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84,017 | ee4e33b50dc3144f7bdba32733717d7130fc740b | Former Newcastle United striker Micky Quinn insists the club are doomed under owner Mike Ashley - as he is only interested in making money. On Monday it was revealed that John Carver would be remaining in caretaker charge of Newcastle until the end of the season - a move Quinn says highlights the distinct lack of ambition at the club. Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show Quinn said: 'It wasn't a surprise was it? (Carver getting the caretaker job until May). It is the cheaper option for the club. Micky Quinn, who works as a radio pundit on talkSport, believes the club is rotting away under Mike Ashley . Quinn scored 59 league goals in 115 appearances for the Magpies between 1989 and 1992 . 'There is just no ambition and while Ashley is there the soul of the club is rotting away slowly. He is only interested in making money. 'There has been no improvement in the team since John took over. 'He might just show people what he is made of, but the jury is out as far as I am concerned. Is he good enough for Newcastle? 'Based on the last five games, no, he is not good enough. Quinn sees a bleak future for Newcastle under the ownership of owner Ashley . Newcastle fans display a banner calling for former manager Alan Pardew and owner Ashley to leave the club . John Carver has been handed control of Newcastle's last 16 matches and could land the job on full-time basis . Newcastle's last outing was a 2-1 defeat by Southampton at St James' Park in the Premier League . 'It smacks very much of a lack of ambition. It is an insult to the fans at the end of the day.' Quinn has previously said that the next manager at Newcastle should be a Geordie, insisting he would walk to St James' Park to manage the club. Newcastle lie 11th in the Premier League with just over half the season played and face a trip to struggling Hull on Saturday as they look to bounce back from three straight defeats. | John Carver will remain in caretaker charge of Newcastle for the season .
Micky Quinn believes that decision highlights a lack of ambition .
The former striker says there has been no improvement under Carver .
Quinn says Ashley is only interested in making money and nothing else . |
169,306 | 670f31f3214d95f6990ab617e2d8de5ed4fa2b7a | (CNN) -- Like many parents across the city of Liverpool, the McManamans waited. Twenty-five years ago, it was all they could do. There were no mobile phones to call, no text messages that could be sent to calm the frayed nerves of concerned families. Twitter wasn't on-hand to provide minute-to-minute updates; Facebook statuses couldn't be refreshed to comfort worried relatives. So they waited, hoping to see their son Steve appear at the bottom of the road. "I was there, so I remember everything about the day," recalls the man who was that teenage boy. Now 42, Steve McManaman went on to play more than 250 games for Liverpool Football Club between 1990 and 1999. But back then, he was still making his way as a professional player. "I traveled along with the Liverpool youth team, the apprentices and the reserves, to watch the game," he tells CNN. "I was always OK because I was with the team and the players' wives, so we were in the main stand. Fortunately I was in the stand watching the incident unfold in front of me. It was a harrowing experience. "It shouldn't happen when you get up in the morning and go to watch a football match." It was April 15, 1989. Liverpool's senior team was contesting an FA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest 75 miles away at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. While McManaman was able to return home to his family, others never would. The death of 96 fans on that spring afternoon cast a shadow which still hangs over a sport, a football club and a city. The match kicked off at 15:00 local time but within minutes it had been abandoned, the football becoming irrelevant when framed against the human tragedy unfolding in the Leppings Lane stand. In those days huge banked terraces were commonplace in English football. Metal fences separated the thousands gathered in the stands from the pitch. The fatal crush in such a terrace at Hillsborough sent a jolt through England's Football Association, eventually leading to the introduction of all-seater stadia. "That was the end of standing in stadiums," McManaman says. "The stadiums are safe now, they're all modernized and better." It is a tragedy that is not just felt in the red-jersey-wearing half of Liverpool. On that same day, Merseyside's other football club Everton also contested an FA Cup semifinal against Norwich City. The blue half of Liverpool celebrated a 1-0 win and a place in the final, but it wasn't long before that joy was tempered by the realization that their neighbors had just endured their darkest hour. Among the thousands of Evertonians who had ventured 100 miles south to the game at Villa Park, in the city of Birmingham, was a young Jamie Carragher. Carragher went on to become a part of Liverpool folklore, making over 500 appearances for the Reds and helping them to win the European Champions League in 2005 before retiring last year. But before he became a professional footballer, Carragher was an Everton supporter and, like many others, he was unaware of what had unfolded at Hillsborough. "It was in the days before mobile phones, so it was very difficult to know what was going on, really," says Carragher, who spent his entire 16-year playing career with Liverpool. "We heard reports, stories. It wasn't just a Liverpool tragedy, it was a Liverpool city tragedy. "The Everton fans and Everton football club have both played a major part in it over the last 25 years and I think the whole city felt it." And there are many still feeling it today. Relatives of those who died have fought a tireless campaign for justice. After a quarter of a century, the end may finally be in sight. A fresh inquest into the tragedy began last month after the initial verdict of "accidental death" verdict that had stood for over two decades was quashed in December 2012 by the High Court. A jury will decide on a range of issues relating to that fateful day, including whether police amended statements to deflect blame away from the force and onto Liverpool fans. The inquest could run until 2015. Later this month Liverpool will pay its respects. The club will stage a charity match on April 21, with a host of former players -- including Carragher and McManaman -- turning out to raise money for the Hillsborough Family Support Group. "Now I'm not a player I'll still go, former players go back," Carragher says. "We're there to pay our respects to the 96 and also to the families that are there." Despite Liverpool's rich and proud history -- five European Cups and 18 English championships -- McManaman regrets that the team will always be intrinsically connected to British football's darkest day. "It's sad really, but certain disasters do shape football teams," he says. "It's just sad that you always refer back to disasters." | The Hillsborough stadium disaster claimed lives of 96 football fans on April 15, 1989 .
Former Liverpool player Steve McManaman was in the stands at ground in Sheffield .
The tragedy united the English city, with Everton supporters also mourning those who died .
It led to a change in stadium safety rules, while a new inquest has begun . |
97,499 | 097b956c8fb2d4102080f169e665b2bfdfd4b0e5 | In court: Julie Franck has been charged with armed robbery after allegedly stealing her own mother's engagement ring and cash . A pregnant woman helped an assailant to repeatedly shoot her own mother with a stun gun so the pair could steal her jewels and cash, a court has heard. Expectant mother Julie Franck allegedly donned a ski mask to conceal her identity as her mother was attacked by an unknown accomplice outside her home. The mystery shooter fired a stun gun around 15 times at Franck's 55-year-old mother outside a block of flats on North Marshfield Avenue, Bucktown, Chicago, on October 9th. The pair then allegedly stole her $40,000 3.5-carat diamond engagement ring and $200 in cash. Cook County bond court heard the pair also took credit and debit cards, the Chicago Tribune reports. A witness was able to pull off Franck's ski mask before the duo sped off in a Smart Car after the robbery, the court was told. Franck's mother was treated for her injuries at Resurrection St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital. Franck was arrested on Friday and has been charged with armed robbery. Judge . Edward Harmening held Franck in custody with $300,000 bail. Prosecutors . did not say whether the second suspect had been arrested. Scene of the crime: Franck's unknown accomplice allegedly shot her mother 15 times with a stun gun outside her home in Bucktown, Chicago, pictured, before stealing her jewels and cash . Identity revealed: Cook County bond court, pictured, heard Franck was arrested after a witness managed to pull off her ski mask before she fled the scene of the robbery in a Smart Car . | Pregnant Julie Franck is accused of wearing a ski mask to hide her identity while an unknown accomplice repeatedly shot her mother with a stun gun .
Pair then 'stole' her mother's 3.5-carat diamond ring, cash and credit cards .
Franck charged with armed robbery of her mother's Chicago home . |
139,158 | 3ff38a6645da14bc9c0a7d228de94a1491f79250 | By . Thomas Durante . UPDATED: . 08:46 EST, 9 February 2012 . Clint Eastwood, the star of the Super Bowl's most controversial TV ad, has denied the Chrysler spot was a booster for President Obama's re-election campaign. The ad, which declares 'it's halftime in America,' has received mounting criticism from Republicans, who say it was a thinly-veiled nod to President Obama, who bailed out the auto industry during the recession. The ad was subject to additional . backlash today after it emerged that it wasn't even filmed in Detroit at . all - but in New Orleans and Los Angeles. Scroll down for video . 'Halftime in America': Clint Eastwood leads a cast of major celebrities featuring in this year's Super Bowl ads . 'l am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr Obama,' Eastwood told Fox News Monday. 'It was meant to be a message about just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it.' In a short statement to the network, the 81-year-old actor and director said he believed the ad was being 'spun' by political partisans, though that was never the intention of the clip. The comments come as it was revealed the ad, which speaks prominently of the hardship in Detroit was not even filmed in the Motor City. The news was reminiscent of the . Jennifer Lopez controversy in November, when it was discovered that the . singer was featured in a Fiat commercial set in her hometown of the . Bronx, New York - but in reality, she never left Los Angeles to film her . part. Chrysler spokeswoman Dianna Gutierrez told the Weekly Standard that Mr Eastwood's tunnel scenes were actually shot at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. She added that stadium shots were done in New Orleans. Among the goofy Super Bowl ads aimed . at selling beer and Doritos, Chrysler's commercial stood out as the . automaker sent the veteran actor to strike a serious chord with viewers. A strong message: Chrysler's commercial stood out as the automaker sent out Mr Eastwood to strike a serious chord with viewers . Should NBC have been allowed to broadcast Clint Eastwood's politically-charged Super Bowl ad for Chrysler? 'People are out of work and they’re . hurting. And they’re all wondering what they’re going to do to make a . comeback. And we’re all scared, because this isn’t a game,' The . Dirty Harry star says in his trademark vocal growl. 'The people of . Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again.' But on Monday Karl Rove, a former political adviser for President George W. Bush, told Fox News that he was 'offended' by the advertisement. He said: “I'm a huge fan of Clint Eastwood, I thought it was an extremely well-done ad, but it is a sign of what happens when you have Chicago-style politics, and the president of the United States and his political minions are, in essence, using our tax dollars to buy corporate advertising'. Another Republican pundit, Michelle Malkin, took to Twitter to vent her rage, saying: 'Agh. WTH? Did I just see Clint Eastwood fronting an auto bailout ad???' Mr Eastwood stepped into the shoes left vacant by rapper Eminem, who delivered his own Motor City unity speech for Chrysler last year. Motor City: Mr Eastwood says in the ad that the people of Detroit know something about mounting a comeback . The ad drew praise from the Obama camp. White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer tweeted: 'Saving the America Auto Industry: Something Eminem and Clint Eastwood can agree on'. Last year, the Treasury Department reported that taxpayers likely lost up to $1.3billion in the Chrysler. However, the agency touted the finding as a ‘major accomplishment,’ as the government originally predicted that the government would lose $40billion on the deal, CNN reported. Attack: Karl Rove, left, said he was 'offended' by the ad, while Michelle Malkin took to her Twitter page, right, to call out Mr Eastwood for 'fronting an auto bailout ad' Criticism: Despite what may be perceived as political undertones in the ad, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne insisted the ad has 'zero political content' Despite what may be perceived as . political undertones in the ad, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne insisted . the ad has 'zero political content'. Before 'Halftime in America,' Chrysler was in the Super Bowl ad business last year with a two-minute commercial starring rapper Eminem. The ad, which was set over Eminem's anthem Lose Yourself from the film 8 Mile put him and his hometown in the national spotlight. In 2011, Chrysler was trying to reinforce itself as a luxury brand in the year’s biggest advertising showcase. CEO Sergio Marchionne said that the automaker purchased the ad in an effort to convince people that the company has changed. He didn't give an exact cost but said Chrysler paid less than $9 million for the ad. Mr Marchionne added: 'We are as . apolitical as you can make us... and I sincerely hope that it doesn't . get utilized as political fodder in a debate. Mr Eastwood himself is no stranger to the political fray. He served as an unaffiliated mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, from 1986 to 1988, and has contributed to both Republican and Democratic causes over the years. The ad is sure to ignite tensions on the 2012 campaign trail, as Obama can hold it up as a triumph for the controversial bailouts he authorised for Chrysler and GM three years ago. But it could come back to bite Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney, who argued in November that the bailouts in his home state of Michigan, were the 'wrong way to go'. Mr Eastwood joined a class that included comedian Jerry Seinfeld, actor Matthew Broderick and Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima (twice!) who took turns in various TV spots aimed at selling products ranging from cars to Doritos. Watch video here . | Shock as it emerges the ad was actually filmed in in New Orleans and Los Angeles .
Karl Rove says he was offended by ad that he said is an example of Obama's 'Chicago-style politics'
Michelle Malkin decries commercial as Clint Eastwood 'fronting an auto bailout ad'
Obama camp praises ad as something 'Eminem and Clint Eastwood can agree on'
U.S. taxpayers lost $1.3billion in Chrysler bailout . |
145,081 | 47a45cce1bf8efd11f88a56026ed8f09af0057db | (CNN) -- Drake's "Worst Behavior" paid off at 2014's BET Hip Hop Awards. The Toronto rapper took home two awards at Tuesday night's pre-taped ceremony, including album of the year for his 2013 release, "Nothing Was the Same." He was competing against Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP 2"; Future's "Honest"; Rick Ross' "Mastermind"; Schoolboy Q's "Oxymoron"; and Yo Gotti's "I Am." The rapper/actor wasn't the night's top winner, however: That title went to DJ Mustard, who could lay claim to the track of the year as the producer of rapper YG's "My Hitta." Kendrick Lamar was also granted the recognition he controversially lost out on at the Grammy Awards this year. The California MC was honored with the title of Lyricist of the Year and Best Featured Verse for his mic-dropping rhymes on "Control." This year's Hip Hop Awards were hosted by Snoop (who had a little digital dustup with new artist winner Iggy Azalea) and featured a tribute to hip-hop icon Doug E. Fresh, who gave a heartfelt and heartbreaking acceptance speech, and a throwback performance of Brandy's 1994 debut single, "I Wanna Be Down." Here's the full list of winners: . Best Hip Hop Video . "Worst Behavior," Drake . Best Collabo, Duo or Group . "My Hitta," YG feat. Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan . Best Live Performer . Kanye West . Lyricist of the Year . Kendrick Lamar . Video Director of the Year . Hype Williams . DJ of the Year . DJ Mustard . Producer of the Year . DJ Mustard . MVP of the Year . DJ Mustard . Track of the Year . "My Hitta," produced by DJ Mustard . Album of the Year . "Nothing Was The Same," Drake . Who Blew Up Award . Iggy Azalea . Hustler of the Year . Dr. Dre . Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style) Nicki Minaj . Best Hip Hop Online Site . WorldStarHipHop.com . Best Club Banger . "Move That Doh," Future feat. Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino . Best Mixtape . "28 Grams," Wiz Khalifa . Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse . "Control," Kendrick Lamar . Impact Track . "Kingdom," Common feat. Vince Staples . People's Champ Award . Drake, "Worst Behavior" | The 2014 BET Hip Hop Awards aired Tuesday .
Drake and Kendrick Lamar each earned two honors .
DJ Mustard was the biggest winner of the night with four . |
259,552 | dc0481440fd920bf09ba7585378ec87a32233f19 | (CNN) -- Cars have Global Positioning System devices to pinpoint where drivers are when they get lost, so why can't GPS be used to locate the exact position of planes when the worst happens? There is currently no way to constantly track planes as they fly over oceans. It took search and rescue teams over 30 hours to locate the wreckage of the Air France plane that crashed in the Atlantic on Monday. It appears that the aircraft's onboard GPS system was little help to rescuers in the mission. Although details of Air France flight 447's fate remain uncertain, in some air accidents, this critical time could mean the difference between life and death for any survivors. Michel Roelandt, aviation expert for Eurocontrol, a European air navigation safety organization, told CNN that nearly all modern planes are fitted with GPS navigation systems. How sophisticated those the communications and navigation systems are is down to individual airlines when they fit out their planes, an Airbus spokesperson told CNN. On board GPS systems are primarily navigation tools for the crew, and do not currently enable a constant tracking of a jet by a ground crew at all times. Planes receive a position signal, but don't transmit that back. This is not a problem when a jet is flying over land or in coastal areas, as it is tracked by radar. Over oceans radar does not work as it relies on line-of-sight tracking from a ground station. On oceanic flights a flight crew will know its exact position via GPS, but it is not able to be tracked by air traffic control. It is left to someone in the cockpit to relay information via satellite communication to air traffic control or a ground station. "Airlines often have a contract with a private operator to provide their satellite communications. Some companies pay for it, some have free contracts," Roelandt said. Modern jets equipped with an Aircraft Communication, Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), like the A330-200, are also able to send automatic digital signals. These are not instigated by the crew but report automatically on the plane's systems and relay information to a receiving station. In AF447's case that was Air France's head-quarters in France. According to an Airbus spokesperson, it is up to an airline to determine how much information is sent in a data signal; it may or may not include location details. Shortly before the AF447 disappeared, its automatic system initiated a four-minute exchange of messages to Air France's maintenance computers, indicating that "several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down," Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said on Monday. When the Air France Airbus A330-200's systems failed these messages would no longer have been able to be transmitted. They did relay the plane's location, but the plane continued flying for an unknown period of time, so the precise location where it went down could not be known. Once a plane loses its electronic system, the automatic data messages can no longer be sent, and in those circumstances no one on the flight deck would be able to transmit a message either. Aviation experts have stated that the idea of GPS tracking has not been part of any safety review within the aviation industry. The general consensus has been that a trained flight crew is on hand that always has the capability to be in contact with someone on the ground should an emergency arise. In the case of Air France Flight 447, it appears that the crew had no time to relay an emergency message. As well as searching for wreckage, a crashed plane can be found by pin-pointing the location of the in-flight black box recorder. Black box flight recorder devices contain flight deck data and crew voice recordings. When a plane has crashed black box recorders automatically emit a honing signal, located via radar. Emitting a regular ping for 30 days it can be picked up via radio waves, meaning there is a limit to the distance from the device search and rescue teams can be before they can pick up the signal. According to Airbus the capabilities of tracking a black box is down to the airline; satellite tracking of black box recorders is not a standard requirement. The Air France jet was equipped with a satellite-tracked black box recorder, but it is thought that depths of the ocean in the crash area are too deep for it to be located It's also possible, although unlikely, that the location of a troubled aircraft could be pinpointed by military defense satellites, experts said. Some U.S. military satellites employ heat-sensitive cameras that scan the skies for missiles and could possibly detect a plane if it were not obscured by clouds, said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a public policy organization whose Web site provides news on weapons systems and the defense industry. Upgrading from radar to satelitte . The aviation industry is moving toward replacing its traditional radar-based tracking system with a satellite one that would allow air traffic control to know where a plane is at all times. However the new systems would still not enable air traffic control to track planes over remote ocean areas. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has begun implementing a system, nicknamed NextGen, in which GPS signals would transmit an aircraft's precise location to air traffic controllers via ground receivers. The system would allow planes to fly more direct routes instead of zig-zagging between radio beacons. The FAA is testing the system in pockets of the U.S. and plans to be using it by the end of the year in the Gulf of Mexico, much of which is out of radar range. The agency hopes NextGen will cover the entire country by 2013. Roelandt says a similar system will be implemented in Europe by 2015. "It means planes will automatically transmit the GPS position to the ground and surrounding aircraft within about 150 miles," he said. "In the far future the idea is to be in a free flight condition," where pilots have more flexibility in their routes while GPS keeps planes safely separated. In a trial last year using an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, two Airbus planes were able to change altitude safely while cruising over oceanic airspace. At present, airliners flying over oceans are usually not permitted to change altitude, because oceanic airspace beyond a certain distance from land cannot be controlled by radar. Controllers and pilots keep the planes on vectors, or defined highways in the sky, to maintain safe distances between aircraft. The ADS-B system is being developed internationally. But the expense of outfitting planes with GPS is dwarfed by the cost to upgrade from radar to satellite tracking of planes. According to a 2006 FAA report, it would cost $4.6 billion to change to a satellite-based system in the U.S. "It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation," Roelandt said. "If you don't put an implementing rule on this equipment, airlines won't install it as it's a costly operation for them. It is ongoing, and will be installed on European commercial airliners, but it takes time as always." CNN's Brandon Griggs and Emanuella Grinberg contributed to this story. | GPS on airliners can't help locate planes, as they receive but don't send signals .
Pilots know their position over an ocean but don't automatically share that data .
Both the U.S. and Europe are implementing GPS-based air traffic control systems . |
40,795 | 7310500a37096a0875fe675e319e92488d55221e | Here are three things to know about new U.S. sanctions against North Korea over a cyberattack on Sony Pictures, whose movie depicting the fictional assassination of North Korea's leader has infuriated Pyongyang, which denies responsibility for the cyberattack: . Pyongyang's rhetoric over the weekend, which included a vow that the new sanctions and America's 'inveterate repugnancy and hostility' would not weaken the North's 1.2-million-strong military, is probably directed as much at a domestic audience as it is at Washington. The United States imposed new sanctions Friday on North Korean government officials and the country's defense industry for a cyberattack against Sony, insisting that Pyongyang was to blame despite lingering doubts by the cyber community . Some North Korea watchers believe that sanctions help to insulate Pyongyang from taking responsibility for its failures, and allow Kim Jong Un, the 30-something leader who took power in late 2011 after his father's death, to better solidify his power and bolster his domestic image as a strong leader. Pyongyang, the argument goes, uses tension with the outside world, in general, and sanctions, in particular, to whip up always high anti-U.S. sentiment. This, in turn, allows the leadership to justify its inability to feed many of its people and the continuing push to develop nuclear bombs it says are needed to defend against Washington. The new measures are unlikely to make much of a difference in North Korea, which has been bombarded by sanctions for decades and which has woven an obsession with self-reliance into its national psyche. Some analysts say Washington and others have the ability, should they choose, to apply more severe financial measures to hurt the North's leadership. But many others point out that a raft of multilateral penalties from the United Nations, as well as national sanctions from Washington, Tokyo and others meant to punish the government and sidetrack its nuclear ambitions, have done nothing to derail Pyongyang's pursuit of a nuclear tipped missile that could reach America's mainland. The most recent sanctions, which target 10 North Korean government officials and three organizations, including Pyongyang's primary intelligence agency and state-run arms dealer, will have a limited impact because North Korea will likely assign other people or organizations to take over the work of those targeted, analysts say. The measures probably won't hurt recent efforts to improve ties between the rival Koreas. North and South Korea have been at each other's throats, both figuratively and literally, since the Korean Peninsula was divided at the end of World War II into a U.S. backed capitalist south and a Soviet-backed communist north. In the decades since they were founded in 1948, the Koreas have established elaborate patterns of communicating their intentions toward each other, even as they trade bombastic rhetoric and threats. The North's comments over the weekend have been largely viewed in Seoul as leaving the door open for warming ties as they didn't specifically criticize South Korea. | The United States imposed new sanctions Friday on North Korean government officials and the country's defense industry for a cyberattack against Sony .
Pyongyang's vow that the new sanctions would not weaken the North's 1.2-million-strong military, is probably directed as much at a domestic audience as it is at Washington .
Some North Korea watchers believe that sanctions help to insulate Pyongyang from taking responsibility for its failures, and allow Kim Jong Un to better solidify his power and bolster his domestic image as a strong leader . |
163,086 | 5ee300d5066d49e7be85f54ac5bcfd191804033e | A former Revlon employee is suing the cosmetic company claiming he was unjustly fired and the company's CEO made racist remarks. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, Alan Meyers, 56, a former chief scientific officer at Revlon, claimed Revlon CEO and President Lorenzo Delpani made racist and offensive remarks against, Jews, blacks, and Americans, the New York Post reports. Delpani allegedly said he hates living among Americans, calling Americans 'small-minded' and 'dirty,' according to the court papers. The Italian-born Delpani allegedly said he couldn't wait to get back to a 'real' country. Lawsuit: Former Revlon scientist, Alan Meyers, 56, is suing the cosmetic company claiming he was unjustly fired and the company's CEO Lorenzo Delpani (photographed) made racist remarks . Meyers also holds that he was discriminated against for his Jewish heritage. Meyers said that Delpani told him he was 'shocked' that there weren't more Jews at the company, with Revlon's largest shareholder being Ron Perelman, a Jewish American. According to the suit, Delpani said that 'Jews stick together' and added that 'thankfully' Perelman 'is not like that anymore.' In the lawsuit, Meyers accused Delpani of making racist remarks toward blacks upon his return from a meeting in South Africa. Delpani allegedly said he could 'smell a black person when he entered the room,' according to Clutch Magazine. He also allegedly went on an 'anti-American' rant in which he said the U.S. is becoming like . ISIS,The Virginia Gazette reports. Event: (left to right) Ron Perelman, Olivia Wilde, and Delpani attend the 'Love Is On' campaign launch event with Olivia Wilde at Times Square in November . Fired: Meyers reportedly began working for the cosmetics company in 2010 and was fired last month . Meyers is Jewish and American-born. He claims Delpani has had it out for him since he expressed concerns about safety issues surrounding Revlon's acquisition of a Spanish beauty care company in 2013, the Gazette reports. Meyers claims Delpani accused him of raising 'ghost' safety problems at the recently acquired labs, resulting in slower production. Meyers said he repeatedly expressed his concerns to Delpani who urged him to keep quiet so the CEO could maintain 'plausible deniability' of the issues. The lawsuit says that Meyers was fired Dec. 10, after working for the company as a scientist for 4 years, when he complained about the issues and Delpani's treatment of him, according to the Post. Meyers spoke about an October incident, in the suit, when Delpani made the 56-year-old hold up a whiteboard for almost 30 minutes during a meeting, forcing him to act as a human easel. The ordeal is affecting Meyers health, he says. Meyers says he is experiencing chest pains due to stress from the situation which have forced him into the hospital. He is seeking unspecified punitive and compensatory damages, in the suit, the Post reports. 'Shocked:' Meyers claims that Delpani said he was 'shocked' more Jews didn't work for the company, with Revlon's largest shareholder being Ron Perelman, a Jewish American (photographed) Revlon struck back, vowing to 'aggressively fight these baseless claims and this frivolous action,' according to the Gazette. Company officials described Meyer's claims as 'meritless,' saying the scientist demonstrated 'critical lapses in judgement.' The company holds that Meyers 'failed to perform at the high standard we demand of our employees.' | Former Revlon scientist Alan Meyers filed a lawsuit against the company Tuesday claiming he was unjustly fired and the CEO made racist remarks .
Meyers claims he was fired for expressing safety concerns that Revlon CEO Lorenzo Delpani told him to keep quiet .
Meyers claims Delpani said all 'Jews stick together,' he 'could smell a black person when he entered the room,' and Americans are 'small-minded' and 'dirty'
The company called Meyers' claims 'meritless' saying the company plans to fight the 'frivolous' suit . |
217,278 | a54b01c6a7f0d6b6c66b67dcc8037b605befc242 | A mother of five whose two-year-old son could die at any moment without round the clock care has told how she 'cried with happiness' after her campaign to stop her son’s help being cut was successful. Sarah Walton pleaded with the South Australian Government after they announced they were going to take away the highly-trained nurse who helps look after her son Zackary one day a week. Zackary has Treacher Collins Syndrome and also has a tracheostomy, which means his airway is compromised and could be obstructed at any moment. ‘We have to monitor him around the clock. It's already highly stressful and exhausting, and the one day of respite care allowed us to get by,’ Mrs Walton wrote on a change.org petition that has been signed by over 37,000 people. Two-year-old Zackary Walton has a tracheostomy, which means his airway is compromised and could be obstructed at any moment . Zackary is feed with a tube and his mother Sarah has to monitor him 24 hours a day . The 27-year-old found out on Friday morning that the National Disability Insurance Scheme will reinstate Zackary’s nurse after public outcry about the decision to cut his help. The family live in Mannum, in South Australia, about an hour and a half from Adelaide, and living rurally means their local hospital isn't trained to deal with emergencies for people with a tracheostomy. Mrs Walton, who also looks after her four other children at home while her husband works long hours to make ends meet, said the response has been ‘overwhelming’. ‘I cried I was so happy. It just means so much. It means I will be able to manage, to look forward to things and plan things again,’ Mrs Walton told Daily Mail Australia. On Mrs Walton’s moving change.org petition she wrote: ‘It's a scary weight to carry around, knowing that it's up to me to know what to do and keep my son alive' Mother Sarah Walton pleaded with the South Australian Government after they announced they were going to take away the carer who helps look after her son Zachary one day a week . ‘I can do all the things everyone takes for granted again – one day a week - now without worrying about equipment or life or death. ‘I can get in the car and just breathe,’ she said. Mrs Walton is looking forward to being able to continue to take her other children, Patience, Imali, Briella and Kynan, to the movies and the beach one day a week in the school holidays. ‘Zackary can’t go anywhere like that so the other kids miss out,’ she said. ‘And I can get my hair done and go food shopping, pay the bills, get in and out of the car, have coffee and have time to organise birthday presents - just the little things.’ The mother described how Zackary ‘absolutely adores’ the nurse who looks after him one day a week and is ‘very particular with people’. Having a nurse for Zackary means Mrs Walton can take her four other children, Patience, Imali, Briella and Kynan, to the cinema and the beach in the school holidays . Zackary 'absolutely adores' the nurse who looks after him one day a week, Mrs Walton said . Over the next few years things are only going to get harder for the Walton family as Zackary begins major re-constructive surgery. The relief Mrs Walton feels knowing that a nurse will be there to help – at least for the foreseeable future – is palpable. ‘If anything it will get worse, not him but the issues he faces. For example he doesn’t get head colds, it goes straight through his lungs… he will be starting kinder soon and the more he goes out the more he gets sick,’ she said describing the challenges ahead. Treacher Collins syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the growth and development of the head. It prevents the skull, cheek and jawbones from developing properly, causing facial defects and hearing loss. About one child in every 50,000 is affected. Problems range in severity from mild to very severe. In most cases, the child’s intelligence is normal. ‘He will also have some big surgery. From next year he will have a jaw… they will break it at the back and slowly turn it millimetres per day to bring it forward. He will also have his checks rebuilt and the surgery will go into adulthood. ‘There is no guarantee that he’ll ever not need a feeding tube.’ On Mrs Walton’s moving change.org petition she wrote: ‘It's a scary weight to carry around, knowing that it's up to me to know what to do and keep my son alive. It's a weight parents of children with tracheostomies shouldn't have to bear just because they live in a rural area. ‘That's not right. We can't easily just move. We own our home, we'd need to uproot our other children, we have family here, we have hopes and dreams and aspirations for our future in this town. We just want to safely be able to include our son in that future.’ The family are still calling for more training about tracheostomy patients for doctors and nurses in rural hospitals. ‘This is my son's life at stake. It's also the lives of many other children with tracheostomy who are being ignored and neglected. Right now it seems like only a matter of time before the unthinkable happens, and someone like my son dies because of the lack of training and help the government is giving to rural tracheostomy patients,’ she wrote. The family are still calling for more training about tracheostomy patients for doctors and nurses in rural hospitals . | Sarah Walton lives with her son Zackary and four other children in rural SA .
Zackary has a tracheostomy, which means his airway is compromised .
He needs to be monitored around the clock so that he can breathe .
The government told Sarah they were scrapping Zackary's nurse .
The highly-trained nurse visits the boy one day a week .
It gives Sarah a break to run errands and take her other children out .
She pleaded with the government in an online petition which 37,000 people signed and on Friday they announced they would reinstate the nurse . |
41,631 | 757239934d58ce8cb0a8f553d0f88bc04dd59e94 | Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? Who is Saja al-Dulaimi, a woman who's been tied to the ISIS leader? And what would she be doing in Lebanon, now purportedly in custody of authorities there? Those are some of the many questions about reports of the arrest of a woman that regional sources describe as al-Baghdadi's wife, al-Dulaimi, but who Iraq's Interior Ministry said Wednesday is anything but. What makes the situation even murkier is how little is known about al-Baghdadi. Yes, he heads the self-declared Islamic State, leading a group that has used brutal tactics -- think beheading innocents, kidnapping civilians, raping women -- to overtake vast swaths of Syria and Iraq. Yes, he fashions himself as a spiritual authority as he spearheads efforts to spread his group's extreme form of Sharia law to any territory it touches, and to punish nonbelievers along the way. But al-Baghdadi the man is a mystery. And so is his family, his wife or wives included. Which brings us back to the woman being held by Lebanese authorities. Is she not his wife, as the Iraqi ministry suggests, or perhaps an ex-wife, as American sources in Washington say? Or is she a "powerful figure (who is) heavily involved in ISIS," as a source with knowledge of her arrest told CNN? And if it's the latter, what role did she play in the terrorist group? And what was she doing in Lebanon, a country on the fringes of Syria's years-long civil war? She's his wife, or his ex-wife, or neither . The reported detention of a wife and child of al-Baghdadi has made many wonder who exactly the woman is and what she might know about the terrorist group's inner workings. Authorities in Lebanon, where the woman was arrested, haven't officially commented on the matter. Neither has the CIA, amid suggestions that Western intelligence was involved in her capture. But the Iraqi Interior Ministry, citing a source in an intelligence cell under its authority, said the woman's identity didn't match up with either of the names it has for al-Baghdadi's two wives, Asma Fawzi Mohammed al-Dulaimi and Israa Rajab Mahal Al-Qaisi. "There is no wife named Saja al-Dulaimi," the ministry stated bluntly, saying al-Dulaimi is the sister of a man who is imprisoned in Iraq and has been sentenced to death for a series of bombings. It doesn't help that Baghdadi's family life is cloaked in mystery. A biography posted on jihadist websites last year gave little away, stating simply that he was "married." CNN was told that al-Baghdadi has two wives. The news agency Reuters, citing tribal sources in Iraq, said he has three. And ISIS certainly isn't confirming anything. Some of its members took to social media Tuesday to deny that any wife of al-Baghdadi had been arrested. She wielded power, but how much? If the woman is indeed Al-Dulaimi, she is "very active" in the organization, a regional source with knowledge of the operation told CNN. She was reported to have previously been held by the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad. In March, al-Dulaimi was released from Syrian custody as part of a group of 150 women who were freed in return for a group of Syrian nuns, an intelligence source told CNN. But her apparent attempt to cross into Lebanon with a child at a time when authorities there are tightening security around the border raises questions about the state of her relationship with al-Baghdadi. "Is he estranged from them? Has he fallen out with them? Were they escaping from him?" asked Sajjan M. Gohel, the international security director at the Asia Pacific Foundation. Uncertainty also remains about how much influence al-Dulaimi would have had within ISIS, which is known for its oppressive treatment of women. Analysts say women who join ISIS may find their role limited to that of housewife for jihadi men. But in February, ISIS formed Al-Khansaa, a female battalion with about 60 members whose job is to inspect women who pass through checkpoints and to enforce the organization's strict morality code for women. She could reveal vital intelligence, or hardly anything . The arrest of al-Dulaimi, if it was her, was a coordinated operation involving intelligence agencies from Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, an intelligence source familiar with the arrest told CNN. The source said the Iraqis had help from the U.S. intelligence community, an account corroborated by a second source in the region with knowledge of the operation. But in Washington, the CIA had no comment on the matter. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, expressed confidence that the United States would be able to "gain some intelligence" from al-Dulaimi. "We may get insights into al-Baghdadi's movement, who he surrounds himself with, whether he was injured, and the degree of his injuries," he said, referring to recent reports that al-Baghdadi was hurt in airstrikes. Not everyone was convinced she would provide a treasure trove of insight into ISIS, though. Expressing skepticism, a former senior U.S. military official told The New York Times that in the Iraq war, the Americans captured a wife of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader or al Qaeda in Iraq, ISIS' forerunner. "We got little out of her, and when we sent her back, Zarqawi killed her," the unidentified official told the newspaper. And since al-Dulaimi was reportedly seized more than a week ago, what intelligence she carried may already have passed its sell-by date. "In military conflicts, information flows are very immediate, and they become yesterday's news very quickly," said Michael Stephens, a Middle East research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. She was with a son, or a daughter . The identity of the child with al-Dulaimi is still the subject of conflicting reports. An intelligence source told CNN that the child was al-Dulaimi's 4-year-old son. Other news organizations, including Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press, also reported that it was a young boy. But Reuters, which originally reported the same thing, later revised its reporting to say that she was with a daughter. The New York Times also said it was a daughter rather than a son. Deepening the intrigue, one regional source even told CNN that al-Baghdadi himself has been calling up, asking for his son to be released. The full picture of who exactly Lebanese authorities have in their custody is still to be revealed. | There are conflicting reports on many details about the woman detained in Lebanon .
Some intelligence officials have said she's the ISIS leaders' wife, others say an ex-wife .
A source tells CNN she was with a son, but other reports suggest it was a daughter . |
12,053 | 22316b87f38deac4e1ef2c5820832b311f5dc188 | (CNN) -- The prospect of a winter World Cup in 2022 looks set to become a reality after Europe's football associations voted against holding the tournament in the Qatari summer. All 54 member associations of UEFA, Europe's governing body, backed the decision at the meeting in Croatia Thursday. "They all agreed that this competition could not take place in the heat of Qatar in the summer," FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told CNN. "At the end of the day common sense has to prevail here and I'm glad at long last common sense has prevailed," he added. FIFA, the game's world governing body, has been considering the option of moving the tournament because of fears that players and fans would be adversely affected by the searing heat, which can reach 122 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. FIFA President Sepp Blatter recently stated that it would not be feasible to hold a summer World Cup in Qatar and will make a decision on the timing of the tournament at the Executive Committee meeting in Zurich, Switzerland on October 3 and 4. A winter World Cup would cause chaos with the European domestic season with clubs fearing they could lose out financially. "What has to happen now is that the people who are involved, including the people from Qatar, they have to sit down and work out a situation that's going to cause (as) minimum (a) disruption that can possibly be made to football," said Boyce. "Not only in Europe but throughout the world. "There are nine years to plan the World Cup and surely with common sense this can be overcome." UEFA President Michel Platini, who voted for Qatar, believes a move to January or February would suit his members. "I was very happy to learn that FIFA president Joseph Blatter wants to move the 2022 World Cup to the winter, something I've long advocated," the Frenchman told the media last month. Platini also rejected claims by the chief executive of the English Premier League, Richard Scudamore, who claimed switching the World Cup was "well nigh impossible," citing disruption to the calendar and the impact on lucrative television deals. He added: "For 150 years, England has imposed its calendar and we've respected it. "So for once, for one month, England could respect another calendar." FIFA's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar has led to huge criticism with Australian football chiefs threatening legal action. Australia, which lost out to Qatar along with South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, believes it should be compensated if the World Cup is held in the winter rather than the summer. Earlier this week, the Football Federation of Australia laid out its case which it expects FIFA's Executive Committee to examine. "An in-principle decision that just and fair compensation should be paid to those nations that invested many millions, and national prestige, in bidding for a summer event," it said. "If there is consensus within the Ex-Co that a change in date should be considered, then a transparent process should be established to examine the scheduling implications for all leagues and a method developed for agreeing appropriate compensation for those affected." That case is unlikely to succeed according to a FIFA spokesperson, despite the pressure from the Australian FA. A FIFA spokesperson told CNN: "As part of the bidding documents all bidders, including the FA Australia, accepted that the final decision regarding the format and dates of the staging of the FIFA World Cup and FIFA though initially expected to be in June/July, remains subject to the final decision of the FIFA Organizing Committee. "There is no ground for any speculations." | UEFA backs plan to move 2022 Qatar World Cup to winter .
FIFA will hold vote next month in Zurich to decide on outcome .
UEFA president Michel Platini has suggested a January or February time frame .
Australia wants compensation for switch from winter to summer . |
117,944 | 244be928f0630c4a0f50a1b404e4b0613786e4b3 | (CNN) -- Alex Caizergues toasts danger with a glass of bubbly in one hand and a clenched fist in the other. The Frenchman has good reason to celebrate after smashing the World Sailing Speed Kitesurfing record over 500 meters, reaching an average speed of 56.62 knots (104.8 kph). The record was officially confirmed by the World Sailing Speed Record Council on Thursday. "This record was something else," the ecstatic 34-year-old told CNN earlier in November. "It was fantastic." Facing fierce winds and unrelenting waves, Caizergues beat the previous record set by American Rob Douglas by 0.97 knots -- an effort achieved in a sport where danger is always lurking. "It's an action sport, so of course, it can be dangerous," said Caizergues, who celebrated his achievement with a glass of champagne.. "It's as dangerous as any other sport like cycling and you have to be careful not to make any mistakes because it can end with bad injuries. "I've been lucky and only had one bad injury, which came in competition last season." Ask Caizergues about his latest achievement and he gives a Gallic shrug and a small laugh, but this is no minor achievement for the Provencal-born star who has hunted down record after record. In 2010 he became the first man to break through the 100km/hr barrier -- an achievement which earned him no shortage of recognition. His latest triumph came in the salt marshes of Salin-de-Giraud where he was carried along by the Mistral -- a fierce cold wind which blows toward the Mediterranean Sea from the uplands in southern France. The wind speed can often reach up to 130km - making it the ideal place for breaking records. "It is a very strong and powerful wind," added the Frenchman. "It blows really hard. We had speeds of 55 knots sometimes. The wind can be really wild and you have to be careful. "We've had days when its almost 60 knots and that can be too much." After taking up the sport 12 years ago, Caizergues has excelled by winning three world titles and two national championships and he now plans to break more records. But before that, he plans a celebration -- or two -- with that champagne. "The team have worked with me throughout this record and they deserve to celebrate," he added. "Everyone has worked so hard to make this happen and I want to enjoy it with them." | Alex Caizergues sets new world speed kitesurfing record .
Frenchman broke record over 500 meters after averaging 56.62 knots .
Run aided by the Mistral -- a fierce cold wind which blows down south of France coast .
Caizergues now looking forward to next run in fierce conditions . |
70,149 | c6db37768199d94f1e17bc02b665491a9fb2ec50 | Nigel Farage had to be locked in a pub for his own safety yesterday after being surrounded by a hostile crowd as he launched a by-election campaign. Farage and his entourage were first heckled as they attempted to hold a press conference in The Canons’ Gait in Edinburgh by protesters shouting ‘racist scumbag’ and ‘scum’. The flustered UKIP leader was asked to leave and went outside where he tried to carry on making a speech. Not-so-Braveheart: Ukip leader Nigel Farage is . bundled into a police riot van after anti-fascist protesters laid siege . to a pub where he was today launching his campaign to win more seats in . Scotland . Public disorder: Police restrain angry protesters as they take Mr Farage to safety in the riot van . As the angry demonstration continued, . he attempted to flee by hailing a taxi but it was surrounded. A woman . in a wheelchair rolled in front of the cab to stop it driving away. Farage leapt out and police had to . escort him back into the pub. He was eventually driven away in a police . van as protesters chanted ‘scum, scum, scum’. He said: ‘I do not know what they are . shouting, we have never, never ever had this response. Is it because I . am English? I’ve never had anyone call me a racist.’ Not flowery in Scotland: The UK Independence Party leader is on the receiving end of some abusive language during the visit . 'Racist Nazi scum': Angry protesters heckle Mr . Farage outside the Canon's Gait Pub in Edinburgh after his attempts to . flee by taxi were foiled. He is seen being led back to the safety of the . pub by police officers . His trademark is to be pictured enjoying a pint in pubs during campaigns, this time for the poll in Aberdeen next month. Farage arrived at The Canons’ Gait at 5pm with around ten supporters, including UKIP candidate Otto Inglis. After being jostled and heckled, . staff asked them to leave. One said: ‘It was getting loud and unsafe for . customers. We did not invite him here.’ The protest is said to have been organised on social media by a group called Radical Independence Edinburgh. The wheelchair user who blocked his get-away gave her name only as Rachel, 24, from Edinburgh. ‘It’s obvious that people in Scotland blatantly don’t want him and his policies here,’ she said. Outside the Canon's Gate Pub: Today's . demonstration against Mr Farage and his policies is understood to have . been organised on social media by a group called Radical Independence . Edinburgh . Speaking after the event, Mr Farage . said: 'Normally I would love to be locked in a pub, but it was pretty . unpleasant. It’s not something I’ve experienced myself anywhere else in . the United Kingdom. 'If this is the face of Scottish nationalism, it’s a pretty ugly picture.' 'This was dressed up as an anti-racism protest, but it was nothing of the sort – it was an anti-English thing.' Mr Farage said the protesters were ‘not prepared to have a conversation’ and he praised the police for a ‘very, very good job’. 'If the police hadn’t been there it could have turned very nasty,' he said. The UKIP leader was in Scotland to promote his party following a string of victories in English council elections. The party is fighting next months’ Holyrood by-election in Aberdeen Donside, and is aiming to win a . Scottish seat in next year’s European election. Mr Farage asked to meet political . journalists in a pub near the Scottish Parliament, and selected the . Canons’ Gait on the Royal Mile. Often pictured with a pint in his . hand, the colourful politician chatted to reporters and drank a beer . before he carried out TV interviews. But around 20 protesters arrived in . the bar shortly after 5pm. Mr Farage was accused of being a . ‘racist’ and likened to BNP leader Nick Griffin by the angry mob. The . politician defended his policies, before peace was briefly restored and a . press conference was held with journalists. But 15 minutes later, the anti-racism . activists started chanting again and – with no apparent sense of irony - . shouted at Mr Farage to ‘go home’. A bar manager ordered protesters, journalists and ‘you too Mr Farage’ to leave the pub. But the UKIP leader was surrounded by campaigners on the street outside, with chants including: 'UKIP scum off our streets.' 'People in Scotland blatantly don't want him': . Mr Farage's attempts to flee in a taxi were foiled when protesters . surrounded the vehicle and one woman rolled her wheelchair in front of . it to stop it from driving away . Not going anywhere: Protesters block the street . ahead of Mr Farage's taxi. The woman in the wheelchair, who gave her . name as Rachel, said: 'He is a racist b******. His views on immigration . are just wrong' Time for plan B: Mr Farage is escorted by police as he exits the taxi to return to the now empty pub . Around ten police officers had been . called to the scene, who stopped traffic on the busy road. A taxi was . flagged down, but the driver refused to let Mr Farage in his car. The MEP then tried to speak to . protesters again, and a number of anti-British slogans were shouted at . him. A second taxi was flagged down by police officers, and Mr Farage . got inside. However, a female activist in a . wheelchair blocked the cab from moving, and Mr Farage was eventually . forced to exit – leaving his briefcase inside. Officers bundled him back inside the . Canons’ Gait, and the doors were locked. As protesters swarmed around . the building, a riot van arrived ten minutes later at 5.40pm and took Mr . Farage to a hotel elsewhere in the city centre. UKIP spokesman Gawain Towler said the abuse hurled at Mr Farage ‘sounded’ anti-English, adding: 'It was inchoate rage.' Mr Towler insisted that his leader . would continue with his engagements north of the Border, including a . dinner for fundraisers, and will return to Scotland in August. Mr Farage . also plans to travel north for next year’s independence referendum. UKIP has never made a breakthrough in Scotland, receiving just 0.91 per cent of the regional vote in the 2011 Holyrood election. But the party achieved its best ever . English local government results earlier this month, polling an average . of 23 per cent in the wards it contested, and returning 147 councillors. Anger: A protester confronts Mr Farage inside . the Canon's Gate pub as he tries to give interviews to the Press. The . pub's management said the Ukip leader did not even bother to inform them . of his plans . Mr Farage responds to the hecklers: A member of . the bar staff said the first they knew of the press conference was when . police phoned them at three in the afternoon - just three hours before . it was due to start . Before the trouble started, the UKIP . leader told reporters his hopes of making a breakthrough in Scotland had . been improved by next year’s independence referendum. 'The SNP is selling an entirely false . prospectus to the people of Scotland. They talked about independence . within the European Union – don’t make me laugh,' he said. 'If the SNP position was they wanted . to be out of the United Kingdom and out of the European Union, at least . intellectually, you could respect that position.' He said the independence debate has . prompted a discussion on EU membership, adding: 'We’ve got some things . to say about how Scotland might be outside the European Union with a . reinvigorated fishing industry. 'There’s a gap in the political market for UKIP in Scotland that didn’t exist last year.' But Mr Farage admitted the . 'immigration argument' was not as potent in Scotland because there has . not been the same influx of foreigners north of the Border as in the . south of England. | Protesters shouting 'racist Nazi scum' storm UKIP press conference .
They then lay siege to the pub forcing police to barricade doors .
Mr Farage is in Scotland campaigning for Aberdeen Donside by-election . |
109,338 | 18f013bdd90b2ee33d64035d8345dcfec233b834 | Paris (CNN) -- Investigators trying to determine why an Air France plane crashed mysteriously two years ago have recovered the complete contents of the flight data recorder and the last two hours of cockpit conversation, they announced Monday. It will take several weeks to analyze the data, French air accident experts said. All 228 people aboard Air France 447 were killed when the Airbus A330 belly-flopped into the ocean June 1, 2009, in stormy weather. The cause of the crash is still not known. Discovering that there was data on the recorders "is excellent news. It is really going to help us work out what happened on that plane," said Martine Del Bono, spokeswoman for France's Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA). Q&A: Will the mystery of Flight 447 be solved? The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were found at the beginning of May after an unprecedented series of submarine searches of a mountain range 3,900 meters (12,700 feet) under the ocean. They were brought to the surface and taken to Paris by ship and plane. The investigators also recovered two bodies from the fuselage -- after finding only about 50 bodies in the days immediately after the crash. They will not bring more bodies up from the ocean if they cannot identify the two they already have, they said Thursday. Those two bodies are being examined to see if there is enough DNA to identify them, investigators said, adding that they hope to have results by Wednesday. If they can identify the remains, they will consider bringing up other bodies from the wreckage. The bulk of the plane was located earlier this year and contains many more human remains, according to investigators. Recovering more bodies will be a difficult task, with miles of cable required to bring each one up over a period of three hours, they said. Investigators also brought an engine and an avionics bay containing computers to the surface, they said. The pilots of Air France 447 lost contact with air traffic controllers on June 1, 2009, while flying across an area of the Atlantic known for severe turbulence, officials said. But exactly what caused the plane to plunge into the ocean remains a mystery. The plane slammed into the water while en route from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Paris, falling so fast that air masks did not have time to deploy. The fuselage was discovered in April with bodies still inside, investigators said. Some relatives of those who died have expressed reservations about remains being brought to the surface. Last month Robert Soulas, head of a support group for families of flight victims, said: "For me, personally I would like to leave the bodies of my children, my two children, on the seabed." Other relatives have called for the bodies to be recovered. CNN's Ayesha Durgahee, Catherine Clifford and Niki Cook contributed to this report. | NEW: Discovering there is data on the recorders is "excellent news," investigators say .
All the information on the flight data recorder is recovered, as are cockpit conversations .
The data recorders were pulled up from the bottom of the Atlantic nearly two years after the crash .
Air France 447 went down in June 2009, killing all 228 people aboard . |
137,885 | 3e529a81c7b5c84e91e34e658a55f7f7250d0929 | PUBLISHED: . 05:04 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:39 EST, 20 March 2013 . Eppie Sprung Dawson drove the teenager into the countryside where she had sex with him . A shamed teacher who was caught in a car with a 17-year-old pupil yesterday admitted that she had sex with the youth. A court heard how Eppie Sprung Dawson, 26, had agreed to give the dyslexic teenager extra help with his lessons at the Catholic secondary where she worked. But the married English teacher, who was only four years into her career, drove him to the countryside, stopped in a lay-by and had sex with him. They were spotted together by police officers on a routine patrol. At Dumfries Sheriff Court yesterday, Dawson admitted that on December 21, while she was in a position of trust, she engaged in sexual activities with, or directed towards, a person under the age of 18, and that she had sexual intercourse with him. Procurator fiscal depute Lyndsay Hunter said that Dawson had met the youth in Dumfries and then drove him to a lay-by on the Cummertrees to Hoddam Road. She said that at around 5.20pm, police noticed the car, which had condensation on its windows. The fiscal added: ‘The officers remained in their vehicle and spotted the couple in the passenger seat of the car. ‘They left their vehicle and approached the parked car where they saw the couple having sexual intercourse. Happily married: Eppie Sprung Dawson with her husband Ranald Dawson on their wedding day . Dawson admitted that while she was in a position of trust as a teacher she had sex with one of her pupils . 'The police officers knocked on the car door and then saw the accused and a male, both naked from the waist down.’ Mrs Hunter said that Dawson was spoken to and it became clear that she was a teacher. The fiscal added that she made no reply when cautioned and charged. Sheriff George Jamieson deferred sentence until May 1 and called for reports, including a psychiatric assessment. Dawson, of Dumfries, who taught at the town’s St Joseph’s College, was placed on the sex offenders’ register. Responsibility: Dawson taught at St Joseph's College and was four years into her career . Sheriff Jamieson said the length of time she would remain on the register would be decided when she was sentenced. Bail was continued. Solicitor David Finnie, defending, told the court that he would reserve his plea in mitigation until reports were prepared. When Dawson was originally charged in January, one former pupil said that she often sent text messages signed off with kisses and claimed that she was known for being ‘touchy-feely’. Yesterday, a spokesman for Dumfries and . Galloway Council said Dawson was no longer employed by the authority . and it would therefore not be appropriate to comment on the case. In court: Dawson will be sentenced on May 1 at Dumfries Crown Court (pictured) Last night, there was no answer at the house that Dawson had shared with her husband Ranald, 32 – the son of the former Solicitor General for Scotland, Lord Dawson. The teenager’s family could not be contacted for comment last night but when details of the case originally emerged, a woman at the family home said: ‘He is the victim in this but I don’t want to talk about it.’ A spokesman for the General Teaching Council for Scotland said: ‘We are aware of this case and conducting our own investigations into this matter.’ | Eppie Sprung Dawson taught at a Catholic secondary school in Dumfries .
The court heard how she agreed to give the dyslexic teenager extra help .
She drove the boy into the countryside and had sex with him in a lay-by .
The 26-year-old was placed on the sex offenders' register and will be sentenced on May 1 . |
12,136 | 226fed4f719e38cd696efe0c2a8623faae3014ae | Lewis Hamilton's relentless courting of the celebrity world has led him to engage Purple PR, a London-based agency that includes music stars Bjork, Beyoncé, Adele, Prince among its clients. Hamilton, 30, split from Simon Fuller's XIX Entertainment towards the end of last year, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail. While Purple will look after his image - the style of his tweets has already grown more toe-curling ingratiating towards his followers - he is yet to appoint a new manager to negotiate a new contract at Mercedes, the team at which he won the world title last year. Lewis Hamilton split with Simon Fuller's stable last year and will look for a new representative . A new deal is far from a formality. They covet Fernando Alonso and privately consider Hamilton high maintenance. On Thursday, meanwhile, Hamilton made the most of his time away from the track by attending the Louis Vuitton Menswear Fall/Winter 2015-2016 show in Paris on Thursday. The 30-year-old was dressed to impress in a navy suit and shiny shoes while sporting a new hairstyle. Hamilton attended the Louis Vuitton Menswear Fall/Winter 2015-2016 show in Paris on Thursday . | Lewis Hamilton split from Simon Fuller XI Entertainment last year .
Beyonce, Adele, Bjork and Prince among Purple PR's clients .
Hamilton attended the Louis Vuitton Menswear show in Paris on Thursday .
Click here for more F1 news . |
223,218 | acf956c663fa92394731985a1ef575c13ca699d0 | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 20:20 EST, 1 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:20 EST, 1 December 2013 . One of the country’s largest energy firms said it was likely to freeze prices until 2015 after George Osborne unveiled plans to reduce green levies. Ahead of his Autumn Statement this week the Chancellor gave details of reforms which he said would see £50 shaved off energy bills. He also announced new handouts of up to £1,000 for homeowners to spend on insulation and energy-efficient boilers - saying it would be funded by a fresh crackdown on tax avoidance. Checking the bill: Details of handouts of up to £1,000 for homeowners to spend on energy-saving measures have been revealed (file picture) But last night one Tory backbencher said David Cameron would be able to reduce gas and electricity bills further if he stopped listening to his Liberal Democrat colleagues and axed the green levies altogether. George Osborne’s Autumn Statement on Thursday will include a range of changes, including a freeze in business taxes for small firms, and a £250million boost to the British Business Bank to help small companies access funding. And he confirmed yesterday that it would include an announcement that the government would pay for some green measures currently included in people’s bills - cutting the cost for families across the country. In addition, energy firms will be given two years longer to hit targets on the insulation of homes, enabling costs to consumers to be spread out. The moves were welcomed by the energy firms - and the Chancellor said he was certain that the average £50 saving from slashing the Energy Company Obligation - would be passed on by energy firms to consumers. Preview: Ahead of his Autumn Statement this week, Chancellor George Osborne gave details of reforms which he said would see £50 shaved off energy bills . ‘This will help families,’ he said. ‘We’ve been in discussions with the energy companies. We are absolutely insistent that this is going to be brought in.’ A spokesman for EDF said its ‘decision to hold back the full impact of rising costs’ earlier this month by implementing lower rise than competitors had been ‘validated by the conformation that the Government will take action on energy changes’. ‘Customers should expect other energy suppliers to follow EDF’s lead by significantly lowering their prices,’ he said. In addition, anyone buying a home will be eligible for the £1,000 grant for energy efficiency measures, such as installing insulation or replacing the boiler. The sum could be even higher if the property needs a great deal of work. Asked how £1,000 grants for homebuyers to improve energy efficiency and cuts to environmental levies on bills would be funded, Mr Osborne replied: ‘The money will come from additional taxes that we will raise from dealing with tax avoidance.’ He refused to give details of the tax avoidance crackdown but said people were wrong to be sceptical about whether such action really raised revenue. ‘This government has taken step after step and the amount of tax we collect from people who were previously avoiding their tax goes up by billions of pounds over this parliament,’ he said. The Chancellor attacked Labour’s pledge of a 20-month freeze on energy prices if they win the election - which has been dominating the political agenda since Ed Miliband announced it in September. Idea: One Tory backbencher said David Cameron would be able to reduce gas and electricity bills further if he stopped listening to his Liberal Democrat colleagues and axed the green levies altogether . ‘We are doing it in the way that government can do it, which is controlling the costs that families incur because of government policies,’ he said. ‘We are also doing it in the way that is not going to damage the environment or in any way reduce our commitment to dealing with climate change.’ Lib Dem president Tim Farron claimed credit for the retention of green levies - after reports that Mr Cameron had wanted to get rid of some of the green ‘c***’ in his policies. ‘It’s been a job and a half over the last month to make sure we hold him to those pledges and the green core of this government,’ he said. ‘And that is why we are not scrapping the investment; we’re just making sure it’s funded from general taxation - that is absolutely right. ‘Fuel bills is a huge and important issue... but I’ll tell you what, all those things even pale into insignificance compared to the threat of climate change so we absolutely must hold the Prime Minister to account on this issue.’ 'This government has taken step after step and the amount of tax we collect from people who were previously avoiding their tax goes up by billions of pounds over this parliament' Chancellor George Osborne . Last night Tory backbencher Douglas Carswell said: ‘David Cameron should be responding to the common sense of the British people, rather than to Lib Dems like Tim Farron. ‘This is the tragedy of Coalition as it prevents people taking the proper choices rather than, like the Lib Dems, posing and preening.’ Ed Miliband will today dismiss the Government’s energy levies shake-up as ‘smoke and mirrors’, saying ministers do not ‘get’ the cost-of-living crisis. The Labour leader is to insist that the ‘cosy deal’ reached with the ‘Big Six’ power firms will still see bills going up this winter. ‘A lot of people think that David Cameron and George Osborne are trying to catch up with One Nation Labour on the cost-of-living crisis: from pay-day lending to energy bills,’ he will say. ‘But the truth is they are struggling to catch up with the British people who live at the sharp end of an economy where the link between the wealth of our nation and family finances has been broken. That is the cost-of-living crisis that is happening in our country today. ‘That is how this Government and any government will be judged. And it is how the Autumn Statement will be judged.’ Jonathan Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow Energy and Climate Change Minister, said: ‘The Energy Company Obligation is David Cameron’s scheme. He only introduced it this year and a few months ago he was even boasting that it was bigger than previous energy efficiency schemes. ‘Labour has consistently said that ECO should be reformed to make it better value for money and targeted at those in fuel poverty. 'But what the public really needs is a Labour government implementing a price freeze until 2017 and resetting the energy market so that it works for the long term.’ | Chancellor gives details of reforms he claims will see £50 shaved off bills .
Reveals details of handouts of up to £1,000 for energy-saving measures .
Osborne says it will be funded by a fresh crackdown on tax avoidance .
Climate change policies are expected to cost Britain £85billion by the end of the decade, a think-tank has claimed. Benny Peiser, of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, said: ‘The public has absolutely no idea how staggeringly costly and excessive the Government’s climate initiatives are.’ |
118,059 | 24733606cd4cd8550128b45b5398f98ecbf5b895 | Big Ben and London Bridge are two of the most popular spots in the world to take a selfie, according to new statistics. Tourist attraction site AttractionTix analysed social media to find mentions of travel hotspots alongside the world 'selfie', and have compiled a list of the most popular places to pose for a self-taken self portrait. At the top of the list was the Eiffel Tower in Paris, with more than 10,700 posts found so far in 2015, ahead of Disney World in Orlando, Florida and the world's tallest building - the Burj Khalifa - in Dubai. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen (left) and Stoke City footballer Geoff Cameron have both snapped selfies at the most popular destination, the Eiffel Tower . High Jackman timed his smile to perfection in a nice shot above New York City . WWE legend and movie star The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, took to Instagram for a New York selfie . Big Ben was in fourth place with over 8,000 posts, just ahead of the Empire State Building in New York, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona and Disneyland Paris. The Colosseum in Rome, Rockefeller Centre in New York and London Bridge completed the top 10. Popular global sites that didn’t rank in the 10 ten include the Sydney Opera House, Statue of Liberty, the Vatican and the Tower of Pisa. Celebrities and sporting stars often take to Instagram and other social networking sites to keep their army of fans updated as to there whereabouts. Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley is a big fan of the selfie, often taking on the role of a tourist and snapping away on Instagram. And music heavyweights Eminem and Sean 'P Diddy' Coombs are no stranger to taking a selfie. Simon Applebaum, consumer marketing director at AttractionTix, said of the results: 'Selfies have not only become acceptable, but the standard thing to do nowadays when at an attraction, so it's only natural that people are taking selfies of themselves when travelling around the world, and then sharing them on social media. Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley enjoys playing the role of a tourist - here he is at Stonehenge . Sean 'P Diddy' Coombs took time out to snap himself at the Mona Lisa at The Louvre in France . Eminem also got in on the act with the world's most famous painting in the background . 'Our top 10 features traditional sites such as the Eiffel Tower and Colosseum, but it was interesting to see that the Burj Khalifa ranked third, one of the world's newest skyscrapers beat sites with hundreds of years of history.' Other UK landmarks to make the top 40 include Buckingham Place, the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Madame Tussauds London. Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle and the Blackpool Tower also featured. The research was taken from selfie shots posted on Instagram with the keyword. 1. Eiffel Tower, Paris (10,700) 2. Disney World, Florida (9,870) 3. Burj Khalifa, Dubai (8,860) 4. Big Ben, London (8,780) 5. Empire State Building, New York (8,430) 6. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona (4,970) 7. Disneyland Paris (4,740) 8. Colosseum, Rome (4,670) 9. Top of the Rock, New York (4,290) 10. London Bridge (3,820) 1. Big Ben (8,780) 2. London Bridge (3,820) 3. Buckingham Palace (3,320) 4. London Eye (3,300) 5. Madame Tussauds (1,600) 6. The Shard (871) 7. Tower of London (820) 8. London Zoo (816) 9. Kew Gardens (804) 10. Stonehenge (724) Actor Tom Hiddleston was so pleased to be in China he took a snap of the experience . Big Ben is the most popular UK location to take a selfie at; pictured here is MailOnline Travel's Katie Amey with two of her friends . More than 219 million images tagged with the word 'selfie' in order to compile the data, and according to recent figures more than one million selfies are taken every day around the world. Over 1 million selfies are taken every day, and it’s not just the public that like to snap a photo of themselves when visiting famous landmarks. Celebrities including Selena Gomez, and John Legend and his wife have also been spotted posing for selfies at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. | Eiffel Tower is the most popular destination in the world for a selfie .
Big Ben and London Bridge are the highest ranked UK landmarks .
Celebs such as Tom Daley, Hugh Jackman and P Diddy fans of the selfie . |
278,215 | f46995a1dc479a28368aeb5b20fc1cb569915095 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 07:31 EST, 8 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:44 EST, 9 May 2013 . Council planners have banned a grandfather from selling his flowers outside his village home in aid of a children’s charity - in case the colourful displays distract passing driver. Award-winning gardener Joe Poultney, 69, donates hundreds of pounds made from the sale of his flowers to a local children’s hospice and his village church every year. But he was stunned when bureaucrats from Stafford Borough Council ordered him to stop selling the plants - claiming the vibrant display distracted motorists. Colourful display: Pensioner Joe Poultney, has been ordered to stop selling flowers outside his home in Barlaston, Staffordshire, in case it distracts passing drivers . Congestion: Stafford Borough Council said it received the complaints that the selling of plants from the house on Tittensor Road in Barlaston was causing traffic problems . The pensioner has now been told he must spend £385 to register a planning application for permission to continue selling the blooms outside his home in Barlaston, Staffordshire. Mr Poultney originally started giving away his plants for free but now charges just £1 for a tray of six. Despite donating all the money to charity, he was told he needs to register as a business because he has altered the use of his property. He said: 'This whole episode makes me feel quite sad because I won’t be able to give as much money to the children’s charity and the church as I did last year. Dedication: Mr Poultney spends three hours every single day just watering his prize-winning plants . 'I have always been interested in gardening and I grow a lot plants in my garden as a hobby now I have retired. 'At first I gave any excess plants I had to other residents in the village and then more people asked me whether I could sell some to them. 'If there were any left, I usually sold them for about £1 for a tray of six. It was never intended to be a business. 'I . know the council is worried it might cause problems with congestion on . the road, they even told me the colourful displays could distract . drivers which could cause accidents. 'I have always asked people to park around the corner where Barlaston Methodist Chapel is and I walk to give them their plants. 'I also donate some money to the church for them letting me use the car park. 'It’s ridiculous, I don’t run a garden centre, it is just killjoy council officials.' Mr . Poultney has even received an award from Barlaston Parish Council for . making a valuable contribution to the community for his attractive . garden. He donates his . profits to the Donna Louise Children’s Hospice Trust and has received . thank you letters from the charity and Barlaston Methodist Chapel. It . takes Mr Poultney, who gardens with his wife Heather, 67, three hours . to water his plants as well nurturing their hundreds of seedlings. Mr . Poultney, who has two sons and two grandchildren, added: 'I only really . sell the plants at weekends and normally get up to six people coming in . a day so I don’t understand why it would cause problems. 'The ironic thing is I won an award . two years ago from Barlaston Parish Council for making a valuable . contribution to the community for having such a nice, well-kept garden. 'It takes three hours to water the garden every other day and my wife helps me. We spend hours out there every day.' Expensive hobby: Mr Poultney, who donated all the money made by the sale of his plants, has been told he must pay £385 to apply for planning permission if he wishes to continue selling them . Neighbours also backed his planning fight and said there was never any traffic congestion outside his house. Peter Hulme, 58, said: 'I don’t think Joe is causing any problems by selling plants from his house. 'Most of his customers come on foot to the house and it is not very often that I see cars parked outside his house. 'Joe has a lovely garden and it is a real asset for the community to have something as nice as that here.' A spokesman for Stafford Borough Council said: 'We had a complaint that the selling of plants from a house was causing traffic problems. 'We visited the owner and told him he needs permission to be allowed to sell from the property.' | Joe Poultney, 69, donates all proceeds from the sale of the plants to charity .
Stafford Borough Council chiefs said the flower displays may distract drivers .
He will have to pay £385 to apply for planning permission to sell the plants . |
17,201 | 30bda3e34ebe45e50ccfa08b5174a0df5ff835af | CLICK HERE to find out why Paul Pogba was in Paris watching PSG on the eve of the transfer window closing... Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned from injury to score a hat-trick for Paris Saint Germain's in their 5-0 victory over St Etienne on Sunday evening. The Sweden international has been sidelined for two weeks with an abdominal strain but showed no ill effects as he put three past the visitors with a variety of finishes at the Parc des Princes. Without their talisman, PSG had only managed five points from their opening three games and were languishing in 12th position before this result moved them up to joint second place behind leaders Bordeaux. VIDEO Scroll down to see Ibrahimovic's hat-trick and a poor error from St Etienne's keeper . In your face! PSG talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring his hat-trick in typical fashion . Swede dreams: Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted on his return after being sidelined for two weeks with injury . On the rise: The win took the reigning French champions back up to second in the league table . Back in business: PSG have only managed five points from three games in the absence of their captain . On yer bike! Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic attempts an audacious overhead kick during the game . The scoring was opened in comical style, when a back pass from St Etienne's Clement slipped under the foot of keeper Stéphane Ruffier for an own goal. Ibrahimovic opened his account in the first-half when he held off Florentin Pogba - whose brother Paul was watching from the stands - to meet Maxwell's cross with a bullet header. The 32-year-old netted twice more in the second half - either side of a strike from Edinson Cavani -by slotting the ball beneath the beleaguered Ruiffier with different finishes to complete the rout and a memorable comeback. It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . Hair raising! David Luiz posted a mock up of Zlatan Ibrahimovic with his trademark hair after the game . Double act: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Luiz in action during the Ligue 1 game at Parc des Princes . First blodd: (L-R) Edinson Cavani, Marco Veratti and Javier Pastore celebrate after PSG opened scoring through an own goal from Stéphane Ruffier . Argy bargy: PSG playmaker Javier Pastore (R) gets away from Kevin Monnet-Paquet of St Etienne . What's he doing there? Paul Pogba was in the stands to support brother Florentin who plays for St Etienne . Famous faces: Former France president Nicolas Sarkosy was also in attendance at the Parc des Princes . Elsewhere in Ligue 1, Metz scored twice in the last 10 minutes to beat Lyon 2-1 as the once dominant team in French football continued their early-season struggle. Alexandre Lacazette gave Lyon the lead midway through the second half, but a penalty from Yeni Ngbakoto levelled up and Juan Manuel Falcon poached a late winner for the home side. Visitors Lyon have now lost three on the trot after starting with a win over Rennes. Bordeaux's impressive 100 per cent start to the season came to an end on Sunday with a 1-1 draw against Bastia at the Stade Chaban-Delmas. Junior Tallo's first-half strike, his second of the campaign, seemed like giving Claude Makelele's men their second consecutive 1-0 Ligue 1 win before Diego Rolan broke Corsican hearts with little over 10 minutes left. Take Zlat! The Swedish talisman pumps his fists after doubling PSG's lead in the second half . Coach trip: PSG manager Laurent Blance speaks tactics with Brazilian defender Maxwell (R) Support act: Edinson Cavani also got in on the act by scoring the fourth goal for the champions . On target: The Uruguay international celebrates his goal in the second half . Man hug: David Luiz embraces Edinson Cavani after the game that saw PSG return to winning ways . It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Paris Saint Germain defeated St Etienne 5-0 to go second in Ligue 1 .
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick on return from abdominal injury .
French champions had only managed five points without their talisman .
Paul Pogba was at Parc des Princes to support brother Florentin .
Edinson Cavani and own goal from Stéphane Ruffier completed the rout . |
240,186 | c2f0c2e7353dfc418ca1607c9f1d9fb682e3976e | (CNN) -- Casey Anthony, accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008, did not mention the child's disappearance to her boyfriend, any of his roommates or her acquaintances at a nightclub during the month Caylee was missing before police were notified, a handful of witnesses testified Wednesday. The evening of June 16, the last day Caylee was seen, Anthony was "the way she was every day," her then-boyfriend, Anthony Lazzaro, testified. "Happy. Happy to see me. Having a grand old time." After that, he said, Anthony started staying at his Orlando apartment daily. At the time, he was living with roommates Cameron Campana, Nathan Lezniewicz and Roy "Clint" House. All three men testified that they knew Anthony before she moved in and that they had met Caylee. Caylee's disappearance was not reported to police until July 15. After Anthony moved in, according to testimony, neither Lazzaro nor his roommates saw Caylee again. Anthony has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and denies harming her daughter or having anything to do with her disappearance. Defense attorney Jose Baez has said that once all the facts are known, it will become clear that his client is not guilty. In addition to capital murder, Anthony, now 25, faces six other charges, including aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and providing false information to authorities. If she is convicted by the jurors -- seven women and five men -- she could face the death penalty. The Orlando trial, which comes after nearly three years of legal twists, turns and delays, has garnered interest nationwide. The only witness to testify Wednesday besides Lazzaro, his former roommates and House's ex-girlfriend, Maria Kissh, was Brian Burner, the Anthonys' next-door neighbor. Burner testified he was doing yard work outside his house on June 18 when Casey Anthony approached him and asked to borrow a shovel "to dig up a bamboo root." He said he gave her the shovel and she went into her family's backyard. He finished his yard work and went inside, he said, adding that she knocked on the door and returned the shovel about an hour later. He said Anthony's demeanor was "just normal," and he couldn't recall that she was sweaty or looked different when she returned the shovel. Burner said he saw Anthony back her car into her parents' garage several times that week but admitted he did not know how or where she usually parked her car. Lazzaro's three roommates testified that after Anthony moved in, she cooked, cleaned and did laundry. They and Lazzaro said she would talk on the phone but would always go outside to do so. But she never mentioned that Caylee was missing, had been kidnapped or that she was looking for her, and she never asked for help, they and Kissh testified. When they asked about the little girl, Anthony told them that Caylee was with her nanny at Universal Studios and that the nanny was taking her to Cocoa Beach, according to testimony. Kissh said Anthony told her she was paying the nanny $400 a week, and Anthony told her Caylee's father was deceased. In the early days of the investigation, Anthony said the nanny, who she said was named Zenaida Gonzalez and nicknamed "Zanny," had kidnapped Caylee. Authorities were never able to find the woman. Lazzaro and his roommates testified that the times they saw Anthony with her daughter, the little girl did not appear to be mistreated, abused or neglected and that Anthony appeared to be a caring mother. Kissh, however, recalled one occasion when she went to the apartment to see House, and Caylee -- whom she had never seen before -- answered the door. Anthony and Lazzaro were back in his bedroom, and she was left alone with Caylee for 20 minutes or so, she said. As Kissh and House were leaving, she testified, Anthony came out and told Caylee to put her shoes on, as they were also leaving. Kissh said she helped Caylee put on her shoes and socks after she noticed the girl "struggling." The testimony came a day after Baez dropped bombshell allegations in his opening statement. Baez said that Caylee was not murdered, but drowned in the pool belonging to Anthony's parents, George and Cindy Anthony, on June 16. Casey and George Anthony panicked upon finding the child dead, Baez said. Baez dropped another bombshell when explaining Anthony's behavior in the month before Caylee was reported missing on July 15 -- partying at clubs and lying about the child's whereabouts. He said Anthony was sexually abused by her father starting at age 8, and was "hiding her pain," as she had been taught from an early age to behave as if nothing was wrong. However, in his testimony, George Anthony, the trial's first witness, denied ever sexually abusing his daughter. He also said he was not at his home when Caylee died. "If I'd have known something happened to Caylee, we wouldn't be here today," he said. As a former police officer, he said, he was trained in CPR and would have done everything possible to save his granddaughter's life if he found her in the pool as Baez alleged. Baez also alleged Tuesday that Casey Anthony was inappropriately touched by her brother, Lee, although "it didn't go as far" as it had with her father. It was bad enough, however, he said, that the FBI conducted a paternity test to see if Lee Anthony had fathered Caylee. He told jurors the Anthony family "keeps its secrets quiet. ... You're going to hear all kinds of bizarre family behavior." On Wednesday, pictures of Anthony, Lezniewicz and Lazzaro at the Fusion Ultra Lounge nightclub were introduced into evidence by prosecutors, over Baez's objections. The others testified about partying with her at nightclubs, including her participation in a "hot body" contest on one occasion. Two women who worked as "shot girls," selling alcoholic shots to club patrons, testified Wednesday that Anthony was a sort of overseer, telling them where to be and looking out for them to make sure they weren't harmed. One, Jamie Realander, said that Anthony, in a conversation on July 15, hours before Anthony's mother reported the child missing, told her for the first time about her daughter, and invited her to Caylee's birthday party the following month. Realander said she received a text message the following day asking for help in finding the little girl. The other, Erica Gonzalez, testified that Anthony made a remark in passing about having a daughter, but didn't know the child's name or age. Realander and Gonzalez said Anthony never told them Caylee was missing in the 31 days before her disappearance was reported. Baez asked Campana and Lezniewicz the same question: Whether they were present at the Anthony home on June 16 when Caylee allegedly drowned in the pool. Both men said they were not. Baez attempted to ask Lazzaro whether Anthony had told him she was sexually abused by her father, but Orange County Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. sustained prosecutors' objections and would not let Lazzaro answer the question. Meanwhile on Wednesday, the attorney for meter reader Roy Kronk, who found Caylee's skeletal remains in December 2008, issued a second statement denying Baez's Tuesday allegations that Kronk had found the remains in an unknown location and moved them to where they were later discovered in an attempt to cash in on the high-profile case. "The suggestion that Mr. Kronk took possession of Caylee's remains is totally lacking in logic or explanation," attorney David Evans said. "It did not happen." Kronk has been truthful with authorities, he said, and "the defense team has tried repeatedly to cast Roy Kronk in the role of bad guy, even to the extent of making statements about him on national television that they knew to be false." After Tuesday's court session, an attorney for George and Cindy Anthony issued a statement responding to the claims Baez made during his opening remarks. "George and Cindy Anthony are shocked and appalled that the defense would resort to lies about them in today's opening statement. Baez's idle speculation today certainly are not facts. The only result achieved by the defense in this statement was to further hurt this grieving family," Orlando attorney Mark Lippman said in the written statement. "George Anthony maintains that he never had anything to do with the death of Caylee Marie Anthony including what happened to her remains after she allegedly drowned," Lippman added. In an appearance later Tuesday on HLN's "Nancy Grace," Lippman was more pointed in his remarks, saying Baez's accusations were "all just fiction. His opening (statement) was fiction, and there's nowhere to go with it." ''Everything he (Baez) said about George was a complete and utter lie, and I am, for one, very proud of my client for being able to sit there as he did and just be able to take what was said about him without showing the reaction that I felt myself on his behalf,'' Lippman added. Earlier Tuesday, prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick told jurors in her opening statement that while it may be difficult to accept that a mother could kill her own child, there is no other conclusion that can be drawn, based on the evidence. "No one but Casey Anthony had access to all the pieces of evidence in this case," Burdick said. "... No one else lied to their friends, to their family, to investigators. No one else benefited from the death of Caylee Marie Anthony. Caylee's death allowed Casey Anthony to live the good life -- at least for 31 days." HLN's "Nancy Grace" producers Philip Rosenbaum and Lee Alexander contributed to this report. Watch Nancy Grace Monday through Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on HLN. For the latest from Nancy Grace click here. | NEW: Casey Anthony's then-boyfriend: She was "having a grand old time"
NEW: Neighbor testifies Anthony asked to borrow a shovel just after child disappeared .
Anthony lived with her boyfriend for a month before the child was reported missing .
Anthony is accused of killing the 2-year-old in 2008 . |
192,995 | 85e19ef94505dac82348e33092680ae7b86e0f1a | People in England are losing more than a million years of life every year due to conditions caused by poor lifestyle, figures show. Up to 50,000 premature deaths annually could be prevented if people were healthier, lived in better housing and had regular check-ups with doctors. If the early deaths are added up, they show that in men a total of two million years were lost between 2009 and 2011 while 1.6 million were lost in women. Bad habits: Many early deaths are caused by cancer, heart disease and diabetes - caused by smoking, alcohol and a bad diet - as well as those from chest infections triggered by poor housing. (Stock image) Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned there is ‘shocking and unnecessary’ variation in premature deaths across the country and pledged to narrow the gap. Figures from the Information Centre for Health and Social Care show that around 50,000 people die an average of 20 years too soon in England every year. They include deaths from cancer, heart disease and diabetes - caused by smoking, alcohol and a bad diet - as well as those from chest infections triggered by poor housing. The data includes a small number of babies who are either stillborn or die in the first weeks of life - often triggered by their mothers smoking or being obese. Disparities: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned there is 'shocking and unnecessary' variation in premature deaths across the country . But there is huge variation across the country with people in Bradford around three times more likely to die early than those in Hampshire. And the inhabitants of Surrey, Sussex and the Home Counties are 1.5 times less likely to die prematurely than those living in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Public health experts also pointed out that poor housing with inadequate heating and damp conditions was leading to the deaths of thousands of the elderly. Jeremy Hunt said: ‘There is a shocking variation in early and unnecessary deaths across the country which I am determined to start putting right as part of my ambition to save 30,000 lives a year by 2020. ‘Local authorities have been given the power and budget to tackle the needs of their local population.’ But Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said major social changes were needed to reduce the death roll. He said: ‘We hear all the rhetoric of localism but this country continues to be one of the most centralised countries in Europe. Are they really going to return power to the local level so they can do something? ‘It ought to be a matter of profound embarrassment to us that we’ve got children who aren’t fed properly, aren’t clothed properly. ‘We’ve got two, three, four generations who haven’t had access to work. There are very low aspirations. Parents don’t want their children to go away in search of jobs. We want children to be able to aspire.” ‘People living in older private rented housing, they don’t have modern heating, pensions only allow them to keep one room warm and they go up to bed in a cold bedroom.’ Matthew Fagg, deputy director for reducing premature mortality at NHS England - the new body in charge of running the health service - said: ‘These variations should never be deemed acceptable and NHS England is committed to addressing them.’ | Health Secretary warns of ‘shocking’ variation in premature deaths in UK .
Around 50,000 people die 20 years too soon in England every year . |
113,740 | 1ebe23763c6aed88cefaf3bdf510010f91971a86 | By . Ruth Styles for MailOnline . In the film Labor Day, Kate Winslet plays a woman who falls in love with a violent escaped criminal with a penchant for peach pie and a heart of gold. But while it might sound romantic, the reality, as Women Who Love Men Who Kill author Sheila Isenberg points out, is quite different. 'These women are looking for romance with a capital R . and all its ups and downs and thrills and excitement,' she explains. Scroll down for video . Life's work: Author Sheila Isenberg has spent years interviewing women who fall for convicted prisoners . 'They get this . when they get involved with a convicted murderer because he’s behind . bars and the entire situation is fraught with uncertainty, doubt and . danger and therefore, excitement and romance. 'The . love is not real but delusional love - it’s not the companionable love . that a healthy person seeks but a . stage one, always exciting, romance.' But the consequences can be appalling, with many abandoning families while more still end up behind bars themselves. Among them is Toby Young, now 54, from Kansas, whose happy family life was ripped apart after she fell in love with convicted murderer John 'Hooligan' Manard, now 33. 'She decided to take a risk and rescue . dogs and prisoners at the same time by founding Safe Harbor Prison Dogs . in Kansas City in August 2004,' says Isenberg, who interviewed Young for her book. Convict: John 'Hooligan' Manard (left) and mother-of-two Toby Young (right) went on the run together . Home: Both halves of the couple had spent most of their lives in Kansas City or in the local correctional facility . 'The men’s prison at Lansing gave her . security clearance so she could move her mutts in and out and she worked . with prisoners who had good records, helping them train dogs. 'The . programme was so successful that, within 18 months, 800 dogs had been . trained and adopted by Kansas families.' But unbeknown to prison authorities, Young who was married with two grown-up sons, had grown close to Manard and just a year after the affair began, decided to run away with him. On the morning of 12th February 2006, she arrived at the prison driving her white van as normal. But when the van drove out a couple of hours later, it was carrying an extra passenger - Manard, concealed in one of the dog crates in the back. Speaking two years after the escape, Young said that everything she did was coloured by the depression she was suffering, caused by the loss of a child 20 years previously. 'He was just someone I could really talk to,' she told a local TV channel. 'We could talk about anything. He was smart. I was very unhappy, and I was so depressed.' Remote: The couple drove 700 miles to a hidden log cabin near Chattanooga in Tennessee . Entertainment: Manard spent his days watching convict film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Carrying an overnight bag containing $25,000 . in cash, two of her husband’s . semi-automatic pistols, black hair dye, a razor, books, videos, puzzles and sex . toys, she and Manard drove 700 miles into Tennessee where a remote log cabin awaited them. 'In Alpine, . Tennessee, the couple settled into a life of domesticity as well as . sexual experimentation,' explains Isenberg. 'Manard played music from the jailbreak film O . Brother, Where Art Thou? and tried to make new identity papers. 'He . watched porn DVDs and used a PlayStation while Young did puzzles, read . pop fiction, and wrote in her journal. Sometimes she dressed up, and . the couple experimented with whips and sex toys.' But less than three weeks after they escaped, the couple's log cabin was surrounded by police and the two were arrested. Manard had 10 years added to his already lengthy sentence. Young was given 15 months and was eventually released in May 2008, returning home to be handed a divorce by her husband and attempt to rebuild her relationship with her sons. 'Some days it took all my energy not to break apart a razor and cut my wrists in my room,' she told KMBC ahead of her release. 'The women [who have relationships with prisoners] are emotionally damaged but probably no more than most of us,' comments Isenberg. 'They are looking for a partner who makes them feel whole, which is kind of what all of us do, although I would hope that a healthier person would seek someone who could live a real life in the real world. 'A relationship with a man in prison is not real in that its parameters are controlled by the prison rules and the prison walls - it’s not the real world.' And yet despite the risks and the unreality, women like Young and like Kate Winslet's Labor Day character Adele Wheeler continue to pursue relationships with convicts. 'One that stands out is a woman who was a . juror on a murder trial,' says Isenberg. 'She helped convict a man and then after visiting him in prison, she fell for him, left her husband and children, . job and extended family, and moved to live near the prison. Damaged: Like Labor Day's Adele Wheeler, many of the women Isenberg interviewed were damaged . 'Another . story that shocked me was a young woman who . fell in love with her grandmother’s murderer.' So why do these doomed romances continue to happen? Isenberg has several theories but says one standout similarity is that nearly all of the women involved were abuse victims, whether in previous relationships or during childhood. 'My theory is that for them, relationships with convicted murderers behind bars are "safe",' she explains. 'The men in prison can't hurt these women who have been so abused and therein lies their appeal, or at least part of it. 'Also, men in prison for life have a lot . of time on their hands and can devote many, many hours to these . relationships,' she adds. 'They write long love letters, love poems, paint pictures and so on, showering the women with the kind of romantic attention that just is . not that common outside prison walls.' Attention that damaged women such as Toby Young and Labor Day's Adele Wheeler just can't resist - whoever it comes from. Labor Day is out on Blu-ray and DVD now . | Sheila Isenberg is the author of Women Who Love Men Who Kill .
She says women who fall for prisoners are often abused or depressed .
One such was Toby Young, now 54, who fell for a convicted murderer .
Couple were arrested three weeks after their escape and Young was jailed .
Now divorced, she is trying to rebuild her relationship with her sons . |
18,483 | 3444a7aa5da189b95abea0ba34440c2444f8a39c | (CNN) -- Over the last two decades he has been at Manchester United both as boy and man helping the club achieve the most unparallelled level of success. And on Thursday veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs took another step in further cementing his remarkable relationship with the club after he was appointed as United's player-coach by David Moyes. Welshman Giggs made his United debut in 1990 and has won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the European Champions League in 1999 and 2008, making him English football's most decorated player. Moyes was announced as the United manager in May, after fellow Scot Alex Ferguson called time on his trophy-laden 26-year reign. "I'm delighted that Ryan has accepted the chance to become player-coach," former Everton manager Moyes told United's official website as the new manager steps up his preparations for his first season at Old Trafford. "His success and ability to adapt his game over a number of years gives him an unrivaled perspective on the modern game. "His career is an example to any aspiring young player and I'm sure that both he and the players will benefit from his new role." Now 39, Giggs said his appointment was a "great privilege." The Welshman added: "I hope I will be able to bring my experience to bear, having been both a player and part of the Manchester United family for so long. "It's no secret that I have been taking my qualifications and I see this as the first step in my future career. I'm really looking forward to working alongside David and the team." Former United defender Phil Neville also returns to Old Trafford as part of Moyes' staff. Neville played for the 20-time English champions between 1995 and 2005 before moving to Everton, where he played under Moyes for eight years. Moyes' first Premier League match as United manager is at Swansea City on August 17. Meanwhile United's rivals Chelsea have agreed to sign talented Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel from Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem. A product of the Vitesse youth system, the 20-year-old Grinkel his debut in April 2010 and will join Chelsea subject to a medical. | Ryan Giggs appointed player-coach at Manchester United .
The Welshman made his United debut in 1990 .
Giggs is part of manager David Moyes' new-look backroom staff .
Moyes was announced as Alex Ferguson's successor in May . |
129,094 | 32d2a2da56711c814f0966bde25854251577b70d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:34 EST, 9 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:14 EST, 9 August 2012 . Model Lauren Scruggs has spoken out for the first time since her left eye and arm were sliced off after she walked into a plane propeller in December - and has revealed her amazing recovery. The 24-year-old fashion blogger showed off her new eye on television for the first time since the accident in Dallas, Texas and remained characteristically upbeat about the life-changing experience. 'Emotionally days are hard sometimes - just accepting the loss of my eye and hand - but it gets better,' she told the Today show from their broadcast at the London Olympics. Scroll down for video . Fighter: Lauren Scruggs, the model who lost her left eye and arm in a horrific plane propeller accident last December, has spoken out for the first time. Her new left eye can be seen . Confident: Speaking to Savannah Guthrie on the Today show, Lauren also showed off her new left arm . 'I've realised God's in control of my life and there's a purpose in this story... I've gained a new perspective. I'm learning to live by faith and not by sight. I'm feeling good.' Lauren, who also showed off her new prosthetic left arm, said she wanted to speak out to assure people she was on the road to recovery and to offer a message of hope to others. 'I just know that a lot of people have been following this story... and it's just good to be out in public as I am, letting people know that I'm doing okay and healing up,' she said. Of the accident, she said she could only recall very little. Inspiration: Lauren, who is in London for the Olympics, said she was inspired by the perseverance of gold-meal-winning gymnast Gabby Douglas, who made an appearance to meet the model . Support: Gabby said she was excited to hear she had inspired Lauren and her recovery . At ease: Lauren laughed with the teen champion, who wished her the best in her recovery . Lauren almost lost her life when she . walked into a plane propeller after taking a short flight in a family . friend's aircraft to see the Dallas Christmas lights from the sky on . December 3. As well as injuries to her face and arm, she suffered a fractured skull, a broken collarbone and brain injuries. Doctors announced they would have to remove her eye two weeks later. 'I remember . my feet touching the ground, getting out of the plane, but that's all I . remember,' she said, adding that she would go into further detail in . her upcoming autobiography, Still Lolo. 'It . was really healing for me personally just to talk about the accident,' she said of writing the book. 'I've gained a new perspective of life and . I feel like I need to use my message of hope and healing to inspire . others just like others have inspired me.' When . asked who she was inspired by at the Olympics, Lauren named Gabby . Douglas, the first African-American to win gymnastics gold. The teen . sensation also won gold with Team USA. Fan: Former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson tweeted about meeting Lauren and snapped this picture . Famous friends: Lauren and her sister pose with Shawn Johnson behind the scenes of the Today show . The admission cued a special guest - as Douglas joined Lauren to pass on her well wishes. 'I just have to say this means so much,' Douglas said with her trademark grin. 'I'm so . happy and so excited for you and all that you've overcome. Keep staying . strong and you'll keep shining.' Lauren looked thrilled to meet the Olympian and added: 'I think she's a doll!' Her . upbeat attitude on Today will come as little surprise to Lauren's . legions of fans, who have followed her recovery and Twitter updates, as . well as her determination to lead a normal life. Since . the accident, she has learned to drive a shift stick car in spite of . the physical challenges that come along with such a task before she had . her prosthetic limb in place. Family outing: Lauren with her parents and twin sister in London. She captioned the picture 'FUN DAY!!!!' Girls' day out: Lauren runs Lolo Magazine with her twin sister Brittany, pictured left . She has also made the most of her . summer, Tweeting to her more than 12,500 followers that she 'surfed the . afternoon away' during a 'great day' in late June. Scruggs . released the cover to her upcoming autobiography last month, a . testament to the fact that she is moving on with her life. Her parents confirmed in April that Scruggs was working with a journalist to help her write about the life-changing incident. On May 15, Ms Scruggs tweeted a picture of the cover, and affirmed her ever-present Christian faith has played a guiding role in her recovery. She wrote: 'Humbled & thankful to share the journey God has chosen 4 me. Hope it helps others learn, as I have, that He is enough.' Road to recovery: Lauren, pictured with her twin sister before the accident, has returned to blogging, enjoys activities such as surfing and is seen out and about with friends and family . Support: Lauren is pictured with her parents Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs, and her twin sister Brittany . In the memoir, entitled Still Lolo, Ms Scruggs will write alongside New York Times writer Marcus Brotherton about that fateful night of December 3, 2011. The book deal, whose value is still unknown, is not the only financial gain that Ms Scruggs will be receiving out of the incident. It is rumoured that she settled with the plane’s insurance company for more than $1million. According to the Courthouse News Service, the plane which injured the model was insured by Aggressive Insurance Services, along with a separate plane owned by the pilot Curt Richmond, a friend of the Scruggs family from Dallas, Texas. See below for video . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Model, 24, accidentally walked into a plane propeller last December .
Showed off her new left eye and arm on the Today show .
Revealed that she cannot remember anything about accident .
Named Gabby Douglas as the most inspiring Olympics athlete - before the teen gold medalist appeared to meet her . |
197,710 | 8be72cf1a56e2e10467675f06975914ef98443b2 | By . Associated Press . Repair crews on Thursday were shoring up a giant hole in the middle of Sunset Boulevard caused by a ruptured pipe, as officials at the water-logged University of California, Los Angeles, continued to assess damage from the 20 million gallons that inundated the campus. Workers were reinforcing the excavated 56-by-41-foot crater and making the site safe for crews, said Mike Miller, district superintendent for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Meanwhile, workers off-site were fashioning new valves and a Y-joint connector to replace the burst section of the century-old steel line. The Department of Water and Power said repairs along the famed boulevard, a heavily traveled east-west thoroughfare, likely won't be completed until the weekend. 'There's still just a lot of work to do out here,' Miller said. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power "Y" shaped juncture where a water rupture occurred, involving two main trunk lines is seen on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles Thursday, July 31, 2014. Work crews have stopped the last of the water gushing from a 30-inch pipe some 30 hours after it burst. Damage costs have yet to be pegged from the rupture of the pipeline that spewed more than 20 million gallons of water in the midst of California's worst drought in decades. The break in the 93-year-old pipe left a swath of the UCLA campus including its basketball arena swamped with water. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) UCLA officials said six facilities were damaged in Tuesday's flooding and about 960 vehicles remained trapped in garages, with many below water left behind by the roiling flood. Rich Mylin, associate director of events and facilities, led a tour Wednesday of affected areas for Department of Water and Power workers in hard hats, and they snapped photos and took notes. The flooding sent water cascading into the Pauley Pavilion, less than two years after a $136 million renovation. UCLA Vice Chancellor Kelly Schmader said 8 to 10 inches of water covered the basketball court, and it showed signs of buckling. The floor will be repaired or replaced as necessary and will be ready by the start of the basketball season this fall, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said. Havoc: Water gushes from the broken 30-inch water main on Sunset Boulevard that wreaked havoc on UCLA campus on Tuesday afternoon . Pictured: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews work to repair the Y-shaped juncture where the catastrophic water rupture occurred . Slow going: Work crews stopped the last of the water gushing from a 30-inch pipe some 30 hours after it burst. Damage costs have yet to be pegged from the rupture of the pipeline, which itself likely won't be repaired until the weekend . The Department of Water and Power said repairs along the famed boulevard, a heavily traveled east-west thoroughfare, likely won't be completed until the weekend. 'There's still just a lot of work to do out here,' Miller said. Old system: The break in the 93-year-old pipe left a swath of the UCLA campus including its basketball arena swamped with water . On Wednesday evening, six men helping to pump water from the pavilion were treated for exposure to carbon monoxide from a generator's exhaust, city fire spokeswoman Katherine Main said. Two were taken to a hospital in fair condition, and four were treated at the scene. Department of Water and Power spokesman Joe Ramallo said people who suffered damage from the flooding can file claims with the agency, which will work with UCLA on settling losses. The 30-inch steel main was gushing 1,000 gallons a minute Wednesday before it was shut off completely in the evening. At its peak, water was streaming out of the break at a rate of 75,000 gallons a minute. The amount of water spilled could serve more than 100,000 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers for a day. The rupture occurred amid a drought as tough new state fines took effect for Californians who waste water by hosing down driveways or using a hose without a nozzle to wash their car. Despite the break, no utility customers were without water. No injuries were reported. A worker begins the task of cleaning up at least an inch of water covering the playing floor at Pauley Pavilion, home of UCLA basketball, after a broken 30-inch water main under nearby Sunset Boulevard caused flooding that inundated several areas of the UCLA campus in the Westwood section of Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows) In this Tuesday, July 29, 2014 photo, water flows into a parking structure at UCLA after a ruptured 93-year-old, 30-inch water main left the Los Angeles campus awash in 8 million gallons of water in the middle of California's worst drought in decades. The water also flooded the school's storied basketball court, which underwent a major renovation less than two years ago. (AP Photo/Anuj Dixit) | Workers were reinforcing the excavated 56-by-41-foot crater and making the site safe for crews Thursday as UCLA continued to assess damages .
Officials said repairs along the famed boulevard, a heavily traveled east-west thoroughfare, likely won't be completed until the weekend .
The 30-inch steel main was gushing 1,000 gallons a minute Wednesday before it was shut off completely in the evening . |
242,803 | c642b289fc6f5679e551dd050787431e96f1fd66 | The body of a British woman who went missing while travelling on a yacht off the coast of Mexico has been found, according to state prosecutors. The Foreign Office confirmed one Briton had died after a search operation was launched earlier this week for couple Paul Whitehouse and Simone Wood in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile. The pair, from London and Wolverhampton, are thought to have been living on their yacht in La Paz for a year. Mr Whitehouse is still missing, it has been reported this morning. The body of Simone Wood (pictured left) has been found after she and partner Paul Whitehouse (right) went missing during hurricane Odile . A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: 'We can confirm the death of a British national, reported missing along with another British national earlier this week off the coast of Mexico. 'The Embassy is working with the local authorities and consular staff are providing assistance to both families at this very difficult time.' Hurricane Odile left a trail of destruction when it hit the Baja California Peninsula last Sunday. Three other people have been confirmed dead following the storm - two Korean citizens and a German man who reportedly died from a heart attack. Mexican authorities have deployed more than 8,000 army, navy and federal police personnel to prevent looting in the area. Simon Barlow, a friend of Mr Whitehouse, said those close to him are 'massively worried, really concerned with the situation over in Mexico'. Mr Whitehouse (pictured left and right), from London and Wolverhampton, are thought to have been living on their yacht in La Paz for a year . Mr Barlow told Channel 4 News yesterday: 'We are all hoping that they are going to be found and it's just communications that's not letting us find that information out. 'We're waiting and anticipating, you just can't put it into words, you just can't go over there to help. 'I'm hoping that his background of being in the Army has hopefully served a purpose and they're both fine.' The couple, in their 40s, were believed to be living on their yacht in the harbour of La Paz when it capsized along with 24 other vessels during violent 125mph winds. It is thought that the pair had been living on the 70-foot boat for the last year as Mr Whitehouse worked as a scuba diving instructor in La Paz. The category three hurricane destroyed homes and hotels in beach resorts across the Baja California peninsula while also damaging power and water supplies and phone services - triggering widespread looting. Hurricane Odile left a trail of destruction when it hit the Baja California Peninsula last Sunday. Workers with Mexico's Federal Electric Commission work to repair a fallen electrical utility pole in San Jose de los Cabos, Mexico . Many shacks in poor areas in the region were blown away by the storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 125mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami . On Wednesday, thousands of tourists had to be airlifted from the Los Cabos resort. Military and commercial planes transported them from Los Cabos international airport, which is closed to commercial flights after being severely damaged by the storm. Vigilante groups in Baja California Sur have set up patrols in an attempt to prevent looting in the state. Many shacks in poor areas in the region were blown away by the storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 125mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami. Mexican authorities have deployed more than 8,000 army, navy and federal police personnel to prevent looting in the area. | Body of woman, believed to be Simone Wood, found off the coast of Mexico .
She and partner Paul Whitehouse were on yacht when Hurricane Odile hit .
Brit couple had been living on their boat in La Paz harbour for the last year .
Mr Whitehouse, a scuba diving instructor in the La Paz area, is still missing .
Hurricane Odile left trail of destruction when it hit Baja California Peninsula last Sunday . |
4,598 | 0d3c81672b050844fc87ee4ed40db4662d88bac9 | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 12:56 EST, 23 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:04 EST, 23 March 2012 . An OAP 'nightmare neighbour' has been evicted after she threw her china plates at her 83-year-old neighbour. Violet Skinner, 77, waged an eight-year campaign of harassment against Joseph Doyle and his wife Ragnfrid, 78, and tried to use a garden hose to soak their beloved hardwood floors. In a fit of anger the pensioner even hurled her best Royal Worcester dinner plates at the couple. Violet Skinner, 77, (pictured) threatened to turn a hose on Joseph Doyle and his wife Ragnfrid, 78, and even hurled her best Royal Worcester dinner plates at him . In the past Mrs Skinner has been hauled before the courts for trashing her neighbours fence and screaming abuse at them when she was 'paralytic’ on home-brewed 'hooch'. The same year the neighbours almost came to blows when Mrs Skinner threw stones at Mr Doyle’s car when he complained about her noisy cockerel. The pensioner, who lives alone with four cats, has also been accused of assaulting police officers and council staff. Yesterday the retired horticulturalist who denies any wrong doing, was told she has just 28 days to pack her things and move out of her bungalow, in Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire. Father-of-five Mr Doyle described his relief at learning his nuisance neighbour was finally being forced to leave - as Mrs Skinner threatened to move into a camper van on their street. He said: 'It’s been an absolute nightmare - I feel sorry for her and have some sympathy for a woman of her age being evicted but she brought it on herself. Violet Skinner (pictured) was told she has just 28 days to pack her things and move out of her bungalow, in Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire . 'I don’t know anybody in the world who could live next door to her.' Mrs Doyle said: 'I’m so happy - I’ve got no pity for her, no sympathy, I just can’t wait until the day when she is gone.' The feud started when Mrs Skinner moved next door to Mr and Mrs Doyle in 2004, after the trio had started out as friends. But rows over snide comments, damage to their partition fence and Mrs Skinner’s noisy cockerel soured their relationship. In 2009 Cambridge Magistrates’ Court heard Skinner threatened to kill Mr Doyle and threw stones at his car after a dispute. Mr Doyle told the court Skinner aimed a hose at him and his wife as they left their house in a bid to soak their hardwood floors. Skinner denied it, but was found guilty of criminal damage by magistrates. South Cambridgeshire District Council say Skinner has even assaulted police and local authority workers. Leafy: Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire, where Skinner has been given 28 days to leave her bungalow . A council spokesman said: 'Mrs Skinner has a substantial and serious history of anti-social behaviour, including damage and physical attacks on her neighbours, our staff and the police'. Skinner still denies any wrongdoing and says the decision to evict her willforce her to have to live in a camper van. She said: 'It’s wicked and evil because none of what is said is true and none of it is my fault but I’m the one with the blame and who has to get out.' At Skinner’s court appearance for criminal damage inflicted on her neighbours’ fence, in 2009, magistrates heard she had made false accusations to police about the Doyles more than 50 times in five years. The court heard angry Mrs Skinner had chopped branches off a tree in her garden and shoved them through his garden trellis - ruining it. That evening, Mrs Skinner then hurled Royal Worcester dinner plates over the garden fence and smashed them against the Doyles’ house, Mr Doyle claimed. He described life next door to Mrs Skinner as 'terrible, absolutely dreadful'and said his wife, Ragnfrid, had become a 'nervous wreck' because she was frightened of Skinner. Mrs Skinner denied any aggression against Mr Doyle and also denied criminal damage. She told the court: 'For some reason he hates me. All he ever does all daylong is to see how he can rile me.' She claimed Mr Doyle had once said to her: 'I see you haven’t paid your bills recently. 'I see you’re still taking the ugly pills.' Magistrates found Mrs Skinner guilty of criminal damage, handing her a 12-month conditional discharge and £100 costs. Bizarrely the relationship had started as a friendship, with Mr Doyle’s wife,Ragnfrid, helping Mrs Skinner after a hospital stay. Mrs Skinner has previously said: 'I do like him. I just wish he could be afriend again.' | Violet Skinner tried to use a garden hose to soak her neighbours' wooden floors .
She also hurled her best dinner plates at the couple . |
167,693 | 64e13e31eb50f8544a84e9d28b3f7a5de41e9454 | These incredible photos capture the biblical-like scenes in Madagascar where a plague of locusts - numbering in their billions - have descended on the country's farmland for the third year running. An enormous dark cloud of the flying insects is pictured obscuring the sky in the east African island country's capital of Antananarivo, sparking panic for Madagascar's nine million agricultural workers. After first occurring in 2012 - the gigantic plague is no longer a phenomenon but an annual migration of the bugs - which can each eat their own body weight in food every day. An enormous dark cloud of the flying insects is pictured obscuring the sky in the east African country's capital of Antananarivo - sparking panic among farmers . Left to themselves, the locusts would devastate the country's agriculture, each consuming around two grams of food each day that they are among crops. Desperate farmers have been attempting to protect their land by starting fires and increasing their use of insecticides, the Independent reports. The seasonal locust problem started in 2010 but became an annual plague in 2012 after campaigns to tackle the insects were underfunded according to the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). In September 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO tried to tackle the problem by launching a three-year emergency programme. Left alone, the locusts would devastate the country's agriculture as they can each consume their own body weight (around two grams) in food every day . The seasonal locust problem started in 2010 but became an annual plague in 2012 after campaigns to tackle the insects were underfunded according to the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) The initiative is hoping to control the locust populations thereby protecting millions of vulnerable people from going hungry or losing their livelihoods. To protect Madagascar’s naturally diverse ecosystem, control operations are carried out using bio pesticides. Plagues of locusts appear in both the Bible and the Quran, including one of the biblical plagues of Egypt. The swarming behaviour is believed to be the result of overcrowding. It is estimated that the largest swarms have covered hundreds of square miles and consisted of many billions of locusts. Desperate farmers have been attempting to protect their land by swinging makeshift batons, starting fires and increasing their use of insecticides . A family takes a picture of the vast cloud of locusts in a photo taken in the Madagascan capital of Antananarivo today . | Amazing photos show the sky obscured by an enormous dark cloud of the flying insects in city of Antananarivo .
It is the third year running that the plague has hit Madagascar and is now considered to be an annual migration .
Insects are terrible news for farmers as they devastate agriculture eating their own body weight in crops every day . |
273,859 | eebe44a0764f6ea02003446a298f6b154be5a61d | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 04:13 EST, 2 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:13 EST, 2 March 2013 . Hywel Basham, from Newport in South Wales, who was jailed for attacking his sister Sally Edwards with the knife used to cut their mther's birthday cake . A brother was jailed yesterday for stabbing his own sister with the knife they had just used to cut their mother's birthday cake. Hywel Basham, 43, repeatedly stabbed older sister Sally Edwards until the eight-inch blade snapped off. The pair, with a history of sibling rivalry, were at the birthday celebrations of their mother Elaine Basham, 73, when they rowed over money. A court heard Basham picked up the kitchen knife to stab his sister in the head while horrified guests looked on. After the vicious attack Basham gloated: 'I hope it's still in the back of her head.' Prosecutor Mike Jones said: 'They are . a brother and sister with a long history of sibling rivalry. Basham and . his sister Sally were at the home of their mum Elaine to celebrate her . 73rd birthday. 'Basham asked his mum for money but . his sister objected, so he stabbed and kicked her on the ground. His mum . tried to stop him but he pushed her on to the sofa.' Cardiff Crown Court heard Basham . picked up the kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed his sister in the . head and slashed her back until the handle broke. Ms Edwards suffered stab wounds to the head, a seven-inch slash wound to her back and severe bruising to her body. Mr Jones said: 'She has no doubt that . if he hadn't broken the handle of the knife and if nobody else had been . there, she would have been killed.' Ms Edwards told the court she suffers panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks of the attack triggered by simply closing her eyes. The . court heard Basham hated his older sister and previously threatened to . strangle her and stab her to death, telling her, 'Ill stick a knife in . you' and 'I'll get you one day.' Basham . had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs including two pints of cider . and methadone.before attending his mum's birthday party. Cardiff Crown Court, where Basham, of Newport, South Wales, admitted attempted murder and was jailed for nine years . Stephen Thomas, defending, said it was an unpremeditated attack committed in an 'uncontrolled rage'. Basham, of Newport, South Wales, admitted attempted murder and was jailed for nine years. He was also banned from contacting his sister for life. Judge Eleri Rees told him: 'This was an horrific scene for all those present. I find with no hesitation that you pose a significant risk of offending and causing serious harm to the public. 'The family have suffered a traumatic and horrendous incident and I have no doubt they will take many years to feel better and heal emotionally.' Ms Edwards said after the hearing: 'I just want to forget about it. I'm having so many nightmares. I'm trying to move on.' | Hywel Basham, 43, repeatedly stabbed older sister Sally Edwards .
The pair, from Newport, were celebrating their mother's birthday . |
239,676 | c24cff48e3c96b3f283514ad85abab2494e7f12f | Jann Mardenborough will this season compete in the full series of the World Endurance Championship just four years after winning Nissan's 'gamer-to-racer' project. The 23-year-old from Cardiff will drive Nissan's GT-R LM Nismo in the WEC's top category, LM P1, which includes the Le Mans 24 Hours in June. It marks an incredible rise for Mardenborough who in 2011 won the GT Academy, a scheme run by Nissan and Sony that turns armchair gamers into professional racers. Jann Mardenborough has gone from an armchair gamer to the verge of competing in Le Mans 24hours . Over the past few years Mardenborough, son of former professional footballer Steve, has competed in sportscars and single-seaters. Being given a seat for the WEC represents his greatest challenge yet as he said: 'I want to show there is a different route to the top of motorsport, than just years and years of expensive go-karting, by winning at Le Mans. Mardenborough, a member of the Nissan GT Academy Team, will race in World Endurance Championship . 'It's an honour for me to be chosen to compete in LM P1 for Nissan, and in a car that looks set to be an historic one. 'I have raced at Le Mans twice in LM P2 (finishing third in the category in 2013) so I have seen the current LM P1 cars at very close quarters out on the track. 'To think I will be racing one this year is very exciting.' | Jann Mardenborough won Nissan's 'gamer-to-racer' project in 2011 .
Welshman will now race in WEC's top category LM P1 this season .
The 23-year-old will drive for Nissan at races including Le Mans . |
247,646 | cc768898651b6775bb6d5232f3300f72ff2fdbbf | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 07:05 EST, 23 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 23 January 2013 . Google is preparing to launch a 'superphone' and tablet codenamed X to take on the iPhone and iPad, it has been claimed. Rumoured features include a bendable screen, ceramic case, and even gesture recognition. It is expected to be the first 'real' Google Phone and tablet, as the firm has previously worked with other manufacturers, most recently LG and Samsung, for its Nexus range of handset and tablets. Google is believed to be developing a 'superphone' through its Motorola offshoot that could take on the iPhone. Online rumours claim the 'Project X' handset could have a bendable screen, ceramic case and wireless charging . The 'Project X' handset and tablet are expected to compete with Apple's next generation iPhone. Analysts believe the device, which could be called the iPhone 5S, will be announced in March, and go on sale in the summer. It is believed the handset will have a faster processor and a new version of the firm's iOS software. The firm hinted at its plans during its earnings call, when Google executives emphasized that when . the company bought Motorola, Motorola already had a 12 to 18 month . 'product pipeline' in the works, which Google is still 'working . through' - meaning the first true Google products are likely to arrive in the spring. Rumors have already circulated that . Google will reveal a Motorola-built 'X Phone' and 'X Tablet' at its next . developer’s conference, which is scheduled for May 15-17, 2013. Although the firm has released no details of the new products, rumored features range from a bendable screen and a ceramic case to advanced gesture recognition technology. In the call, Google CEO Larry Page said that 'In today’s multi screen world, the opportunities are endless… battery life is a huge issue… when you drop your phone it shouldn’t go splat. 'There’s a real potential to invent new and better experiences.” Page also mentioned phone recharging as a pain point for people, leading some to believe the new products could include wireless charging capabilities. Earlier rumours have also pointed to the handset having an extra-hard case that incorporates ceramic materials. The LG Nexus 4 smartphone, Google's last 'branded' smartphone. It is believed future models, codename Project X, will be made in house by its Motorola arm . The comments came as the search firm announced better than expected results. Revenue from Google Inc's core . Internet business outpaced many analysts' expectations during the . crucial holiday quarter and advertising rates fell less than in previous . periods, pushing its shares up more than 4 per cent. The . world's largest Internet search company introduced new product listings . during the fourth quarter - typically its strongest - and also . benefited from business growth in international markets, analysts said. Excluding . traffic-acquisition costs, the business generated net revenue of $9.83 . billion, up from $8.13 billion a year earlier, Google reported on . Tuesday. That surpassed a $9.6 billion average forecast from six . analysts polled by Reuters. 'Business looked really strong, especially from a profitability perspective. 'They really grew their margins in the core business,' said Sameet Sinha, an analyst with B. Riley Caris. 'Most of that strength seems to be coming from international markets which grew revenues quite substantially: up 23 per cent year over year, versus the 15 per cent growth in the third quarter.' Shares of Google were up roughly 4.5 per cent at $734.46 in after-hours trading on Tuesday. | Handset could be launched in May, along with X tablet to take on new iPhone and iPad .
Will be made by Motorola following its acquisition by the search giant . |
99,113 | 0baba9905cd0b01a49429f6d77b1dd97e948a844 | Click here to see all the stats from Stamford Bridge with our brilliant Match Zone. Arsene Wenger has raised a few eyebrows with his claim that Chelsea 'did not work our keeper more than we did their's' during Arsenal's 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The Gunners may have had a total of 10 shot's to Chelsea's five but none of those were on target. Speaking during the post-match press conference: Wenger said: 'It was an even game, but at the end of the day they have financial power and used it in a effective way with players like Diego Costa and Eden Hazard making the difference. 'They did not work our keeper more than we did their's. We had more shots and missed opportunities to take more. We lost on details and this is unfortunate.' VIDEO Scroll down to watch Arsene Wenger: I don't listen to what Mourinho says . Arsene Wenger gestures on the touchline during Arsenal's 2-0 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge . The Match Zone attack statistics show that Arsenal did not have a single shot on target during the match . Sunday's result was Arsenal's first Premier League defeat of the season. Hazard opened the scoring for Chelsea from the penalty spot in the 27th minute and Costa sealed the victory 12 minutes from time, while Wenger was embroiled in a touchline clash with Jose Mourinho. The Gunners are now eighth, but just four points behind second-placed Manchester City, although now nine adrift of leaders Chelsea. It is Arsenal's second worst league start to a season under Wenger. Diego Costa celebrates after scoring Chelsea's second goal to seal victory against Arsenal on Sunday . Eden Hazard scores from the penalty spot past Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to open the scoring . Wenger (left) shoves Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as tensions rise during the Premier League clash . | Arsene Wenger claimed Arsenal worked Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech harder .
But the Gunners had no shots on target to Chelsea's 10 .
Arsenal lost 2-0 to Chelsea in the Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge . |
142,568 | 44628e1e4b0aa8daaf0c8b7ce68ab710af3c3f31 | (CNN) -- Its claim to fame has been contested, it's been hit by tragedy and it's been photographed by tourists from around the world. But locals still hold firm to their conviction that Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, holds the Guinness World Record for being the steepest street in the world, with a 38% grade at its steepest section. Various sources list Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the steepest. The Guinness World Records website lists no record for world's steepest street, and mentions neither Baldwin Street nor Canton Avenue. Tilted disputes aside, here's what life's like at a slant. Twenty-five thousand balls of chocolate are rolled down the street each year . Every July, thousands of giant Jaffa candies are rolled down the 350-meter-long street in Dunedin's annual Cadbury Jaffa Race. Each candy is numbered and participants can buy a corresponding ticket and hope their Jaffa will be the winner. All proceeds go to charity, and participants can wait at the bottom and get free candy. You may feel guilty having your mail delivered . Kevin Hanifin has been delivering mail on Baldwin Street for the past two years. He says he's in better shape thanks to the route, and that the adjacent streets are no cakewalk, either, since they're almost as steep. It's always an entertaining walk, he says, since visitors often stop and talk to him. While Hanifin prefers to deliver the mail starting at the top of the hill, 17-year-old paperboy Hamish Lilly says going down is actually harder than going up. There's no exercise like going home . Baldwin Street resident Dave Kernahan, 63, started a weight-loss program after he lost his job and began gaining weight 15 years ago. His program? Just going up and down his street. He runs up and down the street 30 times almost every day -- a total of more than 10 kilometers. His personal best is 105 times in one day. Tourists come from around the world; residents are over it . When deciding to move to Baldwin Street, Sue Marshall says she wasn't concerned about the grade, but rather the number of tourists who'd be passing her home each day. "I love meeting people -- you can't really go out of the front gate without meeting someone from across the world," says Marshall. She figures her husband has already shown up in more than 100 tourist photos while working in their garden, but says she'd be doing the same thing if she were visiting. Meanwhile, she's only been to the top of her street once and her husband hasn't made it up yet. There are a few incentives to get to the top . Last year, Dunedin artist Daniel Mead painted a mural at the top of the street. He says one of the hardest parts about painting it was driving up the hill every day. "It may have been a better idea to just walk as I think it ruined my car," he says. There's a rumor that certain residents on Baldwin Street will offer visitors a certificate of completion if they can make the trek. Some bright soul also installed a drinking fountain. More: Is New Zealand's Fergburger the best burger joint on the planet? | Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, holds the Guinness World Record for world's steepest street .
Or so the town insists -- others dispute the claim .
Paperboy says going down is actually harder than going up . |
81,452 | e6ca9c93abeb38cc4af7c753206be076670549df | By . Lizzie Parry . When his parents divorced, they turned to him for emotional support. But struggling to find his own coping mechanism, Christoffer Hecksen turned to comfort eating. His weight spiralled quickly, reaching 22 stone 13lbs. But it wasn't until a decade later in 2006, that reality hit the now 33-year-old. When he broke his arm, Mr Hecksen was told by his doctor that he might struggle to fix his injured shoulder because of his size. When Christoffer Hecksen's parents divorced they turned to the then 16-year-old for support. But struggling to cope with the ordeal, the teenager turned to comfort eating . His weight spiraled and by 2006, 10 years after his parents' divorce, he weighed 22 stone 13lbs. Shortly after his father's death he fell and broke his shoulder, prompting a doctor to express concern over his size . For two years, Mr Hecksen visited a psychologist once a week, to tackle the emotional side of his eating . The medic asked Mr Hecksen what he would do if he recovered from the procedure, to which he replied: 'I'll join the army', revealing his desire to help others. It was in 1996 that the then teenager's parents broke the news of their separation, he told new weight loss magazine ManVFat. 'They said to me "You’re almost an adult so we can treat you as an adult.",' Mr Hecksen told MailOnline. 'So they used me to offload to and share their experiences with the divorce. It left me with no one to talk to. 'At that time I was using training as my escape and I was spending four to six hours every day in the gym seven days a week. 'That . had a devastating result on my school work and so my parents took away . the gym pass to punish me - I was left with food as a comfort. 'Between . 1996 to 2002 I gained about seven stone 12lbs.' Mr Hecksen, who defuses mines in the Swedish Army, now weighs a healthy 15 stone . The doctor asked Mr Hecksen what he would do with his body if he carried out the operation and fixed his shoulder. Mr Hecksen's reply was that he would join the army and try to help others . Following the operation to fix his shoulder, Mr Hecksen underwent a programme of exercise rehabilitation. It was the springboard he needed to kick start his fitness regime . For Mr Hecksen, portion size was his Achilles heal. It didn't matter what the food was, he ate it in abundance, having been brought up with the old adage 'you can't leave the table until your plate is empty', ringing in his ears. 'That left me with a big appetite,' he said. 'I could be eating every hour to every second hour. It was very stressful. 'I felt like everyone else around me was getting love from their family and I was too damaged in my mind to have any kind of productive relationship. 'The food was the only thing I could count on to be there' - Christoffer Hecksen . 'The food was the only thing I could count on to be there.' In 2006, Mr Hecksen's father died and he returned home to complete university as fast as possible. But on his first day, as he walked to school, he fell and broke his arm. 'I broke my shoulder and needed an operation, the doctor asked what I would do with my body if he helped to fix me. 'I told the doctor I would join the army,' Mr Hecksen said. 'I thought if I'm going to apply to the army I'd better choose something really ridiculous and crawling up to a live mine is about as ridiculous as it gets. Mr Hecksen, pictured here in 2006 when he was at his heaviest, said he signed up to take part in a series of boot camp sessions to tackle his fitness and weight. He said: 'It made me realise that I may not be the fastest or the strongest but I don't quit' He said: 'The biggest thing for me was learning that I could survive on less food. 'The boot camps taught me what a proper portion looks like' 'I sent an application and it took them two days to get back to me and say, fantastic. I rolled the dice and went to become a solider.' But in order to succeed in the army, Mr Hecksen first had to shed the pounds. 'After surgery you're required to do physical training to regain your mobility,' he said. 'I took that as my springboard to start exercising regularly. And since I was training a lot as a teenager, I remembered that slow and steady wins the race. So I just tried to do something every day.' 'The biggest thing for me was learning that I could survive on less food' - Christoffer Hecksen . In 2009, when he was at his heaviest, Mr Hecksen found the all-male New You Boot Camp online, and signed up. He said: 'It made me realise that I may not be the fastest or the strongest but I don't quit. 'The trainers told me that they had set up guesses on roughly how quick people would break. 'And they said I’d be done in four hours and it actually took me a day and a half. 'By then I was so tired I tried to pick up a single green bean at lunch but I couldn’t move my arm. 'So . I started crying and one of the coaches Jacqui sat with me for an hour . to motivate me to lift my arm and put the food in my mouth. That was my . turning point.' 'The biggest thing for me was learning that I could survive on less food,' he added. Mr Hecksen said while the boot camps began to reap rewards as he watched his weight drop, he soon realised that he had to tackle the root cause of his unhealthy relationship with food . 'The boot camps taught me what a proper portion looks like. I got home and I taught myself to cook properly. 'After that I stuck to . avoiding half-made foods. I had things that I could identify from . animals and farms. I stayed away from anything that had the word 'light' in it.' Gradually Mr Hecksen moved from last place in the boot camp fitness tests to first, boosting his confidence and giving him the incentive to carry on. 'Two years is a very short period of time but you can change so much in that time,' he added. To truly tackle his unhealthy relationship with food, Mr Hecksen recognised he needed to address the root cause of his problem. In 2009 he also started to visit a group for people who had lost close relatives, encouraging him to open up and talk about his emotions. For two years he attended weekly sessions with a psychologist. 'It started out as a trial for me to see . if I could make myself talk about emotions and after a few sessions I . realised it was something I needed to do to save myself,' he revealed. 'We talked about emotions and how in my mind there was a lot of guilt and blame attached to food. 'I would hugely recommend going to a psychologist and getting professional help if you’ve got a similar issue. He said: 'A fresh pair of eyes on the situation is what you need and you need it from a person who doesn¿t know you. Quite simply it helps you to understand why you are eating the way you do' 'A . fresh pair of eyes on the situation is what you need and you need it . from a person who doesn’t know you. Quite simply it helps you to . understand why you are eating the way you do.' Mr Hecksen said it is important that others facing a battle with their weight must realise they are not alone. He said the first step is to start talking and see if you can work out what the core issue is. From there while weight-loss can only be achieved with physical workouts, Mr Hecksen said: 'You need to go through the process of making your mind tougher as well. 'Explore your dark things - if you don't deal with those then you will fail.' Mr Hecksen, now in the Swedish Army, is close to his target weight having shed six stone. Weighing in at 15 stone, he said now he is focusing on 'fine tuning' his body. 'To get the results it's always going to be small variables to change,' he said. 'It's important that people know that weight loss is not a short term goal, it's a way of life, it shouldn't be about reaching a body fat percentage or a weight. 'It should be about living healthily. For me it's about being able to work out, to work, to have fun and appreciate that the emotion of life is joy and not fear.' - Man V Fat is a free digital magazine for men who want to lose weight. It's available for online at www.magazine.manvfat.com. It's also available on iOS via the Apple store and on Android via the google app store. | Christoffer Hecksen, 33, weighed 22 stone at his heaviest .
Weight spiraled when he turned to comfort eating to cope with divorce .
In 2006 the now 33-year-old took charge signing up to boot camp .
As the weight dropped off him he realised he had to tackle root of problem .
Addressing his emotional link with food, he saw a psychologist .
He defuses mines for the Swedish Army and now weighs 15 stone . |
188,408 | 7ffd6f4168492385a35ef5187cf002393906821a | A baby died from catastrophic head injuries when his mother lost her grip and he fell on to an airport baggage carousel, witnesses revealed last night. Her screams rang out across the arrivals hall at Alicante airport bringing police rushing to the scene. The 32-year-old American tourist had just arrived in Spain from Gatwick with her Canadian husband and their two children. The baby was just five months old. Scroll down for video . The luggage belt where the child was tragically killed in Alicante airport. The mother is believed to have climbed on to the conveyer belt . Airport staff said the woman, who was also travelling with an older child, clambered onto the unmoving luggage belt . The parents were reportedly questioned about the tragic incident, and are being offered counselling . One theory under investigation is that . she climbed on to the belt to grab a pushchair which had become stuck in . the stationary chute. When it began to move, she apparently lost her balance and dropped the baby carrier, according to Spanish newspaper Informacion. Airport staff said the accident happened in seconds, giving the mother no time to react. An . airport worker added: ‘The youngster ended up trapped in a 10cm hole . where two belts converge. The boy appeared to have suffered from a . fractured skull.’ Other . witnesses said the mother was standing beside the carousel holding her . son and lost her grip as she leaned down to grab the pram. A . female easyJet worker said: ‘We heard the baby was in a carrier, but it . tipped over and his head became trapped in a gap while it was moving. It is so sad.’ The family are . believed to have travelled to the resort town of Denia, 60 miles from . the airport and are staying at the hotel where they were due to be . holidaying. The British Red . Cross has sent a psychologist and social worker to support them. An . airport spokesman said: ‘A woman was travelling with her baby and her . child on Wednesday when there was an accident. The mother's horrified cries brought airport personnel including police and security to the scene . A five-month-old baby has died after an horrific accident on a baggage collection belt at Alicante-Elche Airport (pictured) The baby boy was placed on the conveyer belt at Alicante airport (pictured) when it was activated and he was killed . ‘It all happened very quickly. The staff and the doctor went immediately to assist the baby but they could not help.’ The . spokesman dismissed police claims that the carousel had been stationary . when the ‘baby carrier’s weight activated the belt’, setting it in . motion. ‘It wouldn’t start automatically from something being placed on . it,’ she added. Spanish police said the parents had been questioned and officers were investigating. Yesterday, . airport managers visited the scene to photograph the baggage belt, . which was meant specifically for larger items such as bicycles, . pushchairs and surfboards. A . 46-year-old woman from Essex, who had been waiting beside the carousel . when the accident happened, said: ‘It doesn’t look dangerous because it . is flat. I just can’t imagine how it happened.’ But . airport staff later said the woman, who was travelling with an older . child as well, clambered onto the luggage belt, after the pushchair got . stuck in a chute. As she couldn't reach it, she placed her foot on an 'automatic mechanism' which set the belt in motion. The mother’s horrified screams brought airport personnel, including police and security, to the scene. Medical . staff attempted to revive him but he had visible injuries to the head, . and appeared to have suffered a cranial fracture, Informacion reported. He was declared dead at the scene, in the baggage hall of Alicante- Elche airport. The baby was pronounced dead by the airport’s on-call . doctor. 'The youngster ended up trapped in a 10cm hole where two belts converge,' it said. 'The boy appeared to have suffered from a fractured skull.' There were reports that the family had to . wait until a judge arrived before the baby could be moved, in . accordance with Spanish law. Alicante Airport management company Aena said the baby was on the belt that delivers outsize luggage when the accident happened . Paramedics rushed to save the child's life at the airport but he was declared dead at the scene . The unnamed family had flown from London with budget airline easyJet. The . woman’s husband, who had been previously reported as travelling separately from his family, was reportedly with his children and partner in the baggage hall when the incident happened. After . disembarking from the plane shortly before midnight on Wednesday, the . mother and her two children entered the terminal and arrived at the . baggage reclaim area. Spanish police said the dead baby's parents have been questioned. A . spokesman for Guardia Civil in Alicante said: 'I can confirm the death . of a five month old baby at the airport. We are investigating the . causes. 'As part of the investigation the mother and father have been questioned.' A spokesman for the Forensic Anatomy Service in Alicante confirmed that a post-mortem had taken place. He said: 'The results of the tests will not be available for at least two weeks, and not until they are passed to the courts, who will review the case.' The family were said to be travelling to the nearby resort town of Denia and are staying at the hotel where they were . due to be holidaying as they deal with the aftermath of the tragedy. Civil Guard and National Police spokesmen confirmed that the mother is American and the father is Canadian, CNN reported. The Guardia Civil were the first to respond to the accident at the airport but she was declared dead at the scene . One airport worker said the baby boy was crushed by the conveyer belt after it was activated . Police sources said the boy's American mother had flown into Alicante-Elche Airport from Gatwick with the little boy and his older brother . Officials could not confirm the exact circumstances of the death. Passengers at Alicante airport appeared unaware of the tragedy as they stood next to the luggage belt to collect their pushchairs and . suitcases. A group of British men sat on the edge of the belt as . they waited for golf clubs, while a group of teenagers collected their . musical instruments. An emergency stop button was visible on both sides of the . belt, while a sign warned there was a 'risk of entrapment' and showed a picture . of a hand reaching out towards cogs. The Guardia Civil said it was investigating the incident, but said it was treating the matter as an accident. The family had just arrived for a holiday in the Spanish resort when the tragedy happened . A . spokesman said: ‘We are still in the early stages of the investigation . and looking at CCTV footage, but it seems that it was an accident. ‘The mother left the baby on the conveyor belt, which can be activated by detecting weight or by an airport employee. ‘It seems that the baby carrier’s weight activated the belt and the child was trapped in the rollers in the drop zone.’ A spokesman at the American embassy in Madrid said: 'The U.S. Embassy in Madrid is aware of the tragic death of a U.S. citizen child in Alicante and is providing appropriate consular assistance. 'Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.' The Canadian Embassy in Madrid would not comment. Alicante . airport is the sixth busiest in Spain based on passenger numbers. It is . the main airport for the province, which is a popular summer holiday . destination for thousands of Britons, many of whom own homes in the . region. The weather there is . still sunny and warm, with temperatures nearing 30C (86F) this week, . making it an attractive destination as a cold spell grips northern . Europe. Last month, a two-year-old girl on holiday in the area fell into a swimming pool and drowned as her mother slept in a hammock nearby. Police . said Isabella May Crump was staying at a relative’s villa on the coast . with her parents, grandparents and four-year-old brother when the . tragedy happened. Her mother, Deborah Ridgway, 26, woke up to see her daughter’s body floating in the water. | Mother 'dropped baby when she climbed on to conveyer belt'
Lost her balance and baby fell on belt, which began moving .
Woman's screams rang through the airport .
Within seconds boy had been pulled into 10cm hollow and was crushed .
Infant, confirmed as an American citizen, died at scene of tragic accident .
Grieving parents questioned by police over tragedy . |
151,761 | 502915ea87369ed0bd5f6eb95b72a9194d9dda1d | By . Deborah Arthurs . It might only take a minute, two at most. But that wait for the water to boil when you're desperate for your morning tea can seem like an eternity. But now a revolutionary new kettle that hooks up to your wifi could put an end to the agony - and shave minutes off your daily routine. The iKettle can be switched on remotely over the internet using a smartphone, meaning you can get your tea on the go from anywhere in your house - and yes, that includes bed. Futuristic: The iKettle can be switched on remotely using a smartphone app - and will even wake you up to ask you if you would like it switched on . There will be no more dashing out during X Factor ad breaks and hopping from foot to foot while the thing slowly boils either. The . kettle can be switched on from your phone before the ad breaks happen - . and then set to be kept warm until you're ready to use the water. The . 1.8 litre kettle, dubbed the 'steaming servant' on Firebox.com where it . went on sale this morning, has some decent new technology in there too. Thanks to our growing fondness for hippy teas, the kettle has been created with a selection of different temperatures, designed to suit specific drinks. Control: The kettle can be set to boil at a variety of different temperatures depending on the drink required. Green tea is best at 80f, coffee at 95f . According to hot beverage boffins, different drinks are best served at specific temperatures - green . tea at 80 degrees; coffee at 95, for example - and you can pre-set the . kettle to heat the water to the appropriate level. So far so fabulous. But the . question that leaps to mind is whether this futuristic contraption . could potentially be switched on from afar without the user realising it . is empty. The answer to that, say iKettle's manufacturers, is no. They say that the kettle has an auto-shut off . function and boil-dry protection, and won't heat up unless there's . enough water for it to do so safely. Now if only it could make the tea and bring it up to us too, our lives really would be complete. Design features: The kettle has a soft-touch handle and transparent lid so you can see how much water is in the jug . Hi-tech: The app will wake you up with a morning message or welcome you home with a missive asking if you'd like the kettle boiled . | The iKettle sells for £99 on firebox.com .
Claims to be the only gadget of its type in the world .
Can be switched on remotely using iPhone app from anywhere in house .
Wakes you up with missive, 'would you like me to switch on the kettle?'
Has different settings depending on drink: 80f for green tea, 95f for coffee .
Keeps water warm once boiled if you are not ready to use right away . |
21,917 | 3e4979952113ed5a685ed1791760bec7dd4e2efc | (EW.com) -- Nine years ago, Frankie Valli was rescued from oldies-station oblivion with the smash Broadway musical "Jersey Boys." The show chronicles the real-life rise-and-fall-and-rise-again of four crooners from the mobbed-up mean streets of 1960s New Jersey who called themselves the Four Seasons and cranked out a seemingly endless string of hit records, including the love ditty ''Sherry,'' the triumphant ''Walk Like a Man,'' and the bouncy bubblegum bop of ''Big Girls Don't Cry.'' The songs are timeless. But so are a lot of songs from that Motown and Phil Spector era. What made the Four Seasons magical was Valli's voice -- an impossibly high-pitched nasal falsetto that sounded like a prepubescent angel who'd huffed a tank of helium. With "Jersey Boys' " receipts still pouring in on the Great White Way, the notion of adapting the musical into a splashy song-and-dance Hollywood biopic must have been too juicy to resist. In fact, the only thing that might seem surprising about the "Jersey Boys" movie is the man squinting behind the camera, Clint Eastwood. But the pairing actually makes more sense than you'd think. Anyone who saw Eastwood's 1988 Charlie Parker film, "Bird," knows that the guy's always been a not-so-closeted hepcat with a discerning set of ears. The biggest problem is that the film, written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, never makes a convincing case for why Valli the man or the singer matters beyond the music in the way that "Ray" and "Walk the Line" did for Ray Charles and Johnny Cash. Such are the perils of adapting a somewhat one-dimensional stage show. Fortunately, Eastwood is far wiser on the casting front. As Valli, John Lloyd Young is pretty close to perfection. That's no shocker, really, as he won a Tony in 2006 for his portrayal of Valli on the boards. With his slicked-back pompadour and wardrobe of sharkskin suits, Young looks more like the late Bruno Kirby than Valli. But when he opens his mouth, you believe you're listening to the real deal. He finds every ounce of sweat, aftershave, and salad dressing that made up Valli's one-of-a-kind voice. As his fellow Four Seasons, Michael Lomenda, Erich Bergen and Vincent Piazza are equally spot-on, even if all of their bada-bing lingo occasionally makes them sound like they're competing in a Chazz Palminteri impersonation contest. (Both Lomenda and Bergen starred in the stage version as well.) Eastwood has never been the kind of filmmaker to grab you by the lapels or hot-dog with flashy storytelling tricks. You can walk in halfway through just about any of his movies and know exactly where you are. His laid-back traditionalism has always been part of his appeal, though. And in chronicling the careers of Valli & Co., he charts a predictably linear through-line: the band's hardscrabble Italian-American roots, which lead them to a sentimental wiseguy (Christopher Walken) who takes them under his wing; their first flirtation with fame; the downward slide of excess, money trouble, and infighting; and a redemptive third act in which they let bygones be bygones when they're inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. The movie's decades-spanning scope requires the 34-year-old Young to play Valli from age 16 to 60. As good as he is, he isn't done any favors by Eastwood's makeup team. You'd think that after all the grousing over Leonardo DiCaprio's distracting mugful of old-age putty in "J. Edgar," the director would have paid more attention to the unconvincing wrinkles and jowls in the final stretch of "Jersey Boys." But alas. Still, as flat and pitchy as the film sometimes feels, what saves it are those nostalgic, soaring doo-wop numbers (especially ''Sherry'') and Eastwood's measured doses of directorial playfulness, such as when the actors cheekily break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience, as they did on Broadway. This trick doesn't always work, but when it does, and Valli or one of his bandmates turns to the camera, winks, and dishes about how the reality of events clashes with what we're actually witnessing on screen, it gooses the film with a giddy jolt of jukebox electricity. EW Grade: B- . 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. | "Jersey Boys" is a run-of-the-mill film version of the hit musical .
Movie seldom rises above its one-dimensional material .
Strengths are in casting and Four Seasons' great music . |
161,962 | 5d69f87cbc4408d635d5f9a61323ce467bd7c02d | The man in charge of World Cup preparations in Belo Horizonte holds no fears if hosts Brazil go out of the tournament in Tuesday's semi-final against Germany. Camillo Fraga, the city's municipal secretary for the World Cup, did not anticipate defeat leading to an outbreak of the kind of protests seen at last year's Confederations Cup. Fraga said: 'If Brazil wins it will be perfect, but if not then they will have reached the semi-final so that will be respectable. Rally: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari speaks with his players . Relaxed: Paulinho, Fred and Henrique during a session ahead of the Germany game . 'I have no concerns about the reaction. The climate has changed a lot since last year and now everyone has been really involved in the World Cup.' Belo Horizonte's preparations were dealt a serious blow last week when a fly-over which was under construction collapsed onto the road underneath, trapping a number of vehicles and leading to two deaths. The tragedy happened about three miles from the stadium and Fraga said a transport plan for the semi-final had been put in place to ensure there were no additional delays. Moves: Dani Alves and David Luiz stretch during a session . Chat: Scolari gesturing at Luiz . He added: 'This disaster was a really terrible thing to happen, we lost two people and I couldn't sleep at night. 'We were ending our participation in the World Cup in just a few days and then this disaster happened.' | Camillo Fraga holds no fears if Brazil exit the World Cup on Tuesday .
Brazil facing Germany in the semi-final in Belo Horizonte .
Semi-final 'will be respectable' according to Fraga . |
249,965 | cf807dc44e38f5c0f04bfadeff8fd64c04328da2 | Tony Blair was able to parade a glittering line-up of star supporters from the worlds of film, music and television when he first won power – and even his successor, Gordon Brown, managed to gain the backing of Doctor Who and a supermodel. But with fewer than three months to go until polling day, Ed Miliband – who recently advertised for a new ‘celebrity endorsement’ adviser – appears to be struggling to win the backing of the celebrities his party could once count upon. The news comes after the previously ‘staunchly Labour’ TV presenters Ant and Dec said they could not picture him as Prime Minister. Scroll down for video . Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling (left) has stayed silent over whether she will back Ed Miliband at the next Election. Doctor Who star David Tennant (right) has not given a view . With fewer than three months to go until polling day, Ed Miliband (pictured) appears to be struggling to win the backing of the celebrities his party could once count upon . Lily Allen (left) had nothing to say when asked about her support of Ed Miliband. A spokesman for Fiona Phillips (right) said the ex-GMTV star 'doesn’t align herself to any particular political party' As the Labour leader prepares to woo the ‘creative industries’ by making a major speech on the arts tomorrow, The Mail on Sunday can reveal the results of its own investigation into Ed’s celebrity problem. We contacted ten public figures who enthused about Labour at the last Election. Of those, only one – the transvestite comedian and veteran Labour activist Eddie Izzard – said he would be backing Ed. Despite persistent approaches from this newspaper, previously pro-Labour stars were conspicuously silent. Among them was Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling, who gave £1 million to Labour in 2008 when Mr Brown was leader. Supermodel Naomi Campbell (left) and business guru Duncan Bannatyne (right) failed to respond to requests for comment over whether they will be backing Ed Miliband . Actor Ross Kemp (left) did not offer a quote when asked for his endorsement of Mr Miliband. A spokesman for Mick Hucknall said they had ‘no idea’ whether the Simply Red singer would be voting for Mr Miliband . However, when asked about her current voting plans, her spokesman said: ‘J. K. Rowling is not planning to publicly announce who she will be supporting.’ It was a similar story with pop star Lily Allen, who said in 2010: ‘I can’t not vote Labour.’ However, when contacted last week, Ms Allen’s spokesman said: ‘No comment.’ In 2010, ex-GMTV star Fiona Phillips pledged: ‘I’m more Labour than Labour.’ This time, her spokesman said: ‘Fiona doesn’t align herself to any particular political party.’ At the last Election, Doctor Who star David Tennant said: ‘I would rather have Gordon Brown than David Cameron.’ But when asked if the same applied to Ed Miliband, Mr Tennant’s spokesman said: ‘We can’t reach David for a comment.’ Five years ago, ex-EastEnders actor Ross Kemp backed Labour. When Mr Kemp was asked last week for his endorsement of Mr Miliband, a spokesman said: ‘We may have a quote for you later.’ Ten minutes later, she said: ‘Sorry – no quote.’ Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson (left) failed to respond to requests for comment but transvestite comedian and veteran Labour activist Eddie Izzard (right) – said he would be backing Ed . At the last Election, Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall backed Mr Brown, but this time a spokesman said they had ‘no idea’ whether Mr Hucknall would be voting for Mr Miliband. A further three Labour backers in 2010 – former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, supermodel Naomi Campbell and business guru Duncan Bannatyne – failed to respond to requests for comment. Only Mr Izzard vowed to provide public support for Mr Miliband. Labour HQ appears to be concerned. The party has advertised for a £33,000-a-year endorsement officer ‘to forge new relationships with celebrities’. Yesterday, Labour said its well-known supporters included the artist Grayson Perry, the actor David Morrissey and the comic Ben Elton. A spokesman added: ‘We have a great spread of celebrity and high-profile figures supporting Labour.’ The Conservative Party has named footballers Sol Campbell and Frank Lampard, cricketer Darren Gough, artist Tracey Emin and Sir Michael Caine among its supporters. P.S. Even the man who's paid to impersonate the Labour leader says he has a 'fake image problem' If there’s one thing that everyone knows, it’s that Ed Miliband has an image problem, writes impressionist and comedian MATT FORDE. Even Labour supporters like me know it. It dogged him before his leadership and has only grown worse over the last five years. Lots of PR types bang on about how he needs to change his image to connect with the public, that his appearance and voice are a major barrier to people warming to him. He won’t change his image and neither should he, at least not in the way that some people think he should. I hope he doesn’t, because as an impressionist, he’s an absolute gift to me and if he becomes Prime Minister he’ll keep me in work for at least another five years. Poor political judgment is more damaging than a superficially bad image. Labour supporters who believe his problems are only skin deep need to ask themselves a simple question. If Ed radically overhauled his image, would it deliver a Labour majority? The answer is, of course, no. 'Absolute gift': Matt Forde as Ed Miliband . I’m not saying that Ed doesn’t have to change the way he handles himself, but there’s a difference between an image problem and not being yourself. Ed behaves in that way that so many modern politicians do. The faux-concern, shown by a slightly ruffled brow. The synthetic body language, complete with the thumb-point. It’s completely fake. A lot of it was borrowed from Bill Clinton and most of Ed Miliband’s physical routine is a poor imitation of Tony Blair. Ed should chill out a bit and be more of himself. Being nerdy in itself isn’t the problem that people think it is. There’s no merit in trying to label Ed Miliband as an underdog. This is politics, it’s not the 3rd round of the FA Cup. We want people who can lead and succeed. This is where Ed Miliband has a problem. He suffers from a lack of authority, caused by the lack of a coherent policy direction and bad judgment. Take his recent attacks on business. When Ed launched his attack on tax dodgers he should have had a host of business leaders sounded out beforehand and ready to do media rounds as part of a co-ordinated campaign to prove that Labour has successful friends who think he should be Prime Minister. This didn’t happen for one of two reasons. Either it wasn’t planned properly – which shows bad judgment – or it wasn’t possible because not enough successful business people were willing to support him. In terms of election manifesto, it doesn’t feel like Labour has anything really big to say. The cost of living crisis is genuine but it’s going to take more than freezing energy bills at an already high rate to reverse it. Ed Miliband should be talking about Britain beyond the deficit, about our hopes and dreams. Labour supporters like me want to hear about the jobs of the future and not just in an empty slogan. I want to know what they are and how Ed would get them here. The Coalition hasn’t made most people excited about the future, but Labour has completely failed to capitalise on this. I long to hear Ed Miliband talk the language of ambition – even if only in his nerdy voice – but he doesn’t. Like many other people, I long to feel inspired about the future of Britain and want to feel like the governance of the country is in safe hands. David Cameron or Nick Clegg don’t fit the bill. But the brutal truth is, I doubt Ed Miliband does either. Matt Forde is currently performing his stand-up show 24-Hour Political Party People around the country. | Ed Miliband appears to be struggling to win the endorsement of celebrities .
Mail on Sunday contacted ten public figures who enthused about Labour at the last Election .
J.K. Rowling and singer Lily Allen silent on whether they will be backing Ed .
The former Doctor Who actor David Tennant has not yet offered his opinion .
But comedian and Labour activist Eddie Izzard said he would back Miliband . |
242,766 | c6367cc1be54bd6d657a8bad398728deebe96e6c | Washington (CNN) -- The Obama administration is preparing to notify Congress of plans to sell $60 billion of military equipment to Saudi Arabia, according to a U.S. defense official. The official, who would not be identified because the proposal has not yet been sent to Congress, described the deal as "enormous." "We believe this is the largest of its kind in history," the official said. Congress would have to approve the deal. The proposed package includes 84 newly manufactured F-15/SA fighter aircraft; 70 upgraded aircraft, 70 Apache helicopters, 72 Black Hawk helicopters, and 36 AH-6 Little Bird helicopters. A number of bombs and missiles also are in the deal, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition, a satellite-guided bomb, as well as a laser-guided Hellfire missile variant and some advanced targeting technology. The Saudi arms effort is in large part directed at providing a modernized capability against Iran. "This gives them a whole host of defensive and deterrent capabilities," the official explained. The official emphasized that nothing in the sale would change the qualitative edge that Israel seeks to maintain. A point reiterated by State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. "Suffice it to say that at the core of our policy is making sure that, you know, there is stability in the region and part of that stability is making sure that Israel has what it needs ... to be able to provide for its own security," Crowley said Monday. "So the United States would do nothing that would upset that -- the current ... balance in the region." The Obama administration hopes to send the proposed package to Capitol Hill no later than next week. The official emphasized it's not clear yet whether the Saudis would follow through to buy all of the weapons and aircraft in the package because they are continuing to evaluate their own financial concerns. Boeing Corp. has told the administration that if the entire package is sold, 77,000 company jobs would be "involved," but there was no calculation on how many new jobs might be created over the five- to 10-year period of potential delivery, according to the official. The official also indicated the United States is discussing with the Saudi government additional sales of a ballistic missile defense system and more modern warships. | The $60 billion deal would include fighter planes, helicopters and high-tech bombs .
A large aim of such sales is to provide capability against Iran, the official says .
The deal must go before Congress before being finalized . |
134,947 | 3a91d93369dd41e313ca7c4e925afe0274577ee3 | Police have released CCTV images of two people they wish to speak to after Jordan Brennan (pictured) was found dead . Police have launched a murder inquiry following the death of a teenager who was attacked outside a grocer's store. Jordan Brennan, 17, was assaulted by a man as he left the shop in Gorton, Manchester, on Friday at about 7.30pm. Emergency services were called to his home address the following day at about 9am after he was found unresponsive in bed. He was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination later found the cause of death was a head injury. Police have launched a murder inquiry and want to speak to a man and woman about the incident at the shop on Hyde Road. Detective Inspector Theresa Carter said: 'Jordan was very well known and liked and both his family and the wider community are deeply shocked and saddened by what happened. 'At this stage we know that Jordan was assaulted outside the grocer's store, but we don't know exactly what led up to the assault. 'I would also ask that the man involved contacts the police so that we can fully understand what happened inside and outside the shop. We would also like to speak to the woman who he was with.' Police have issued CCTV images of the man and woman they wish to speak to. Both are of Chinese appearance and aged about 25 to 30. The man had a stocky or chubby build and black hair and was wearing a white shirt and a black suit jacket and trousers. The woman was slim and had long black straight hair. In a statement, Jordan's mother, Kim, said: 'Our son Jordan Brennan was 17 years old and was a well liked young man. Police want to speak to this couple about the assault outside the grocer's store on Friday night . 'He was a loveable rogue and was always polite and keen to help anyone who needed his help, be that physical help or just to listen to a friend. 'He would cheer them up with his usual larking about or joking around. 'He was a pleasure to have as a son and his loss is devastating. He was greatly loved by all that knew him.' Anyone with information should call the police on 0161 856 68797 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. | Teenager found dead in bed after being attacked outside grocer's store .
Jordan Brennan had suffered head injuries and was found unresponsive .
Police have issued CCTV images of two people they wish to speak to .
He was 'greatly loved by all who knew him', his mother said in statement . |
31,561 | 59c0ccd100bbbb91eb3085c038219bc39bacde65 | By . Rob Draper . Follow @@draper_rob . Ryan Giggs is likely to be thrust back into his role as stand-in manager at Manchester United this week when the players return to training on Friday. With United manager Louis van Gaal at the World Cup and with Holland expected to progress against Mexico through the second round, Giggs could effectively be in control for the next two weeks. Van Gaal’s new United assistants Marcel Bout and Frans Hoek, who is the goalkeeping coach, are part of his team with the Dutch FA, so it will be down to his remaining assistant Giggs to set the tone for the new season. Stand in: Ryan Giggs will return to the managerial hotseat as Louis van Gaal's World Cup campaign continues . Adventure: Louis van Gaal is still with Holland at the World Cup . And though United will probably prefer Van Gaal to come into the job on the back of a successful World Cup, it will create problems regarding any tactical changes he wishes to make, given that he might only return shortly before United set off on their US tour in late July. Nicky Butt, who will remain as Under-21 coach, will assist Giggs but it is unclear whether Paul Scholes and Phil Neville will be involved. Scholes is likely to take an ambassadorial role and, while the club want to keep Neville in a coaching capacity, he will only stay if there is a clear role for him. | Giggs will take charge at Man Utd when pre-season begins on Friday .
New manager Van Gaal still with Holland at the World Cup .
Nicky Butt to return as Under-21 coach but futures of Paul Scholes and Phil Neville are yet to be decided . |
286,065 | feabf4b15da9ba301813244b0409a4f8622329b5 | Leo . Waddell was one of the young people who started taking hormone blockers . on the Tavistock and Portman clinic’s trial at the age of just 12. The . schoolboy, who began life as Lily, has favoured boy’s clothes over . dresses and frills since he was a toddler and at the age of nine told . his mother: ‘I don’t want to be a girl any more.’ He admitted that if he had been forced to continue living as a girl, ‘I would probably kill myself’. Transformation: Leo Waddell, who was born Lily, poses with his mother Hayley . Leo . described being referred to the gender identity development service in . 2001 as ‘amazing’ because he was finally able to start living his life. Initially . ‘Lily’s’ mother Hayley, pictured above with her son, thought her . desire to act like a boy would be something she would grow out of, but . as she got older and continued to reject all things feminine she . realised this wasn’t the case. At the age of 11 she allowed Lily to change her name by deed poll to Leo. But Leo, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, recalled how even with his family’s understanding, he still struggled. He . said: ‘School was tough. It was normal until year six, but then when I . got my name changed they wouldn’t call me Leo for about three months, . and then when they started calling me Leo they still wouldn’t call me . “he”, they carried on calling me “she”.’ His . mother added: ‘Especially where we come from there was a lot of . ignorance surrounding gender dysphoria because no one had heard of it – . not the doctor, not the schools, not even social services.’ Monthly shots: The children are injected with Gonapeptyl, which costs £82 a time . | Leo Waddell took part in controversial hormone blocker trial aged 12 .
He was born Lily, and favoured boy's clothes from when he was a toddler .
Leo says he would have considered suicide if forced to continue as a girl . |
219,812 | a886ea0c9483a745bddb970b2bf73c8876bd6443 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 10:22 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:15 EST, 3 December 2012 . A wife went into labour at her husband's hospital bedside nine weeks early after the shock of finding out he had suffered a horrific car crash. Adam Hambly, 32, was left fighting for his life after suffering multiple injuries in the head-on smash in November. Wife Jo, 35, rushed to be by his side and waited anxiously for signs of recovery. But she was admitted as a patient herself to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, when she started suffering contractions two months before she was due. Adam Hambly and wife Jo in hospital together after the birth of their baby Grace, more than two months early. The couple believe the early labour was triggered by the shock of Mr Hambly's major accident . Jo and Adam - and baby Grace - are all now recovering in neighbouring wards at the Plymouth hospital . After four days of complications, she gave birth to daughter Grace - their first child - by emergency caesarean section and was immediately taken to recover on a ward with her husband lying beside her. Now all three of the family are recovering in neighboring wards and face a Christmas in hospital. But the couple still insist they are 'the luckiest people in the world.' Mr Hambly, a fisherman, said: 'The last two weeks have been the lowest and highest points of my life. I’m just so happy to be here at all.' 'The nurses rushed me into the lift and got me to the maternity ward. A couple of Naval nurses got me down there like a bat out of hell. 'I was in the delivery room on one bed and Jo was on the bed next to me. It was amazing what they did for us - it’s never happened before, apparently. 'We’re convinced it was the stress of the crash that brought on the contractions. 'As soon as the baby arrived I just forgot about everything. She’s amazing. We couldn’t have asked for a healthier baby. She’s just beautiful.' Mr Hambly nearly lost his life when his silver Subaru Impreza was involved in a head-on smash in Plymouth, Devon, on November 17. He had dropped off a workmate when his car was hit by a black Ford Focus. Little Grace was two months premature and was whisked straight to an incubator after she was delivered by emergency caesarean section . The two men in that vehicle escaped unhurt but Mr Hambly's passenger suffered a chest injury and fractured sternum. Rescuers then spent two hours carefully freeing Mr Hambly, of Plymouth, from the wreckage of his car. He said: 'The roof was one inch clear of my head. The police said if I was in a different car I would’ve died.' He shattered his right leg, ripped muscles in his neck, fractured his hip and damaged his finger. He was rushed to Derriford Hospital and underwent the first of four emergency operations. Surgeons fitted metal pins to re-attach 20 pieces of bone, stitching his leg back together with dozens of thick staples. The couple now face Christmas in hospital while little Grace, mother Jo and father Adam recover . Mrs Hambly said when she received a phone call from the scene of the crash telling her that her husband was trapped in she had feared the worst. After racing to the hospital she watched helplessly as her husband recovered from the serious surgery in intensive care. Then six days later, in what experts believe was delayed shock, she began to have contractions despite not being due to give birth until January 24. She was then officially admitted to the hospital where her bed-bound husband had asked hospital staff to be on 24-hour standby to whisk him to the maternity ward. Four days later, in the early hours of Thursday morning, he was told his baby was on the way and was wheeled down in his bed to the birth. Mr Hambly was not allowed into the operating theatre as doctors performed a Caesarean section on his wife. But within minutes of tiny Grace arriving at 4lbs 60z Jo was wheeled back into the delivery suite where Mr Hambly was waiting. The proud father was allowed to see his daughter briefly before she was whisked off to an incubator. She faces a further four weeks in hospital and is on a drip in intensive care but is perfectly healthy. The whole family are preparing to spend Christmas in hospital as they each recover, and Mr Hambly faces six months of operations and rehabilitation before he will be able to walk again . But last Friday he was able to hold little ‘Gracie’ for the first time after leaving his bed in an adapted wheelchair. He said: 'I was in massive discomfort but when I got down there I didn’t feel the pain. 'She’s just amazing. Her whole hand is as big as my thumb. Every single thing that’s happened to us, it’s the mathematical equation of a miracle, really.' Mrs Hambly, who is in a wheelchair and recovering in hospital herself, said she felt blessed that both her husband and daughter had survived. She said: 'It’s been a pretty horrific few weeks but now we have a baby. 'I’m the luckiest person alive at the moment. I thank my lucky stars every day. It could have been a totally different Christmas.' Devon and Cornwall police appealed for anyone with information about the crash, which happened at 7.30pm on November 17, to call 101. | Adam Hambly, of Plymouth, suffered serious injuries in the head on collision in November .
Wife Jo, 35, went into labour with baby Grace two months early as she waited at his bedside for him to recover .
All three now face Christmas in hospital as they recover in neighbouring wards . |
247,910 | cccce5180f2359235d88c01e6ce0096c3ca4b961 | By . Paul Collins . PUBLISHED: . 01:22 EST, 14 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:30 EST, 14 May 2013 . Sir Alex Ferguson's final title parade saw around 100,000 Manchester United fans turn out to salute their heroes as the team bus took to the streets to celebrate winning the Premier League title. All eyes were on wantaway striker Wayne Rooney, who looked in good spirits as the bus toured the roads to the adulation of fans. Rio Ferdinand, having sealed Ferguson's final home win with his first goal since 2008, led the celebrations, leading the fans in chants and tweeting pictures of him and his team-mates in the pub in the early afternoon. Ferguson, who called time on his career in management last week after 27 years at the United helm, said: 'I thought that 99 could not be beaten . but you've beaten it today. Thank you for the fantastic support. I hope . we're here to win this many times again. 'You always think about it (whether you are doing the right thing). But I think it is the right time. I really do. 'We have a young squad, with a lot of good young players, who are going to get better. 'The big test is to win it three times in a row. 'I hope the boys can do it.' Short and sweet: Sir Alex Ferguson makes a brief speech on stage in Albert Square . Silverware: United lift their Premier League trophy once more in front of a packed Albert Square . But there was no word on whether Wayne Rooney will still be around for the start of their title defence. Ferguson confirmed on Sunday that the . England striker had submitted a transfer request, although added that it . had been turned down. Rooney received a mixed reception when . he boarded the open-top bus at Old Trafford for the start of the . parade, although he did play an active part in the celebrations as it . made its slow way along the route into the centre of Manchester, where . huge numbers of United fans turned out to acclaim their team. But, speaking to MUTV, Rooney did not . answer directly a question about what the retiring Ferguson had done for . him, and was not asked whether he would be staying or not. 'He has been brilliant for us all,' Rooney said. 'He is a great manager. He is a winner and to do it for so long is incredible. 'He is a fantastic manager and a fantastic person.' We're here! The Manchester United bus arrives in Albert Square . Smoking: The crowds gather in Albert Square as the Manchester United players close in . Wild: The United bus makes it's way through Deansgate, where spectators gathered in their thousands . All smiles: Sir Alex Ferguson punches the air in celebration . Having fun: Robin van Persie waves a scarf as he gets into the party spirit . All aboard: United fans greet their heroes as the bus sets off towards the city centre . Party spirit: Javier Hernandez joins in the scarf waving outside Old Trafford . Leading from the front: Captain Vidic holds on to the Premier League trophy and waves to the adoring fans . Sod off: A child holds a sign with a message for Wayne Rooney . Not enjoying it? Rooney looks downbeat on the bus . With 20,000 fans packed into Sir Matt Busby Way, roads had to be closed prior to the Red Devils' departure. And whilst there was space along the . main route into the city centre, once the bus headed down the main . shopping area, Deansgate, supporters found a variety of vantage points . to see the team drive past. Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Young, who . at times ditched the crutches he is supposed to be using to nurse an . ankle injury that has ended his season, led the singing, with Ferguson . also joining in, and even forced Paul Scholes onto centre stage for a . rare interview. There was a moment of humour, as . defender Jonny Evans was asked by MUTV interviewer Helen McConnell, who . also happens to be his fiancee, whether he was going to have a good . summer. 'Yes,' Evans replied. 'I am getting married, to you Helen.' Paul Scholes, who also announced his retirement, said: 'It means everything. We set out each year to try and win the . league and most of the years we do it. It is great to see this turnout . and I'm so proud to play for this club.' Ryan Giggs also admitted the reception topped the one in 1999: 'Thanks for coming out. I thought I'd never see anything . like the treble again but this beats it,' he admitted. 'It is just brilliant. It gives us a chance to share . with the fans a great achievement this season. It is an amazing . atmosphere.' Finale: Manchester United fans gather in Albert Square to greet the bus . Thank you: One fan in Albert Square gets ready to greet the retiring legend Ferguson . Poised: United fans wave flags in Albert Square as they wait for the team bus . Entrance: Sir Alex Ferguson arrives at Old Trafford to board the bus . Room for one more? Sir Bobby Charlton joins the players on the bus . Crowd pleaser: Ryan Giggs signs autographs for supporters . Let the party begin: Manchester United players celebrate on board the bus outside Old Trafford . Champion: Robin van Persie lifts the trophy . Holding it aloft: Nani gets his hands on the trophy . Snap: Robin van Persie takes a picture of the crowds outside Old Trafford . First on the bus: Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra lift the Premier League trophy . Words of wisdom: Sir Alex Ferguson addresses the 20,000 strong crowd gathered outside Old Trafford . Legend: A fan displays a tribute shirt to outgoing manager Sir Alex Ferguson . Time to celebrate: United fans, undeterred by the weather, get ready for the main event . Tribute: A banner dedicated to Sir Alex Ferguson . Joke: One United fan revels in City's problems . Record breakers: United parade their 19th league title in 2011. They had just surpassed Liverpool's record of 18 . Glory season: United parade the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 1999 . Soaking it up: Manchester United fans wait for their champions parade at Old Trafford in the pouring rain . Wet: A Manchester United wipes rain from her face as she waits for the parade to begin . Robin Van Persie celebrated his first Premier League title following his move from Arsenal. 'It's incredible,' he said. 'It is even nicer than I expected - there are so many people. 'It . (winners medal) didn't leave my neck since yesterday. It is a heavy . trophy but it is great to win it. This is for the players, fans, staff, . every single one here. It has made so many people happy and I'm very . pleased to see that.' Michael Carrick added: 'I've been getting a bit carried away. I've nearly fallen off three . times. This turnout is just amazing, the whole week has been special. 'Celebrating . winning the league but with Scholes and the manager retiring it is a . fitting send off. I never thought we would get anything like this. I . have been singing quite a bit lately - you can probably tell by my . voice.' Almost time: Manchester United supporters gather for the parade outside Old Trafford . Company: Rio Ferdinand tweeted this picture of him and 'big dog' in a pub . Cashing in: A stall holder sells Manchester United merchandise in the rain . Dampening the mood? Stewards brave heavy rain and hail stones in Manchester . Party time: Rio Ferdinand tweeted this picture of him and his team-mates in a pub . first pic . VIDEO: United prepare for their title party . | Parade began at 6pm outside Old Trafford .
Bus left Old Trafford at around 6.40pm after a speech from Ferguson .
Wayne Rooney boarded the bus for parade .
Bus reached Albert Square at around 8pm .
Rio Ferdinand tweeted picture of him and team-mates drinking pints in a pub in the early afternoon .
'To be continued' poster featuring Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford taken down . |
49,171 | 8adf716c66e8a7cc70c8682cbcd90b73e4cd9657 | By . Stephen Wright and Nick Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 10:21 EST, 23 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:59 EST, 24 May 2012 . An aristocrat's son has died while in police custody in Kenya after being arrested for allegedly smoking cannabis. Former Marlborough schoolboy Alexander Monson, 28, was taken ill a few hours after he was detained by officers in the coastal town of Diani. But he died shortly after being taken to hospital for treatment, local police said. Dead: Alexander Monson has died while on holiday in Kenya after becoming ill while in police custody . The cause of death was still under investigation last night, with the dead man’s family waiting for the results of a post-mortem examination before making a statement. But a close friend of Mr Monson, son of the 12th Baron (Nicholas) Monson, sensationally claimed ‘police brutality’ was a contributing factor in his death. The friend said: ‘He was a great guy and I would love to see those bastards go to jail for what they have done. ‘His death was a result of a combination of things. I wouldn’t say it was murder, but it was definitely a case of neglect. He was being held in custody and was not given the medical assistance he needed. It wasn’t a pre-existing medical condition, it was something else that started it. Perhaps a certain amount of police brutality.’ Contemporaries of Mr Monson at £30,300-a-year Marlborough College in Wiltshire included Pippa Middleton, also 28, but it is unclear whether they were friends. Liberal tradition: Alexander Monson's father Nicholas, pictured with his second wife Maria . Mr Monson lived in London but spent much of the year in Kenya with his mother Hilary, 58, and sister Isabella, 25. The pair run the Four Twenty South complex of self-catering cottages in the Indian ocean resort of Diani, where accommodation can cost up to £800 a night. His maternal grandparents bought the business in the 1960s. As the heir to the Monson baronetcy, Alexander was born into a life of privilege. His paternal grandfather was Lord Monson, a Lincolnshire landowner and peer. He was a champion of personal liberties who later became president of the Society for Individual Freedom. When the 11th baron died last year, the title passed to Alexander’s father, Nicholas John Monson, born in 1955. It is believed Baron (Nicholas) Monson, a publisher, is currently in Kenya with his third wife, Silvana. Last night the dead man’s grandmother, Lady Emma Monson, said: ‘I’m a widow myself. I’m bereaved. I’m now grieving for my grandson. I’m extremely upset and I just can’t talk about it.’ Kenyan Police said Mr Monson died in hospital on Saturday following his arrest. Police spokesman Richard Mugwai said he had been in custody for just a few hours when he was rushed to hospital after starting to feel sick. The officer said: ‘He was arrested outside a nightclub under the suspicion of having taken drugs. ‘We made preparations to interview and charge him but he then felt sick. We took him to the hospital and he died in the hands of the doctors.’ It is believed Mr Monson, who studied at London’s City University until 2008, entered Kenya on April 23 and was due to fly home on July 10. Mr Mugwai, the commander of Kenya’s coastal Kwale County police division, said Mr Monson was taken to the police station under suspicion of having smoked bhang, a local variety of cannabis. He was later moved to the nearby Palm Beach Hospital, where he died. A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We have been providing consular assistance.’ Trouble in paradise: The beach at Diani Beach the popular tourist destination on Kenya's south coast where the young British tourist died . Bhang is a natural drug made from dried seeds and leaves from the female cannabis plant. Its use originated in India and it is illegal in many countries. Popular on the backpacking scene, users often mix it with fruit or alcohol. On his Facebook page, Mr Monson's father describes himself as ‘an enthusiastic cook, a relentless writer, an occasional poet, a passionate advocate, a wayward disciple of the teachings of Epicurus and the Stoics and a devoted Apostle of Alain de Botton’. Last night a friend who knew the Monson family when they lived in Bampton, Oxfordshire, said: ‘It’s awful what happened, it makes me feel sick. ‘I heard he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly with a friend. The friend was released but apparently they found drugs on Alexander so he was handcuffed and taken.’ | Former Marlborough schoolboy became ill after being detained by police .
Cause of death still under investigation friend says 'it wasn't murder but was definitely police neglect'
Dead man is son of Nicholas Monson - 12th Baron of Monson .
Suspected he smoked backpacker drug 'bhang' a local variety of cannabis .
Arrested outside nightclub on suspicion of smoking illegal substance . |
125,895 | 2ebecf868f711a1b1dcac7cfb4f950b08e4dbecb | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 09:04 EST, 16 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:28 EST, 16 July 2013 . New research has discovered that volcanoes can sometimes 'scream' at ever-higher pitches just before they erupt. Scientists at the University . of Washington analysed an eruption sequence at Alaska's Redoubt Volcano and found what they describe as audible 'screams' that followed seismic activity as the changed from steady pulses to rapid . tremors. The researchers also believe that this research and the rise in the frequency of earthquakes and the tremors they cause in the ground could be used to predict future volcanic eruptions. Scroll down for audio clip . Some volcanoes 'scream' at ever-higher pitches before they erupt, scientists claim. American researchers believe a rise in the frequency of earthquakes could predict volcanic eruptions. They analysed an eruption sequence at Alaska's Redoubt Volcano in March 2009 (pictured) The study said that it is not unusual for swarms of small earthquakes to precede a volcanic eruption. They can reach a point of such rapid succession that they create a signal called a 'harmonic tremor' that is inaudible to humans as it is such a low frequency. The researchers analysed an eruption sequence at Alaska’s Redoubt Volcano in March 2009. They found that the harmonic tremor rose to . substantially higher frequencies and then stopped abruptly just before . six of the eruptions. Alicia Hotovec-Ellis, a doctoral student at University of Washington, said: 'The frequency of this tremor is unusually high for a volcano, and it’s not easily explained by many of the accepted theories.' The activity hints at a volcano's pressure before an explosion, she said. The findings of the study, published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, could help scientists to better understand what happens during eruptive cycles in volcanoes. However, the source of earthquakes and harmonic tremor is not known. Earthquakes can reach a point of such rapid succession that they create a signal called a harmonic tremor, which reaches steadily higher frequencies and then stops abruptly before volcano eruptions. The spectacular explosion of the Kilauea Volcano Hawaii is pictured . Some volcanoes emit sound when magma resonates as it pushes up through thin cracks in the Earth’s crust. But the scientists think that in this case the earthquakes and harmonic tremors happen as magma is forced through a narrow channel under great pressure into the heart of the mountain. They believe that the thick magma sticks to the rock . surface inside the channel until the pressure is enough to move it . higher, where it sticks until the pressure moves it again. Each of these sudden movements leads to a small earthquake up to 1.5 on the Richter scale. As the pressure builds and the quakes get smaller but more frequent, they blend into a continuous harmonic tremor. Ms Hotovec-Ellis said: 'Because there’s less time between each earthquake, there’s not enough time to build up enough pressure for a bigger one. 'After the frequency glides up to a ridiculously high frequency, it pauses and then it explodes.' She believes that the pause in noise is when the earthquakes cannot keep up any more and the two sides of the fault slide smoothly against each other. The scientists documented the rising tremor . frequency, starting at about one hertz, which reached around 30 hertz. Scientists think the harmonic tremor they studied was caused by pressure building up in channels at the heart of the mountain. This caused earthquakes that blended into a continuous harmonic tremor which eventually lead to an explosion. A lava flow in the National Park in Kalapana, Hawaii is pictured . While humans cannot hear most of the noise, she said that a person lying on the ground directly above the . magma channel might be able to hear the harmonic tremor when it reaches . its highest point. This, however, is probably not advisable, since the highest-pitched tremor is followed by an explosion. Scientists . at the USGS Alaska Volcano Observatory have dubbed the . highest-frequency harmonic tremor at Redoubt Volcano 'the screams' because they reach such high pitch compared with a one to five hertz starting . point. Ms Hotovec-Ellis created a 10 second recording of 10 minutes of seismic activity sound and harmonic tremor, which she sped up 60 times. A one minute recording that condenses an hour of activity includes a staggering 1,600 small earthquakes. The next step in the scientist's research is to understand why the stresses become so high. | American scientists have discovered that some volcanoes 'scream' just before they erupt .
The noise is created by a tremor caused by a swarm of mini earthquakes that precedes this eruption .
The University of Washington believe that a rise in the frequency of earthquakes could be used to predict when eruptions will happen . |
167,460 | 6496229c4e45b38801a18594261d7b23f695f9dc | (CNN) -- Haiti's poverty has been much discussed since its massive earthquake, but little has been said of its rich, and equally fraught, history. For African-Americans, Haiti's tragedy hits close to home. For more than two centuries the tiny, at times fragile, republic has inspired black political activism in the United States. Born of the influence of the French and American revolutions, Haiti, once prized as the jewel of the French Empire, changed the course of its history by engineering a revolution that startled the world. Once a colony of slaves under French rule in the 18th century, Haiti transformed itself into the first black republic and one of the first nations in the Western Hemisphere to outlaw slavery. It is a breathtakingly inspirational story: Slaves revolted en masse in 1791 under the leadership of Toussaint L'Ouverture, a brilliant statesman and military strategist who was influenced by the Enlightenment ideals of universal freedom and citizenship. Ultimately, the rebels defeated Napoleon's army and England before declaring independence in 1804. The founders of the American Republic had celebrated the news of revolution in France, but news of the revolt in Haiti didn't receive the same applause. News of this successful revolution led by slaves reverberated across the Caribbean to the United States and brought chills up the spines of whites -- including President Thomas Jefferson, who deplored the revolution and despised the new republic's existence. But it emboldened African-American slaves. Fears that Haiti's successful revolt could inspire slave insurrections in the United States led to increased restrictions on the movements of blacks in Southern states. Coupled with concerns over the stability of slavery in Cuba, Haiti represented a powerful threat to the comfort, safety and security of the new American Republic. In antebellum America, and during the Civil War, black and white abolitionists saw Haiti as an example of the potential and possibilities of black political leadership. In many respects, Haiti's liberation from French rule proved to be a high point, sadly followed by a seemingly endless cycle of economic poverty, foreign intervention -- including American occupation from 1915 to 1934 -- government corruption, and dictatorships. Yet there is another, equally important aspect of Haitian history, one that black Americans identify with deeply. During the period of antebellum slavery and after, Haiti profoundly impacted the imagination of African-American political activism. On the eve of the Civil War, Frederick Douglass spoke for most African-Americans when he referred to the "bright example" of Haiti. He called Toussaint Louverture "the noble liberator and law-giver of his brave and dauntless people." Douglass and other blacks considered Toussaint one of the greatest self-made men of the 19th century. Caribbean migration to the United States, beginning in the early 20th century, transformed black political activism. Immigrants such as Marcus Garvey and Hubert Harrison emerged as street speakers in Harlem. And the Haitian Revolution remained a touchstone for radical black political activists. C.L.R. James, a Trinidadian-born author and activist, wrote a 1939 history of the revolt, "The Black Jacobins," that remains a classic in Africana Studies scholarship. The immigration of Haitians in increasing numbers after the passage of major immigration reform in 1965 has allowed Haitian culture to establish critical beachheads in cities such as New York, Boston, and Miami. Haiti's culture -- its food, music, flag, and proud revolutionary tradition -- resonates alongside of contemporary African-American culture. The popularity of hip hop musician Wyclef Jean, the proliferation of Haitian sports stars, and the prevalence of Kreyol [Haitian Creole] words such as "Sa k' Pase" in rap music attest to Haiti's influence. As the Haitian people prepare to rebuild their republic, we would do well to remember that the tragedy of Haiti is not a failure of black power but ultimately the frustration of it, one that involves mistakes by not only Haitians but by Western powers as well, including the United States. Haitians are the descendants of the great black revolution for liberation, imbued with a history of wrestling with crises. The spirit of the Haitian people is resilient and resourceful. These values will serve them well even during this unimaginable devastation. The Haitian people can also take comfort in the knowledge that African-Americans continue to find deep kinship, one forged in the shared crucible of slavery as well as heroic resistance against this system, in their current plight and efforts to rebuild Port-au-Prince. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Peniel E. Joseph. | Peniel Joseph: For 200 years, Haitian revolution has inspired black activism in the U.S.
Joseph: Haitian slaves, led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, founded first black republic .
Haitians are descendants of revolution, with a resilient, resourceful spirit, Joseph says .
Haitians' kinship with African-Americans lies in slavery and heroic resistance, he says . |
61,963 | b0046d3a7d9d60efb95d8dfd9c7228336cdc74a3 | (CNN)An explosion at a mall in a suburb of the Australian city of Perth has killed two people and injured three others, authorities said Tuesday. The blast Tuesday morning at the Galleria mall in Morley sparked a fire that emergency crews put out. The cause of the explosion is under investigation, said Western Australia Police spokesman Adam Brauwer, declining to provide details. The Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that a power transformer was believed to have exploded. The broadcaster cited witnesses who saw men in flames running out of the building. "I thought a car had exploded, petrol ... but it was a lot worse than that, it was the worst sight I had seen in my entire life," Harry Barugh told the ABC. Another witness, Jonathon McDonagh, said he initially thought the chaotic scene was a joke as he drove into the mall's parking lot. "But then I saw the doorway they came running from and I knew straight away -- power station -- something had to have happened," he told the broadcaster. All the victims were men, police said. | Police are investigating a deadly blast at a mall in a Perth suburb .
Australian broadcaster reports a power transformer is believed to have exploded . |
118,618 | 25285c667ad39346814b29bb97562ab0af304107 | By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 13:15 EST, 7 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:10 EST, 7 January 2014 . A.J. McCarron's mother Dee Dee and his model girlfriend Katherine Webb sparked a huge race row when they appeared to question the ability of Jameis Winston to speak English as he gave a television interview after Florida State's narrow 34-31 win over the Auburn Tigers last night. Posting the thoughtless query, 'Am I listening to English', Dee Dee, 43, quickly become engulfed in a backlash that saw her labeled a racist by outraged members of the public shocked at her tweet concerning the Florida quarterback and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner. And A.J McCarron's girlfriend Webb, 24, also expressed her controversial opinion on Winston's speech as she favorited a tweet in which a fan told the quarterback to 'learn sign language to communicate because listening to him attempt to speak English is just insulting.' Scroll Down for Video . Double trouble: Katherine Webb (left0 and Dee Dee McCarron have both been heavily criticized for making churlish remarks aimed at Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston as he spoke in an interview after his team's victory over The Auburn Tigers . Ill advised: This is the tweet that Dee Dee McCarron posted to Twitter as she was watching Jameis Winston being interviewed live on ESPN as Florida State won the BCS Championship against the Auburn Tigers . In the heat of the moment: After playing for over three hours and being overcome by his and his teams achievement - a breathless Jameis Winston was interviewed about his proudest moment last night on ESPN . Mother-of-five Dee Dee, almost immediately deleted the tweet, and issued an apology denying that she or her Alabama quarterback son A.J. is racist and that her dumb question was not meant to be racially offensive. Webb also took to Twitter to deny she even meant to favorite the tweet and said that she must have clicked that button by accident. Winston, 20, spoke to an ESPN broadaster in the chaotic scenes that followed his team's victory about what he and coach Jimbo Fisher said to each other in their post-win embrace. 'We champions,' Winston replied in a breathless manner. 'We can share that. We are champions together. And through everything that we went through. Through all the haters. Through every single thing, we came our victorious. God did this.' Proof: This screen grab of a tweet by Business Insider's Tony Manfred shows that Katherine Webb definitely favorited a mean-spirited message aimed at Jameis Winston last night . | A.J. McCarron's mother, Dee Dee McCarron, 43, questioned whether Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston was speaking English in his post-game interview last night .
Winston had just led Florida State to a 34-31 win over Auburn Tigers last night .
A.J. McCarron's model girlfriend Katherine Webb also appeared to favorite a message that suggested that Jameis Winston's command of English was 'insulting'
Dee Dee McCarron apologized and deleted the tweet - but Katherine Webb said that she clicked 'favorite' by mistake . |
49,208 | 8af881f9d39ea68081b90366d377123d91b567a7 | By . Gerri Peev, Political Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 07:41 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:18 EST, 30 October 2012 . The wife of outspoken Labour MP Austin Mitchell has defended her husband against claims that his Twitter outburst at a Tory MP proves he is a sexist. Mr Mitchell, who has been an MP since 1977, admonished chick-lit author and politician Louise Mensch for contradicting her husband about why she was quitting parliament. The left-winger MP tweeted: ‘Shut up Menschkin. A good wife doesn't disagree with her master in public and a good little girl doesn't lie about why she quit politics.’ Austin Mitchell's wife Linda McDougall said she was standing by her man after he took to Twitter to tell Louise Mensch to 'shut up' Mr Mitchell’s remarks provoked fury and calls for the MP to be expelled from the party. Critics – including his wife, the journalist Linda McDougall who describes herself as a hardline feminist - called for Mr Mitchell to withdraw the tweet. But Mr Mitchell’s wife insisted her husband is not a ‘dinosaur’. She told the Daily Mail that she blamed herself as she had alerted her husband to the article about Mrs Mensch after she ‘dispatched him to fetch the Sunday papers’. Ms McDougall said: ‘We were sitting across from each other on the train and before I knew it he was tweeting it on his I-phone.’ Mr Mitchell tweeted telling Ms Mensch she was wrong to contradict her husband . The broadcaster and filmmaker also revealed that she knew Mrs Mensch after ‘I employed her to do a film’ about some political awards. She added: ‘She was very nice and I really liked her. This has not changed my opinion of her. Austin has long been a great admirer of hers.’ She added that while she did not approve of the tweet, she was standing by her man: ‘I am the Tammy Wynette of Grimbsy. Austin is the kindest and hardest working man. ‘I wouldn’t describe him as a feminist as he likes his jokes but I am proud of him. No one would stand up more for the hard-pressed women of Grimsby than Austin.’ Ms Mensch was forced to deny allegations made by her husband Peter in a newspaper interview that she quit her role as an MP because she didn't think she would win at the next election . Ms McDougall – who said she had been a feminist since she ‘emerged from the womb 71 years ago’ - said she was upset at the Twitter abuse aimed at her husband. ‘About 80 per cent of the Tweets have been ageist. It may be terribly upsetting for Louise Mensch but it’s OK for us elderly.’ Despite the criticism from all sides, Mr Mitchell, issued an even more inflammatory tweet yesterday. He said on the social networking site: ‘Calm down dears. Irony may be a low form of wit but it's clearly above my level. And yours. So my wife has banned me from tweeting today.’ He added: ‘Wife,three daughters,one granddaughter and Labour press office all demand that I withdraw my tweet. No chance of front bench now.’ A Labour Party spokesman said: ‘Austin Mitchell has made clear the tweet was a joke, not a serious comment. It’s not funny, it’s understandable that people find it offensive, and it is not the view of the Labour Party.’ Mrs Mensch also called on Ed Miliband to ‘repudiate’ Mr Mitchell, pointing out Tory MP Aidan Burley’s twitter tirade at the Olympics Opening Ceremony as ‘leftie, mult-cultural clap trap’ had been called ‘idiotic’ by David Cameron. Mrs Mensch also took a swipe at deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman took to Twitter to say: ‘H Harman's silence speaks volumes. Don't talk to me about standing for women.’ Mrs Mensch took to Twitter to respond to her husbands claims in the interview . But Tory MP Nadine Dorries took a swipe at her former colleague, accusing Mrs Mensch of ‘deserting her post’. Ms Dorries said: ‘It’s disappointing that Louise did not do what every other MP has to do. The decent thing to do would have been to stick in there and battle to the end.’ The controversy started when Peter Mensch told a Sunday newspaper that his wife was quitting British politics because of ‘Louise’s belief that she was only going to be an MP for three more years.’ He said: ‘She thought, and I wasn't going to argue with her, that she'd get killed at the next election. So, to her, it seemed much more short-term than my job as a manager, which is going to go on for another 20 years. ‘And listen, they hadn't promoted her yet, and it's not like she thought she had a future because perhaps she felt she was too outspoken. She was doing her own thing regardless and maybe wasn't . 'Conservative party enough' to move up the food chain.’ Mrs Mensch, who is taking a job as a newspaper columnist in New York, took to Twitter to explain her side: ‘Can honestly say I had no fear whatsoever of defeat at next election since had already decided not to stand again,’ she tweeted. ‘However: nothing, repeat nothing, influenced decision to resign other than inability to hold family life together away from him.’ The seat of Corby is set for a byelection on 15 November 15. Senior Tory peer Lord Ashcroft has commissioned polling which shows the Tories are on course to lose to Labour. | Linda McDougall insists her husband Austin Mitchell is not a 'dinosaur' after he tweeted 'a good wife doesn't disagree with her master'
Row erupted after Mrs Mensch's disputed her husband Peter's account of why he quit the Commons . |
215,641 | a3219484815653bc872ffcaeaa7e453267be0568 | John Cantlie, the British hostage being held by ISIS, has been used in a new slickly-produced video released by the insurgents in which he admits that he is likely to be executed. The photojournalist, who was captured last year while working in Syria, is seen addressing the camera in the propaganda video as he also reveals details of an apparent botched U.S. raid to rescue him and his fellow captives. In the lecture-style footage, titled Lend Me Your Ears Episode 6, Mr Cantlie appears to be reading from a prepared script as he sits behind a desk wearing an orange jumpsuit. The photojournalist, who was captured last year while working in Syria, is seen addressing the camera in the propaganda video as he sits behind a desk wearing an orange jumpsuit . The clip, which lasts for almost nine minutes, opens with the 43-year-old photojournalist giving an account of what he claims was a failed rescue attempt by American forces in July . It is the seventh video that ISIS has released that shows the British hostage. The clip, which lasts for almost nine minutes, opens with the 43-year-old photojournalist giving an account of what he claims was a failed rescue attempt by American forces on July 4 - American Independence Day. He goes on to say that he has 'accepted' that he will suffer the 'same fate' as his executed cellmates but that he blames the British and American governments and not the insurgents, who he refers to as the mujahideen. Asked about this latest video, Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are aware of a further video and are analysing its contents.' It comes just days after a video purporting to show the severed head of U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig and a mass murder of Syrian soldiers emerged. Since August, IS has filmed and posted online the deaths of four Western hostages. British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines and American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded on camera by the jihadi organisation. In the most recent video from the militants, which has been posted online, Mr Cantlie looks gaunt as he delivers his lecture from inside a dark room. He begins by saying: 'In this programme I will tell you about a failed raid to rescue us and how it feels to be left for dead by your own government.' It marks a departure from the last video of Mr Cantlie - released last month - which saw him being used as a news reporter from the battle-ravaged city of Kobane. In this latest clip, the sixth in the apparent 'series', Mr Cantlie said that he accepts he will most likely face the same fate as his cellmates, but says he blames David Cameron and President Obama . In the latest clip, Mr Cantlie goes on to claim that the Americans staged an 'incredibly complex, risky and expensive' attempt to rescue hostages in July. He said: 'The raid involved two dozen Delta Force commandos, several Black Hawk helicopters, gunships, Predator drones, F18 Hornet Jets and refuelling aircraft. 'It took weeks of rehearsals and must have cost tens of millions to perform - but we weren't there. 'The Islamic State, anticipating such a move, just put us into cars and moved us to another prison days beforehand.' He also admits that he 'long ago' 'accepted' that his fate will be 'overwhelmingly the same as his cellmates'. But while he says that he blames Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama for his situation - not his captors. He also claims that the leaders knew he was being held hostage for 'more than a year' and added that they were aware that they could be beheaded. He claimed that the leaders are 'treating their lives like a gamble, like a roll of the dice,' and said that their actions felt like the 'ultimate betrayal' He said: 'Obama and Cameron act all shocked and appalled each time one of us is killed but they have known this was coming for months. 'They have known our six names, who was holding us, and the consequences of not negotiating for over a year. 'So for them to act all shocked each time one of us is executed is a massive lie to the public and our families. 'Long ago I accepted that my fate would be overwhelmingly the same as my cellmates and I am angry about it.' He claimed that the leaders are 'treating their lives like a gamble, like a roll of the dice,' and said that their actions felt like the 'ultimate betrayal'. He also accuses Britain and America of taking military action rather than negotiating the release of hostages through options such as ransom payments. He says: 'We were left to die. It's the worse feeling in the world being left behind like that. 'We have been in the longest, paid our dues, watched everyone else go home, never stopped believing and wham! Have some of that. You're not worth negotiating for.' He focuses on the French government's record for paying out ransom demands, stating that 'since 2008, France has reportedly paid $58 million of ransom payments to different Islamic groups, nearly 10 million a year.' The British journalist comments: 'Wouldn't it be cheaper to release the Muslim prisoners as asked?' He also raises the case of Bowe Robert Bergdahl, a US Army soldier who was held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Afghanistan from June 2009 until his release in May 2014. Mr Cantlie says: 'He was one man. We were six and Islamic State asked for Muslim prisoners in exchange for all of us. Yes, Bergdahl was a soldier and three of us were British but a civilian live, all six of them, not worth discussing?' He added: 'We are not big people. We are not special. We are not US soldiers. But we are no more less important than everyone else who went home.' The footage, seen above, marks a departure from the fifth video that was released of Mr Cantlie, which saw him being used as a news reporter from the battle-ravaged city of Kobane . Towards the end of the video, he says: 'I will continue to speak out against this military action ... for as long as the mujahideen allow me to live.' It is not the first time Mr Cantlie's experience in journalism has been utilised by ISIS, as last month his name was put to an article which appeared in a propaganda magazine designed to inflame the feelings of IS followers. This is the seventh video to feature Mr Cantlie and comes after his sister said last month that she thinks he believes 'two-thirds' of what he says on camera. Jessica Cantlie also made an emotional appeal for her brother's return, pleading with the terrorists to reopen lines of contact to secure his safe journey home. She has also previously appealed for 'direct contact' with the militants holding him. Last month Mr Cantlie's father died following a public appeal from his hospital bed. Paul Cantlie, 80, spoke directly to ISIS extremists in a heartfelt video, pleading for his son's return. He died from complications following pneumonia last month. Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen today denounced the Islamic State group for declaring a caliphate on territory it seized in Syria and Iraq without the correct mandate. Sheikh Harith al-Nadhari, who claims to be the groups spiritual guide said their actions are 'driving a wedge' among jihadi groups. The clip emerged as the Islamic State released a seventh propaganda video showing British hostage John Cantlie. Sheikh Harith al-Nadhari was referring to Islamic State's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's recent call for followers to 'explode volcanos of jihad everywhere.' Al-Nadhari said ISIS "forced the nation, all the nation, to pledge allegiance' in absence of 'consultation' with other Jihadi leaders. His message was posted on one of Yemeni Al-Qaida's official Twitter pages. He said: 'They revoked the legitimacy of all the Islamic groups across the Islamic world .... and drove a wedge among Mujahedeen ranks by collecting allegiances from within the Jihadi groups. 'They announced the expansion of their caliphate in a number of countries in which they have no mandate.' The Islamic State extremists initially fought to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. But other groups, including al-Qaeda central command, disavowed them. Smaller groups across the region have pledged allegiance to al-Baghdadi while the larger al-Qaeda affiliates remain silent regarding al-Baghdadi's outreach. Among the more significant loyalty pledges came from Egypt's Ansar Beit al-Maqdis. The U.S. considers al-Qaida in Yemen to be one of the most dangerous local branches of the global terror organization because it has been linked to several failed attacks on the U.S. homeland. The group is led by Nasser al-Wahishi, a onetime close associate to Osama bin Laden. In the video message, al-Nadhari reiterated the group's allegiance to bin Laden's successor Ayman al-Zawahri, in defiance of al-Baghdadi's outreach initiative. | John Cantlie is seen addressing the camera in slick propaganda video .
Photojournalist was captured last year while working in Syria .
Footage takes on lecture-style format with Mr Cantlie sitting behind a desk .
He says that he has accepted he will be executed like his cellmates .
Also describes a recent U.S. attempt to rescue prisoners of the terror group .
Said that insurgents moved them to another prison before the raid .
Ended by saying that he will speak out 'as long as he is allowed to live'
Foreign Office said it is aware of a video and is 'analysing its contents' |
203,796 | 93d961b772673701e91031c06e4afeec47098f6b | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 01:28 EST, 29 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:29 EST, 29 May 2012 . Sky Sports has been accused of sexism again after it cut short its coverage of the FA Women's Cup final coverage - robbing viewers of a nail-biting result. The clash between Birmingham City Ladies and Chelsea Ladies was suddenly switched during extra time to the build-up between the men's League One play-off final. Viewers missed a remarkable turnaround from Birmingham, who were 2-1 down with just eight minutes of extra time left when Sky switched its coverage. Cut short: Birmingham City Ladies celebrate winning the FA Women's Cup Final after beating Chelsea Ladies FC in a penalty shootout at Ashton Gate, Bristol, on Saturday . A last minute equaliser by Birmingham made it 2-2, before a tense penalty shootout which the ladies from the Midlands won 3-2. Furious fans took to Twitter after the match to brand the decision to axe the coverage sexist. Lorraine Fell tweeted: 'Sky is SEXIST Not showing pens for women's FA cup going to play off.' And Luke Mackay tweeted the chant: 'Sky Sports...WERE SEXIST AND WE KNOW IT.' Mike Maybury, Birmingham City's secretary, told the Birmingham Mail: 'It was disappointing that Sky stopped broadcasting the game before it was finished. 'Sky had taken the contract to air it, they should have fulfilled their obligation.' He added: 'The match on Sky was a good advertisement for women’s football, which is another reason it’s so disappointing that it was not aired to the end of the game.' But Sky Sports blamed the blunder on 'exceptional scheduling issues'. A spokesman said: ‘Sky Sports covered the Women's FA Cup Final live in full but due to exceptional scheduling issues we had to cover the climax through the red button service rather than on Sky Sports 2. ‘The build up and match were shown live on the main channel. We then cut the build up to the League 1 Play-off Final so that we could show extra time in full. Controversial: Former Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray (left) and Richard Keys both left the network after sexism scandals . ‘With the match stretching to penalties the decision was made to switch to the red button. It was a difficult scheduling decision, caused by the wealth of live sport shown at the same time across five Sky Sports channels. ‘However, this did mean that we could cover the climax live. Viewers could also see extensive highlights at 6.15pm and coverage on Sky Sports News.’ The controversy is just the latest allegation to hit the broadcaster, after pundits Andy Gray and Richard Keys last year mocked assistant referee Sian Massey. The pair believed their microphones had been switched off when they were heard questioning if she knew the offside rule. Gray was axed after a video clip emerged of him asking co-presenter Charlotte Jackson to help tuck his microphone down his trousers during an advertising break. It was the third tape to emerge in three days. Keys resigned later after an off-air clip of him was posted on YouTube, in which he referred to a woman as 'it' while twice asking Jamie Redknapp if he ‘smashed it’ [slang for ‘did you have sex with her?’]. | Sky Sports blames blunder on 'exceptional scheduling issues' |
103,743 | 11d46438b6aa687068b7c6b2e761c65ad02ebc70 | In the period drama Downton Abbey, servants are portrayed as loyal, deferential and discreet. But experts claim that finding a modern-day butler with such traits can be a tall order. Estate agent Knight Frank claims that after debt, death and divorce, staffing problems are one of the main reasons behind the sale of country homes. While some aspire to own a sprawling estate complete with a gardener, housekeeper, nanny and butler, the dream can turn into a nightmare, it is claimed. Finding good staff like Carson in Downton Abbey, played by Jim Carter (right), is becoming a burden for upper class country home onwers, with good workers 'like gold dust', estate agents Knight Frank has said . In its latest ‘rural report’, Knight Frank said that many customers simply cannot find the staff. This upper-class problem may attract little sympathy, but experts claim that employing workers for a country house ‘can be a burden without expert help or advice’. The report said issues around recruitment and retention were common problems, while some employees are litigious and ready to sue their boss if they feel their rights are breached. It said: ‘Staffing issues – especially if they ever reach the court – can be extremely costly, in terms as time and personal angst, as well as money. ‘It is vital to keep abreast of any new rules to avoid being sued by disgruntled employees. ‘People are becoming increasingly well-informed about their rights and litigious, especially if they have a high-profile employer.’ Social media has also caused a fresh headache for employers, who could find their secrets splashed across Facebook or Twitter by disgruntled or indiscreet workers. Knight Frank said anyone hiring staff should ensure they sign confidentiality agreements which includes social media, saying: ‘Domestic staff in particular may have access to very personal aspects of your life, things that you probably don’t want shared with the entire world.’ Knight Frank said staff should sign confidentiality agreements to protect the personal lives of their employers from being exposed, as happened in the trial of the aides to Nigella Lawson and ex-husband Charles Saatchi . Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and her ex-husband and art dealer Charles Saatchi found their own personal lives exposed after a much-publicised court case involving their assistants Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo. The Grillo sisters were found not guilty in December 2013 of defrauding the former couple of hundreds of thousands of pounds while working for them at their Belgravia townhouse. But during the trial, details of Saatchi and Lawson’s rocky marriage and lifestyles emerged. Francesca Grillo claimed she typically started cleaning at 6am and would often still be getting texts about work from the art dealer at just before midnight. She also said Miss Lawson seemed 'unhappy' in the marriage and claimed her unsociable husband blocked her attempts to break into the US market. Yesterday, Knight Frank said a rise in overseas millionaires buying property in the UK meant the demand for good private staff now outweighed supply – enabling the top workers to name their price. Carson is a much-loved butler in Downton Abbey, but finding staff like him is proving to be difficult . Angus Harley, who heads Knight Frank’s consultancy service finding staff for the super-wealthy, said: ‘Owning a country house can very quickly become unenjoyable if the people they have hired are not looking after it as they would like. ‘Good workers are like gold dust and they do not tend to move around often.’ He said that many wealthy people tried to hire couples so that one could do the housekeeping and cooking while the other did outdoor work such gardening, driving and security. However, such arrangements also came with drawbacks, he said, should the couple split up. Mr Harley also urged people to carry out full checks to ensure applicants had no debts, driving infringements or criminal records, claiming he had come across ‘in-post butlers who have done time for burglary’. All is not lost for those who find themselves forced to sell their country home after failing to find the right staff though. Knight Frank said those who found themselves unable to suitable workers for their rural abode simply bought ‘a chalet in the Alps’, which they did not have to staff all year round. | Country home owners struggling to find butlers, gardeners and nannies .
Estate agents say they cannot find staff like Downton Abbey's Carson .
Knight Frank said employing the correct staff can become a 'burden'
They said 'good workers are like gold dust' and often don't move jobs . |
281,184 | f840c9bda67fffc4916c6e074d414c913a105872 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The daughter of slain San Francisco porn mogul Artie Mitchell was arrested Thursday at a San Francisco hotel after more than nine days on the run that began when she is alleged to have rammed a police car with her Mercedes as officers tried to take her into custody for her alleged involvement in a major identity theft ring. Officers found methamphetamine, fake credit cards and cash after she was wrestled to the ground by detectives outside of the posh Lodge at Tiburon Hotel in San Francisco. Authorities have been checking upscale hotels for the porn heiress since she escaped custody on April 29. Scroll down for video . Busted: Jasmine Mitchell, 33, pictured here in previous mugshots, was arrested Thursday in San Francisco after she fled escaped a law enforcement sting operation on April 29. She faces charges for allegedly heading up an ID theft operation . It's genetic: Jasmine's father Artie Mitchell (left) and her uncle Jim Mitchell (right) were pioneers in the production of pornographic films in San Francisco. But in late February 1991, Jim shot his brother to death following an argument . Evidence: A detective points out the equipment seized from San Pablo apartment of Jasmine Mitchell, including an embossing machine (left) and a card press (right) Jasmine Mitchell was the alleged ringleader of a major identity theft operation that claimed thousands of victims . Sonoma County sheriff's Sgt. Michael Raasch tells the Contra Costa Times that documents found in Mitchell's purse indicate that she may have been planning to leave the country. Authorities say Mitchell's identity theft operation has claimed thousands of victims. On . April 29, detectives received information that Mitchell and a second . suspect, 34-year-old Roy Kim were living at an apartment complex across . from the San Pablo Lytton Casino, according to Inside Bay Area. Both had warrants ouf for their arrests, . and police detained three people after searching the apartment and . finding a large-scale identity theft and credit card operation. But when police moved to arrest Mitchell as she pulled into the garage of the complex in a white Mercedes, she rammed an unmarked police car, as well as a parked car, and sped away. Mitchell was renting the apartment under a fake name. She is known for staying in expensive hotels and hanging around the high-rollers tables at casinos. Detectives later located Kim inside a taxi in Richmond. He was also wanted for commercial burglary in Santa Clara county. Kim was arrested and booked into the Contra Costa County Jail. One of Mitchell's ID theft victims, known only as Melissa (left) said she was targeted because of her physical likeness to Mitchell . Jasmine's father, Artie Mitchell, teamed up with his brother to form an influential duo in the X-rated film industry. The siblings produced the 1972 hardcore classic Behind the Green Door and owned a well-known San Francisco strip club called the O'Farrell Theater. In 1991 Mitchell's uncle fatally shot her father. In 2000, their story was dramatized in the movie Rated X starring real life brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez. In 2000, a TV movie told the story of Artie and Jim Mitchell starring real-life brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez, . The film focuses on the making of their most profitable film, Behind the Green Door, released in 1972 . Inside Jasmine's apartment, detectives said they seized evidence of stolen credit card information, as well as equipment, such as an embossing machine and a card press. Police will allege she used the equipment to make fake credit cards from stolen identities. Authorities plan to seek additional charges of hit-and-run and assault with a deadly weapon for her getaway. | Jasmine Mitchell, 33, rammed a police car and fled as officers tried to arrest her in San Pablo on April 29 .
Mitchell was on the run for nine days before she was arrested in San Francisco on Thursday .
She is the daughter of 1970s porn pioneer Artie Mitchell, who was killed by his brother and business partner Jim Mitchell in 1991 .
Mitchell is accused of leading a major identity theft operation that affected thousands of people . |
48,226 | 88267693b9920cc496f2208dd496ea426f17c5e8 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 04:49 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:15 EST, 6 November 2013 . Many grumble about not being able to get a seat on the train to work. But if they think that's bad, they should spare a thought for the Venezuelan commute - where passengers squash themselves into carriages and leap over seats in an attempt to get inside the carriage. A short video captures the chaos that comes with catching the metro in the city of Caracas in the South American country. Calm before the storm: The metro is quiet, peaceful and empty - for now . As the doors gently slide open, people are already pushing their way in as they race to get a spot . Every man for himself! People fall into the carriage as they are shoved from behind from panicking commuters . The doors slide open, people swarm inside and flailing limbs get tangled up as commuters struggle to push inside. As the doors glide open, passengers fall in, such is the swell of people trying to push themselves on - despite the doors not even being open. People rush in, with a couple of limber customers managing to leap over seats. Few manage to dive on to a bench - but pay the price as they are then subject to kicks in the head as people throw themselves over the chairs. Passengers leap over seats in the race to grab a spot, while others swing round poles to land themselves a seat . In a matter of seconds the carriage is already bursting with commuters - but there is still room for more as people dive in . As the panic to secure a space on the metro intensifies, people push others out of the way to squeeze like sardines inside the metro . One person clutches the back of their skull after being kicked by another passenger who uses a pole to lift themselves over a chair... and ends up dragging their feet over other commuters' skulls. The empty carriage is immediately filled by the rush of people who race in, with some people running down the aisle to try and secure a space. And forget chivalry - it's every person for themselves as young and old fight for a spot on the service. The astonishing video, from Tagnana, shows just how cramped the carriages are as people rush to squeeze into. But it's not only Venezuela that suffers from crowded services. As soon as the doors open, a flood of people bursts in, with commuters trying to claim a seat before the train starts moving . The cramped conditions were filmed in a short video, which shows just how manic the rush hour can be . What a commute! The crazy scenes showed just desperate people are to cram their way on to the metro . Rush hour has never looked so stressful! By the end the carriage is absolutely packed with people . The squeeze is reminiscent of how condensed the public transport in Japan is. The metro service in Tokyo is famous for being tightly packed. The city is known for its urban density and so the public transport nightmare is hardly surprising . Packed like sardines into sweaty, claustrophobic carriages, passengers can barely breathe let alone move about freely. Indian trains are also known for their cramped conditions. Passengers will swarm on to the unreserved class carriages and sleep in the luggage racks, sit on top of the train roofs and hang off the doors. | Video captures the crush in Caracas metro system .
People push their way onto carriage and leap over seats . |
65,666 | ba76bfb1d05ab30c0888d781d1dcde0268388dcd | The radiologists who saw these X-rays pop up on their screens must have struggled to keep a straight face when asking the patients what had happened. They show unusual items medical staff around the world have found inside patients' rectums. They include a deodorant bottle, a pestle (which entered anus when the patient 'slipped while cooking Malaysian food'), a coffee jar and an orange. The images have been shared by medical staff on Radiopaedia, an teaching and reference website founded by an Australian radiology student in 2005. Although the examples seen below make for legitimate research and teaching material for radiologists, for others they serve as amusement, and for some, cautionary tales. Bricks and mortar: This X-ray of a 40-year-old man reveals a pestle, which he says entered his rectum when he 'slipped while cooking Malaysian food' Instant pain: This patient had self-inserted a jar of 'a well-known brand of instant coffee' with a number of pins stuck in the rubber inside of the lid . Each to their own: This patient appeared to have built his own sex-toy by screwing an empty tube of Berocca vitamins to the top of a spray canister and inserting it into his rectum . Not allowed to smile: The collection of X-rays show unusual items medical staff around the world have found inside patients' rectums, such as in this case - a bottle . No exit strategy: The doctor who treated this patient, who had inserted a vibrator into his anus, suggested that 'perhaps they should have a cord to strap to your ankle, like a surfboard' Warning: This patient who inserted an eggplant, learned the hard way that 'once it's equator has passed the anal verge it has a tendency to scoot up up and away' 'Educational': The images, such as this showing an orange inserted into rectum, have been shared by medical staff on Radiopaedia, a wiki for radiologists . This patient had inserted a bottle into anus, which when extracted, 'proved to be a deodorant bottle' | Medical staff share images of X-rays on wiki website Radiopaedia .
Article on 'rectal foreign bodies' show unusual things recovered .
Objects include deodorant bottles, coffee jars and a pestle . |
220,540 | a976916c8fee8a3a15ae3de8d2b1ca6da1e62e93 | (CNN) -- One day, California wakes up and every single Latino has inexplicably disappeared. No business owner, doctor, nurse, soldier, teacher, entertainer, athlete or politician can be found. No bus driver, farm worker, cook, gardener or nanny. All gone. California -- the ninth largest economy in the world -- grinds to a halt because Latinos have vanished. Chaos and tragedy follow. This scenario is what Sergio Arau's satiric film, "A Day Without a Mexican," explores. This modern-day fable provides a cautionary tale on the assumptions we make about the 11 million unauthorized immigrants who live and work in America every day. An oft-repeated mantra used to malign these "economic refugees" -- a term that more closely defines who they actually are, rather than the inflammatory "illegal immigrant" -- is that they don't pay taxes. They send their kids to our schools, and they don't pay taxes. They earn their wages, and they don't pay income tax. Such incendiary assertions are coded language designed explicitly to generate a negative reaction. The facts, which most people don't know, refute such claims entirely. Sales tax. Like everyone in the country, every time a refugee goes to a store and buys something, they pay sales tax. They buy milk; they pay sales tax. They buy shoes; they pay sales tax. They buy a television; they pay sales tax. Property tax. When refugees rent -- whether it's in an apartment building, a room in a house or a house -- a portion of that rent is passed on to the landlord, who pays property tax to the state. Payroll tax. President Reagan's 1986 immigration reform law penalizes employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers. This policy has generated a black-market business for fake identity documents. In less than an hour you can obtain a fake green card, Social Security number and driver's license. Most refugees, then, do provide the necessary documents -- fake or otherwise -- to employers and when they get their paycheck, up to 15% of their earnings goes to Uncle Sam to pay Social Security and Medicare. But since it's illegal for them to receive Social Security and Medicare benefits, this creates a windfall for Uncle Sam. The "Earnings Suspense File," used to track names and Social Security numbers that don't match government records, grew an average of $67 billion per year from 2000 to 2007 (the most recent years for which data is available), three times faster than the file grew in the 1990s. In 2007, $11.2 billion went into the Social Security Trust Fund and $2.6 billion went into Medicare, for a total that year of $13.8 billion. Given the financial climate in America these past years, these are funds we can ill afford to do without. This week, in his testimony to the Congressional Budget Committee, Stephen Goss, chief actuary of the Social Security Administration, said that because of the country's growing aging population and decline in birth rates, the Disability Insurance Trust fund reserves will be depleted by 2018 and the Social Security Trust Fund will follow suit by 2036. Goss told The Washington Post recently that the windfall from economic refugees has saved the retirement system from insolvency. A similar phenomenon holds true on the state level. In December 2006, Texas was the first state to conduct a comprehensive financial analysis of the impact of undocumented immigrants on a state's budget and economy. The stunning results showed that "undocumented immigrants produced $1.58 billion in state revenues, which exceeded the $1.16 billion in state services they received." Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the former Texas Comptroller, said, "Bottom line, undocumented immigrants in the state of Texas are adding $17.7 billion to our gross state product ... we net $428 million at the state level because of the taxes they're paying in." A few years ago, the Congressional Budget Office evaluated the impact of economic refugees on the budgets of state and local governments. It concluded, "Over the past two decades, most efforts to estimate the fiscal impact of immigration in the United States have concluded that, in aggregate and over the long term, tax revenues of all types generated by immigrants -- both legal and unauthorized -- exceed the cost of the services they use." The film "A Day Without a Mexican" was made in 2004. No Mexicans -- or Colombians or Argentines or Guatemalans or Panamanians, for that matter -- have mysteriously disappeared from our country. In the long run, a day without Mexicans would deal a devastating blow not just to California, but to the U.S. economy. It is time to cease the mantras that enforce the idea that illegal immigrants are nothing more than leeches to our society, and embrace the realities of what these people actually contribute to our economy: a financial fountain we would be foolish to shut off. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Charles Garcia. | Charles Garcia: Not having illegal immigrants would be devastating blow to U.S. economy .
Unauthorized immigrants pay taxes and contribute to Social Security and Medicare .
But since it's illegal for them to receive those benefits, this creates a windfall for Uncle Sam .
Garcia: It's time to do away with the idea that illegal immigrants are leeches to our society . |
273,647 | ee7b3ea40a27a65c9a9fe4c07805dc871069b2c0 | (CNN)It started like any other of Peter Greste's 400 days in captivity. The Australian journalist, held in an Egyptian prison since December 2013, was exercising when the prison warden beckoned him over and told him that he needed to get ready to leave. "Pack your stuff," he was told. Confused, he asked the warden what he meant -- was he being transferred to another prison? "He said: 'You're going... the embassy's coming, they'll be here in an hour, so get your stuff and go,'" Greste told his network, Al Jazeera, in an interview with correspondent Stefanie Dekker in Cyprus. "I can't tell you that real mix of emotions that was boiling inside," said Greste. "It's a relief and excitement but also real, real stress at having to say goodbye to my colleagues and friends, the people who have really become family inside that prison." READ MORE: Freed Al Jazeera journalist is 'safe, healthy and very happy,' family says . Having experienced "an awful lot of false starts with this, and an awful lot of false alarms," Greste hadn't wanted to set his faith in the Egyptian system until he was safely out of the country. But once he had his "backside into a seat on the plane," the relief was palpable. However, his joy was tempered by the fact he was leaving behind fellow Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed. All three were convicted of supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood, but have maintained their innocence. In addition, another seven were convicted in absentia alongside the journalists. "I feel incredible angst about my colleagues, leaving them behind," said Greste. "Amidst all of this relief I still feel a sense of concern, a real sense of worry because ... if it's right for me to be free, then it's right for all of them to be free." After spending more than a year in such close proximity -- "in a box" -- Greste says deep bonds were forged, making "the moment of walking out of that prison, saying goodbye to those guys" much more conflicted. "Over that period I've got to know them... as family," he said. "They're my brothers. It couldn't be any other way." Still, he says that his release is a positive step, and he hopes that it signals a change in direction from the Egyptian government. "The sense of euphoria, of optimism is so overwhelming," Greste said. "What's very clear is that ... for Egypt too this is a big step forward. I think everyone has acknowledged that this is a very important moment and I just hope Egypt keeps going down this path with the others." Sue Turton, an Al Jazeera English senior correspondent who was sentenced in absentia in Greste's trial, spoke to CNN's Hala Gorani about the possible release of the network's Cairo bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy. Fahmy had needed to take the drastic measure of renouncing his Egyptian citizenship in his bid for freedom, she said. "He has now renounced that citizenship," she said. "He was really coerced to do so. He was told by the Egyptian authorities that if this was going to happen he was going to have to give away his Egyptian passport." It represented an extreme step for the journalist, who came "from a very patriotic, proud military family," she said. "This is a big deal for him. This isn't just a question of saying, 'Oh well. I'll just take a Canadian passport and that'll be that.' "Now we're getting quite a lot of diplomatic messages through that it sounds like really his release is very imminent and he is pretty soon hopefully going to be on a plane headed to Canada." Meanwhile, Greste's parents spoke to CNN's Christiane Amanpour about his release. His mother, Lois Greste, says that they initially weren't sure that the email that informed them of his release could be trusted. "It was pretty difficult to take it in, that this was really going to happen," she said. "But then a couple of hours later we got a call from Peter to say that he in the airport and about to hop onto the plane." His father, Juris, confirmed that his son's release was a wholly unexpected development. "He was just as surprised as anybody that he was asked to pack his small amount of gear and be ready to leave," he said, smiling. And now he's free? "Juris suggested I put him over my knee and give him a whack," said his mother, laughing. But, she conceded, "foreign correspondents have a habit" of worrying their parents. | An Australian journalist is released after more than a year in Egyptian prison .
Al Jazeera correspondent was convicted, alongside two colleagues, of supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood .
Peter Greste says he felt a "real mix of emotions" upon his release . |
112,611 | 1d494a983af09d936d7d07ca6eeead6c5bad8bd2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:34 EST, 1 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:57 EST, 2 January 2014 . Men who can't function without an early morning coffee kick can now get it as they're having a shave. A new product has added caffeine to normal shaving cream. It is absorbed by the skin – and an energy boost can be felt within five minutes, even before you've put your trousers on. The effect of the product is thought to set in when a man uses the matching aftershave. Men who normally head to the kitchen for a cup of coffee in the morning could now kick start their day in the bathroom, thanks to a new caffeinated shaving cream . An 85g bottle of the cream contains around 50mg of caffeine which is about the same level as a fizzy drink such as Coca Cola. It also helps to reduce red patches and blemishes on the skin. The bizarre cosmetic, dubbed the Caffeinated Shaving Cream, was invented by Stan Ades, 43, after he spotted the gap in the market. Stan, who is from San Francisco, said: 'There is lots of innovation on things like razors but not that much for shaving creams. 'I saw that there was a gap in the market and I knew that caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and an antioxidant that helps reduce redness and keeps skin feeling healthy. 'I spoke to a chemist and we infused caffeine into a shaving cream and not only does it help the skin, but it is actually absorbed into the body. 'It probably wouldn't be as effective as a cup of coffee and is more like the effect given from a can of fizzy drink, but you can definitely feel it. 'There is about 50mg of caffeine in a bottle of the shaving cream and between 40 and 80mg in a cup of coffee. 'Although the shaving cream is made from caffeine derived from coffee beans it doesn't smell of coffee and instead has a peppermint oil scent. 'As it is just 85g it is a good size for travellers and can be taken on aeroplanes because it is within the flying restrictions.' The shaving cream costs around five pounds from an online shop. | Caffeine is absorbed by skin when a customer is having a shave .
It also helps to reduce red patches and blemishes on the skin .
The cosmetic was invented by Stan Ades, 43, from San Francisco . |
172,871 | 6bbb89f0318293a40ad2309f620941dcc8093c1b | (CNN) -- The killing last weekend of a Catholic priest and two seminary students in southwest Mexico marked the first time that drug cartel hit men have purposefully targeted a clergyman, said Manuel Corral, public relations secretary for Mexico's Council of Bishops. The Rev. Habacuc Hernandez Benitez, 39, was gunned down as he traveled in a vehicle in the town of Arcelia in the state of Guerrero, together with two seminary students, Eduardo Oregon Benitez, 19, and Silvestre Gonzalez Cambron, 21. "In this case the drug traffickers followed them and ambushed them," said Corral, who declined to name which cartel is suspected behind the incident. Authorities have not stated a motive in the case, but Corral said one line of investigation is that one of the seminary students had a family member involved with a drug cartel, and that the three were killed as revenge for some cause. At least seven priests have been killed in Mexico since 2005 under violent circumstances, including being kidnapped, shot and beaten. Organized crime has been suspected in some of these cases, but Saturday's killing in Guerrero left no doubt of the perpetrators' business, Corral said. Hernandez and the two seminarians had just celebrated Mass in Arcelia and were leaving the area when a group of unknown gunmen pulled up next to their vehicle and opened fire, according to the local human rights organization Montana Tlachinollan. Local reports added that after shooting the priest's vehicle, the gunmen pulled the men outside and shot them in the back. The incident paralyzed area residents to the point that no one in the town would go to identify the bodies, Montana Tlachinollan reported. The three victims remained "unknown" until someone from out of town came to officially identify them. Since taking office in 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has made the fight against drug cartels a priority. He has dispatched more than 25,000 troops to augment local police forces. Last year, drug violence was blamed for the deaths of 78 Mexican soldiers and more than 6,000 others. This year, the drug violence has claimed more than 2,900 lives, according to the newspaper El Universal. The clergy has not been spared from the spike in drug-related violence that has afflicted regions of Mexico, Corral said. "The threats are not new," he said. "As drug trafficking continued to grow, from about 2004 on, the priests continued to denounce it, and they themselves were threatened." In April, the archbishop of the northern state of Durango raised fears of attacks on the clergy after he said that Mexico's most wanted man, Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, lives in a Durango town and that "everybody knows it except the authorities." The comment, which was made in private conversation, stirred fears of retaliation and the archbishop backed off his statement after it quickly spread. Of the 15,000 priests in Mexico, Corral estimated that 1,000 had been threatened in some form, and that 300 priests have been threatened directly. Those direct threats -- usually in the form of "shut up, or we'll shut you up" -- have come from intermediaries for organized crime or anonymously, Corral said. The threats against the clergy have been serious enough that in some 20 cases, priests in Mexico were transferred to other parishes out of regard for their safety, he said. The targeting of a priest is significant because it marks another boundary crossed by drug cartels, Corral said. Bishops have noted that in surveys they conduct with families in their dioceses, drug dealing and domestic drug use top the list of problems families face, whereas three or five years ago it didn't make the list. As enforcement action in Mexico and the United States has increased, domestic drug consumption in Mexico has increased. Domestic drug use has torn families apart and made the new generation of traffickers more violent and less respectful of institutions like the church, Corral said. But these same traffickers who threaten priests are paradoxically the same people that the church wants to reach. "Rebuilding the social fabric has been a mission of the church," Corral said. "We can't live in fear." Another notable killing, the 1993 murder of Guadalajara Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo, has been attributed by some as a case of mistaken identity by drug traffickers, though church officials have publicly expressed doubts that the killers were traffickers. The state of Guerrero, known for its beach destination of Acapulco, in recent years has been the setting of turf wars over drug trafficking routes between the Gulf cartel, the Sinaloa cartel, and an organization known as La Familia. | Priest's murder crosses a line, says Manuel Corral of Mexico's Council of Bishops .
Of 15,000 priests in Mexico, 1,000 have been threatened by traffickers, Corral says .
Clergy have long denounced drug world, but now have become targets themselves . |
163,622 | 5f9444d83517bdc0c7f5fd686fed2fe7689ebec4 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- In what activists describe as unprecedented, the Catholic archbishop in Los Angeles has relieved a retired cardinal of his public and administrative duties for his mishandling of "painful and brutal" allegations of sexual abuse by priests. Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of the Los Angeles Archdiocese disciplined his predecessor, the now retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, after a California judge forced the archdiocese to release about 12,000 pages of church documents revealing how it handled allegations of abuse. There were 192 priests and bishops named in litigation, the archdiocese said. "The cases span decades," Gomez said in a statement Thursday. Some go back to the 1930s. The documents were released on the archdiocese's website. "But that does not make them less serious. I find these files to be brutal and painful reading," he said. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the newly released set of documents, spokeswoman Jane Robison said Friday. No member of the Los Angeles church hierarchy has been charged with any wrongdoing, she said. Also on Friday, Mahony posted on his personal blog a response he sent to Gomez. The letter provides "the history and context of what we have been through since the mid-1980s," Mahony said. When Gomez began to take over the archdiocese in May 2010, "you began to become aware of all that had been done here over the years for the protection of children and youth," Mahony wrote to Gomez. The archdiocese became "second to none" in such protection, he wrote. "Not once over these past years did you ever raise any questions about our policies, practices, or procedures in dealing with the problem of clergy sexual misconduct involving minors," Mahony wrote. "I have stated time and time again that I made mistakes, especially in the mid-1980s. I apologized for those mistakes, and committed myself to make certain that the Archdiocese was safe for everyone," he wrote. Gomez cited Mahony for serious shortcomings after victims came forward during his tenure. "Effective immediately, I have informed Cardinal Mahony that he will no longer have any administrative or public duties," Gomez said in a statement. David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), described Gomez's decision as unprecedented, but it amounts to a mere slap on the wrist long after the fact. "I can't think of any instance in which a current Catholic prelate -- and that would include bishops and cardinals -- restricted or, in this case, promised to restrict their predecessor," said Clohessy, who has spent 24 years monitoring sex abuse allegations against priests. Clohessy said that between the ages of about 11 and 16 he was sexually abused by a priest in Missouri. "But to say to a retired employee that we're going to give you fewer roles, it's a symbolic gesture and a pretty hollow one at that," Clohessy said. "A meaningless gesture. He should have been demoted or disciplined by the church hierarchy, in Rome and in the U.S.," he said. But Mahony was not as much as denounced when he was in power, Clohessy said. Mahony "expressed his sorrow" for the alleged abuse, which victims reported during his tenure as archbishop from 1984 to 2011, the archdiocese said Friday. But Clohessy feels that he and other church officials knew too much and did too little, and that there have not been enough consequences to deter future abuse or cover-ups. "If you successfully conceal your wrongdoing, you can keep your job," Clohessy said. Mahony hasn't had administrative duties since his retirement in March 2011, archdiocese spokesman Tod M. Tamberg said. Mahony, who will turn 77 later this month, can continue to celebrate the sacraments with no restrictions and can vote in conclave in a papal election until age 80, Tamberg said. "He is reducing his public profile, which included numerous invitations in California and around the country to give guest lectures on immigration reform, on the church in the 21st century, etc.," Tamberg said in an e-mail to CNN. "He remains a priest in good standing, and a cardinal of the church." At the same time, Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Curry, who's the regional bishop of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties in California, has resigned and "has also publicly apologized for his decisions while serving as Vicar for Clergy" in relation to the sex abuse cases, Gomez said. "I have accepted his request to be relieved of his responsibility," Gomez said. Clohessy called the resignation "less noteworthy." "Eight to 12 bishops around the world have resigned because of these cases," Clohessy said. On Friday, SNAP leaders and supporters who said they were victimized as children by priests called upon federal and local prosecutors to investigate the sexual abuse allegations in the church files. The activists also called upon silent victims to come forward and disclose additional sexual offenses. At a press conference outside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles, the activists called Thursday's release of church files "incomplete." Manuel Vega of Oxnard, California, said a priest abused him from age 10 to 15. On Friday, he called for a congressional hearing. He accused the church of withholding documents, especially with the priest who abused him and priests who abused his friends. "We've had congressional hearings for doping," Vega told reporters. "But where's our congressional hearing? This has not only impacted L.A. but it's impacted the entire United States and throughout the world." Jim Robertson of Los Angeles said he found no files relating to the priest who abused him. He described the church hierarchy as "corporate officers of a corporation." "So far this is nonsense. These people have spent millions and millions of the faithful's dollars to protect themselves," Robertson told reporters. "These people behaved horrifically, absolutely horrifically." The released files include letters by underage male victims accusing priests of sexually abusing them. In one letter, a clergyman is described as "a very charismatic and much loved priest in the Hispanic community and people would never suspect of any wrongdoing," a victim wrote. But when the victim was 17 years old in 1983, the priest took the youngster to a mountain retreat near Big Bear Lake in California, and when they took a break by a stream, the priest "gave me a hug and kissed me as if I were a woman," the victim wrote. Later, at the cabin, "as I stood looking at the pictures on the walls, he reached out and fondled me," the victim wrote in a letter to a church official. The priest also "forced me to have sex" in a church rectory, a hotel and in a mobile home near Tijuana, Mexico, that someone loaned the priest, the victim wrote. "While I felt forgiven by God, I still feel dirty," the victim wrote. In the file of another priest -- the one whom Vega identified as his abuser -- the contents were largely newspaper clippings about the priest being accused of child molestation. The priest was in charge of the altar boy program at an Oxnard church. At the end of the last page of the priest's file is a handwritten note stating: "Ventura DA (district attorney) *3/27/03 -- Charged w/ felony 25 counts of child molestation of 8 youths in late 70's-early 80's." The archdiocese published the names of accused clergy in a 2004 report, but the release of Thursday's documents will allow the public to trace how the church handled the allegations. It may bring to light some cases in which accusations were kept under wraps and the accused were kept out of the sight of the law or accusers. The documents were evidence in 508 civil cases by sex abuse victims that were settled in one stroke in 2007. Victims received $660 million in the landmark judgment. Most of the documents were inner-church correspondences about accused clergy. The archdiocese fought to purge the names of the accused from the papers until Thursday, when Judge Emilie Elias ruled that they be made public by February 22. The church published them shortly after the ruling. There are 124 personnel files in total, 82 of which reveal sex abuse allegations against minors. The release "concludes a sad and shameful chapter in the history of our Local Church," the archdiocese said. It warned that although the names of the abused have been deleted, some may recognize their cases. "We understand this experience may be a difficult one," it said. CNN's Ben Brumfield and Brian Todd contributed to this report. | "Not once over these past years did you ever raise any questions," retired Mahony tells successor .
Despite discipline, retired archbishop is "in good standing" and can vote for pope .
Los Angeles prosecutor is reviewing newly released files on priest abuse .
Discipline against archbishop is unprecedented but "meaningless," activist says . |
196,858 | 8ac749992c2a81c724011812a2fc16b0fb96e28b | By . Mail On Sunday . A titled music teacher jailed for sexually abusing a ten-year-old pupil has had his conviction quashed. Sir Peter Newson-Smith was found guilty last May of two charges of indecent assault while head of music at boarding school Clayesmore Prep, in Dorset, 30 years ago. But the Court of Appeal has now ruled that the evidence given by his alleged victim, John Cartwright, now in his 40s, was misleading because he failed to disclose he planned to sue Sir Peter and the school for damages. Overturned: Peter Newson Smith, right, has been freed from jail after six months of a five-and-a-half year sentence. The court ruled alleged victim, John Cartwright, left, did not reveal he planned to sue for damages . The original hearing was told that Sir . Peter, the 3rd Baronet of Totteridge, lured the ‘vulnerable and . isolated’ pupil into a cupboard on ten separate occasions before making . him strip naked and molesting him. Sir Peter, 66, who retired from the £7,500-a-term school in 2003 after 24 years, served six months in prison. He refused to comment. | Sir Peter Newson-Smith last May jailed for five-and-a-half years for assault .
Former pupil John Cartwright gave evidence against former head of music .
Claimed incidents occurred at boarding school Clayesmore Prep, Dorset .
Court of Appeal overturned ruling as Cartwright did not reveal he later planned to sue Sir Peter and the school for damages . |
262,285 | dfb9cabec4603524fb68ea0a49784c98766c7d6b | FIFA has suspended Brazil's communications director Rodirgo Paiva from match-day duty for the remainder of the World Cup after he pushed Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla. Paiva claimed he only shoved the Chile substitute in self-defence when the teams were leaving the pitch at half-time during the last-16 tie. The Brazilian denied that he threw punches in Belo Horizonte on June 28 and he even accused the Chilean team of 'deplorable conduct'. Ouch? Mauricio Pinilla involved in FIFA investigation after claiming to be hit by Brazil's communications director . Bad boy? Rodrigo Paiva has been accused of punching Pinilla at half-time of Saturday's Brazil vs Chile match . Scuffle: Paiva's alleged punch on Pinilla was sparked by Fred's (left) slap to Gary Medel's (right) head . Fight: Fred (left) and Medel (right) argued over the incident at the end of the first-half in their last 16 game . He has . been given a four-match ban - one game which has been back-dated to . include Brazil's win over Colombia - and a £6,500 fine. The fourth match, however, is suspended for a two-year probationary period. The disciplinary panel was believed to have had access to video footage and pictures of the incident in Belo Horizonte. A scuffle broke out as the teams headed to the dressing rooms in the Mineirao Stadium, sparked by Brazil striker Fred slapping Chile striker Gary Medel on the back of the head as they walked off the pitch. Brazil media said Paiva and Chile assistant boss Sebastian Beccacece were involved in a confrontation which ended in the Brazil official punching Pinilla. Paiva told Brazilian reporters there was widespread pushing between the two squads, and said: 'It was not just me. Pinilla came towards me and I just defended myself. I reacted by pushing him.' Pinilla, who plays for Italian side Cagliari, came off the bench and nearly won the match for Chile but his shot in the last seconds of the match struck the cross-bar. The striker was then one of three Chile players to miss penalties in the shoot-out which Brazil won 3-2 to go through to the quarter-finals. Beaten away: Pinilla (left) was one of three Chile players to not score during their shootout defeat to Brazil . | Communication director Rodrigo Paiva pushed Chile striker Pinilla .
Paiva given four-match ban and fined £6,500 for the incident .
Chile forward claimed to have to been punched by Brazil's communications director Rodrigo Paiva at half-time of their World Cup last 16 match .
Incident was sparked after Brazil's Fred slapped Chile's Gary Medel .
Brazil won the game 3-2 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 .
Pinilla was one of three Chile players to miss in the shootout . |
224,134 | ae39074f94fcc783b24da004d335fb8c2e37fb56 | (CNN) -- Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning extra-time header gave Jose Mourinho his first trophy as Real Madrid coach on Wednesday, winning the Spanish Cup final 1-0 against arch-rivals Barcelona. Real went to Valencia seeking a first Copa del Rey triumph since 1993, and the 42nd goal this season by the world's most expensive player handed the club an 18th success in the competition. The Portugal captain rose high at the far post to power in a 103rd-minute effort from a teasing cross by Angel Di Maria, who was sent off for a second booking at the end of the second spell of extra time. It was Ronaldo's second goal in two games against Barca, having netted a late equalizing penalty in Saturday's 1-1 draw that left the Catalans eight points clear in La Liga. Is Real Madrid's Mourinho the master of mind games? Mourinho employed the defensive midfield formation he used in that second "El Clasico" clash this season between the two teams, who will meet again in the semifinals of the European Champions League next Wednesday. The tactic paid off as Real had the better of the first half of regulation play, and converted midfielder Pepe came closest to breaking the deadlock with a thumping header that hit the post in the 44th minute. Barcelona battled back into the game in the second half, and had the ball in the net with 69 minutes gone but Pedro was ruled to have been marginally offside as he gathered a superb pass from Lionel Messi. Captain Iker Casillas then saved Real with superb efforts to deny Messi and Pedro in rapid succession, and the match went to extra time. Ten-man Madrid deny Barcelona in Clasico . Madrid waited for counter-attacking opportunities, and the first came in the 98th minute as Ronaldo raced clear before driving just wide of Jose Manuel Pinto's far post. But he made no mistake five minutes later as Di Maria combined well down the left with Marcelo and delivered the perfect cross. The Argentine departed the scene in time added on, but Barcelona did not make anything of the resulting free-kick and Pep Guardiola's team -- seeking an overall 26th triumph -- could not force a penalty shootout. It gave Mourinho his first victory over Barca since taking charge at Real, and went some way to avenging the 5-0 thrashing at the Nou Camp in the first half of the season. He has now won a trophy in every country in which he has coached -- his native Portugal, England, Italy and now Spain. Meanwhile, AC Milan had to come from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at home to Palermo in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semifinal on Wednesday. Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Milan ahead in the fourth minute on the day he failed to overturn a three-match Serie A ban for swearing in the direction of a linesman. The Swedish striker, who missed Saturday's 3-0 win over Sampdoria that put Milan six points clear in the league, volleyed home from close range at the far post from Massimo Oddo's deep cross. Argentine forward Javier Pastore leveled 10 minutes later after combining well with Maurizio Pinilla, and young Uruguayan strike partner Abel Hernandez followed up his weekend double from the win over Roma to make it 2-1 in the 53rd minute with a fierce shot that went in off the crossbar. However, Urby Emanuelson equalized with 14 minutes to play after Ibrahimovic ran into the box and the ball ran loose to the Dutchman. Pastore could have restored Palermo's lead ahead of the second leg in Sicily on May 10 but goalkeeper Marco Amelia made a fine save to deny him. Cup holders Inter Milan will take a 1-0 lead into the May 11 home leg of their semi against Roma after Dejan Stankovic scored the only goal at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday in a repeat scoreline of last year's final. | Real Madrid win Copa del Rey for the 18th time, beating Barcelona 1-0 final .
Cristiano Ronaldo scores the only goal in Valencia, heading home in extra time .
Jose Mourinho lifts his first trophy with Real ahead of Champions League semis .
AC Milan held to a 2-2 draw at home by Palermo in first leg of Italian Cup semifinal . |
156,190 | 55e26e38ed5e99e6fdacc551d1a026e778f0d0f8 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 07:55 EST, 27 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:40 EST, 27 January 2013 . Fresh footage of the nightmare faced by drivers stranded during heavy snowfall has emerged as one of the UK's busiest motorways ground to a halt during a blizzard in the early hours of Saturday morning. Some drivers were stuck for as long as eight hours on the M6 between junctions 25 and 27 between Wigan and Chorley in Lancashire after a sudden deluge of snow. But as the footage shows, not everyone was willing to sit tight and wait for driving conditions to improve. Scroll down for video . In a hurry: While most motorists took the sensible option of sitting out the snow until driving conditions improved, some motorists, including the driver of this lorry, left, decided to speed through four inches of snow on the hard shoulder of the M6 . Impatient: The lorry is pictured flying up the hard shoulder spraying waiting cars with snow . Following suit: Seeing the progress made by the lorry, a white van follows suit flying up the hard shoulder of the M6 . Reckless: It's not just the hard shoulder that drivers are using to get ahead, a white van drives up the snow covered fast lane on the M6 on Friday night . Treacherous: A huge tailback of traffic pictured stranded on the M6 motorway late on Friday night after heavy snowfall . Chaos: The M6 motorway was blocked in both directions between junctions 25 and 27 in Lancashire when a sudden burst of more than a foot of snow brought drivers to a standstill around 8.30pm, the Highways Agency said . Jackknifed: A lorry is stranded in heavy snow on the M6 in the early hours of Saturday morning . The footage shows several drivers, including one in a heavy haulage vehicle flying down the hard shoulder of the M6 trying to beat the giant tailbacks. The motorway ground to a halt at around 8.30pm on Friday night after light sleet turned into a heavy snow drift which brought more than a foot of snow. Some drivers helped other motorists, while others took the time to have friendly snowball fights or build snowmen on the carriageway. But as the footage shows other people were a little bit more desperate to get to their final destination. Eye witnesses reported that a number of vehicles tried to drive around the blocked traffic using the hard shoulder but ended up crashing in the bad weather causing further tailbacks. Other drivers said that some drivers were so desperate to move that their cars were sliding from side to side, colliding with other vehicles. Bizarre: MP David Morris tweeted this picture of a snowman built on top of a car on the M6 during blizzard-like conditions on Friday night . Chief Inspector Mike Adamson said: 'We realised at about 11pm (on Friday night) that this was going to be a major incident. 'Some of the drivers and passengers have been stuck for hours - it has been a very difficult night for them. 'We have set up a command centre at Charnock Services, where officers have collected hot drinks and taken them to those who are stuck.' Mountain rescue workers walked along the four-mile stretch of the M6 in Lancashire overnight to check on the condition of drivers. A diabetic man was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital, while an ambulance taking a female patient to Royal Preston Hospital had to be dug out of the snow by Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue team. Phil O'Brien, team leader of Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue, said: 'It was potentially a very serious situation. The Highways Agency managed to get people moving at about 4.30 to 5am. 'There were hundreds of cars stuck but most people seemed in good spirits.' But while some drivers lightheartedly entertained themselves with snowball fights and building snowmen, one woman who got stuck on the M6 travelling home to Bootle from Wigan described the it as the 'scariest experience' she had had in 26 years of driving. Louise Jones, who spent five hours on the motorway making the 20 mile trip home, told ITV: 'We did not move at all, three lanes of cars were totally gridlocked. For the first three hours we left the engine running to keep warm, then turned it off and every car we could see was just sitting in the darkness, it was really eerie how silent it was. 'Eventually a snow plough drove along the hard shoulder at about 1am, then we saw nothing moving until a police car at 1.40am. Too dangerous: A car is left abandoned on a slip road beside junction 25 of the M6 in Lancashire . Abandoned: The driver of this car decided it was too dangerous to continue trying to drive and abandoned their car next to a slip road on the M6 . 'It really was horrendous. I can't understand why it took so long to clear enough space to direct traffic through. It was a total farce.' Lancashire Police also worked with Lancashire Mountain Rescue teams, the Highways Agency and neighbouring force Greater Manchester Police to clear roads and provide welfare assistance to those who were stranded. The Highway Agency worked throughout the night to clear the routes with snow ploughs. Kevin Collister, who was stuck on the motorway just past the M58 junction heading northbound, told Sky News: 'There is absolutely no movement whatsoever on my side of the carriageway, all the snow is squashed down into ice and there are wagons trying to move and sliding sideways.' He described how his 45 minute journey ended up taking right hours and claimed there were no emergency services in sight. He told the TV station: 'It was very heavy snow and absolute chaos. It was absolutely freezing. 'We saw one Highways Agency car drive past us and that was all. On the move: The M6 was moving again yesterday morning after some drivers were stranded for as long as eight hours overnight on Friday . Scene: The M6 was closed between junction 25 and 27 . 'It was only good Samaritans like us who went around to check on other drivers and make sure they were okay.' 'Everyone knew we were going to be there for a few hours so we all just made the best of it. People were having snowball fights over the central reservation and building snowmen to pass the time. 'I eventually got home at 6am this morning so was stuck for about ten hours.' Another person claimed a burger van stranded on the M6 started serving food to other drivers stuck on the M6. Paul Kingston tweeted: 'Motorists caught in M6 #uksnow storm in Lancs last night were saved from hunger, after stranded burger van opens up shop on carriageway.' Conservative MP for Morecambe & Lunesdale David Morris, who was stuck on the southbound carriageway, reported surreal scenes but a camaraderie among the drivers stuck in the snow. Deluge: It wasn't just the M6 that was affected by heavy snow. Pictured here is the B6479 in Horton, Ribblehead, North Yorkshire . Work cut out: A tractor with a snow plough attempts to clear some of the snow off the B6255 in Ribblehead, north Yorkshire . All white: Selside North Yorkshire, pictured in heavy snow on Friday . He told Mail Online: 'The snow just came out of nowhere -'I've never seen anything like it in my life. 'I set off around 8pm to go and pick up my son from Manchester and there was a little bit of sleet . 'But when I got on the M6 it just came down really suddenly. I'd already seen several gritters on the road but there was so much snow in such a short space of time there was little they could do. 'The traffic ground to a halt as the snow got heavier and we just started to get snowed in. 'The emergency services were fantastic and the Mountain Rescue Service and police were driving up and down the hard shoulder checking on people while they worked on getting the traffic flowing again. 'A few people have asked me if I don't think the gritters should have done a better a job but I don't think there's more they could have done. There was so much snow that the grit had little impact.' VIDEO Saturday snow scene on M6 captured by trapped motorist . VIDEO Stranded MP David Morris talks on camera from the snow-bound M6 . | The M6 motorway was closed in Lancashire on Friday night .
Heavy snowfall made the road impassible for drivers .
Some motorists were stuck for up to eight hours .
Many had snowball fights or built snowmen on the road .
Others weren't so patient as new footage shows cars attempting to use the hard shoulder . |
107,064 | 1616a7c90e8ba338d15bcd8e5518f9bc7af88ef9 | Last updated at 5:07 PM on 13th December 2011 . Mexican marines have captured a founding member of the brutal Zetas drug cartel, the navy announced today. Marines arrested Raul Lucio Hernandez Lechuga in Cordoba, in the state of Veracruz, where the Zetas are fighting for control against a gang allied to the Sinaloa drug cartel, the navy said in a statement. Hernandez, known as 'Lucky', was the leader of the Zetas for the states of Veracruz, Puebla and Oaxaca, it said. Not so lucky: Raul Hernandez Lechuga (aka El Lucky pictured left) presented to the press in Mexico City today after being arrested by Mexican marines (pictured right) Suspects shown to press: Lucky (sixth from right) and other suspects are shown to the press under the custody of navy marines at the Organized Crime Special Investigations Unit headquarters . The federal government had offered a 15 million-peso reward, about $1.2 million, for information leading to his arrest. The . Zetas organisation was formed by a small group of elite soldiers based . in Tamaulipas state, across the border from Texas, who deserted to work . for the Gulf drug cartel in the 1990s. The . Zetas began gaining independence from the Gulf cartel after their then . leader, Osiel Cardenas Guillen, was extradited to the U.S. in 2006. They finally split from their former bosses last year, setting off bloody fights throughout Mexico as they seek to expand south. The navy didn’t say if Hernandez was a soldier when he joined the Zetas in the 1990s or give any other details about him. Seized ammunition: The ammunitions taken in the arrest of Hernandez - an alleged leader of Los Zetas drug cartel . Weapons: These guns were also seized during Hernandez's arrest and shown at the press conference in Mexico City . Earlier yesterday, the Mexican army said its soldiers battled suspected drug cartel members just south of the Texas border, killing 11 gunmen. One soldier was reported wounded. The clash began when soldiers on . patrol were fired on Saturday from a building in the city of Valle . Hermoso, south of Brownsville, Texas, the Defense Department said in a . news release. The troops later seized the building, finding 11 dead gunmen and 73 rifles inside, it said. Two suspects were arrested. The wounded soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment. His condition was unknown. Both the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels operate in that area. In Veracruz, a Gulf coast state bordering Tamaulipas to the south, unidentified assailants tossed a bomb into a building where a cockfight was being held early Sunday, state prosecutors said in a statement. One man was killed and nine others slightly wounded, the statement said. The wounded were treated at hospitals and released. Navy personnel arrange confiscated weaponry during a presentation to the media in Mexico City . Flak jackets with the Zetas drug cartel's 'Z' logo, cartridges and boxes with bullets are on display . State prosecutors did not specify what type of explosive was involved. They also did not say if they had arrested any suspects or uncovered a motive for the attack. Federal prosecutors also announced yesterday that a judge sentenced five former soldiers to 25-year prison terms for aiding a drug cartel. The rare convictions occurred in the northern state of Sinaloa, home to the drug cartel of the same name. The five included a major assigned to the military court system, three lieutenants and a sergeant. They were convicted of organised crime and assisting in drug trafficking. Prosecutors said in a statement the former officers gave 'strategic military information and protection' to Alfredo Beltran Leyva, who was a leader of the Beltran-Leyva drug cartel before he was arrested in January 2008. Beltran Leyva and his brothers were allied with the Sinaloa cartel, but the two gangs split in part because of Alfredo’s arrest. Hernandez was allegedly the leader of the Zetas for the states of Veracruz, Puebla and Oaxaca . | Raul Lucio Hernandez Lechuga was the leader of the Zetas for three Mexican states .
Mexican army soldiers also killed 11 gunmen south of Texas while battling suspected drug cartel members .
Five former soldiers sentenced to 25 years in prison for aiding a drug cartel . |
274,944 | f02deaa375ec514819ffa039c17cbe80ba558713 | (CNN) -- Many trials in recent years have implicated our ongoing national struggles with race. But few have gotten as much attention as that of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed young Trayvon Martin 17 months ago in Sanford, Florida. Perhaps the uncertainty of what really happened that night is part of what drew us: Since only two people knew exactly what transpired and one of them is dead, we're free to speculate and argue to our heart's content. It may also be the fact that this young black man wasn't killed by the police, but by an ordinary citizen. So anybody could put himself or herself in the place of Zimmerman or Martin. The verdict by itself says very little about race in America. Juries don't ponder such things; their job is to answer particular legal questions (in this case: Did Zimmerman kill Martin in self defense?)-- which may not be the ones the rest of us are asking. And so Zimmerman's acquittal wasn't much of a surprise. Opinion: When blacks killed by non-blacks, justice rarely served . Trayvon Martin couldn't give his side of the story, leaving ample room for reasonable doubt. More importantly, under Florida law, it's perfectly legal to follow someone for even the worst of reasons, confront them, and even start a fight with them. Then when you lose the advantage to the point where you believe you're in danger of "great bodily harm," you can shoot the other person dead. The law forgives, whether forgiveness is deserved or not. Zimmerman could have had the soul of Martin Luther King or Bull Connor, and it wouldn't have made a difference to whether he was innocent or guilty under this law. Social media erupts in anger, sadness over Zimmerman verdict . That's "standing your ground," the legal world that gun advocates have created and this case has highlighted. Gun rights supporters have a Hollywood fantasy in which a brave homeowner uses his gun to fight off a vicious criminal gang intent on killing his family, but this case showed a far less romantic reality: A nebbishy neighborhood watch volunteer with a never-to-be fulfilled dream of becoming a cop chased down a kid who just wanted to get his Skittles back to his dad's house to watch a basketball game. The state laws governing who you're allowed to shoot and when may not have been built with race in mind, but out in the real world, our perception of what's threatening is still colored profoundly by race. Bill O'Reilly wondered the other day if, after an acquittal, people would "run out and cause trouble." After all, you know how those people are. The head of the Miami-Dade police went to a black church to warn, "Riots are not acceptable and riots are not expected." Well, if they aren't expected, why was the warning necessary? There were warnings of riots from many corners, just as there were those who saw in this case an excuse to pick at race like a scab, for no reason other than sending their audiences to greater heights of resentment. Rush Limbaugh, for instance, read a story about the Justice Department sending mediators to Sanford to help local officials defuse tensions, and saw a conspiracy from a White House practically taken over by Black Panthers. Opinion: Doing what's right not just about law . "Stoking the racial stuff is the way Obama was raised," said Limbaugh, the most prominent race-baiter in America. "He's got a chip on his shoulder about it, and he's here to square the deal. And (Attorney General Eric) Holder too. I think all of these guys have an anger about them." Even as we scorn repellent hate-mongers like Limbaugh, it's good to remind ourselves that we all make assumptions about other people, and we'd all benefit from examining them. Much of our reaction to cases like this one is built on what we assume other people are like, regardless of what we know about them as individuals. That's what turns a kid walking down the street with candy in his pocket into a threat that should be met with a gun at the ready. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Waldman. | Paul Waldman: Zimmerman trial reflected much of U.S. struggle with race; verdict did not .
He says reasonable doubt and Florida law made acquittal unsurprising .
He says it may not have been law's intent, but the threat it addresses is colored by race .
Waldman: O'Reilly, Limbaugh, others are race-baiting when they warn of unrest after verdict . |
221,803 | ab1d7d91baf0d341a40a9e05091b1df47501055a | Adrian Lewis hit the first nine-darter of the 2015 World Darts Championship at the Alexandra Palace before going on to lose against Raymond van Barneveld. Jackpot won the £10,000 prize money for the feat at the Ally Pally, the second time he has inflicted nine perfect darts against Van Barneveld and the third televised of his career. The 29-year-old hit a nine-darter in this tournament against Gary Anderson in the 2011 final before going on to become world champion, but it did little good on Tuesday night as he lost 4-3 against the resilient Dutchman. Adrian Lewis shrugs to the crowd after hitting first nine-dart finish of the World Darts Championship . Opponent Raymond van Barneveld congratulates Lewis after earning himself £10,000 in prize money . Lewis achieved his latest and third of 2014, following two in Players Championship events, by hitting two 180s before finishing with treble, 20, treble 19 and double 12 in front of a 2,500-strong crowd in north London. The two-time world champion turned to the crowd, put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders, before Van Barneveld hugged his opponent as they walked away from the oche for the first break after Jackpot took the opening set. But Barney came from behind three times to win 4-3 and book his place in the quarter-finals, which will be played on January 2. 'What a game,' Van Barneveld said. 'The first set of the match was probably the best I've played so far then Aidey got a nine-darter. I thought, hold on, if this is the standard what can I do? Jackpot fist pumps to the crowd in celebration after claiming the first set with the nine-darter . 'I'm thinking just keep believing. I saw Aidey was struggling. He didn't hit trebles anymore. I don't know what to say, I'm so happy. I'm a five-time world champion, Aidey in the last couple of years has been amazing. I don't know what to say, I'm so happy.' Nine-darters used to be better rewarded than they are now, with Phil Taylor taking £100,000 for his first in 2002 and 501 bottles of Budweiser for two others in 2004 and 2005. Jackpot’s £10,000 bonus may be modest in comparison but it takes him to fourth in the all-time list of televised nine-darters behind The Power, Van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen. The pair walk off arm in arm for a break after Lewis wins the first set with the feat . The £10,000 will be shared, too, if another player hits a nine-darter during the remainder of the tournament, which concludes with the final on January 4, where the winner will receive £250,000. The nine-darter also means Haven House Children’s Hospice, the official charity of the PDC, and Parkinson’s UK, supported by Sky Sports presenter Dave Clarke, will received £9,000 each from William Hill. Lewis achieved his latest and third of 2014, following two in Players Championship events, by hitting two 180s before finishing with treble, 20, treble 19 and double 12 in front of a 2,500-strong crowd in north London. | Adrian Lewis hit the tournament's first nine-dart finish on Tuesday .
Lewis claimed opening set against Raymond van Barneveld .
Jackpot earned £10,000 in prize money for achieving the feat . |
10,245 | 1d153e1f3d7848086002f9803b6c3788dd0e56c1 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:02 EST, 22 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:26 EST, 26 July 2013 . Two Thai Badminton players have been disqualified at the Canada Open after bad blood between former doubles partners ended in a punch up on the court in front of horrified spectators. Video from the tournament shows Bodin Issara chasing his compatriot Maneepong Jongjit onto a neighboring court during a change of ends in the men's doubles finals. The pair were facing each other during the tournament in Canada, though they had previously been teammates and played together during the London 2012 Olympics. Scroll down for video . Farce! Thailand's Bodin Issara chases after his former doubles partner Maneepong Jongjit . Maneepong Jongjit (in the yellow) jumped over a barrier onto another court in an attempt to escape furious former partner Bodin Issara . Sprint: The pair both run in front of the stunned audience . Chase: The pursuit continues with the pair ducking under the net . Issara can be seen knocking Jongit over and punching him repeatedly on a video taken from the stands and posted on YouTube. Issara then stands and appears to kick Jongit while he writhes on the ground. Officials can be seen quickly rushing over and hold Issara to the ground. Jongit manages to wriggle free from the scrum - losing his jersey in the process. He does not appear to be badly injured and walks away. Issara, meanwhile, is pinned to the ground by a badminton official. The pair had been warned by the referee following a verbal exchange earlier in the match. Issara and his partner Vilailak Pakkawat were promptly disqualified, with Jongjit and Nipitphon Puangpuapech awarded victory. A . statement from the world governing body read: 'The Badminton World . Federation is aware of an incident which occurred during the finals of . the Yonex Canada Grand Prix tournament on Sunday. 'The . men's doubles final ended in unusual circumstances, with a black card . being issued to Thailand pair, Bodin Issara and Pakkawat Vilailak, who . were disqualified. 'Their opponents were another Thai duo, Maneepong Jongjit and Nipitphon Puangpuapech. 'The events surrounding the conclusion of this match will be thoroughly investigated by the BWF. Issara knocks his opponent to the ground and begins punching him repeatedly while horrified spectators watch from the stands . Going for him: The players roll around on he floor as Issara shows his opponent no mercy . Issara then stands and kicks his opponent as he lays fast-first on the ground . Jongjit manages to wriggle free and walks away from the scene . Issara, meanwhile, is subdued by a security guard . 'The world governing body has procedures in place to deal with such situations and this matter will be referred to the disciplinary committee. 'Until this process is concluded there will be no further comment by the BWF.' Jongjit and Issara reached the quarter-finals at London 2012 but split up in January when the latter announced his retirement, citing injury and a need to care for his mother. But the 22-year-old resumed competition with a new partner soon after. This latest incident brings the BWF further unwanted negative publicity just a fortnight before their showpiece World Championships in China. A year ago the Olympic badminton tournament was marred by a match-fixing scandal involving four women's doubles pairs. | Video shows Bodin .
Issara chasing his compatriot Maneepong Jongjit .
Drama came during change of ends in the men's doubles finals .
Pair had previously been teammates and played during London Olympics . |
27,105 | 4cde93195ff36608a0d5d7ec9490cdb9c66f88d1 | (CNN)Take a moment and think of an African author. Have you got the name in mind? Keep it there for a minute. In years gone by, chances are cultural icons like Nigerian literary giant Chinua Achebe or South African Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer might have popped straight into your head. But lately new names from across the continent are becoming part of popular literary consciousness. "Purple Hibiscus," "Half of a Yellow Sun" and more recently "Americanah" have brought international acclaim for Nigerian author du jour, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She joins a growing list of popular African authors -- including NoViolet Bulawayo, Binyavanga Wainaina, Taiye Selasi, Lauren Beukes, Alain Mabanckou -- who have been steadily picking up steam --and fans -- across the globe over the last several years. 'Democratization of culture' But where has this new wave of African writers come from? For Minna Salami, an award-winning blogger specializing in African culture and the diaspora, they were always there -- the rest of the world just didn't know how to find them. "The world is far more interconnected thanks to technology and social media," Salami told CNN. "It's an exciting time ... People are checking out alternative literature and Africa -- in its position as a kind of underdog -- provides that perfect place to go and seek alternative voices that help people make sense of the world. "It's kind of democratization of culture so people cannot ignore voices coming from other parts of the world," added Salami, also known by her digital moniker MsAfropolitan. "And when something is good, it obviously catches people's attention. Before it would not have reached any mainstream; now it is, thanks to bloggers and local content production." Read this: 'Humans of Khartoum' photo series . True, indigenous content producers and independent publishers have slowly developed in recent years all across the continent. In Cape Town and beyond, enthusiastic readers can pick up a copy of The Chronic, a pan-African gazzette by Chimurenga that's successfully putting a spotlight on an eclectic mix of writers, photographers and illustrators from the continent. Concurrently in Kenya, there is the Kwani Trust, a Nairobi-based organization that works to promote up-and-coming local writers through its publication, Kwani?. More and more, stories are resonating with readers because they reveal the day-to-day issues faced by locals, according to the journal's managing editor, Billy Kahora. "Just think about stories off the page, or off the book, when you think about how stories organically take place," he explained. "These are stories with a kind of narrative that people tell each other in public spaces, like churches, bars, on the street. All these stories are really locally grounded and are actually kind of written in the immediate concerns of what's happening about." Celebrating African writers . But it's not just literary collectives that are driving interest towards contemporary authors. Many in the publishing industry cite the numerous international awards, which now frequently acknowledge and celebrate African writers -- for helping develop the surge in popularity for authors. One such annual event is the long-running Caine Prize which aims to "promote the best in new African literature, to identify and champion the most talented writers on the continent," according to the award's director, Lizzy Attree. "New writers are emerging all the time," she said. [Writers'] collectives like Jalada are starting up and publishing online; publishers are branching into new areas -- romance, sci-fi, crime fiction and literary fiction is thriving." New voices, new genres . Take for instance Kenyan writer Okwiri Oduor, the recipient of this year's Caine Prize. Speaking at London's British Library last month at the "Africa Writes" book festival attended by all five shortlisted contenders, Oduor was among those calling for a more assorted literature output. "I don't know what 'African Literature' means," she said, "but I think there are many ways of thinking about it. I would hope for it to diversify -- I'd like to read more science fiction, multiculturalism." Zimbabwean writer Tendai Huchu, a contender for this year's prize, agreed. "I would hope for more diverse literature -- by this I'm saying a lot more stuff in different genres," he explains. "There's the pulpy, entertaining stuff that goes to the masses but at the moment, we have a situation in which you do a story and someone says: 'What does this tell you about Africa?' which is problematic." For Zambian writer Efemia Chela, also shortlisted nominee, just talking about African literature is "a bit of an absurd idea." She explained: "You could say European literature is like talking from Russia all the way to the Hebrides -- no one really does that and it's a bit tricky with African literature. It's 54 countries and so you know, there's so much scope and range of voices." Meanwhile, Kahora, also shortlisted for this year's Caine Prize, said that this desire for different styles and genres was already on its way -- and growing. "A lot of people now are very interested in afro-futurism," he said. "A lot of sci-fi, a lot of fantasy, a lot of erotica, and then a lot of cross genre -- a kind of cross pollination of genre," added Kahora. "You will also see [more] forms -- you will see some straying to visual storytelling online that attempts to do what a book does." Attree said that this new generation of writers is helping to change perceptions about the continent. "Africans are now telling their own stories, and this side of Africa is opening the eyes of international readers who are seeing the continent in different lights as a consequence," she said. "Not just as a place of war, disaster, genocide and famine, but one of hope, beauty, romance, tragedy, poverty, laughter, struggle, and upliftment." Read this: 'Humans of Khartoum' photo seriesRead this: 9 must-see movies at the Durban film festRead this: Why you need to buy African art NOW! | Global interest in African writing has increased in recent years .
Writers from the continent have become sought after in the publishing world .
Local content producers and independent publishers have helped the scene to develop . |
85,780 | f346daa3a954ad656d05f7f806079ddffc8a85b9 | Helen O'Reilly has become Ireland's first top-level female referee in a move that could eventually see her officiate in Guinness Pro12 and European Champions Cup action. The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has made O'Reilly the first female appointment to its National Referee Panel. The Women's Rugby World Cup official has been hailed as one of the 'top female referees in the world', and will now step up to take charge at Ulster Bank League matches. The IRFU has made Helen O'Reilly the first female appointment to its National Referee Panel . 'Helen's appoinment is based solely on merit but as the first female referee to make the panel she must be congratulated,' said IRFU referee development director Owen Doyle. 'Her hard work, dedication and strong refereeing performances have propelled her into the top handful of female referees in the world and into the national panel here in Ireland.' Nottingham solicitor Claire Hodnett earlier this year became England's first female referee to join the Rugby Football Union national panel. Former Ashbourne RFC and St Mary's RFC player O'Reilly has been refereeing for less than four years. After completing women's Six Nations duties, O'Reilly was one of just two female northern hemisphere referees chosen for the summer's Women's Rugby World Cup held in France. | The Women's Rugby World Cup official has been hailed as one of the 'top female referees in the world .
Helen O'Reilly has been refereeing for less than four years .
Nottingham solicitor Claire Hodnett earlier this year became England's first female referee to join the Rugby Football Union national panel . |
93,520 | 04462440283096808c17a1cf59741f04e9400e40 | These are the dizzying views captured by a pair of 'outlaw Instagrammers' from atop a New York City tower that will be the tallest residential building in the western hemisphere once it is complete. One half of the duo has been charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass for scaling the tower at 432 Park Avenue in midtown Manhattan. The daredevils made it past security and climbed to the top of the 1,380ft tower to photograph New York's breath-taking skyline at night. Pretty in pink: The 'outlaw Instagrammers' snapped photos of an incredible sunrise from atop the tower . What a view: Two teens scaled a tower that will become the western hemisphere's tallest residential building . After conquering the tower, the pair boasted about their latest exploit by posting photos on Instagram and videos on YouTube, where they have gained a legion of fans. A two-minute video takes viewers along for the nerve-wracking climb as the teenagers reach the top and cling perilously close to the edge. At one point, it appears the pair have ascended into the heavens as they are enveloped in fluffy white clouds. One of the teens, known as Night Shift on Instagram, told MailOnline Travel that the whole climb took about four hours to complete. The teen, who declined to identify himself, said: ‘I never felt unsafe. I felt like I’ve done enough climbing to be OK. 'I did the climb because I just wanted to do it and we chose this building because it was the highest building we could get into. ‘The view was unreal. The photos can't explain how crazy it was being up there. Once-in-a-lifetime experience.’ Once it is complete the residential building will be home to luxury flats worth up to £52m apiece. Busted: One of the teens was charged by police after scaling the 1,380ft tower at 432 Park Avenue . We own the night: The daredevils boast about their exploits by posting photos and videos online . Incredible scenery: An Instagram user named Night Shift said the climb was a 'once-in-a-lifetime experience' | 432 Park Avenue is a 1,380ft tower in midtown Manhattan .
With sky-high prices, most will never get to see the stunning views .
One of the teens says the climb took four hours to complete . |
219,870 | a896585e9e1de452bac52862bbcca0b7c7559d03 | (CNN) -- A 6-year-old boy was recovering in hospital in China's Shanxi province on Wednesday after his eyes were gouged out in an attack that has left him permanently blind, according to state media reports. Local police said a female suspect had gouged out the boy's eyes on Saturday evening, but ruled out the possibility that organ traffickers had carried out the attack. Earlier state media reports said the boy, named as Xiao Binbin from Fenxi County in Shanxi Province, was found four hours after he went missing in a drugged state and missing his eyeballs, China Central Television said on its Sina Weibo account. The reports claimed the boy's eyes were found nearby with the corneas missing, which local police have since denied, according to state media. State media pictures on CCTV news Weibo showed pictures of a boy with bandages over his eyes recovering in hospital while his stricken relatives cried at his bedside. China has traditionally relied on executed criminals to harvest transplant organs in a country where few people donate organs. In 2008, just 36 people donated organs out of a population of 1.3 billion people. A government donation program run by the Red Cross Society has had just under 3,000 donations the past three years, according to Xinhua. In 2007, China introduced new regulations that banned organ trading and trafficking, and cracked down on "transplant tourism" by non-Chinese nationals. China's Supreme Court also introduced new rules the same year to reduce the number of executions, making the present transplant system unsustainable. China plans to phase out involuntary organ donations of executed prisoner by 2014, state media reported. About 300,000 patients have organ failure each year, but only about 10,000 transplants are done each year due to donor shortages, Xinhua reported. On September 1, national health officials will launch a computerized system to match organs to patients among the 165 hospitals permitted to carry out transplants. | Six-year-old boy blinded after eye-gouging attack .
Police say they are holding a female suspect in the attack .
Police deny earlier reports the boy had fallen victim to organ traffickers .
China traditionally has relie on executed prisoners to harvest transplant organs . |
256,937 | d89098c2b5028e0951a8a691b5157517e25dec45 | A four-month-old Orangutan is recovering after having the tips of his fingers hacked off, allegedly during forest clearances for a new oil palm plantation in Indonesian Borneo. Sura, who was discovered by a resident of the Tumbang Koling village in East Kotawaringin Regency, is being nursed back to health by specialists at the Nyaru Menteng Rescue centre. Vets carried out a full health check and discovered three of his fingers had been severed by either a knife or machete. Tragic: Four-month-old Sura was found in the wreckage of his home with fingers hacked by a machete . Sura now needs to be cared for by a full-time babysitter. British charity Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation is helping fund the centre and Sura's care. It is the latest scandal to emerge in the . controversy over deforestation as companies plough through Indonesia's wildlife to build oil . plantations. The sweep has caused a rapid decline in the orangutan population. Disgraceful: Environmentalists warn this is the latest in a series of brutal attacks on the innocent creatures . Rescue: He is being cared for by a full-time baby sitter at Nyaru Menteng Rescue Centre in Indonesian Borneo . Environmentalists fear they have years of . work ahead of them in educating remote villages about the need to . protect, not capture or kill, these animals whose numbers are falling . dramatically. About 100 years ago it was thought . there were 315,000 orangutans in the wild but today there are less than . 54,000 in Borneo and only around 6,000 on the Indonesian island of . Sumatra. As manufacturers look for places to cultivate oil for soaps and perfumes, the primates' natural habits are being ploughed by bulldozers. Attack: Vets who examined Sura say his fingers were cut off by a knife or a machete during deforestation . And now homeless, many have been captured by local villagers, abused, and used for entertainment. Last month, International Animal Rescue saved an orangutan from Tempurkan, which had no food or water and was being forced to dance and fight with humans. Alerted by a villager, the charity found Ael - which means 'Saint' - sedated her and then moved her to a rescue centre. She will be released into the wild when a safe area in the forest can be found for her. Meanwhile, the villagers have been told that catching and keeping an orangutan is against the law in Indonesia. | Sura, four months, was found wounded in Tumbang Koling, in Indonesian Borneo, after a forest was cleared for a new oil palm plantation .
Latest in a series of deforestation projects that has affected orangutan .
Environmentalists warn it will have devastating affect on the population . |
230,999 | b71950f60cac1e5128b011c86c255fba9b794fbb | Long before man ventured into space, our canine companions were testing the water for us. To assess the then unknown effects of low gravity and forces during launch on living things, Russian scientists made these high-pressure suits to help keep dogs safe during experiments in the 1950s. They were strapped into what might be considered today as a rather crude contraption, put into a rocket and fired 80km to the edge of space before returning to Earth by parachute. Like a giant boot: This space suit was among the first made for dogs for experiments on the effects of low gravity and high-speed launches on living things . To boldly go: This picture taken in 1959 shows a dog preparing for launch from a Soviet base in Central Asia . The lessons learned paved the way for Laika's mission in 1957, when she became the first animal to orbit the Earth, and subsequently the first journeys into space by humans a few years later. Unfortunately, only a few suits have remained intact over the years. One, a brown, lace-up suit complete with a dog's head-shaped helmet and breathing apparatus, is currently on display at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Speaking when it first arrived at the centre in 2010, Kevin Yates, the Space Communications Manager, told the Guardian: 'At the beginning of the space race, no-one knew how the human body would respond to being in low gravity, high altitude and the forces exerted during launch. Pioneering pooch: Laika, who became the first animal to orbit the Earth in 1957, with her handler . Final frontier: For years, it had been reported that Laika (pictured on board the Sputnik 2 satellite) survived for six days until her oxygen ran out, but in 2002 it emerged that she likely perished within hours after launch . 'So animals were used to test the . reactions to these. Most of the dogs did survive. There were only a . couple of accidents where dogs died.' Russian scientists chose dogs, most of them strays from the streets of Moscow, because they felt they were better able to sit still for long periods than primates. The U.S., on the other hand, preferred chimpanzees because of their similarity to humans. Being enclosed in these suits that effectively wrapped them up like a giant boot must have been terrifying, but Mr Yates said many of the dogs seemed quite happy after they had landed back on Earth. Canine cosmonaut: Malyshka, a Russian space dog, poses here in its snug-fitting space suit with a transparent space helmet beside it in 1957 . One giant leap for canine kind: Two Russian 'spacedogs' Veterok (left) and Ugoloik wearing their space suits shortly after they were in orbit for 22 days in 1966 . He said: 'I've seen original footage of the dogs being collected when they parachute back down and they seem very excited to see their owners.' Laika, a stray Russian dog, became the first animal to orbit the earth in November 1957 aboard the Sputnik 2 satellite, but died during the mission. It had for years been reported that she survived for six days until her oxygen ran out, but in 2002 it emerged that she likely perished from overheating within hours after launch. Four years later, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth aboard Vostok 1, closely followed by American Alan Shepard a month after that. | High-pressure suits protected dogs during experiments in the 1950s .
Paved the way for man's first orbit of Earth and journey to the moon . |
91,848 | 02252eb7084569539cd0a622702c50cd347b3942 | By . Meghan Keneally and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 11:45 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:10 EST, 11 July 2013 . Missing: Terry Dewayne Smith Jr went missing Saturday night while his step-brother was babysitting . Authorities searched for possible human remains on Wednesday at the home of an 11-year-old autistic boy who disappeared over the weekend - but volunteers pledged to continue hunting for him in the scorching desert. The home in Menifee, southern California was being treated as a crime scene and investigators were trying to determine whether remains were on the property, Mayor Scott Mann said in an email today. Riverside County sheriff's detectives were led to the home shortly after 1am on Wednesday based on evidence indicating there might be a body there, Deputy Albert Martinez told the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Details were not released but the Sheriff's Department suspended its search for Terry Dewayne Smith Jr. 'Our searchers are on standby. We are waiting to see what investigators find on the property,' Martinez said. Volunteers planned to continue searching the surrounding semi-rural area for the boy who was last seen on Saturday night. 'Until we have absolute confirmation from the sheriff directly, we will continue to do our job, which is to search,' said a posting on a Facebook page where the volunteer search was organized. About 1,000 people, including sheriff's deputies on horseback, emergency workers and volunteers, hunted for him on Tuesday. Authorities were concerned that he wandered away without food, water or his medication in an area 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles where temperatures have topped 100F. The search continues: Crime scene investigators were looking at a property in Menifee, southern California . In danger: Terry, who weighs 76 pounds and is 4'8", most likely did not take his medicine with him which will cause problems because he is a high-functioning autistic . The 4-foot-8 boy with sandy brown hair and brown eyes was last seen wearing blue basketball shorts. Local children were asked to not wear blue, to help avoid confusion. Terry was last seen when he followed his 16-year-old step-brother, who told the boy to go home, the Desert Sun reported. The boy's mother said she didn't realize he was missing until 10.30am the next day as she was out for the evening. Terry's mother shared details of the boy's habits on the searchers' Facebook page. Without his medication, Terry may be 'over sensitive and may be walking on his tiptoes', the page said. Searchers were also instructed to call him by his nickname 'Juju' because hearing his full name called out might cause him to believe he's in trouble and flee. Neither Terry's mother nor his . 16-year-old step brother have spoke out publicly, nor have the police . said why the teenager did not notice that his brother was missing . sooner. Investigators took . quick action sending out the first search party on Sunday morning . shortly after the boy's mother called to report him missing. Sticking together: Hundreds of locals volunteered in Meniffe, California to try to raise awareness . High and low: Police searched on horseback and used bloodhounds to see if he was hiding in the nearby hills . The boy's father lives outside of California and has been ruled out as a suspect. Police sent out hundreds of searching volunteers as well as police mounted on horseback and in helicopters. 'We too have a special needs child and we know how sometimes that they wander off and our hearts are breaking,' said volunteer Danielle Adamson. Family friend Sophia Masih warned that if anyone spots Terry, who goes by the nickname Juju, they should approach him cautiously and try to initiate a conversation so that he begins to trust them. 'He acts and looks like he's seven,' she told The Press-Enterprise. 'Because he hasn't taken any of his medication his personality could be very angry, (so) no sudden movements or anything like that.' Threat: The area has hit 100 degrees in recent days causing fears that he will be dehydrated . WATCH THE VIDEO HERE . | Sheriff's Department in Menifee, California has suspended its search for Terry Dewayne Smith . |
105,215 | 13b5bf1462c22eb78d9cab05af43de560c848c7c | Oxnard, California (CNN) -- Thousands of strange sea creatures are washing ashore on California beaches, puzzling tourists and thrilling scientists quick to explain the phenomenon. "The scientific name is Velella velella," said David Bader, director of education at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. "They're jelly-like creatures, but they're not exactly jellyfish." Also known as "by-the-wind sailors," the creatures have a clear, distinctive fin sticking up from a blue, oval body no larger than the palm of a hand. "Every now and then, the currents and the winds will change and these guys will, instead of being pushed out to sea, they actually wind up on the beach," Bader told CNN. They first started showing up in Washington and Oregon, and by mid-July reached San Francisco. On Thursday, photos turned up on Twitter from Hollywood and Silver Strand beaches in Oxnard. By-the-wind sailors do sting to catch their food, but humans need not worry. "That sting is not very potent. It's nothing that could actually get through my skin," Bader said while holding an assortment of the creatures. Velella velella feeds on plankton and fish eggs caught with tentacles that hang down from its jelly-like body. The creatures float on top of the ocean with their fins sticking straight up, leaving them at the mercy of the wind and the current. "Out at sea, they look like bubbles on the surface of the ocean until you get up on them," said Julie Bursek of NOAA's Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. They don't live long on the shore, causing their deep blue color to fade until their clear, tougher fins are all that's left behind. "A lot of people probably never knew an organism like this existed in the world," Bader said. "And you know the winds change, and all of a sudden they wash up on shore and we get to see what the ocean is really made of." 30 mesmerizing underwater photos . | These little sea creatures are called "by-the-wind sailors"; the scientific name is Velella velella .
The palm-sized creatures have a clear, distinctive fin sticking up from a blue, oval body .
They first started showing up in Washington and Oregon .
They are now being spotted on beaches north of Los Angeles . |
36,732 | 681552c63f52625617482c1e30763d28754fa443 | Victoria's Secret has released behind-the-scenes footage of its rigorous fashion show casting process, two weeks after it announced the models for this year's upcoming spectacle. A succession of lithe hopefuls are seen strutting their stuff clad in skimpy black underwear and sky-high heels, having trained for months ahead of their '30-second' chance to impress the New York-based casting directors. 'Every year it gets more competitive,' says Victoria's Secret's chief marketing officer Ed Razek. 'They're all working out, so many of them are boxing, so many of them are doing Pilates.' Scroll down for video . Pick me: Victoria's Secret has released behind-the-scenes footage of its rigorous casting process (pictured) ahead of its December 2, fashion show, which will take place in London . Speaking about what it takes for a fashion model to become a Victoria's Secret runway girl, the show's executive producer Monica Mitro says: 'We're looking for well-proportioned, beautiful skin, great personality, which is quite unique and rare.' Sophia Neophitou, the show's head stylist, looks for someone 'captivating' and 'memorable,' while casting director John Pfeiffer is seeking to be 'inspired.' It's hard to put a finger on what exactly makes some of the gazelle-like auditionees rise above the rest, but a vivacious energy seems to be paramount. Model Blanca Padilla, who ended up being selected to walk the show, certainly has the recipe down, remarking: 'Victoria's Secret is all about the power of a woman, about attitude, about feeling confident, about feeling sexy, about feeling beautiful.' And she certainly wasn't the only one exuding confidence and beauty at the casting call. 'It's going to be hard to do the edit because I've never put so many A's on a page before,' Mr Razek says. The judges: From left, Victoria's Secret's chief marketing officer Ed Razek, the show's executive producer Monica Mitro, casting director John Pfeiffer and head stylist Sophia Neophitou . Fingers crossed! Brazilian model Daniela Braga (left) was nervous for the casting but ended up being hired, as was Blanca Padilla (right) Made the cut: Romee Strijd (left) and Grace Mahary (right) both won places in the upcoming show . Full package: Producer Ms Mitro explains, 'We're looking for well-proportioned, beautiful skin, great personality, which is quite unique and rare' Beaming: It's hard to put a finger on what exactly makes some of the gazelle-like auditionees rise above the rest, but a vivacious energy seems to be paramount . Personality: Stylist Ms Neophitou looks for someone 'captivating' and 'memorable,' while casting director Mr Pfeiffer is seeking to be 'inspired' Stripped down: All the models wear the same skimpy black uniform . Among their few criticisms, the judges turned girls down who were 'too serious,' 'too petite' and 'too fast.' Model Bridget Malcolm explained: 'It's such a hard process to get in. It's not only the casting. 'You're working out for months before, training hard and eating right. It's a combination of a LOT of work.' Agent Heather Hughes of Women Management preps her models for the casting call every year, and says: 'To walk in the Victoria's Secret Show is the most competitive. You cannot compare it to anything else.' High-standard: Mr Razek noted, 'It's going to be hard to do the edit because I've never put so many A's on a page before' Dig my jig? Ms Braga goes that extra mile to entertain the judges with an impromptu Samba dance . Say cheese: Smiling from ear-to-ear is a prerequisite at the Victoria's Secret auditions. Pictured (left) a model who failed to make the cut and (right) Maud Welzen, who was selected . Not this time: Among their few criticisms, the judges turned girls down who were 'too serious,' 'too petite' and 'too fast' Time is of the essence: The girls have, on average, only a 30-second slot to prove themselves . Big deal: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show castings are world-renowned as the most competitive in the whole fashion industry . One model who stood out, and not just for her beauty credentials, was Grace Mahary, who was praised for being fully 'invested' in the job and for turning up for the casting two minutes early. Ms Mahary also made it through and will walk the show next month, along with blonde stunner Romee Strijd and Brazilian beauty Daniela Braga, who all feature in the casting footage. Notable models who did appear in the casting footage but who didn't make the cut include Hilary Rhoda and Jessica Stam. As for winged Angels who will take center stage at the show, the line-up includes Adriana Lima , Karlie Kloss, Alessandra Ambrosio, Lindsay Ellingson, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Douzten Kroes and Lily Aldridge. Throwing shapes: One model gets expressive (left) while Lindsay Ellingson (right) earned herself the coveted spot of an Angel . Not exactly curvy: Many of the girls at this year's castings were exceptionally slender . Dedication: Model Bridget Malcolm (left), who didn't get through said: 'You're working out for months before, training hard and eating right. It's a combination of a LOT of work.' Pictured (right) Kelly Gale, who was selected . According to Vogue, this year's show will open in a blaze of gold as the models take to the runway for the 'Gilded Angels' section. Set to the sound of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Hozier and Ed Sheeran performing live, other sections of the show will be based on fairy tales - which will see the eight official Angels and 19 other girls becoming pixies and other mystical creatures. Meanwhile an 'Exotic Traveller' section will be inspired by 'Mongolian, Asian and Indian' styles and a 'Dream Girls' theme will be based on the quintessential fifties pin-up look. Rounding off the show will be a fun urban section showcasing Victoria's Secret offshoot 'Pink' which is aimed at younger women, and finally a black and white grand finale titled the 'Angel's Ball'. The show, which attracts millions of viewers and a celebrity packed audience every year, is to be held in London for the very first time. | The 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will take place in London, for the first time ever, on December 2 .
Nineteen models will take to the runway to support the eight starring Angels . |
27,252 | 4d4ea58f0771c94c9c3ba8c2f844a15ef44e5937 | Korean opera singer Sumi Jo is one of the best-loved sopranos of her generation who has performed at ceremonies for an Olympic Games and a football World Cup. In a career spanning 26 years, she was the first Asian opera singer to achieve worldwide success and has won accolades and fans all over the world, from a Grammy award to being elected a UNESCO Artist for Peace. "Everyday when I wake up, I thank God that I can sing," she says. "Life is such a precious gift so everyday is beautiful to me." But the success has not come without sacrifices. At the age of 19, she traveled alone half way round the world from her native South Korea to Italy to kick start her career in the home of opera, and has been traveling ever since. Far from her friends and family, Jo said she was one of very few Asians in Italy at the time. "I went there just because I wanted to study opera but I didn't realize that it could be that difficult," she says. "I had to face a lot of things I didn't know. I didn't know how to cook, I didn't know any Italian and I had to cook and I had to deal with other people. "The first year I changed my room seven times." Jo said a puppy she found in the street became her only companion in Italy. "In that terrible period no one was there, no parents, no friend, I was completely alone, but she was there and she gave me a lot of joy and she kept me company and she lived 15 years with me." Also on Leading Women: Your top-flight lawyer? She's a stay-at-home mom . Today she owns three beloved dogs and is involved with an animal rights charity in South Korea. Despite the difficulties, Jo went on to achieve incredible success. She has made more than 50 recordings, including 10 solo albums, one of which won a Grammy award in 1993. She has performed the title role in at least four operas at New York's Metropolitan Opera, and at most of the world's major opera houses. Jo also performed at the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2002 Football World Cup in South Korea. She has also taken part in pop projects recently, and featured on the soundtrack for the mini-series "Mildred Pierce" starring Kate Winslet and Guy Pierce. Jo says she was destined to be an opera singer before she was even born, as her mother had dreamed of being a singer herself and had been thwarted by political upheaval. "She was born during the Japanese occupation and then she went through the Korean War," Jo says. "My mother suffered a lot, hunger and misery, but she was unhappy not having cultural stimulation. "So she always thought if she had a baby girl she wanted to make her an opera singer and here that's why I'm here. My destiny was already decided by her." Jo began piano and singing lessons early, but says she missed out on a conventional carefree childhood. "I still think that pushing a child too much could also could be quite cruel and unfair," she says. "For my case probably it worked because, thank god, I had to the talent. I think that children should play more and let them do what they want." Devotion to her career even meant Jo missing her father's funeral, after he died in 2006 while she was in Paris. "I just wanted to go to Korea right away," she said. "My mother told me by phone she said, 'You should stay there to sing for your public because for me you are not a simple a daughter for me. I consider you an artist so you should stay there for and sing for you audience.' "It was such an incredible moment. I can not tell you. I couldn't say any words." Also on Leading Women: $800 million biotech business started in a garage . Jo sang at a concert the next evening while the funeral was happening in South Korea, and later released the recording as a DVD dedicated to her father. "I announced to the audience my situation and everybody stood up and applauded," she says. "I wasn't able to assist him at the end, but I have this gift for him so I hope he will forgive me. At the age of 49, Jo is still working to achieve the balance between work and home life that she craves. "I somehow realized I have been missing something, my family, my home, my country, but it's not so easy because I always wanted to do something new, new music, new theater, new recordings, so it's difficult to have a balance." She added: "I wish I could be more happy. Sometimes I see myself sad and lonely, but I think I deserve to be more happy. It means that I need to grow up. I still feel like a beginner even if I had been singing many years." | Sumi Jo was the first Asian opera singer to achieve worldwide success .
The South Korean singer has made 50 recordings and 10 solo albums .
Her mother decided she should be an opera singer before she was born, she said . |
42,588 | 78127157936e3ac16234c3d9f67326e93a5c98ed | By . Emily Miller . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 26 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:53 EST, 26 March 2012 . A British man spent a fortnight in prison in South Africa after police mistook bath salts in his apartment for the illegal drug crystal meth, his lawyer said today. Peter Parnell, 34, from London, was arrested and held in a crowded Cape Town jail before lab tests revealed the granules were just harmless toiletries. Today his lawyer David Mbzwana said the case, which was dropped earlier this month, had 'disturbed him deeply'. Spot the difference: Police mistook bath salts (right) for crystal meth (left) He said: 'Peter has had a very tough time. The whole thing was a complete mess. 'He was held in conditions that are not fit for humans - a prison room that is meant to hold 20 men may be filled with 60. 'Peter's head was in a mess when he came out - it disturbed him deeply. It is just such a relief that no charges were brought. It was ridiculous.' Mr Parnell had been in South Africa nearly three months when officers arrived with a warrant to search his apartment in the Cape Town suburb of Table View on February 29. Mr Mbzwana added: 'The police found 9.5 kilos of the substance, which had an estimated value of ZAR10 million (around £900,000). 'When Peter told them it was bath salts, they arrested him anyway. A fortnight inside: Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, where Peter Parnell was held . 'I'm not aware of why he had such a big pile of bath salts in his place. 'He had arrived in December in South Africa. His fiancée lives here. 'He now is due to leave for Britain as soon as possible, and hopes to put the whole thing behind him.' 'Mr Parnell was held at notorious Pollsmoor prison, where former South African president Nelson Mandela spent part of his 27-year jail term. Earlier this month a hearing at Cape Town magistrates' court saw charges withdrawn, but he was rearrested because his three-month visa had expired while he was in custody. Mr Mbzwana said: 'Immigration officials said Peter had broken the law because he was meant to leave by March 8, but at that time he was behind bars. This was not his fault.' Mr Parnell was given his passport back last week, leaving him free to return to Britain. Possession of the party drug crystal methamphetamine, known locally as 'tik', carries a jail sentence of at least ten years in South Africa. The highly addictive substance has become a widespread problem in the sprawling townships of the Western Cape. It is a stimulant which often provokes violence, and is a factor in South Africa's high gun and knife crime rate. The arrest is understood to have been part of a drugs crackdown operation by the country's elite Hawks police wing. The South African Police Service and Hawks branch declined to comment. | 9.5 kilos of bath salts found Peter Parnell's apartment .
Londoner held in a crowded Cape Town jail for two weeks . |
281,981 | f946e332eb2184755d2bfe423e81ef1877c2b378 | Supporters have raised $20,000 for an Atlanta security guard who became an internet sensation this week after he posted videos online showing his refusal to give in to abuse from troublemakers. Darien Long made headlines earlier this week after a video showing him tasering a violent woman outside Atlanta's Metro Mall spread online – it has now been viewed more than one million times. And since then more and more videos are emerging of the zero-tolerance guard refusing to give in to violent threats. In the footage, filmed by a camera on Long’s uniform, men are heard warning they’ll follow him home; he is racially abused; spat at; threatened with violence and objects are thrown at him all because he’s asked people to leave the shopping center or to stop hovering outside. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Zero tolerance: Darien Long has been lauded as a hero after a shocking video showed him tasering a woman outside a mall in Atlanta. An online fundraising campaign is currently at $20,000 supporting the guard . Cornered: A new video shows a mother was tasered after she and her children attacked a security guard in an Atlanta shopping mall . Warning: Long repeatedly tells the woman to 'back it up' before tasering her when she lashes out at him. The footage won the Atlanta Metro Mall guard plaudits online and there is now a fundraising campaign in his honor . Despite being in a position most would find terrifying, Long says he is . determined to enforce the rules and believes doing so ultimately helps . his community. He told Atlanta news station WSB-TV: ‘I feel like the taser and the . camera are the two most effective tools that I have. Do what you're . supposed to do or you get what's coming to you.' ‘What you do is clean up the neighborhood so other businesses can come in and downtown Atlanta can prosper,’ he added . There has been particular support for Long from . residents of the city who say they are fed up with people . believing they are above the law. ‘This is basically what we deal with every day,’ Resident Daniel Van . Briesen told the local broadcaster. ‘For it to happen in the shadow of the . capital building and the courthouse is a bit ridiculous.’ The five minute video which launched the vigilante guard into the public . eye on Tuesday is from an incident in May. It opens with the . guard warning children outside who are making noise. However, two mothers soon step in and start pushing Long with one . warning the guard: 'Don’t yell at my motherf***ing kids! You’ll get . beat!' Abused: Several videos showing the threats and slurs leveled against Darien Long can be seen online . Ready to attack: Another video shows a woman who is about to throw a poster board at the security guard before a friend holds her back . The confrontation gets increasingly tense as the woman refuses to move . back from the mall, starts shouting racial slurs and encourages the . young children to join in the abuse. Long is repeatedly heard telling the woman to ‘back it up’ and move away . before she walks to the mall doorway and lashes . out. Long then tasers her. The shocking video has won the officer legions of fans on Youtube and news site Reddit. Reddit launched the online appeal to raise money for Long after seeing the response to his story. Supportive comments on Reddit include: ‘Whatever they pay this guy, it's . not enough’, ‘Guy looks like a family man, looks like he is risking a . lot’ and ‘remind anyone of a sheriff in a wild west movie. One Youtube viewer simply writes: ‘Why do those naggers keep nagging him? Reddit editor Ryu Kenya said they started the campaign because Long is a ‘nice guy’. ‘He is a nice guy and that area is very dangerous,' he wrote on the website. 'There is a cop . station around the block but people still sell drugs around there. He . has to wear kevlar and has his own mugshot book. He was not too proud . about tasing the woman and wished it could have been avoided.’ Resilient: Darien Long says he wants to help clean up downtown Atlanta via his work as security guard for the Atlanta Metro Mall . Fundraising page: The Reddit campaign had raised almost $20,000 for Darien Long on Saturday morning and was still going up . The woman who attacked Long was reportedly charged with disorderly . conduct, criminal trespassing, contributing to the delinquency of a . minor, and simple battery. Since the campaign began it has raised $20, 000 so Long can buy himself more equipment. And it appears he needs it. Further videos posted online by Long show several abusive exchanges. In one he asks a group to leave but they consistently refuse, loitering . by the doorway and threatening to follow him home and ‘beat’ him. It ends with one of the group – another woman – throwing a sandwich board at him. Other videos show him confronting men he suspects of drug dealing and shoplifting. In another a man repeatedly pushes Long in the chest and calls for him to fight him in the street. 'Stay out the mall and we won’t have an issue', Long tells one of his abusers in a video . The guard seems bemused by the attention his work has attracted and said he doesn't want fame. What he wants is to see his area improve. ‘I don’t care about the fame or none of that crap. What I want is on . street gambling to go away, The people who just hang down here to make . money and be disruptive and for the drug dealing to leave . this area,’ he says on a response posted on YouTube. 'You can’t ever get rid of all the crime in any city but it shouldn’t be in . such proximity to the seat of power of the state of Georgia and the city . of Atlanta. People should be able to come downtown and do what they . want to do.' 'I’m really nobody to be honest with you.' | Online campaign has so far raised $20,000 for Darien Long a security guard at Atlanta's Metro Mall .
The mall cop shot to worldwide fame this week after a film, which shows him taser an abusive and violent woman, spreads across the internet .
As more videos are released showing his zero tolerance approach, community and online supporters brand him a hero helping to clean up a dangerous part of downtown Atlanta . |
177,194 | 71628014dad73dd57b4a8b128a8b2c45103d1b1e | By . David Kent . Tim Sherwood says he is being told lies as another manager is strongly linked with his position at Tottenham. Current Ajax manager Frank de Boer is the latest to be connected with the role, having recently declared himself open to speaking with Spurs - despite the club themselves denying that any approach has been made. Sherwood, who signed an 18-month contract in December when he took over . from Andre Villas-Boas, spoke of his frustration at the continued . undermining of his position at the club. Disappointed: Tim Sherwood is unhappy at the undermining of his position as manager of Tottenham . 'When clubs come out - and managers too - it’s disappointing. Somewhere along the line someone is telling porkies. 'We’ll . see where the discussions at the end of the season take us. It’s a . difficult time when there are outside distractions but I have to . concentrate on the job in hand. 'My office is on the field. I think it’s gone reasonably well for me in the Premier League but we’ll just have to wait and see.' De Boer is one of the hottest young managers . in Europe, having led Ajax to four consecutive Eredivisie trophies since . he took over the role in 2010. ‘Spurs haven’t had contact with my agent yet. They have approached Ajax, but that’s it,’ he said. ‘Spurs have let Ajax know they would eventually talk to me when the season’s finished. Winner: Frank de Boer celebrating his winning the Dutch league last Sunday . Legends: Jaap Stam, De Boer and Dennis Bergkamp are all greats of the modern game . Reunited? De Boer could end up managing Christian Eriksen again at Spurs, who left Ajax last summer . 'After the last league game (against NEC on Saturday) I’ll think about it.’ Tottenham’s . interest in the 43-year-old brings up the sensational possibility of . Dennis Bergkamp joining his colleague in north London. The . former Arsenal star is currently De Boer’s assistant at the Amsterdam . Arena, and the pair have formed an incredibly strong working . relationship. Long serving: Sherwood has had a long affiliation with Spurs, playing for them between 1999-2003 . Behind the scenes: And was then hired as a coach under Harry Redknapp (centre) in 2008 . | De Boer says Spurs have approached him to replace Sherwood in summer .
Tottenham deny contact has been made with the Dutchman . |
240,303 | c3157159038d1ad31b2cddaa77d352dbb43fcfd9 | By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:35 EST, 28 September 2012 . Globe-trotting Oscar the dog has flown over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter and crossed the Golden Gate bridge in the latest stage of his world tour. After visiting more than 30 countries and stopping at iconic landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China during his great journey three years ago, the plucky pup was ready to take to the skies again. Oscar, who travels with his owner Joanne Lefson, has now braved a hot air balloon flight, helicopter ride and more plane trips as he ticks more destinations off his list, including Germany, Brussels and the Netherlands. Scroll down for video . Woof air: Brave Oscar takes a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon . Hanging out: The ten-year-old is absolutely fearless after having visited more than 30 countries . Doggy vision: Oscar prepares for another flight - on a hot air balloon in Cape Town . Not just hot air: The little dog was very excited over his trip in a balloon . Approving woof: Adopted Oscar and owner Joanne Lefson meet the pilot in the cockpit of a plane . Ms Lefson, who is half-British, rescued Oscar from a South African kennel eight years ago - just a day before he was due to be put down. The . pair began their epic journey across five continents in 2009 in a bid . to help millions of dogs without a home, visiting more than 20,000 dog . shelters on the way. The . ten-year-old canine has also recently revisited some of his favourite . spots including Nevada, France and India, meaning he has now travelled . more than 150,000 kilometres - twice the circumference of the earth. Ms Lefson, . who uses money made from the sale of her home to fund trips, said she . would not stop travelling and raising awareness until every dog had a . home. Plane brilliant: The well-travelled pup is used to having his head in the clouds . Pets win prize: At the cathedral in Cologne, Germany, and trying his hand at golf with owner Ms Lefson during the U.S. Golf Championship in San Francisco . Sporting chance: Unstoppabler Oscar goes for a ride to warm up for a tough competition . She said: 'Travel remains in our . bloodstream as does the case for dog adoption. An estimated half a . billion dogs on the planet are homeless. 'When they're adopted, we'll unbuckle our seat belts and put our paws up. 'Oscar . loved the helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon he seemed a little . disappointed there weren't any crocs in the Canyon but anxiously watched . at every turn for the odd animal to visually chase. 'During . the balloon ride he barked his brains out. There must be something . about all that fire in the sky that makes him barking mad. Cosmopolitan: Oscar by the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and with owner Joanne Lefson and friends in Las Vegas, Nevada . What a star: Oscar on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles . Travelling in style: Oscar tries out yet another mode of transport in Amsterdam . Far from his basket: California's beautiful Yosemite National Park was another fascinating landscape for the dog to take in . Canine companion: A Tuc Tuc driver in New Delhi doesn't quite know what to make of his unusual passenger . Kennel kid: If Ms Lefson had not adopted Oscar from the shelter, he might not have had a loving owner - or the chance to visit so many far-flung spots . 'Perhaps his most impressive achievement is that he has endured several flights lasting 16 hours and more and hasn't even lifted a leg. 'It's a miracle he's still even alive though. If I hadn't gone to the kennel that fateful day Oscar would have had one more day left and would have been put down. 'When I discovered what a wonderful dog Oscar was it broke my heart to think how many Oscars are still out there and simply just don't get that second chance. 'I want to change perceptions of shelter dogs being old, abused and disturbed animals. Nothing could be further from the truth.' Le chien: Oscar checks out the Eiffel Tower in Paris, having now visited France several times . Just barking: Oscar has some fun with a novel disguise on a beach in Malibu . Snowy surprise: Oscar meets Tin Tin and his equally adventurous pal in Brussels . | Furry flier is well used to planes after visiting more than 30 countries .
He was adopted from a kennel by owner Joanne Lefson and now the tiny traveller helps her raise awareness about the plight of unwanted dogs . |
92,258 | 02a7423ff4c6a01319eaac55277a042856ebc224 | A confident Duchess of Cornwall nearly stole the show as she arrived looking wonderful in a regal white gown and diamond tiara that echoed the Queen's ensemble in Westminster today. Just over a year since she made her debut appearance at the State Opening of Parliament, her repeat visit today will be seen as a victory for Prince Charles who has long wanted his wife to play a greater role in royal life. And it seems his work has paid off after a radiant Camilla drew admiring glances and loud cheers from the crowds outside the Palace of Westminster as she made her way inside on her husband's arm. Scroll down for video . Listening in: The Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales listened intently as the Queen made the traditional Queen's speech to the House of Lords . Ceremonial: The Queen makes the traditional Queen's speech during the State Opening of Parliament as the Duke of Edinburgh looks on . Regal: The Duchess of Cornwall wore a white dress and diamond tiara for the State Opening of Parliament, while the Queen wore the heavy Imperial State Crown . Elegant: . Camilla looked radiant in her white gown and diamond tiara as she made . her way through the packed House of Lords at the State Opening of . Parliament . The past month has been a difficult one for Camilla, who is still struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of her brother Mark Shand at the end of April. But instead of retreating to her country home, the Duchess has thrown herself into royal duties and yesterday joined the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Today, glamorous in a white gown, traditional sash and a diamond tiara, the Duchess looked every inch the princess, although even she couldn't eclipse the Queen, who wore the magnificent Imperial State Crown as she made her address to Parliament. With 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies, the crown, which was made for the coronation of George VI in 1937, is one of the most important of the Crown Jewels. Based on an earlier version made for Queen Victoria, the crown also boasts several famous jewels, among them King Edward's Sapphire which was taken from a ring belonging to the Anglo-Saxon king and builder of the first Westminster Abbey, Edward the Confessor. Taking . their seats: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall took slightly . lower seats than the Queen and Prince Phillip, while the ladies in . waiting stood . More . comfortable: The Queen removed the Imperial State Crown after making . the speech and beamed at the Earl Marshall as she left the Palace of . Westminster . Glamorous: The Duchess of Cornwall's regal ensemble consisting of a state sash, white gown and diamond tiara echoed that of the Queen herself . Surrounded: The Queen, with the Duke of Edinburgh at her side, processed through the Royal Gallery on her way into the Palace of Westminster . Magnificent: For the State Opening of Parliament, the Queen wore a traditional ermine robe and the Imperial State Crown which has 2,868 diamonds . On her way: The Queen makes her way into the Palace of Westminster minus the Imperial State Crown which she put on after arriving at the Palace . Arrival: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by ladies in waiting, are escorted through the elaborate Norman Porch at the Palace of Westminster . Escort: Yeomen of the Guard prepare to conduct the ceremonial search ahead of the Queen's arrival at the Palace of Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament . The most important of all the Queen's crowns, the current Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 and boasts 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies. Although there has been an Imperial State Crown since the 15th century, there have been several different versions with the current one based on Queen Victoria's. Among the jewels is the sapphire of King Edward the Confessor, the Anglo-Saxon king who founded Westminster Abbey. Joining the Queen and Camilla at the Houses of Parliament were Prince Charles, who sported a traditional military uniform, and a cheerful-looking Duke of Edinburgh. The royal party arrived after the traditional ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, which also saw the debut of the new Diamond Jubilee State Coach. The vehicle, which contains fragments from Henry VIII's doomed battleship, the Mary Rose, a bullet from the Battle of Waterloo and a piece of Newton's apple tree, boasts diamond doorhandles and a hidden 'Queen cam' which offers a 360 degree view of the crowds. Among the other historical mementos incorporated into the coach are slivers from Scott’s Antarctic sled, a part of Hut Six, which was one of several used at codebreaking centre Bletchley Park, and a piece of Scotland’s Stone of Destiny, upon which monarchs are traditionally crowned. The state opening of Parliament marks the start of a busy few days for the Queen, who tomorrow will travel to France for a state visit. Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the monarch will travel to Paris by Eurostar and will be welcomed by French president François Hollande at the Arc de Triomphe. Later, the Queen will travel to the Elysée Palace for meetings with France's socialist head of state ahead of a garden party at the British Ambassador's residence in Paris. The following day, the Queen will join the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in Normandy for a series of visits commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, before returning to the Elysée Palace for a state dinner. Travelling in style: The Queen travelled to the Palace of Westminster in the new Diamond Jubilee State Coach which contains parts of the Mary Rose . On the Mall: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were followed by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in a separate state coach . Ceremonial: The Queen's Guard of Honour makes their way out onto the Mall (left) and right, a state coach carrying the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall . Busy: The Mall was a sea of Union flags as the monarch processed from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster in the Diamond Jubilee Coach . On her way: The Queen gets her first ride in the brand new Diamond Jubilee State Coach as she is taken to Westminster Palace to deliver the traditional Queen's speech . Quick march! The Queen's Guard of Honour marches out of Buckingham Palace . and heads down the Mall during the ceremonial procession to the Palace . of Westminster . Guards! A Guard of Honour makes its way out of Buckingham Palace ahead of the Queen for the ceremonial state procession to the Palace of Westminster . Arrival: . The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition Ed Milliband make their . way through the Members' Lobby as they head to the State Opening of . Parliament . On their way: Home Secretary Theresa May, who recently won plaudits for her handling of the Police Federation, was elegant in an orange suit . Packed: In addition to the Lords Temporal and Spiritual, the State Opening of Parliament is attended by all MPs, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition . Magnificent: The Queen addresses the House of Lords as she sets out the Government's legislative programme for the next 12 months . | The Duchess of Cornwall was making her second appearance at the State Opening of Parliament .
She drew admiring glances and cheers from the crowd outside Parliament as she arrived with the Prince of Wales .
Her ensemble, which included the state sash and a diamond tiara, echoed the formal outfit worn by Her Majesty .
The Queen looked on spritely form and wore the magnificent Imperial State Crown which boasts 2,868 diamonds . |
100,192 | 0d1845d5a4ed70bdd8c0e93c4c552a7726e6b328 | Washington (CNN) -- Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right move, but the United States made mistakes in the aftermath, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNN on Friday. In an interview to be broadcast Monday on CNN International's "Connect the World" program, Rice acknowledged a failure to focus rebuilding efforts throughout the country and attributed the problem to a lack of understanding. "I do believe I would take Saddam Hussein out of power again, but of course in the rebuilding of Iraq ... I would do things differently," Rice said. "I think we put too much emphasis on Baghdad and not enough emphasis on the provinces. Perhaps we didn't fully understand the degree to which the society would start to come apart as a result of being held in tyranny for all those years." At the same time, Rice said it is still too early to fully judge the success or failure of that war or other foreign policy issues in the administration of George W. Bush. "Sometimes things that look terrific at the time look pretty bad in retrospect, and vice versa, so ultimately this is a story that will be written in history," said Rice, who served as secretary of state for the second of Bush's two four-year terms as president. Rice had a full day in Washington planned, including several interviews, two speeches and a White House meeting with President Barack Obama. A memoir on her childhood, as well as a version for young readers, came out this week. The invitation from a sitting president to a former Cabinet member is "not that unusual," Rice said, adding that she believes they'll discuss "a range of foreign policy issues." "It's whatever the president wants to talk about," she said. Obama has criticized the Bush administration for shifting focus from Afghanistan to Iraq, which he says stalled the effort to vanquish the Taliban insurgency and prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a haven for al Qaeda and other terrorists to launch attacks against the United States. White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters Friday that with Rice scheduled to be in Washington, Obama wanted to "chat" with her. Burton said a wide range of foreign policy issues would be discussed. Rice spoke further about Iraq when answering questions after a luncheon speech at the National Press Club, saying the purpose of the U.S. invasion was to get rid of the threat posed by Hussein. "We didn't go to war in Iraq to democratize Iraq," she said, adding that the United States didn't fight Adolf Hitler in World War II to democratize Germany. "You go to war when there is a security threat, and Saddam Hussein was seen as a threat to our interests and our security," Rice said. While acknowledging that "we could have done many, many things much, much better," she noted that removing Hussein from power changed Iraq for the better. "What is the conversation we're having about Iraq today?" she asked, noting it didn't involve weapons of mass destruction and other issues from the Hussein era. Instead, it's about whether Sunni and Shiite factions can form a coalition government, she said. Rice, the second African-American in history to serve as secretary of state, also said that while race relations in America have improved enormously in her lifetime, "there is no more sensitive or more difficult issue in the United Sates than race." "This is not a color-blind society," she said. "When somebody walks in the door, you do see color." Asked about her possible political future, Rice made clear she has no plans to run for office any time soon. She said she keeps responding to the question by saying the time's not right, and added: "Maybe the time isn't ever going to be right." "I got to be secretary of state," Rice said. "That's quite enough." In her interview with CNN International, Rice also commented on domestic issues. Asked about the conservative Tea Party movement in the United States that has roiled Republican politics, Rice said there is no reason to fear such grass-roots democratic expression, even if she differs with Tea Party supporters on some issues. "The Tea Party is, of course, a vast collection of people and there are lots of views which I would not associate with -- I am a free trader and I believe in defending immigration -- but the best way to understand the Tea Party is that it really is a grass-roots movement, and in that sense it's healthy," she said. Rice attributed the rise of the Tea Party movement to "a sense that Washington, with big government and deficit spending, has lost touch." On her successor at the helm of the State Department, Rice said Hillary Clinton is doing a "fine job." "It's a tough job," she said. "You're always on an airplane. Sometimes you never quite know what country you're in, and you're always hoping you're not going to make the mistake and say you're in a country that you're not in. I did it on one occasion, but I hope no one noticed." Rice also will be interviewed Friday on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." CNN's Tom Cohen contributed to this story. | NEW: American society isn't color-blind, Rice says .
Condoleezza Rice is back in Washington on Friday .
The former secretary of state is plugging a new book and meeting with Obama .
She tells CNN that mistakes were made after toppling Saddam Hussein . |
20,120 | 391ffecad98d84ef45a7b48986087a1a2978762e | (CNN) -- This may be a week of skeptical glances. When I took the subway home on Monday night, after watching news that three people died and more than 100 were injured in a terror attack in Boston, I looked around at crowds and fellow passengers in Atlanta with an unfair twinge of suspicion. It's difficult not to let events like this impact your patterns of thinking. It's sometimes hard to do what The New Yorker's Hendrik Hertzberg suggests: to keep calm and carry on. That used to be easy, before Oklahoma City, where I'm from, and before 9/11. Then it was more difficult. And just when it seemed like "terror" was a word that we could use with a sense of distance and irony -- and a concept we watched play out in films like "Zero Dark Thirty" and not in our communities -- our collective sense of security threatened to evaporate again, after two explosions hit the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We are left searching for answers and perpetrators. Families are mourning those who died and praying for those who lost limbs and were severely injured. I think it's because of all this uncertainty and soul-searching that a quote from America's lullaby-voiced comforter, Mr. Rogers. bounced all over my Twitter feed on Monday afternoon, getting retweeted in various forms by thousands. "I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" Leave it to a former kids' TV host to give America its moral compass. iReport: Bostonians rush to support stranded visitors . Right now, as the authorities try to figure out who did this and why, what the rest of us can do is take a moment to focus on the humanity that followed the tragedy. Doing so will remind us that America is bigger and stronger than these events -- that we don't have to let fear change us as it has before. Jared Keller, a native Bostonian and director of social media for Bloomberg News, compiled a short but powerful list of the helpers in Boston. Among them were people who ran toward the site of the explosion -- rather than away from it -- to try to help the people who were injured. They were marathoners who "kept running, all the way to Massachusetts General Hospital, to give blood" after the blasts went off. They were, of course, the police officers and other first responders who were photographed in numerous courageous and selfless acts, including carrying this small person away from the scene. "Many were fleeing," wrote David Abel from the Boston Globe, "but many were running to the wounded. They ripped down the metal barriers separating the runners from spectators. Unsure of whether there would be another explosion, these strangers risked their lives to help other strangers, performing CPR, comforting those in shock, and carrying the wounded to the nearby medical tent." Others protected each other during the explosion. Dr. Allan Panter treated victims at the site of the explosion, according to CNN's live blog. "I saw at least six to seven people down next to me," he said. "They protected me from the blast. One lady expired. One gentleman lost both his (lower) limbs." They were runners who offered jackets to each other. And they included a photographer who walked through pools of blood to try to capture the horror and humanity of the scene, all while holding back tears of his own. Outside that northeastern city, they were technologists who scrambled to publish tools to help relatives find their loved ones and to help stranded visitors find a safe place to stay the night. They were joggers who hit the streets in their own neighborhoods even though the blast may have shaken them up. On Monday night, Dan Conley, Suffolk County's district attorney, took the microphone at a news conference and put words to these sentiments. "It was a large and disturbing scene. Like each of you I am praying for the victims and their loved ones. It is a terrible, terrible day for them," he said. "Seconds after those bombs went off we saw civilians running to help the victims right alongside members of the Boston Police Department and Boston EMS. And in the hours that followed police and medical personnel from across the region have sent dozens, maybe even hundreds, of volunteers to help us here in Boston. "That's what Americans do in times of crisis. We come together and we help one another. Moments like these, terrible as they are, don't show our weakness, they show our strength." That was true in Oklahoma City and New York. It was true in Norway, where people responded to a 2011 massacre by gathering around an Oslo courthouse to sing. And it's certainly true of Boston. "Moments like this, and our response to them," Conley said in another press conference on Tuesday morning, "define who we are." It's understandable to be shocked by these events and to be a little wary in the hours after tragedy. But as the "helpers" in the wake of the Boston bombing reminded me, we are more the same than different, and more good than evil. We're all geared to be helpers. And that's who we'll continue to be. | A Mr. Rogers quote was widely shared on Twitter on Monday .
After tragedy, he says, we should "look for the helpers"
John Sutter: That message is resonant following the Boston bombing .
He says all of us are geared to help, and the bombing response shows that . |
196,876 | 8acf17028895588979e639ce4ec32e1f042d6433 | (CNN) -- A day after a gunman opened fire at an Arizona supermarket, authorities released the emergency calls. The recordings, which were made public by the Pima County Sheriff's Office on Sunday, paint a patchy picture of the scene just moments after the shooting that killed six people and wounded 14, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Callers spoke with remarkable clarity given the chaos around them. Screams can be heard in the background as one male caller calmly tells another man, "We got help coming." The following information has been edited for brevity and to protect the names of the callers. Not all calls are included. 911: 911, where is your emergency? Caller 1: Mrs. Giffords! 911: Hello? Hello? Caller 1: Oh, 911. There was a shooting at Safeway ... where Gabrielle Giffords was. And I do believe Gabrielle Giffords was hit. 911: At Safeway, sir? Caller 1: Yeah, Safeway. 911: Was somebody shot then sir? Caller 1: Yes, it looked like the guy had a semiautomatic pistol and he went in. He just started firing. And then he ran. 911: Which way did he run? Caller 1: He ran north past the Walgreens that's right next to the Safeway. 911: Can you describe him? Caller 1: He was wearing a hoodie. 911: What color was the hoodie? Caller 1: It was black. 911: What color were his pants? Caller 1: It looked like he was wearing blue jeans. And he was wearing a black sweater. 911: Is anybody injured? Did you say Gabrielle Giffords was hit? Caller 1: She's hit. I do believe she's breathing. She was breathing. She still has a pulse ... And we got one dead. 911: And there's other people that are injured? Caller 1: There was multiple people shot. 911: Oh my God. 911: 911, are you reporting a shooting? Caller 2: Yes, I am. 911: OK, did you witness anything? Caller 2: Yes I did. 911: What did you witness ma'am? Caller 2: I witnessed ... gunshot and then I tried to duck down. I see the man that was caught shooting was held down by some other people. They took away his gun and they're holding him down so he can't do anything else. 911: OK, we do have deputies on the way. They'll be there shortly. I need you to stay out of the way where you're at right now and try to get anyone else to safety without getting yourself in any harm, OK? Caller 2: OK, yeah. I'm in the Walgreens in the back so that way I feel like I'm a little more safe. 911: OK, well we have deputies on the way. Caller 2: And are you sending lots of ambulances too? 911: Yes we are. 911: Emergency dispatcher, what is the address? Caller 3: Um, our address is 7114 North Oracle Road. We need more than one ambulance. There is more than one person down. 911: What happened there? Caller 3: A guy came to the Safeway and started shooting. I saw him. He was in a beanie and a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. 911: We've got that ... Ma'am, we do have the help on the way. How many people are injured there? Caller 3: We have a total of 10 people maybe more. Oh my God. 911: We do have the help on the way, OK ma'am. Caller 3: OK. | Callers are remarkably composed and speak clearly .
"I do believe Gabrielle Giffords was hit," says one .
"We need more than one ambulance" says another .
Screams and moans can be heard in the background of one call . |
6,708 | 130a167f49b3a7c7851dccf9a87648611323b9fc | (Entertainment Weekly) -- It couldn't top its predecessors, but "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" still brought in quite a haul, grossing an estimated $87 million for the opening weekend of the summer movie season. Hugh Jackman stars as the title character in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." The Hugh Jackman pic brought in a strong $21,225 per-theater average in 4,099 movie houses, despite generating mixed reviews. The film fell $15 million short of 2006's "X-Men: The Last Stand" but it is still an enormous success for Jackman and director Gavin Hood. Matthew McConaughey's "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" generated an estimated $15.3 million for a second place bow. It's not a shabby opening but it is far less than McConaughey's previous romantic outings including last year's "Fool's Gold" ($21.6 million) or 2006's "Failure to Launch" ($24.2 million). (Perhaps women were too busy checking out all those hunky mutants this weekend?) The two new openers did help the industry maintain its year-over-year increase of 16 percent. Also aiding that statistic was Beyonce Knowles' "Obsessed." Dropping a not-surprising 57 percent for its second weekend in theaters, the thriller earned another $12.2 million to put its ten-day gross at a shockingly strong $47 million. And Zac Efron's "17 Again" showed surprising stamina, too, grossing an additional $6.3 million its third weekend for a total take of $48.4 million. The other new wide release for the weekend was the anemic 3-D animated sci-fi film "Battle for Terra." Opening on 1162 theaters, the Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood-voiced feature proved to be little competition for the other 3-D movie in the marketplace. Dreamworks Animation's juggernaut "Monsters vs. Aliens" grossed another $5.8 million its sixth weekend for the fifth slot in the rankings, while newcomer "Terra" couldn't muster more than $1 million for a twelfth place in the box office derby. Summer has officially begun -- at least in Hollywood -- so expect a giant event film every weekend. Wolverine may have bowed mightily but with "Star Trek" hot on its heels next weekend, the Marvel superhero is going to need more than adamantium to maintain its box office lead. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "Wolverine" takes the top slot at the box office, earning an estimated $87 million .
"Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" took in an estimated $15.3 million for second place .
Dreamworks Animation's "Monsters vs. Aliens" grossed another $5.8 million .
Check out the rest of the top 10 movies at the box office this weekend . |
244,639 | c89bd260ade83ce25692f6000e29af1b0519539f | Editor's note: CNN agreed not to use the last names of the Iraqi families in this story due to security concerns. Safa'a had a 12-pound tumor that nearly took over all his body. Doctors in Iraq had given up on the boy. AMMAN, Jordan (CNN) -- Two-year-old Safa'a gently holds his mother's hand, a 12-pound tumor bulging from his frail body. The tumor is nearly as big as he is. The Iraqi boy has come to Jordan for surgery with help from a most unlikely source: an 85-year-old liquor tycoon living on the other side of the world. "There is a real chance that Safa'a may die during the operation," Dr. Iyad Sultan tells the boy's parents. His mother, Manal, cradles her son's hand as she trembles inside the King Hussein Cancer Center. His father, Mohammed, struggles with his words. "We are afraid," he says softly. See photos of Iraqi children being saved at the Jordan facility » . Safa'a was diagnosed in Iraq with Wilms' tumor, the most common kidney tumor in children. If caught and treated early on, the cancer has a high survival rate. But by the time Safa'a arrived in Jordan, Sultan says, it was a miracle the boy was alive. "The tumor is massive," Sultan says. "The liver, kidney, intestines are all squished to the sides. His lungs are very small. It's hard to believe he is able to breathe." Watch Iraq baby gets second chance » . The tumor prevented him from developing like other children. "Sometimes when we see other children play, he starts to cry," his father says. "I don't buy him certain toys like soccer balls. Because he looks at me and when he throws it far away, he can't go and get it. Even at his age, he understands." Safa'a had received chemotherapy in Baghdad for a year, but the tumor kept growing, and doctors said there was nothing else they could do. "You know, he is my first baby," Mohammed said from his modest Baghdad home at the time. "I used everything I have to rescue my baby. I tried to do something, but I can't." The boy's treatment in Iraq became even more volatile as sectarian violence flared. The family is Sunni, and the hospital treating Safa'a fell under the control of the Mehdi Army, a Shiite militia loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Traveling to the facility for something as simple as picking up the child's medical records became impossible. Watch the struggles of getting help inside Iraq » . About 6,000 miles away, in Boston, Massachusetts, Safa'a came to the attention of Ray Tye. A liquor distributor and philanthropist, Tye runs the Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation with his wife, Eileen. Their motto: "We will never stop caring." With the help of their friends, the couple formed the foundation five years ago after their son died of multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell that is incurable. "I found out that all the money in the world couldn't save him, but I did realize that money could save lives," Tye says from Boston. The foundation offered to foot the bill for Safa'a to travel to Jordan, even if the boy only had the slightest chance of survival. The foundation also is paying the medical expenses of at least three other Iraqis at the Amman cancer center. "The mission is to bring people to hospitals who have life-threatening problems and don't have money. I don't care where they come from," Tye says. The Iraqi family then began the journey to neighboring Jordan. Safa'a is considered lucky to have a donor. Each month, about two dozen desperate Iraqis end up at the doors of the King Hussein Cancer Center with little or no money for treatment, officials say. See how you can make a difference . "The center is almost the only beacon of hope for patients seeking treatment for cancer," says Princess Dina, director-general of the hospital's foundation. "We said we cannot turn a blind eye to these patients. They are pleading, 'Please help.' So we cannot just ignore that. We don't have the millions to cover so many Iraqi patients, so we said let's try something else." The scope of the crisis prompted the foundation to establish the Iraqi Goodwill Fund. It has raised more than $1 million and helped dozens of patients, but the need for such care far surpasses what the fund can do. For many parents, the knowledge that their children didn't have to suffer so much is often too much to bear. Iraq's decrepit medical institutions can't deliver even the most basic health care, and the emigration of skilled medical professionals means that many curable diseases inside Iraq end in death. "In many cases, children come with diseases who have just advanced to a level that you can't give any curable treatment," says Sultan, Safa'a's doctor. "If you saw the patients months earlier -- six, eight, 10 months earlier -- you can do many other things that now just aren't doable." One patient is 2-year-old Mariam, who was born with an extreme and potentially fatal tumor on the side of her face. Her young mother, Rasha, 22, was deserted by her husband. She had to fight to get her daughter seen by a doctor in Iraq; the staff was too overwhelmed with the daily casualties. "We tried to get her into a hospital in Iraq, and the doctor kicked us out," Rasha says. "There was shooting and firing outside. We fought with the doctor; we fought to get her in. I lost all hope." The tumor grew to such a mass, it displaced Mariam's eye, broke her jaw and burst through her scalp. "I was watching my daughter die in front of me slowly, and there was nothing I could do," Rasha says. U.S. troops discovered Mariam, and through a joint effort with the Jordanian government, she ended up in Amman. Now, little Mariam gurgles at her favorite nurse. Small smiles play across her deformed face as her mother tickles her. Back in the operating room, Safa'a whimpers as his parents kiss him tearfully, fearing that it could be a final goodbye. "We don't know what will happen when we open Safa'a's abdomen and we take this tumor out," the doctor says. "Safa'a has a chance of survival definitely, if he survives today. So today is the most critical day in Safa'a's life." The surgery lasted five hours, and the doctors called it a success. The massive tumor was removed completely. Safa'a's parents could barely express their happiness and gratitude. "I cannot put my happiness into words," his mother says, laughing. The boy's father adds, "this is such a happy occasion. You brought happiness into the hearts of parents." Safa'a has a lengthy recovery ahead of him, but his parents know he is lucky to have a chance at life, thanks to the kindness of strangers. "I will tell you the truth. Tears come to your eyes. You're saving a life," Tye says after hearing about Safa'a's successful surgery. "When you look at somebody that had a life-threatening problem and you could, with money, save that life, you've got to sit back and say you helped make this world just a little better, and that's what it's all about." | An Iraqi boy, 2, travels to Jordan to have 12-pound tumor removed .
Liquor tycoon in U.S. comes to boy's aid, pays all his medical expenses .
"Tears come to your eyes," the boy's American donor says .
After surgery, the boy's mother says, "I cannot put my happiness into words" |
171,758 | 6a4b60271e5dde867021e54bc6f54508cc8d4796 | (CNN) -- The days of being cut off from the Internet while you're on a plane are quickly disappearing. An American Airlines passenger uses Wi-Fi to access the Internet during a flight. A number of domestic airlines have recently begun offering Wi-Fi Internet access aboard planes, and other airlines say they are working toward making it happen. "This is the year" for Wi-Fi on planes, said Jack Blumenstein, president and CEO of Aircell, whose Gogo® Inflight Internet service provides access on Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, AirTran and Virgin America flights, and will begin testing on United flights later this year. Gogo is installed on more than 200 commercial planes, and Blumenstein said he expected 1,200 aircraft to have Gogo capability by the end of 2009. For now, Wi-Fi on domestic carriers' planes is limited to flights within North America. Gogo, which operates by transmitting signals from ground-level towers, functions across the United States and up to about 300 miles offshore. The company's access will cover the entire continent within a year or two, Blumenstein said. Row 44, which uses satellite technology to provide connectivity to Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines, already covers much of North America and will roll out trans-Atlantic and European service in the third quarter of this year, said the company's CEO, John Guidon. Neither company would release the exact cost of turning airplanes into Wi-Fi hot spots. But Blumenstein said Aircell managed to equip a plane for "substantially" less than $100,000. Row 44, which bills itself as the "industrial-strength solution" to airplane connectivity, costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per plane, Guidon said. Another company, LiveTV, is a subsidiary of JetBlue that provides free e-mail and messaging aboard flights but doesn't offer open Web surfing. LiveTV, which uses air-to-ground technology, provides the service on select JetBlue flights and also is working with Frontier Airlines on offering Internet access aboard its planes. The Wi-Fi venture has the potential to be "very profitable," said Harlan Platt, an airline industry expert and professor of finance at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. "Normally, air carriers rush to purchase capital equipment that raises their cost but doesn't raise their revenue. ... This is actually a revenue-producing tactic. And it's a good one because it's providing value to the passenger and it's creating incremental revenues for the airline," Platt said. Aircell, which shares its revenue from Gogo with the airlines, charges $9.95 for flights under three hours, $12.95 for flights longer than three hours and $7.95 to use a Wi-Fi capable handheld device for any flight length. Passengers can begin using the service once the plane reaches 10,000 feet. If the plane remains in flight for longer than three hours as part of a delay, passengers do not pay the higher fee, Blumenstein said. Platt believes that business model will evolve to entice more passengers to use it. The size of those fees could result in "a whole segment of the market that they're not going to capture," said Platt. The airlines will maximize their profits by convincing more passengers to use the system with a lower price, he said. Platt predicted Aircell and the airlines would create a second tier of service, which would be less expensive but with fewer capabilities. He compared the strategy to airlines' price-reducing tactics to avoid empty seats on planes. As Aircell and Row 44's services expand, LiveTV is monitoring passengers' usage to gauge how to move ahead with its own business model, said Mike Moeller, vice president of sales and marketing for the company. "Yes, broadband is coming. We're sitting there asking, 'Who pays? Is it the airlines or the customers? And what will they pay? What is the right technology? ... When does all of this happen?' We're in weird economic times," Moeller said. As for the possibility of passengers offending their seat-mates by surfing for inappropriate content, Blumenstein said nine months of Wi-Fi availability on American yielded no such incidents. Still, airlines including American, Delta and United have requested screening for potentially offensive content, he said. On the other hand, Alaska Airlines, which uses Row 44, does not plan on using the company's content-blocking capabilities. Instead, flight attendants will follow standard protocol for objectionable material -- they'll ask passengers to stow it away, said Bobbie Egan, an airline spokeswoman. Here is what major U.S. airlines offer, and what is coming up: . | Many domestic airlines have begun offering Wi-Fi Internet access aboard planes .
Provider Aircell expects to have 1,200 planes equipped by the end of this year .
Another company, Row 44, says it will have trans-Atlantic Wi-Fi in the third quarter . |
186,560 | 7da54e6266676e4b0b2b9786ca0562edf5880441 | Genetic evidence suggests that bed bugs originated in bats. The new study comes as the number of bed bug infestations continues to rise and their resistance to insecticide is increasingly becoming a public health concern. It is the first research to find genetic evidence for 'bat bugs' and bed bugs being linked. University of Tulsa in Oklahoma scientists studied origin of bed bugs (stock image of Cimex lectularius shown). They found the first genetic evidence that bats are their origin. Research suggests human contact with bats in caves thousands of years ago led to them becoming a modern pest . When they bite, bed bugs inject tiny amounts of blood thinning and anaesthetic agents into their victim, triggering an immune response in humans. In most cases, and if they are left alone, the bites calm down and disappear over the course of a week to ten days. However, in some cases the person bitten has a bulbous reaction to the bite - this is when the skin erupts into pus-filled blisters. While bed bugs are not known to carry diseases, doctors say there is still a question over whether they can transmit hepatitis B or C, although there are no proven cases. The study was carried out by scientists from the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, reported the BBC. Experts looked at hundreds of bed bugs from human and bat dwellings across 13 different countries. One in particular, Cimex lectularius, is useful for studying genetic diversity as it is a wingless insect, and therefore has relatively limited mobility. Their findings suggest that all bed bugs ultimately had a similar origin. It is thought that, as humans moved from Africa to Eurasia thousands of years ago, bed bugs would likely have sought both bat and human hosts in shared caves throughout Eurasia. In addition, the researchers also found evidence for two predominant lineages in Europe that are so diverse, they are almost different species. In September 2014, a DNA study at Sheffield University showed that just one pregnant bed bug can cause an infestation. The pregnant bed bug could rapidly create a colony of thousands of offspring that feed on humans. Bed bugs' ability to generate a new colony from such small numbers might be a 'clue to their recent success. It is thought that, as humans expanded from Africa to Eurasia thousands of years ago, bed bugs would likely have sought both bat and human hosts in shared caves throughout Eurasia (stock image shown) During the day bed bugs lurk in the seams of mattresses (stock image shown), cracks in furniture, behind skirting boards and in crevices in the walls - coming out at night to feed on your blood. They go for exposed areas of the body such as the legs and arms - they don't tend to bother burrowing through clothing . In the late 1880s, an estimated 75 per cent of households were affected, but by the outbreak of World War II, that figure had dwindled to 25 per cent. Their recent resurgence has been blamed by some experts on resistance to commonly used insecticides and the increase in international travel. Bed bugs spread on clothes, bags and in furniture when it is moved - 'anywhere that people exist, particularly where they sit or lie down', according to bed-bug extermination expert David Cain. They are wingless, rust coloured insects about the size of an apple pip. During the day they lurk in the seams of mattresses, cracks in furniture, behind skirting boards and in crevices in the walls - coming out at night to feed on your blood. They target exposed areas of the body such as the legs and arms and do not tend to burrow through clothing. | University of Tulsa in Oklahoma scientists studied origin of bed bugs .
They found the first genetic evidence that bats are their origin .
Research suggests human contact with bats in caves thousands of years ago led to them becoming a modern pest .
But the scientists found the lineage of current bugs are starting to diverge .
This is despite bats still remaining in regular contact with humans . |
216,284 | a40037246466f6e6e7e195dfa4e1d86d722872d3 | By . Erin Dean . PUBLISHED: . 19:24 EST, 6 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:21 EST, 7 January 2014 . Rachel suffers from aura migraine, which causes her vision to partially disappear for about 20 minutes . Rachel Paskin has suffered from migraines for almost 30 years but rarely has a headache. Instead, a bright, flashing line appears across her eyes, causing her vision to partly disappear. The 42-year-old has suffered up to five such attacks a day, severely affecting her work and ability to drive. What she experiences is known as a silent migraine - a type of migraine that comes without the severe headache typically associated with the condition. Instead, those affected experience visual disturbance, co-ordination problems, and pins and needles (symptoms known as migraine 'aura'). 'The first time it happened I was about 14 and thought I was having a stroke or going blind - it was terrifying,' says Rachel, a Birmingham City University administrator who lives with her husband Neil, 44, a heritage building restorer, in Aldridge, West Midlands. She saw an optician, who reassured her there was nothing wrong with her eyes, but after doing her own research she realised what was causing her symptoms. She put up with the silent migraines and realised she would feel OK again after they passed, usually after about 20 minutes - although during that time she couldn't see properly and her co-ordination was compromised. On average, she had about five attacks a year but two years ago she started having the attacks four or five times a day so she sought medical help. In the aftermath, she felt 'spaced out' and tired for a few hours. Migraine aura can have a wide range of different symptoms, including seeing flashing lights, zigzag lines and blind spots, stiffness or a tingling sensation in the neck, shoulders and limbs, problems with co-ordination, difficulty speaking, and occasionally loss of consciousness. Aura often strikes just before a crippling headache, which usually sets in under an hour after the aura finishes. Experiences of aura varies. Some people never have a headache, and just experience aura, while others will initially experience just aura symptoms, but then go on to experience severe headaches. Some people's migraines change as they age, so the headache can fade, while the aura remains. Around a third of the eight million people in the UK who suffer from migraines experience the symptoms of aura, with an estimated 1 per cent - around 80,000 - having silent migraines, according to the Migraine Trust. However, the real number may be much higher, suggests Dr Mark Weatherall, a consultant neurologist at Charing Cross Hospital, London. He believes silent migraine cases are significantly under-reported, as many people will experience them infrequently and not seek help. The estimated number of migraine attacks that occur every day in the UK . But he warns it is important to rule out other causes if the symptoms suddenly start, particularly in the over-60s, as such symptoms are also linked with stroke and a detached retina (when the light-sensitive area at the back of the eye detaches from blood vessels, potentially causing blindness). 'It can even be difficult for a healthcare professional to tell the difference between the symptoms of a stroke and a prolonged attack of aura,' he says. Indeed, people experiencing silent migraine for the first time often dash to A&E or their GP practice, frightened they are having a stroke - that's because they don't also have the headache symptom that might suggest it's a migraine, says Dr Andrew Dowson, director of headache services at King's College Hospital, London. 'Auras can be worrying,' he adds. The key point is that migraine aura symptoms develop relatively slowly, and then spread and intensify, while stroke symptoms are sudden, according to the Stroke Association. Migraines also involve acquiring symptoms, such as seeing flashing lights - stroke is characterised by losing abilities, such as muscle strength or speech. It's important to get the correct diagnosis of migraine with aura as it's linked to a higher risk of stroke and heart problems. Auras can happen without any of the traditional pain associated with migraine, but are distressing . A 15-year study into the health of 28,000 female health professionals at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the U.S. found migraines with aura were the second highest risk factor for heart attack and stroke, after high blood pressure. A review of 25 studies published in the British Medical Journal in 2009 found risk of stroke for people with migraine with aura was twice as high as the rest of the population, while there was no extra risk for those with migraine without aura. For women with aura the risk of stroke was double that of men with aura. And a French study found that women who suffered migraine with aura who took the contraceptive Pill had a 16 times greater risk of stroke; if they smoked as well it led to a 34 times higher risk. For this reason, women with aura should not be on the combined Pill and should stop smoking, says Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, a consultant neurologist at Hull Royal Infirmary. 'Stroke risk is higher for those with aura, but it is still small, until you factor in smoking and taking the combined Pill. It is important doctors are aware of these risks to give correct advice.' Meanwhile, the British Heart Foundation says that people with aura should reduce their risk of heart trouble by keeping physically active, eating a healthy diet and not smoking - and advises anyone concerned by the risks to consult their GP for more advice. When Rachel was formally diagnosed two years ago, her GP prescribed propranolol, a beta blocker used for angina and high blood pressure, also found to be effective in reducing migraine (it's thought the medication, which reduces blood flow and opens blood vessels, helps by reducing electrical activity in the brain during migraine). After taking it for three months, her migraines subsided, and have since gone back to the usual rate of about five a year. Susan Haydon, from the Migraine Trust, says: 'No one is really sure why migraines can change. They tend to be worse in younger people, and may ease off in the 50s and 60s - 40 per cent of sufferers no longer have migraines by age 65. 'Attacks of migraine aura can cause a lack of confidence in leaving the home, because not being able to see properly can cause vulnerability. If a person drives for their job such attacks could mean a change of career.' If it interferes with driving safety, aura may need to be reported to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Authority. Triggers include foods such cheese or chocolate, alcohol, exercise, lack of sleep and stress . Migraine sufferers can usually identify triggers, and keeping a diary to record when attacks happen can be helpful. Triggers include foods such cheese or chocolate, alcohol, exercise, lack of sleep, and stress - avoiding them can reduce attacks. When attacks occur once a week or more, preventative medication, including beta blockers , antidepressants and epilepsy medication, can be prescribed. However, particularly with epilepsy medication, there can be unpleasant side-effects such as nausea, tiredness and depression. Some patients take supplements such as magnesium. Studies have suggested migraine patients may have low levels of the nutrient and two trials, one in Germany the other in Italy, have shown magnesium supplements helped reduce the number of migraines people suffered, although other trials have had mixed results. Meanwhile, the nutrient co-enzyme Q10 reduced the number of migraines people experienced by 50 per cent, in a study at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, while patients taking vitamin B2 (riboflavin) for a Belgian study also reported a 59 per cent drop in migraine activity. The Migraine Trust says many studies suggest mild regular aerobic exercise can help reduce attacks. As stress is a common trigger, deep breathing exercises, yoga, acupuncture and physiotherapy are also recommended. While Rachel's silent migraines have stopped taking over her life, she says they are of ten misunderstood. 'While I have always had good care from doctors, for a lot of people it is hard to understand aura and its impact,' she says. 'For most people, a migraine involves a throbbing headache that lasts days. For me, the aura is always the worst symptom and while it is happening there is nothing that you can do but wait it out.' | Rachel Paskin, 42, from Aldridge, suffers from silent migraines - auras .
Rarely has headache but bright, flashing line appears across her eyes . |
103,169 | 11062c515a85b648453466975e383c2c3eb93de4 | Andros Townsend has pleaded with manager Mauricio Pochettino to keep him in the side against Burnley in the FA Cup third round – so that 2015 can be the year he finally makes himself a Tottenham first-team regular. Townsend, whose spectacular goals helped England to qualify for the World Cup, but whose 2014 was blighted by an ankle injury which caused him to miss the World Cup, scored for Spurs on Thursday night in the spectacular 5-3 win over Chelsea, the first time he has started successive Premier League games under Pochettino. And even though the Argentinian is likely to make changes to the team that beat Chelsea so comprehensively, Townsend hopes he is not among them. He has been a regular in the Capital One Cup and Europa League but now wants a long run of games to convince Pochettino that his future remains at Spurs. Andros Townsend celebrates scoring in Tottenham's 5-3 victory over Chelsea at White Hart Lane . The Spurs forward has started the last two Premier League games and wants to play against Burnley . ‘That’s the aim,’ said Townsend. ‘I’ve played the last two Premier League games. I cannot remember the last time I did that. I’m not looking for a rest and I want to play every game I can and stake a claim for a regular place. ‘Everyone wants to play 90 minutes every game but you have to accept that’s not going to happen. I have played in every cup game and that has helped me build up my confidence. Hopefully I can get a run in the Premier League side and stay there. ‘I’ve been here since the age of eight. If I can stay at Spurs and get a run in the Premier League team then of course I don’t want to look anywhere else. I have played the last two Premier League games so that’s where my focus is and doing well for Spurs. Townsend burst on to the international scene in 2013 but injury forced him to miss the World Cup last year . The 23-year-old is confident that his injury problems are now behind him . ‘For the manager to trust you and to throw you in against two of the best teams shows great confidence. Hopefully I can repay that faith in me. He is happy with how things are going. You can see that as I have played the last two games he is not looking to ship me out at the first opportunity. That has given me confidence and hopefully now I can get a run in the team and show what everyone what I’m capable of.’ Pochettino says that Townsend is too important to the squad to be allowed to leave and the player himself is convinced that now his injury problems are over he will rediscover the form which in the autumn of 2013 saw him hailed as one of the most exciting English talents in the Premier League. An ankle injury in April meant he missed the World Cup and disrupted his start to this season. ‘2014 was not a good year for me with form, fitness and injuries,’ said Townsend. ‘Hopefully I’m over the worse of it now and the performances are going to be better and I can get back to the form I had in 2013. I’m not going to look back. You can’t do that. But injuries did come at the wrong time. Now that’s over and in the past, it’s a new year and new start.’ Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says Townsend is too important to be allowed to leave . Tottenham travel to Burnley on Sunday for the FA Cup third round, a repeat of the 1962 Final, which Spurs won 3-1. Despite struggling for form at times, they have now lost just two of their last twelve games. They are in the Capital One Cup semi, the Europa League last 32 and sit fifth in the Premier League, two points off Champions League qualification. ‘We’ve got great confidence from our league form in recent weeks,’ said Townsend. ‘Everyone wants that to continue. The Christmas period is a tough time anyway but to play Manchester United and Chelsea back-to-back is extremely difficult. So we will take heart from that going into our next game. ‘We have a big squad. We have seen this season we have rotated in the Europa League and Capital One Cup competitions. We have a squad who can challenge in four competitions in on four fronts.’ | Tottenham face Burnley in the FA Cup third round on Sunday .
Andros Townsend has started last two Premier League games .
England forward wants an extended run to establish himself as a regular . |
1,853 | 05575a5965cfa30001cb505ffc04b05ff0211d31 | An army of Islamic State terrorists has advanced to the outskirts of Vienna, Spain has cut off routes to Gibraltar and Nigel Farage – prime minister of 'Great England' – has deported all immigrants who have arrived in the past ten years. This, according to the BBC, is what the world would be like if the European Union were to collapse. The apocalyptic vision of a continent in which social order has broken down – to be screened on BBC4 tonight at 10pm – has been condemned by Eurosceptic critics as 'scaremongering'. Scroll down for video . Calamity: The Great European Disaster Movie, according to the BBC, is what the world would be like if the European Union were to collapse . The 75-minute film shows what the supposedly impartial broadcaster suggests might happen should the EU implode, and depicts the final days of the European dream as it turns into a nightmare of worthless currencies and predictions of even darker days to come. The BBC describes The Great European Disaster Movie as an 'authored documentary', but the film – which features comedian Angus Deayton as an archaeologist struggling to explain what the single currency was to a young girl sitting next to him on a plane – has been criticised as a hyped-up piece of pro-EU propaganda. Horrifying images of concentration camp victims are interspersed with wartime footage of devastated cities, while commentary is provided by former Economist editor Bill Emmott, who made the film with Italian journalist Annalisa Piras. The terrifying sequence of events ends with Angela Merkel resigning as European Council president and overseeing a vote to abolish the EU. In his commentary, Mr Emmott admits immigration imposes financial burdens on nations but insists that in the long term it creates the resources needed to maintain a welfare state. In the film, the girl – apparently being deported from Britain because she has an Italian mother – asks Angus Deayton about pictures of bridges on an old euro banknote. He tells her: 'They were supposed to symbolise unity, unification, all the countries being connected. It was a great idea but unfortunately it didn't work.' 'Faction': The BBC describes The Great European Disaster Movie as an 'authored documentary', but the film has been criticised as a hyped-up piece of pro-EU propaganda. Mr Emmott and Ms Piras say the film expresses their personal views and is intended to provoke debate. But last night it was condemned by Tory eurosceptic MP Sir Bill Cash as 'scaremongering'. He said: 'It would be much better if the BBC provided us with a proper analysis of what has gone wrong with European structures.' And Tory MEP Daniel Hannan said: 'This is typical of the pro-EU side. They make such ludicrous claims they make themselves look ridiculous.' Tonight's broadcast will be followed by a discussion by a panel of guests including Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens and Ukip MP Mark Reckless. A BBC spokesman said: 'BBC editorial guidelines do not prevent the commissioning of programmes which approach subjects from a particular perspective.' And Mr Emmott said: 'It's a warning of what could happen if Europe continues on its current path.' Comment by PETER HITCHENS . Even the BBC sometimes grasps that it has gone too far. And 11 days ago, it went into a five-star panic over its plan to show a more-or-less crazy pro-EU film tonight. I assume that, spooked by the derisive reaction to its laughable pro-Labour drama A Casual Vacancy, its chiefs suddenly realised that they had another embarrassment on their hands. The planned transmission was abruptly cut by several minutes, losing a large chunk about the migration wave across the Mediterranean. And this helped make space for a post-programme discussion, heavily loaded with critics of the European Union, including me, former Chancellor Norman Lamont and Ukip MP Mark Reckless. This is really a figleaf to cover its naked bias, as you will see when you watch it tonight. I took part because it seemed silly to miss any opportunity to make the case for British independence. I'm very happy for Bill Emmott to make as many films as he likes for the BBC about the wonders of the EU. The trouble is, you cannot imagine the Corporation giving anyone the chance to make a film about how miserable it will be if Britain stays in, and how good it will be if we leave. For this programme is blatant propaganda. And the only cause for joy is that it's not very good propaganda. A doomed plane is zig-zagging across a divided, blacked-out Europe, bearing Angus Deayton and a little girl who has supposedly been deported from a xenophobic, cruel England because her mother isn't paid enough. This provides the excuse for a patronising series of lecturettes from Mr Deayton. Everything about it is run through with the stupid, ill-informed prejudices of the BBC. Opponents of the EU are portrayed as 'anti-European' nostalgists and haters of abroad. Opponents of immigration are portrayed as dislikers of immigrants. Things which are the EU's own fault, such as its self-inflicted economic crisis, are not blamed on the EU. Wild fantasies are explored in which a British departure causes everyone else to leave – though why they would, if it is so wonderful, I cannot tell. Baseless guff, about how the EU has brought peace, is repeated unquestioned. In fact, to the extent that it has had any influence on war and peace, the EU has brought war, most recently thanks to its aggressive push into Ukraine. Winston Churchill's Zurich speech of 1946, which it partly quotes, is a plea for continental Europe to unite, with Britain, the USA and the USSR acting as outside sponsors. Oh, and the Berlin airport for which the fictitious plane is originally bound closed in 2008, as anyone who knows Europe would be aware. | Apocalyptic vision of Europe descending into social chaos aired tonight .
BBC4 programme condemned by Eurosceptics as 'pro-EU propaganda'
BBC say The Great European Disaster Movie is 'authored documentary'
It shows terrorists advancing to Vienna, Nigel Farage as Prime Minister .
In the film, Mr Emmott warns: 'Our worry is that if Europe continues on its current path, the EU will collapse and that that would have catastrophic consequences for all of us.' Viewers see a glimpse of a post-EU continent in which:Visas and landing cards are required for travel between European countries; .
A power crisis in Germany has put Berlin airport out of action.
The new president of France, far-Right leader Marine Le Pen, has declared a state of emergency.
EU chiefs, meeting in Berlin, have abolished the euro.
Looters are rampaging through Rome after the shooting of protesters by police.
Fierce fighting erupts in Vienna as the 'unstoppable' advance of IS fighters continues. |
31,179 | 58a53456092f7d71d853d8cfd4d2774551f3ff7e | (CNN) -- Despite the many questions surrounding a reported altercation between Solange Knowles and her brother-in-law Jay Z, you wouldn't know it based on how the rapper and his wife Beyonce are acting. A recent surveillance video which appears to show the singer, fashionista and younger sister of Beyonce attacking the "Magna Carta Holy Grail" rapper has not only sparked an avalanche of memes, but also much speculation as to what led to the alleged incident, initially reported by TMZ, in the first place. So far none of the trio are speaking about it directly. Monday night, Beyonce and Jay Z appeared together courtside -- as they often do -- at a Nets game. The rapper formerly had a minority ownership stake in the team. Following the alleged incident, Beyonce posted a prayer on her official Instagram account. "Help me to choose my friends wisely so I won't be led astray," it says. "Give me discernment and strength to separate myself from anyone who is not a good influence." For her part, Solange Knowles has reportedly deleted a picture of her sister from the night of the Met Gala from her Instagram account. And you thought your family had issues. As crisis communications expert Howard Bragman told CNN, "Jay Z and Beyonce have all the money and power in the world, and they couldn't keep it under wraps apparently. So that tells you." Not that it's easy for such public figures, he added. "How do you keep it under wraps? You go in your private limo with a chauffeur that's signed a nondisclosure agreement, you go to a private home behind gates, you never go out in public," Bragman said. "Once you step out of that cocoon, you're fair game, and there are paparazzi and media that have a price on your head like a hunted animal." The younger Knowles, 27, grew up in the spotlight also, though it was a bit dimmer than the one on her famous sister. As a young teen, Solange Knowles danced backup for her sister's former group Destiny's Child, and at the age of 16 released her debut album, "Solo Star." Knowles told Harper's Bazaar in a recent interview that despite her now-divorced parents' being a driving force in Beyonce's career, they were more cautious when it came to her. "My parents constantly tried to talk me out of being an artist," Solange said. "They had gone through the whole journey with my sister and just wanted me to have a normal teenage life." That didn't quite pan out, as the aspiring artist got pregnant at the age of 17 and soon married her son's father. They divorced a few years later. Knowles has been quoted as saying her family was instrumental in helping her survive the rigors of being a young single mother and that she and Beyonce have an especially tight bond. "It definitely was tough, having your sister have a built-in BFF (Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland, who lived with the Knowles family when she was younger) and me being five years younger," Solange told the London Evening Standard. "But my sister was very protective of me, and we were very sweet with each other. I'm sure if we were closer in age we wouldn't have gotten along so great. But we've been super-close ever since I was about 13." So close that Knowles has written hit songs for her sister, including "Upgrade U." But despite the pair's shared love of music and fashion, Beyonce told the New York Times in 2012 that there was one area her younger sister refused to bend on. "My sister will not record with me," the elder Knowles said. "She's her own woman." So much so that Buzzfeed has rounded up some of Solange Knowles' most outspoken moments, including the time she snapped at a TV interviewer, "I have to say, that was not a very professional introduction before. Please don't tie me into family and my brother-in-law's establishment." According to Us Weekly, such behavior as what allegedly happened inside The Standard Hotel elevator is nothing new for Beyonce and Jay Z. The magazine quotes an anonymous source as saying, "Solange has flipped her lid like that before." People magazine quoted an unnamed source as saying Solange was "provoked" prior to the alleged incident. CNN's Jane Caffrey contributed to this report. | Jay Z and Beyonce appeared at a game after elevator fight video surfaced .
Beyonce posted a prayer on her Instagram account .
Crisis management says celebs in public are fair game . |
81,239 | e632b976b4e43e33b7fb6f01c2f928de2139d287 | (CNN) -- FBI agents Monday raided a rural Georgia peanut butter plant suspected as the source of a nationwide salmonella outbreak, a CNN affiliate reported. The Food and Drug Administration launched a probe of Peanut Corporation of America on January 30. The Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakely, Georgia, was sealed off by federal authorities Monday morning, WALB reported. The company is accused of knowingly shipping tainted products now linked to nearly 600 illnesses, including eight deaths, in 43 states. The recent outbreak has led to one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history, encompassing more than 1,000 products. The Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations launched a probe of the company on January 30. Previously, the Peanut Corporation of America had said said it shipped products only after subsequent tests came back negative for salmonella. Representatives from the company have not returned repeated calls from CNN. | Peanut Corporation of America plant is accused of knowingly shipping tainted goods .
Those goods are linked to nearly 600 illnesses, including eight deaths, in 43 states .
The outbreak has led to one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history . |
181,663 | 7732ace7baa1a6b48529fba96d021b7109ff692b | By . Associated Press . A man who prosecutors say did not commit a 1990 rape for which he served 12 years in prison should be exonerated based on recent DNA testing he did not request, a judge recommended on Friday. The conviction of 57-year-old Michael Phillips should be vacated, Dallas County Criminal District Court Judge Gracie Lewis said. The matter now goes to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; it was not immediately clear when the court would make a ruling. Dallas County district attorney Craig Watkins sought the exoneration after DNA testing identified another man as the culprit in the rape of a 16-year-old girl at a motel where both men lived. Michael Phillips speaks to reporters after court in Dallas today. A judge has recommended the exoneration of a Phillips who prosecutors said did not commit a 1990 rape based on recent DNA testing . Watkins has an ongoing project of reviewing untested rape kits, even without defendants initiating the request. Should the appeals court decide in Phillips' favor, it would be the 34th exoneration by Watkins' Conviction Integrity Unit. 'This is a great day for Mr. Phillips but a terrible day for our justice system,' Watkins said on Friday. Phillips served 12 years in prison after entering a plea deal that he said his attorney advised him to take, fearing a jury would not side with a black man accused in the rape of a white girl who picked him out of a photo line-up. He was released in 2002 but his failure to register as a sex offender later landed him back in jail for six months. He now lives in a nursing home. Phillips said during the hearing that he was appreciative. 'I never imagined I would live to see my name cleared,' Phillips, who suffers from sickle cell anemia and uses a wheelchair, said in a news release on Thursday. 'I always told everyone I was innocent and now people will finally believe me.' Mr Phillips (pictured in two earlier police mugshots) said this week that he never believed that he would live to see his name cleared . Police and prosecutors have long aided some exonerations without having special conviction-review units, and many still do. But since Watkins started his Conviction Integrity Unit in 2007, several more prosecutors' offices across the country have created such staff teams or expert panels to review wrongful-conviction claims. In the Dallas County unit, DNA preserved by the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences in sexual assault kits is tested. There was no DNA from Phillips to compare to the profile from the semen in the rape kit, Watkins said in a news release Thursday. But when the semen was put into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System, another person was identified as the perpetrator. A district attorney's office spokeswoman said the statute of limitations has expired on the crime and that the perpetrator who was identified remains free. The district attorney's office said his attorney at the time was Mike Morrow. When reached by The Associated Press on Thursday night, Morrow said he could not immediately recall the case from 24 years ago and had no immediate comment. Michael Phillips, left, shakes hands with Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins as he addresses the court during a hearing where it was recommended that he be exonerated . Michael Phillips, right, poses with supporters after his court hearing. Phillips, 57, who suffers from sickle cell anemia and did little to lobby for his exoneration during his 12 years in prison or the 14 since his release, said he never imagined he would live to see his name cleared . | Michael Phillips, 57, did not commit a 1990 rape for which he served 12 years in a Texas prison .
The DA sought an exoneration after DNA testing identified another as the culprit in the rape of a 16-year-old girl at a motel where both men lived .
Mr Phillips, who suffers from sickle cell anemia, said: 'I always told everyone I was innocent and now people will finally believe me' |
123,033 | 2b0bd5ffa7418f598a891b5e505f0f3d6b85f8ef | By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:38 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:59 EST, 21 February 2014 . The son of U.S. Senator Mark Udall has been charged with breaking into a home and four cars after allegedly using heroin. Twenty-six-year-old Jedediah Lee Fox-Udall was advised of the charges during a brief court hearing in Boulder Thursday. He faces charges of trespassing, burglary, theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. Not-so-fortunate son: Jedediah Lee Fox-Udall (left), was in court Thursday to face charges of trespassing, burglary, theft and posession of drug paraphernalia. He is the son of Utah Senator Mark Udall (right) Deputies say after they arrested Fox-Udall on January 30, he told them he had recently used heroin, but prosecutors say no heroin was found and he wasn't charged with drug possession. His lawyer, Alex Garlin, says Fox-Udall is in an addiction treatment program and 'is dedicated to turning his life around.' Fox-Udall's mother, Maggie Fox, sat beside him in the courtroom, her hand resting on his leg. They both left in a waiting SUV without comment. 'Maggie and I are deeply distressed to learn of our son's arrest,’ Sen. Mark Udall said in a statement to the Boulder Daily Camera following the arrest. ‘We love our son and stand with him in his commitment to getting the treatment he needs. We appreciate the private space to deal with this as a family.’ Senator Udall is a Democrat Senator of Colorado who represented the region in the House of Representatives before winning his Senate seat in 2008. Senator Udall is running for re-election this year. Last July, Senator Udall's brother James 'Randy' Udall, 61, was found dead after a hiking trip in Pinedale, Wyoming. The Udalls have a long, illustrious history as politicians in Western states. The Senator’s cousin Tom Udall is the senior U.S. Senator from New Mexico and cousin Gordon Smith was a U.S. Senator from Oregon until 2008. His uncle, Stewart Udall, was Interior secretary in the 1960s. His father was the late U.S. Rep. Morris ‘Mo’ Udall of Arizona. Senator Udall has voted for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and to expand background checks for gun purchases. n 2011 he attempted to end indefinite detention of U.S. citizens by introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, but it was rejected by the Senate. | Jedediah Lee Fox-Udall was arrested on January 30 after breaking into a home and four cars .
The 26-year-old is the son of Colorado Senator Mark Udall, who is up for re-election this year .
Fox-Udall claims he was high on heroin at the time of the crimes, but police say they didn't find any drugs on hima .
He appeared in court Thursday to face the charges, supported by his mother . |
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