fans outside of the venue . Second-hand: She admitted to one supporter she was wearing a dress owned by her daughter Bristol . The politician was a frequent target of the SNL cast when she ran for Vice President in 2008. She was played by Tina Fey because of their bizarrely similar looks. The skit reached its climax when Palin made appearance herself alongside the actress. She was involved in a question and answer sketch run by Jerry Seinfeld during the landmark show. The comedian wrongly identified her as Tina Fey, before correcting him. Palin then asked how much the show would pay her to run for president in 2016. Seinfeld balked: 'No figure is too high Sarah!' She raised the stakes: 'What if I had Donald Trump as my running mate?' Awkward encounter: During the landmark show, Taylor Swift and Palin were sat next to each other - and were seen pulling faces . Mimicked: The politician was a frequent target of the SNL cast when she ran for Vice President in 2008. She was played by Tina Fey (pictured that year) and made a cameo appearance . | Former Governor of Alaska was told to 'put some clothes on' after event .
The politician was wearing a white mini dress owned by daughter Bristol .
At first she told those shouting abuse to not be jealous of her .
Politician continued by saying she was on the right side of the velvet rope .
Poked fun at her own political career on the landmark show on Sunday .
Was a target of the cast during her campaign for Vice President in 2008 . |
46,374 | 82b0bc035c2905ca2843348e3a892bac9f8c7cae | By . John Mcgarry . Another difficult foreign assignment. Another remarkable performance and result from Tommy Wright’s indefatigable St Johnstone. The Scottish Cup holders didn’t quite match their victories in Trondheim and Grodno of a year ago but this was still an outcome to be treasured for all concerned. Looking every inch seasoned European campaigners, the men from Perth sucked up just about everything a lively Lucerne side could throw at them before daring to grab the away goal that gives them reason to believe in a week’s time. Get in: Steven MacLean (centre) watches as his effort beats the Lucerne defence and keeper . Joy: MacLean celebrates the vital away goal as St Johnstone put in a superb display in Lucerne . Response: Schneuwly's scrappy goal meant that Saints could only return level for the second leg . Steven MacLean, the scorer against Minsk a year ago and the man who finished the job in the Scottish Cup Final against Dundee United, added another memorable strike to his growing collection with a goal shortly after the interval that temporarily winded the Swiss. Truthfully, it would have been harsh on the home side had they lost on the night but the scrappy manner of Marco Schneuwly’s equaliser will rankle with the Scots as they make their way home this morning. But it’s unquestionably advantage St Johnstone now. And, provided they display the same nous and discipline they oozed here, there is no reason to believe a third successive European adventure will end here. The 17,000 capacity Swissporarena — a larger, sun-kissed version of Almondvale — made for a scenic setting for Saints’ first competitive outing since their Cup triumph. Important: Schneuwly celebrates his leveller, which was probably no less than the home side deserved . Lucerne (4-2-3-1): Zibung; Rogulj, Doubai, (Bento 60) Lustenberger, Hyka (Bozanic 67); Thiesson, Schneuwly; Affolter, Winter, Wiss, (Lezcano 60); Freuler. Subs not used: Holenstein, Bucchi, Hochstrasser, Sarr.Booked: Lustenberger.St Johnstone (4-5-1): Mannus; Miller, Mackay, Wright, B Easton; Wotherspoon, Millar, Caddis, (O’Halloran 67) Brown, Croft (Scobbie 89); MacLean. Subs not used: Banks, May, Rodger, Kane, D Easton.Booked: Wright, Wotherspoon, Easton.Referee: Benoit Bastien (Fra). Attendance: 8,902. Mercifully for the Scots, the oppressive heat of the afternoon had relented somewhat come kick-off and the sight of the surface largely enveloped in shade was welcome. Lucerne might not be as big a name as the Rosenborg side Saints defeated a year ago, but a fourth-place finish in their league last season underscored the scale of the task. Wright opted not to risk talismanic striker Stevie May on account of a thigh injury meaning MacLean was handed the sole striker role ahead of a compact five-man midfield. The Saints boss had identified the diminutive Jahmir Hyka as the man his side had to watch and the winger soon showed why — forcing an early stop from goalkeeper Alan Mannus after floating away from Gary Miller then having a low strike blocked by the defender’s outstretched leg. That aside, the Perth men looked comparatively comfortable in the early exchanges. Backing: Plenty of St Johnstone fans made the trip to Switzerland to see their team get a good draw . Battling hard: St Johnstone were disciplined throughout and played like European veterans . Wright was frustrated that his side didn’t make their height superiority count at two dangerous set plays and gradually the Swiss awoke from their slumbers. St Johnstone passed up several opportunities to clear their lines and were relieved to see Remo Freuler flash a shot over the top after an almighty goalmouth scramble. Adrian Winter then eliminated Saints’ defender Brian Easton with a beautifully-crafted diagonal and only Mannus’ fingertips prevented Hyka’s volley rocketing into the net. As the home side cranked up the pressure, Schneuwly fizzed a 20-yarder off the crossbar with Mannus this time looking every inch a beaten man. Saints briefly bought themselves some respite with a cleverly worked free-kick. Wotherspoon looked to have overcooked his cross to the far post but Dave Mackay had timed his run to perfection. Clearly taken by surprise, keeper David Zibung threw out his right hand to prevent the skipper’s hooked volley beating him at his near post. Up for the fight: David Wotherspoon battles with Lucerne's Jahmir Hyka in the Swissporarena . The sound of the half-time whistle was still music to the ears of the Scottish Cup holders. Another gem of a cross by Hyka picked out Freuler and only Easton’ s intelligent positioning on the line maintained parity. Saints were well disciplined, although Frazer Wright could have no gripe when he picked up the only booking of the first half after taking out Winter following a clumsy touch on the halfway line. The travelling party would have spent the interval praying for the same blank score come time up, so they were in clover when MacLean edged them in front three minutes after the break. It stemmed from David Wotherspoon’s deep in-swinging corner which caught Lucerne defender Francois Affolter off guard. MacLean’s initial attempt to guide the ball home was blocked by the defender but he kept his cool, and arrowed the ball into the far corner of the net. The blue section of the stadium exploded with joy. It might even have better before the hour-mark. Mackay’s header looked in all the way until Affolter swept it to safety from under his bar. Something to defend: Lee Croft holds off a Lucerne player - St Johnstone will have to do the same next week . All Wright on the night: Saints boss Tommy Wright applauds the travelling fans on a good night for his side . With the game stretched, the base of the post denied Kaja Rogulj’s header after the defender had bounded forward to connect with Winter’s centre. Wotherspoon and Easton’s bookings were indicative of Saints’ increasing anxiety and on 68 minutes they could hold back the tide no more. An untidy sequence of play ended with Schneuwly being fed with his back to goal on the penalty spot. With Mackay for company, he bobbed and weaved to create half-a-yard and produced an incisive finish on the turn to square the game. Substitute Dario Lezcano rippled the side-netting with the aid of a Wright deflection then made a rickets of an Oliver Bozanic cross with the goal at his mercy. But the Scots were not to be denied a result that promises so much for the return in Perth. | Steven MacLean gives St Johnstone the lead .
Marco Schneuwly equalises for Lucerne .
St Johnstone's away goal puts them in strong position . |
51,437 | 919c72e165f69ab20673b09cd315aada2e8c10dc | (CNN) -- Parishioners at a Lakeland, Florida, church tackled a gunman who allegedly shot the pastor and associate pastor on Sunday, holding the suspect until police arrived, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. Jeremiah Fogel, 57, was taken into custody following the incident at the Greater Faith Christian Church, the sheriff's office said in a statement. Fogel is also suspected of shooting and killing his wife at their residence before going to the church, police said. Fogel walked to the front of the church during a prayer meeting between the morning services and specifically opened fire on church clergy, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "Pastor William Boss was shot once in the head," Judd said. "At that time everyone jumped up, and he went over to the left side of the church and shot the assistant minister Carl Stewart three times." After Fogel opened fire, parishioners Derek Foster and Corey Reid grabbed the gun from him, hit him in the head with a nightstand and held him to the ground, according to Judd. Boss and Stewart were being treated at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Judd said police are trying to determine a motive behind the shooting. "Obviously there was a conflict with his wife and/or some people in church," Judd said. "We're trying to find out exactly what forced him to go into his killing rage on a Sunday morning." Authorities received a 911 call regarding a gunman in the church at 9:58 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff's office said. CNN Radio's Shelby Lin Erdman contributed to this report. | NEW: The suspect specifically targets church clergy, police say .
The man's wife is among the shooting victims .
Police are working to determine a possible motive .
The pastor and associate pastor are being treated at a Lakeland hospital . |
221,367 | aa8dc0548552b22d193d346b850415ca76a8dac9 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 06:47 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:44 EST, 28 January 2013 . A teenager who weighed more than 21 stone had a £6,000 gastric bypass on the NHS because she was tormented by school bullies for being fat. Emma Money, from Leeds, was told she had the health of someone who smokes 100 cigarettes a day. She had the operation at just 16 years old after a two-year hunt to find a surgeon willing to do it. The teenager, now 17, claims her weight, which reached 21st 6lbs, was down to a genetic condition passed down from her father. Emma Money, 17, who tipped the scales at more than 21 stone has had a £6,000 gastric bypass on the NHS because she was tormented by school bullies for being fat . The genetic condition is a controversial topic among specialists and is so rare and hard to prove, that it doesn't even have a name. It's now known that being obese can take years off your life and in some cases may be as dangerous as smoking. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that people who were moderately fat, with a BMI from 30 to 35, lost about three years of life. Those who were morbidly fat, with a BMI above 40, lost about 10 years off their expected lifespan, similar to the effect of lifelong smoking. A healthy BMI is between 19 and 24. The conclusions were drawn after they followed nearly one million people for an average of 10-15 years. Moderately obese people were 50 per cent more likely to die prematurely than normal-weight people, said Gary Whitlock, the Oxford University epidemiologist who led the study. He said that obese people were also two thirds more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke, and up to four times more likely to die of diabetes, kidney or liver problems. They were one sixth more likely to die of cancer. Emma, who now weighs 15st after her surgery in January last year, said: 'Ever since primary school I've never felt accepted. I was terrorised and singled out, and I just didn't feel normal. 'When people are shouting, throwing things and pushing you around, it's hard to explain that you're fat because of genetics. 'I was upset and embarrassed because of my weight but the main reason I had the surgery was for my family. I wanted to reassure them that I will live a long, happy and healthy life. 'It hasn't been easy and many people have accused me of taking the easy choice out of this. But it has been tough, it has been painful, tiring and gruelling.' Emma started thinking about surgery at 14-years-old after years of abuse at school. She had always eaten healthily and could not understand why she kept putting on weight. Emma was physically abused by bullies at school who threw objects at her, and on one occasion, pushed her head into a wall. The vicious assaults caused Emma to . suffer from panic attacks, and she would fake illness to her mother Gwen . to avoid going to school. At size 28, and after . two long years of visiting specialists who told her she was too young . to have the surgery on the NHS, Emma found a surgeon in Sheffield . willing to operate. Unhappy: Emma when she was 16 and size 28 in February 2011 (left) and July 2011 (right). She received a gastric bypass in January 2012 . Emma with her mother, Gwen. The teenager maintains her weight was down to a genetic condition passed down from her father . Consultant Surgeon Roger Ackroyd at BMI Thornbury Hospital in Sheffield said PARAPHRASE "As long as patients are post-pubertal there is no age limit for the surgery. 'Leeds Primary Care Trust sent Emma to me because I had experience of performing this surgery on adolescents. The surgeons in Leeds are extremely experienced bariatric surgeons but I don't think they had done any adolescents before.' The gastric bypass operation was not . performed on under 18s until a recent change in guidelines and is now . only available for patients with a BMI of 40 or more. The operation comes with a risk of bleeding, internal hernia and deep vein thrombosis. Emma's stomach was divided and formed . into a small pouch. Her bowel was then divided and brought up to join . the pouch in a complete overhaul of her plumbing system. Her . new stomach meant her food intake was restricted. She said: 'When I . first woke up, I thought I was dying because of how much pain I was in - . It felt like I was being stretched.' She spent three days in hospital recovering and it took a further six months for her stomach to get back to normal. Emma, aged four and three. She says that even at primary school, she never felt accepted - and was instead 'terrorised and singled out' After two years of visiting specialists who told her she was too young to have the surgery on the NHS, Emma found a surgeon in Sheffield willing to operate . She . said: 'For months after the surgery, I didn't even notice I was losing . weight but people kept telling me I looked great and a lot healthier. 'Then . I started to get a lot of support around school. It was so weird . because the people who had bullied me were now apologising for what they . had done to me and offering to carry my bags. 'I'd never really had a group of friends before. Now, I do feel a lot more accepted.' She now has a maximum of 1,000 calories a day and sticks to well-balanced healthy meals and tiny portions. She said: 'Now I don't really think about kebabs or McDonald's because I know it will just make me poorly. I'm happy with a piece of fruit or some salad.' Emma used to feel exhausted just . leaving the house or going shopping but is happy now she can go out . every weekend without getting tired. She is still losing weight and hopes to drop another dress size. Emma now weighs 15 stone. Unlike when she was 12 years old at school (right), she now feels more accepted . After . seeing a documentary about a plus size pageant, Emma decided to enter . Miss Teen Queen UK to inspire others - and she reached the second heat. She said: 'it upset me so much when people judged me before they even knew my name. 'I hope that by participating in the beauty pageant will give other teenagers the strength to accept themselves the way they are and to always hold their heads high against bullies. 'I hope to inspire teenagers to always follow their hearts and achieve what they want to achieve and be who they want to be. 'I hope people will see the real me now, and I want them to understand that it's not easy. But above all, I hope to show the bullies that they are wrong. Now, I just feel like I can do anything.' BEFORE: . Breakfast: Three slices of white toast with full fat butter, whole tin of baked beans, fruit squash] . Lunch: Tuna sandwiches on white bread, can of Coke, crisps, fruit . Snack: Yoghurt or crisps . Dinner: Home-cooked meal such as lasagne or a meat pie . Twice a month: Lamb kebab with chips of 11" pizza . AFTER: . Breakfast: One slice of brown toast with low fat spread or low fat cream cheese, tea/coffee with no sugar . Lunch: Shredded lettuce, a few few slices of cucumber (measured as one cup) Dinner: Small piece of baked or grilled chicken breast with broccoli, cauliflower or sweet potato . | Emma Money, 17, had the health of a 100-a-day smoker as so overweight .
But claims her weight is due to genetic condition passed down from father .
Was 'terrorised' and verbally and physically abused by school bullies .
Took two years to find surgeon willing to operate on her . |
200,042 | 8efd5dfb06ce36c09ad8f10b286bb16649f1f96a | By . David Williams and Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 07:42 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:36 EST, 14 August 2012 . Four members of Congo’s Olympic team were said to have gone missing in London yesterday as thousands of their fellow London 2012 athletes and officials flew home. Their disappearance took the number of African athletes and delegates attending London 2012 who have vanished from their camps or sought political asylum in Britain to 15. Immigration officials expect that number to increase sharply when athletes’ special London 2012 visas expire in November. Not going home: Cameroon's Blaise Mendouo, left, Christin Adjoufack, centre, and Paul Edingue, right . Still in Britain: Cameroon's Serge Ambomo, left, Drusille Ngako, centre and Abdon Mewoll, right . Details of the apparent Congo defections came as it emerged that at least five members of the Cameroon team have pleaded to be allowed to stay in Britain rather than returning with teammates yesterday. The Home Office refused to say whether the five, all boxers, were seeking asylum. Two members of the Sudanese team and one Ethiopian are reported to have sought asylum in the UK, one Sudanese is missing, and two other members of the Cameroon team – a swimmer and a female footballer – have also disappeared after suddenly vanishing from the Olympic Village. A UN-run radio station in Congo said Cedric Mandembo, who competed for the central African country in judo, disappeared after the closing ceremony and has not been reachable on his mobile phone. He lost his match after 49 seconds and is said to have left the Olympic Village without saying where he was going. He had been due to fly home last night. Plea to stay: Flyweight boxer Thomas Essomba, who was beaten by Ireland's Paddy Barnes, is one of the absconded boxers . Congo judo coach Ibula Masengo, boxing trainer Blaise Bekwa, and national technical director of athletics Guy Nkita had also gone missing, it was claimed. They too were said to have left the Olympic Village with their luggage. The Home Office declined to comment on the individual cases. Congo team officials were ‘out of contact’ returning home while no one was available for comment at the country’s London embassy. The disappearances come at a hugely sensitive time for the Government after the success of the Olympics and with the Paralympics due to begin in two weeks. It follows fears from immigration staff that up to 2 per cent of Olympic visitors from some continents may claim refuge in the UK in the months after the Games. Authorities in Cameroon, which is regarded as one of the more stable countries in Africa, have accused the boxers of wanting to be economic migrants and say they should have returned home with other athletes. But the Olympians, who absconded from their Stratford, East London, village last week, told the BBC they had been threatened and wanted a sponsor to help them stay in Britain. Boxer Thomas Essomba said that there was no support for athletes in Cameroon, adding: ‘We are not staying here because we don’t like our country, but [because we] want to practise the sports we love. We want to become professional. We cannot return to Cameroon... if we return, we will not practise any more.’ As well as claiming they were threatened, the boxers said promised bonuses had been halved. However, David Ojong, the head of the Cameroon delegation to the Olympics, accused the boxers of lying and said they were making up the allegation to justify desertion. The seven - who are members of Cameroon's Olympic team pictured during the opening ceremony - claim they want to stay in Britain to practise the sport that they love and not for economic reasons . Investigators have identified several countries where they ‘expect’ asylum claims from athletes and supporters given visas specifically to attend London 2012. Several are African and Middle Eastern. Asylum claims are not unusual at sporting events. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games more than 20 members of one West African country sought to stay on in Britain. Before the 2008 Olympics seven members of the Cuban soccer team sought asylum after a qualifying game in the US, and the entire Eritrean national soccer team fled during a 2009 competition in Kenya. Five boxers in the Cameroonian Olympic team went missing on Sunday from the athletes' village, pictured . Blaise Yepmou Mendouo (left), seen here after defeat to Mohammed Arjaoui of Morocco in the super heavy weight qualifying event, is another who has gone missing . Abdon Mewoli (right) ducks from Fazliddin Gaibnazarov . of Uzbekistan in their first round Lightweight fight . | The athletes say they had been treated badly by Cameroon officials .
They said there was no support for athletes in their country .
The group allege that their promised bonuses had been halved . |
251,394 | d16784f22d51aadc67aad36f5669956d5fa3bb49 | Lamar Hawkins, 14, was found dead with a bullet wound to his head at Seminole County school . The family of a 14-year-old boy who shot himself dead in a school bathroom have claimed he endured years of bullying at school. Lamar Hawkins III was found dead with a bullet wound to his head at a Seminole County middle school on September 11, just hours after being reported missing by his mother. Today at a news conference his mother, Shaniqua Hawkins, fought back tears and said she felt powerless to help her son against the bullies. 'It was a feeling I hope no other parent has to fear,' she said. 'They won, because he took his life as a result,' she said reported the Orlando Sentinel. 'We called him Shaq because despite his size, he had a larger than life personality and attitude towards life,' said Shaniqua Hawkins, Lamar's mother. 'Shaq was physically and emotionally abused while at school. Many students would be just down right cruel to him,' she said reported WFTV. She claimed he was pushed down the stairs, knocked out of his chair and mocked at lunch. 'The child was a relatively small child for his age due to complications early in life,' attorney Matt Morgan said Friday. 'As a result, he became a very easy target for mean-spirited bullies. According to Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Lamar's mother drove to Greenwood Lakes Middle School in Lake Mary to pick up her son at around 5pm, but could not find him. The boy's family then set out scouring the neighborhood for him, but to no avail. At a news conference his mother, Shaniqua Hawkins, fought back tears and said she felt powerless to help her son against the bullies. Pictured: His mother is comforted by his father Lamar Hawkins Sr., today . The couple hold up a picture of their son. His mother said: 'Shaq was physically and emotionally abused while at school. Many students would be just down right cruel to him' Two hours later, the 14-year-old was reported missing to police. Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Greenwood Lakes Middle School to search the campus, where they eventually came upon the missing boy, who was found in a men's room stall with a bullet wound to the head. Police said Lamar shot himself with a gun that belonged to his father, Lamar Hawkins Sr., 34. According to Seminole County Sheriff's Office, the child's mother drove to Greenwood Lakes Middle School in Lake Mary to pick up her son at around 5pm, but could not find him. He was found dead two hours later . Police said Lamar shot himself with a gun that belonged to his father, Lamar Hawkins Sr., 34 . 'We are still investigating the facts leading up to this tragedy and I can tell you that Mr. Hawkins' firearm was stored with full compliance of Florida law,' said Matt Morgan, attorney for the Hawkins family. Police are still investigating how he managed to get hold of the gun. No charges have been announced. The suicide prompted hundreds of mourners to gather for a vigil across the street from the Lake Mary school late Friday. Last week Matt Morgan told Wesh.com: 'We believe this child was bullied, literally to his death. The suicide prompted hundreds of mourners to gather for a vigil across the street from the Lake Mary school late Friday. Pictured: Balloons were released to remember Lamar . Friends and family gather to pay their respects to the teenager who was allegedly bullied . 'He was tortured by mean-spirited children at his school and ultimately took his own life as a result,' said Matt Morgan, of Morgan and Morgan Law Firm. 'It was physical, it was mental, it was emotional. It was repeated attacks by individuals at this school that ultimately led him to make the final decision to end his life,' he said. He said that the family even moved from New York to Florida to help their son, but his call for help allegedly went largely ignored. One student told the Orlando Sentinel: 'This one girl was beating him up since sixth grade and he was in eighth grade and no one knew it really bothered him.' Seminole County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kim Cannaday told the Orlando Sentinel that investigators are still trying to determine why the boy killed himself and whether bullying was a factor. 'It's really unclear whether that played a role in this,' Cannaday said. 'We're still trying to determine the events that led up to this tragedy.' Also at today's news conference was Tricia Norman, whose 12-year-old daughter, Rebecca Sedwick, (both pictured) jumped to her death in September 2013 after months of alleged cyber-bullying . A fund-raising effort for Lamar was announced today during the news conference. Also at today's news conference was Tricia Norman, whose 12-year-old daughter, Rebecca Sedwick, jumped to her death in September 2013 from a tower after months of alleged cyberbullying. Attorney Matt Morgan announced the fund-raising website today. 'The family is planning on using any money raised towards funeral expenses as well as out of pocket expenses relating to the death of their son,' attorney Matt Morgan said in a statement. Greenwood Lakes Principal Debra Abbott released a statement on the school's website and Facebook page announcing the student's death. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the parents and family of the student as they deal with this tremendous personal loss. 'Grief Counselors will be available on-site for students and staff beginning first thing this morning and will remain for as long as necessary,' the open letter read. To donate to the fundraising effort against bullying click here. | Lamar Hawkins III was found dead at Greenwood Lakes Middle School .
His mother said she felt powerless to help her son against the bullies .
Attorney: 'He became target for mean-spirited bullies due to his small frame'
Police said Lamar took his father's gun to kill himself . |
62,940 | b2d7beb6fec492acb749c6db3cfe4d1a47ece46b | (EW.com) -- Sometimes even earning the No. 1 spot can be seen as a modest disappointment, or at least that's what the new narrative around The Wolverine (CinemaScore: A-) would have you believe. With no competition this weekend, The Wolverine pulled in about $55 million domestically in 3,924 locations — on target with studio estimates, but far below tracking projections, some of which went so far as to predict an $80 million weekend. With the majority of screens showing the Fox tentpole in 3-D, the movie averaged about $14,016 per screen on an estimated budget of $120 million, so this weekend's performance is really nothing to scoff at. Interestingly, at $55 million, the film is right in line with 2011′s X-Men: First Class which made $55.1 million in its first three days at the box office in early June. But so far The Wolverine is holding steady as the second lowest opening of all of Fox's six X-Men movies — that title goes to the first in the series which opened at $54.5 million. But X-Men was also released 13 years ago with no 3-D surcharges, so it's not an entirely fair comparison. The Wolverine opened internationally this weekend as well to grosses of $86.1 million, playing on 15,152 screens in 101 territories, bringing its worldwide total to about $141.1 million. Fox estimates that audiences were about 58 percet male, and 42 percent under the age of 25. EW: 'The Wolverine' claws its way to a $21 million Friday . The Conjuring held its ground in second place with $22.1 million, gaining momentum throughout the weekend. It fell only 47.1 percent from its opening last week. The R-rated $20 million horror movie has made about $83.9 million so far, making it director James Wan's biggest film to date, surpassing even the adjusted grosses for 2004′s Saw, which clocked in at $72.5 million. In third place, Despicable Me 2 continues to rack in the profits, earning $16 million despite losing nearly 344 theaters. But the big story is that Universal's $76 million sequel has passed the $300 million mark after 26 days in theaters, and can now boast a domestic profit of about $306.4 million and a worldwide total of $660.9 million. Currently, it's the second-highest-grossing movie of the past year, trailing behind Iron Man 3 by about $100 million. Turbo fell about 37.5 percent from its opening weekend and earned an estimated $13.3 million to take fourth place. Despite a respectable second-week drop, the animated, radioactive snail story still floundered out of the gates. With an estimated budget of $135 million, the Ryan Reynolds-voiced family movie has only made about $55.8 million so far, and things aren't going to get easier as the weeks go by. The little blue guys are coming, after all. Smurfs 2 opens wide on Wednesday and could be the death knell for poor Turbo. EW: Casting Net - Meet your new Lance Armstrong . Rounding out the top five is Adam Sandler's Grown Ups 2 with $11.5 million, edging the domestic grosses for the raunchy, star-studded comedy past the $100 million mark. Amazingly, it's still only Sandler's 15th-highest-grossing moving, but it has been in theaters for just three weeks, so there's room to grow. Fruitvale Station and The Way, Way Back, both Sundance movies, expanded their theater counts this weekend. Playing in 1,064 theaters, The Weinstein Company's Fruitvale Station made the top 10 with weekend grosses of about $4.7 million, and an overall domestic total of $6.3 million. Ryan Coogler's independent drama chronicling the true story of Bay Area resident Oscar Grant's last day won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The themes and events are also quite resonant with current events, and could perhaps be another factor as to why the film is performing so well. Meanwhile, The Way, Way Back, from the writing, directing, and acting team of Jim Rash and Nat Faxon (who won an Oscar for their adapted screenplay for The Descendants), expanded to 886 theaters and took the 11th spot with $918K. The To-Do List, Aubrey Plaza's first major starring role, opened in 591 theaters and earned an estimated $1.5 million — right on track with estimates from CBS Films. With a production budget of $1.5 million as well, the R-rated sex comedy also stars Bill Hader and Rachel Bilson. Finally, Woody Allen's latest, Blue Jasmine, opened in six theaters in New York and Los Angeles and brought in $613K, with a stunning $102K per-theater average. Starring Cate Blanchett as a fallen 1 percenter, Allen's well-reviewed elegant ode to wealth, mental illness, and happiness is one of the first films of the year to elicit earnest Oscar buzz. Despite its PG-13 rating, it's also one of the few serious adult films in theaters at the moment. Check back in next weekend for more summer box office. The Smurfs 2 opens wide on Wednesday, and the Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington display of machismo and firearms 2 Guns hits 2,800 theaters on Friday. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "The Wolverine" opened internationally this weekend as well to grosses of $86.1 million .
"The Conjuring" held its ground in second place .
In third place, "Despicable Me 2" continues to rack in the profits . |
154,416 | 538d4665bc703c53c4ca8a2f2208ebbb91943df3 | Silverstone, England (CNN) -- It was a red letter day for Formula One driver Jules Bianchi at Silverstone this week. The Frenchman donned Ferrari's famous scarlet uniform as he was chosen to deputize for the injured Kimi Raikkonen on the final day of in-season testing. Bianchi, who drives for the back-of-the-grid Marussia team, told CNN he received a phone call on Monday evening asking him to stand in for the Finn, who is recuperating from a bruising crash in Sunday's British Grand Prix. His big chance was widely seen as an audition for a future Ferrari drive -- perhaps as soon as 2016. The 24-year-old did not fluff his lines in Wednesday's session, setting the fastest time and clocking up 89 laps. "I was consistent and doing good lap time," Bianchi said after stepping out the Ferrari F14 T racer. "I think I showed the team I can work well and I can be quick, but it was a day of testing so it was not the target to compare me with other drivers. "It was just the target to improve the car and to help the team, so I think I've done my job with that and I'm really happy." It is not the first time that Bianchi, who has been under the wing of the Ferrari Academy since 2010, has driven in a test for the Italian marque. But despite a reluctance to talk up his Silverstone outing, the call-up seemed to have extra significance because he was chosen to replace Raikkonen, who said after his crash he still wanted to fulfill his testing duties. Fernando Alonso, the team's de facto No. 1, was also not brought back to England to help with the crucial final test of the 2014 season. "If one day they want me I will be ready," Bianchi said when asked if he was hopeful his testing performance would lead to promotion to a Ferrari seat. "Considering that I'm part of the academy it's the target one day, so I have to show them. "We'll see because at the moment they have two drivers and they are doing a good job so I don't think it's the plan. "For the moment I will just focus on what I have do which is with Marussia. I think it's really important to keep going like this. "It's never easy to stay in Formula One but I hope I show enough to Ferrari that I deserve to stay so they can help me." Bianchi has impressed since making his debut last season with Marussia, which uses Ferrari engines. At the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix he claimed his first career points -- and the first for the team since it started out as Manor Racing in 2010 -- by finishing ninth. While Bianchi continues to work towards a future at Ferrari, Alonso and Raikkonen are both out of contract at the end of 2015. Ferrari is the only team to boast a lineup of two world champions but the experienced pairing has struggled to deliver results. It has been another difficult season for the once-dominant force in F1. Ferrari president Luca Di Montzemolo went so far as to call it "painful." The Ferrari engine has not matched the might of Mercedes -- which leads both the driver and constructor championships -- and team principal Stefano Domenicali resigned three races into the season, triggering structural changes within the organization. Alonso has continued to battle on track, claiming the team's only podium with third in China, but there are question marks over Raikkonen's performance and motivation since he joined from Lotus. The team's 2007 champion has out-qualified Alonso twice but has been beaten by the Spanish double world champion in every grand prix so far. If Bianchi represents the future, it is no wonder Ferrari is already looking ahead. | Jules Bianchi given run by Ferrari at testing session in Britain .
Frenchman drives for Marussia but is part of Ferrari Academy .
Kimi Raikkonen was rested following high-speed crash on Sunday .
Finn has struggled since rejoining the Italian team this year . |
256,234 | d7ab9291bddaad9a723c07e22c89408c6a758957 | (CNN) -- Chelsea continued their unbeaten start to the English Premier League season with a 2-1 win against north London rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Goals from Spanish duo Fernando Torres and Juan Mata earned the Blues a fifth win in six league matches while handing Arsene Wenger's men their first League defeat this term. Torres put Chelsea ahead in the 20th minute hooking the ball past Mannone in the Arsenal goal after some sloppy defending by the home side. But the Gunners were back on level terms three minutes before the break when Gervinho guided the ball past Petr Cech after latching on to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross. Mata's decisive goal came eight minutes into the second half -- his free-kick deflecting off Laurent Koscielny before finding the bottom corner of the net. Chelsea now have 16 points and remain top of the league while Arsenal slip to seventh on nine points. The win was a satisfying end to another turbulent week for John Terry. The Chelsea captain announced his retirement from international football on Sunday, before being handed a four-match ban and a £220,000 ($356,000) by the English Football Association (FA) on Thursday for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a match in October 2011. A court cleared Terry of the same offense in July, but the FA requires a lower burden of proof. Terry is currently considering whether to appeal the ban. Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur recorded their first win at Old Trafford in 23 years as Andre Villas Boas's side beat Manchester United 3-2. Defender Jan Vertonghen put Spurs ahead in the second minute before Garath Bale doubled the lead half an-hour later. Nani halved the deficit six minutes after the break only for Clint Dempsey to restore the two-goal cushion two minutes later. But United responded immediately as Shinji Kagawa made it 3-2, which, despite the home side's effort was how the score stayed. Alex Ferguson's men are now third with 12 points, level with Manchester City who had Edin Dzeko to thank for their 2-1 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Mladen Petric blasted home a penalty to put the Cottagers ahead in the 10th minute after Pablo Zabaleta had brought down John Arne Riise. Sergio Aguero equalized for City two minutes before halftime with Dzeko scoring the winner in the 87th minute, moments after coming on for Francisco Javi Garcia. Everton continued their promising start to the season with a 3-1 over Southampton at Goodison Park. A goal from Leon Osman (25th minute) and a quickfire brace from Nikica Jelavic (32nd and 38th minute) earned three points for David Moyes' team after Gaston Ramirez had given Southampton the lead in the sixth minute. Everton remain three points behind leaders Chelsea. Merseyside rivals, Liverpool posted their first league win under new manager Brendan Rodgers with a 5-2 thrashing of Norwich City. Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as the Reds ran riot at Carrow Road with Nuri Sahin and Steven Gerrard also getting on the scoresheet. Steve Morison and Grant Holt made the scoreline look a bit more respectable with two second-half goals. Liverpool rise to 14th, Norwich slip to 18th in the table. Two goals from Peter Crouch saw Stoke City beat Swansea City 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium -- a win which lifts Tony Pulis's side to 12th. Demba Ba also scored twice to rescue a point for Newcastle in a 2-2 draw at Reading, while Steven Fletcher scored the only goal as Sunderland beat Wigan 1-0 at the Stadium of Light. | Spanish duo earn Chelsea a valuable 2-1 win over London rivals Arsenal .
Chelsea stay top of the league with five wins in six matches in the English Premier League . |
91,567 | 01cbb94a2d55af2b6a51941012b56d4ca01b466c | By . Paul Donnelley . A conwoman has been sent to prison after a distraction burglary on an elderly woman – who turned out to be an MP’s mother. Callous: Leanne Smith, a conwoman has been jailed after a distraction burglary on an elderly woman - who turned out to be an MP's mother . Leanne Smith, 34, knocked on the door of Connie Morris, the mother of Grahame Morris, Labour MP for Easington in Durham, and asked to borrow a tea bag. She was then invited in for a cup of tea and once inside the 77-year-old’s house, Smith took precious and irreplaceable property including wedding and engagement rings. But she was caught after one of the pensioner’s family reported it to the police. Smith, who has a previous conviction for forcing her way in to another pensioner’s home during a robbery, was sentenced to four years behind bars. Prosecutor Simon Worthy told Newcastle Crown Court how Smith went to the pensioner’s house last July, asking to borrow a tea bag. The victim told police that she lived by the philosophy of doing ‘a good deed every day’ so decided to invite in Smith, who she recognised from the neighbourhood. Smith, from Murton, Co Durham, distracted her by claiming there was a knock on the door, knowing there was nobody there and buying herself time to take what she wanted. The grandmother-of-two discovered her bag, which contained £100 in cash, jewellery and her inhalers, was gone after a relative called to say that the bag had been found in a bin. The widow, whose husband Richard died 25 years ago, then realised her jewellery and other goods were gone. In a statement read to court, Mrs Morris said: ‘She conned her way in and stole personal items which had great sentimental value . ‘She had no thought or regard for the street and anxiety she has caused and she’s not once expressed any remorse. ‘Those items, such as wedding and engagement rings, are irreplaceable to me. ‘The financial value is immaterial; those rings were given to me by my husband, who has passed away. Graham Morris, MP - his 77-year-old mother was robbed by conwoman Leanne Smith . ‘She has given no thought of what those items meant to me, nothing can replace what those items meant to me. ‘She has not disclosed where she sold them so I can try to find them. If she felt genuine remorse she would help me recover what she stole. ‘The loss of the items has devastated me. I think she deserves significant prison time.’ Her son Grahame added: ‘It’s very upsetting when it’s your own family and I hope that other elderly people will learn from this . | Leanne Smith, 34, jailed for 4 years; already convicted for similar offence .
Victim Connie Morris's son is Labour MP for Easington, Co Durham .
Mrs Morris, 77, only noticed theft when her bag was found in a bin .
Smith took 'irreplaceable' items given to Mrs Morris by late husband . |
43,447 | 7a8982620010cca76aa1cb720edb2f2cbaae2cd4 | This Mother's Day, skip the flowers and forget the chocolate (unless it's dark)! Give your mom something she really needs -- the gift of good health. Do something good for mom this Mother's Day by getting her healthy food and investing in her wellness. No, you don't have to buy her a treadmill. There are many other things you can do to give your mom a boost in terms of her physical (or mental) well-being. Most moms will truly appreciate that your Mother's Day gift is aimed at keeping her happy, healthy, and in your life for a long time. In case you are drawing a blank, we came up with a list of healthy -- and relatively inexpensive -- gift ideas for every mom. 1. Give the gift of (your) time and support at the doctor's office. "Offer to be your mom's health buddy," says Philadelphia-based women's health expert Dr. Marie Savard, author of several books, including Ask Dr. Marie: Straight Talk and Reassuring Answers to Your Most Private Questions. "Promise to be there for any and all doctor's visits whether a mammogram or routine appointment," she said. "Most moms always say 'don't bother,' but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor's visit." The best part? This one is free. Health.com: A mammogram may have saved my life . 2. Give the gift of healthy eating. Rather than an expensive, artery-clogging brunch, you can spring for a visit with the nutritionist and follow it with a healthy meal. "Mother's Day is a great reason to get your mom to see a nutritionist," said Dana Greene, a nutritionist in private practice in Boston. "Nutritionists can really tailor their advice to whatever issues mom is having with her diet, including losing weight or learning how to eat to reduce her risk of certain diseases such as breast cancer or osteoporosis," Greene says. "An appointment lasts about an hour and is relatively inexpensive. Take mom out for a healthy brunch afterward and watch her put all she learned into practice." Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat . Greene also suggests subscribing to a healthy-cooking magazine to keep your mom in the healthy-eating mindset all year. Savard added: "Make and freeze healthy foods in individual containers for your mom." She suggested making healthy versions of your mother's fave foods. 3. Give the gift of organization. Instead of making a photo album of family snapshots (although that's nice too), make your mom a folder containing all of her medical records, Savard said. "Put a folder together of test results and vital information so it is all in one place," she said. Make sure to include a list of all of her medications and what times she takes them. "Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mom's life," Savard said. 4. Give the gift of a good night's sleep. Adequate sleep is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as other health conditions. "Buy your mom satin sheets, a new mattress, a mattress cover, or a luxurious pillow to encourage better sleep," Savard said. "We know that restorative sleep is critical to our immune system and heart health." For new mothers, offer to watch the baby while she takes a nap. This will also allow you to spend quality time with the kids, so "it's a win-win," she said. Health.com: 10 Risk factors for heart disease . 5. Give the gift of healthful goodies. Instead of a gourmet gift basket filled with cheese and crackers or sweets, make your own healthy gift basket for your mom, suggests Savard. Not sure what to put in it? Start with a multivitamin, calcium supplements, and vitamin D supplements. "If you know your mom is trying to get more fiber, put some fiber supplements in the basket too," she says. "A pedometer, some arm weights, and maybe a tape measure can also be part of this gift," Savard says. A tape measure can help mom measure her waist size, which is a known risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Health.com: Fitness and spa products that support the fight against breast cancer . 6. Give the gift that keeps on giving. Accessory and gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother's Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the proceeds benefit a charity of your choice. "This year we are all trying to conserve money, so why not have your funds go further with a gift that gives back," said company founder, Alayna Kassan. Gift givers can choose from bathrobes, cosmetics bags, scented candles, and a plethora of other items -- many of which are "green" -- and then choose a meaningful charity from a list. "When your mom gets the gift, she will be notified that it will benefit the chosen charity," Kassan said. "We have a few breast cancer charities on the site and they all do well on Mother's Day." Health.com: 5 Secrets to get slim success . 7. Give the gift of chocolate -- if you must. "If you are a traditionalist and you must give chocolate, choose dark chocolate," Greene said. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, which can mop up the damaging free radicals known to play a role in heart disease and other illnesses, as long as you choose types with less sugar and fewer calories. "This way you can satisfy her sweet tooth and benefit her heart," she said. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | Forget conventional flowers and chocolate, try healthy gifts for Mother's Day .
Give the gift of (your) time and support at the doctor's office .
Rather than artery-clogging brunch, spring for a visit with nutritionist . |
275,632 | f111af8f7cc932ab006f7752b7af8ac51fa03075 | A California builder has transformed part of his home into a fantasy feline adventure land. Peter Cohen, co-founder of Trillium Enterprises, lives in a 3000-square-foot cat castle in Santa Barbara, and has built 150 feet of catwalks, spiral staircases, tunnels, perches and all manner of cool kitty accessories to accommodate his cat companions. Mr Cohen, who grew up as a dog-lover, turned into a cat fan after he purchased the Goleta, California house in 1988. Scroll down for video . Feline fantasy: Peter Cohen started Trillium Enterprises and used his construction prowess to build his house to his cat's liking . On the catwalk: Mr Cohen estimates that he spent between $40,000 and $50,000 on the cat shelves, of which there are more than 150 feet . The property came with two outdoor cats. However, one cat was killed and the other badly injured after both were hit by cars, so he and his partner decided to adopt a new cat from the local shelter to keep the injured pet company. From that point, they just kept adopting cats, a couple more every few years. He has added a floor to what used to be a 1600-square-foot house and now shares his four-bedroom home with Cheesecake, Charlie, Nutter, Butter, Crumple, Rumple, Cookie, Poppyseed, Mary, Secret, Wasabi, Kiro, Coffee Bean and Donut . The cat lover and his partner Manuel Flores currently only adopt from shelters and try to take cats other people do not want, most often black cats and cats with bent tails. Cat-man: Although he grew up a dog lover, Mr Cohen inherited two cats in 1988 when he bought his house . Mr Cohen, his partner Manuel Flores, and their roommate Hiro Furumoto live with 14 cats, though they have had as many as 18 . Mr Cohen first began installing catwalks in his house in 1995 and has added to his creations over the years . They have had as many as 18 but currently have 14 feline housemates - having lost four cats this year to age and disease. They also have a human housemate - Hiro Furumoto. The pussycat pad started out with the installation of catwalks in 1995 after Mr Cohen was inspired by Bob Walker's book The Cat's House, according to Zeezoey. He admits he has spent between $40,000 and $50,000 on the catwalks alone. No expense was spared for his feline friends - even though the alterations could technically have been done cheaper. 'At a certain point there was not turning back. It was like, this is their house and we're living here with them' Mr Flores told Houzz TV. Mr Flores, Mr Furumoto and Mr Cohen try to find one-on-one time to spend with the cats, who are rarely all in the same room together. Additionally, some prefer to be left alone. The humans of the house say that they also appreciate the catwalks as a form of architectural beauty . The house was originally 1600-square-feet, but Mr Cohen has made improvements including a second story and ventilated litter rooms . But Mr Cohen says he gets enjoyment from his cat-clogged house beyond just feline companionship. He says: 'The catwalks are for the cats but they're also for me. They're architecturally interesting to me in the colors and we always try to do something interesting with the shapes.' Mr Cohen says he has received numerous calls about how best to design catwalks. The builder was unsure whether his pets would use the catwalks when he first built them, but now the animals can be heard scampering around on the ledges at odd hours of the night. 'Our house was built for us AND our cats. The catwalks are fun for the cats, giving them lots of places to explore, hang out, etc,' he said. The cats are particularly interested in a koi pond that Mr Cohen built, though they have never eaten one of the fish. Soothing music also plays in the house almost all the time, according to Catster. The humans of the house are assisted in picking up cat fur by five Roomba automatic vacuum cleaners . Soothing music plays nearly all the time at Mr Cohen's house, which also features a koi pond for the lucky cats . The home builder's construction experience helped him make his house practical as well. 'I am a general contractor and wanted to create an environment that was good for both cats and humans. The fact that the litter boxes are in ventilated closets helps keep odors out of the house,' he said. The humans are aided in picking up the cats fur by five Roomba automatic vacuums. But the animal-lover isn't done purrfecting his house yet. 'We always have new catwalks on the drawing boards and will add them as time/money allow,' Mr Cohen said. He added said that despite the abundance of stimulating objects and rooms in his house, his cats still love to climb inside old boxes. | House builder Peter Cohen takes care of 14 cats in Goleta, California home .
He has spent $40,000-$50,000 on catwalks so kitties can scamper around .
Litter box closets are ventilated, and fur picked up by five Roomba robots . |
142,449 | 4436d127caa68f5c1874865efe556c58f7bf4d75 | Phil Neville has admitted working as a commentator is harder than he thought after hundreds of viewers complained about his on-air performance during England's World Cup opener with Italy. Neville, a former player whose career included stints at Manchester United and Everton, was criticised for his lack of emotion and 'monotone' style during the game. Many viewers took to Twitter to criticise him, with several joking that England physio Gary Lewin who was stretchered off after injuring his ankle had actually 'fallen into a coma' listening to Neville. Scroll down for video . The BBC has received hundreds of complaints about former England player Phil Neville's commentary . A BBC spokeswoman said there were 445 complaints after Saturday night’s game, which pulled in a peak audience of 15.6 million viewers. Neville, 37, told Radio 5 Live today: 'I think the biggest thing I learned is that co-commentary is harder than what I thought it was going to be. 'I welcome all the feedback you get and it's a welcome to the social media so you come in after a game you're hyped up, its just like playing doing a co-commentary, you're focused for 90 minutes, you turn your phone on and you’re getting some lovely messages. 'But I’m really looking forward to the game on Thursday, I’m back in the co-commentary booth and I will get better. It was my first live gig and I'm just glad I helped everybody sleep back home.' Neville, who said he 'really loved' working as a commentator, said: 'The feedback is [that] the content I put out was quite good, obviously the feedback is I need to show a little more excitement so I think you’ll see that on Thursday night.' Julie Neville has defended her husband, Phil, after his commentary of England's World Cup match with Italy was criticised as 'dull' and 'boring' by fans on Twitter . She told her 21,000 followers that Phil is 'good at talking' and tried to deflect attention onto the pitch . Fellow broadcaster Danny Baker was among his critics, but said the BBC should share the blame . He . said: 'Phil Neville has acknowledged he wasn't great during England . commentary. But what were the BBC doing giving him THAT game to "learn . his craft"?' The BBC . said Neville, who has received broadcasting training, was 'an important, . well-respected member of our team' and would 'continue to play a key . role throughout the tournament'. His next appearance is expected to be as a studio guest for tonight's game between Iran and Nigeria. On Raheem Sterling: 'It's so important he takes that ball and dribbles it past those Italian midfielders.' On England: 'We want our players to be on the front foot tonight.' On Danny Welbeck miss: 'Danny will be disappointed that he didn't hit the target there.' Before the game: 'I always like looking at people in the warm-up, looking in their eyes.' On Gary Lewin's injury: 'Anything can happen when everyone jumps on top of one another.' The BBC revealed the number of complaints after Neville's wife, Julie, defended her husband on Twitter. The mother-of-two replied to one of the few fans praising her husband, posting: 'ha ha - he is good at talking!!' Tweeting during the game, she then tried to divert attention away from his voice and on to the football pitch, by adding: 'Nerve wracking watching this match though.' When the fan responded by saying the 'Neville brothers are taking over' and predicting an England win, she replied: 'We have everything crossed.' Julie, who runs her own healthy food . website, WinNaturally.com, and has written a book of 50 Top Tips for . Optimum Health, was praised on Twitter for putting up with her husband's . voice. After . England supporters spent nearly two hours listening to his co-commentary . on Saturday night, many suggested she deserves a medal. Wayne French tweeted: 'Dear Julie Neville, I'm putting you forward for an MBE. You deserve so much.' Another website user suggested she might find a health supplement to energise her husband's performance in the commentary box. Some fans linked physio Gary Lewin's injury to Neville's dull performance in the commentary box . Broadcaster Mary Ann Sieghart branded the former Everton midfielder's voice 'talking Temazepam' South Warwickshire police joined others on Twitter mocking BBC co-commentator Phil Neville . Despite also working for the BBC, comedian Danny Baker joined the backlash against the former player . Former Liverpool and Germany star Didi Hamann was among the stars criticising Neville's commentary . Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle also got in on the act, posting this joke to his 1.5million Twitter followers . The couple have been married for 14 years and have two children, a son Harvey, and daughter, Isabella. The . BBC has backed Neville and insisted he will remain in their commentary . team for the tournament, co-commentating on three more live games and . both for England's further group games for their highlights show. The . decision prompted comedian Alistair McGowan to comment this morning: . 'He won't be used for another full England game until the group stages . so we've probably heard the last of him.' Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear colleagues have been behind some the biggest controversies for the BBC. Clarkson saw the corporation receive nearly 5,000 complaints in 2011 when he said striking workers 'should be shot' on the One Show. The BBC was hit with more than 2,200 angry emails and phone calls earlier this year when viewers complained of 'mumbling' actors in costume drama Jamaica Inn. Following the European elections last month, the corporation got more than 1,000 complaints about giving too much prominence to Nigel Farage and his Ukip party. And political problems also struck last March when 600 viewers complained about presenter Eddie Mair's 'aggressive' grilling of Boris Johnson, during which the London mayor was branded 'a nasty piece of work'. Neville, providing co-commentary . alongside BBC regular Guy Mowbray, was compared by one viewer to the . computer HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey during the game. He was even mocked by the police, with the South Warwickshire force’s official Twitter feed providing a string of safety advice based on his disastrous performance. 'At least we know Phil Neville won’t stir the crowds in the pubs into a frenzy. Drink sensibly,' read one message, while another claimed officers 'will be playing recordings of Phil Neville all night to keep the streets all calm and sleepy'. Some fans asked whether it was possible to fire a commentator at half-time, while former Liverpool midfielder Didier Hamann wrote: 'If Phil Neville reads his Twitter feed he may not come out for the second half.' Neville seems to have taken the comments in good spirits. He tweeted last night: ‘Sometimes you have to take the criticism – it will only make me better. Thanks for the feedback (ahhahaha)!’ | Fans panned ex-Everton midfielder's performance in commentary box .
They brand him 'robotic', 'boring' and 'dull' during England vs Italy match .
He admits job is 'harder than I thought it was going to be' today .
BBC has received hundreds of complaints since Saturday night broadcast .
But wife Julie rallies to his side, telling fans she thinks 'he's good at talking'
Comments come as some fans say she deserves an MBE for tolerating voice . |
118,424 | 24e7cdb911a32738d6eba9c6d509b8fc0f4ec013 | An Islamic extremist group called Dawlat al-Islam has reportedly claimed responsibility for the alleged kidnappings of three teenagers who went missing from settlements on the West Bank on Friday. The organization, linked to ISIS, distributed pamphlets about the kidnappings in Hebron, Haaretz reported. Israel security services are investigating the claims. ISIS are the group of bloody-thirsty jihadists behind this week's Iraq insurgency. Israeli soldiers searched the West Bank on Friday for the missing teenagers, who are also feared kidnapped by Palestinian militants. Scroll down for video . Men pose with automatic rifles and a stationary machine gun, with the ISIS flag propped up behind them. An extremist group linked to the jihadists has claimed responsibility for the alleged kidnappings of three teens in Israel . Israeli soldiers deploy near the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday. Israeli soldiers searched the West Bank on Friday for three missing teenagers from nearby settlements, one of them a U.S. citizen, amid fears Palestinian militants abducted them, authorities said . Authorities . offered little detail, with local media only reporting the hitchhiking . teenagers left their Yeshiva, or religious seminary, on Thursday night . and had not been seen since. Soldiers near Hebron combed the rocky hills . of the West Bank searching for them on Friday. The disappearances come after the formation of a Palestinian unity government following . the collapse of U.S.-brokered peace talks. Two Israeli defense officials said authorities believed the teens likely were kidnapped by Palestinian militants, without elaborating. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to brief journalists. 'The main mission is to ensure their return,' said Brig. Gen. Motti Almoz, a military spokesman. Tsuri Tsuf, a spokesman for a settlement where one of the teens is from, told Israel's Channel 10 television that his community was 'greatly worried' and gathered to pray for the safety of the youths. Authorities found a burned-out car during their search that investigators were examining. Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency initially imposed a gag order on Friday morning blocking local media from reporting on the incident. Later, an official familiar with the investigation said that one of the teens was an American and that Israeli authorities notified U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to publicly brief journalists. MailOnline was awaiting a comment from the U.S. Department of State. The three teens are from settlements in the West Bank, territory Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war and that Palestinians are demanding as part of their future state along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. A burnt car which is reportedly connected to the disappearance of three teenagers is taken away near the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday . If Palestinians abducted the teens, it would be the first serious incident to challenge relations with Israel since the formation of a Palestinian unity government earlier this month, led by President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party and backed by the Islamic militant group Hamas. The West and Israel consider Hamas a terror group because of its deadly attacks targeting civilians. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Abbas to talk about the missing teenagers and likely will call Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as well, a senior State Department official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Netanyahu told the teens' families that Israel is 'making every effort' to find them, his office said in a statement. He earlier said the Palestinian Authority is responsible for the teens' safety. Adnan Demeiri, spokesman of the Palestinian security services, dismissed Netanyahu's claims, saying the teens' disappearance happened in an area under Israeli security protection. Hamas frequently calls for the abduction of Israelis and militants have kidnapped Israelis in the past. The Israeli military has said it has foiled multiple Palestinian kidnapping attempts in recent years and warns soldiers and civilians not to accept rides from strangers. Despite the warnings, hitchhiking remains common in Israel. An Israeli soldier stands near the West Bank city of Hebron today in a desperate for the three missing teens who are believed to have been kidnapped by Palestinian militants . | The hitchhiking teenagers left their Yeshiva, or religious seminary, on Thursday night and had not been seen since .
Dawlat al-Islam, who have been linked to ISIS, distributed papers in Hebron claiming responsibility for the disappearances .
Palestinian militants are also being looked at by Israel defense forces .
The disappearances come after the formation of a Palestinian unity government following the collapse of U.S.-brokered peace talks . |
269,270 | e8ccc79f802d072504aa032aaf3379e6a71e349f | By . Martyn Cox . PUBLISHED: . 16:01 EST, 18 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:01 EST, 18 May 2013 . I am a passenger in a car tailing another vehicle down a lane in rural Hampshire. Pulling over, the driver of the car in front gets out and unlocks a hefty padlock securing a steel gate. Passing through, we make our way down a dirt track to a windowless, breeze-block building that stands on its own in the centre of a field. This is not a clandestine meeting between members of a secret brotherhood. Rather, I am about to discover Hillier Nurseries’ trick to ensure hundreds of plants are in flower this week, when they attempt to land a coveted gold medal at the centennial Chelsea Flower Show. Winner's enclosure: Plantsman Ricky Dorlay in a cold store at the award-winning Hillier flower plant business on the outskirts of Romney in Southampton . It’s about 20C outside the building. Step inside and you’ll find a sliding door leading to a cold store where the temperature dives to 1C. Huddled together in the chilly vault are cornus, azalea, rhododendron, viburnum, sophora, pieris, spirea, choisya and many other beauties. All are in full bloom or smothered with buds. ‘Storing plants in here for several weeks holds them back a bit, so they are at their best for the show,’ says Andy McIndoe, 56, managing director of the nursery and driving force behind a floral exhibit that will see 4,000 plants arranged in the Great Pavilion, where more than 100 nurseries will display their wares. Based on the outskirts of Romsey, near Southampton, the renowned plant business has been established for almost 150 years. Since its first appearance at Chelsea in 1914, Hillier has bagged 72 gold medals and is the Guinness World Record holder for most consecutive golds awarded at the show, with an unbroken string of 67 since 1939 (the show did not take place from 1940 to 1946 owing to the Second World War). Andy has been responsible for staging the Hillier exhibit for 25 years. He says: ‘I don’t want to be the person responsible for bringing our winning run to an end. I’ve got my own two-acre garden but I don’t get to maintain it at all during May as Chelsea takes over my life.’ Award-winning: Queen Mary on a trip to one of the early Chelsea Flower Shows where Hillier holds the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive gold medals . The Royal Horticultural Society’s show runs from Tuesday to Saturday on its 11-acre site alongside the Thames Embankment in the grounds of The Royal Hospital. At the show, Andy and his team are creating a 65ft x 65ft display around the stone war memorial at the heart of the pavilion – the towering obelisk is a permanent structure built in 1849 to honour the soldiers who died in the Battle of Chillianwala during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. Hillier’s exhibit will be bisected by a slate pathway and feature an open-sided garden building, two circular raised pools measuring 13ft across, and a sculpture by Tom Stogdon, which will echo the shape of the war memorial. The structural backbone will be softened by shrubs, perennials, climbers, roses, conifers and 40 mature trees. Among the plants will be a quartet of debutantes. Astelia ‘Silver Shadow’ is an architectural plant with shiny silver, sword-shaped leaves, while Viburnum ‘Le Bois Marquis’ is a compact shrub with fragrant white summer flowers. Lavandula stoechas ‘Bouquet of Roses’ is a new form of French lavender with dainty blue and pink flowers and scented foliage containing hints of menthol and eucalyptus. A new bloom: The company's new lavender called 'Bouquet of Roses' which will feature in the show . Best of the bunch is Sambucus nigra ‘Blue Sheen’, an ornamental elder that has maroon-purple foliage with a blue tinge. Ideal in a mixed border or grown in a country garden setting, its sprays of pink flowers that appear in early summer are followed by dense clusters of shiny black fruit in autumn. Not all of the plants destined for Chelsea are placed in cold store. ‘The leaves of some will become drained of colour if they are subjected to chilly conditions, or they could drop both flowers and foliage when moved back outdoors,’ says Ricky Dorlay, 72, master plantsman at Hillier Nurseries. A veteran of 48 Chelsea campaigns, he estimates that he works seven days a week, 18 hours a day, in the months prior the show. He checks on the plants in cold store at least once a day, along with those grown in the warmth of a state-of-the art glasshouse. A structural plan for Hillier’s exhibit was drawn up about five months ago, but work began on site just eight days ago. About 13 lorry-loads of plant material have been transported from the nursery to the show ground since then. Four staff members started the building process, but about 25 will be there to work on the display in the next two days to ensure it looks first-class when scrutinised by the Royal Horticultural Society’s judges. Andy still suffers from butterflies in the weeks leading up to the show. ‘But the nerves soon disappear when you get on site because there’s a hell of a lot to do in such a short space of time,’ he says. | Hillier Nursery has scoped 72 gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show .
It holds the Guinness World Record holder for most consecutive golds .
The renowned flower plant business will be going for gold again this week . |
223,560 | ad6ef12c861bc0054f915bea842b6c799ee97fad | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:58 EST, 15 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:34 EST, 16 July 2013 . The first plane to be designated as Air Force One in the 1950s has been abandoned in a field at a southern Arizona airport. The aircraft that once spirited President Dwight D. Eisenhower on cross-country voyages sits in a dusty 10-acre parcel of land at Marana Regional Airport, decaying under the unrelenting glare of the sun. 'I think it's one of these big secrets that, really, few people know that it's out there,' airport manager Steve Miller said. 'It's sad that it's just sitting out there, considering its history over the past 70 years.' Original: The first Air Force One aircraft is housed at the Marana regional airport . Abandoned: The plane, pictured, is almost forgotten at a field in Arizona . The original Air Force One is a Lockheed VC-121 Constellation 48-610 that was built in California in 1948. The next year it was converted to carry VIPs and re-designated as a VC-121A. It was named Columbine II after the state flower of Colorado, the home state of first lady Mamie Eisenhower. In 1953 it became the official presidential aircraft until it was replaced in 1954, when it became the primary backup aircraft, according to The Arizona Daily Star. After a brief civilian stint with Pan American, the aircraft carried Eisenhower for a final time on Oct. 25, 1959, on a trip from Augusta, Georgia, to Washington, D.C. Historic: The Columbine II, a Lockheed VC-121 Constellation 48-610, was built in Burbank, California, in 1948 . First Lady: The plane was affectionately named after the columbine, state flower of Colorado, the home of first lady Mamie Eisenhower, pictured right with her husband . It served as a VIP transport at . Washington National Airport and Maryland's Andrews Air Force Base before . it was retired and flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in 1968. It . was stripped of its identity and fitted with mismatched landing gear. Mel Christler of Christler Flying Service bought the aircraft, along with four others, in a 1970 surplus auction, not knowing its true identity. He hoped to convert it to an aerial sprayer, but the plane would not fly due to the landing gear problem. Christler learned of the plane's history in 1980 when Smithsonian Institution curator Robert Mikesh tracked down its whereabouts and contacted him. Replaced: A new Air Force One, pictured, replaced the Columbine in 1954 and carried President Eisenhower, pictured with Vice President Richard Nixon in 1955, on his official trips . Dusty field: The first Air Force One aircraft, pictured right from above, is housed at the Marana Regional Airport in southern Arizona . Christler and some partners completed . a $150,000 restoration of the Columbine in 1990, reintroducing it to . the public and participating in the Eisenhower Centennial celebration in . Abilene, Kansas. After . appearances in air shows, it was parked in Roswell and Santa Fe, New . Mexico, until 1998. Efforts to sell the aircraft at auction were . unsuccessful, and it was parked at the Marana airport in 2005 in a lease . agreement. Marana Regional Airport, which opened in 1943, generates revenue by leasing parcels of its 600 acres. The aircraft has no hangar to shelter it from the sun's rays, which are gradually breaking down the aircraft inside and out. Later versions: President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline disembark from a later version of the Air Force One jet liner in May 1961 at Paris Orly airport . Football: President Ronald Reagan throws a football toward the press as he boards yet another Air Force One in Cleveland, Ohio in January 1988 . 'In its glory days it had marbled floors,' Miller said. 'Now it just looks like any old, beat-up aircraft sitting there.' The plane is owned by Christler's business partner, Harry Oliver of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Timothy Coons, a contractor who serves as the plane's caretaker, is looking for a museum willing to take it and restore it. 'Like any machine like that, the interiors are slowly degrading because of the heat,' Coons told the Star, adding that it would take $200,000 and 30 days of work by a team of mechanics to restore. 'We're trying to find a good home,' Coons said. 'It's not doing any justice just sitting here.' On the tarmac: President Bill Clinton waves to the crowd at the Fayetteville, Arkansas from the top of the steps of Air Force One in 1995 . Current model: President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama wave from the current Air Force One on July 2, 2013 . | The plane sits in the unrelenting sun in a dusty field on Marana Regional Airport in southern Arizona .
In 1953 it became the official presidential aircraft until it was replaced in 1954 and became the primary backup aircraft .
It was named Columbine II after the state flower of Colorado, the home state of first lady Mamie Eisenhower . |
178,117 | 729466fbcc1cf812658bc44faea337b8af51ab96 | By . Mail Online Reporter . A 41-year-old woman who allegedly joined a street brawl naked before stabbing three women is wanted by police. The five-woman fight, caused by a love triangle . involving women from two buildings, erupted about 4.30pm Monday outside Hays Manor Apartments in Pittsburgh. Police said cellphone footage shows a woman identified as La Keysh Collins jumping into the melee completely naked and slashing three women before fleeing. Witnesses claimed they didn't know who she was or why she got involved. Scroll down for video . Police search: La Keysh Collins, 41 (right) is wanted by police after allegedly stabbing three women during a violent melee outside a Pittsburgh apartment complex on Monday . Vicious brawl: Cellphone footage shows five women fighting outside a Pittsburgh apartment complex on Monday before La Keysh Collins jumped in . Allegheny County Housing Authority Police Chief Mike Vogel told Trib Live one of the victims was taken to Allegheny General Hospital suffering a . facial laceration. Her friend was taken to Ohio Valley Hospital with . lacerations and puncture wounds to the back. A woman from the . other group was treated by paramedics for minor lacerations. WPXI reported that one of the victims was stabbed seven times in the face and back, but her injuries were not life-threatening. A warrant is out for Collins’ arrest, while the other five women face charges and possible eviction. Cellphone footage of the violent incident has been deleted from YouTube. The remnants: Tufts of hair can be seen on the pavement where the women brawled on Monday . Scene: The brawl erupted outside Hays Manor Apartments in Pittsburgh (pictured) on Monday afternoon . | La Keysh Collins, 41, allegedly jumped into a fight between five women outside a Pittsburgh apartment complex on Monday .
Collins allegedly stabbed three women, two seriously .
She is wanted by police . |
188,906 | 80ab31d1bb398705052e17a43961a4ba1f1c97d2 | (CNN) -- New York Yankees future Hall of Fame third baseman Alex Rodriguez is returning to the lineup he was forced from on July 24 when a bone in his left hand was fractured by a pitch from Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez. Rodriguez, who had to leave the game, was awarded first base after being hit, but there were no other penalties to Hernandez, who, on a night when his control was off, hit two other Yankees (three of the last five batters he faced) before giving way to a relief pitcher in a game that ended with a 4-2 Seattle victory. (Rodriguez is expected to be back in the lineup for the Yankees' Monday night game in Tampa, Florida.) Rodriguez was lucky his injury wasn't more serious. He did not get hit in the head, but under Major League Baseball's current rules, a serious injury to Rodriguez would have been treated the same as a minor injury. There is no meaningful penalty in baseball for a pitcher hitting a batter with the ball. Yet what the helmet-to-helmet hit is to football, the bean ball and its cousin, the brushback pitch, are to baseball -- a tactic that is potentially life-threatening. The National Football League, stung by lawsuits and a series of cases in which autopsies done on players in their 40s and 50s have revealed brain damage, has stiffened penalties for hits to the head and shortened the distance on kickoffs to reduce the violent collisions they produce. By contrast, Major League Baseball appears to have learned nothing from history when it comes to rules for protecting batters. Little has changed from 1920, when Ray Chapman, a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians, was killed by a high fastball thrown by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees. Yet over the years there have been numerous, highly publicized cases of beanings that could easily have been fatal. In 1967 Boston Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro, the youngest home run champion in American League history, sustained permanent eye damage and missed the rest of the season when he was hit by a pitch from Jack Hamilton of the California Angels. In 2000, New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza was forced to miss the All-Star game as a result of the concussion and headaches that followed a beaning by the New York Yankees Roger Clemens, a notorious brushback pitcher, whom Piazza had tagged for a grand-slam home run a month earlier. How many serious injuries have resulted over the years from batters being hit by pitches is impossible to say. Major League Baseball has never kept systematic records on this issue and the dark side of the game that it reflects. Pitchers who like to intimidate batters and pitchers who don't have good command of their pitches have been free to go about their business without fear of penalty. Major League Baseball's substitute for rules that penalize a pitcher for hitting batters has been equipment, namely the plastic helmet. The helmet became mandatory in 1971 and with the addition of earflaps, helmets have improved over the years. But mandatory helmets should be a last, not a first, resort when it comes to player safety. Helmets minimize the damage that occurs after a beaning. They fail to give pitchers incentive to avoid throwing brushback pitches in the first place. What is needed to make pitchers avoid brushback pitches along with the beanings that come with them are a series of rules with penalties that send a clear message: Major League Baseball is serious about protecting its players. Rule 1: Distinguish between a pitch that is dangerous and a pitch that is life-threatening. The head and face are the most vulnerable areas for a player, and a pitch that hits a player anywhere above his chest should be treated with special harshness. Instead, of being awarded first base, a batter struck above the chest should be given second base and thus put in a position to score on a single. Rule 2: Treat a pitcher who hits more than one batter differently from a pitcher who hits a single batter. A pitcher who hits a second batter in a game should face automatic ejection and a fine of $10,000, no matter where his pitch lands. The severity of this penalty would mean any pitcher who thrives on intimidation would be put on a short leash, but it would also recognize that a pitcher who has poor control is a menace. Rule 3: Make a team, not just an individual pitcher, accountable for hit batters. Under this rule a team would be able to get away with hitting only one batter per game. Any time a second batter was hit, the pitcher who threw the ball would be treated as if he had already struck a batter. A team could not, as a result, game the penalty system for hitting batters. Rule 4: Increase pitcher liability for a hit batsman. Rodriguez has been lost to the Yankees for a good part of the season, while Hernandez, who now has a 13-6 record, has enjoyed a stellar year. The result is unfair to Rodriguez and the Yankees. The only way to equalize the situation partially is make any pitcher who forces an opponent out of the lineup remain out of his own team's lineup for the same number of games as the injured opponent. Traditionalists will complain about such reforms, but throughout its history Major League Baseball has done much to alter its original product. It has made the ball livelier, allowed individual teams to alter their outfields to give themselves an advantage and even banned the spitball. What is different about these hit-batter rule changes is that their aim is safety rather than entertainment. A few batters might take advantage of them and try to get hit, but given the dangers that come from a pitch traveling upward of 90 mph, most batters are not likely to risk their careers just to get on base. These reforms don't turn baseball into a game for softies or cheats. Instead, they preserve the national pastime we know by making sure those who play it don't risk life and limb any more than they need to. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nicolaus Mills. | Alex Rodriguez is returning to New York Yankees' lineup six weeks after a pitch hit him .
Nicolaus Mills: Baseball doesn't do enough to protect batters from pitchers .
He says penalties should be increased against pitchers, teams that hit batters .
Mills: Players could suffer permanent or even fatal injuries from pitches . |
256,029 | d76b0c9cdea1d25cf49dddecd2ac66b388227194 | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 15:48 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:45 EST, 6 August 2013 . Stripper: Stripper Vicky Miller, pictured, is on trial for the attempted murder of her fiance . A stripper is accused of luring her fiance to an apartment where her then-17-year-old son and his friend tried to kill him by strangling him with an extension cord and bashing him over the head with a fry pan. Vicky Miller, 44, is on trial for the November 2011 attempted murder of Paul Key, 54, whom she met while dancing topless at Lipstick Cabaret in Dallas and agreed to marry after just 30 minutes. Prosecutors on Monday said Key drained his 401k and took out a mortgage on his home so he could lavish Miller, who faces unrelated charges of aggravated sexual assault of a 13-year-old boy, with gifts including a car each for her and her son. 'I agreed to support her financially,' Key testified, adding that he spent cash he'd saved over 30 years on the woman. 'I had someone I enjoyed talking with. I thought I could buy loyalty with money.' He said they regularly met up for breakfast at IHOP following their night shifts and he paid her $2,000 a month to support her so she would quit her job at Lipstick Cabaret. But the affair, which Key claimed on Tuesday was non-sexual, turned sour after Miller kept putting off the wedding and after three and a half years Key, an AT&T employee, began to think he was being used, Dallasnews.com reported. He said he decided to break up with her and move forward with his life. Key, who had been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic at age 35, said on Tuesday he had stopped taking his medication about two months before the breakup because he was strapped for cash. But he said that had no impact on his ability to remember the alleged attempted murder, which he claimed may have been prompted by the inaccurate belief that Miller would receive his life insurance payout. Accomplice: Miller's son Francisco James Hurtado and his friend Dunkan Boyce, right, allegedly helped to kill Paul Key . Scene: The alleged attempted murder took place at Miller's apartment, pictured, in Dallas . On November 21, 2011, Miller picked . up Key at his home and brought him to her apartment so he could pick up . her belongings, court documents reveal. When he had done so he sat down . on the couch. That's when he claims someone yanked an extension cord over his head and around his neck trying to strangle him. Miller's son, Francisco Hurtado, who is now 19, allegedly then placed a pillow over his head and tried to suffocate the man before his friend, Dunkan Boyce, struck him over the head several times with a pan, police said. As the extension cord began to cut off his air supply, Key testified on Tuesday that his 'initial inclination was to sit back and observe what it's like to die.' But then he said 'I decided to fight back.' Key managed to escape the boys' clutches and ran outside screaming for help, finally convincing someone at a nearby Dollar General Store to call 911. Meanwhile, the teens decided to make it look like Key attacked Miller and rearranged the apartment. Lipstick Cabaret: Paul Key said he met Vicky Miller at Lipstick Cabaret, pictured, in Dallas . Miller also allegedly asked her son to throw her against a wall, hit her and kick her so she looked beat up. The . son's friend, Boyce, then calls 911 to report the false assault, but . can be heard on the call shouting at the others to hurry up. When police arrive, Key was initially arrested by reporting officers but after further investigation, Miller and the two teens were arrested. On Monday, defense attorney Robbie McClung told jurors not to judge Miller by her former profession. 'There's not just reasonable doubt,' McClung said. 'There are misperceptions and innuendo that don't make any sense because Vicky Miller is not guilty.' Trial dates have not yet been set for the teens, though they are listed as potential witnesses in Miller's trial. If convicted of the second-degree felony, Miller faces two to 20 years in prison. | Vicky Miller, 44, is on trial for the 2011 attempted murder of Paul Key .
The couple met while Miller was dancing topless at Lipstick Cabaret in Dallas, Texas and he proposed after just 30 minutes .
Key said he drained his 401k and took out a mortgage so he could lavish Miller with gifts including cars but she wouldn't get married .
After he dumped her, she allegedly asked her son to strangle him .
to death with an extension cord and beat him with a fry pan . |
54,871 | 9b6b256ea3ac5f221038602ad086f7848c866695 | Manchester City open their new £200million training centre on Monday, and it belongs among the finest football centres of excellence in the world. But City have not always enjoyed such luxury. IAN LADYMAN remembers the club's more humble roots, from their iconic old Platt Lane training ground to training side-by-side with rivals Manchester United at Carrington, complete with scary security guard. Welcome to Man City's new £200m Football Factory... with circular dressing rooms, cookery classes and altitude training . For many years now, a tiny corner of rural Greater Manchester has been purely football. Past the Trafford Centre, throw a right at the roundabout, through the lights and you get to Carrington, home – among other things – to the training grounds of Manchester's two football clubs. Take a five-iron and strike it well from United's northerly pitches and the chances are those picking the ball up will be wearing City blue. So close they could hardly escape each other even if they wanted to. An aerial view of Manchester City's new £200m Etihad Campus - which is being hailed as the best training facility in the world . The complex is attached to the club's Etihad Stadium via a footbridge over Alan Turing Way . City have come a long way from their old home at Maine Road - here they play against Portsmouth in 1936 . Scott Sinclair, Fernando, Jesus Navas, Frank Lampard and Dedryck Boyata (left to right) are put through their paces at the new complex . City's legendary goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, who played for the club between 1949 and 1964, sits on a terrace at Maine Road . When United manager Sir Alex Ferguson talked of his club's 'noisy neighbours' this is what he meant. Today, however, it changes. Today City's players are turning their sports cars and their SUVs east towards the previously neglected Manchester suburbs of Gorton and Beswick. Here, opposite their own Etihad Stadium, lies their new training ground. Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown was given an exclusive tour of the world-class new training facility by Patrick Vieira, Manchester City's head of Elite Development. CLICK HERE to watch a fun, quick-fire Q&A with the two former Arsenal Invincibles, including how the old friends describe each other in just three words... And you can read the full, brilliant interview as Keown met Vieira from 10pm on Monday night by visiting www.dailymail.co.uk/sport . Hailed – admittedly by City themselves – as one of the best sporting facilities in the world, the Etihad Campus has cost in the region of £150million to build, has 16 pitches, its own 7,000-seater reserve stadium, an accommodation block and even a sixth-form College to serve its local community. And more. Carrington, it must be said, was somewhat different. City's home for more than a decade - they previously trained at the rather iconic Platt Lane centre in Manchester's inner-city – it didn't even have a security barrier for many years. Instead it had a rather fierce looking Scot named 'Michael' who spent his days peering at you from inside a one-man sentry booth decorated with City calendars, posters and gifts from the players. If he knew you, Michael would tell you his latest joke. If he didn't, he would probably scare the life out of you. This was City pre-Abu Dhabi, though. Things were different, then. The first manager I encountered there was Kevin Keegan. 'Nice to meet you, I hate your paper,' were his first words to me in the winter of 2001. Back then the media used to walk round the back of the main building, up some rather fragile-looking stairs that always needed painting and in to a room that doubled up as an analysis 'suite' – it had a round table and some chairs – when we weren't there. On a shelf on the side was a never ending supply of footballs and black marker pens. Once a week the players would file past and sign. Keegan was often late, usually because he had been playing head tennis with his coaches out the back. 'Don't say I admitted that,' he once said. 'It will invalidate my medical insurance on my back.' In the late Sixties, the days of City stars like Mike Summerbee, left, players were put through their paces on an athletics track at Longford Park. Here, the former England international is given tips by ex-Great Britain one-mile runner Stan Taylor . After the Christmas break in 1969, City players were sent on a 30-minute run at Wythenshawe Park to shed off any excess pounds . City's former first-team training ground Platt Lane is now used by the club's academy for matches . The club's younger ranks are put through their paces ahead of their friendly against Barnsley in September 2013 . City Under 18s take on Manchester United U18s at the old Platt Lane training ground . In those days, players such as Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman ruled the roost at Carrington, waiting round the corner to fire footballs at team-mates emerging in to the complex's wide open spaces from a changing block that looked rather like something out of the film Kes. It was all very high school. Joey Barton, meanwhile, used to use that area as his own private driving range, golf balls pinging high in to the distance from his driver. A very good golfer, maybe Joey was aiming at Sir Alex across the other side of the hedge. Keegan once made his exit from Carrington under a blanket on the back seat of a car. His crime? To make a joke about Liverpudlians and hub caps as he signed Fowler. The Sun newspaper sent reporters dressed in black curly wigs to ambush him. 'Michael' on security would have eaten them for his breakfast. As time passed, things changed. The essence of Carrington never did, though. Even to this day – when City had to erect a big, cold tent to host Champions League press conferences – the throwback feel of the place remains. Stuart Pearce liked to hold press conferences at 8am. I think it was a macho thing. The problem was that, as results faded, the media just stopped turning up. Maybe that was the plan all along. City entered a new era when Sven-Goran Eriksson introduced a table to sit behind when he spoke to journalists at press conferences . Sven made sure he knew everybody's name at Carrington during his time at City, and when he was sacked there were tears from some . Sven-Goran Eriksson, meanwhile, finally introduced a table to sit behind for press conferences. For City, that was progress. They loved Sven at Carrington, especially the women. He knew everybody's name. When it emerged that he paid for the £2,000-a-night top-floor suite at Manchester's Radisson Edwardian out of his own pocket every night, the Swede's legend only grew. City weren't bad on the field under Eriksson, either. When he was sacked – unjustly – they cried at Carrington. On his arrival, Mark Hughes did his best to tart things up a bit. He thought Carrington was 'unfit for purpose' and he was probably right. Given that he had come from Blackburn, though, it said everything. Mark Hughes was unhappy with City's Carrington training ground facilities upon his arrival from Blackburn . Hughes disliked the media getting too close so they built us a pre-fabricated hut just inside the entrance while money was spent on the dressing rooms, too. Pretty soon, Michael on security was no more. Someone didn't like his tattoos apparently. With the Arab money that soon arrived, Carrington got new signage and some trees lining the driveway that were rumoured to cost £1,000 each. The training ground soon got Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli, too. Mancini often used to cycle to work – with his faithful aide 'Jose' driving behind him in case of 'emergencies' – while the photographers that lined the public footpath nearby feasted on the punch-ups that, for a while, became part of the City story. I once suggested to one of Mancini's coaches that the club just erect a big fence to protect the sessions from the lenses. 'The council won't let us,' he replied. 'Anyway, it would be cheaper if the players just stopped fighting.' Micah Richards (centre) and Mario Balotelli (right) get a telling off after coming to blows during a training session in December 2011 . Richards (left) had to be restrained back by his City team-mates after his spat with Balotelli at Carrington . The maverick Italian forward (left) had to be led away by Vincent Kompany (right) as things turned violent . Roberto Mancini (left) tries to laugh off the feud between Balotelli and Richards (right) after their fight . Former Manchester City boss Mancini (left) came to blows with Balotelli (right) during a training session in January 2013 . For a while the bad publicity was a problem for City but, on the whole, they were impressively sanguine. Across the fence, Ferguson was paranoid about the secrecy of his training sessions, as indeed is Louis van Gaal now. City, though, took a different view. On learning that one geeky fan was climbing a tree to view sessions through binoculaurs, they didn't set the dogs on him. Instead they invited him inside for a guided tour and a meet-and-greet session. The CFA site pictured during its early stages of redevelopment from a brownfield site into the training complex . The 7,000-capacity academy stadium during the middle of construction and before any turf was laid for the pitch . City youth players play head tennis before construction begins, with the Etihad Stadium in the background . At the 'Etihad Complex' I suspect things may be a little different. That's what they call progress. If you want to spy on training this week, you may wish to hire a drone. Manuel Pellegrini and his players will want for nothing, that's for sure. The Premier League is a different place now. They will still moan, though. Players always do. For a start – from their homes in the Cheshire enclaves of Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Prestbury – the new place is a lot more difficult to get to. | Manchester City unveil new state-of-the-art £200m training centre on Monday .
Sportsmail's Martin Keown was given a guided tour of the complex by Patrick Vieira .
City have left their old base at Carrington - next to where Manchester United train .
Carrington's facilities pale in comparison with new set-up, and used to have just one security guard . |
100,503 | 0d77a143605283abe6862ba86340d0c8eb9e1557 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 06:15 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:24 EST, 29 July 2013 . A driver claimed he could not tax his car because he had taken too much Viagra. The motorist suggested he had been unable to leave the house to buy a new tax disc after over-dosing on the anti-impotence pill. He was one of dozens of people who tried to avoid paying road tax for their vehicle by submitting increasingly implausible excuses. Scroll down for video . Excuses: A claim that a driver had taken too much Viagra is among a list of silly excuses given to DVLA to explain why vehicles are not properly taxed . Almost all drivers pay to tax their vehicles or declare that it has been taken off road. But the DVLA today released some of the silliest excuses given by people caught out for not paying their road tax. It includes admissions that the money has been spent on betting on a horse race instead or that the person could not tax their vehicle because they had ‘man flu’ or had fallen out of a tree while picking plums. Tax: More than 99 per cent of people do pay for a tax disc for their vehicle . Others suggested that they did not have to tax their car because it would have cost more than the vehicle was worth or their were owed more in a rebate from the taxman. The age old school favourite – that a dog had eaten the papers – also featured on the list. Carolyn Williams, DVLA’s head of digital services, said: ‘The vast majority of people tax their car on time but it amazes me to see the excuses people come up with. ‘It’s easier than ever before for people to tax their car and our digital services are designed to be used any time of day or night to fit in with people’s lifestyles - so there really is no need for silly excuses.’ Latest figures show that 99 per cent of vehicles are properly taxed or declared off road. If a vehicle is not taxed or declared ‘SORN’ the owner could face a penalty fine. If the vehicle is seen parked on a public road it could be clamped, impounded and ultimately crushed. | Implausible excuses falling out of a tree and spending the money on a bet .
99 per cent of vehicles are taxed or declared off road, DVLA says . |
4,231 | 0c33f791d5011031b4e03ade209ededf750c102b | (CNN) -- Collections of beautifully shot images of people's passions -- food, fashions, architecture, etc. -- helped make Pinterest a hit. Now Houzz, the interior-design platform, is turning similar photos into extremely popular mobile apps that tap into the home improvement craze. At its core, Houzz is an addictive, never-ending gallery of luscious images of home interiors and exteriors. Its website and apps are popular resources for people who idly dream of redoing their homes or moving into new ones. Home improvement and design, both the real and daydream variety, is a hot industry right now. Just look at the glut of home improvement and house-flipping shows that fill up channels such as HGTV. The home improvement product market is expected to hit $287 billion in 2013, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute. Houzz gently guides people through the process. You begin by looking at bathrooms, graduate to having a scrapbook of dream bathrooms, then read the Houzz tutorials on bathroom renovation and eventually hire someone through its directory or local experts on bathroom renovation. "Many times people start on the inspiration side but end up taking actions because of that," said Houzz founder Adi Tatarko. "People became very obsessed with it." Tatarko and her husband, Alon Cohen, were working full time and raising their two children in the Bay Area when they started a home renovation project four years ago. They had difficulty finding professionals and found that contractors too had their own frustrations with customers expecting too much. "There was lots of miscommunication in the process," Tatarko said. The couple started Houzz in 2009 as a side project, but the next year it went from a hobby to a full-fledged business. The Palo Alto, California-based company now has 120 employees, and its iOS app has more than 100,000 five-star reviews in the Apple App Store. Every month, 15 million people search Houzz by room, style or metro area -- more than half through a smartphone or tablet. The company has a library of more than 2 million images. The sheer volume of photos housed in Houzz means you can spend hours drilling down into your particular project, say, ideas for Mediterranean-style storage closets in Austin, Texas. Browsing high-resolution photos is the initial draw. You can save favorites into Ideabooks for later -- for example, a selection of outdoor wall gardens or midcentury modern living room chairs in a particular shade of yellow. But for Houzz, the money comes when people take action. Interior designers, contractors and architects upload many of the images. There are more than 250,000 such professionals active on Houzz. What makes the app more than just pretty pictures is the information that goes with each image. You can click to see the companies and people who worked on a project, ask questions about how they did certain things or where to find furniture or other products. The people who post images are good about providing answers. There also is a directory of professionals with reviews, sort of an Angie's List but with splashier visuals. Going local is a key part of Houzz's business. If you see a dreamy spread in a magazine such as Dwell, the information disclosing who worked on a house is only useful if you live in that area. Houzz shows examples of work from people close enough to hire, divided into 425 metro areas. A Houzz survey (PDF) of 100,000 people found that 84% of respondents were planning to decorate or redecorate, 40% were considering remodeling or building an addition, and 10% were planning on building a custom home. Online tools are an increasingly important resource for the people diving into these projects and the professionals hoping to get their business. Also, 18% of people said they were renovating to incorporate new technologies into their homes. While free to users, Houzz is making money from brand-name partnerships with big companies such as Kohler and Nest, and through a subscription marketing program for professionals. Investors said they are confident the company will be profitable -- it's raised $48.6 million in funding so far. Tatarko said she hopes Houzz will help more people jump from fantasizing about home improvement to picking up a hammer themselves or a phone to reach someone who uses hammers professionally. "Our homes are a very significant part of our lives," she said. "I think it (home improvement) was just so hard before, so people just stayed away from it." | Houzz caters to people who like photos of beautiful homes and dream of improvement projects .
Houzz's sites and apps attract 15 million users a month .
It draws people in with stunning photos and adds how-to guides and reviews of professionals . |
234,017 | baf48f79a498d7f592ce42f4d1b7926aa5f6e15f | By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 16:09 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:26 EST, 27 August 2013 . Two Kenyan men have signed a written contract to share a woman they both love, who refuses to choose between them. When the men realised that she had been having affairs with both of them for four years, instead of ending their respective relationships, the men decided that neither of them could live without her. Community policing officer Adhalah Abdulrahman in Kisauni tried to mediate between the pair. Marriage on a rota: Sylvester Mwendwa is one of the men getting married. He will take it in turns to live with his 'wife' Mr Abdulrahman said: 'I heard people . fighting and went to check, but I was surprised to see two men fighting . over a woman who is said to be a widow and a mother of twins. 'I tried solving the issue but they refused, each insisting he could not live without the woman.' Mr Sylvester Mwendwa, one of the ‘husbands’, said he decided to share her with Mr Elijah Kimani. Mr Mwendwa told the BBC he loved the woman and that the contract was intended to 'set boundaries' and 'keep the peace'. He explained how it will work: 'She is like the central referee. She can say whether she wants me or my colleague.' They will both pay her rent and for the upkeep of any children that she has in the future. Disagreement: The arrangement in Kisauni, Kenya has caused controversy as polyandry is virtually unheard of in the country . Mr Abdulrahman explained: 'We discussed everything and they agreed that even if the woman gives birth they will raise the child as their own since they have been taking care of the woman’s children together.' In Kenya polygamy is legal but polyandry is also legal, though almost unheard of. Polyandry is permissible as long as it can be proved that it is part of a tribal custom. The woman wishes to remain anonymous. | Kenyan love rivals sign contract to share the same woman .
She had been having affairs with both men for more than four years .
Her two 'husbands' will stay at her house on an agreed rota .
In Kenya polyandry is legal, but almost unheard of . |
75,778 | d6e7609df48e143b49d99655b9ec8e151e5515bf | PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 18 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:07 EST, 18 January 2013 . Traditionally, Lent was a solemn period of contemplation leading up to Easter when we wore hairshirts or denied ourselves food. But this year, the Church of England is advocating a more modern approach, suggesting we turn off our computers and eat breakfast cornflakes more slowly, instead. New official guidelines on how we might observe Lent in 2013 also suggest we 'Say hi to a neighbour' and turn off lights in a room we're not using. 'Have a screen-free day': The Church's modern Lent guidelines are backed by the Archbishop of York . The 21st century take on the 40-day religious observance comes in booklet called Love Life Live Lent, launched yesterday at the House of Commons by Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu. Apparently inspired by the way Great Britain 'came together' during last year's Jubilee and Olympic celebrations, the Church of England issued the new advice to encourage us to 'slow down' in our hectic lives and 'come together' for the good of our local communities. The booklet contains a different tip for each day of Lent. One reads: 'It is so easy to get side-tracked, pulled into watching that bit more telly or to spend that bit more time on the computer. We don’t intend to, it just happens. 'Sometimes all we need to do is to make the decision to do something different, some good that we meant to do but haven’t so...do something different. 'Outside of work, have a screen free day and do something different' 'Really taste your cornflakes': The Church of England advice is aimed at getting us to slow down . Another passage says: 'The world whirls by at ever-increasing speeds.... we can go at such a speed that we forget to savour the good things that we have. 'The ability to savour is a frame of mind, and if we become better at tasting our cornflakes we might discover that we get better at savouring other good things too, so slow down... 'Take longer over breakfast and really savour your cornflakes (or whatever else you have!)'. No more hairshirts: The Church of England has issued more modern advice for both adults and children . The booklet includes eco-friendly advice such as 'Fill a bag with litter', 'Use the washing-up water to water some plants', and 'Turn off the lights in rooms that no-one is using'. It also encourages Christians to build relationships within their community, suggesting 'Invite someone you don't know very well to tea (or for a coffee, or for a drink)', or to 'Say hi to your neighbours today or when you next see them'. It says: 'The idea is that we learn new . lessons about ourselves, about the world and about God that we then . apply for the rest of our lives.' The booklet was written by theologian Dr Paula Gooder and her husband, the Reverend Peter Babington, and they also produced a children's version. The booklet contains suggestions for youngsters to try during Lent such as 'Play with someone you don't usually play with', and 'Make some cakes and share them with your friends'. At yesterday's launch, Dr Sentamu said the new advice was aimed at bringing communities together as witnessed last year. He said: 'In 2012 the nation really came together during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. 'We saw people putting love and care for their neighbours into action, and there was a real mood of celebration. 'When we all pull together, and do our bit, anything is possible. 'The Love Life Live Lent books are a great source of encouragement for us to be the change we want to see in our communities. 'We may feel our own contribution is small, but even a small drop of water can turn a waterwheel - in 2013 let's aim for better.' Stephen Timms, MP, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society, said: 'This Lent, I look forward to hearing of acts of kindness on the part of adults and children which can encourage us all.' Say hi to your neighbours today or when you next see them . Try something new, for example a different food or a new experience . Fill a bag with litter (then put it all in the bin!) Say thank you to God for one of your meals today . Ask someone how they are and take time to listen to the answer . Use the washing-up water to water some plants . Take longer over breakfast really taste your cornflakes (or whatever else you have!) Sit still for five minutes and listen to your breathing . Give lots of smiles away today . Find something you don't use and give it away . Learn the words of something by heart, for example a poem, prayer or son . Outside of work, have a screen-free day and do something different . Phone someone you love but haven't seen for a while . | New official guidelines suggest we 'slow down and savour the good things'
Advice in Love Life Live Lent booklet launched by Archbishop of York . |
148,596 | 4c25ee9c79b5b007ec66f92ad6f9d8a666dba64e | A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a plain-clothed police officer was 'mowed down during a car chase' in a busy west London street. The 24-year-old man was arrested for failing to stop and on suspicion of attempted murder after the policewoman was struck by a car in Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith, at about 3.30pm. Scotland Yard said the female police officer suffered a possible broken leg and concussion in the collision but confirmed she was now in a 'stable condition' at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Police were called to Shepherds Bush Road in Hammersmith, west London, after a plain-clothed officer was allegedly 'mowed down' by a car during a pursuit. A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder . The 24-year-old man was arrested near to the scene for failing to stop and on suspicion of attempted murder after the policewoman was struck by a car in Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith, at about 3.30pm today . Scotland Yard confirmed the police officer suffered a suspected broken leg and concussion in the collision . A Met Police spokesman said: 'Police notified the London Ambulance Service of a plain-clothed female police officer involved in collision with a car. 'The incident happened today, Thursday, 2 October, at Shepherds Bush Road, W6 at approximately 15:30hrs. 'The driver of the vehicle was stopped nearby. A 24-year-old man has been arrested for failing to stop and attempted murder. He is in custody pending further investigation. 'The injured officer is currently receiving medical attention at hospital for possible broken leg and concussion. She is in a stable condition. 'Officers are currently investigating the circumstances which led to the collision.' Witness Theresia Petersen 24, from Shoreditch, who was vising a friend in Hammersmith, said she saw the entire incident unfold and claimed an orange vehicle was involved in a police chase. She told GetWestLondon: 'A police car came behind us with his blue lights on chasing an orange car. The orange car then mounted the pavement to avoid the squad car blocking its path. 'Officers were running on foot from outside the police station to try and stop the car from getting away. This female police officer then ran out into the road to block his only exit and he literally mowed her down. Officers closed the road for some time while the incident was dealt with and police investigations carried out . Scotland Yard confirmed the 24-year-old suspect remained in custody this evening following the incident . Met Police Sergeant Steve Gilbert took to Twitter this afternoon to inform his followers about the incident . 'She went up onto his bonnet, flew into the air and then smashed her head against my car. She then landed in the road and she had her hands and arms over her head but then I think she passed out. 'The driver of the orange car literally just ran her over. He hit her at speed. It was just horrific. I hope to god she's ok.' The Met Police said the force could not comment due to 'operational reasons' on whether the motorist was being pursued by police at the time of crash. However, an officer posting updates on Twitter from the scene said the suspect was chased after the collision. Sergeant Steve Gilbert said: ‘Shepherd’s Bush rd closed Serious accident Officer run down. Suspect chased & arrested (sic).' He later added: 'Officer not serious although still receiving hospital treatment. Thanks for all the well wishes. I’ll pass them on! #getwellsoon (sic).' Scotland Yard confirmed the injured police officer was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington (pictured) with a suspected broken leg and concussion. She is described as being in a 'stable condition' following the collision . The incident occurred in Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith, west London (pictured) at about 3.30pm today . Scotland Yard confirmed the incident had not been referred to the IPCC, the police watchdog. The incident happened outside Hammersmith Police Station and a police cordon was quickly put in place. Crowds could be seen gathered at the cordon this afternoon as officers carried out investigations at the scene. Traffic came to a standstill in the area as a result of the incident, with tailbacks reported as far as Kensington Olympia. London Ambulance Service confirmed one ambulance had been sent to reports of a collision and said one patient had been taken to St Mary's Hospital. The age and name of the injured police officer has not been released at this stage. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Plain-clothed female police officer struck by car in busy Hammersmith road .
Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and failing to stop at scene .
24-year-old remains in custody pending further enquiries and investigation . |
53,510 | 97c9cc75c42a9525dcf6534dde477d3dd725dad2 | Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) -- South Africans in the emerging middle class are becoming savvy consumers, now concerned with brands. They want information about products and they want it now. Skeptical about the messages of the mass media, they crave one-on-one interaction. That's where "zonal champions" come in. It's a phrase coined by South African marketing agency The Creative Counsel, describing individuals who live, breathe and promote a brand in specific zones of South Africa. This is marketing turned upside down, but it works in Africa. While the rest of the world is utilizing social media to advertise commodities, The Creative Counsel is utilizing what it calls the "traditional" type of social media -- word of mouth. Magdeline Mataboga is a zonal champion. She walks from home to home introducing members of her low-income community to a range of consumer brands. This is called below-the-line marketing and the target market is the lower-end consumer. In the African market you will find millions of these customers, who might have been overlooked in the past by big multinational businesses. Read this: 'Africa's tallest building' set for $10 billion tech city . Zunaid Dinath, chief officer of sales and distribution at mobile communications company Vodacom, says: "I think typically we've always catered for the formal market and the upper end of the spectrum, but I think when you go to the lower end of the market ... there's a huge opportunity there and they are the next value chain and the next million customers will come from there." The Creative Counsel is a $50 million company helping multinationals to reach these million consumers; through doing so they are pioneering African marketing solutions. Gil Oved, co-founder and co-CEO of The Creative Council, says: "Multinational brands are coming from all over the world and they want in on Africa as is obvious, and agencies like ours are helping them engage a consumer in a new, inventive way, which is actually a very old traditional way. It's one-on-one conversations." And these conversations are taking place at every social event -- be it after church on a Sunday, after a sports match, at ladies clubs, or at stokvels or shisa nyamas -- unique South African social gatherings. Zonal champions will inform and educate members of the emerging middle class in South Africa on what to buy, and why they should buy it. This marketing strategy works in Africa because, as Ran Neu-Ner, co-founder and co-CEO of The Creative Counsel explains, African consumers "will use something a friend has recommended or a sister or a brother or a parent or any relative has recommended. "They're quite wary and skeptical to try new things," he adds. "You need to bear in mind one thing -- their disposable income is very, very low, so they can't take chances, they can't buy something and if it doesn't work go and replace it with a competitor, they don't have the means, so they've got to be 100% certain that the purchase that they make, they're comfortable with and it will fulfill their needs." Read more: African consumers 'underestimated' And to make sure the product will fulfill their needs, these consumers ask a trusted member of the community -- a zonal champion. Vodacom is one of The Creative Counsel's clients; it too utilizes zonal champions to spread its marketing message to consumers who are hard to reach. Shameel Joosub, Group CEO for Vodacom explains: "In reaching your customers you need to reach them in different ways and one of the big things is that the traditional media doesn't necessarily reach into the far more rural parts of a country... so a lot of it has to be done through word of mouth and promotions. "What we do is we hire people that actually go out into the different townships, into the different rural areas and really promote the product. They walk the streets and communicate, so they go to taxi ranks and places where people gather and really spend a lot of time promoting the product." Nontando Vena is a Vodacom promoter who spends a lot of time at a taxi rank in a township called Soshanguve, north of Johannesburg. She says that this type of marketing is effective because it's in a language that consumers understand. "Because you sound like them mostly and they can relate, if they've got any questions that need to be answered they're able to approach you better," she says. She says that her community members sometimes call her Miss Vodacom, because she represents the brand. For the community, a big multinational such as Vodacom now has a face and a voice and can give one-on-one advice on a daily basis. "Zonal champions aren't like normal promoters, they don't usually have working hours ... when you live and breathe a brand and you're passionate about it, you do it 24/7, 365," says Oved. Read More: Consumer giant targets Africa's billion potential shoppers . Apart from bridging the gap between the big multinational and the consumer this marketing strategy also provides employment opportunities for South Africans. Unemployment in South Africa remains a pressing issue, where more than 24% of the citizens are unemployed. Neu-Ner says that they found a niche: "We found that there's a whole lot of people uneducated and previously probably unemployable, so to speak, and we found a methodology of training and managing these people so we can actually give them a job as a zonal champion or a brand champion, as someone who can drive a message into their communities. "Typically our trainings are a day, two days, three or four days at maximum and the guys walk in with absolutely no sales knowledge, no knowledge of what a brand is, no marketing knowledge and they walk out doing things like using body language techniques to sell products." But it's about more than selling products. It's about developing trust that will ultimately lead to sales. Oved explains: "There's a wonderful Zulu idiom, it goes, 'Isandla siya kezane,' which means one hand washes the other. That is the kind of communal perspective that Africans have, which brands that come from all over the world need to understand. "It means that if you're a brand that needs to support me in the community, create employment opportunities, gives me real product information, I will support you and buy your product -- one hand washes the other. "If brands can tap into that and build that trust, then they'll win the African continent over." | African consumers largely skeptical about traditional mass-media advertising .
"Zonal champions" used by multinationals to promote brands through word of mouth .
They are locals who are trusted by their communities to recommend the right product .
This form of advertising gives employment opportunities to unskilled people . |
164,781 | 611288f695089eba9092a68534603bdb51556105 | Fiorentina head coach Vincenzo Montella believes they have pulled off quite a coup in coaxing Mohamed Salah from Chelsea, having lost star turn Juan Cuadrado to the west London club. Impressive performances for club and country saw the Blues fork out £26.8million to bring the World Cup star from the Stadio Artemio Franchi to Stamford Bridge earlier this month. Cuadrado's deadline-day move to west London paved the way for Salah to go the other way, having endured a frustrating first year at Stamford Bridge. Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Montella believes they've pulled off a coup in coaxing Mohamed Salah from Chelsea . The sale of their star Juan Cuadrado to the west London club is also something for Fiorentina to be proud of . The Egypt international will spend the rest of the campaign on loan at Fiorentina, for whom he netted one and provided another in Saturday's 3-1 win at Sassuolo - a display Montella believes is just the start. 'Well, I think we pulled off a bit of coup ourselves in signing Salah,' the former Fulham loanee said ahead of their Europa League tie with Tottenham. 'Joking aside, it is almost a sign of professional pride that someone wanted to pay so much for Cuadrado and that he developed so much as a player. 'He certainly wasn't at that level when he first arrived to play for us, so I think us, the management, the players are very proud about how far he has been able to go with our help. Montella says Cuadrado wasn't a £26.8m-worthy player when he first arrived at the Italian club . 'But we haven't just replaced him with one player, we have replaced him with several players. 'Salah is a very good player, he is used to playing at this level and although he has only been with us a short while, he has already shown very quickly that he is certainly up to playing very well in Italy and playing well for us.' Montella's side are flying right now, arriving in north London with a Coppa Italia semi-final to look forward to and their hopes of Champions League qualification alive. Salah is one of several players Fiorentina have brought in with the fee from Chelsea for the Colombian . Spurs, too, have enjoyed an impressive time of late, thanks in no small part to the exquisite form of homegrown star Harry Kane. The 21-year-old's incredible progress makes him a shoe-in for the next England squad and has caught the attention of Fiorentina captain Manuel Pasqual ahead of the last-32 first leg tie. 'We have seen him the way that he has exploded onto the scene and no doubt that he is one of their best players,' the defender said. 'We know he is a goalscorer and he need to mark him as best we can and try to stop him scoring.' | Fiorentina lost star Juan Cuadrado to Chelsea in a deal worth £26.8m .
Manager Vincenzo Montella takes pride in selling a player for so much .
Montella added picking up Mohamed Saleh on loan was also 'a coup'
Fiorentina play Tottenham in the Europa League on Thursday . |
175,655 | 6f606546f4d68a9e6cb61ab1e8dbd0d3a66fbcda | By . Martin Robinson . The bloodshed on Downing Street after David Cameron's extraordinary reshuffle today left Sky News' political editor so open-mouthed he swallowed a fly live on air. Adam Boulton, 55, began gurgling and was then forced to stop speaking as he told how at least 13 ministers had lost their jobs or resigned. But after three seconds of choking the veteran broadcaster swallowed down the insect and described how the Prime Minister had sacked 'stale males' and many replaced with women. Scroll down for video . Fly in the ointment: Sky News' political editor Adam Boulton began choking live on air today after a fly flew into his mouth as he described David Cameron's reshuffle . Down the hatch: After a few seconds the broadcaster looked revolted as he swallowed the insect, left, and after gasping for breath he continued with his piece . Sky presenter Dermot Murnaghan was so concerned he asked Mr Boulton whether he wanted to 'take a pause'. But he responded: 'No no no I'm fine. I swallowed a fly but that's alright'. Later he joked the fly must have come from a nearby public toilet, tweeting: 'At 50p a time you'd think @CityWestminster could maintain their stinking Whitehall Public Loos'. The incident has already gone viral, with the Mail's political editor James Chapman calling it the 'undisputed highlight of the reshuffle so far', which was retweeted by Boulton himself. Professionalism: The Sky journalist smiled when he was asked if he was okay, and said: 'No no no I'm fine. I swallowed a fly but that's alright' It is not the only extraordinary thing to happen while Mr Boulton has been broadcasting. The veteran, who has been with Sky News since it started in 1989, had a legendary row with Tony Blair's spin doctor Alastair Campbell, which almost came to blows. After the 2010 election Mr Boulton had asked him whether it was in the ‘national interest’ for Gordon Brown to spend four more years ‘limping on’ as Prime Minister. Mr Campbell retorted that Mr Boulton was obviously ‘upset’ that David Cameron had not been elected Prime Minister. An angry Mr Boulton then starting yelling: ‘I am not upset. I’m fed up with you telling me what I think'. | The veteran journalist starting spluttering when insect flew into his mouth .
After three seconds of near-silence he swallowed the fly and carried on .
Presenter Dermot Murnaghan was so concerned he wanted to 'take a pause'
But he responded: 'No no no I'm fine. I swallowed a fly but that's alright'.
Later he joked the fly must have come from a nearby Whitehall public toilet . |
89,528 | fe378ce55149a07259f18904fd2194bd14074b1c | Portugal defender Fabio Coentrao has been ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup with a thigh injury. The Real Madrid full-back pulled up sharply during the second half of Portugal's 4-0 defeat to Germany on Monday night and was replaced by Andre Almeida. Coentrao underwent scans on the injury on Tuesday and the Portuguese football federation confirmed afterwards that the 26-year-old would play no further part in the tournament. VIDEO Scroll down to see the funny moment Coentrao sat on bench when he wasn't picked . Down and out: Fabio Coentrao will not play another game at the World Cup after suffering a thigh injury . Thigh's the limit: Portugal defender pulled up during his side's opening 4-0 defeat to Germany . Dream is over: Fabio Coentrao is carried off on a stretcher after Portugal's first game in Salvador . 'It's a very sad moment for me, and one that I want to forget as quickly as possible,' Coentrao told the FPF. 'Of course, any player wants to take part in a competition like this.' 'I can't help the team or do anything for the team, the pre-season starts in one month so I have to think about getting better by then so I can help Real Madrid,' he added. 'On Sunday, we (Portugal) have another game against the United States and we have to face this game as if it were the last game of our lives.' The FPF said Coentrao had suffered a second degree strain on the adductor muscle in his right thigh. 'Due . to the severity of the injury, he will be unfit for competitive . football for a period which extends beyond the duration of the World . Cup,' it said in a statement . In tears: The Real Madrid full-back (R) is consoled by Portugal teammates after coming off . Nervous wait: Portugal striker Hugo Almeida (L) is also a concern after coming off with a hamstring injury . The 26-year-old is playing at his second World Cup and his place in the team is likely to be taken by Andre Almeida. Hugo . Almeida went off injured in the first half and was reported to have a . grade one strain in his left thigh. Patricio, who played the whole game, . all suffered a thigh strain. 'Hugo . Almeida and Rui Patricio's injuries have the possibility of a clinical . recovery during the competition, and they have started programmes of . rehabilitation,' said the FPF. | Fabio Coentrao's World Cup is over after suffering thigh injury .
Portugal defender pulled up during opening 4-0 defeat to Germany .
Real Madrid full-back will not be able to recover in time to play again .
Portugal also have injury concerns over Hugo Almeida and Rui Patricio . |
208,796 | 9a5eb1e59a0861174254d809d84064c2db356724 | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 13:04 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:16 EST, 18 November 2013 . Official update: The South African government have today said former president Nelson Mandela remains in a 'stable but critical' condition . Nelson Mandela remains in a 'stable but critical' condition and 'continues to respond to treatment', the South African government has said today. The statement, the first official update on the former president's condition since he left hospital in September, said: 'The health of the former president . remains much the same.' It was released after President Jacob Zuma visited Mr Mandela at his home today. The 95-year-old is still receiving intensive care at home after being discharged from hospital on September 1. He was admitted three months earlier for a lung infection. The government has largely refused to give details about Mr Mandela's condition, citing the need for privacy, but said today 'he continues to recover'. Mr Mandela's oldest grandson, Mandla Mandela, who visited the former statesman on Sunday, said he found him in a 'good state. 'He is still progressing steadily but very much under a critical condition,' Mandla Mandela told reporters. However, Mandela's former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela this week told a local newspaper that he remains 'quite ill' and is unable to speak because of tubes being used to clear his lungs of liquid. He is using facial expressions to communicate, Ms Madikizela-Mandela added. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is under the care of 22 doctors. While his pneumonia has cleared, his lungs remain sensitive, Ms Madikizela-Mandela said, adding that it was 'difficult for him'. 'He remains very sensitive to any germs, so he has to be kept literally sterile. The bedroom there is like an ICU (intensive care unit) ward,' she told the Sunday Times. 'He remains quite ill, but thank God the doctors were able to pull him through from that (last) infection.' His lung problems date back to his time in jail when he was diagnosed with early stage tuberculosis. Mr Mandela, who spent 27 years in apartheid jails before becoming South Africa's first black leader, has faced several health scares. Infection: Mandela was discharged from hospital, where he had been for three months, on September 1 and taken by ambulance, pictured, to his home in Johannesburg where he receives intensive care . His most recent 86-day hospital stay was his longest since he walked free from prison in 1990. Mr Mandela has been in and out of hospital since last year with lung-related complications. A globally admired figure for steering South Africa peacefully into democracy, Mandela's health problems prompted outpourings of well wishes around the world. South Africa's presidency said Zuma had conveyed the well wishes of South Africans and of leaders who attended a recent Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka. Zuma, according to his office, also told Mandela that he was 'looking forward' to officially opening the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory later in the day. Concern: The Nobel Peace Prize winner's former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, pictured, said this week that Mandela remains 'quite ill' and can only communicate through facial expressions . The president will inaugurate a multi-purpose centre that will run an exhibition on the life and times of South Africa's first black leader. The centre is located within the same complex that houses the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, an upmarket suburb north of Johannesburg. November 18 marks the day, 20 years ago, when a panel of political negotiators approved an interim constitution for South Africa and an electoral bill that would clear the way for the historic 27 April 1994 polls. Two days earlier, on 16 November 1993, Mr Mandela and the last apartheid-era president, FW de Klerk, had agreed on the basic points allowing for the country's first democratic election. | Government statement said Mandela's health 'remains much the same'
Released after President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela's home today .
Is the first official update on the former president's health since September when the 95-year-old was released from hospital following a lung infection .
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's said this week her former husband remains 'quite ill' and can only communicate through facial expressions . |
67,547 | bfa6e5d776b43826edc86e84e725f0b89a4acd1c | A Twitter troll who sent vile messages to a feminist campaigner on Twitter posted a selfie of herself enjoying a sightseeing trip to Buckingham Palace just hours before appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court. Isabella Sorley, 23, posted the picture of herself on to the site along with the message 'Just chilling at the queens' (sic) yesterday morning. She is believed to have travelled to London from Newcastle so she could appear before the court in Westminster. The picture, posted alongside a link to The Clash song 'London Calling', will raise questions about whether Sorley took her trip to London for a court appearance seriously. Earlier this month, she also posted tweets saying that 2014 was 'the year of Isabella Sorley'. Sorley, from Newcastle upon Tyne, and John Nimmo, 25, from South Shields, yesterday pleaded guilty to sending 'menacing' messages to campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez when they appeared at court. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Isabella Sorley posted a picture of herself outside Buckingham Palace on the day she appeared in court to plead guilty to sending 'menacing' messages on Twitter . The court heard how Sorley told Criado-Perez to 'f*** off and die', 'go kill yourself' and 'rape is the last of your worries'. Nimmo told Ms Criado-Perez to 'shut up b****' and 'Ya not that gd looking to rape u be fine' followed by 'I will find you (smiley face)' and then the message 'rape her nice a**'. Nimmo also targeted Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, with the message 'The things I cud do to u (smiley face)', calling her 'Dumb blond b****.' Outside the court yesterday, Sorley blamed her Twitter tirade on jumping back on 'the bandwagon'. She told a reporter from The Newstatesman: 'I'd personally say the reason why I got into all this s**** is because I jumped on the bandwagon, so to speak. That isn't an excuse . . . I didn't even know who [Caroline] was until I was arrested and told by the police what she was about. 'Of course, I support woman's rights, being one myself. I'm ashamed of my behaviour and like I've previously stated I won't be doing anything like this again.' She said she made the comments to 'help people in the future to not make the same mistake that I have, [if] that only be just one person, then it will be worth it' The threats started in July last year after the Bank of England revealed Jane Austen would replace Charles Darwin as the face of the £10 note following a campaign spearheaded by Ms Criado-Perez. Sorley last month tweeted messages about how words 'are never a threat' and that 'Hard skin is something you have to develop in Britain'. One of the messages posted on December 10 reads: 'Bit pathetic really that you've wasted all of the time/money because you were scared by a couple of words'. Isabella Sorley (left), 23, and John Nimmo (right), 25, admitted a charge of sending 'menacing' tweets to 29-year-old student Caroline Criado-Perez when they appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday . On December 16 the Crown Prosecution Service revealed Sorley and Nimmo were to be charged with improper use of a communications network for their role in the 'avalanche' of abuse directed towards Ms Criado-Perez. Sorley has a degree in creative advertising from Leeds College of Art and is currently said to be working in an Asda supermarket in Newcastle. But she deluged Miss Criado-Perez with menacing messages claiming that she had just been released from prison, writing: ‘I will find you and you don’t want to know what I will do when I do, you’re pathetic, kill yourself before I do.’ Other vile messages included: ‘I’ve only just got out of prison and would happily do more time to see you berried!!’ (sic) and ‘Rape?! I’d do a lot worse things than rape you!!’ Troll: Sorley attempted to justify her actions on Twitter shortly after being asked to stop making threats . Rant: Sorley continued her Twitter rant despite police intervention . Sorley was arrested in October 2013 at her home in Newcastle and admitted to police that she had sent some of the tweets, suggesting she had been 'off my face on drink' at the time, the court heard. Nimmo was released on conditional bail, with Sorley, whose previous convictions include being drunk and disorderly on 21 occasions, remanded in custody. The pair are due to be sentenced on January 24 at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Sorley was warned by District Judge Howard Riddle it was 'almost inevitable' she would receive a jail sentence. He warned Nimmo, described to the court as a 'social recluse' who 'rarely leaves his house', that 'all options' as to sentencing remained open. Caroline Criado-Perez (left) and Stella Creasy MP (right) received the 'menacing' messages after a campaign for more women to be featured on banknotes in July last year was successful . Following the court hearing yesterday, Ms Criado-Perez thanked people for their support but warned that Sorley and Nimmo represented a 'small drop in the ocean' to the amount of abuse she received in July and August. She tweeted a statement saying: 'I am hugely relieved that these two defendants have pleaded guilty, meaning that there is no need for a trial and for the whole process to drag on longer - it has already dragged on for almost six months, with all the attendant anxiety you'd expect. 'This is not a joyful day; these two abusers reflect a small drop in the ocean, both in terms of the amount of abuse I received across July and August, but also in terms of the abuse that other women receive online - women who have little to no recourse to justice. 'However, I hope that for some people who are watching, this conviction will be a warning: online abuse is not consequence-free. I hope that some people watching will think twice before abusing someone else. There is not much else I can say given there are other cases still on-going.' | Isabella Sorley posted message 'Just chilling at the queens (sic)' yesterday .
Sorley and John Nimmo pleaded guilty to sending 'menacing' tweets .
She told campaigner 'go kill yourself' and 'rape is the last of your worries' |
107,137 | 162bc4f030a643ca27de31f06841c73e1aa24351 | The Championship play-off final is famously the single most lucrative one-off fixture in the whole of global sport, and it’s now richer than ever. Sportsmail can reveal that the payday for the winner of this weekend’s showdown between Derby County and QPR will be £134million - at least. That sum is new income that the winner will accrue, at minimum, over the next five years, that the loser will not. It’s winner takes all, and that £134m is a worse-case scenario. Big money: The Championship play-off final is the most lucrative one-off fixture in global sport . £134m - for winning 2013-14 Championship play-off . £47.7m - most lucrative boxing purse ever, Floyd Mayweather’s earnings from his fight against Canelo Alvarez last year . £13.8m - the biggest prize ever for winning a single cricket match, Allen Stanford’s notorious West Indies Superstars v England Twenty20 in 2008 . £6.9m - the biggest prize in golf, the bonus for winning the FedExCup . £6.9m - the biggest prize in horse racing, for winning the Dubai Cup . £5.97m - or $10m, which is the difference in prize money between winning this summer’s World Cup in Brazil ($35m) and being runner-up ($25m) £3.26m - or 4m euros, which is the difference in prize money between winning this year’s Champions League final (10.5m euros) and being runner-up (6.5m euros) That sum is broken down into £62m of Premier League prize money even if finishing bottom of the Premier League next season, plus four years of subsequent ‘parachute’ payments totaling a further £72m at least. Parachute payments are made to relegated clubs for four years after going down and are based on a complicated formula relating to what clubs in the top division earn from central funds each season. To simplify matters, that £72m is expected to be made up of parachute payments of around £26.4m in 2015-16, £21.6m the following year, and £12m in each of the two years after that. Prize: Queens Park Rangers will be hoping to beat Derby County for a place in the Premier League . Worth it: Crystal Palace have managed to build on their 2013 success and stay in the Premier League . It may in fact rise in the final two years depending on the value of future TV contracts signed from 2016 onwards but that cannot be forecast specifically at this stage. To stress the point: the £134 million is a worse-case scenario of new income for the play-off winner. If they don’t immediately get relegated, their new riches will be bigger and last for longer. And they will almost certainly earn extra ticket income and sponsorship cash from being in the Premier League on top of the extra central revenue. There is an argument that the play-off is worth not nearly as much as the headline figure because the extra money will inevitably be spent on pricey signings and big wages - and that is a perfectly legitimate argument because most promoted clubs do in fact spend most of the new cash on those things. But that is not mandatory. Promoted clubs do not always do that. Some use it to improve facilities, invest in academies, or simply boost the owners coffers. Carrot: Steve McClaren's Derby can scoop the £134m jackpot with a win against QPR at Wembley . Lucrative: Floyd Mayweather (right) earned £47.7m from his fight against Canelo Alvarez (left) Premier League referee Lee Mason will take charge of the Championship play-off final match between QPR and Derby at Wembley pn Saturday. Whichever way you look at it, winning the play-off brings a massive windfall, a windfall that in 2014 will be £134m... and counting. As the accompanying panel shows, the stakes are higher in the play-off by far than for any other one-off event in global sport. The 'marginal gain' of winning and losing this weekend's Champions League final, for example, is a mere £3.26m, or the difference in extra prize money between the winner (10.5m euros) and runner-up (6.5m euros). Cost: There is a difference of £3.26m between winning and losing the Champions League final . | The Championship play-off final winners will accrue £134m over the next five years .
The Wembley showpiece is the most lucrative one-off fixture in sport .
The promoted club will earn £62m just for being in the Premier League next season .
Queens Park Rangers and Derby County will play for a place in the Premier League . |
8,222 | 1744093a3fea8b8de0777b1a228c3ba3e515d48e | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A former porn actress who says she had a three-year intimate relationship with Tiger Woods posted text messages online Thursday that she says the golfer sent her last year. "I just wanted to let the public know what the relationship was and that he has not taken responsibility for his behavior," said Veronica Siwik-Daniels, who goes by the screen name Joslyn James. "Everyone else can draw their own conclusions from that," she said. The Web site displayed 120 text messages purported to have been sent to her by Woods between July and October of last year. The messages document "just a brief part of the time we had together," Siwik-Daniels said. Woods publicly apologized for his extramarital affairs last month, but he has never disclosed the names of any of his lovers. The golfer's management company did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment on the text messages. Many of the texts provide information on hotel room numbers and times for meetings, including instructions to be discreet. A number of messages are explicitly sexual. The final series of texts suggest that the person communicating with Siwik-Daniels was upset with her because she was almost seen by the sender's agent during an encounter in early October. Siwik-Daniels told CNN she considered the messages to be "typical of those between someone you are in a relationship with." She said she gave up her career in pornographic films because Woods was jealous of the idea of her with another man. Her Web site said she "is now receiving many requests for personal appearances, television shows, film opportunities as well as product endorsements." But she is not ready to announce her next career move, she said. "Stayed tuned to find out," she said. At a news conference last month, which immediately followed Woods' televised apology, she called on the golfer to publicly acknowledge their relationship. "I would be open to a telephoned apology from Tiger, but I really feel that I deserve to look at him in person, face-to-face, in his eyes, because I did not deserve this," Siwik-Daniels said. She told CNN Thursday that she has still not heard from him, not even a text message. | NEW: Woods' management company has no immediate comment on the texts .
NEW: The messages include plans for meetings; some are sexually explicit .
Veronica Siwik-Daniels posts 120 text messages she says Tiger Woods sent her .
"He has not taken responsibility for his behavior," Siwik-Daniels says . |
279,001 | f575d7fadadceea548c5dde467156eeafc886934 | A New York high school student has made it to the Elite Eight in a different sort of March Madness. Kwasi Enin of Shirley has been accepted by the eight Ivy League schools -- Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Princeton and Cornell -- and then some. He will have his choice as the decision deadline of May 1 approaches. "I applied knowing that going to any of the Ivy League schools would be wonderful," Enin told CNN. "I thought if I applied to all eight, I figured I'd get into one ... but from the first one onwards I said, 'This can't be happening!' I was shocked seeing all these acceptances under my name." Enin scored 2250 out of a possible 2400 on his SAT, placing him in the 98th percentile across the country, according to The College Board. He's also ranked 11th in his class at William Floyd High School, a public school on Long Island, according to his principal, Barbara Butler. Butler said Enin is not only a model academic student but also plays three instruments for the chamber orchestra, sings in an a cappella group, throws shot put and discus for the high school's track and field team, participates in student government and has had a lead role in school plays since the ninth grade. "Usually kids are good athletes or good musicians or good actors, but they don't have all three and then on top add student government. It's a balancing act. He somehow finds time to do it all and then volunteer at a local hospital," Butler said. Butler has been Enin's principal for six years in both middle and high school. "He is an incredibly modest, humble and respectable person," Butler said. "He is incredibly dedicated and he has his priorities straight. He takes advantage of whatever opportunity he is afforded." Rachel Rubin, the founder of Spark Admissions in Massachusetts, who also previously served on admissions committees at selective universities, said the feat is extremely rare. "It's quite atypical," Rubin said, adding that most students do not apply to all the Ivy League schools. "Standardized test scores and good grades will get a student in the door to have their application read," Rubin said. "But it's their extracurricular activities, leadership experience, exceptional talents, recommendation letters and personal essays that will move a student from a pile of 'maybes' to a pile of 'accepted.'" Harvard's acceptance rate, among the most selective in the country, was just 5.9% for the applicants for the class of 2017, according to its admissions site. Enin was also accepted to Duke University and three State University of New York campuses. Although Enin has yet to make a decision, there seems to be a front-runner. "I'm thinking about Yale. I really liked their sense of family, relationships between undergraduates and professors, and the residential college. They also have a strong biomedical engineering program, which is a wonderful combination of biology and creative tools that doctors and health care professionals can use." Enin added that Yale also has a strong music program, one of his beloved hobbies that he hopes to continue when he isn't hitting the books in college. He hopes to one day pursue medicine, a dream of his that just so happens to align with his parents' careers. His parents, who immigrated from Ghana in the late 1980s, are both nurses and pushed Enin to receive the highest grades possible and follow his dreams. "Health care is a prominent field that satisfies people beyond finances and edifies people and is about moral development," he said. His advice for future applicants? "Follow your passions in high school and not just follow suit for what you think can get you into these schools," he said. "Develop your outside interests -- not just academics." | Kwasi Enin, 17, has been accepted to all eight Ivy League schools and then some .
"He is incredibly dedicated and he has his priorities straight," his principal says .
Enin plays three instruments, is on the track and field team and acts in plays . |
198,330 | 8cb988125dbc1bfa61bb735e9fae9cb397a7db35 | (CNN) -- When black people protest against police violence in Ferguson, Missouri, they're thought of as a "mob." But when white people got up in arms at the Pumpkin Festival in Keene, New Hampshire, a few weeks ago -- for apparently no reason whatsoever -- they were merely accused of "disruptive behavior." The two situations -- protests in Ferguson and drunken violence in Keene -- are not equivalent. However, it's revealing how the two groups are perceived differently by society and and the media. How is it that the bad behavior of some black people is used to condemn an entire community, while the bad behavior of some white kids is excused and explained away? Maybe this is why residents of Ferguson protested in the first place. A grand jury will decide any day now whether to indict a police officer, Darren Wilson, who shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, this past August. In anticipation of possible violence, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has preemptively declared a state of emergency. It will last for 30 days unless Nixon extends it. Nixon is taking the precaution in light of the mass protests this summer over how the investigation into the shooting was being handled. The protests were largely peaceful, but there were some looters and other troublemakers. The police were widely criticized for their over-the-top militaristic response, including riot cops in tanks with automatic rifles pointed at the protesters. Complete coverage: Ferguson shooting and protests . Police aggression made the protests worse. Slate's Jamelle Bouie, who was on the scene, tweeted, "This has been the consistent pattern. Unilateral police escalation prompts minor response from more volatile elements, justifying crackdown." Still, most protesters maintain an iron-clad commitment to nonviolence, which the New York Times noted in a detailed report. Yet, many on social media and some in the mainstream media continue to use the isolated actions of a small number of bad protesters to smear the entire community. The smears often carry a subtle, racially tinted message. "Stunning Photos From Violent Protests in Ferguson, Mo." read a headline on the conservative Daily Caller website, adding "Is This America?" "Ferguson Thugs Harass, Verbally Abuse Police Officers," read a headline on the conservative website RightScoop. "We know now that thugs are thugs," conservative radio host Laura Ingraham offered on Fox News. Now, let's turn to white protesters: In mid-October, during the annual Pumpkin Festival in the small New England town of Keene, New Hampshire, some white college kids apparently had too much to drink and turned violent. They were hurling broken glass and rocks at police (as well as, apparently, pumpkins). At least a dozen people were arrested and 30 injured, with 20 taken to area hospitals. The troublemakers seemed to revel in the chaos and damage they caused, with one telling a local newspaper, "It's just like a rush. You're revolting from the cops. It's a blast to do things that you're not supposed to do." "It demeans Ferguson and St. Louis to compare them to Pumpkin Fest," Professor Donna Murch of Rutgers University told CNN. Which is true -- and makes the contrast between how society perceives black and white behavior all the more striking. The protesters in Ferguson were airing legitimate grievances through mostly peaceful means and yet were denigrated, while the rioters in Keene were merely part of a party that "spun out of control" -- never mind that those in Keene were reportedly drunk and dangerous and disproportionately violent. The discrepancy is so jarring that none other than Twitchy, the notoriously lock-jawed right wing website, while managing to contort the incident to bash the supposedly liberal media, agreed, "Critics of the media do have a valid point. There probably are a lot of reasons for the difference in coverage, racial bias among them." Just days after the Pumpkin Fest, riots erupted in the largely white town of Morgantown, West Virginia. Why? Because West Virginia University's team beat Baylor at football. The rioters "lit fires, pushed over street lights and threw rocks, beer bottles and other items at police," reported the local news. Police and fire vehicles were damaged. Eight people were arrested. Were the riot police, the National Guard, or a state of emergency declared? No. the city is just considering a law to ban upholstered furniture from outdoor areas, since the "tradition" of setting fire to couches apparently fueled the protests. Could you imagine a news story about a black community with a "tradition" of burning couches? The media would be pointing out how they're "destroying their own community" and the right would make assertions about black people not deserving public assistance. And there's more. Earlier this year, students at the University of Minnesota rioted after their team lost the hockey championship. In 2013, Michigan State students rioted after their team won the Big Ten. The same year football fans at the State University of New York in Cortland rioted even before the game started. And in 2011, after the University of Connecticut won the national basketball championship, students rioted in the streets. These occurred in places with mostly white people. In these instance there were injuries, property damage and arrests. Why aren't we talking about the epidemic of sports-induced violence among white people? Why aren't we calling on state and federal agencies to crack down on their clearly destructive lifestyles? We don't yet know what the grand jury in Ferguson will decide and how the community will respond. But residents want a public trial with transparency and accountability. If the grand jury decides not to indict Officer Darren Wilson, protests can be expected. When that happens, let's think about the real pain that residents of Ferguson feel. And if there's any violence from a few angry demonstrators, let's keep things in perspective considering the marauding bands of rowdy white football fans and rioting Pumpkin kids. | Sally Kohn: Some Ferguson protesters were compared to the "mob"
Kohn: Yet, when white people rioted, they were merely accused of "disruptive behavior"
She asks why are we so hard on Ferguson protesters but not rioting Pumpkin kids? |
146,175 | 490451c45804d04a5216f16ec25542c0e3caf568 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 10:43 PM on 19th September 2011 . There will be no mail delivery on Saturdays and the U.S Postal Service could sell non-postal products if President Obama's newly unveiled plan to save the agency more than $20 billion goes ahead. The plan would also involve refunding $6.9 billion the mail carrier says it overpaid into a federal retirement fund and restructuring a massive annual payment to prefund health benefits for retirees. While Congressional lawmakers are in favour of a five-day mail delivery service, the proposals still could face opposition. Reduced service: There will be no mail delivery on Saturdays if Obama's controversial plan to save the struggling postal service $20 billion goes ahead . Republican Darrell Issa has refused to consider revamping the prepayment or returning retirement fund money. Issa, chairman of the House of Representatives Oversight Committee, has offered an amendment that he says brings the savings in his USPS bill to more than $10 billion per year through cuts and restructuring. Lawmakers in Congress have already agreed on the need to overhaul the agency, but several bills take different approaches. Issa's plan, which allows USPS to override contracts and cut the workforce, could spark arguments in Congress when a subcommittee takes up the bill on Wednesday. Big changes: The plan would refund $6.9 billion the mail carrier says it overpaid into a federal retirement fund . The Postal Service has watched its core business of delivering mail plummet as consumers send email and pay bills online. The agency has said it will be unable to deliver mail by the end of next summer if it does not downsize drastically. "The administration recognizes the enormous value of the U.S. Postal Service to the nation's commerce and communications, as well as the urgent need for reform to ensure its future viability," a White House document states. Controversial: Many lawmakers in Congress back five-day mail delivery, but the plan's proposals still could face opposition in Washington . The Postal Service relies on revenue from stamps, packages and other services, not tax dollars, to fund its operations. The agency lost more than $3 billion last quarter. The agency expects to default on the $5.5 billion retiree health payment due at the end of September unless Congress provides relief. Lawmakers have indicated they want to extend the due date for the payment. Issa's bill would end Saturday mail and set up groups to close facilities and cut costs if the agency misses payments. The amendment doubles the amount the agency would have to save by closing processing facilities and phases out delivery to front-door mail slots. The plan to rescue the ailing service, introduced alongside a deficit-reduction package, would refund the $6.9 million it claims it overpaid into a federal retirement fund. | Saturday mail delivery could be scrapped .
U.S Postal Service could sell non-postal products .
$6.9 million could be refunded after the service overpaid into a retirement fund . |
285,508 | fdf5345feaf7bf6ca7b6f9adb8a7e8c7be62def8 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:41 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:33 EST, 12 March 2014 . A federal judge Wednesday dismissed charges against a diplomat whose New York arrest and strip search spurred an international flap. A ruling filed today said Devyani Khobragade, India's former deputy consul-general, had diplomatic immunity when she was indicted on charges of fraudulently obtaining a work visa for her housekeeper and lying about the maid's pay January 9. But the ruling leaves open the possibility prosecutors could bring a new indictment against her. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan hasn't commented on its plans. Cleared: A federal judge dismissed charges against Devyani Khobragade, 39, saying she had diplomatic immunity when she was indicted on charges of fraudulently obtaining a work visa for her housekeeper . Khobragade's attorney, Daniel Arshack, said she feels the rule of law prevailed. ‘The law requires that any prosecution brought against an individual with diplomatic immunity must be dismissed, Arshack said. After . being indicted, she complied with a Department of State order to leave . the U.S. in January. The Indian government then asked Washington to . withdraw a diplomat from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. The U.S. complied. Prosecutors accused Khobragade of making Sangeeta Richard, her housekeeper and nanny, work 100-hour weeks at a salary of just over $1 an hour, far below the legal minimum U.S. wage of $7.25 an hour. They argued that the indictment should stand because Khobragade did not have diplomatic immunity either when she was arrested, or now given that she has left the country. New life: Khobragade's attorney said the mother of two is now working for India's foreign affairs ministry in Delhi . U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin said, however, Khobragade had that immunity on January 9 when the indictment was issued, having the day before been named a counselor to India's mission to the United Nations. ‘Even if Khobragade had no immunity at the time of her arrest and has none now, her acquisition of immunity during the pendency of proceedings mandates dismissal.’ she wrote. ‘The government may not proceed on an indictment obtained when Khobragade was immune from the jurisdiction of the court.’ She also lifted Khobragade's bail and said open arrest warrants based on the indictment must be thrown out. Khobragade is now working for India's foreign affairs ministry in Delhi, said her U.S. lawyer.Federal prosecutors have not said whether they will seek a new indictment. Back home: Devyani Khobragade is pictured with her father, left, as she arrives back in Delhi in January . ‘As the court indicated in its . decision, and as Devyani Khobragade has conceded, there is currently no . bar to a new indictment against her for her alleged criminal conduct, . and we intend to proceed accordingly,’ said James Margolin, a spokesman . for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan. In . January, Khobragade, 39, told an Indian newspaper about her ‘immense . stress’ at leaving behind her daughters - aged seven and four - in New . York along with her husband, who is a U.S. citizen and works as an . academic. ‘I wonder if I will be able to ever reunite with my family, my husband, my little kids. I miss them,’ she told The Sunday Express at the time. Khobragade was charged by a federal grand jury in Manhattan earlier this year with visa fraud and making false statements in a case that has triggered an outcry in India. She was accused of fraudulently obtaining a work visa for her New York City housekeeper. The indictment said Khobragade had made multiple false representations to U.S. authorities, or caused them to be made, to obtain a visa for a personal domestic worker. Khobragade, 39, was accused of exploiting her . Indian-born housekeeper and nanny by paying her well under the U.S. minimum wage . Philip Richard, the husband of housekeeper . Sangeeta Richard (pictured), filed a court petition in New Delhi saying . that his wife was being worked from 6am to 11pm every day by diplomat . Devyani Khobragade . She planned to bring the worker to the . United States in September 2012 when she worked at the Consulate General . of India in New York, according to the indictment. Khobragade, . 39, India's deputy consul general in New York, has maintained her . innocence to accusations that she claimed to pay her Indian maid $4,500 . per month but actually gave her far less than the U.S. minimum wage. Her . arrest sparked outrage in India after revelations that she . was strip-searched and thrown in a cell with other criminal defendants . before being released on $250,000 bail. In . a letter to the judge, prosecutors said there was no need for an . arraignment because Khobragade had 'very recently' been given diplomatic . immunity status to leave the United States. Devyani Khobragade was arrested December 2013 after being accused of lying on a visa application for her . housekeeper and paying her only $3 per hour . | Devyani Khobragade left the US in January after being charged with visa fraud in trying to obtain a work visa for her NYC housekeeper .
Her husband, a US citizen, and two daughters - aged seven and four - remain in New York .
Federal judge ruled Wednesday that the 39-year-old embassy official had diplomatic immunity at the time of her indictment .
Khobragade's attorney said his client feels that rule of law prevailed . |
284,311 | fc586cdab1517efeb64c54ba65e49d8c7d0f6457 | By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 14:30 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:02 EST, 10 October 2012 . A college freshman died after leaders of his fraternity locked him and 15 others in a room as part of a hazing ritual, allegedly telling them they couldn't leave until all the bottles of alcohol were gone. More details have emerged about the events surrounding the death of 18-year-old Philip Dhanens, from Fresno, since an investigation was launched after the California State University party turned tragic. The 18-year-old had only been at college two weeks when he took part in a drinking binge at a off-campus fraternity house on August 31. He was pronounced dead two days later. Scroll down for video . Last year's prom king: Dhanens was a 2012 graduate of Garces Memorial High School in Bakersfield where he was a 6-foot, 5-inch, 325-pound defensive tackle for the school's football team . Tragic: Philip Dhanens, pictured with his girlfriend Zoe, has died after an apparent heavy night of drinking during a fraternity pledge event. He had been at university for just two weeks . The coroner said . Dhanens had swelling of the brain due to acute alcohol consumption and . his blood-alcohol level was 0.36 at the time of his death. A court document released on Tuesday . revealed that members of Theta Chi fraternity have not been cooperating . fully with the investigation, with detective Michael Gebhart . saying that fraternity members have declined to . answer questions and provide requested information. The search warrant, obtained by the Fresno Bee, said that police are worried that Theta Chi may destroy or . discard evidence. They were suspended after the incident and were told . they were not allowed to comment to . The search warrant reveals what happened the night Philip died. After the fraternity pledges were . locked in a room and given several bottles of alcohol to drink, including vodka, tequila and whiskey, Theta . Chi executive board members told . pledges they were not required to drink. But, the search warrant said: 'Additional bottles were introduced as . the pledges passed around and finished each bottle. In addition, the pledges were informed they were not allowed to leave . the Chapter Room to join the other fraternity members in the house . until they drank all the alcohol.' Scene: He was drinking at the off-campus Theta Chi fraternity house when someone put him in the 'Sober Up' room - but returned to find him unconscious. He suffered severe brain damage . After about 20 minutes of drinking, . bonding and encouragement, when 'Dhanens became excited and began drinking . heavy and aggressively', the warrant states. Soon after he told members he was not . feeling well and passed out, when he was carried to the 'drunk room' to . sober up, during which time, other students - called the Sober Brothers . - were supposed to be looking after him. Three hours later he was unconscious and not breathing and 911 was called. But there was nothing that could have saved him. After his death, the Fresno County Coroner's Office . reported Dhanens' blood-alcohol level was 0.36, four to five times the . legal limit to drive. Dhanens' mother told KFSN-TV she learned her son suffered severe brain damage hours after he attended a party at the fraternity house at the end of August. Loss: Dhanens was a freshman at Fresno State in California. The fraternity has now been suspended . Dhanens was a 2012 graduate of Garces . Memorial High School in Bakersfield where he was a 6-foot, 5-inch, . 325-pound defensive tackle for the school's football team. He and his girlfriend Zoe Tucker were prom king and queen in May, according to the school's online newspaper. 'Our . thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Philip at this . incredibly sad time,' university President John Welty said. 'We are heartbroken at the loss of this young man who had just joined our university community and had a life of promise ahead.' Dhanens' death comes nearly seven years after a former Fresno State student was . found dead in a room at Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, also the victim of . alcohol poisoning. See below for video . | Philip Dhanens died after a hazing ritual at Theta Chi on August 31 turned tragic .
Coroner said .
the teen had swelling of the brain due to acute alcohol consumption .
Blood-alcohol level was 0.36 - five times the legal limit for driving .
Teens were given multiple bottles of vodka, tequila and whiskey . |
150,615 | 4eb8610ee725ffc72b32ba2ddcde76e8137d2bdd | By . Ryan Gorman . and Associated Press Reporter . A San Francisco fetish porn company has been fined $78,000 for allowing performers to make films without wearing condoms. Kink.com parent Cybernet Entertainment was handed the fine recently by California officials charging the company's lax prophylactic policy contributes to dangerous work conditions. The website is known for niche films primarily depicting dominance and submission scenes, and was also linked last year to two HIV-infected performers. Condoms required: CALOSHA regulations require companies to limit exposure amongst employees to blood and other bodily fluids - an implicit condom requirement . ‘The fines are excessive and, we believe, politically motivated,’ Cybernet founder Peter Acworth said in a statement. ‘The complaints which prompted the inspection were not made by actual employees, but by outside groups with a long history of opposition to adult film,’ he continued, vowing to appeal the fine. California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CALOSHA) records revealed multiple citations issued in August against the porn producer, including a condom-optional policy that resulted in $75,000 in fines. CALOSHA spokesperson Peter Melton said the ‘significant’ fines resulted from multiple complaints against the company received last year. Fines were levied after an inspection triggered by an Aids Healthcare Foundation complaint against the website. The advocacy group was the main catalyst behind the law requiring all porn performers in Los Angeles County to wear condoms while being filmed. ‘We're all for sensible regulation that protects performers, website spokesman Mike Stabile said, ‘but this essentially amounts to a moral crusade. It's a solution in search of a problem.’ The performers who contracted HIV had done so off-set, but not requiring all professionals to wear condoms puts the entire roster at risk of infection. Not alone: Cybernet is the second California porn producer to face fines for charges related to not requiring condoms on the set, perhaps the reason as much as 95 per cent of the industry left the state for Las Vegas . The foundation dismissed the source of the infections, saying condoms should still be worn by all.‘That's neither here nor there,’ AHF spokesman Ged Kenslea, said, ‘because OSHA requires that condoms be used.’ State lawmakers voted down a law last year that would have required performers state-wide to wear condoms while on the job, but CALOSHA requirements designed to limit exposure to blood and other bodily fluids stipulate they be worn. Treasure Island Media, another Bay Area adult film producer, earlier this month lost an appeal of a similar citation resulting in a fine of almost $9,000. The passage of a formal law requiring condoms be used in Los Angeles has led the industry to flee to Las Vegas. Recent reports suggested as much as 95 per cent of the industry has already relocated to Sin City. Clark County, where the gambling mecca is located, has no law requiring condoms to be worn while filming. | Authorities say Kink.com parent Cybernet Entertainment was handed the fine after complaints triggered a workplace safety inspections .
Cybernet is the second California-based porn producer to face such fines .
As much as 95 per cent of the industry has fled the state to Las Vegas since laws requiring condoms on camera went into effect - Sin City has no such law . |
7,979 | 168f42b78b7534650fef069d91c9b70de75c3774 | Eight Los Angeles police officers violated department policy for use of deadly force when they shot two women during last year's manhunt for renegade ex-officer Christopher Dorner, police chief Charlie Beck said Tuesday. "I sympathize with the officers, but I have a very high standard for the application of deadly force and the shooting did not meet that standard," Beck told reporters. Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, were shot as police searched for Dorner, a former police officer who was wanted for killing several people in early February 2013. The two women were in a pickup truck similar to the one authorities said Dorner was driving and the officers had received reports that the suspect was in the area. 'A tragic cascade of circumstance' The police chief said Tuesday that state law prohibits him from discussing punishment for individual officers. "Discipline could be anywhere from extensive retraining up to termination," according to Beck. "All officers involved have been assigned to non-field duty since this event occurred." The two women were out delivering morning newspapers when they were shot. Beck said one of the officers mistook the sound of a paper hitting the ground as a gunshot and opened fire, followed by other officers also firing their weapons. "This was a tragic cascade of circumstance that led to an inaccurate conclusion by the officers," Beck said. Hernandez was shot twice in the back and Carranza suffered injuries from broken glass. City settles . They agreed to split a $4.2 million settlement, attorneys for the city and the women told reporters in April. The Los Angeles City Council approved the payout in June. Earlier, the women received $40,000 to replace their bullet-riddled pickup truck in a separate settlement. Dorner died February 12 while holed up in a cabin in Bear Lake, California, that caught fire when police fired tear gas canisters into it. Days before, he had killed four people and wounded three others as part of a vendetta against his former comrades before apparently taking his own life in the cabin. Dorner declared war on police in a manifesto after being fired by the LAPD in 2009 and losing appeals to be reinstated, claiming that racism in the police department was behind him losing his job. | "I have a very high standard for the application of deadly force," police chief Charlie Beck says .
Discipline for the eight officers could range from retraining up to termination .
Emma Hernandez was shot in the back and Margie Carranza was injured by broken glass .
Ex-officer Christopher Dorner declared war on police after being fired by the LAPD . |
30,853 | 57b2891cec7eac232e9857c0d9a5b10b9c178c05 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A porn star has joined the multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Match.com accusing the website of defrauding its heart-seeking users. 'Melissa Midwest' Harrington, 31, has now taken over from part-time Florida model Yuliana Avalos to become the face of the lawsuit. The class-action trademark-infringement suit accuses the internet dating giant of posting tens of thousands of fake dating profiles. Melissa Midwest: The porn star is suing dating sites that she says created fake user profiles using her pictures . Suing: 'Melissa Midwest' Harrington, 31, has now taken over from part-time Florida model Yuliana Avalos to become the face of the lawsuit . The New York Post has reported how the website relies of photos of hot women to attract additional paying customers. 'Melissa Midwest' whose claim to fame is once being among the top 10 most-searched names on the Internet claims she never joined the dating sites but that her copyrighted photos were used by the website without her consent. Last year, Yuliana Avalos, a part-time model and mother also made similar allegations. She . too claimed that she has never joined the dating site, but says that . her pictures have been used in hundreds of fake profiles without her . consent. Logging on: Melissa Midwest whose claim to fame is once being among the top 10 most-searched names on the Internet claims she never joined the dating sites but that her copyrighted photos were used by the website without her consent . 'Not . a day goes by when someone doesn't tell me that they saw my pictures . posted on Match.com or another web site,' Ms Avalos said. The lawsuit accuses Match.com of deliberately signing-off on making thousands of fraudulent profiles using her pictures along with thousands of other fake profiles using stolen images to boost profits. Match.com charges $35.99 monthly for standard service. It alleges ultimately, there are thousands, possibly millions, of photos that have been taken from Facebook and other sites, only to be included as part of a fake profile or false ad for Match.com. The face of a hundred catfish: Model Yuliana . Avalos is also suing Match.com for $1.5billion as part of the same lawsuit because hundreds of users have . used her pictures in their profiles without her consent . Growing problem: Thousands have joined the class-action lawsuit against the dating site, including famous actors, military personnel and Facebook users . Not me: Using facial recognition software, Avalos found over 200 profiles using her pictures . The group claim that Match.com broke . copyright laws and committed common law fraud by approving the fake . profiles when they easily could have weeded them out with facial . recognition software. 'When I saw how this free software . worked, it can scan billions of images simultaneously,' said Ms Avalos' attorney Evan Spencer. 'They can screen and make sure that the photo . never appears again.' Through . the facial recognition software, Mr Spencer was able to figure out that . Ms Avalos' picture was used in over 200 profiles. Ms . Harrington, of Omaha, Nebraska became famous after posting X-rated . photos and videos of herself on her Web site melissamidwest.com. The . suits alleges the Web sites’ subscribers are routinely being 'scammed' out of user fees by 'criminals' working out of Internet cafes overseas . in Nigeria, Ghana and Russia. 'While . Ms. Harrington is the most famous of all men or women whose photographs . have been used consistently in fake Match dating profiles, she is the . only one of thousands of others including famous actors, military . personnel and Facebook users of men and women whose likeness and images . have been hijacked by defendants and used as avatars in fake profiles . and used without their consent.' the suit says. Match.com - which uses the . catchphrase 'more dates, more relationships, more marriages' - currently . ranks as the second largest dating site with 96million registered . users, but only around 1.4million are active profiles. A . Match.com spokesman said the actual 'scam' is the lawsuit, saying it is . 'filled with outlandish conspiracy theories and clumsy fabrications in . lieu of factual or legal basis.' The . suit which was was originally filed on behalf of Ms. Avalos in November . asked for $1.5 billion in compensatory and punitive damages. Match.com was launched in 1995 and is owned by IAC, a media and internet company based in New York. | 'Melissa Midwest' Harrison claims that her pictures have been used in 'hundreds' of fake profiles on the dating site .
She is spearheading a lawsuit against the company along with 'thousands' including famous actors, military personnel and Facebook users .
The group are seeking for $1.5billion in damages . |
19,809 | 383d4baf0a933729d02bbaa8a8a3f650308ced87 | (CNN) -- A small plane headed from New Jersey to suburban Atlanta crashed onto an interstate shortly after takeoff Tuesday, killing five people, authorities said. Two men, one woman, two children and a dog aboard the plane died in the crash in Morristown, New Jersey, just after 10 a.m. ET, said Robert Gretz, a senior air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane, a six-seater Socata TBM700, was headed from Teterboro, New Jersey, to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in suburban Atlanta when it crashed onto Interstate 287 about 14 minutes into the flight, Gretz said. The plane was at about 17,500 feet when "there was some discussion between the pilot and the controller of locations of icing conditions," he said. He told reporters Monday night the conversation seemed "routine" and was "not a distress call." Gretz said he did not know whether the conversation concerned a cloud that might contain ice; actual icing on the airplane; or whether the pilot was inquiring where ice might be or reporting it. "I've heard this thirdhand. ... That's something I need to listen to the tapes to know," he said. Gretz said he was not aware of any icing conditions on the ground at Teterboro that would have required the plane to be deiced. However, he stressed that the investigation is in its infancy and it is too soon to speculate what might have caused the crash. "It's too early to tell whether it was something mechanical or something the pilot did -- we just don't know," he said. Preliminary information is that the five were headed to Atlanta for a combination business-leisure trip, Gretz said. Authorities did not release the names of those who died, pending positive identification by the medical examiner and notification of relatives. But New York investment banking firm Greenhill & Co. reported that those on board were two of the firm's managing directors, Jeffrey Buckalew, 45, and Rakesh Chawla, 36; Buckalew's wife, Corinne, and their two children, Jackson and Meriwether. Ages for the children were not given. "The plane belonged to Mr. Buckalew, an experienced pilot whose passion was flying," the company said in a statement. "The firm is in deep mourning over the tragic and untimely death of two of its esteemed colleagues and members of Jeff's family." No one on the ground was injured, although a pickup truck narrowly missed the plane, Gretz said. The debris field from the crash was spread over about a half-mile, with part of a wing and the plane's tail found in a tree in a residential area, he said. Witnesses reported the plane was in an "uncontrolled spin" before it crashed. A Federal Aviation Administration radar facility in New York lost radio contact with the plane, and also lost it on radar, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said. The crash site was about 30 miles southwest of the Teterboro airport, Peters said. Gretz said Monday evening he was not sure how long after the conversation regarding icing that the plane dropped off radar, saying investigators will be determining that. The plane struck the southbound lanes of I-287, continued through a wooded median and came to rest on the northbound lanes, New Jersey State Police Lt. Stephen Jones said. Most of the interstate was shut down after the crash, Jones said. One northbound lane and two southbound lanes were open as of Tuesday afternoon, but officials were "still trying to recover both the pieces of the plane and the remains of the victims." Gretz said Monday night the wreckage recovery was halted about 6 p.m. because of darkness and would resume after Tuesday's morning rush hour, at 9:30 a.m. The New Jersey Department of Transportation said motorists had two of three travel lanes in each direction available for Monday evening's rush hour. CNN's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report. | An investment firm identifies those killed in the crash .
Before the crash, the pilot mentioned icing, NTSB investigator says .
The crash's debris field stretches over a half-mile .
Crash shut down most of Interstate 287 in Morristown, New Jersey . |
119,145 | 25e4139611e0712d3787bc37084f61bb48bd2600 | A new brutally-honest style series set to premiere on TLC this evening will see a group of fashion-challenged individuals being critiqued by a jury of strangers, before being given a much-needed makeover by two style experts. In tonight's debut episode of Style By Jury, which is presented by British fashion expert Louise Roe and American Eagle's Style Director Preston Konrad, a 44-year-old mother-of-one receives a damning appraisal from the show's panel of critics, who are hidden behind a two-way mirror, with one comparing her look to that of a 'homeless person', while another questions whether she has 'stolen her husband's old clothes'. 'I like to be comfortable, I like to be casual,' the show's first 'fashion offender', Sloane, who was nominated to appear on the show by her cousin, tells Louise. 'My size dictates what I wear.' Scroll down for video . Fashion victim: Sloane, 44, is the first person to be critiqued by a brutally-honest hidden style jury . 'I got lazy': The mother-of-one confesses to host Louise Roe that she gave up caring about what she looked like and how she dressed . Dressed in a baggy, oversized orange T-shirt and a pair of distressed, worn jeans, which are riddled with holes, Sloane's less-than-stylish appearance prompts a series of shocked responses from the jury, who are remain hidden - and unheard - behind a concealed mirror. 'She looks dumpy,' one juror says, while another adds: 'She looks like she's getting ready to do some hard labor.' One particularly brutal juror goes as far as to say that Sloane's baggy clothing makes her look as though stolen 'the old stuff that her husband was donating to Goodwill', prompting her colleague to state: 'She looks homeless, that's what I want to say.' Sloane confesses that she has lost any and all motivation to make an effort when it comes to her appearance. 'I don't wear lipstick at all,' she admits. 'I might wear Chapstick, but that's it. 'My holey jeans are my favorite jeans. I can wear those for about everything. Those are my casual jeans, those are my dress-up jeans. I just maybe might try and put a nicer T-shirt on that might be a little bit more fancy.' 'She's ready for hard labor!' A hidden panel of critics assesses Sloane's look and delivered a series of damning verdicts about her appearance . Behind-the-scenes: The jury is hidden behind a two-way mirror, allowing them to make their observations in private, before they are revealed to Sloane . A hole load of problems: Sloane wears this pair of ripped jeans - her favorite pair - for any and all occasions, be they smart or casual . But while Sloane doesn't take much interest in anything to do with fashion or beauty, she confesses that her husband, whom she has been married to for 11 years, and their 11-year-old daughter, have both grown frustrated with her overly laid-back appearance. '[My daughter] is a little embarrassed about [how I dress],' she says, before adding: '[My husband] thinks I'm frumpy. He loves me but... 'I don't go anywhere. I work, I'm a mom. I do stop myself from going out to dinner with my husband, I'll make up excuses not to go out with my girlfriends. 'It might be a lot of times that I'm lazy... I don't find it important, the way I look.' But Louise, 33, is unimpressed with Sloane's excuses. 'You basically implied that you don't need to, and you shouldn't have to, make the effort because you work and you're a mom,' she says. 'So, you must be the only person in the world who works and is also a mom, right?' Family ties: The fashion victim admits that her husband and their 11-year-old daughter (pictured) find her laid-back appearance quite embarassing . Giving evidence: Sloane's cousin Sierra steps forward as a witness and tells Louise exactly why she feels her cousin is in need of a makeover . Then and now: Sierra explains that Sloane was 'absolutely beautiful' as a twenty-something, but that she let herself go following the death of her mother . After delivering her own damning appraisal of Sloane's sense of style, Louise calls her cousin and close friend Sierra to the Style By Jury witness stand in order to present her evidence for why Sloane is so desperately in need of a makeover. 'She is just so beautiful and it just doesn't present itself on the outside,' she explains. 'I know it, I know what's there, but on the outside you would never see it.' Sierra goes on to describe the series of tragic events in Sloane's life which she believes have lead to her becoming so disinterested in her outward appearance - adding that, during her early 20s, Sloane was 'amazing beautiful on the outside'. 'I think that a lot of stuff has happened in her life, one being her mother passing away,' Sierra tells Louise. 'And I think, hoenstly, from that moment on, she hasn't been the same. 'It has shown in the way she dresses, in her appearance.' Showing Louise an image of a glamorous-looking Sloane at age 20, Sierra adds: 'She was amazingly beautiful on the outside [when we were younger]. Everywhere we went, guys were after her.' On the stand: Sierra explains to Louise that she wants her cousin to look as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside . Surprise! Sloane is shocked to discover that a hidden panel has been assessing her appearance . Baby steps: The first part of her makeover sees Sloane forced to try on a skin-tight body suit so that she can 'learn where her waistline truly is' The black and white image, which shows Sloane posing seductively, while wearing a flattering low-cut top, prompts gasps of shock from the jury - and from Louise, who then reveals to Sloane that a hidden jury has been appraising her look since she walked into the room. She reveals to Sloane exactly what harsh criticism the jurors voiced about her appearance when she first walked into the room, leaving the mother-of-one in tears. 'I'm not too shocked by a lot of what they said,' she tells Louise. 'I want my daughter to be proud of me. I want her to see mommy happy, and like herself and think that she's beautiful.' Sloane is then taken off to begin her makeover process - which starts with Louise and Preston forcing her into a skin-tight body suit, so that she can 'learn where her waistline truly is' and discover which parts of her body she can accentuate with the help of some new clothing. 'This is my kick in the butt,' Sloane tells the camera. 'This is what I need.' After undergoing a series of rigorous style lessons, Sloane, and her brand new look, will then be presented to a new jury, who will give their own verdict on her revitalized appearance. Style By Jury premieres on TLC tonight at 9.30pm EST . | Style By Jury, which premieres tonight at 9.30pm EST, sees 'fashion offenders' critiqued by a secret jury hidden behind a two-way mirror .
Fashion experts Louise Roe and Preston Konrad also hear evidence from witnesses - the friends and family members of each offender .
The fashion victims are then given a much-needed makeover and presented to a new panel of critics for a second verdict . |
200,164 | 8f25307de6682b3682bb44eaf533c35ab2b887e0 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 13:14 EST, 4 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:53 EST, 5 October 2012 . 'Happy and Caring': Courtney Holdcroft died after being hit by a bus outside her school in Stoke . A 12-year-old schoolgirl was killed after being pulled under the wheels of a bus as she crossed the road to join her friends on the other side. Courtney Holdcroft suffered fatal injuries after being hit by the single-decker bus - which was travelling at just 19mph - as her friends shouted at her to 'watch out'. The pupil tried to run out of the path of the bus, but was 'sucked' under the wheels and crushed, an inquest heard. Courtney was hit by the bus as she left an after-school club at Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy in Stoke, Staffordshire, on June 13 last year. The schoolgirl had spotted her friends on the other side of the road and was struck as she attempted to cross and join them. One pupil said in a statement: 'We told her to watch out for the bus. She tried to beat it but she couldn't and then she got sucked under it.' Kenneth Harper, 64, a passenger on board the bus, said: 'The bus was coming down the road slowly when two lads ran across the road. 'The driver started to brake a bit, then I saw this young girl hit the windscreen and heard a thud. 'It was just something that happened. It was very out of the blue,' he added. The 12-year-old, who was described as a 'happy and caring' girl with a talent for music, was taken to hospital by air ambulance but later died from her injuries. Bus driver Derek Oates, 62, said the tragic accident had left him traumatised. 'I am very sorry, there is nothing that can change what happened. I have been traumatised by it all.' 'Tragic accident': Schoolgirl Courtney, above left and right, had a talent for music, an inquest heard . Courtney’s mother Lyndsay . Rogers-Coates said at the inquest: 'When we got to the school the air . ambulance was just taking Courtney to the hospital. 'We were taken into the relatives’ room at the hospital where the nurse told me to go and see Courtney as . she was very poorly. 'When I went in there I was told to say my . goodbyes.' Recording a verdict of accidental death, North Staffordshire assistant deputy coroner David James said: 'This was a tragic accident. 'Courtney was a perfectly happy young girl who was sadly confronted with a situation like this. 'The only consolation is that she would not have known about it as she died from multiple injuries including severe head injuries. At the time of the tragedy the school's principal Mark Stanyer described the 12-year-old as a 'lovely girl who did her best at everything'. 'We were very proud of her and words cannot explain just how devastated we all feel about this tragic accident,' he said at the time. Up to 1,000 people signed a petition following Courtney’s death calling for a crossing patrol outside the school. Stoke Council has said it is awaiting a full police report detailing the causes of the accident. | Courtney Holdcroft was hit as she crossed the road outside her school in Stoke to join her friends on the other side .
The single-decker bus was travelling at just 19mph, but the 12-year-old sustained multiple injuries and later died in hospital . |
245,040 | c924edce9e476cf8db8b9112891279ca0d8ab01c | (Parenting) -- How to weigh whether to have another child -- and what to know about raising an "only" Couples feel more pressure to have second child than first, says one expert. My husband and I decided to be a one-child family long before our son Oliver was born. With several years of reproductive-health scares behind me, conceiving a child felt like a Powerball win; I didn't need another chance at the jackpot. Scott thought we could avoid the inevitable slings and arrows of sibling warfare. We both hail from large families, in which continuation of the family name is assured through siblings and cousins. We were content with our decision, and our families took it well, too. A few months after Oliver was born, I bagged up my maternity clothes for a tag sale, and Scott started researching permanent birth-control options. But one afternoon while absentmindedly sorting through blue and green baby clothes, the thought hit me like a punch: "I'll never sort through pink clothes." For years I'd imagined myself the mom of a daughter. After all, it had been a popular refrain throughout my adolescence ("I'll never tell my daughter what I think about her clothes," I'd intone to my mother). And I secretly hoped that my daughter would continue the tradition of attending my all-women alma mater. It wasn't that I was disappointed with a son. To be honest, I was relieved the day we found out we were having a boy because I could work the experience of being the older sister to three younger brothers to the fullest. Hearing the door clang shut on my fantasy daughter, however, made me doubt. When acquaintances asked, "So, are you having any more?" my voice quivered when I answered no. A woman in my local mothers' group worried aloud, "How would you feel if something happened to Oliver and you didn't have any more children?" Did I really need another child as an insurance policy? One night when the anxiety felt particularly overwhelming, I asked Scott, "Is it okay if we hold off on that vasectomy for a while?" "It's normal to wonder if you're making the right choices and decisions, no matter how many kids you have," says Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., author of I'm OK, You're a Brat! Setting the Priorities Straight and Freeing You From the Guilt and Mad Myths of Parenthood. "Even if you decided to have two or more children, you'd wonder if your life would have been easier with only one child." Choosing to have one . Haseena Correia of Valley Stream, New York, mom to Zachary, 2, has long planned to have one child. "Once I understood how much work it takes to have a career and raise a child at the same time, I pretty much decided one was all I could handle," she says. Correia says being a one-child family allows her the right balance. "It gives me the joy of being a mother, but it's not too overwhelming to the point where I don't have any time for myself or my husband," she says. Financial barriers were also a factor in their decision. "With a mortgage, skyrocketing taxes, and two cars, we have to be a two-income family. Having another child is financially just not an option for us," she says. At some point, parents will need to ponder: . • Can we cope emotionally and physically with another child? • How will we juggle another child with our jobs? • Where do we want to be in three years? Five? • How will another child affect our finances? What about our marriage? • If we wait any longer to decide, will our choices be limited by our age? There are social and emotional pressures to consider, too. "If your friends are having second -- and third -- children, you can feel left out," says Susan Newman, Ph.D., author of Parenting an Only Child. "Or you or your spouse may want more kids, but the other doesn't." Sorting out our feelings on most of these things was actually easy for me and Scott. (It was the emotional pull that gave me second thoughts.) We have similar goals for the future, and we realized that with our temperaments, one child would be best for our marriage. We're happy for our friends who are having second and third children, but for us, Oliver completes our family. When you don't have a choice . Sometimes the twists and turns of life narrow your choices or eliminate them completely. Jennifer Lawler of Eudora, Kansas, always thought having four kids sounded perfect. But when her daughter Jessica was born with life-threatening health problems and Lawler's uterine fibroids compromised future pregnancies, she and her husband knew Jessica would be their only child. Lawler says, "Raising our daughter was going to take a lot of emotional, physical, and financial resources. If I had any more children, I didn't think I could handle it." Time made the situation easier. "It's a process of acceptance," says Lawler. "One thing that was helpful for me was not to focus on the past or the future. I put my energy toward making this the brightest moment. There were times when we thought Jessica wouldn't live, talk, or walk. She's done all those things, so I feel relief and gratitude." Answering to everyone . As you work out what's best for your family, you'll face some tough questions all around: . • From yourself: Laura Miller of Ottawa, Kansas, mom to Emma, 6, is undecided about having more children. "If finances and circumstances ever allow, we might have another child," she says. "But we're happy the way our family is now." She admits she still has fears. "My husband and I both have brothers and sisters --I can't imagine not having them to lean on. But after we're gone, Emma will be alone." In my darkest moments, I've been known to worry about the unthinkable: With no other children, what would I do if I lost Oliver? But, of course, parents of onlies don't own the front and center on worry. "Parents fear for all their children," says Newman. "Families with a number of children are equally devastated and blown apart when a child dies -- the pain is no less just because you have others." We need to accept that something so dramatic as death is highly unlikely and try not to live our lives in a state of anxiety. • From others: "The pressure to have a second child is often greater than for the first," says Newman. But the fact is that the friends, family, and even strangers who are exerting pressure aren't the ones who'll be caring for these future children till they reach adulthood. After Lawler's daughter was born, she answered her questioners with "We're going to take care of Jessica." Sometimes intrusive questions and opinions can drive us nuts, which is why it can be helpful to look within before lashing out. "When you are affected by this pressure, it means you're looking for that person's approval," says Jeffers. "Ask yourself, 'Why am I reacting this way? Am I afraid of criticism from this person?' As soon as you stop needing their approval, you can relax and appreciate the decision you made." Once a mom is feeling calmer, she can answer the critics with, say, "I understand you really want this, but it's not right for me" or "Well, thanks for passing on your ideas." • From your child -- it happens: Many onlies will ask -- loudly, often -- for a little brother or sister, or wonder aloud why they're stuck being an only child. A straightforward answer is the best bet, says Lise Youngblade, Ph.D., associate director of the Institute for Child Health Policy at the University of Florida in Gainesville. "The last thing parents want to do is get into a negotiation," she says. Instead, respond with something like "We've decided that our family size is just right. There are lots of different kinds of families, and this is how ours is." With an older child, you can point out that many of the advantages he enjoys as an only -- his own specially decorated bedroom, for instance, or the one-on-one time he has with Mom and Dad -- may be things he wouldn't have with a brother or sister. You can also try asking your child what he thinks would be the benefits of having a sibling. It could be as simple as having a bunk bed. If a child's demands don't abate, Jeffers points out that "children complain, period." Parents with two or three kids sometimes hear, "Mommy, it's time to send the baby back to the hospital." In my case, it took me time to say goodbye to my fantasy daughter, but when Oliver was 18 months old, I finally said to Scott, "Let's do it," on the vasectomy. I'm very happy with my son and our decision, and I've looked for other ways to indulge my daughter needs. I volunteered as a Big Sister and counseled a 15-year-old on boyfriends. When I spot cute girly-girl dresses, I buy them for my friend's daughters. And I console myself that when I go through menopause, there won't be two hormonal women under this roof. E-mail to a friend . Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Parenting Magazine - CLICK HERE! Copyright 2009 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | Some couples decide to have one child .
Health, financial, emotional issues to consider .
Pressure to have second child greater than for first .
Mom: A "process of acceptance" when you can't have another child . |
105,732 | 145a9421764c4e7892a10e212e07ba37d09019e0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:36 EST, 6 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:03 EST, 6 May 2013 . The funeral director left with the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev made a plea to the State Department today to help him settle what will happened with the suspected bomber's remains - even if it means flying them to Russia. Peter Stefan said on Monday that a decision had to be reached after the city of Cambridge, where the suspected bombers lived prior to the attack, refused to bury the body. Mr Stefan, whose business in Worcester, Massachusetts has been picketed by protesters, said that everyone deserves a dignified burial. He is hoping that the government will offer him assistance in making sure Tsarnaev's body makes it to the relevant authorities in Russia. Scroll down for videos . Decision time: Peter Stefan told a news conference on Monday that a decision had to be reached after the city of Cambridge refused to bury the body of suspected bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev there . The impasse over 26-year-old Tsarnaev's body came as a local man started a fundraising campaign to have the alleged terrorist's body returned to his family in Russia. William Breault, from Worcester, has kick-started the campaign with $500 to send the body back to Tsarnaev's parents. Mr Stefan said on Monday that he understood the reluctance to deal with the remains following the atrocious attacks last month. However he told NBC: 'Everyone wants him sent back to Russia. I'm gonna get on the phone with the necessary people and say, ''We need help with this.''' The funeral director added: 'It also makes us look bad. In this country, we bury people. We don't leave them hanging around.' Mr Stefan said that he believed that alleged terrorist's family want his body returned to Russia. Tsarnaev's mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has repeatedly claimed that her son's were framed for the Boston bombing. A State Department spokesman said that Tsarnaev's family should contact the Russian Consulate for help while Massachusetts Governor Patrick Deval called the burial a 'family issue'. Family: Tsarnaev's uncle Ruslan Tsarni arrived at Mr Stefan's funeral home on Sunday where Tsarnaev awaits burial rites . Determined: Funeral director Peter Stefan accepted the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, to give him a 'dignified burial' Cambridge city manager Robert Healy said on Sunday that Tsarnaev's body was not welcomed in one of its cemeteries. 'I . have determined that it is not in the best interest of peace within the . city to execute a cemetery deed for a plot within the Cambridge . Cemetery for the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev,' Healey said. Tsarnaev's uncle Ruslan Tsarni visited the funeral home over the weekend to claim his nephew's body. Tsarni chose to step in, he said, . because 'no one wants to associate their names with such evil events' and because religion and tradition call for his nephew to be buried. Every cemetery in Massachusetts has turned down the body of Tsarnaev but Mr Stefan remains insistent that this death be handled like any other. He has also reached out unsuccessfully to cemeteries in New Jersey and Connecticut. Some protesters outside the funeral home believe the bombing suspect should be buried at sea, similar to what was done with the body of Osama bin Laden. Other protestors simply did not want Tsarnaev's remains in their town, like retired firefighter Ronald Wahlers. 'It’s going to give this neighborhood a bad name,' Wahlers, who has lived in Worcester for a year and a half, told the Boston Globe. 'This guy doesn’t belong here.' Watching: Police remained at funeral parlors where the body of Tsarnaev was taken and where protestors followed . Fiona Gilley, left, and her sister Nairi Melkonian, both of Worcester, Mass., hold signs urging compassion while they stand on the other side of the street from protestors on Sunday . Tsarnaev, 26, died from ‘gunshot . wounds of torso and extremities’ and blunt trauma to his head and torso. The certificate lists the time of his death as 1.35am on April 19, four days after the deadly bombing. Tsarnaev died after a gunfight with authorities who had launched a massive manhunt for him and his brother, ethnic Chechens from Russia who came to the U.S. ten years ago. Police have said he ran out of ammunition before his younger brother dragged his body under a vehicle while fleeing. Tsarnaev's family was making arrangements Friday for his funeral as investigators searched the woods near a college attended by 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was captured the day after his brother's death. Body: Tsarvaev's body is now at Graham Putnam and Mahoney Funeral Parlors in Worcester, waiting to be buried . The body was released by the state medical examiner on Thursday. It initially was taken to a North Attleborough funeral home, where it was greeted by about 20 protesters, before being taken to Mr Stefan's funeral parlor, which is familiar with Muslim services. Meanwhile, two U.S. officials said Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told interrogators that he and his brother initially considered setting off their bombs on July Fourth. Boston police said they planned to review security procedures for the Independence Day Boston Pops concert and fireworks display, which draws a crowd of more than 500,000 annually and is broadcast to national TV. Authorities plan to look at security procedures for large events held in other cities, notably the New Year's Eve celebration held each year in New York City's Times Square, Massachusetts state police spokesman David Procopio said. Governor Patrick said everything possible will be done to assure a safe event. As part of the bombing investigation, federal, state and local authorities have been searching the woods near the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth campus, where Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a student. Christina DiIorio-Sterling, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, could not say what investigators were looking for but said residents should know there is no threat to public safety. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was found . hiding in a tarp-covered boat in a backyard in Watertown, a Boston . suburb, faces a charge of using a weapon of mass destruction to kill. Three of his college classmates were arrested Wednesday and accused of . helping after the bombing to remove a laptop and backpack from his . dormitory room before the FBI searched it. The . April 15 bombing, which used pressure cookers packed with explosives, . nails, ball bearings and metal shards, killed three people and injured . more than 260 others near the marathon's finish line. Angry: Dozens of protestors have begun picketing Stefan's business, like Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, pictured, who crossed the Boston marathon finish line minutes before the bombs detonated . The brothers decided to carry out the attack before Independence Day when they finished assembling the bombs, the surviving suspect told interrogators after he was arrested, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the investigation. Investigators believe some of the explosives used in the attack were assembled in Tamerlan Tsarnaev's home, though there may have been some assembly elsewhere, one of the officials said. It does not appear that the brothers ever had big, definitive plans, the official said. The brothers' mother insists the allegations against them are lies. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security ordered border agents to immediately begin verifying that every international student who arrives in the U.S. has a valid student visa, according to an internal memorandum obtained on Friday. The new procedure is the government's first security change directly related to the Boston bombings. The order from a senior official at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, David J. Murphy, was circulated on Thursday and came one day after the Obama administration acknowledged that one of the students accused of hiding evidence, Azamat Tazhayakov, of Kazakhstan, was allowed to return to the U.S. in January without a valid student visa. Tazhayakov's lawyer has said he had nothing to do with the bombing and was shocked by it . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Peter Stefan said that a decision must be made on what to do with the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev after Cambridge, Massachusetts refused to bury him .
Mr Stefan said on Monday: 'In this country, we bury people. We don't leave them hanging around' |
221,339 | aa832c2fababad77e208770be4e00b2cab72ff86 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 23:49 EST, 11 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:54 EST, 12 April 2013 . It is the celluloid moment which convinced a generation of teenage girls that one day they too would be swept off their feet in a holiday romance. Now, the The Time of My Life scene in cult romantic classic Dirty Dancing has been voted the iconic movie dance moment of all time, according to a poll. The dance move from the hit 80s film, in which Johnny Castle, played by Patrick Swayze sweeps a young Baby Houseman off her feet and holds her aloft to a cheering crowd, received a quarter of the votes in the survey. Scroll down for video . Film 'Dirty Dancing' (1987) starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. The Time of My Life scene in coming of age classic Dirty Dancing has been voted the iconic movie dance moment of all time . It was closely followed by the title track from 'Singin' in the Rain' with 23 per cent. Men preferred the classic Gene Kelly routine in 'Singin' in the Rain' with 28 per cent compared to 39 per cent of women who voted for The Time of my Life. More than one in two (57 per cent) Brits to attempt the moves for themselves with the poll with Stayin' Alive from Saturday Night Fever is the most attempted dance moment, according to the poll, with 33 per cent. Singin' in the Rain (1952), Starring Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood. Men preferred the classic Kelly routine with 28 per cent compared to 39 per cent of women who voted for The Time of my Life . Saturday Night Fever (1977) Starring John Travolta as Tony Manero and Karen Lynn Gorney as Stephanie. It features the most attempted dance moment, according to the poll, with 33 per cent . But the survey revealed that 41 per cent despair at their dancing abilities including 57 per cent of men who were polled. 1. Dirty Dancing - I've Had The Time Of My Life (25 per cent) 2. Singin' in the Rain - Singin' in the Rain (23 per cent) 3. Saturday Night Fever - Stayin' Alive (16 per cent) 4. Grease - You're The One That I Want (8 per cent) 5. Pulp Fiction - Twist Competition (6 per cent) 6. Grease - Greased Lightnin' (5 per cent) 7. Flashdance - What A Feeling (4 per cent) 8. Top Hat - Cheek To Cheek (3 per cent) 9. Fame - Dancing in the Street (3 per cent) 10. Footloose - Footloose (2 per cent) The poll of 1,000 Brits was carried . out by shopping channel QVC to mark the launch of new dance craze and . fitness DVD, Zalza, created by Strictly Come Dancing's Flavia Cacace and . Russell Grant who also star in the Zalza DVD. Ms Cacace, 34, said: 'I have always . loved dance having been inspired by the talents of so many wonderful . dancers and actresses in film. 'Any dance I see that gets me excited, I have to try out, so Russell and I thought we'd show the nation, they can too!' The survey also revealed that dance was the nation's favourite weight loss method (26 per cent).And 40 per cent of women stated dance as their favourite followed by a workout DVD in the comfort of their own home (25 per cent), with playing sports as being their least preferred method (9 per cent). | Time of My Life scene in romantic classic tops poll of best dance moments .
Patrick Swazye and Jennifer Grey moment received a quarter of the votes .
Closely followed by the title track from 'Singin' in the Rain' with 23 per cent . |
96,701 | 0872cc569bd430271852ba6fc63828e76734e460 | Former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick believes England need to be 'harder on themselves publicly' after suffering five consecutive Test defeats but insists Stuart Lancaster is still leading the side in the right direction. England's hopes of winning the World Cup on home soil next year have been dented after they lost 31-28 to South Africa on Saturday, seven days after being beaten 24-21 by the All Blacks. The three-point margins flattered England in both encounters but after the Springboks defeat, Lancaster insisted his players have 'development to do' and that there was no need to panic. Former All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick believes England 'need to be harder on themselves publicly' New Zealand hooker Fitzpatrick won 92 caps for the All Blacks and retired from the game in 1997 . 'I think they should be a bit harder on themselves in terms of what they're saying publicly,' said Fitzpatrick, who won the 1987 World Cup with the All Blacks and captained the team from 1992 to 1997. 'But in the context of where they were three years ago I think they've made huge strides. 'As fans here we want England to win and the nice thing is now people are expecting them to win - three years ago nobody expected them to win certain games.' Fitzpatrick added: 'It's a good thing the fans are concerned. England are expected to win now and we were under the general belief England were going in the right direction. England captain Chris Robshaw feels the pain after his side's 31-28 loss to the Springboks at Twickenham . 'I still think they are but the fact the fans are upset is a healthy sign.' England's winless run against South Africa now stretches to 12 Test matches and the last time they tasted victory against the Boks at Twickenham was November 2006. Fitzpatrick believes England's losing streak is misleading but admits the recent setbacks do give the southern hemisphere giants a psychological boost ahead of the World Cup. 'I would be concerned in terms of the style of rugby England are playing,' Fitzpatrick said. 'But the five games they have lost are against the two best teams in the world - they need to take that into consideration in terms of what they're doing. Owen Farrell has struggled for form in the recent autumn series and may be replaced by George Ford . 'They'll be hugely disappointed with their performance at the weekend against South Africa. 'They have a huge number of injuries but that was disappointing - of the two teams they just played I think they targeted South Africa as a team they wanted to beat.' Fitzpatrick added: 'I think it is important (beating England). It's important for the All Blacks to know they can win at Twickenham. 'And the flip-side as well is South Africa winning again at Twickenham where they have such a good record." Fitzpatrick thinks Lancaster (above) and England would benefit from a central contracts system . New Zealand, Australia and South Africa all employ their international stars under central contracts, which allows more control over when and where their players feature for their countries. 'It makes it very difficult for the northern hemisphere sides and even more so in the autumn,' Fitzpatrick said. 'The All Blacks play 12 to 15 Test matches a year which means they're together 20-odd weeks a year which makes them almost like a club team. 'That's where the northern hemisphere teams are going to struggle against the southern hemisphere.' | England have now lost five Tests in a row after recent narrow defeats to New Zealand and South Africa at Twickenham .
Former All Blacks hooker Sean Fitzpatrick won the 1987 World Cup on home soil and captained New Zealand from 1992 to 1997 .
England have made huge strikes despite recent results, Fitzpatrick adds . |
242,231 | c58460e0a74e0b2b4bc3356b1af41d51b0ad5675 | For author Nancy Freund, raw chicken is coloured blue. Pain, of whatever variety, is orange, while different letters show up in different hues. Freund is one of the estimated four per cent of the population with synaesthesia, a neurological condition that makes sufferers see the world in vivid hues. Here, Freund, author of a semi-autobiographical new novel named Rapeseed that charts the adventures of a woman with the condition, reveals what living in a real-life rainbow is really like. Vivid: Author and synaesthete Nancy Freund sees pain as orange, chicken as blue and the letter A as yellow . 'Speaking about the condition, synaesthete Humberto C. Antunes once said: 'Synaesthesia is not a condition – it’s a super-power! Like flying or throwing fire from the finger.' But I didn't know that growing up. I had never heard about synaesthesia, a condition that affects approximately four per cent of the population and turns letters and numbers into vivid colours. My ability to taste colour and even hear it made me different. But, as I was to discover, seeing the world through a kaleidoscope would prove to be a stroke of luck that would reverberate throughout my life. I was also nine when I started my first book – a thriller called The Orange Invasion in which lurid orange jelly beans attack a city simply by being orange. 'My parents loved the fact that their young daughter was writing a book, but they worried that the premise made no sense. But it made sense to me. Incredible: Many blind people, among them Stevie Wonder, perceive the world around them in bright colour . Colourful world: Both Pharrell Williams and Lady Gaga are reported to be among the synaesthete population . How could they not know that particular colour orange is violent? Seeing it inflicts pain – I tried to tell them: stomach aches, head-aches, dizziness, even vomit. Forty years later I have begun to understand synaesthesia – a neurological field of study that’s in its intriguing infancy. There are synaesthesia and neurology labs doing amazing research – Dr. David Eagleman’s program in Houston, Texas is one. There’s a sensory integration lab at the University of Edinburgh. There are advancements being made at the University of London and the University of Sussex. It seems we may be on the cusp of solving important cognition issues of age-related dementia, Alzheimers, dyslexia, and improving knowledge retention for students. In my case, I’ve learned enough to know that orange does not inflict pain on most people – not even on most synaesthetes. Agonising: For author Nancy Freund, the colour orange is inextricably associated with feeling pain . Quirk: Although pink to most of us, raw chicken is blue according to Freund . Not everyone will agree with me that undercooked chicken is blue. It doesn’t look blue - just the fact of it is blue. It’s a perception, not an actual visible colour, even in the mind. I think it’s the texture and smell of raw chicken that’s blue – the sliminess, the soft gelatinousness of it. The danger it represents, eating raw chicken, somehow in my mind’s eye, is just blue. Many blind people – including Stevie Wonder – are known to be synaesthetes, which makes sense when you exchange the word ‘see’ for ‘perceive’. Evidently, his musical notes are perceived in colour – same as Lady Gaga and Pharrell Williams and Leonard Bernstein. So too, Tori Amos and Duke Ellington. Many creative geniuses in both visual and performing arts report synaesthetic experience – Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Vincent Van Gogh, Vladimir Nabokov, Marilyn Monroe. But all synaesthetes are different. The letter ‘a’ for one person is yellow and for another it’s blue, while some don't associate a colour associated with ’a' - even if the rest of their alphabet is in colour. Most people do not associate the colour of cream with the transitional moment of wakefulness to sleep, like I do. But as I finally made sense of synaesthesia, I was able to write my own synaesthesia novel that needed to be written. In ‘Rapeseed’ Carolann loses her virginity at age 17 in the back of a car in a powerful explosion of colours and smells and cross-wired senses. Gift: According to Nancy, seeing the world through a rainbow of bright colour is creative gift . She’s with her twin sister’s boyfriend, so add to all the sensory chaos, a big dose of guilt. Soon after, Carolann marries a man whose career later moves the family from Kansas to London, and she has to figure out who she really is – what her true colours are, you might say – to try to save herself, her marriage, and her family. Rapeseed is sort of a grown woman’s coming-of-age story, as she comes into an acceptance of herself, her colours, and smells and cross-wired experience. In Carolann’s case, synaesthesia is both a blessing and a burden. For most people I’ve interviewed it’s generally viewed as a gift. But even those who hear loud music or experience powerful phantom smells or must navigate through fogs of false vision -- even then, no one seems willing to lose it.' Nancy Freund is the author of ‘Rapeseed’ (£7.99, Gobreau Press), available now at Amazon. For more on Nancy and her work, see nancyfreund.com . | Nancy Freund is a synaesthete which means she sees and tastes colour .
Personal quirks include orange pain, blue chicken and yellow letter A's .
Synaesthesia is thought to affect approximately four per cent of people .
Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder among A-list synaesthetes . |
81,763 | e7b37e7fe5d7e7db3d04276931ff80a1ead81b97 | Friends and relatives of the innocent man shot dead by an NYPD rookie have revealed he was about to start a new job with the city authority as he prepared to offer his two-year-old daughter a stable future. Neighbors paid tribute to Akai Gurley, 28, telling reporters he was a well-mannered member of the apartment block that never caused trouble. Their words added to mounting pressure on the DA to launch a full investigation into the Thursday night shooting in Brooklyn, which has been described by NYPD authorities as 'an unfortunate tragedy'. 'He was about to start work': Friends have paid tribute to Akai Gurley who was shot dead as he was due to start work with the city authority. The DA has launched a full investigation into the shooting on Thursday . 'Well-mannered': Neighbors said he never caused any trouble and got along with the community . 'He was happy that he was about to go to work, he was relieved,' 28-year-old Dente Crosby, Gurley's friend, told the New York Times. 'He was getting it all together,' a woman who wished to remain anonymous told the paper. 'He was becoming an actor, he was going to school for modeling and he was going to work for the city.' However, aside from a meeting between Brooklyn officials and the DA's office, a full investigation has yet to be launched. Gurley was killed by Officer Peter Liang, whom police say fired his pistol by accident while he was patrolling a dimly-lit staircase at a notorious Brooklyn apartment block. Crowds gathered on Sunday to demand answers from the police force at a protest where Gurley's two-year-old daughter Akaila said she misses her father. 'I miss my daddy': Akaila Gurley, whose father was killed by the NYPD, said she misses him . Explanation: Last night officials said Ballinger was speaking to a psychologist about how to tell Akaila what has happened to her father . Innocent: Gurley was walking down the stairs (right) with his girlfriend's apartment in Brooklyn . Family members including Akai's aunt, sister and Akaila's mother, Kimblerly Ballinger, were at a protest organized by the National Action Network in Harlem today. Akaila gave the heartbreaking message to the crowd via the Rev. Al Sharpton, who spoke at the event, according to an ABC reporter. Sources from Sharpton's National Action Network have previously said that Akaila doesn't understand that her father has died. It came not long after his sister swore not to rest until she has answers as to why another black man has been killed by law enforcement. Liang killed Gurley while he was was reportedly walking down a dimly-lit staircase at the Louis Pink Houses, weapon drawn. Police say he fired by accident. Protests: Akai Gurley's daughter, two-year-old Akaila, right, attended a protest with her mother Kimberly Ballinger, center, where Rev. Al Sharpton, left, criticized police . Answers: Gurley's family have sworn not to let the killing rest and pursue police . The incident - described as an 'unfortunate tragedy' by NYPD commissioner William Bratton - has prompted protests from Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, which is holding the Harlem rally today. Kimberly Ballinger, mother to Gurley's daughter Akaila, rested the child on her lap before speeches were made calling for a full investigation. Speaking at the event, Sharpton demanded answers for why Liang was walking around with the safety on his weapon switched off, which he called a long-standing problem. He said: 'The issue of police going up dark stairwells with their guns drawn and their safety off is at the center of this... We have raised this question over and over again. ... It is a matter of police policy', according to NBC. Yesterday his sister Akisha Pringle wrote on Facebook, saying: 'I can't believe my Big Bro is actually gone man. He just got out of prison… Him and I was just talking about how we was gonna surprise my mother on Thanksgiving day. 'I'm so broken. He did nothing wrong and now I'll never ever get a chance to see, hug or kiss hear from him… the cops are so dirty, man. 'But best believe this will not rest with my family. We are about to have problems. I'm so sick of innocent black people going down for no apparent reason at all. And now it's my brother.' The complex where Gurley was shot had recently seen a shooting, robberies and assaults. Last night Ballinger and other family members met with New York officials, who apologized for the death. An official from Sharpton's National Action Network said outside the meeting: ''Things are a little tense right now as you can imagine.' The official added that Ballinger was consulting a psychologist to help explain Gurley's death to his 2-year-old daughter, which was 'a very difficult thing to have to explain to a child when you've always taught them that the police were there to be our friends and to protect us.' Mayor Bill de Blasio, calling Gurley's death a 'tragedy,' met with some of his relatives Friday evening. Police Commissioner William Bratton similarly described the shooting as a tragedy and said the 28-year-old man was 'totally innocent' and wasn't engaged in criminal activity when the officer fired his weapon. Notorious: The block of apartments where Gurley was shot (pictured) is a know hotspot for crime . Why exactly Officer Peter Liang had his gun drawn and fired while patrolling the Louis Pink Houses in Brooklyn's gritty East New York neighborhood with his partner late Thursday night wasn't immediately clear. Liang, 26, has been placed on modified duty. Police policy dictates that he must first be interviewed by the district attorney's office, which will decide whether to file criminal charges, before internal affairs officers can question. Police say the officers had descended onto an eighth-floor landing when, 14 steps away, Gurley and a girlfriend had opened a door into the seventh-floor landing. They had just decided to take the stairs down instead of waiting longer for an elevator. The lights were burned out in the stairwell, leaving it 'pitch black' and prompting both officers to use flashlights, Bratton said. Liang was about 10 feet from Gurley when, without a word and apparently by accident, he fired a shot, police said. In general, officers have discretion on whether to draw their weapons based on what they are encountering or believe they may encounter, Bratton said. Gurley and the girlfriend, Melissa Butler, made it down two flights of stairs after he was shot, but he collapsed on the fifth-floor landing and lost consciousness, according to reports. Gurley was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died. Gurley's stepfather, Kenneth Palmer, said officials called his relatives in Jacksonville, Florida, to notify them of the death. 'He was a peacemaker,' he said. | Akai Gurley, 28, had just been offered a job with the city authority .
Brooklyn officials met with the DA, no full investigation planned yet .
Akaila, his two-year-old daughter, said she misses her father at Harlem rally .
Mother Kimberly Ballinger held her as rest of family demanded answers .
Gurley was shot dead by NYPD Officer Peter Liang Thursday in Brooklyn .
Police force said Liang was in dimly-lit stairwell and fired by accident . |
264,958 | e32f164425b096bdb2b0ffe3b3f4752315172614 | Girls in aristocratic circles have long attended finishing schools to polish their manners, their deportment and their accents. Wealthy families in the UK have traditionally sent their fledgling society ladies off to schools to learn the intricacies of a thoroughbred upbringing - both Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cornwall both attended finishing schools in Switzerland - but it is not a solely British preserve. Indeed, wealthy women in China are so eager to emulate the manners of the aristocracy that they are willing to spend thousands of pounds on finishing schools to help them get there. Founder of Institute Sarita Sarah Jane Ho making a cup of tea in a room in Beijing, where she teaches women how to properly peel an orange, hold an oyster fork, and pronounce luxury brand names . The new Institute Sarita in Beijing describes itself as ‘China’s leading finishing school, bringing you first-hand experience to help you become more poised and polished, taking your social and professional success to the next level.’ Stemming from the massive influx of wealth in China in the last decades and the new cultural revolution, the notoriously polite Chinese are travelling globally and wanting to make the right impression. Sarah Jane Ho's courses cost up to £10,400 for two weeks of training, and vary according to marital status . Sarah Jane Ho teaching table manners in Beijing, where wealthy Chinese are paying handsome sums to learn such skills as they seek to match their high-end lifestyles with high-class etiquette . Aspiring social climbers can pick . from two main types of course: the Debutante, for unmarried women aged . 16 and above, or the Hostessing course for married women. The courses go into incredible detail on every possible scenario a woman may come across in social situations, from peeling an orange to eating a oyster. The lessons even cover how to pronounce the names of luxury design houses. The . Debutante course lasts for 10 days and promises to teach single women . 'high-end social etiquette and protocol', including history, social, and . business customs of different cultures and countries around the world, . greetings and introductions, business card exchange, dress code, table . manners, dining and entertaining, conversational dos and don’ts and gift . giving. A knife should be held firmly in your right hand, with the handle tucked into your palm, your thumb down one side of the handle and your index finger along the top (but never touching the top of the blade). It should never be eaten off or held like a pencil. When used with a knife or spoon, the fork should be held in the left hand, in much the same way as the knife, with the prongs facing downwards. On its own, it is held in the right hand, with the prongs facing upwards, resting on the fingers and secured with the thumb and index finger. A spoon is held in the right hand, resting on the fingers and secured with the thumb and index finger. Food should be eaten off the side of the spoon; it should never be used at a right angle to the mouth. Source: debretts.com . Also taught are floral art and table decoration, public relations, psychology and personal presentation. The Hostessing course, which takes place over 14 full days, starting at 9am and finishing at 6pm each day covers the 'art of being a hostess', which includes high-end social etiquette, including understanding the behaviour and customs of high society and dining around the world. It also teaches the history, tasting and service of tea and coffee, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, dressing definitions, personal stationery and invitation cards, body language, rules of official and diplomatic protocol, and hotel and restaurant manners. The Institute states that: 'Our courses are designed to give you the opportunity to achieve a greater understanding of other cultures and better interpersonal communication. 'Every principle discussed is well supported by practice, so that being an elegant lady or confident business executive becomes second nature to you.' A two-week course at the newly opened Institute Sarita in Beijing costs 100,000 yuan, or about £10,411, and while some may question spending such a large sum, the courses are proving popular. The institute was founded and is run by Sara Jane Ho. A graduate from both Georgetown University and Havard Business School who speaks five languages, she herself attended the prestigious finishing school Institut Villa Pierrefeu in Switzerland where she gained her diploma in International Etiquette & Protocol. Sarah says: 'Everyone needs to study etiquette, no matter who you are. It should allow you to be a better version of yourself.' Members of the Royal family and aristocracy, . such as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (left) and Princess Diana have . traditionally attended finishing schools . | Swiss-style finishing schools crop up as China becomes more wealthy .
Influx of money and cultural revolution has led to boom in high society .
Notoriously polite Chinese also keen to present themselves better abroad .
Classes cost £10,400 for two weeks .
Set up by Harvard graduate Sara Ho, who attended Swiss finishing school . |
83,347 | ec7037fc2c1e390cfb1593ca34550e0d6d054095 | Most children learn how to swear before they even know the alphabet, according to a new book that examines bad language and its origins. English speakers also use a curse word on average once in every 140 words, roughly the same proportion as the first person plural pronouns such as ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our.’ The surprising preponderance of swearing in everyday language probably explains why the majority of children know at least one obscene word by the age of two, says language expert Dr. Mellissa Mohr, from Stanford University in California. Most children learn how to swear before they even know the alphabet, according to a new book that examines bad language and its origins . It really ‘kicks off’, she adds, around the ages of three and four. She claims that over an average day around 0.7 per cent of English language consists of swear words. In her new book, ‘Holy Sh*t: A Brief . History of Swearing,’ Dr. Mohr claims the upper classes are just as . likely to turn the air blue as less educated working class people. The group least likely to use swear words, says the researcher, is the middle class. ‘This goes back to the Victorian era . idea that you get control over your language and your deportment, which . indicates that you are a proper, good person and this is a sign of your . morality and awareness of social rules,' she said. ‘Aristocrats have a secure position . in society, so they can say whatever they want — and may even make a . show of doing so,’ she adds. Dr. Mohr said her book sets out to correct some misconceptions people have about swearing. Swearing: But the bad language used by The Thick of It's Malcolm Tucker, played by Peter Capaldi, is not a sign of laziness or bad education . Research: Melissa Mohr's new book reveals the surprising truth behind the everyday life of taboo swear words . Rather than lazy language, . obscenities can have practical uses, such as providing relief from pain . if a person gets hurt, for instance when you hit your hand with a . hammer. Studies have shown that swearing sometimes has a genuine physiological effect on the body. Swearing also helps to form social . solidarity - for example, when workers use swear words while talking . about their managers, it builds an 'in-group' which aids social and . professional interaction. Dr. Mohr, who holds a PhD in Renaissance literature from Stanford, also told Time magazine that swearing is nothing new. The Romans, like us, used taboo words . relating to sexuality as insults, while the word 's***' originated in . the Old English language of the Anglo-Saxons. | 0.7% of all English spoken language is swearing .
Many children learn swear words before the alphabet .
Bad language dates to Romans and Anglo-Saxons . |
286,313 | fefd1551edd2d395d4c8310b635e8bb1c1bb6d5f | London (CNN) -- "After the storm of a life lived in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm." And so it seemed inside St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday as more than 2,300 guests from 170 countries stilled their quiet chatter and waited, silently, for the coffin of Margaret Thatcher to enter. Those words from the Right Rev. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, in many ways summed up the mood within: This was a farewell to a stateswoman and Britain's pioneering first female prime minister but also to a very human mother and grandmother now gone to her final rest. The domed white marble splendor of St. Paul's, Christopher Wren's masterpiece, only served to remind those within of how insignificant even the greatest of leaders is in the end. Rewriting history: How UK might have been without Thatcher . The coffin's solemn arrival was signaled to those waiting inside by the muffled tone of the cathedral clock tolling the hour. Far from the fierce political debate and fervent protests that raged in Thatcher's life -- and indeed in the nine days since her death -- the coffin was carried quietly in by uniformed members of the armed forces. Draped in a Union flag and topped with a white flower arrangement, it was placed carefully on a bier directly before the guests of honor at the service, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. They sat across the aisle from Thatcher's children, Mark and Carol; and her grandchildren, Michael and Amanda; and next to serving Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife. Thatcher: Revered and reviled, in death as in life . A ceremonial mourning sword lay on a red-covered table before the queen, carried in by the Lord Mayor of London. The royals' red velvet-covered chairs had been the last to be filled, as steadily the cathedral filled to its capacity. Those who'd taken their places in the tight-packed rows of seats behind and to either side included men in formal military uniform, adorned with gold braid and medals, cardinals with their distinctive red caps, women in elaborate black hats and foreign dignitaries, some in dark suits, others in more distinctive traditional dress. Live blog: Funeral of Margaret Thatcher . Grey hair was much in evidence, and men outnumbered women -- as was the case by a much greater margin when Thatcher was in office. After all, when she entered Parliament in 1959, she made up part of only 4% who were women. From time to time during the ceremony, sunlight poured through the windows of the cathedral to glint off the gold mosaic tiles and gilded carvings below the frescoed dome, lit also by gleaming candelabra. There was no sign within the grand cathedral walls of the tight security outside, with crowds of supporters and a few pockets of protesters kept under the watchful gaze of some 4,000 police officers. Welcoming the congregation, the Very Rev. David Ison, dean of St. Paul's -- who himself this week evoked the lasting anger and hurt felt by some in Britain as a result of Thatcher's policies -- recalled now "her leadership of this nation, her courage, her steadfastness, and her resolve to accomplish what she believed to be right for the common good." Giving thanks for the country's traditions of freedom, democracy and rule of law, he invited those gathered to pray. Only twice did a quiet murmur of laughter punctuate the solemn calm of the proceedings, when Chartres recounted anecdotes which gave a more personal sense of Thatcher's dealings with those she met. She may not be able to control how she is judged by future generations, but the late prime minister's hand was behind much of the service that marks the end of her physical presence on Earth. Opinion: Why Britain needs another Thatcher . As Chartres pointed out, at her request this was not a memorial service, filled with eulogies, but a simple funeral that reflected her disciplined Methodist upbringing as a grocer's daughter in Grantham. He acknowledged the contentious nature of her legacy, saying, "the storm of conflicting opinions centers on the Mrs. Thatcher who became a symbolic figure -- even an 'ism,' " but said that lying there, she was "one of us," subject to human destiny. "There is an important place for debating policies and legacy; for assessing the everyday lives of individuals and communities ... but here and today is neither the time nor the place," he said. "This is a place for ordinary human compassion of the kind that is reconciling. It is also the place for simple truths which transcend political debate." Thatcher's granddaughter, Amanda, gave the first reading, her voice clear and steady despite the gravity of the occasion. Its theme of righteous struggle, "not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of darkness of this world" was perhaps meant to bring to mind Thatcher's own struggles, first to reach power as a woman in the 1970s and then to exercise it for the good of her country. As the Bishop of London said, "In a setting like this ... it is easy to forget the immense hurdles she had to climb." Cameron, who now leads the Conservative Party that Thatcher headed from 1975 to 1990, gave the second short reading from the King James Bible. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, rounded off the service with the final blessing. The hymns and predominantly English music, chosen by Thatcher and her family, reflected the tastes of a woman Cameron described last week as a "patriot prime minister" with a "lion-hearted love" of her country. And at the end of the funeral, as the other illustrious guests filed out -- including 11 serving prime ministers, 17 serving foreign ministers and senior clergy from around the world, as well as many British lawmakers -- the sense was reinforced that this was a farewell to a woman who, like her or loathe her, was truly out of the ordinary. Indeed, many observers noted that the pomp and ceremony of her funeral procession, with full military honors, was barely distinguishable from the state funeral accorded to a monarch. No UK prime minister has been given such a farewell since Winston Churchill died nearly half a century ago. Former Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and John Major, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper were just a few of the familiar faces among the departing guests. Some 50 of the guests had links to the Falkland Islands, the disputed territory over which Thatcher led Britain to war against Argentina in 1982. After receptions where relatives, dignitaries and former colleagues gathered to discuss their own memories of the politician once known as the "Iron Lady," Thatcher's family accompanied her coffin to a west London crematorium for a final farewell. As Chartres said, those close to her must sometimes struggle to recognize the woman they know in the "mythological figure" created over decades of life in the public eye. But as her daughter, Carol, said last week, the tributes paid by foreign and British leaders on her death prove that, whatever one's views on her politics, Thatcher's "place in history is assured." Cameron's verdict, given via Twitter, was that the funeral was "a fitting tribute to a great prime minister, respected around the world." | More than 2,300 mourners fill St. Paul's Cathedral for Margaret Thatcher's funeral .
Among them are foreign dignitaries, UK politicians and Queen Elizabeth II .
This is "the place for simple truths which transcend political debate," says Bishop of London .
Thatcher's granddaughter, Amanda, gives one reading, PM David Cameron another . |
264,979 | e3353cfa6863b17d113b95da10d56bf47df2e71c | Paris (CNN) -- Lawyers for Dominique Strauss-Kahn pushed back Tuesday against allegations that he facilitated prostitution in France, saying there was "no significant evidence" the former International Monetary Fund chief knew young women at parties he attended were being paid for sex. Other suspects held over an investigation into prostitution centered around the city of Lille "said that Dominique Strauss-Kahn did not know that these women were being paid," Strauss-Kahn's lawyer Henri Leclerc said in a news conference. "We hear that these women say otherwise. Well, no! I can tell you these women do not say otherwise," he said. Strauss-Kahn was formally warned Monday that he is under investigation for "aggravated pimping" for accusations that he participated in a prostitution ring, prosecutors said. He is not allowed to have contact with other people involved in the investigation, nor is he permitted to talk to the media about the case. Strauss-Kahn was released under a €100,000 ($133,000) bail, according to prosecutors. Strauss-Kahn is now at a point in the French legal system that comes after an arrest and before formal charges are filed. He faces allegations of habitual involvement in a prostitution racket. The description of the alleged crime as "aggravated" means it took place on a regular and involved basis, and "pimping" means facilitating a prostitution operation, not just being a customer. Leclerc said it was possible to question his client's morals, but that he had not broken the law. "We can criticize in terms of virtue, in terms of how a man should conduct himself," the lawyer said. "But in reality, this is just unruly conduct. You can hate it, you may not find it virtuous -- everyone is entitled to their own opinion -- but it is not a crime." Frederique Beaulieu, another lawyer for Strauss-Kahn, said Tuesday: "You have to remember that in our country having relations with a prostitute is not a crime." While prostitution is not illegal in France, profiting from the prostitution of another person is against the law, according to the French Penal Code. Authorities are also investigating whether corporate funds were used to pay for the prostitutes. Leclerc said in December that there was no evidence that such funds were misappropriated. Last month, Strauss-Kahn was held for more than 24 hours by police in Lille and questioned about alleged involvement in the prostitution ring. His attorneys released a statement in November calling the allegations against their client "unhealthy, sensationalist and not without a political agenda." The prostitution probe, nicknamed the "Carlton Affair" by the French press, kicked off in October. It centers around the city of Lille, w3here investigators began looking into claims that luxury hotels, including the Carlton, served as a base for a high-profile prostitution network. In December, Strauss-Kahn's attorney Leclerc acknowledged in an interview with radio station Europe1 that his client attended sex parties, but said Strauss-Kahn was unaware the women in attendance were prostitutes. A hotel manager and four other men were arrested late last year in connection with the investigation. The Carlton Affair continues a string of sexual allegations against Strauss-Kahn. He has not been convicted of any crime. One of the sex scandals torpedoed his expected run for the French presidency this year. He stepped down from the top job at the IMF after that incident, in which a New York hotel maid accused him of sexual assault and attempted rape in May. He denied the accusation. The case ultimately fell apart after prosecutors decided they could not be sure about the credibility of the alleged victim, despite forensic evidence that showed a sexual encounter had occurred. Strauss-Kahn also faced allegations of attempted rape from a young French writer. Tristane Banon filed a complaint, alleging a 2003 attack, though it could not be pursued because of a statute of limitations. Strauss-Kahn denied the allegations and has since filed a countersuit in France, alleging slander. CNN's Brian Walker contributed to this report. | Attorney: There is no evidence Strauss-Kahn knew women at sex parties were paid .
Other suspects say the former IMF chief did not know, Henri Leclerc says .
Strauss-Kahn is warned he is being investigated for "aggravated pimping"
French police are investigating a high-profile prostitution ring in Lille . |
200,527 | 8f928b02a87b2090fe06759ed35f0f6045235c5a | Deep inside Jwaneng, the world's richest diamond mine in southern Botswana, Tshepo Kgomokhumo drives his massive truck through piles of rocks forming a lunar-like landscape. His job is to ferry away ton after ton of unwanted rocks while a small army of bulldozers near him tears into the earth's crust in search of the precious stones. "I'm a soldier for my country," Kgomokhumo says. For him, as well as many others in this small, arid country, diamonds are a source of both income and pride. The economy of Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, has been transformed by diamonds. Since their discovery in late 1960s, the development of the country has been built on the gems buried deep in its soil. In 1969, the Botswana government signed a 50/50 deal with global diamond giant De Beers to explore and mine all of the country's diamonds. The partnership, called 'Debswana,' has helped turn Botswana into one of Africa's most prosperous countries, boasting today a robust economy and one of the highest per capita incomes on the continent. The state mines the country's riches as an owner, getting a share of the profit in addition to just collecting taxes and royalties like many other mineral-rich African governments. This unique arrangement has allowed Botswana to make significant investments in education and health care, officials say. "Since we partnered with De Beers, we have a lot to show from any community development standpoint," says Bank of Botswana governor Linah Mohohlo. She notes that this model can be emulated in other parts of the continent. "If you were to replicate what we do in Botswana in other African countries, I have no doubt in my mind that there could be meaningful gains." Watch: Inside Zimbabwe's diamond industry . And now, Botswana's diamond industry looks set to get a further boost after De Beers announced last year its decision to shift its rough diamond trading operation from London to Gaborone, the Botswana capital. The company says it expects the move to bring an extra $6 billion of diamond sales into the country. A new head office is also under construction while 80 staff members will be relocated from Europe to Africa. Watch: High-tech scanning machines safeguard diamonds . Kago Mmopi, of the Diamond Trading Corporation, says the sales agreement will set up Botswana as one of the world's key diamond centers. "These diamonds are basically your top-of-the-range kind of diamonds," he says. "These are gem diamonds, they will certainly go for jewelry." Read more: Botswana's fearless legal eagle fights male bias . Those close to the deal say the impact of the De Beers move will be felt in many other ways too. Some international banks, which finance the diamond industry, have applied for banking licenses, says the government. Mohohlo notes that that extra $6 billion flowing through the country's banking system is the "most significant" offshoot of the deal. "I was engaged in those negotiations and they were hard, long and daunting," she says. "When you have partners, you can't always agree. But it is important that ultimately we agreed on what we believe serves both interests." Officials also hope that more people in the country will now be trained and employed in the diamond industry -- 'Debswana' is already Botswana's biggest private employer. It is also expected that a growing number of companies will seek to set up shop in the country to have direct access to its rough gems. Yet, authorities are quick to point out that the country cannot rely solely on the precious stones, especially as diamond sales have been hard-hit in recent times amid the financial crisis. Read more: Botswana's heavy metal heads . "That is obviously a worrying phenomenon," says says Ponatshego Kedikilwe, the country's minerals minister. "The dependence on diamonds only has been given us sleepless nights, whether it's in terms of revenue, foreign exchange or taxes and the budget." Mohohlo adds that the government is aware that diamonds are exhaustible and non-renewable. "Therefore we have to continue to ensure that the benefits deriving from them are there for everybody to see," she says. For now, though, Botswana's economic future is linked to the precious stones still buried in the soil. The diamonds allure is enduring as people still consume them faster than they are being mined. And a growing gap between supply and demand will, for now, keep prices high. | De Beers is moving its rough diamond trading operation to Botswana .
The move is expected to boost the country's booming diamond industry .
Diamonds have helped turn Botswana into one of Africa's most prosperous countries .
Officials say they are aware that diamonds are exhaustible . |
151,832 | 503add5e1f72e354ed8ee2901894a89d77adb697 | By . Tracey Cox . Has having children ruined your sex life? Don't let it continue ruining it . Is the secret to a happy marriage not having kids? One of the biggest studies of relationships ever done in Britain has turned up this conclusion: couples without children have happier marriages. The Open University project called 'Enduring Love?' surveyed 5000 people to also find fathers were twice as likely as mothers to list 'lack of sex' as what they disliked most about their relationship. This isn't exactly startling news for parents or mothers - especially those with babies or young children and eyeballs hanging down their cheeks after their 250th sleepless night in row. But given you can't exactly flog off your five-month-old twins on ebay to save your marriage (and wouldn't want to - the survey found while kids might not enhance your love life, they send your personal happiness rating skyward) what exactly are parents to do as damage control? Happily, there's lots you can do to stay both sane and sexy - even better, most of it is relatively easy to implement! STAY SEXY . Don't stop cuddling even if you don't fancy sex. Hold hands, hug, swap air kisses for real ones. Have a bath together. Use a vibrator when you're too exhausted to have sex. Use it solo to keep your sex drive high (three minutes is possible to find when the baby's six months or older). Use it with him to guarantee you an orgasm during quickies. Just do it. Seriously, by the time you've dodged your partner's advances, lay there pretending to be asleep, worried that you've hurt them by saying no, you could have had a quickie and both be sleeping with a smile on your face. Just do it: By the time you've dodged your partner's advances, lay there pretending to be asleep, worried that you've hurt them by saying no, you could have had a quickie and both be sleeping with a smile on your face . It's fine to bargain in those early days: they get sex if they get up to do the early morning feed. It's totally acceptable to say 'You've got five minutes' when they want sex but you'd cut your right arm off for sleep. Grab any sex you can, don't be fussy. OK sex is better for your relationship than no sex. Don't worry if you don't 'finish' having sex. When was the last time you made a hot meal and managed to actually eat it while it was even slightly warm? Get used to it. It's how it is for a while. Count 'sexy' things as having had sex so it feels like you're doing it more: long snogs, sexy massages or baths. If you're really finding sex a pressure, agree to a sex detox. Take it off the table completely for an agreed amount of time (one month or two – no more). Up the affection and promise each other sex is only gone temporarily and it can give you the mental break needed to get through one of life's most stressful times. Count 'sexy' things as having had sex so it feels like you're doing it more: long snogs, sexy massages or baths . STAY SANE . Don't compete for the 'I'm worse off' award: It's hard for both so don't play martyr or try to score points. Instead work together as a team, help each other. Don't feel guilty about taking time out for sex and/or cuddles. The kids get your full attention all the rest of the time, you deserve private time too. Go out for dinner, no friends, no kids at least once every two months. Drink lots. Get so drunk, you can't help but have sex. Don't be the couple who only ever go out and have sex on birthdays and anniversaries. Take romantic breaks just the two of you: Leave the kids at home . Try to go to bed at the same time and sleep naked. Skin to skin contact is crucial for keeping the connection going. One weekend away every so often, minus kids, will rescue and rejuvenate more than you could ever imagine. If you can possibly, possibly swing it, do it. It's what every parent I spoke to said kept them remotely normal. Don't waste what spare time you have. Turn off the telly, stop texting, ban laptops. Ditch the bedroom TV: those who don't have one in there have sex an average of eight times a month, twice the average of those who do. Don't talk about the kids all the time. Remember what you used to talk about pre-kids? Stay current and curious about life. Don't replace your partner with your children. If you're not getting something you need, ask for it. Don't turn to the kids to provide it. Often they will and you'll be even further estranged. Get and use babysitters. Bribe parents, siblings, your neighbours, friends... Cultivate a tribe of people you trust to look after your children. Accept that things won't be perfect. You will be tired and irritable for a while. It doesn't mean you've fallen out of love, just that having children can be stressful. This too shall pass! For more advice on juggling sex and love when you have children, visit traceycox.com . | Sexpert Tracey Cox's tips on juggling childcare with romance .
Count sexy things such as long kisses and baths together as sex time .
Don't only talk about the children when you're together .
Make sure you go out without the children and take romantic breaks away .
Read more of Tracey's sex advice colums in her FEMAIL blog . |
5,790 | 106d9de12008735eac556113806bf22cadde3ca2 | The City of London has postponed its plan to issue the St Paul's anti-capitalist protesters with legal notices requiring them to leave their tent city. The City of London Corporation confirmed it had suspended legal action against demonstrators until the morning, when the situation will be reviewed. A spokesman said: 'We have not handed them (the protesters) a letter this afternoon.' Earlier a spokesman for St Paul's said the cathedral was not taking joint action with the City of London Corporation. Men (and women) at work: Protesters on the steps of St Paul's unfurled a banner on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral painting their action as essential improvements . Reprieve: Protesters were due to be served with legal notices today by the City of London Corporation, but it is now scheduled to happen in the morning . 'Members of Chapter met yesterday following the resignation of the Dean and are due to meet with the Bishop of London today,' the spokesman said. 'The Chapter have not yet sought an injunction, nor are they serving notices on the protesters today. 'They are committed to a peaceful resolution at all costs.' There were fears today that a split among senior Church of England figures on how to deal with the protest could lead to the camp remaining on the steps of St Paul's during next year's Olympic Games and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Concerns that legal action could lead to violent evictions has led to the Church's liberal wing - led by Archbishop Rowan Williams - to oppose moves to support the City of London Corporation's plans. The split could mean that some protesters would be moved from the City's land but could be allowed to remain in the shadow of St Paul's indefinitely. Authorities were given a possible foretaste of any eviction they may be forced to carry out in the early hours of this morning when police arrested 12 protesters outside Parliament Square. They were among a group of up to 200 demonstrators who are opposed plans to criminalise the act of squatting homes and other building. A protester lies before three policemen in Parliament Square during the demonstration against plans to criminalise squatting . Last night the Archbishop of Canterbury broke his silence on the protesters camped outside St Paul's Cathedral, saying he sympathised with the 'urgent larger issues' they raised. In a sign of the panic within the Church of England high command since the arrival of the activists, Dr Rowan Williams intervened yesterday after the dean of the cathedral became the third member of staff to resign. Indicating his support for the anti-capitalists' aims, the Archbishop said: 'The urgent larger issues raised by the protesters at St Paul's remain very much on the table. Archbishop: Dr Rowan Williams has kept his counsel since the protest began but, after the resignation of Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, Graeme Knowles, he has spoken and backed the demonstrators . 'We need – as a Church and as society as a whole – to work to make sure that they are properly addressed.' The Archbishop's intervention was sparked by the resignation yesterday of the Dean of St Paul's, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles. The dean caused controversy when he closed the historic building's doors last month for the first time since the Second World War, citing 'health and safety concerns' over the tents. The cathedral reopened last week but the dean said yesterday his position had become 'untenable' amid the ongoing row. The Archbishop's endorsement of the right of the protesters to campaign showed just how confused the Church of England remains in its response to the encampment on its doorstep. His remarks came as the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, confirmed yesterday that legal efforts to persuade the activists to leave have begun. Stepping down: The Dean of St Paul's, the Rt Rev Graeme Knowles, pictured yesterday speaking to demonstrators camped outside the Cathedral, has resigned . 'Untenable': Rt Rev Knowles became the second of the cathedral's senior clergy to resign in less than a week . Trouble brewing: The Bishop of London (centre) and a protestor in the tea tent yesterday . The bishop stressed that cathedral officials did not want a violent eviction. The . dean's departure followed Canon Chancellor of St Paul's, Giles Fraser – . who had told police to leave the activists alone after their arrival on . October 15 – and part-time chaplain Fraser Dyer. The Occupy London protesters were showing no signs of leaving despite the cathedral's requests. Dr Williams said the dean's departure was 'very sad news'. He . added: 'The events of the last couple of weeks have shown very clearly . how decisions made in good faith by good people under unusual pressure . can have utterly unforeseen and unwelcome consequences, and the clergy . of St Paul's deserve our understanding. Graeme Knowles will be much . missed.' 'Move beyond slogans': The Bishop of London has criticised demonstrators' methods . An unlikely crowd: A demonstrator directs questions to Rt Rev Knowles (second from right), and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres (right) at the weekend . Crowd: The bishop and dean addressed a crowd of hundreds by the steps of St Paul's . Yesterday a . significant protester splinter group refused even to support the . cathedral's requests for drink, drugs and loud music to be banned from . the protest camp. They . appeared largely bemused by the resignation of the dean – which he had . to yesterday submit to the Queen, since his job is a crown appointment. Their . reluctance to leave was indicated by placards saying 'Hell no we won't . go' and 'Jesus did not quit – he drove the money lenders from the . temple'. The Government is considering whether the law needs to be tightened to deal with protests such as that being held outside St Paul's Cathedral. Justice minister Nick Herbert said everyone had a right to 'make their views known'. But he insisted it was not right to 'disrupt the life of the community' by setting up encampments. 'Everybody agrees there should be a right of peaceful protest in our country,' Mr Herbert told the BBC's Politics Show. 'People have an entitlement to make their view known. It's fundamental to our democracy and the coalition is committed to protect that. 'But we saw - for instance in Parliament Square, where there was a permanent encampment which had gone on for years there and was very disruptive to the enjoyment of Parliament Square by others. 'You cannot protest peacefully at Parliament Square because it is closed off to others. We are taking action to deal with that. 'And if necessary we will take action to deal with other invasions of private property that involved permanent encampments.' He went on: 'We want to protect peaceful protest. We do not think that it's right to disrupt the life of the community, and trespass, and permanently to set up and live somewhere - just as travellers do - which invades private property.' In a statement Mr . Knowles, the dean for four years, said: 'Since the arrival of the . protesters' camp outside the cathedral, we have all been put under a . great deal of strain and have faced what would appear to be some . insurmountable issues. 'It . has become increasingly clear to me that, as criticism of the cathedral . has mounted in the press, media and in public opinion, my position as . dean of St Paul's was becoming untenable. 'In . order to give the opportunity for a fresh approach to the complex and . vital questions facing St Paul's, I have thought it best to stand down . as dean, to allow new leadership to be exercised.' St . Paul's spokesman the Right Reverend Michael Colclough said: 'We are . committed to doing all we can to find a way ahead that ensures the main . message of the protest is not only heard but properly attended to, and . in such a way that people in the local community, as well as our own . team, can do their work peacefully for the good of everyone.' The . Bishop of London explained that due to the 'great mystery' of the . Church of England's organisation, the cathedral made its own decisions . without control from him. But he said St Paul's officials had asked him . to help out in the protesters' row. He . went on: 'There are many diverse voices in the camp outside St Paul's, . but among them, serious issues are being articulated which the cathedral . has always sought to address.' The . bishop stressed that all in the church wanted a peaceful resolution, . but added said that any responsible organisation had to investigate its . legal powers. Outside, the . camp still numbers about 200 tents – but barely 50 protesters attended a . meeting yesterday afternoon to decide tactics. About . a quarter of those present indicated that they were reluctant to accept . basic requests from the cathedral for drink and drugs to be barred from . the site and the camp to be kept tidy. In . a statement, the group, whose official name is Occupy London Stock . Exchange, said: 'The management of St Paul's Cathedral is obviously . deeply divided over the position they have taken in response to our . cause – but our cause has never been directed at the staff of the . cathedral.' The real issue was 'challenging the unsustainable financial system that punishes the many and privileges the few', it added. | Split at top of the Church could lead to protesters remaining during London Olympics and Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations .
Archbishop of Canterbury finally breaks his silence and backs protesters .
Rt Rev Graeme Knowles steps down as a result of handling of protest outside cathedral .
Canon chancellor Giles Fraser quit on Thursday over the legal action being taken against protesters, which he feared could result in violence . |
224,122 | ae356dce3e5c6fc470d6dce9264b880884209824 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:20 EST, 2 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:37 EST, 2 August 2012 . The horse with the weight of a U.S. presidential campaign riding on her back did not disappoint. Ann Romney said today that Rafalca 'thrilled me to death' with a solid performance at her Olympic debut in dressage - an ancient equestrian sport that has been thrust into the political spotlight thanks to Mrs Romney's partial ownership in the horse. The 15-year-old, German-bred mare has been the source of political jokes and Democratic ads questioning how U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney can presume to know the problems of ordinary Americans when he inhabits the rarefied world of dressage. Proud owners: Ann Romney, Elisabeth Meyer and Amy Eberling applaud after Rafalca's performance in the equestrian dressage competition in London . Mrs Romney was in the VIP section of the equestrian stadium at Greenwich Park for Rafalca's competition, watching literally from the edge of her seat as the mare completed the 7-minute Grand Prix test. She and Rafalca's other two owners gave horse and rider Jan Ebeling a rousing standing ovation and a wave as they left the arena. Their score of 70.243 per cent put them in 13th place with half the 50 competitors still to go. 'She was consistent and elegant,' Mrs Romney told the AP. 'She did not disappoint. She thrilled me to death.' Ebeling, too, was pleased with the performance. Ride on: Jan Ebeling from United States rides Rafalca in the equestrian dressage competition . 'She felt really strong and is peaking at the right time,' he said. 'She was amped up, a little stronger than usual. She had more oomph. The trick is to manage that.' He said he hadn't spoken to Mrs Romney before the competition - he never does - but said her final words of advice to him were to 'Do what you know (how) to do, and do what you do best.' 'It was a good score. Overall it was great,' he said. 'Knowing my three ladies, they're probably in tears right now,' he said of Mrs Romney and co-owners Beth Meyer and Amy Ebeling, his wife. At the halfway point in the first phase of the team dressage competition, Britain and Germany were vying for gold and the Netherlands and Sweden for bronze. Britain's Carl Hester on Uthopia scored 77.72 per cent in the early going, followed by teammate Laura Bechtolsheimer on Mistral Hojris with 76.839 per cent and Germany's Dorothee Schneider on Diva Royal with 76.277. Horseman: Jan Ebeling, seen here riding Rafalca, is the husband of the horse's co-owner Amy Ebeling . Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands, who won the individual gold in the past three Olympic games, trailed in fifth with 73.343 on Salinero, her partner in 2004 and 2008 and now considered somewhat past his prime but still a solid team horse. 'The only thing I want now is a good team score,' said van Grunsven. 'I'm not here for myself but for the team.' All 50 riders perform the Grand Prix dressage test - half each on Thursday and Friday. They return to perform the harder Grand Prix Special test on August 7 to determine team medals. The highest scoring riders will then move forward to the freestyle competition Aug. 9 to decide individual medals. The sport is the equine equivalent of ballet. A rider, clad in top hat and tails, takes the horse through a series of steps that look like the horse is dancing: twirling pirouettes, prancing trots and the crowd-pleasing 'flying change,' which looks like the horse is skipping. In addition to Rafalca, another athlete grabbed attention at Greenwich Park on Thursday: Japan's Hiroshi Hoketsu, who became the oldest competitor at the 2012 London Olympics when he and his horse Whisper cantered into the ring. The 71-year-old Hoketsu was also the oldest competitor at the 2008 Beijing Games. An even greater feat may be that it's been 48 years since his first Olympic appearance. He competed in equestrian show jumping at the 1964 Tokyo Games. 'The biggest motivation I have to keep competing is that I feel I am improving,' Hoketsu said.Hoketsu is currently the second-oldest Olympian ever. Hoketsu will have to wait until 2016 to catch the record-holder - Oscar Swahn of Sweden - who won a silver medal in shooting in 1920 at age 72. Spectator: Rafalca's turn in the arena put a spotlight on an equestrian sport popular in Europe but not well-known beyond, as well as on the vast personal wealth of Mitt and Ann Romney, pictured . Rafalca's turn in the equestrian arena put a spotlight on an equestrian sport that is popular in Europe but little known beyond, as well as on the Romneys vast personal wealth. The issue has become a campaign sore spot given the tough economic times in the United States. He is worth as much as $250million. A topflight dressage horse can cost more than six figures. Upkeep runs a few thousand dollars a month and transport and competition fees cost tens of thousands. The Romneys own several horses; Ann Romney rides as part of her therapy for multiple sclerosis. Yet while horse owners may need deep pockets to maintain their dancing steeds, the riders very often come from more modest means. Ebeling emigrated from Germany in 1984 hoping to find greater financial and professional opportunities in the U.S. than he could at home. That said, the sport does have an aristocratic background. Dating from ancient Greece, dressage was revived in European royal courts during the Renaissance as an art form. | Rafalca finishes in 13th place in Olympics debut during Grand Prix test in equestrian sport of dressage .
Horse is co-owned by Ann Romney, who said she watched competition at the edge of her seat .
Rafalca will return to . |
44,181 | 7c9dd3a3b218d4ae78fec70fe58f02ef662b2eaf | By . Richard Spillett . A large fire today took hold at a major coal-fired power station, sending plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the air. A total of 15 fire crews were dealing with the blaze at Ferrybridge Power Station near Knottingley, West Yorkshire, after it started this afternoon. Workers at the site were alerted at about 2pm and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service workers arrived at the scene shortly afterwards. Everyone working at the landmark power station beside the M62 and A1 has since been accounted for and no injuries have been reported. A fire service spokesman said members of the public had called its control room due to the plumes of smoke which could be seen in the local area. Scroll down for videos . Emergency services were called after flames were spotted outside the coal-fired Ferrybridge Power Station near Knottingley, West Yorkshire . Ferrybridge C has two 650ft high chimneys and eight 400-ft high cooling towers, which are said to be the largest of their kind in Europe . Taking a look: Three children look at the huge fire at the landmark power station beside the M62 and A1 in West Yorkshire . Thick smoke and flames were witnessed coming from a large white building which stands close to the power . station's cooling towers. The . National Grid said the power station was not currently generating . electricity and so it did not expect power cuts as a result of the fire. Traffic on the M62 slowed . in both directions due to thick smoke blowing across the road and the A1 . was also affected between junctions 41 and 42. Ferrybridge . is operated by energy giant SSE and has had three power stations since . 1924. The current one, C, has operated since 1966. It is a well-known landmark for drivers as it is situated close to where the M62 and the A1 meet, beside the River Aire. An . SSE spokesman said: ‘At around 2pm today a serious fire impacted Units 3 . and 4 of SSE's Ferrybridge C power station in West Yorkshire. A . total of 15 fire crews are tackling the blaze, which has sent a plume . of smoke into the air over the site's well-known cooling towers . The power station site is surrounded by miles of electricity cables and substations, meaning emergency services had to act quickly to stop the blaze spreading . Thick smoke could be seen coming from a building which stands close to the power stations' cooling towers, which are visible from the M62 and M1 . ‘All persons on site have been accounted for and there are no reported injuries. ‘The . company's practised emergency response procedures were immediately . activated and we are currently in the process of ensuring the site is . made secure and safe. ‘The . affected area in the site vicinity has been isolated by police and the . West Yorkshire Ambulance Service hazardous area response team are also . present. ‘West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service remains in attendance and is dealing with the incident with support from SSE engineers. ‘West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has indicated the fire is now being brought under control. ‘Due . to planned maintenance neither of the affected units had been . operational over the summer and therefore had not been supplying power . to the National Grid at the time of today's incident. The huge plume of black smoke which rose from the site this afternoon could be seen for miles around. It is still uncertain what started the fire . The huge size of the building, which is a well-known landmark for those travelling along the busy M62 and A1 roads, poses a challenge to emergency services . ‘SSE . will be undertaking an investigation to establish the full extent of . damage in due course. Early indications show the fire itself started in . Unit 4 but also had some impact on Unit 3. ‘Currently . we do not expect Unit 4 to return to service in this financial year. Unit 3 is not expected to return to service before 1 November. ‘Our immediate priority is to manage the incident and to ensure the safety of staff, contractors and the general public.’ 'The company's practised emergency response procedures have been activated. ‘West . Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are in attendance and dealing with . the incident with assistance from expert engineers on site. 'All personnel have been accounted for and no injuries have been reported at this stage. Shocked locals watched from their gardens as huge flames shot up the side of the plant, which is operated by the energy giant SSE . Firefighters from all over Yorkshire have been drafted in as emergency services battle the blaze, which reportedly started at around 1.30pm today . Before the blaze: The site has undergone major changes recently in the light of the EU's Industrial Emissions Directive, which aims to reduce pollution (file picture) ‘It is too early to give any more information regarding this incident - however, we will issue a further statement when more details become available.'Our immediate priorities are to deal with the incident and to ensure the safety of staff, contractors and the general public.' According . to the SSE website, 'Ferrybridge C has two 198m (650ft) high chimneys . and eight 115m (380ft) high cooling towers, which are the largest of . their kind in Europe'. The . site has undergone major changes recently in the light of the EU's . Industrial Emissions Directive, which aims to reduce pollution. A 65MW multi-fuel plant was expected to start generating power next year. The huge blaze comes just one day after eight fire crews were called to a massive blaze on Eastbourne pier in East Sussex. Firefighters spent nearly 12 hours dousing the seafront attraction after a fire broke out in an amusement arcade. | Firefighters rush to scene after flames were spotted outside the building near Knottingley, West Yorkshire .
Emergency services received calls from locals after thick black smoke was seen billowing into the air .
Company in charge of the site says all of its workers have been accounted for after blaze started at 2pm .
National Grid says power cuts aren't expected in surrounding area as power station was on 'shutdown'
SSE: Fire started in one unit (4) and also damaged the other (3), with them both out of action for months . |
167,313 | 6462ded7021ee6976b0f5b77cd1389da3eb88fb7 | Brazilian playmaker Kaka has revealed he will move on loan to Sao Paulo before joining new Major League Soccer club Orlando City following the mutual termination of his contract with AC Milan. The Rossoneri announced Kaka’s second spell with the club is over after he exercised a get-out clause after Milan’s failure to qualify for European football next season, despite still having one year left to run on his deal. He will now join Sao Paulo, with whom he began his youth and professional career before being sold to Milan in 2003, and will then link up with Orlando City, who will become a team in the MLS in spring 2015. Scroll down to watch 20K Sao Paulo fans sing Kaka . Hero's welcome: Kaka is mobbed by Orlando City fans after arriving at the international airport . Where's the band? Kaka's arrival has been likened to that of a rockstar by the club . American boy: Kaka walks through the airport wearing an Orlando City scarf . 'I’ve always said I wanted to play in . the USA and now I have reached an agreement to play there,” Kaka told AC . Milan’s television channel. 'Orlando City is a new team with a good project and the owner (Flavio Augusto da Silva) is Brazilian . 'I’m also happy to return to Sao Paulo. It’s really satisfying for me.' Orlando City tweeted a silhouette of Kaka celebrating a goal with the hashtag '£KomingSoon'. Kaka only returned to the San Siro on a free transfer last summer after four years at Real Madrid. The . 32-year-old, who won a Serie A title and the Champions League in his . first spell at Milan, scored seven goals in 30 league appearances in the . 2013-14 season. In total, Kaka, FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007, has scored 104 goals in 307 appearances for the Rossoneri. Milan’s statement continued: “Certain loves never end, they go in big circles when a contract is mutually terminated. 'The key word is mutual. 'Ciao Ricky (Kaka), we will never leave each other.' Boy from Brazil: Kaka will join Sao Paulo on loan before completing move to Orlando City . Moving on: Kaka exercised a get-out clause in his AC Milan contract after club failed to qualify for Europe . VIDEO No ill-feelings over Brazil snub - Kaka . Big money: Kaka was the world's most expensive player when he signed for Real Madrid for £56m in 2009 . Milan finished a disappointing eighth last season and failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in 16 years. Kaka added he will never again wear the number 22 - the number he wore at Milan. 'In Brazil, I think I will wear the number 8 and then 10 in America,' he said. Milan . captain Riccardo Montolivo paid tribute to his former team-mate, . writing on his Facebook page: 'It was an honour to be your team-mate. Thanks for everything and good luck for your career.' VIDEO 20K Sao Paulo fans sing Kaka . | Kaka is leaving AC Milan following mutual termination of his contract .
Brazilian midfielder will join first club Sao Paulo on loan .
Kaka will join US side Orlando City in the MLS .
Former Real Madrid player was formerly the world's most expensive player . |
216,367 | a41c5108ff0dc2913a37066dd55f9954581c2980 | Beijing, China (CNN) -- Family members of 19 Chinese tourists, who went missing in Taiwan after Typhoon Megi triggered rock slides, are headed to the island, China's state media said Monday. The tourists from Zhuhai city in southern China went missing about 10 p.m. Thursday. Two other people -- a Taiwanese bus driver and a Chinese tour group leader from another tour bus -- also are missing, according to official Taiwanese media. Emergency crews rescued hundreds of other people who were trapped by the rock slides, which happened mainly along the Suhua Highway, in northeast Taiwan. Sections of the scenic highway, which is perched along a cliff on Taiwan's eastern coast, gave way. Typhoon Megi made landfall in China's southeastern province of Fujian on Saturday, affecting nearly 650,000 people and destroying 500 houses, China's Xinhua news agency said. About 270,000 people had evacuated. Damage in Fujian from the strongest typhoon of the year was estimated at 1.59 billion yuan ($238 million). No deaths or significant injuries were reported, thanks to rigorous typhoon precautions in Fujian, Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces, the state-run China Daily said Monday. Megi killed at least 13 people and injured nearly 100 others in Taiwan last week. It struck the Philippines earlier in the week, affecting an estimated 258,844 people and leaving thousands homeless. | Typhoon Megi triggers the rock slides .
Sections of a scenic highway, perched along a cliff, gives way .
Emergency crews rescue hundreds of other people who were trapped .
Megi also causes an estimated $238 million in damage in China's Fujian province . |
247,842 | ccb69a587640eb91da7dfeb09a75a4b6ed4deec0 | How does a three-day escape on a private 5.5 acre island resort that is accessible only by boat or seaplane, all to yourself, sound? Idyllic, right? Well it could be yours as long as you're willing to fork out a cool $250,000 (£164,000) for the pleasure. Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Lower Florida Keys is offering up its entire 30-room resort for the period from April 24 to April 26 for this rather hefty fee that would be perfect - should you be well heeled enough to afford it - for a wedding party or other special occasion. While $250,000 sounds like a lot, the 'Spring for a Private Island' breaks down to a touch over $8,000 (£5,200) per room or per couple if you chose to invite 59 of your nearest and dearest. And for that the guests will get plenty of additional value. Scroll down for video . Little Palm Island Resort & Spa has 30 one bedroom suites, that can be hired from April 24 to April 26 along with a host of facilities . A woman spearfishes off Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Lower Florida Keys which is being offered in its entirety for $250,000 . The 'Spring for a Private Island' promotion works out at a touch over $8,000 per room or couple if there's a total of 60 in the party . The island is accessible only by seaplane or boat, although visitors can drive to nearby Little Torch Key and get a boat transfer . A large communal pool comes with plenty of shade from the Florida sunshine at Little Island Resort . The lush tropical island is accessible only by boat or seaplane, according to Forbes, although you can drive relatively close via the A1A road from Miami and valet parking will be included. Alternatively, arrive on your yacht and use of the island dock will also be thrown in. Executive chef Roly Cruz-Taura will be on hand to provide divine eats at the Little Palm Island's Dining Room, which was ranked the third best hotel dining experience in the United States by the Zagat restaurant guide for its brand of French and Pan-Latin cuisine on a menu that changes daily. Although there is a dress code for dinner time. The resort’s spa, SpaTerre, combines eastern and western style treatments while guests will also get to benefit from the resort's staff that is all to keen to assist with whatever event you decide to hold. Little Torch Key, 29 miles by road to Key West, is a quick boat ride away and the resort also throws in motor yacht transfers with the $250,000 fee. Included in the $250,000 price tag is free boat transfers on the resort's cruiser The Truman to Little Torch Key . A deluxe suite at Little Palm Island features a four-poster bed and stunning views . The resort's Island Elegance suites are 550 square feet with a private deck looking onto the ocean and outdoor shower with bamboo surround . One of many hammocks around the island for guests to relax and an external view of a bungalow at sundown on Little Palm Island . Should guests wish to arrive on a yacht, use of the island dock is also thrown in for the included fee . A firepit in this idyllic setting is perfect for toasting marshmallows or making the classic campfure treat s'mores . A yacht serenely sails through the crystal clear waters by the palm tree-stacked island . On arrival guests receive the resort's signature 'gumby slumber' cocktail, a ramped-up version of a Caribbean-style rum punch, plus a bottle of champagne in their one-bedroom suite. And anything non-alcoholic from the mini-bar is 'free' (included in the cost). So what is there to do for fun? If you're into sun, sand and crystal clear water, plenty. Snorkelling jaunts for up to 12 people can be taken or fishing is plenty from the shore or with a spear. The resort's Romance Suites come with a large deck leading onto a private white sand beach . The Elegance Suite comes with a boudoir bath tub (left) and a separate shower room along with a king size canopy bed with butterfly netting . Fishing in luxury off the beach at Little Palm Island Beach and a waiter sets up for a night of dining by the water . The sun sets as wedding guests at Little Palm Island settle on the beach for their evening meal . A happy couple enjoy their post-nuptials photoshoot on the beach at the Florida Keys resort . The island is perfectly appointed for a private wedding with a host of small beaches ideal for an intimate setting . For a sundowner or three, the Monkey Bar has guests covered but a cocktail party with a choice of 60 drinks is included in your food and board. You could make s'mores around the fire pit and if it's just chilling out and enjoying the peace and quiet that you want, the island has a range of lounges and hammocks all around. | Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Lower Florida Keys is available for private rental from April 24 to April 26 .
The $250,000 (£164,000) price tag includes 30 one-bedroom suites, fine dining and a host of other activities . |
74,005 | d1d93b67a2a69c2e4d7c0aa43299ee236e023da5 | The father of a suspected teenage jihadist has reportedly staged a daring mission to rescue his son from the clutches of Islamic State fighters in Syria. After learning that 19-year-old Ahmed Mohammadi had left his home in Cardiff, Wales, allegedly to join ISIS fighters, his father Karim journeyed 2,000 miles to bring him back to Britain. He is believed to be the first British father to have successfully rescued his child from the forces of the Islamic State. Scroll down for video . Influence: Ahmed Mohammadi, 19, (not pictured) was friends with Nasser Muthana, 20, (right) and Reyaad Khan, 21, (left) who appeared in an IS recruiting video in June. Ahmed's father has travelled 2,000 miles to Syria to bring his son back to the UK . Ahmed was friends with Nasser Muthana, 20, and Reyaad Khan, 21, two jihadists from Cardiff who appeared in an IS recruiting video in June, urging other young Britons to join the fighting. It is not known if Ahmed had travelled to Syria with Muthana and Khan, but it is thought he had spent time with Muthana before leaving for the war-torn country, where Islamist groups are fighting President Bashar Assad's forces. Mr Mohammadi, who is of Kurdish-Iraqi descent, has insisted that his son had visited Syria as part of a humanitarian mission to help refugees, had nothing to do with terrorism and had not joined in with fighting. However, he reportedly decided to travel to Syria himself after becoming fearful that the teenager was falling under the influence of other UK jihadists. Mr Mohammadi is thought to have been supported in his mission by acquaintances in Cardiff, who put him in touch with contacts in Turkey. Once there, he was helped across the border into Syria by guides from the Kurdish community and was eventually able to track down his son, and convinced him to return home. Risk: Mr Mohammadi was able to cross the border from Turkey into Syria. Some of the fiercest fighting has taken place in Kobane, pictured, which is close to the Turkish border . 'There is a great sense of honour and family value in what Mr Mohammadi did,' a police intelligence source told The Sunday Times. The source also said that more parents were expected to make similar journeys to bring their own children home. On his return to the UK in July, Ahmed was arrested under the Terrorism Act, but was released without charge. He was instead referred to the government's counter-radicalisation scheme, known as the Channel programme, which has been offered to many of the 300 young Britons who have arrived back from Syria and Iraq. Programme: Ahmed was instead referred to the government's counter-radicalisation scheme, known as the Channel programme, which has been offered to many of the Britons who have returned from Syria and Iraq . His father has said Ahmed has now returned to university to study civil engineering. The scheme has seen a 58 per cent rise (from 748 to 1,281) in the number of referrals in the past year as the crisis in the Middle East grew. Evidence of the softer approach comes despite assurances from Home Secretary Theresa May that terrorist sympathisers will face the full force of the law. She said new legislation should be ready by the end of this month as David Cameron insisted returning jihadis should face ‘criminal investigations and prosecution’. But Whitehall sources say securing evidence of terrorist activities committed 2,000 miles away in Syria is proving difficult. An assessment of Ahmed and another suspected jihadist Shahid Miah, 23, by the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit in August found that the pair were susceptible to ‘indoctrination’. Fighting: At least 500 young British Muslims are thought to have travelled to fight in Iraq and Syria, of which around 300 are thought to have returned to the UK. Pictured are fighters holding a flag with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant written across it . Miah was also referred to Channel. The Government raised the national security threat level in August to ‘severe’ amid warnings of the threat posed by returning jihadists. At least 500 young British Muslims are thought to have travelled to fight in Iraq and Syria, of which around 300 are thought to have returned to the UK. It is claimed that at least 24 British jihadists have been killed fighting with Islamic State and other terror groups in the region. Some disenchanted travellers have asked for an amnesty after discovering the dangerous reality of infighting among Islamist groups on the frontline. Police chiefs have insisted that every case of a returning jihadi will be treated ‘on its merits’ with some offered support by mental health experts or social services. They are closely monitoring the progress of a Danish programme for rehabilitating jihadis which offers a wealth of support and counselling. | Ahmed Mohammadi, 19, left home in Cardiff to travel to Syria .
He was friends with Welsh jihadists who appeared in ISIS propaganda .
Ahmed allegedly joined fighters, but father says he was on charity mission .
Karim Mohammadi followed son to Syria to bring him home to Wales .
He was helped by members of Kurdish community to cross Turkish border .
Ahmed was arrested on return to UK but released without charge .
He was referred to the government's deradicalisation scheme, Channel .
Mr Mohammadi thought to be first British father to rescue child from IS . |
153,542 | 5268030637b4cf9ef0ddac85ae29f0015c249eaf | By . Chris Greenwood and Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 05:37 EST, 20 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:45 EST, 22 November 2012 . Accused: Rebekah Brooks . David Cameron’s former spin doctor was charged yesterday with illegally purchasing sensitive information about the Royal Family. Andy Coulson is accused of conspiring to obtain an internal telephone directory for the Royal Household. The directory, known as the Green Book, includes landlines and mobile numbers for royal aides. The offence is alleged to have taken place while he oversaw the work of News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman. The claims were revealed as Coulson, Goodman, two other News International employees and a Ministry of Defence official were accused of a ‘cash for stories’ conspiracy. Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News International, has been charged with paying a defence strategist £100,000 for information over a seven-year period. The announcement was the most significant yet in the Scotland Yard investigation into corrupt payments to public officials. It threw News International into a fresh crisis as claims against the company continued to mount and the first formal allegations were made relating to The Sun newspaper. Coulson and Brooks face a tangle of three separate sets of complex charges linked to their conduct at News International. Judge Mr Justice Fulford may yet . decide to combine some or all of the cases before the first trial opens . before a jury next September. The Prime Minister dodged questions . about the phone-hacking and bribery scandal and the role of his . ex-communications chief yesterday. Speaking at a press conference in . Northern Ireland before the impending G8 summit, Mr Cameron said he did . not want to prejudice impending court hearings. He said: ‘I’ve made . clear my regret on many occasions about this issue. We should allow the . police and the prosecuting authorities to follow the evidence wherever . it leads.’ Charged: David Cameron's former spin doctor Andy . Coulson (pictured today leaving a London police station) and ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks will be . charged as part of the investigation into alleged corrupt payments to . public officials . Charged: Former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman, pictured, and The Sun's former chief reporter John Kay are also to be charged . Alison Levitt QC, of the Crown Prosecution Service, announced two groups of suspects will face trial over the bribery claims. Coulson and Goodman will face charges . over two alleged conspiracies, one in 2002-03 and one in 2005, relating . to the authorisation of payments to officials. Coulson said: ‘I am extremely . disappointed by this latest CPS decision. I deny the allegations made . against me and will fight the charges in court.’ The second alleged conspiracy involved . Brooks, during her time as editor of The Sun, her chief reporter John . Kay and MoD official Bettina Jordan-Barber. Jordan-Barber, who works at a base in . Upavon, Wiltshire, is accused of accepting cash for information that . formed the basis of ‘a series’ of stories. The mother of two, who has been . suspended from her job as a ‘strategy officer’, co-ordinated visits to . operations in Afghanistan. Detectives from Scotland Yard’s Operation . Elveden have so far arrested 52 people, including 27 journalists, six . police officers and 12 public officials. The sprawling inquiry into claims . officials were bribed for information emerged in the aftermath of the . phone-hacking scandal, which has its own inquiry, Operation Weeting. All five will appear at Westminster . Magistrates’ Court next Thursday accused of conspiracy to cause . misconduct in a public office. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Charged: Bettina Jordan-Barber, who has been charged in relation to payments made to public officials, is seen here with her husband Nigel and their children . The Charge Sheet.jpg . A security guard walks past News International's headquarters in Wapping, London. Of the 52 arrests made under Operation Elveden, 21 are understood to be journalists at the Sun newspaper . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Crown Prosecution Service said that five people are to face action as part of Operation Elveden .
The others are former News of the World royal correspondent Clive Goodman, former Sun chief reporter John Kay and Ministry of Defence employee Bettina Jordan-Barber .
52 people have been arrested .
as part of Operation Elveden, two of whom have been told they will face no further action .
Goodman and Coulson face charges relating to payments to public officials for information including the 'Green Book' royal phone directory .
Brooks and Kay to be charged in relation to alleged payments of £100,000 to MoD worker Barber for stories which appeared in the Sun . |
9,220 | 1a1c9bd7e188a184da7852cdc0957a451695ce70 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:36 EST, 15 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:30 EST, 15 July 2012 . They may have been bitter enemies during the Cold War space race, but these days the U.S. and Russia work together to transport astronauts through the cosmos. And it's just as well - for since the demise of the space shuttle programme last year, NASA has been forced to piggy-back off other countries rockets for its space expeditions. This enforced co-operation was on show on Sunday, when American Sunita Williams joined colleagues from Russia and Japan on a Soyuz capsule headed to the International Space Station for a four-month mission. Scroll down for video . We have lift off: The Soyuz TMA-05M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan yesterday morning carrying three astronauts nearly 250 miles above the Earth to the International Space Station . Ms Williams, Yuri Malenchenko and Akihiko Hoshide launched successfully from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 0240 GMT. They are scheduled to berth early on . Tuesday, joining Nasa Flight Engineer Joseph Acaba and Russian . cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin aboard the ISS. 'The Soyuz had a very smooth ride into space,' a spokesman for Nasa said during a live broadcast on the agency's television channel. The Soyuz TMA-05M rocket blazed a bright orange trail through cloudy skies above the Kazakh steppe on the first stage of its journey to the ISS, a $100billion research complex orbiting 240 miles above Earth. Moscow hopes a successful mission will help to restore confidence in its once-pioneering space programme after a string of launch mishaps last year, including the failure of a mission to return samples from the Martian moon Phobos. The previous Soyuz launch on May 15 was delayed by more than a month after an accident during pressure tests damaged the Soyuz crew capsule. There were no such delays with Sunday's launch. Expensive trip: The U.S. is dependent on Russia's Soyuz TMA-05M rockets to carry personnel to the ISS since it scrapped its space shuttle programme last year . 'The most tense, the most difficult part (of the launch) has been successfully implemented,' said Vladimir Popovkin, head of Russian space agency Roscosmos. 'I have just spoken to the crew. They are feeling great,' Russian news agencies quoted Popovkin as saying in Baikonur. 'I have no doubts that all will go according to plan.' Colonel Malenchenko, a 50-year-old cosmonaut on his fifth space voyage, loosened his straps about 20 minutes after blast-off after conducting air pressure checks. Asked by Mission Control how the crew was feeling, he replied: 'Good.' A doll given to him by his daughter dangled from the roof of the capsule. Intrepid: Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, center, U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams, right, and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, left, walk to the capsule before the countdown . Explorers: Colonel Malenchenko, left, and Captain Williams, wave to the cameras prior to launch . Captain Williams, 46, and Mr Hoshide, . 43, a civilian engineer, are both on their second space flight and their . first aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. They, along with Colonel Malenchenko, are scheduled to return to Earth in mid-November. The previous crew of three at the ISS returned on July 1. Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, NASA astronaut Don Pettit and European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers helped to dock the first privately owned spacecraft during a six-month stint in orbit. Destination space: The International Space Station is a $100billion research complex orbiting 240 miles above Earth . Sunday's launch took place less than three weeks after China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft returned to Earth, ending a mission that put the country's first woman in space. Although China is far from catching up with the United States and Russia, the Shenzhou 9 marked China's fourth manned space mission since 2003. It comes as budget restraints and shifting priorities have held back U.S. manned space launches. Watch the video . | Russian, Japanese and U.S. crew blasts off successfully .
Moscow hopes to restore confidence in space programme . |
163,333 | 5f3269b38ac343ed9860e8ab1044dfde7af0e012 | Argentina's World Cup hotel room plan has surfaced on Twitter, show which players will be room-mates during the summer tournament. The plan shows that star strikers Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero will be rooming together as the pair look to fire Argentina to victory in South America. Former Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano also shared a snap of the players heading off to Brazil in high spirits. VIDEO Scroll down for Aguero and Messi worked hard during Argentina training . Sticking together: The list of Argentina players who will be sharing a room during the World Cup . Buddies: Lionel Messi (left) and Sergio Aguero will be rooming together in Brazil . He tweeted: 'Road to Brazil with all the enthusiasm in the world!' Alejandro Sabella's side begin their World Cup campaign on Sunday as they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday. Argentina are rightfully the favourites to win Group F which also includes Nigeria and Iran. Atmosphere: The Argentina squad pose for a picture on their way to Brazil . Wingers: Angel Di Maria (left) will room with Paris Saint-Germain star Ezequiel Lavezzi . | Lionel Messi will share a room with Sergio Aguero during the 2014 World Cup .
Angel di Maria rooms with PSG star Ezequiel Lavezzi .
Fernando Gago has a room to himself . |
50,569 | 8f1c50d8e7941851b9192b0f72158fc40f1cf2ff | By . Michael Zennie . A Blackwater security contractor threatened to kill a State Department investigator in Iraq who was looking into allegations of the company's cost over-runs, boozy parties, mistreatment of migrant workers and violence against civilians, according to a newly-released report. Daniel Carroll, Blackwater’s project manager in Iraq, allegedly told Jean C. Richter that 'he could kill me at that very moment and no one could or would do anything about it as we were in Iraq,' in August 31, 2007, Richter claimed in an official report he filed after the fact. But instead of Mr Carroll, a former member of the elite Navy SEAL Team Six, being disciplined, Mr Richter was the one sent home. U.S. Embassy officials in Baghdad told him he had to end his investigation and leave Iraq because he was disrupting the security options Blackwater was providing for diplomatic staff, the New York Times reports. Blackwater security contractors, seen here guarding U.S. Administrator L. Paul Bremer, were paid $1billion to protect Americans diplomats in Iraq . Just over two weeks later, Blackwater contractors opened fire in Baghdad's Nisour Square, allegedly killing 17 civilians and wounding 20 others. The incident caused massive outrage among the Iraqi public and is believed to be one reason Iraqi leaders refused to agree to allow U.S. troops to stay in the country past 2011. Mr Richter claims: 'Mr. Carroll’s statement was made in a low, even tone of voice, his head was slightly lowered; his eyes were fixed on mine. I took Mr. Carroll’s threat seriously. We were in a combat zone where things can happen quite unexpectedly, especially when issues involve potentially negative impacts on a lucrative security contract.' Mr Carroll has not commented publicly on the allegations. Despite his abbreviated visit to Iraq, Mr Richter's report paints a damning picture of Blackwater, which was paid more than $1billion to guard American diplomats. Blackwater contractors, most of whom are former U.S. special operations soldiers, allegedly acted like they 'had the run of the place' in Iraq and were 'above the law' Blackwater was founded in 1997 by Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL. The initial mission was to provide training to military and policy units at a massive facility in the Great Dismal Swamp in North Carolina. In 2002, the company launched Blackwater Security, which provided private soldiers to government clients. Most employees were former Navy SEALs or other special operations soldiers. During the Iraq War, the company proved a major force - providing protection for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and for U.S. State Department staff throughout Iraq. At the height of the war, tens of thousands of private soldiers were scattered across the country. Some estimates indicate up to 100,000 Blackwater contractors were in Iraq at one time. They guarded American compounds and Iraqi assets, freeing up U.S. soldiers to go on the offensive. Most estimates are that Blackwater collected $1billion in U.S. government contracts. According to one report, Blackwater charged $445,000 per contractor per year - six times the cost of fielding a U.S. solider. In September 2007, the Iraqi government revoked the company's license to operate in the country after Blackwater employees allegedly killed 17 civilians when they opened fire in Nisour Square in Baghdad. The government demanded that the Blackwater contractors involved be tried in Iraqi courts. Both the U.S. government and the company said the men were immune from prosecution under Iraqi law. In 2009, after several Blackwater contractors were charged with manslaughter by the federal government, the company changed its name to XE Services LLC and Pricne stepped down as CEO. In 2010, a group of private investors bought the company and changed its name again to Academi - as well as instituting organizational changes. Earlier this year, Constellis Holdings - which owns several other private security companies, bought Academi. He comments in his report that . 'Blackwater contractors saw themselves as "above the law" and actually . believed that they "ran the place."' Mr Ritcher details a pattern of drunken partying by Blackwater contractors, including with female visitors. In . one incident, he describes four guards drunkenly commandeered a . $180,000 armored vehicle to drive to a party and then crashed it into a . blast barrier. Contractors kept their weapons in their . personal quarters, despite rules against it, and carried all manner of . automatic weapons, machine guns and rocket launchers - even when the . contractors were not certified to use them, according to the report. Blackwater guards were also alleged to frequently run Iraqi civilian cars off the road and fire into neighborhoods, sometimes even killing civilians, Mr Richter alleges. Mr Richter's review also found the company's security operations lacking. The contractor often reduced or otherwise changed the number of men assigned to a protective detail without getting permission from the State Department. They also over-billed the State Department and falsified records, Richter alleges. A Blackwater-affiliated contractor also allegedly mistreated migrants it hired to work in its security compound, offering them low wages and squalid conditions for housing - including packing three men in a tiny room with no bed. The company was also accused of badly mismanaging a cafeteria on its compound, providing unsanitary and substandard food. Conditions were so bad, a U.S. military officer wrote a letter to the State Department saying it should be shut down. Blackwater was sold in 2010 and the new owners changed its name to Academi. A spokeswoman for Academi, based in Virginia, declined to comment. Iraqi officials had demanded to try to Blackwater guards alleged to have committed the 2007 Nisour Square massacre in Iraqi courts. However, in 2008, the U.S. government indicted 14 security contractors on charges related to the shooting. In 2009, a federal judge threw out all charges. However, an appeals court allowed the charges to go forward. The case is still pending. | Jean C. Richter says a former Navy SEAL told him 'he could kill me at that very moment and no one would do anything about it as we were in Iraq'
Richter was then ordered to stop his investigation and return to Washington .
His scathing August 2007 report alleges massive abuse in $1billion security contract for State Department employees in Iraq .
Three weeks after report, Blackwater contractors allegedly killed 17 Iraqi civilians in Nisour Square . |
165,051 | 616c0195c5bde70bf958fe77c56e93b165a14f29 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:56 EST, 7 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:28 EST, 8 April 2013 . Rescue workers have recovered the bodies of two young cousins who were buried alive under dirt at a construction site in North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. Seven-year-old James Levi Caldwell and six-year-old Chloe Jade Arwood became trapped after a dirt wall collapsed on them as they played in a 25ft-deep hole in Stanley. Chloe's father, Jordan Arwood, had been working on the unfinished home and called 911 for help. As many as 65 rescuers fled to the scene. Search: Firefighters searched for two children who became trapped beneath dirt at a construction site in Stanley, North Carolina on Sunday night. The bodies were finally recovered on Monday morning . Buried: A wall collapsed on the children as they played in an incident witnessed by one of their fathers . Denver Fire Department public . information officer Dion Burleson told The Associated Press on Sunday . that the effort had changed from a rescue effort to a . recovery effort. Mr Arwood was reportedly in the process of digging out the basement of the unfinished home when the children were caught in the collapse. WCNC reported that . the children, who are believed to be . cousins, were in a basement under construction when a wall collapsed on . them. The father called 911 at 5.07pm and said he saw the children engulfed by the dirt while playing. Grief: Bradley Jones wipes a tear from his eye as he remembers the two children, whom his daughter babysat in recent months and who died in the freak accident in Stanley . Sadness: Investigators walk around the scene of the collapsed construction site on Monday morning . Bad news: Fire and rescue personnel walk to the end of the road where two children died in Stanley . Neighbours told the Charlotte Observer that Arwood lives on the land with his parents and several children. Rescuers from several nearby areas were on scene within minutes, but could not reach the children. The stations said firefighters . were using shovels and climbing gear to try to get the children out. Video from WSOC shows backhoes scooping dirt from a deep hole surrounded . by dirt. Their bodies were recovered around 8am on Saturday. Frantic search: More than 60 rescue personnel raced to the scene and searched all night for the cousins . Horror: The hole at the construction site was believed to be about 20 to 25 feet deep . 'There are calls at times like this happen where we are not able to make a difference because it's outside of our realm,' said Burleson, choking up slightly. 'This is one of those cases, and it's devastating to not only to the family, but each and every one of the responders that is out here.' One neighbour, . Sybil Johnson, told WCNC that she tried to comfort one of the . victim's younger siblings before the bodies were found. 'They kept saying, . "They have been down there too long without air",' Johnson said. 'That . is what the little kids were saying up here. I told them, "God will take . care of them".' Scene: The tragedy happened near Stanley in North Carolina, around 20 miles northwest of Charlotte . Frantic: Crews used shovels and climbing gear trying to get to the children but the search ended in tragedy . Effort: Rescue crews were seen using shovels and climbing gear to try to get the children out . | James Levi Caldwell, 7, and Chloe Jade Arwood, 6, were playing in a 25ft-deep hole when a wall collapsed on them on Sunday afternoon .
One of their fathers was working on the construction site in Stanley, North Carolina when he saw the cousins buried alive . |
187,650 | 7f00a33c4830abf9e7f154fed21cdb78e3a8f6d4 | One person has been killed and another 11 injured after a gas pipe exploded in a busy street in Germany. The explosion occurred directly outside a house in the city of Ludwigshafen in western Germany about 11.30am today. The main fire was extinguished by late this afternoon, but the fireball from the initial explosion had damaged at least 25 nearby homes and buildings. Scroll down for video . The gas pipe explosion caused a blast hundreds of metres high that damaged nearby homes and buildings . Firefighters working on the nearby damaged buildings in the aftermath of the explosion . A cherry picker was used to help them inspect the homes. At least 11 people were injured and one killed . The man who died was a construction worker who was working at a nearby building site at the time . The blast, which occurred at a building site, killed a nearby construction worker and injured four of his colleagues. Flames shot more than 100 metres into the air and also damaged nearby parked cars, The Local reported. It is believed to have been caused by a gas leak which subsequently caught fire. Gas transport company Gascade said it wasn't clear why the pipe, part of a 57 kilometre pipeline that leads southward to the city of Karlsruhe was damaged during work that it commissioned. Police said the main fire at the site was extinguished by late afternoon and smaller fires were now under control. | Gas pipe explosion kills one and injures at least 11 others in Germany .
The blast damaged 25 nearby homes and buildings, and caused several fires .
Gas transport company Gascade said it wasn't clear why pipe was damaged . |
37,832 | 6b1663a85c5e4f2bfcf552eb1e95981cb8f6e836 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 09:45 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:41 EST, 24 December 2013 . A beautiful time-lapse of the Milky Way dancing over the incredibly clear night skies of Mauna Kea in Hawaii has been created by an astronomy student. Sean Goebel from the University of Hawaii at Manoa created the video from photographs taken on three consecutive nights in April and four nights over the summer. His video, which instantly went viral, shows the night sky progression over Mauna Kea, a 4,207 metre (13,803-foot) mountain on Hawaii's Big Island, along with its many telescopes. Scroll down for video... The video, which instantly went viral, shows the night sky progression over Mauna Kea, a 4,207 metre (13,803-foot) mountain on Hawaii's Big Island, along with its many telescopes. Pictured here is the Keck observatory . The summit of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii hosts the world's largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by eleven countries. The combined light-gathering power of the telescopes on Mauna Kea is fifteen times greater than that of the Palomar telescope in California -- for many years the world's largest. It is also sixty times greater than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Keck, Gemini and Subaru telescopes within the complex all have lasers, which are used to remove the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere. The summit of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii hosts the world's largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by eleven countries. Pictured is the Gemini telescope . The summit of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii hosts the world's largest astronomical observatory. The telescopes in the area are operated by astronomers from eleven countries. Their combined light-gathering power is fifteen times greater than that of the Palomar telescope in California. It is also sixty times greater than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. Mauna Kea is unique as an astronomical observing site. The atmosphere above the mountain is extremely dry -- which is important in measuring infrared and submillimeter radiation from celestial sources. The proportion of clear nights in the area is among the highest in the world. ‘Just as waves of heat coming off . pavement blur out the detail in faraway objects, winds in the atmosphere . blur out fine detail in the stars, galaxies and whatever is being . observed,’ explained Mr Goebel. ‘The . laser is used to track this atmospheric turbulence, and one of the . mirrors in the telescope bends hundreds of times per second in order to . cancel out the blurring.’ Mr Goebel set up his cameras on nights when the weather was clear, the moon was small and when he knew the telescopes would be running the lasers. Astronomers are currently using the lasers to observe the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. The proportion of clear nights in this region is among some of the highest in the world. Using a Canon 5D Mk. II and Rebel XT Mr Goebel took 300 one minute exposures, with an average scene taking about five hours to film. The Keck, Gemini and Subaru telescopes within the complex all have lasers, which are used to remove the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere . Using a Canon 5D Mk. II and Rebel XT Mr Goebel took 300 one minute exposures, with an average scene taking about five hours to film . Mr Goebel set up his cameras on nights when the weather was clear, the moon was small and when he knew the telescopes would be running the lasers . The conditions meant that Mr Goebel often suffered from altitude sickness during filming. ‘I've had my vision fade out, have lost my balance, and have needed to stop to catch my breath while hiking around at night,’ he said. To create motion in the scenes, the student used a home-built rotary table and later edited the images to create the video. Mr Goebel has made several other time-lapse videos in the past, including of Yosemite and Death Valley in California- but this one has proved particuarly popular. 'Time lapse of the night skies is awesome. Telescopes are awesome, too. Throw in some 1-ft-wide lasers, and then it's even better,' he said. The telescopes in the area are operated by astronomers from eleven countries. Pictured is the Gemini observatory - an 8.1-metre telescope operated by a consortium of seven countries . Their combined light-gathering power of is fifteen times greater than that of the Palomar telescope in California . Conditions meant that Mr Goebel often suffered from altitude sickness during filming. 'I've had my vision fade out, have lost my balance, and have needed to stop to catch my breath while hiking around at night,' he said . | Sean Goebel created the .
video from photographs taken over seven nights .
Video shows the telescopes and lasers at work at Manuna Kea in Hawaii .
Manuna Kea is world's largest observatory located on a 4,207m mountain .
Observatory is currently looking at the black hole at centre of the Milky Way . |
228,668 | b414822843153152cef5aacaf69a48f57969ee08 | By . Claire Bates . Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a Roman theatre - dating back 2,000 years. Dr Paul Wilkinson, founder of the Kent Archaeological Field School, believes it is the first of its kind to be found in Britain. The theatre with a nearly circular cockpit-style orchestra, which would have seated 12,000 people. It was found in Faversham, Kent - just behind Dr Wilkinson's back garden where his field school is based. Roman remains: Excavations at the site where archaeologists have discovered the remains of a Bronze Age cockpit theatre . Theatres were unheard of in Britain before the arrival of the Romans. This illustration depicts a theatre near St Albans that would have been used around the same time as the Faversham cockpit theatre . The site shows activity dating back to the Bronze Age, but it is the Roman theatre - which would have been used for religious occasions - that has really excited history buffs. Dr Wilkinson is fighting to preserve the unique find for future generations and has applied for it to become an ancient monument site. He said: 'It really is an amazing find, the first one in Britain, and it is just beyond my garden. This is a unique and wonderful discovery, not only for Faversham but for all of Britain. 'The theatre could have held 12,000 people and we are going to request for it to become an ancient monument site because it is so important and we can preserve it for future generations. 'It would have been a religious sanctuary for the Romans. They would have held religious festivals there. It is called a cockpit theatre. 'There are 150 of them in northern Europe, but none in Britain until now. We were not expecting it.' Dr Wilkinson (right) has led archaeological digs in Kent for more than a decade. One of his recent surveys (left) unearthed the remains of a cockpit theatre . Investigations began on the land back in 2007, but the results have only just been released. A cockpit theatre had a large nearly circular orchestra with a narrow stage set much further back than in traditional theatres. Dr Wilkinson believes the site is the only known example in Britain of a Roman rural religious sanctuary, with a theatre actually built into the hillside. Two temple enclosures were found near by as well as a sacred spring. Durolevum was the name the Romans gave to Faversham, and means 'the stronghold by the clear stream.' English Heritage spokesman Debbie Hickman said: 'If the full analysis of the results does confirm that the site on the outskirts of Faversham is a Roman rural theatre, it would be a most remarkable find.' Dr Wilkinson has led archaeological digs in Kent for more than a decade. In September he led a team that found an ancient ceremonial site the size of Stonehenge on the North Downs. The purpose of the neolithic 'henge' near Hollingbourne is shrouded in mystery, however a large amount of burnt bone and pottery discovered suggested it was used for some sort of ritual. The researchers also found antles and cattle shoulder blades, which they think were used as pick axes and shovels by workers who first dug out the henge. The 50metre-wide henge was discovered after a circular mark was spotted in satellite images of the area. | Roman remains reveal first British example of ancient cockpit-style theatre .
Had a large nearly circular orchestra pit with a narrow stage set much further back than in traditional theatres .
Found at site where Kent Archaeological Field School is based .
Archaeologist Dr Paul Wilkinson said: 'It really is an amazing find, the first one in Britain, and it is just beyond my garden' |
227,110 | b2133b77930ecd349b83fbb795415397de2d6332 | Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, David Warner, Shane Watson. Shaun Marsh has been called into Australia's squad for the first Test against India as cover for injured captain Michael Clarke as the team landed in Adelaide. Marsh will join the 12-man squad ahead of the rescheduled first Test, which begins on Tuesday, as captain Clarke remains a doubt through injury. The team attended the funeral of Phillip Hughes in Macksville on Wednesday, and coach Darren Lehmann says there will be no pressure placed on his players to take to the pitch following the tragic death of the 25 year old. Ryan Harris (right) and Steve Smith (left) at Adelaide airport as the Australian team arrived on Thursday . Shaun Marsh, pictured in Coffs Harbour (left) and then arriving in Adelaide (right), has been called up . The Australian players attended the funeral of Phillip Hughes on Wednesday before flying to Adelaide . Mitchell Johnson arrives at Adelaide airport after the flight from Coffs Harbour in New South Wales . First Test - Adelaide, Dec 9-13 . Second Test - Brisbane, Dec 17-21 . Third Test - Melbourne, Dec 26-30 . Fourth Test - Sydney, Jan 6-10 . Hughes and Marsh had been the leading candidates to replace Clarke when the captain suffered the latest recurrence of his chronic back and hamstring problem, ruling him out of the first Test as originally scheduled. The delayed start to the series due to Hughes' death had bought Clarke extra time to overcome the injury, but he remains in doubt. Clarke did not fly to Adelaide on Thursday with the rest of the team from Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, near where Hughes' funeral was held. He was also not immediately scheduled to give any media conferences in Adelaide, adding to speculation that he may not play the opening Test. Australian coach Darren Lehmann said there was no pressure on the players to take to the field . Opening batsmen Chris Rogers (left) was with the team as they arrived in Adelaide for the first Test . Some of the Australian players may also withdraw from the Adelaide Test as they continue to recover emotionally from Hughes' death, and Lehmann stressed Thursday that they wouldn't be forced to play. 'We hope the boys can find the inner strength to play the game in the way Phillip would have wanted in Adelaide next week and that they can honor what he had done,' Lehmann wrote in The Australian. 'We want to hold his values close to our heart and that means playing cricket the way he did, with a love of the game and a smile. It's going to be hard and if somebody is struggling Michael and I understand. There is no pressure on them. We will look after them and we will help them get back to the place where they can play.' | Shaun Marsh called up as cover for Michael Clarke .
Clarke had been experiencing back and hamstring problems .
Australian team arrive in Adelaide for first Test against India .
Team attended the funeral of Phillip Hughes in Macksville on Wednesday .
Clarke did not board flight from Coffs Harbour with rest of the team . |
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