Unnamed: 0
int64 0
287k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 117
14.7k
| highlights
stringlengths 37
3.97k
|
|---|---|---|---|
186,971 | 7e206e1fd55c568395d41579e1cf5b83c49d912d | PUBLISHED: . 08:54 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 18 September 2012 . Freedoms gained during the Arab Spring uprisings are being whittled away and fledgling democracies are now under threat, claims a U.S. watchdog. The Crossroads Report published by Freedom House today, concludes that levels of democratic governance declined throughout the world last year. It found that gains made in the Middle East and North Africa after the uprising in Libya triggered a wave of protests across the region have notably declined. Improvements made after Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, pictured here following his capture, was ousted have not lasted according to a new report . Only Tunisia has shown an improvement in its overall governance score amongst the Middle East-North African countries surveyed. Bahrain, one of the most stable states in the region, slipped backward, while Egypt showed only a minor improvement. Worldwide, declines in the quality of governance far exceeded improvements. The organisation judged levels of democracies by looking at government accountability and the rule of law in civil and criminal matters. The deterioration raises an alarm for pro-democracy advocates who had hoped the overthrow of brutal authoritarian regimes in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt would lead to lasting democracy. Vanessa Tucker, project director, said: 'It is unclear whether the popular dismissal of the old models of authoritarianism will translate into enduring public support for novice representative government and contentious institutional reforms.' Tunisia has improved its democratic governance since President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown . 'There are limits to citizens' patience with respect to political instability, economic disruption and physical insecurity, and the desire to return to a less chaotic environment may allow the leaders to slip back into the familiar habits of authoritarian rule.' Democratic states place significant value on the findings of the report, using the results to help them decide if a developing can country would use foreign assistance effectively. The report covers the period from April 2009 to December 2011. Four criteria were used to assess 72 countries in the survey - accountability and public voice; civil liberties; rule of law; and anti-corruption and transparency. Figures for half of the countries were updated each year, while Egypt and Tunisia were surveyed for the past two years. Freedom House says a country score of five out of a total of seven is the minimum standard for effective democratic governance, which it views as essential to an open, just and prosperous society. In the latest report, Tunisia improved in all categories led by a sharp rise in accountability and public voice, pushing its overall country ranking to 4.11 from around 2.36 before the ouster of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. One area of concern the report highlighted was women's rights in Tunisia where it said Islamist political parties have stoked fears that existing rights would be retracted. Dictator Colonel Gadaffi who was overthrown on August 23 last year. There are concerns that countries such as Libya may return to authoritarian rule . While it uses monitors and experts on the ground and an advisory board, such rankings can be controversial accused of imposing subjective and Western viewpoints. Levels of accountability and public voice rose in Egypt after President Hosni Mubarak was ousted, but other areas did not show improvements leading to only a small rise in the country's score to 2.25 from 1.98. That despite open elections. Restrictions on the media, hostility to non-governmental organizations and efforts to restrain women's political activity through 'virginity checks' by the military were cited as areas of concern. Bahrain, saw its measures decline across the board pulling its country average down to 2.03, the level of pre-uprising Syria, from a recent peak of 3.27 in 2004. Egyptians celebrate after President Mubarak was ousted in June this year, but the claims that freedoms gained in Arab Spring countries are being lost . Elsewhere, in South America increases in violence and organised crime reduced scores in the countries surveyed. The trend included high rates of violence against journalists in Mexico and Honduras, and growing interference by organized crime in the electoral process in Guatemala and Mexico. Asia suffered major setbacks in the face of power grabs by the executive branch and ruling parties, particularly in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Freedom of expression was also constricted as the Indonesian and Cambodian governments and others cracked down on the media. South Africa, suffered score declines from the increasing dominance of the ruling African National Congress and the government's efforts to limit media freedom. Electoral abuses in Malawi and Uganda, in addition to growing corruption in Tanzania, were also responsible for significant score drops in African countries assessed in the latest report. | Report says freedoms gained during Arab Spring risings are diminishing .
Only Tunisia has shown an improvement amongst the Middle East-North African countries . |
90,996 | 01061509ee1c998e5437b08f98abb8681c85ef57 | (CNN) -- More timely now than when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2008, "Sunshine Cleaning," an agreeable, midrange independent film, makes light work of heavy burdens. Amy Adams gets to work cleaning up as Rose in the indie comedy "Sunshine Cleaning." Sisters Rose (Amy Adams) and Norah (Emily Blunt) struggle with menial jobs and periods of unemployment. Together, they're also coping with the nasty emotional residue of their mom's long-ago suicide -- a trauma that is likely responsible for their current troubles. Self-esteem isn't a strong suit for either of them. As "Sunshine Cleaning" dawns, they're both scraping by. If Norah is out of work before we've settled into our popcorn, she's not overly concerned by her situation. Rose, on the other hand, is desperate to graduate from cleaning other people's middle-class homes. It's not just that the humiliation of laundering for her old cheerleader team is getting her down; she needs the money to put her "difficult" kid (Jason Spevack) into the kind of school that will give him a chance. It's Rose's married boyfriend -- and old high school sweetheart -- Mac (Steve Zahn) who spies a new niche for the sisters. A homicide detective, he's watching the cleaning crew bag the blown brains of a shotgun enthusiast when he overhears the proprietor of the building grousing about the "three grand" it's costing him. Granted, blood and intestinal juices aren't everybody's cup of tea, but that kind of return sure beats washing Mrs. Johansson's drapes for $30 an hour. "CSM: Crime Scene Maid" isn't a job you're likely to find down at the employment office, but somebody must be doing the dirty work. Rose and Norah -- incorporated -- find that the stench takes some getting used to, and there's a whole new arsenal of cleaning fluids to master, but they get to work with a positive attitude and like to think they're doing their bit to put the world right. From this unusual setup, the movie might have skewed in any number of ways. The sisters might have uncovered evidence of corruption and murder, for instance, perhaps implicating Mac? "Sunshine Cleaning" is nowhere near so abrasive or generic as such a scenario. Written by Megan Holley and directed by Christine Jeffs ("Sylvia"), it instead puts a sympathetic, gentle comic gloss on the characters' fundamentally forgivable foibles and imperfections. Norah tracks down the daughter of one suicide (Mary Lynn Rajskub) to present her with mementos that should have been destined for the junkyard. Blunt's edgy performance keeps us guessing. Norah's a bit of a flake, but she's animated by her anger and her rebellious streak. If she's hard to read, it's because she's still young and doesn't know herself yet. Rose is easier to understand. She's determined to seize this chance to dig herself out of the hole and recapture the promise she used to see in herself. Adams has a knack for putting a brave face on things -- something about the way she tilts her chin up while her mouth goes in three directions at once. She keeps our rooting interest in Rose alive even when her choices seem misguided or naive. A subplot concerning Rose's son bonding with Joe (Alan Arkin), the sisters' lovable but infuriating father (you know the kind: He buys bulk orders of shrimp off the back of a truck) tips us too far into the realm of indie quirk. The character is a useful sounding board, and an amusing grouch, but it's just about impossible to imagine this man bringing up these girls. Ironically, for a movie that's marketed with the one-liner "Life's a messy business," Holley's script has been polished to within an inch of its life. Emotions are experienced most vividly when they're raw, but in "Sunshine Cleaning," feelings come filtered through neat-and-tidy grace notes. The film flirts with dangerous material, but it's too intent on putting the sunny side up to get its hands dirty. The way director Jeffs tells it, not only is suicide painless it can be positively feel-good. That's not to say there isn't a lot to enjoy in this well-acted and humanistic comedy. Buoyed by its up-and-coming stars and its optimistic message, it should do very nicely with discriminating audiences. ... It might even clean up. | Tom Charity: Up-and-coming stars, optimistic message buoy "Sunshine Cleaning"
Two struggling sisters become a crime-scene cleanup crew .
Movie presents feelings in neat-and-tidy packages, reviewer says . |
93,381 | 0418817c3a0addb65f3059fd81b4c18c1c06279c | By . Julian Robinson . You could be forgiven for thinking it was just a normal back garden with its well-kept lawn and trimmed hedgerows. But one buyer has clearly seen some added potential in this tiny courtyard plot in central London after they paid out a staggering £84,000 - even though it has no planning permission. The land, in Chelsea, is just 0.05 acres in size but after its sale is now worth the equivalent of £1.68 million per acre. This courtyard garden with no planning permission has been sold in Chelsea for a staggering £84,000 having been put on the market for just £28,000 . It was only expected to sell for around £28,000 - but ended up selling for three times this figure to a foreign buyer. The new owner will now have to sit on their £84,000 investment as it can’t be built on. For the same price they could have bought themselves a Grade II-listed one-bedroom flat in Wellington, Somerset. The sale has netted the land’s owner a quick profit of £31,000, after they bought it eight months ago for £53,000. Chris Coleman-Smith, head of auctions at Savills, said: 'Little bits of London, such as this, are in scarce supply and people want to get their hands on their own little piece of Chelsea. 'City environments can easily change and so this could be a very long term investment bought with grandchildren and inheritance in mind. Despite being just 0.05 acres, the tiny courtyard garden is in a prime location in Chelsea, close to Sloane Square, Knightsbridge and Kings Road . 'Who knows what it might be possible to do with it in 20 years time.' The patch of land is in a residential area close to upmarket shopping areas such as knightsbridge and Kings Road as well as Hyde Park and Sloane Square. Access into and out of the quaint courtyard garden is through two gates and is surrounded by buildings. Property valuation site Zoopla estimates the average property price in the area surrounding the garden, is £2,180,840 . The sale follows the £700,000 paid for a row of disused garages in Fulham. The six garages, in Parsons Green, London were sold in April for ten times their value, after sparking a bidding war when they went under the hammer. The garages, which each had a rental potential of £65 a month, were also sold without planning permission for development. But that did not deter interest, with a flurry of bids in what auctioneers have branded 'a first'. The anonymous buyer, who is understood to be a developer, secured the garages for £700,000 - four times the average English house price, and one-and-a-half times the value of a typical London property. | Small garden area in Chelsea, London, was only expected to sell for £28,000 .
But the 0.05 acre plot was eventually purchased by foreign buyer for £84,000 .
Land, with no planning permission, now worth equivalent of £1.68m per acre .
Same price would buy Grade II-listed one-bed flat in Wellington, Somerset . |
149,994 | 4deb4a264168859d599d818acf5bc6bd98c67360 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- After more than two decades together, KISS bassist Gene Simmons has married his longtime girlfriend, according to his publicist. Simmons, who is also the star of the reality show "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," has dated Shannon Tweed for 28 years. The pair got hitched in Beverly Hills, said the publicist, Dawn Miller. During his proposal in Belize, featured in an earlier episode, Simmons tells his love what she means to him. "I come with so much baggage, but you're the only friend I've got, you're the only one I've ever loved," he said. "I've never said those words to anybody. It's funny, I used to watch movies where they say I can't live without you, but for me it's true." The proposal came after a nasty tiff between the two on "The Joy Behar Show" this summer. Simmons joined in a joke about his philandering ways, ticking Tweed off. She stormed off the set. "Will Gene and Shannon work past their problems and make it down the aisle?" the reality show's website touts in a spotlight on wedding episodes set to start Tuesday. CNN's Breeanna Hare and Karen Bonsignore contributed to this report . | Simmons has dated Shannon Tweed for 28 years .
The proposal comes after a nasty tiff between the two this summer . |
233,173 | b9dea738e251089280cea9a19c4b078e2596656d | Angry Internet users are vowing to boycott a low-cost airline after it mocked the celebrity nude photo scandal in an attempt to sell tickets. Florida-based Spirit Airlines is facing a backlash for its 'Our Bare Fare was hacked!' ad that features a drawing of a topless woman covering her breasts with her arms. Twitter users have called the airline 'crude' and 'vile' for trying to take advantage of a photo hacking scandal that has exploited actress Jennifer Lawrence, model Kate Upton and other celebrity victims. 'This is vile': Spirit Airlines has been criticised for an ad that pokes fun at the celebrity nude photo scandal . Spirit Airlines emailed the ad to its newsletter list and posted the image on Twitter, but it deleted the tweet after it was flooded with complaints. The ad said: 'We feel naked; you were never supposed to see this Bare Fare! It was meant for someone special (who isn't you). 'Now it's all over the Internet for you to take advantage of as you see fit. Scandalous! 'We thought the cloud was our friend, y'know, because we spend so much time flying with 'em. 'But now our private prices are on display! Bad for us; GREAT for you.' MailOnline Travel has contacted Spirit Airlines for comment. Hacked: Actress Jennifer Lawrence is one of the celebrities whose stolen photos were posted online . Nude photos of model Kate Upton and other celebrities were posted on the image board website 4chan . Twitter users weren't amused by the ad, pointing out the massive invasion of privacy and embarrassment suffered by the hackers' victims. Marc Peters wrote: 'Don't care how low @SpiritAirlines fares get. Not ever flying with them again when they pull stuff like this'. Akil Hooper said: 'Hey @SpiritAirlines this is vile and you should be ashamed of yourselves.' Another user, Casie Connolly, wrote: 'Safe to say thanks to Spirit Airlines 'Bare Fare' promotion, I'll never consider flying this airline again'. Spirit Airlines has a history of producing edgy ads based on famous people's misery or world events. The airline has previously mocked former politician Anthony Weiner, who sent a lewd photo to a woman on his Twitter account, and golfer Tiger Woods after he crashed his luxury vehicle. It was previously criticised for its 'Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches' ad campaign, which featured bikini-clad women, in reference to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Spirit Airlines has a history of producing edgy ads based on celebrities' misfortunes or world events . | Angry Internet users are vowing to boycott Florida-based Spirit Airlines .
Ad features a drawing of a topless woman covering her breasts .
Airline emailed the ad to customers and deleted its tweet after complaints . |
244,410 | c84d30cb0bea01e882cfc8c8c39a7468a9de846e | (CNN) -- The Nevada family that survived two days stranded in subzero temperatures is not expected to face any long-term health problems from the ordeal, their doctor said Wednesday. The six family members don't even have frostbite, said Dr. Doug Vacek, declaring their condition "absolutely amazing." Christina McIntee, 25, and the youngest child Chloe, 3, were released from a hospital Wednesday. Their health is "perfect," Vacek said. James Glanton, 34, and the other three children remain hospitalized so they can receive more IV hydration. But they're "doing really well," Vacek said. It's unclear how soon they may go home. Lab test results will help make the decision, Vacek said. The family -- Glanton, McIntee, the two children they share and McIntee's niece and nephew -- went out Sunday together for a playful outing in the snow. The adventure dissolved into a fight for survival after their Jeep Wrangler turned over and slid down an embankment on its top, ending up in a crevice 15 miles from Lovelock. They were found nearly 48 hours later, at midday Tuesday. In a statement, the family thanked numerous agencies for "the valiant search and rescue efforts" and requested privacy as it heals and recovers from the ordeal. The family is "very truly appreciative of the care and love" from the community and the entire country, the statement said. Patricia Bianchi, CEO of Pershing General Hospital, read the statement to reporters. The family had taken critical steps to prepare for the trip, including bringing along blankets and food. After the accident, they didn't panic or leave the scene. They heated rocks and placed them in a spare tire to keep the children warm. And since the vehicle windows did not break, "they were able to get some shelter in there," Vacek said. 5 things Nevada family did right to survive . In the hospital, the children are playing video games and having visits from family and friends, Vacek said. "Kids are very resilient." | Christina McIntee and the youngest child have been released from a hospital .
The other four family members need more IV hydration but are doing well .
They're expected to face no long-term health problems as a result .
Their doctor calls their condition "absolutely amazing" |
194,953 | 885d9bfe01e107c4c4fb130043e35d28267c287f | By . Nick Pisa . The house where British student Meredith Kercher was brutally murdered has been put up for sale by its owner for £384,000, it emerged today. With its white washed stone walls and spectacular views of the nearby rolling countryside, the ten bedroom property would make an ideal holiday home but with its grim background potential buyers maybe put off. A 'for sale' sign went up outside Via della Pergola in Perugia earlier this week and the house is also being advertised on a local estate agents website but there is no obviously mention of Meredith's murder in November 2007 - she was found semi naked and with her throat cut in her bedroom. For sale: The property in Perugia, Italy, where Meredith Kercher was found dead in 2007 has been put on the market by its elderly owner . Victim: British student Meredith Kercher was found dead in her bedroom with a slit throat . Aldalia Tattanelli, 70, owner of the house, contacted an estate agent earlier this month with a view to selling the property as she lives in 150 miles away in Rome and no longer wants anything to do with it. The advert describes the two storey property as 'close to the university of foreigners, with a complex character composed of two independent properties, with the prospect of converting into one or making into three, comes with 5,000mq2 of land and parking for seven cars. In excellent condition.'. Meredith moved into the house in August 2007 after spotting an advert for it shortly after arriving in Perugia where she was due to spend a year studying at the university and her fellow tenants were two Italian women and American student Amanda Knox. Within weeks of moving in Meredith was dead and Knox, now 26, was charged with murdering and sexually assaulting her, with her then boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 30, and they were both initially convicted but then had their convictions quashed two years ago but that was subsequently overturned earlier this year. Suspects: Amanda Knox, left, and her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito pictured outside the property in the days after Meredith was found dead . In court: Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, pictured in 2008, were both convicted of Meredith's murder but their convictions were quashed two years ago . For two years following the murder the house was under a police confiscation order before it was then returned to Mrs Tatanelli who eventually re-let it at a reduced price to immigrant tenants from Bangladesh and the Congo who were students at the nearby university. Since then there has been a steady flow of tenants in and out of the house but it has also been noted for several high profile incidents including being broken into by Satanists several times as well as most recently last month when the current tenants were rushed to hospital after being overcome by carbon monoxide from a faulty heater. The family of eight Moroccans including two newborn babies were living in the basement flat of the house but the upper floor where Meredith and Knox lived is currently unoccupied. Estate agent Vincenzo Russo, who is handing the sale, said: 'We've not had any calls yet about the property but it is still early days. Ongoing: Amanda Knox, pictured in April this year during an interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer, will find out the verdict of an appeal court over Meredith's murder next month . Amanda Knox, pictured in April 2013, has claimed she was 'physiologically tortured' by police investigating the death of Meredith Kercher . 'The sign only went up earlier his week and it's online as well but Christmas has been in between as well so I'm hoping that once the holidays are over we will get some interest. 'It's not a good time of year to market a house but I'm sure we will get calls about it - the house is in excellent position and would make an ideal holiday home or if someone wants to convert it they could get two possibly three separate units and then rent them out to students - it's very close to the university and the centre of town. 'There has been some interest via the internet and I hope that is from genuine buyers as opposed to people having a morbid curiosity in the history of the house. 'I have a feeling though that because of its history the house will be difficult to sell but it should be said that it is in excellent condition and a very good buy for its location.' An appeal court is expected to return its verdict on the fresh hearing against Knox and Sollecito next month. | Aldalia Tattanelli, 70, has contacted estate agents about selling the property .
A 'for sale' sign was this week placed outside Via della Pergola in Perugia .
It is an ideal holiday home but its grim history may put off potential buyers .
Meredith Kercher was found dead in her bedroom at the house in 2007 . |
195,564 | 891f97b5bcdf9fa40d51efde98357e7afcf74d13 | Raleigh, North Carolina (CNN) -- More than 1,200 mourners, including hundreds who loved and admired Elizabeth Edwards from a distance, packed a Raleigh church Saturday to pay respects to the activist and estranged wife of a failed aspirant to the presidency. Elizabeth Edwards died Tuesday at the end of a six-year battle with cancer. She was 61. "She has been a lighthouse to all of us. She's always been that source of light to us. Every lesson she has taught us has become part of our ethic," said Edwards' oldest daughter, Cate, in a eulogy to her mother. Among those lessons, Cate Edwards jokingly said, was "you'll always regret prints, you'll never regret solids." Cate Edwards read from a letter her mother wrote her children in anticipation of death. She said her mother was always more concerned about others than she was herself, and had even tried to cheer up friends and family about her cancer fight and impending death. Mourners included Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who in 2004 picked Edwards' husband, John, to be his vice presidential running mate in an unsuccessful bid for the White House. John and Elizabeth Edwards separated earlier this year after the former North Carolina senator admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock while the couple was married. John Edwards entered the church Saturday, holding hands with Cate, and the Edwards' two other children, Jack and Emma. Cate Edwards was preceded at the lectern by her mother's longtime friend Hargrave McElroy, who made the audience laugh with tales of Elizabeth's competitive nature, particularly with games. She also noted Edwards' love of Christmas, describing how the Edwards family, including John Edwards, decorated their Christmas tree last Saturday, just three days before she died. A friend of Edwards' family said Saturday that Elizabeth Edwards did not plan the funeral or instruct on many details. One family friend said the mood has been somber: "We all thought we'd have more time to say goodbye." In addition to the eulogies by McElroy and Cate Edwards, another friend, Glenn Bergenfield spoke, remembering when Elizabeth Edwards told staffers about her cancer. According to Bergenfield, she rubbed their backs as they sat on the couch, then turned to them and told them they had on awful shoes, and outlet shopping was necessary, right then and there. Others in attendance included North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue; U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan (D-North Carolina); Vicki Kennedy, the wife of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy; John Podesta, a former Clinton administration chief of staff and current head of the Center for American Progress; members of North Carolina's congressional delegation; and more than 100 former campaign staffers. It was a public ceremony because Edwards was known for insisting, much to the dismay of staffers, that all of her events be open to the public, according to a friend. Edwards did not plan the funeral or instruct many details, so the family decided a public funeral was what she would have wanted, even it added some chaos to the ceremony. The "public" mourners included several hundred people who packed a balcony inside the church, as well another 150 supporters who gathered a few blocks away from the church for a counter-demonstration against a group of picketers from the controversial Westboro Baptist Church. The Kansas-based congregation is known for its extremist opposition against homosexuals, Jews and other groups and regularly holds protests at funerals for fallen U.S. service members, saying the war's dead are God's punishment for the country tolerating gays and lesbians. In the end, only five Westboro congregants showed for the protest, which took place in a cold, steady rain. Following the service at Edenton Street United Methodist Church, Edwards was to be buried at Raleigh's Historic Oakwood Cemetery, according to the cemetery's office manager Sharon Freed. That ceremony was private, according to a memorial website for Edwards. Earlier this week, Freed told CNN about the proximity of the burial to Edwards' son Wade, who was buried at the cemetery after dying in a 1996 car crash. "He is already interred there in a space. And she will be interred there beside him," Freed said. Four of Elizabeth Edwards' pallbearers were childhood friends of her son. They include Tyler Highsmith, Michael Lewis, Charles Scarantino and Ellis Roberts, who was an aide to John Edwards when he was in the U.S. Senate. Other pallbearers include longtime friend Bill Spiegel, B.A. Farrell, an Edwards confidant and adviser, and her hospice doctor, Michael Chernier. Trevor Upham, Cate Edwards' fiance is also a pallbearer. Edwards, who had four children and had worked as a bankruptcy lawyer in Raleigh, was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her husband lost his bid for vice president in November 2004. In 2006, after her initial cancer diagnosis, she wrote "Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers," which chronicled the aftermath of her son's death and her battle with the disease. In 2008, months after withdrawing from the presidential race, John Edwards admitted that tabloid claims about an extramarital affair with former campaign videographer Rielle Hunter were true. Eventually, he also admitted to fathering a child with Hunter -- an allegation he initially vociferously denied even after conceding the affair. John Edwards said the affair happened in 2006 while his wife's cancer was in remission. He claimed he informed his wife at the time and asked for her forgiveness. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press after her husband admitted to his affair, Elizabeth Edwards said the incident helped her focus on resuming her role as an advocate for the poor and for health care reform. She also said it pushed her to refocus on her role as a mother. In a September interview on "The Nate Berkus Show," Edwards was asked what she sees when she looks at her estranged husband, John Edwards. "I see the father of my children, and that's very important to me," she said. "Particularly since I have a terminal disease, this is the person who at some point will take over the primary parenting, and it's important to me that he heal, if he needs to." The memorial website for Edwards states, "In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wade Edwards Foundation, which benefits the Wade Edwards Learning Lab." According to the site, the learning lab is a computer and learning center in Raleigh that provides services free of charge. CNN's Jessica Yellin, Martin Savidge, Bill Mears, John King, Shannon Travis, Sarah Baker and Raelyn Johnson contributed to this report. | Edwards eulogized by her daughter, friends .
Edwards remembered for her love of Christmas, competitive nature .
Protest by controversial church fizzles .
Edwards will be buried next to her son Wade; four of his childhood friends are pallbearers . |
114,947 | 20579a69f1c3ca03b511810082b9a4157ec248d9 | (CNN) -- It is in our DNA to explore the unknown. But pushing boundaries and exploring space is far from easy. This week, the commercial space industry received a punch in the gut and the world experienced a jarring reminder of just how dangerous space travel can be. On its 55th test flight, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo suffered "an anomaly" just two minutes after it separated from its mother ship, WhiteKnightTwo, while 45,000 feet over the Mojave Desert. One pilot was able to parachute out and is being treated for serious injuries, but tragically, the other perished. The catastrophe comes on the heels of an explosion that happened earlier in the week when an unmanned rocket built by Orbital Sciences carrying a spacecraft loaded with more than 5,000 pounds of cargo exploded into a fireball just seconds after launch at NASA's Wallops flight Facility in Virginia. Aerospace insiders routinely compare the emerging commercial space industry to the genesis of the aviation industry -- high risk, high reward. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson said in a blog post following Friday's incident: "We've always known that the road to space is extremely difficult - and that every new transportation system has to deal with bad days early in their history." A new private space race has emerged in recent years, with private companies like Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace competing to become the world's first commercial space line. Then you have companies like SpaceX, Orbital Sciences, and Boeing that are vying for NASA contracts worth billions. This week's events put the spotlight on the private sector's ability to shoulder the responsibility of space travel. What will the long-term impacts of disasters have on the burgeoning commercial space industry? It should be noted, that in terms of the larger government contracts, this relationship between the public and the private is not really all that new. Since the inception of the space agency, NASA has turned to the private sector to accomplish its space faring goals. Boeing is the lead contractor on the International Space Station. It is not a relationship we will see change anytime soon, even in the face of the Orbital Sciences accident. That is because the U.S. no longer has a home-grown way to get to the International Space Station. NASA is relying on the private sector to get there -- making commercial companies essential to the space agency's operations thus shielding them from the impact of public perception. The space tourism industry is different. The service it is providing is a luxury experience. The companies are at the mercy of public perception of their capabilities to safely transport paying passengers on these suborbital flights. Yes, Virgin has partnered with NASA to run research missions in zero-gravity, but beyond that, Virgin Galactic relies on selling tickets to space enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies for the bulk of its development cost. And they aren't cheap. It costs $250,000 a seat. Passengers want to know they are going to be safe. Friday's accident will surely instil fear in the more than 700 people who have signed up to make the journey. So what is the value of space tourism? And why risk human lives to make it a reality? As George Whitesides told CNN earlier this year: "At heart, what inspires me the most is the idea that space changes you, that space has this profound impact on the people that can experience it." What Whitesides is referring to is the overview effect, a phenomenon that space travelers are said to experience when they see the curvature of the Earth -- changing the way people see the world, thereby influencing the way in which they live. Both Whitesides and Branson have spoken openly about the fact that suborbital flights are not the ultimate end goal for Virgin Galactic. Point-to-point intercontinental travel would be the next application of this technology, meaning that one day passengers could travel around the world in about two hours. While such plans have been put on hold since the accident, Virgin Galactic is intent on taking off. In his blog post following the crash, Branson said: "Space is hard -- but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together." The question is, will people still be willing to pay $250,000 to go to space? Inside Virgin Galactic's spaceship . Perils of aviation pioneers . | The SpaceShipTwo catastrophe comes after an Orbital Sciences rocket blew up .
Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson: "We've always known that the road to space is extremely difficult"
Accidents have put spotlight on private sector's ability to shoulder responsibility of space travel .
Virgin has spoken openly about its ambitions beyond suborbital flights . |
59,851 | aa08c1b2bbb28a140cc291db706c65356335a302 | Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo joked that he would be sent to prison if he commented on FIFA's decision to hand rival Lionel Messi the Golden Ball at the World Cup. Ronaldo, who won UEFA's European Player of the Year award on Thursday, refused to comment on the Argentina captain being named the star of the tournament in Brazil in the summer. Messi helped his side to the World Cup final, where the South Americans were beaten 1-0 in the final, but Ronaldo hinted that he felt the Barcelona man was not a worthy winner of the award. VIDEO Scroll to watch Ronaldo claim Europe's best football player . Rivals: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will again go head-to-head for the La Liga title this season . Winner: Ronaldo kisses the Best Player in Europe award after beating Arjen Robben to the award . Delighted: Ronaldo celebrates after beating Bayern's Arjen Robben and Manuel Neuer to win UEFA's award . Ronaldo was speaking to Portuguese TV channel TVI when he joked about Messi's Golden Ball win . Ronaldo, speaking to Portuguese TV channel TVI, joked about Messi: 'If I said everything that I think, I would be in prison,' before laughing the comment off. The Real star continued: 'Everyone can see, make their own judgements, the people in the world of football are intelligent. 'It would be a very interesting question for him. I cannot be honest about it. 'Each one does his job, each one delivers his best. Both want to be the best. For me, in my mind, I am the best.' Messi scored four goals and claimed one assist during the World Cup and was electric during the group stage. However, he faded and missed a great chance to put Argentina ahead in the final. Galatico: Ronaldo has been in devastating form for Real Madrid since joining from Manchester United . Goalscorer: Barcelona forward Messi will be hoping his side can improve on last season's form . | Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted he does not believe Lionel Messi should have been awarded the Golden Ball .
Ronaldo was named UEFA's European Player of the Year on Thursday .
Messi's Barcelona face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in October . |
211,992 | 9e8bb77495338536719ebb2fce404ee9655a088a | Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money have been wasted by giving loans to bogus students from the EU, MPs warn today. Some £3.84million was handed out over the last four years to EU students at private higher education colleges who could not prove they were eligible for funding. Only those who have lived in the UK for three years can receive loans to cover living costs. If they have not been resident in the UK for the previous years but are EU citizens, they are only eligible for loans to cover their tuition fees. Loans: £3.84million was handed out over the last four years to EU students at private higher education colleges who could not prove they were eligible for funding, a cross-party report by MPs has found . And the total amount wasted is likely to be much higher, as the MPs said the Government was ‘unable to quantify’ how much money was given to students who then failed to attend or complete courses. Some 20 per cent of students receiving funding were not even registered for a qualification, according to the Public Accounts Committee’s report, published today. The number of privately funded colleges, or ‘alternative providers’, has grown rapidly, with 53,000 students claiming financial support in 2013/2014 compared with 7,000 in 2010/2011. The total public money paid to these students has increased from £50 million to £675 million in that period. Public Accounts committee chairman Margaret Hodge criticised the 'lax' approach . The committee said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills drove this expansion ‘without sufficient regulation’ to protect public money. Committee chairman Margaret Hodge criticised the department’s ‘lax approach’ and said it was warned about the risks ‘but chose to disregard them’. She said: 'The Department pressed ahead with the expansion of the alternative provider sector without sufficient regulation in place to protect public money. 'The Department was explicitly warned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFC) and the Universities and College Union about these risks but chose to disregard them both before and after implementation. 'As a result of its lax approach, the Department allowed £3.84 million of public money to be given to ineligible EU students in the form of student loans and grants, where EU students had either chosen not to or had been unable to prove that they met eligibility criteria on residency. 'Furthermore, it has been unable to quantify how much money has been lost when it has funded students who have failed to attend, or failed to complete courses, or were not proficient in the English language, or were not entered for qualifications, or where courses themselves were poorly taught.' She also accused ministers of failing legitimate students and colleges, and demanded an urgent review to discover the total amount wasted. In a report published by the committee today, the MPs examined financial support for students at 140 'alternative higher education providers', which are privately funded but take on those who have student loans. It found that the rapid expansion in numbers was concentrated in five colleges, which accounted for 50 per cent of the expansion. Around 20 per cent of students receiving funding were not registered for a qualification and drop-out rates were 'very high' in some institutions. The committee said that while the expansion was aimed at widening access to UK students, 40 per cent of the publicly funded students at the colleges were actually from the EU. This compared with 6 per cent in the rest of the higher education sector. Mrs Hodge noted: 'The Department's record in collecting loan repayments from EU students who have returned overseas is already poor. Studying: Legitimate students are failed by the findings, said the committee of MPs (file photo) 'There was also evidence from whistleblowers that proficiency in English language was not tested, that some institutions were recruiting students on the streets, and that students claiming funding were not attending colleges.' She accused ministers of failing to protect the interests of legitimate students and the reputations of those colleges that were performing well. She demanded an urgent review to discover the total amount wasted and said measures must be put in place to keep track of expenditure in the future. It comes after the National Audit Office found in December that thousands of students enrolled with new private higher education colleges were not registered to take recognised exams. It also warned that the dropout rate among students at nine of the alternative higher education providers was in excess of 20 per cent. That is five times the dropout rate seen in traditional universities, with which the new colleges were designed to compete. The expansion of such providers followed reforms introduced by the former higher education minister David Willetts. 'Shocked': UCU general secretary Sally Hunt . Yesterday, University and College Union (UCU) general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Members of the Public Accounts Committee were as shocked as we were over the government's refusal to heed our warnings about private providers' access to taxpayers' money. The government still has serious questions to answer about why it ignored these repeated warnings and why it allowed such rapid expansion to go unchecked. 'Politicians of all stripes need to study today's report about the sector's failings when it comes to dealing with privatisation.' Professor Aldwyn Cooper, Vice Chancellor of Regent's University London and Chair of the Independent Universities Group, said: 'It is important to remember that there are many alternative providers offering a first rate higher education. 'The members of the Independent Universities Group (IUG) have undergone stringent quality reviews in order to gain their own degree awarding powers and provide excellent student outcomes. 'These institutions offer first rate value for money, employability and student experience. 'They receive no direct funding from government and are careful to ensure that they are fully compliant with the expectations of the Department and the Student Loans Company. 'Poor quality should not be tolerated. It drains the public purse and risks tarnishing the UK higher education brand.' A BIS spokesperson said: 'Alternative providers play a significant role in widening access to higher education for British and foreign students, as well as boosting our exports. 'Our priority is to protect the interest of students and safeguard taxpayer's money. We have made continuous improvements to the management of alternative providers since 2012. We recently introduced reforms to drive up quality, aimed at the small number of providers who are not currently meeting our high standards. 'These include a fit and proper persons test for directors and a requirement to register students for the course before they can access funding. We are also shortly consulting on how to ensure that all students on funded courses have the right English language skills to achieve their qualifications.' | Only students who have been in UK 3 years can claim for cost of living .
But many of those granted the loans showed no proof they were eligible .
A fifth were not even registered for qualification, said committee of MPs . |
242,036 | c53eaf886ae95a5ca56f13e8bef10b20ca46b99c | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 3:39 PM on 4th October 2011 . You can forget taking a cigarette break if you work at this hospital - and don’t even think about coming in until you’ve washed your scrubs. Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, will soon ban employees from working if their clothing smells like smoke. The hospital is banning the use of tobacco products by employees while on their shifts from next July, including when they are on breaks. No more: The hospital is banning the use of tobacco products by employees while on their shifts from next July, including on breaks (file picture) The ‘100 per cent tobacco-free’ policy will expand the one put in place two years ago for employees of the women's and children's areas. Hospital administrator Lisa R. Lauve said letters were sent around two months ago to ‘all of our associates to their homes’. ‘We sent a letter notifying them that they had a year to make whatever adjustments they needed to make to be able to comply with the policy.’ Smoking was banned from within 50ft of public buildings there in 2006 but patients are still exposed to too much smoke from clothes, she said. New idea: Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, will soon ban employees from working if their clothing smells like smoke . Hospital officials are aiming to reduce patients' and employees' exposure to toxins that linger in fabrics from a recently burned cigarette. Tobacco use is Louisiana’s . leading cause of preventable death. It claims 6,400 lives and costs the . state around $1.47billion annually. Such toxins from third-hand smoke present a special danger for the developing brains of infants and small children. Ideally Cabrini hospital policymakers would like to see all employees quit tobacco products for good, Ms Lauve said. ‘Plans are in place to provide cessation support and services to those patients and associates who are ready to quit,’ she wrote on Town Talk. | Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital launching policy .
Louisiana hospital will begin 100 per cent ban next July .
Officials want to protect patients - especially babies . |
207,904 | 992b132949c479359076bd201d902d52879fbd07 | (WIRED) -- The wind blowing through the streets of Manhattan couldn't power the city, but wind machines placed thousands of feet above the city theoretically could. A prototype of a high-altitude wind turbine made by Magenn Power. The first rigorous, worldwide study of high-altitude wind power estimates that there is enough wind energy at altitudes of about 1,600 to 40,000 feet to meet global electricity demand a hundred times over. The very best ground-based wind sites have a wind-power density of less than 1 kilowatt per square meter of area swept. Up near the jet stream above New York, the wind power density can reach 16 kilowatts per square meter. The air up there is a vast potential reservoir of energy, if its intermittency can be overcome. Even better, the best high-altitude wind-power resources match up with highly populated areas including North America's Eastern Seaboard and China's coastline. "The resource is really, really phenomenal," said Christine Archer of Cal State University-Chico, who co-authored a paper on the work published in the open-access journal Energies."There is a lot of energy up there, but it's not as steady as we thought. It's not going to be the silver bullet that will solve all of our energy problems, but it will have a role." For centuries, we've been using high-density fossil fuels, but peaking oil supplies and climate concerns have given new life to green technologies. Unfortunately, renewable energy is generally diffuse, meaning you need to cover a lot of area to get the energy you want. So engineers look for renewable resources that are as dense as possible. On that score, high-altitude wind looks very promising. Wind's power -- energy which can be used to do work like spinning magnets to generate electricity -- varies with the cube of its speed. So, a small increase in wind speed can lead to a big increase in the amount of mechanical energy you can harvest. High-altitude wind blows fast, is spread nicely across the globe, and is easier to predict than terrestrial wind. These properties have led inventors and scientists to cast their hopes upward, where strong winds have long been known to blow, as Etzler's dreamy quote shows. During the energy shocks of the 1970s, when new energy ideas of all kinds were bursting forth, engineers and schemers patented several designs for harnessing wind thousands of feet in the air. The two main design frameworks they came up with are still with us today. The first is essentially a power plant in the sky, generating electricity aloft and sending it down to Earth via a conductive tether. The second is more like a kite, transmitting mechanical energy to the ground, where generators turn it into electricity. Theoretically, both approaches could work, but nothing approaching a rigorous evaluation of the technologies has been conducted. The Department of Energy had a very small high-altitude wind program, which produced some of the first good data about the qualities of the wind up there, but it got axed as energy prices dropped in the 1980s and Reagan-era DOE officials directed funds elsewhere. The program hasn't been restarted, despite growing attention to renewables, but that's not because it's considered a bad idea. Rather, it is seen as just a little too far out on the horizon. "We're very much aimed these days at things that we can fairly quickly commercialize, like in the next 10 years or so," said National Renewable Energy Laboratory spokesperson George Douglas. Startups like KiteGen, Sky Windpower, Magenn, and Makani (Google's secretive fundee) have come into the space over the last several years, and they seem to be working on much shorter timelines. "We are not that far from working prototypes," Archer said, though she noted that the companies are all incredibly secretive about the data from their testing. Magenn CFO Barry Monette said he expects "first revenue" next year when they sell "two to four" working prototypes of their blimpy machine, which will operate at much lower altitudes. "We do think that we're going to be first [to market], unless something happens," Monette said. In the long term, trying to power entire cities with machines like this would be difficult, largely because even in the best locations, the wind will fail at least 5 percent of the time. "This means that you either need backup power, massive amounts of energy storage, or a continental- or even global-scale electricity grid to assure power availability," said co-author Ken Caldeira, an ecologist at Stanford University. "So, while high-altitude wind may ultimately prove to be a major energy source, it requires substantial infrastructure." Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2009 Wired.com. | Study: Wind machines placed thousands of feet above New York could power the city .
Enough wind energy exists at high altitudes to meet global demand 100 times over .
A kite-like device could transmit energy to generators that turn it into electricity .
Startups are developing turbines, although they are still in the prototype stage . |
235,004 | bc3200d55e902139330c8e5f834ff302e56d583e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:50 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:00 EST, 18 March 2013 . Undercover: Frenando Jara spent five years under the guise of a radical Muslim after the 9/11 attacks . It may sound far-fetched, but a California man says he lived a real life spy thriller when he became an unlikely secret agent. Fernando Jara, of Kern County, spent five years completely off the grid beginning in 2001 when the seemingly normal guy joined the ranks of America's most clandestine agency. It was shortly after the September 11 attacks when Jara, who had recently converted to Islam, sent an email to the CIA, offering his services as a spy. To his surprise, the feds got back to him, and offered him the job, Jara told the Los Angeles Times. He had dropped out of high school, and at the time was working toward his equivalency degree at community college. Jara quickly got to work, traveling within California and to Virginia and Washington, DC, where he received training in Arabic, counter-terror tactics and weapons. He was also connected with David Manning of Ventura, California, who taught the then-26-year-old how to handle knives and guns. Manning told the LA Times: 'They said he was under the radar and getting ready to go to Afghanistan to infiltrate the Taliban. I told them, "I'm not doing this." I didn't believe them.' Jara credits Manning with turning him into 'a one-man army.' The next five years of Jara's life have remained a pretty guarded secret, but he tells the LA Times that he infiltrated numerous terror training camps in Yemen and Afghanistan while posing as a radical Muslim. The paper reached out to the FBI and CIA for comment on Jara, but both agencies declined to comment. 'One-man army': Jara quickly got to work, traveling within California and to Virginia and Washington, DC, where he received training in Arabic, counter-terror tactics and weapons . After several years in the spy game, . Jara's cover was exposed in a Yemen bar when a fellow patron said that . he was either a combatant or a foreign intelligence official. After that incident, Jara was ordered to escape Yemen. Upon his return to the U.S., things began to go downhill for Jara, who had developed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. But thanks to the kindness of Cal State Professor Mark Baker, who took in a distraught Jara after finding out he had been living in his car. Top secret: Undercover, Jara infiltrated terror camps in Afghanistan and Yemen . From there, things began to improve for him. In 2011, Jara married Leticia Perez, a public defender who now serves as Kern County supervisor, the first Latina to hold the post. Today, Jara, who runs the RockHill Farm - a rehabilitation clinic for drug and gang crime offenders - suffers from PTSD and often struggles with some of the violent memories. He told the Times: 'I'm ashamed of some of the things that happened over there. I don't hurt people anymore. My soul couldn't take it.' Today: Jara carries his toddler son on RockHill Farm, the rehabilitation clinic for drug and gang crime offenders that he runs . Painful past: Jara, right, still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and often struggles with the memories . | Fernando Jara says he joined the ranks of the CIA shortly after the September 11 terror attacks .
After receiving weapons and anti-terror training, he infiltrated terror camps in Yemen and Afghanistan .
He now suffers from PTSD and runs RockHill Farm, a rehab clinic for drug and gang offenders . |
217,311 | a553f5655b8875ca6b2e8ba962866c153eb859da | (CNN) -- Britain's Andy Murray began his clay court campaign with an impressive straight sets win over Serbia's Viktor Troicki at the Monte Carlo Masters Tuesday. The world number four was the first of the big name seeds in action in the principality and wasted little time in dispatching Troicki 6-0 6-3 in a second round match. Murray reached the semifinals of the Masters 1000 tournament last year and the French Open, beaten on both occasions by the 'king of clay' Rafael Nadal. Troicki was able to muster little in the way of opposition and was whitewashed in a one-sided opening set. He was able to hold his service at the start of the second, but Murray broke again to edge ahead and a second break at 5-3 saw him close out victory in 67 minutes. The third seed, who is sporting a new close crop haircut, will meet either Julien Benneteau or Jurgen Melzer in the next round. "It was good. I moved well," said Murray. "I was sliding pretty well on the court. Normally that's the thing that takes time to get used to. Normally for me that's a good sign on the clay, whether I'm playing well or not," he told the official ATP Tour website. Fourth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga celebrated his 27th birthday with a 6-2 6-4 win over Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in their second round match. The Frenchman was earning a tough third round clash against 13th-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who recovered from a set down to beat Ivan Dodig of Croatia 3-6 6-3 6-1. Dodig had brought down the curtain on the career of his compatriot Ivan Ljubicic Sunday with a straight sets win in their first round match. In first round action, Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka shocked 10th seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-1 6-4, while Andreas Seppi of Italy beat Romania's Victor Hanescu 6-3 6-1 to set up a meeting with Novak Djokovic. World number one Djokovic is hoping to end Nadal's seven-year winning run in Monte Carlo having sat out the tournament last year. Both will be in action Wednesday with Nadal opening against Finn Jarkko Nieminen. | Third seed Andy Murray dismisses Viktor Troicki in straight sets .
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France also into Monte Carlo third round .
Andreas Seppi earns second round match against Novak Djokovic .
Rafael Nadal is seven-time defending champion at tournament . |
171,650 | 6a2a00e12ea647dbc278dee87a2f23a8e79ab231 | By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 12:27 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:02 EST, 30 December 2013 . A woman spoke of her shock after she gave birth to a baby daughter on Boxing Day - despite no signs that she was pregnant. Mhairi Murdoch, 29, spent Christmas suffering from an upset stomach and feeling bloated - but she had no idea it was because she was about to give birth. She went for a glass of orange juice before bed late on December 26 when a sharp pain in her stomach brought her to her knees. After the unexpected arrival, which took place around 11.50pm, Mhairi was taken to hospital where she and Russell were given the good news that little Casey was fit and healthy . Hearing her scream, terrified husband Russell, 33, quickly ran to help - as Mhairi realised she was about to have a baby on the kitchen floor. Just 10 minutes later Russell delivered Casey, a healthy 7lbs 6oz - and completely unexpected - addition to the family. Mhairi said yesterday: 'It’s the biggest Christmas surprise we’ve ever had. 'In the morning I had a bit of an iffy stomach and wasn’t feeling too great. 'I thought I would have some orange juice before I settled down in my bed. 'All of a sudden I got this searing pain right through my stomach. Mhairi says that she had no signs of pregnancy until she went into labour . 'Before I knew it I was on the kitchen floor. 'Russell heard me screaming in pain from the top of the stairs. 'He came running down and basically found me on all fours on the floor. 'I was getting this very big urge to push - I thought there’s something not right here. 'At that point I just screamed at him ‘I think I’m having a baby’. 'The colour just drained from his face.' Mhairi, from Aberdeen, had no idea until that point that she was pregnant and had not experienced any of the usual symptoms over the previous nine months. She had even taken precautions such as getting the contraceptive injection. She said: 'I’d had regular periods and I was still getting the contraceptive needle. 'I hadn’t put on any weight as such - I was still getting into my normal clothes. 'All I had was a slight bloating - there was no movement or any indication. 'Everything just seemed normal.' But, having given birth to three other children -- Callum, 12, Caitlin, seven, and John, 22 months - she quickly realised what was happening. Russell and son Callum rushed to the aid of Mhairi with towels and helped her through a difficult but speedy breech birth. Mhairi said: 'They did a cracking job - I’m very proud of both of them. It was very quick. 'A lot of people have said that’s the way to do it - but it’s nice to have the warning beforehand.' Partner Russell helped Mhairi through a difficult breech birth on their kitchen floor . After the unexpected arrival, which took place around 11.50pm, Mhairi was taken to hospital where she and Russell were given the good news that little Casey was fit and healthy. The doctors said that Mhairi had probably not felt any movement during the pregnancy due to the baby being in the breech position. The surprised mother and her new daughter were allowed home from Aberdeen Maternity Hospital on Sunday night. Their stunned family and friends grouped together to help out with catching up on the lost months of preparation. They rushed out in the Boxing Day sales to pick up essential items for the newborn. Mhairi said: 'All our family and friends have been rallying round and getting us everything. 'It’s been chaos for everyone but they managed to pull it off. 'Now that we are over the shock it’s great. 'We wouldn’t change it for the world but it’s definitely not an experience we would want to ever go through again.' | Mhairi had no idea she was pregnant when she gave birth on Boxing Day .
She didn't gain any weight and continued to have periods .
Partner Russell helped her through breech birth on the kitchen floor .
Despite dramatic labour baby, Casey was born a healthy 7lbs 6oz . |
166,697 | 638e46960cb6c2c2a5cde70f7e5cf2dd83a5fa3b | By . Larisa Brown and Ian Drury . PUBLISHED: . 23:13 EST, 25 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:52 EST, 26 February 2013 . The whistleblower who was forced out of the Lib Dems and made to sign a gagging order over the Lord Rennard allegations has been named as former head of fundraising Helen Jardine-Brown . Fresh details emerged last night about the whistleblower who was forced out of the Liberal Democrats and made to sign a gagging order over the Lord Rennard allegations. She was named as Helen Jardine-Brown, a former head of fund-raising, who was pregnant at the time. When she approached senior Lib Dems four years ago with claims about Lord Rennard’s behaviour, she was told Nick Clegg would call her directly, but was never contacted. Less than two months later, her post was allegedly cut, shortly after she told her boss that she was pregnant. She was told her role was going as part of a ‘re-organisation’. Miss Jardine-Brown eventually reached a £50,000 settlement with the party on condition of her silence. On Saturday, the Daily Mail revealed that a high-ranking woman official had been sacked but did not name her. It is believed Miss Jardine-Brown raised concerns about Lord Rennard’s behaviour in September 2008, during an interview with senior officials at the party. Less than eight weeks later, after informing her employer she was pregnant, she was told her role was to be cut. Sources told the Daily Telegraph she was offered the chance to reapply for a more junior role, which she rejected. Miss Jardine-Brown, who has declined to comment on the case, filed a formal complaint against the Lib Dem chief executive and the party on grounds of sex and disability discrimination. In November 2009, she reached a settlement with the party on condition that she did not discuss the case or the terms. A senior Lib Dem official has said Nick Clegg, right, was aware of allegations about the behaviour of Lord Rennard, left, by September 2008 . Former Lib Dem party member Alison Smith described an ordeal involving Lord Rennard's alleged inappropriate behaviour back in 2007 . A Lib Dem spokesman said he was unable . to discuss the case ‘for the same reason the person involved can’t’. He . added: ‘I can, however, confirm this case had absolutely nothing to do . with the recent allegations involving Lord Rennard.’ Sources told the Daily Telegraph Miss Jardine-Brown was offered the chance to reapply for a more junior role, which she rejected . Meanwhile, . damning new allegations that Lord Rennard pestered two women activists . for sex after buying them dinner emerged yesterday. The party’s then chief executive . invited the women back to his London flat for a late-night drink but . then ‘locked the doors’ and suggested they ‘go upstairs’, according to . new evidence. Alison Smith, then a party member but now an Oxford University politics lecturer, and a fellow Lib Dem – referred to as A – endured the ordeal in 2007, it is claimed. Miss Smith’s account appears to be corroborated by an ITN News interview with a senior Lib Dem official in 2009 as part of an investigation into claims about Lord Rennard. The incident allegedly happened after Miss Smith stepped down as a parliamentary candidate. The official told the broadcaster: ‘Chris Rennard offered to take A and Al out for dinner to commiserate with Al for having to give up her seat. ‘Rennard invited them back to his . house for a drink. After dinner . . . he locked the doors – they didn’t . realise that he had locked the doors, but he had. [He] came and sat . between them and neither of them remember precisely the wording, but the . intention was “Come on, girls, let’s go upstairs”, which came as a . great shock to both of them. ‘I think it [Lord Rennard’s behaviour] is something that some people know. There is a knowledge at a senior level.’ The official said Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg was aware of the alleged incident and other allegations by September 2008. Miss Smith said last week: ‘He just very suddenly got up and plonked himself between us and started moving his hands down our backs and places where they had absolutely no business being. It was both of us at the same time. I straight away stood up and said: “No, that’s not acceptable. I’m going home”.’ Lord Rennard has strenuously denied any inappropriate behaviour and has insisted he did not lock the door at his home while the women were there in 2007. | Approached senior Lib Dems four years ago with claims about Lord Rennard .
Told Nick Clegg would call her directly but was never contacted .
Post allegedly cut two months later as part of 're-organisation'
Reached £50,000 settlement with party on condition of her silence . |
151,159 | 4f6f984e91679f59025fdd63ce5a0617822c5dc0 | Taking a stand: Coca-Cola has promised to reduce levels of 4-MI in drinks sold around the world . Health authorities have launched a fresh inquiry into the safety of a caramel colouring used in soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. The decision has been taken by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to research showing varying levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) in 12 brands of soft drink. The agency said it is also reviewing new data on the safety of 4-MI in other products. In the past the FDA, as well as food watchdogs in Britain and Europe, ruled that the chemical poses no threat to the health of consumers. However, health authorities in California include the substance on a list of cancer-causing agents. As a result drinks companies are required to put a cancer warning on products containing raised levels of 4-MI. In response to the law, Coke, Pepsi and other manufacturers directed their caramel-colour suppliers to reduce the levels of 4-MI. Coca-Cola subsequently promised to reduce levels of 4-MI in drinks sold around the world. However, the same safeguard was not applied by Pepsi in a decision which outraged food campaigners in the UK. American campaigning group Consumer Reports tested Sprite, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Dr Pepper, Dr Snap, Brisk Iced Tea, A&W Root Beer, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi One and Malta Goya. The tests found that single servings of two products purchased in California – Pepsi One and Malta Goya – exceeded the level of 4-MI which should have required a cancer warning on the label. No significant level was found in Sprite, and consistently low levels were found in Coke products. PepsiCo (headquarters pictured) has challenged the accuracy of the test results. A spokesman for the firm said the company was 'extremely concerned' about the reliability of the study . Toxicologist Dr Urvashi Rangan, who led the Consumer Reports investigation in the US, said: ‘There is no reason why consumers need to be exposed to this avoid-able and unnecessary risk that can stem from colouring food and beverages brown.’ However, PepsiCo has challenged the accuracy of the test results. Aurora Gonzalez, a spokesman for the firm, said the company was ‘extremely concerned’ about the reliability of the study. She said: ‘PepsiCo abides by the law everywhere we do business.’ The UK arm of the drinks business has rejected claims that 4-MI poses any risk. Last year, the company said: ‘There is no scientific evidence that 4-MI in foods and beverages is a threat to human health. ‘Current regulation in the EU states that caramel colouring (4-MI) poses no health risks.’ | Chemical 4-MI is to face a fresh inquiry into whether or not it causes cancer .
Authorities in California list the controversial additive as a carcinogen .
But European food watchdogs have long argued that the product is safe .
Coca-Cola and other companies have vowed to reduce levels of 4-MI . |
239,545 | c2259d4cd0673f191a950e270a8c512d5ff3a9e3 | A Russian tourist has been fined 20,000 euros (£15,800) for engraving a big letter 'K' on a wall of the Colosseum. In the latest act of vandalism by tourists at the ancient structure, the 42-year-old was caught by a guard as he used a sharp edged stone to carve the 10-inch-tall letter. The unnamed man has been given a fine and a suspended four-month prison sentence, reported news agency ANSA. Scroll down for video . Graffiti: A 42-year-old man was caught by a guard engraving the letter 'k' into the ancient structure . The head of the administration of the Colosseum, Mariarosaria Barbera, was reported to have said the man had 'caused significant damage' and had 'ruined the covering part of the amphitheatre'. Union leaders, citing recent acts of vandalism, have complained about the lack of personnel to properly monitor Rome's archaeological treasures — with increasing numbers of visitors seeking to leave their trace on antiquity, causing incalculable damage. It was the fifth incidence of vandalism by foreign tourists at the Colosseum this year. The others include an Australian father and son, aged 45 and 12, who scrawled their names on a wall, and two teenagers, one Canadian who tried to steal a brick and a Brazilian was prosecuted for similar offences. Authorities will increase the number of surveillance cameras and step up visual and audio warnings against vandalism, said the Roman daily Il Messaggero. National treasure: It was the fifth incidence of vandalism by foreign tourists at the Colosseum this year . Big business: Amphitheatre welcomes more than six million visitors a year and is undergoing repairs . A heated thread on Reddit discussing the vandalism has started with users commentating, 'Deliberately destroying ancient, priceless, and irreplaceable cultural artefacts is unconscionable' and '42 years old? I was expecting it to be a 16 year old'. The Colosseum, the biggest amphitheatre built during the Roman Empire standing 48.5 metres tall, welcomes more than six million visitors a year. Long-delayed repairs to the 2,000-year-old monument, once used for bloody gladiatorial contests, began in September. The refurbishment, funded by Italian billionaire Diego Della Valle, is expected to end in 2016. | 42-year-old Russian tourist was caught in the act by a guard .
Man given a £15,800 fine and a suspended four month prison sentence .
According to officials, he has 'ruined the covering part of the amphitheatre' |
31,398 | 594582c5caab6a3f653e9483670c98f08ff20abd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:02 EST, 23 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:21 EST, 23 October 2012 . When Tatum Williams's 20-month-old son Jesse was struck down with a killer gut infection, she felt powerless to help. But after a succession of conventional treatments had failed, she was called on to provide a last-ditch attempt to save him in a rather unconventional way. Doctors said there was a procedure used successfully in adults which involves transplanting faeces into a patient's body to clear up serious symptoms caused by the bacteria C.diff. Scroll down to hear a doctor discuss C.diff risk . 'I was all for it': Tatum Williams (left) helped to save the life of her young son Jesse (right) by using her faeces in a transplant operation to cure his killer gut infection . 'I was all for it,' said the Baltimore mother-of-two. 'We had been dealing with his C.diff for nine months. He was losing weight because of everything he would lose in his diaper.' Jesse, who was born extremely premature, has suffered various health problems which have been exacerbated by the C.diff infection. He had already been given strong antibiotics and injections to boost his immune system, but they were not effective. According to federal health officials, C.diff causes some 14,000 deaths every year and make another 300,000 seriously ill. 'They really had no other option,' Dr Sudhir Dutta, the head of the gastroenterology department at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore who performed the transplant in March, told NBC News. 'They had no other option': The operation was carried out by Dr Sudhir Dutta (pictured) the head of the gastroenterology department at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore . Unusual procedure: The operation, carried out at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore (above), involved replenishing Jesse's infected gut with healthy bacteria in his mother's faeces . C.diff occurs when the spore-forming bug . invades the intestine, usually after healthy bacteria is killed off by . heavy use of antibiotics. It is often caught in hospitals. The procedure, known as Fecal Microbiota Transplantation, involves transferring the stool from a suitable donor either through a tube from the nose to the stomach or by a colonoscopy to help replenish the healthy bacteria in the infected colon. Faecal transplants are increasingly being used in adults with success rates up to 90 per cent, but it is less common with children and Jesse is thought to be one of the youngest to undergo the operation. Mrs Williams, 28, said Jesse started to improve almost immediately. She said: 'Within two days, I saw changes. It was unbelievable. Now, he’s a typical two-year-old.' | Jesse Williams was losing battle after being struck down with deadly C.diff .
Mother Tatum told there was 'no other option' after usual treatments failed .
Operation pumped his body with healthy bacteria from 28-year-old's faeces .
Tatum: 'Within two days, I saw changes. Now he's a typical two-year-old' |
204,083 | 9433674f75bebc1fffb3951701f181b8f92c2ab2 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 06:31 EST, 9 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:15 EST, 9 September 2013 . Victory: Paula Williams recently won a tribunal over false claims that led to her being fired from her job as a teaching assistant at Bridgtown Primary School . A primary school teaching assistant has won £16,000 after she was unfairly sacked for swearing and posting a picture of herself drinking from a penis straw on Facebook. Paula Williams, 45, was dismissed after a member of staff overheard her saying ‘f***’ to another teacher in the playground. The divorced mum-of-two from Hednesford in Staffordshire was also disciplined after a picture appeared on Facebook showing her drinking from a joke ‘penis straw’ at a Christmas party. She was also accused of using the phrase . ‘sexy beast’ to a child and taking a book entitled ‘I shot my daddy’ on a . swimming trip. Miss Williams, who had worked at Bridgtown Primary School in Cannock, Staffordshire, for 20 years - including nine as a volunteer - was sacked on May 3 last year. She appealed the decision and took the school to an employment tribunal claiming unfair dismissal. On Friday the tribunal in Birmingham ruled in her favour and ordered the school to pay her £16,437.79 in compensation. Speaking afterwards, Miss Williams said: 'I am glad it is all over now, it is not about the money I received, it never was about the money, it was the fact I didn’t say those things. 'I am glad a line has now been drawn under the whole thing, it affected my health and made me life very hard considering I had no income. 'The headteacher at the school has been there for around four years now, the previous one was there for 27 years, I obviously knew that one a lot better. 'I just wanted the governors to be more proactive and take responsibility for what was happening. 'I was supposed to have said the word f*** to a teacher in the playground during conversation. 'I don’t know if it was him who made the complaint but I haven’t spoken to him about it. 'The only apparent witness to me apparently swearing was another teacher, I don’t know who, who said that none of the children heard me swear, probably because I didn’t.' It was alleged that Ms Williams was swearing and behaving inappropriately, but the tribunal found in her favour . She added: 'I am just happy it is all over, so is my partner, he has had to work extra-long hours in order to keep us going and to bring the money in.' The disciplinary board which dismissed Miss Williams also accused her of posting ‘inappropriate’ pictures on Facebook. She added: 'There were three pictures in question. 'The first two were me dressed as a St Trinian’s schoolgirl for a private 40th birthday party and the third one I was tagged in. 'The third one was me at a staff Christmas party drinking from a "penis straw" which was given to me by another member of staff as a Secret Santa. It is ridiculous.' Bridgtown School headteacher Joanna Raybould told the tribunal Miss Williams was dismissed for swearing and posting the pictures on Facebook. Long service: Miss Williams had worked at Bridgtown Primary School in Cannock, Staffordshire, for 20 years - including nine as a volunteer . In a statement to the tribunal Mrs Raybould said Miss Williams’ behaviour had affected 'my health and confidence' and had impacted on 'the whole atmosphere at the school'. Tribunal chairman David Ansti said the school failed to give Miss Williams adequate guidelines on what language she could use at work and failed to verify the statement of alleged witness to the swearing. He also said the Facebook photo’s which were taken at a Christmas fancy dress party, were not put online by Miss Williams. County Councillor Ben Adams, cabinet member for learning and skills said: 'We are disappointed with the outcome but, nevertheless, accept the tribunal’s decision. 'We expect the highest standard of conduct by staff in our schools. 'We are awaiting more information on the outcome of the proceedings before we can comment further.' | Paula Williams, 45, denies she ever swore to another teacher .
She was sacked last year over a series of claims about her behaviour .
She has now won more than £16,000 in compensation . |
18,693 | 34e447f7c4c47cbb52a3b9ae950f51185ecc741f | By . Rob Waugh . In the 70s, James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis claimed that Earth's physical and biological processes 'link' to form a self-regulating, basically 'self-aware' system . In the 70s, James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis claimed that Earth's physical and biological processes 'link' to form a self-regulating, basically 'self-aware' system. Their book became a cult classic, and the idea that the Earth is a giant chemical system, almost like an 'organism' persists to this day - although it's never been proved. In 2010, a poll of 400 academics placed the Gaia Hypothesis the sixth greatest British academic breakthrough of all time. Now a new chemical clue - sulphur - could allow scientists to work out whether Earth is in fact 'alive' - a huge chemical system that in turn sustains us all. The Gaia hypothesis doesn't claim that the earth is actually 'alive' - but that all living organisms and their non-living surroundings are bound together into a 'system' that maintains the conditions for life. One of the early predictions of Lovelock's theory - known as the Gaia - hypothesis was that there should be a sulphur compound made by organisms in the oceans that would transfer to the air and thus to the land. Scientists are on the brink of testing this theory - and proving the existence of at least one part of a 'system' of the Earth. The most likely candidate for this role was deemed to be dimethyl sulphide. Harry Oduro of the University of Maryland has created a tool for tracing and measuring the movement of sulphur through ocean organisms, the atmosphere and the land in ways that may help prove or disprove the controversial Gaia theory. Sulphur, the tenth most abundant element in the universe, is part of many inorganic and organic compounds. Sulphur cycles sulphur through the land, atmosphere and living things and plays critical roles in both climate and in the health of organisms and ecosystems. ‘Dimethylsulfide emissions play a role in climate regulation through transformation to aerosols that are thought to influence the earth's radiation balance,’ says Oduro, who conducted the research while completing a Ph.D. in geology & earth system sciences at Maryland and now is a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Their book became a cult classic, and the idea that the Earth is a giant 'organism' persists to this day - although it's never been proved . The Gaia hypothesis - first proposed in the 70s - doesn't claim that the earth is actually 'alive' - but that all living organisms and their non-living surroundings are bound together into a 'system' that maintains the conditions for life. It was initially scorned by scientists, but is now being seriously investigated by Earth scientists and scientists in other disciplines - observing how the evolution of life have contributed to the stability of temperature and ocean salinity. It's also inspired various political and religious movements - with many interpreting the hypothesis as a claim that the Earth actually IS alive. 'We show that differences in composition of dimethylsulfide may vary in ways that will help us to refine estimates of its emission into the atmosphere and of its cycling in the oceans.’ As with many other chemical elements, sulphur consists of different isotopes. All isotopes of an element are characterised by having the same number of electrons and protons but different numbers of neutrons. Therefore, isotopes of an element are characterized by identical chemical properties, but different mass and nuclear properties. As a result, it can be possible for scientists to use unique combinations of an element's radioactive isotopes as isotopic signatures through which compounds with that element can be traced. ‘Harry's work establishes that we should expect to see variability in the sulfur isotope signatures of these compounds in the oceans under different environmental conditions and for different organisms,' says UMD geochemist James Farquhar. 'I think this will ultimately be very important for using isotopes to trace the cycling of these compounds in the surface oceans as well as the flux of dimethylsulfide to the atmosphere. It may even help us to better trace connections between dimethylsulfide emissions and sulfate aerosols, ultimately testing a coupling in the Gaia hypothesis,’ Farquhar says . | 'Gaia Hypothesis' claims earth is self-regulating 'organic' system that maintains life .
Sulphur could be key to understanding cycles of Earth .
Gaia idea initially scorned by scientists but now taken seriously . |
264,386 | e26cc081331352d559d7fab738e0d79e356ca3b0 | (CNN) -- By now it should be painfully obvious that this latest round of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in Gaza is fundamentally different than its predecessors. Unlike the two previous rounds in 2008-09 and in 2012, which ended after three weeks and one week, respectively, this round, now in its fourth week, is infinitely more complex. The rapid failure of the cease-fire put in place by Thursday's agreement only emphasizes that fact. Getting to de-escalation, let alone a durable endgame, will be hard. And here are the five reasons why: . 1. Hamas, the political/military paradox: One of the reasons the conflict has dragged on for so long is Hamas' anomalous situation. It entered the crisis -- indeed may have helped to trigger it -- because it was weak, financially bankrupt and politically isolated, and thought it could get Israel and the world's attention through violence. This political weakness has now raised the stakes. Hamas can't stand down without major deliverables that will justify to its supporters and residents of Gaza the death and destruction its rockets have courted. And right now as attacks against Israeli forces attest, the military wing is dominant. Indeed, militarily it has the power to continue the fight. So there's no real urgency to back off without big gains. Political desperation, combined with military resilience, ensures the conflict will go on. Indeed, Hamas' goal is probably to launch more rockets against Israel the day before the cease-fire is concluded than on the first day the conflict began. 2. Iron Dome buys space and time: Perhaps the most stunning success of this crisis on the Israeli side has been the Iron Dome missile defense system's capacity to neutralize the threat of Hamas' high trajectory weapons. With only three civilian casualties, economic damage that is relatively limited and not that dramatic a change in the routine of most Israelis (at least those who don't live close to Gaza) the anti-missile defense system has reshaped the basic contours of the conflict. On one hand, Iron Dome has pre-empted or at least delayed the need for a large-scale ground incursion into Gaza. But on the other it has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the political elites and the public the latitude to continue to achieve Israel's objectives. In short, for Israel, too, there's no real urgency to stand down. With the home front secure, the government needs to worry about two things: Israel Defense Forces casualties (so far apparently tolerable at more than 60 even though that's four times the number in both previous confrontations) and international pressure as a result of the horrific Palestinian civilian death toll in Gaza. And both of these could become magnified in the event Israel decides to launch a massive ground incursion into Gaza. 3. No good mediator: In 2008-09, Israel withdrew its forces and unilaterally declared a cease-fire that held more or less; in 2012, the Egyptians brokered one pretty quickly to end that round. This time around you have plenty of would-be mediators, including the United States, the United Nations and Egypt, all of which were involved in the Thursday agreement. But that agreement reflects the reality that none of these mediators had much influence with Hamas' military wing. Moreover, all of them misjudged the degree to which Hamas on the ground in Gaza was prepared to end the fight. There is not a single mediator among them that's trusted by both sides. Egypt -- no longer run by the pro-Hamas Mohamed Morsy -- is bent on squeezing the Islamists and is working closely with Israel. And the United States has no ties or influence with Hamas. And we don't even have a situation where one mediator can work on Israel and party X could mediate with Hamas in a kind of diplomatic tag team. Indeed, the flaws of trying to negotiate a cease-fire by committee were all too apparent in the collapse of the Thursday accord. 4. Expectations, the real problem: Unlike the two previous confrontations or even the second intifada where Israel and Hamas squared off, this crisis is driven by expectations on each side that will be hard, if not impossible, to meet. Even if the two sides wanted to stand down, they have raised the hopes among their respective publics that can only constrain each of them and prove disappointing to Israelis and Palestinians as well. Netanyahu wants to avoid a massive ground incursion, yet he's identified an endgame -- demilitarization of Hamas -- that would require the forceful disarming of an organization that isn't going to agree to give up its weapons voluntarily. And the Israeli public, which has backed the current strategy of trying to pummel Hamas into submission, expects an outcome that is more decisive than in previous rounds. Hamas, on the other hand, seems -- in a cosmic roll of the dice -- to be holding out at all costs and somehow banking that if it does so, Israel will be forced to agree to open up Gaza (or will do so willingly), release Hamas prisoners and expand fishing rights and that Egypt will agree to open up the Rafah crossing. The more death and destruction in Gaza, the more Hamas needs an explanation at the end of the day to justify the sacrifices and the pain of Gaza's 1.8 million residents. And it's not even clear what the objectives of Hamas' military wing really are. The real tragedy is that the odds against any lasting trade-off of demilitarization for economic freedom seem long indeed without some dramatic change in either Israel's or Hamas' calculations or Hamas' total collapse and defeat. 5. Not enough urgency: It's an inconvenient fact, but the reality is that right now, there doesn't seem to be enough urgency, let alone an imperative for Israel or Hamas to back down. Gaza's public doesn't have much say in the matter when it comes to the Hamas military wing's strategy, and the Israeli public, according to opinion polls, seems enthusiastic about keeping up the pressure. Israel's calculations seem to be to neutralize the tunnel threat and pummel Gaza with air and artillery until Hamas agrees to a cease-fire on Israel's terms. Hamas wants to survive with its military and political leadership intact, and it hopes that massive Palestinian casualties will galvanize the international community to press Israel to stop and that more IDF deaths will cause Israel to sour on the operation. So where is this headed? In both previous confrontations, we might have confidently predicted some diplomatic endgame. Not now. For the moment, the focus has shifted from a brief foray into diplomacy back to escalating conflict. The prospects of some kind of an expanded Israeli operation into Gaza are highly likely, with all the casualties that could entail. What separates this round of the Israel-Hamas battle from the others is that there's no predictable path away from much more bloodshed. And that -- given the tragic loss of life -- is the terrifying truth. Note: This article was updated to delete references to the capture of an IDF soldier; Israeli authorities now say the soldier was among those killed by a suicide bomber. | Cease-fire fails in Gaza after less than two hours .
Aaron Miller: The latest events demonstrate that this conflict is very different from earlier ones .
Both sides lack the urgency to make concessions needed for a lasting peace, he says .
Miller: Iron Dome has given Israel more room to fight; Hamas is going all-out for unlikely victory . |
206,100 | 96cb1cf3aa4ef9f8afd9bd6cf6df7a9b3bb67544 | London (CNN) -- At an age when most of us were still mastering how to tie our shoelaces, Benjamin Grosvenor was working on his piano arpeggios and legato fingers. The British former child prodigy is now barely out of his teens, but already has a reputation as one of the most exciting and distinctive pianists in the world today. Having first hit the headlines at the age of 11 -- as the youngest ever finalist in the UK's Young Musician of the Year competition -- Grosvenor last year became the youngest musician to sign to the esteemed Decca Classics label, and the first British pianist to do so in almost 60 years. So it's surprising to learn that the precocious star has only the faintest memory of early childhood encounters with the instrument. "There was always a piano in our house because my mother was a piano teacher and we had an upright which was there from when I was born. But I don't have any strong first memory of my interaction with it," he recalls. More from Human to Hero: Former Olympic rower Matthew Pinsent . According to his mother, he says, he "didn't have any interest in it at all" in the piano aged five and only resumed playing a year later after he discovered that his friends were taking lessons. "I had no great desire to practice, but then some friends at school started playing and I was spurred on to work by the thought of them catching me up. It was a competition," he remembers. Grosvenor likes to relay memories of his formative years in competitive terms: He admits that he didn't care much for the music as a child, but rather saw playing the piano as a "challenge" that needed "overcoming." Indeed, such are the physical demands of regular practice that he describes himself as an "athlete." But, today, his passion for playing is driven by a profound belief in the power of music. "The ability it has to communicate emotions to people. I think that is what it's all about," he says. Grosvenor's fans certainly believe in his ability to transmit emotions. A "romantic pianist, almost from another age ... He jumps inside the music's soul," is how British newspaper The Times described him recently. More from Human to Hero: Chinese archer Gao Fangxia . Tellingly, Grosvenor says he spends almost as much time developing an emotional bond with a piece of music as he does physically practicing the notes at his piano. "There are really two sides to playing the piano, I suppose," he says. "The ability to just play the notes and the ability to find meaning in them. "Part of it is physical -- playing the same things over and over again to get them under your fingers and to get them in your muscle memory ... but playing something over and over again doesn't necessarily make it better." Instead, Grosvenor often develops an interpretation of a piece of music in his head, "away from the piano." For one so accustomed to regular public performance since childhood, Grosvenor still wrestles with debilitating nerves. "There are concerts before which you have about half an hour where you feel pretty awful and during that time you are questioning, saying to yourself, 'Why am I doing this to myself again? Why am I putting myself through this? "And then invariably by the end of the concert you look back at that and think, 'How silly, that was quite easy.' But then by the next time you have forgotten that and you go through the same thing again," he says. In order to combat performance anxiety, Grosvenor recently conjured an unorthodox mental preparation that he deploys before appearing onstage. More from Human to Hero: Michael Phelps' photo finish . "I have been trying to picture the contours of an image of a valley I once saw, something completely irrelevant to what I'm about to do and just to look over it and try and picture all the small details -- and I think that helps to calm me down," he says. Whatever nerves he may feel inside, it certainly hasn't affected his performances as far as everyone else is concerned. Last month alone he played to sold-out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, London's Royal Albert Hall and the Parc du Chateau de Florans in France. And yet despite this extraordinary ongoing success, Grosvenor -- who just graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London -- still sometimes wonders if he's made the right career choice. "I could be doing a degree in something else or working in a more steady profession I suppose, because as a performer it is not a regular job, it is not something that is guaranteed -- you have to keep up the standard." It's a sobering thought, so how does Grosvenor maintain the force of his convictions? "It is never playing the piano that is the problem -- it is the outside pressures. It is the pressures of the career and that is something to remember. You go through periods where you feel like all the work is piled on top of you but there is always an end to that and you just have to get through it ... It is usually alright in the end." | Benjamin Grosvener is regarded as one of the finest concert pianists working today .
Grosvenor hit the headlines at the age of 11; now 20, he plays sell-out concerts globally .
Originally spurred on to practice by competition with friends, he now plays for love of music .
Despite his success he still gets stage fright and wonders if he's chosen the right career . |
109,324 | 18eb931ece202108420b27bfb61c86ff08c16357 | (CNN) -- Syrian officials and opposition activists blamed each other for an attack on a gas pipeline near the restive city of Homs on Tuesday, while opposition groups said more than 30 people had died in new clashes. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three civilians were killed by government troops in Homs, while deserting government troops killed 18 members of the security forces in the city of Jasem. Syrian officials did not respond to CNN requests for comment on the incident, and state media did not mention it. And the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, an opposition umbrella group, said police and troops still loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's government killed 11 people in and around Damascus, Hama and Homs, where the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency blamed the pipeline explosion on a "terrorist group." CNN cannot independently confirm events inside Syria because the government restricts the activity of journalists. But activists in Homs said the government blew up the pipeline itself to distract Arab League monitors, who are in the country to try to protect civilians from violence at the hands of government security forces. "The regime did that intentionally. They don't care about Homs; what difference does it make to them to have no power? We don't have any of the necessities: medication, heating fuel, food. And garbage is everywhere," said one activist. Another activist in the city of Hama said the Arab League monitors there were surrounded by Syrian officials and security forces, making it difficult for locals to speak to the observers freely. The activist said the city still has many checkpoints and security forces with heavy machine guns, and that tanks have not been withdrawn from the city -- just hidden where monitors cannot see them. The activists spoke to CNN by Skype from Syria. CNN is not naming them to protect their safety. Top U.S. and French officials also expressed doubts about whether Syria was abiding by its November agreement with the Arab League, which calls for the release of protesters jailed by the months-long crackdown on anti-government demonstrations and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from cities. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Damascus was clearly breaking its deal with its fellow Arab states. "Across the country, the Syrian people continue to suffer at the hand of the Assad regime, as indiscriminate killing of scores of civilians continues," Carney said. He said it was "past time" for the U.N. Security Council to take action, and said Washington was working with its allies "to increase the pressure on the Assad regime." And U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that while some prisoners have been freed, the releases are "nothing like what the Syrian government promised to the Arab League." "Our concern is that the Arab League monitors, although they are providing some ability for some demonstrators to express their views in some places, they have not led to the full implementation of the commitments that the Assad regime took on," Nuland told reporters in Washington. Meanwhile, she urged Syrian opposition forces to avoid attacks that would play into the government's hands. "That's exactly what the regime wants, is to make Syria more violent and have an excuse to retaliate itself," Nuland said. In Paris, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told France's I-Tele on Tuesday that he was "a little skeptical" about whether the monitors are getting free access to the facts. "We await their report that will be carried out in the coming days," Juppe said. But he added, "I do not consider the battle already lost." "The secretary-general of the Arab League has expressed the will to get to the bottom of this investigation," he said. "The truth must be established, and the regime cannot poison the observers who are on the ground." French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad must relinquish power, saying the "massacres" by his forces "evoke disgust and revolt in the Arab world, in France, in Europe and everywhere in the world." Sarkozy said nations must continue "unrelentingly denouncing a barbaric repression and ensuring that the observers from the Arab league have the means and the freedom to carry out their work correctly." Arab League Secretary-General Nabil el-Araby is scheduled to discuss the monitoring team's preliminary report on Saturday, an official with the organization told CNN on condition of anonymity. El-Araby is scheduled to meet with the head of the Arab Human Rights Council on Wednesday, said the official, who is not authorized to speak to the press and asked not to be named. El-Araby said Monday that the killing was still going on despite the presence of his observers. "There is still gunfire, there are still snipers, and we hope that all that will disappear," he said in Cairo, adding: "There is gunfire from various directions, which makes it hard to tell who is shooting. There is no doubt that killing is ongoing, but I can't pinpoint the numbers." Arab League observers entered Syria last week after the United Nations estimated that 5,000 people had been killed since March in an uprising against the government. Al-Assad's government says it is cracking down on armed terrorists. The Arab League aims "to provide protection to Syrian civilians," el-Araby said Monday, adding that it was asking for a cease-fire and for the names of detainees in Syrian prisons. Nearly 3,500 prisoners have been freed, he said. The Arab League has placed more than 70 monitors in six cities, and the number of observers soon will exceed 100, el-Araby said. CNN's Amir Ahmed, Hamdi Alkhshali, Arwa Damon, Saskya Vandoorne and Alexander Felton contributed to this report. | NEW: More than 30 killed Tuesday, including 18 government troops, opposition says .
NEW: Syria is breaking its deal with the Arab League, Washington says .
The Arab League will consider its monitors' report on Saturday, an official says .
France's Juppe says he's "a little skeptical" about the monitors' access . |
40,265 | 71a483178d64864769034b45e7ced8ce89e21b27 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 16:54 EST, 31 March 2012 . Billionaire Warren Buffett believed the country's richest should be taxed more to help decrease debt . Billionaire Warren Buffett urged U.S. lawmakers to raise taxes on the country's super-rich to help cut the budget deficit, saying such a move will not hurt investments. The 80-year-old accused Congress of being 'billionaire friendly' and claimed in an opinion article for the New York Times that they spared him and his rich friends when talking about a 'shared sacrifice'. He said: 'Our leaders have asked for "shared . sacrifice". But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with . my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, . were left untouched. 'My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. 'It's time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.' Buffett, one of the world's richest men and chairman of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc, said his federal tax bill last year was $6,938,744. 'That sounds like a lot of money. But what I paid was only 17.4 per cent of my taxable income - and that's actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. 'Their tax burdens ranged from 33 per cent to 41 per cent and averaged 36 per cent,' he said. Lawmakers engaged in a partisan battle over spending and taxes for more than three months before agreeing on August 2 to raise the $14.3 trillion U.S. debt ceiling, avoiding a U.S. default. Mr Buffett said: 'Americans are rapidly losing faith in the ability of Congress to deal with our country's fiscal problems. 'Only action that is immediate, real and very substantial will prevent that doubt from morphing into hopelessness.' He said higher taxes for the rich will not discourage investment and cited the example of the eighties when rates were much higher. Buffett, one of the world's richest men and chairman of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc, said his federal tax bill last year was $6,938,744 . 'Back in the 1980s and 1990s, tax rates for the rich were far higher, and my percentage rate was in the middle of the pack. 'According to a theory I sometimes . hear, I should have thrown a fit and refused to invest because of the . elevated tax rates on capital gains and dividends. 'I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone - not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 per cent in 1976-77 - shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain. 'People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off.' He also commented that raising taxes would create jobs, contrary to popular belief, saying: 'And to those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000. You know what’s happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation' Speaking on behalf of the country's wealthy, he also said that the rich would not have a problem paying more taxes, if it meant they were helping the country out of a debt hole. 'I know well many of the mega-rich and, by and large, they are very decent people,' he said. 'They love America and appreciate the opportunity this country has given them. 'Many have joined the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth to philanthropy. Most wouldn’t mind being told to pay more in taxes as well, particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering.' MSNBC's Pat Buchanan challenged Mr Buffett's editorial on 'Morning Joe' telling him to put his money where his mouth is. He said: 'Why doesn’t he set an example and send a check for $5 billion to the federal government? He’s got about $40 billion. 'You know, you had a plan up there, I talked to Howie Carr at Boston where the super-rich could contribute an extra amount. It was something like one-tenth of one percent did it. 'You get all this noise from these big rich folks. Let them send checks and set an example instead of writing op-eds.' | Claims Congress are billionaire friendly and forgot about the wealthy when talking about the 'shared sacrifice' |
65,090 | b8ceec55dfe213cf9288f13449a562a37fae08b6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A 58-year-old Nebraska woman was sentenced to 30 days in jail after admitting killing her own family dog. Judy Lloyd, from Columbus, was sentenced on Friday for animal mistreatment. Prosecutors said Lloyd intentionally ran over the 15 to 20 pound dog last July. Jailed: Judy Lloyd, 58, (right) is serving a jail sentence for killing a family dog she contended was aggressive and posed a threat to young children. She ended up running over the dog deliberately. Here she is pictured with her oldest grandaughter Samantha . How could she? Lloys told the judge she was fearful of the family dog getting loose. The 15- to 20-pound dog had a history of attacking children and behaving aggressively on previous occasions . Lloyd apologized at her sentencing saying she was worried the dog would attack a child. She told the court the dog had a history of behaving aggressively. 'I just want to tell the court I'm very very sorry. I couldn’t cope,' she said, wiping tears from her eyes. 'I just didn't know what else to do.' She said she knew her actions in killing the pet had caused pain to the members of her extended family. Lloyd is the owner of several dogs including a black cocker spaniel, but that pet apparently did not show anywhere near the same level of aggression as her other white cross-bred dog. Does this dog look aggressive? The defenseless pooch was tied to a wooden pallet in the woods and then deliberately run over. Lloyd ran over the dog multiple times with her car, put the body in a sack and disposed of it in the Lost Creek drainage canal . Apology: 'I couldn't cope', Lloyd said. 'I just didn't know what else to do.' Here Judy Lloyd is seen holding one of her other dogs which is still alive . An investigation by Platte County . Sheriff’s Deputy Tom Brandl described Lloyd as being 'very concerned' about the dog’s aggressiveness and that the city woman decided to . euthanize the animal herself. Prosecutors said Lloyd took the 15-to-20 . pound dog to a rural area and tied it to a wooden pallet before running . over the dog several times. She disposed of the body in a drainage . canal. The dog's body was never found. Lloyd could have been sent to jail for up to year along with a $1,000 fine so her 30 day sentence is light when compared to the possible maximum penalties she could have faced. | Judy Lloyd says she killed her family dog because it was aggressive and posed a threat to young children .
She tied the dog up and then ran it over with her car several times before throwing the body into a river .
She has been jailed for a month . |
65,609 | ba48ed761a12898d7d235422b99e3ccbd151f8d8 | A Dallas woman who tried to drown her two young daughters after the girls pleaded for snacks was stopped by her 18-year-old son, who grabbed his drenched sisters and carried them from the apartment, police say. Sonya Ann Gardner, 35, is jailed on a $1 million bond on two counts of attempted capital murder of a child, according to police records. No attorney has been listed for her. Scroll down for video . Jailed: Sonya Ann Gardner, pictured, is being held on $1 million bond on two counts of attempted capital murder of a child . Suvivor: Gardner reportedly tried to drown her daughter . Safe: Gardner's daughters were safe when her son Jydesmon stepped in . Neighbors told officers that her son, Jydesmon Gardner, was walking by the apartment Thursday night when he heard screams. A police affidavit says Gardner forced his way into the apartment, where he found his mother trying to drown his two sisters in a bathtub. Police say witnesses told them the son fired a warning gunshot, grabbed his dripping 4-year-old sister and carried her from the apartment. When he went back to get his 6-year-old sister, the front door was locked, so he kicked it in, witnesses told police. He then grabbed the other girl and ran from the apartment. Gardner told police that she had smoked marijuana laced with PCP earlier in the evening, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. Rescuer: Jydesmon Gardner, pictured, reportedly saved his two young sisters from his mother's attempt to drown them . Rescue: Jydesmon Gardner reportedly rescued his two sisters, ages 4 and 6, after he found his mother trying to drown them in a bathtub . 'We were fixing to die,' the 6-year-old told officers according to the affidavit, adding that her mother tried to 'drown us in the bath.' Both young children stayed with neighbors until police arrived and were placed in the custody of Child Protective Services. Jydesmon Gardner left the scene before officers arrived because of an outstanding parole violation warrant in an unrelated case, police said. 'It appears that his actions may have saved the lives of these two children,' police Maj. Rob Sherwin told reporters and appealed for him to turn himself in for questioning as a witness. | Sonya Ann Gardner, 35, is jailed on a $1 million bond on two counts of attempted capital murder of a child .
Her 18-year-old son Jydesmon Gardner was walking by and forced his way into her apartment when he heard screams .
Gardner 'found his mother trying to drown his two sisters in a bathtub' but managed to get both girls out .
Sonya Ann Gardner told police that she had smoked .
marijuana laced with PCP earlier in the evening, according to documents . |
68,195 | c17afbe6453f44a3d3cd98cbcc4519b76f5d073f | A pair of Colorado farmers were sentenced Tuesday to five years' probation, including six months of in-home detention, for their role in a 2011 listeriosis outbreak that killed roughly three dozen Americans who consumed infected cantaloupe, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Brothers Eric and Ryan Jensen, who grew up cultivating cantaloupes on Jensen Farms, a fixture in the dry plains of southeastern Colorado since the early 1900s, also were sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution in connection with the deadliest food outbreak in the United States in nearly 100 years. Each apologized in court to the victims' families. "My most sincere apologies and deepest regrets. I hope the victims' meeting helped," Ryan Jensen said, according to CNN affiliate KMGH. "I do know that much has been gained in food safety understanding both here and outside the country because of this." Ryan Jensen also agreed to attend a substance abuse program as part of the sentence. Experts: The outbreak was preventable . "This has been a huge tragedy. We are very, very sorry. We hope it leads to better understanding of food safety," Eric Jensen said. Both brothers pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor counts of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce. The prosecution recommended probation because of the cooperation of the brothers, including their willingness to meet with congressional investigators and relatives of their victims, Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh said in a statement. "No sentence of incarceration, restitution or financial penalty can undo the tragic damage done as a result of the contamination at Jensen Farms," Walsh said. "Today's sentence serves as a powerful reminder of farmers' legal and moral responsibility for ensuring their product is safe. Because of the Jensen Farms case and this prosecution, changes have been made regarding how fruit is processed and transported across the country." Relatives of the victims expressed mixed feelings. "Our family actually asked that they only get probation and no jail time because we never thought they proved that they were harming the food with intent to do any harm," Jeni Exley, whose father, Herb Stevens, died of listeria-related complications. "I think they're good people but I think they made some bad choices in their farming practices and I think, in the big scheme of things, this is going to put light on the food safety issues we have here in the United States." Seven surviving family members testified about what the outbreak did to their loved ones, according to KMGH. "I do want jail time. I'm very bitter," said Penny Hauser, who lost her husband of 45 years, Michael Hauser. "I think if they had gotten some jail time that would have made a big difference. You can say, 'Oh, it wasn't your fault, it could have happened to anybody,' but I bought it, I cut it up and I fed it to him and now I have to live with those consequences. And I don't think Ryan and Eric Jensen understood the magnitude." Michael Hauser died on February 21, 2012, on his 69th birthday. Thirty-three Americans died as a result of the 2011 outbreak after consuming the infected fruit, authorities said. More than 110 other Americans across 28 states were sickened, many hospitalized, from eating the cantaloupe. The 2011 listeriosis outbreak was the deadliest food outbreak in the United States in nearly 100 years, and the third-deadliest outbreak in U.S. history, according to health officials. It could have been prevented, according to numerous food safety experts and federal health officials. Investigators and health experts eventually descended on Jensen Farms, near the town of Holly, and determined that the outbreak occurred because the brothers who had inherited the fourth-generation farm had changed their packing procedures, substituted in some new equipment and removed an anti-microbial wash. The investigators said they found, among other things, a dripping, potentially contaminated condensation line allowing water to get onto the floor; water was pooling on the floor; sections of the floor had cut holes and jagged sides that were difficult to clean. Samples taken from the pooled water were positive for the listeria that sickened people. On the rolling line where the melons moved, investigators found dirty equipment used to wash and dry the melons, and it could not be easily cleaned. The FDA report stated that "several areas on both the washing and drying equipment appeared to be uncleanable, and dirt and product buildup was visible on some areas of the equipment, even after it had been disassembled, cleaned, and sanitized." What's more, inspectors found that an older, secondhand washing machine designed for cleaning potatoes had been substituted to clean the melons. Food poisoning: What you need to know . | Eric and Ryan Jensen pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of introducing adulterated food .
A 2011 listeriosis outbreak killed roughly three dozen people .
The brothers apologize in court to the victims' families . |
127,928 | 315d54b79a230305e46443fe8895149f1ee13218 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:49 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:30 EST, 23 August 2013 . An 101-year-old woman who lived through the Russian Revolution, Stalin's Great Purge and Hitler's 872-day seige of Leningrad, died Wednesday after being run over by a police squad car in St. Paul, Minnesota. Great-grandmother Roza Sakhina was fatally injured while walking across the middle of the street in front of her apartment in the Highland Park neighborhood of St Paul. The police officer driving the car was in the neighborhood responding to a juvenile disturbance call. Mrs Sakhina was crossing in the middle of the street in front of her apartment with the aid of a walker when the officer backed up and ran over her. Police say he was not responding to another call at the time. Painful end: An 101-year-old Russian emigre who survived the atrocities of the revolution, Great Purge, and Siege of Leningrad died Wednesday after succumbing to injuries sustained after being run over by a police squad car . Neighbor Sue Chicone's apartment overlooked the intersection and witnessed the scene. 'Her head was gushing, gushing blood,' Chicone told the Star Tribune. An injured Mrs Sakhina tried to get up, but another elderly woman comforted her and tried to keep her relaxed. Mrs Sakhina was transported to Regions Hospital, but she never regained consciousness and died Wednesday from her injuries. So far, St. Paul police have yet to name the officer responsible for running over Mrs Sakhina, but previously said they would release that name Friday. St Paul police spokesman Paul Paulos said the officer involved was placed on a standard three-day paid adminsitrative leave and that the department is conducting a full investigation. Where it happened: Mrs Sakhina was crossing the street from the left when she was run over by the cop car . The Ramsey County medical examiner's office is not releasing the cause of death but according to Mrs Sakhina's grandon Ilya Finkelshteyn, she suffered a skull fracture, rib fracture, internal bleeding and 'quite a bit of bruising'. He declined to comment on the the role of the officer played in his grandmother's death. 'I'd prefer not to comment, except to say everyone in the family is stricken with grief.' Mrs Sakhina emigrated to St Paul from St Petersburg, Russia in 1991. In Russia, she worked as an accountant at a chocolate factory and hospital and was also a volunteer nurse. She passed her citizenship test in the late 1990s, without the aid of a translator. She made the move to the U.S. to join two of her grandchildren who had already previously emigrated. Finkelshteyn remembers his grandmother as a woman who was able to live an independent and active life even into old age. 'She lived on her own with very minimal help,' he said. She 'walked every day, cooked for herself, read lots.' 'She was very happy to be here, and she loved the state,' he said. Mrs Sakhina is survived by one son, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband who passed away in 1960 and one son. | Roza Sakhina died Wednesday from injuries sustained after being run over by a police squad car last Friday in St Paul, Minnesota .
She was crossing the street with the aid of a walker when a squad car backed up and ran over her .
Mrs Sakhina emigrated to the U.S. in 1991, following two of her grandchildren .
St Paul Police have yet to name the officer responsible for running over the 101-year-old woman . |
282,616 | fa0d1e22d9a58463f3754911e5f20f176ef99125 | (CNN) -- Police have caught a group of alleged thieves accused of stealing more than $46,000 since mid-January from commuters stuck in traffic in Peru's capital city, Lima. After weeks of undercover surveillance, agents with the Peruvian National Police surrounded the suspects Monday as they were allegedly trying to again rob people stuck in traffic in the Barrios Altos neighborhood of Lima. The group of thieves, who call themselves "Coyotes," had been taking advantage of commuters stuck in traffic to rob them in broad daylight, police said. They seemed to primarily target taxis, but passengers in other vehicles were also robbed, they said. "They would break the cars' windows and try to get in like that or they would unlock the doors and attack their victims," a police official told CNN affiliate America TV. Some of the victims would fight back and the suspects had to walk away empty-handed and in one instance, somebody started shooting a weapon straight into the air and the suspects ran away, police said. An elderly woman, who was attacked by the gang, said she tried to fight back. "I tried to hold on to my purse, but then I noticed that they were armed and let go," the woman told America TV. Police video handed out to media outlets shows the suspects trying to outrun police officers who were chasing them, but they were all eventually caught. One of the suspects is 23 years old and the other three are only 18, police said. They're all being charged with armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and conspiracy to commit a crime. Police also said they are looking for four more suspects. | Police caught group of alleged thieves accused of robbing people caught in traffic in Lima, Peru .
After weeks of surveillance, police caught suspects Monday .
One suspect is 23, the other three are 18 .
All being charged with armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and conspiracy to commit a crime . |
201,046 | 9049abf7b58b72e982222fb8f683aae60f776b32 | By . Ashley Collman . Charged: Jail worker Jill Curry, 38, was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual misconduct with an inmate . A female jail worker accused of sexual misconduct was arrested on Wednesday in Washington County, Oregon. Jill Curry, 38, was charged with six counts of first-degree custodial sexual misconduct and six counts of first-degree official misconduct, Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt Bob Ray told the Oregonian. Sgt Ray did not elaborate to say which inmate Curry reportedly had contact with or at which jail. However, according to the statute, the charge involves engaging in sexual acts with someone in custody. 'While there's a presumption of innocence in our justice system, this employee is accused of extremely serious misconduct,' said Sheriff Pat Garrett in a statement. 'If the allegations are found to be true then this employee completely violated my trust and the public's trust and will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.' The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office first started their investigation into Curry's actions on July 8, when someone called into the professional standards unit to report the jail services technician. The caller has not been identified by authorities. Curry was placed on administrative leave that day, pending a criminal investigation. She has been working within the sheriff's office since October 2004, serving different parts of the jail including booking, inmate units and the control center. After her arrest, Curry was booked into the Washington County Jail and held on $120,000 bond. | Jill Curry was arrested on Wednesday and charged for having sexual contact with an inmate .
A Sheriff's Office spokesman would not identify the inmate or say in which jail Curry worked . |
207,019 | 9809fb6dca50658c21daa5ebf7a0ab29086a6436 | By . Kirsty Walker . PUBLISHED: . 09:43 EST, 21 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:39 EST, 21 March 2012 . Five million of the country's pensioners will be hit by an 'outrageous' £3billion 'Granny Tax' hidden in today's Budget. The Chancellor announced that he will phase out the higher income tax allowance enjoyed by around half the country's pensioners, already struggling with record-low interest rates on their savings. From next year, people turning 65 will no longer qualify for the higher rate of £10,500-a-year. Instead, they will qualify for just a standard income tax allowance which was raised today to £9,205. The raid on Britain’s pensioners, worth £3.3bn over the next five years represents the biggest money spinner for the Treasury from the Budget - and removes an old age tax relief that has been built into our system since 1925 - when the then Chancellor Winston Churchill introduced it. Burden: Half the country's pensioners will lose hundreds of pounds annually when their tax allowance is reduced (file picture) Individuals affected will pay an extra £260-a-year extra in tax more than they would have done. The backlash against Mr Osborne’s plans to penalise millions of pensioners was gaining force this afternoon with ‘Granny Tax’ currently the most trending subject in the world on Twitter. Age charities united in opposition to the measure. Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General, Saga said: 'This is an outrageous assault on decent middle-class pensioners. 'This . Budget contains an enormous stealth tax for older people. Over the next . five years, pensioners with an income of between £10,000 and £24,000 . will be paying an extra £3 billion in tax while richer pensioners are . left unaffected. 'There is nothing in this Budget for savers, . there is nothing to improve the annuity market, nothing to appease the . damage of quantitative easing and nothing to support ISA changes and . shelter older people’s money in cash. This Budget is terrible news for . pensioners. 'It is good to hear that we will be able to harness . the power of pension funds to improve UK Infrastructure but in short, . this Budget is another shocking example of the Government’s attack on . poorer and older people. It is dramatically unfair.' The Treasury have calculated the measures will raise £1billion a year by 2015 rising to £1.25 billion by 2016. In total, the so-called ‘simplification’ measures will cost pensioners £3.3billion over the next five years. Mr Osborne insisted that no pensioners will lose out in cash terms and that the move would help simplify the system. Congratulations: Prime Minister David Cameron congratulates the Chancellor on his Budget in which he revealed the controversial tax raid on the elderly . However, Labour leader Ed Miliband said it amounted to a ‘hidden tax’ rise on millions of pensioners. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander claimed the move would result in a ‘fairer’ and ‘simpler’ tax system. He insisted: ‘There will be no cash losers.’ But Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners’ Convention, said: ‘The decision to freeze the age related personal tax allowances effectively means around five million pensioner tax payers will no longer get additional reductions in their tax over the coming years – whilst those on the top rate of tax will see their bills reduced. ‘Many older people will feel they are being asked to forego their reduction in tax to help out the super rich. There’s no fairness in that.’ Mike Warburton of accountants Grant Thornton said: ‘The Chancellor is allowing age allowances to wither on the vine. He is effectively phasing them out but there is always a price to pay for simplicity.’ Mr Osborne said the move to scrap age-related personal allowances was the result of a recommendation from the Office for Tax Simplification which said 150,000 pensioners every year must fill out self-assessment tax returns due to the separate allowances. Mr Osborne also confirmed that the government will introduce a single-tier state pension above the level of means-tests at an estimated £140. The new system will be introduced 'early in the next Parliament' with final decisions to be made by the next spending review. The new system will provide a flat level of support, which is greater than the amount people currently receive through the basic state pension and means-tested pension credit. It will still be based on contributions and will not cost more than the current system. The reforms will not apply to today's pensioners and are likely to take years to come into effect. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'The Chancellor's decision to raise more than £1 billion extra in tax from pensioners by freezing age allowances will come back to haunt him. It's already being dubbed "the granny tax". 'Pretending that pensioners will be grateful because it will simplify their tax is a vain hope. Instead they will see that they are being asked to pay more while the super-rich have kept all the pensions tax relief - a heavy burden for ordinary taxpayers. 'And with ever more increases in the state pension age threatened in a new White Paper - a burden that falls more heavily on the poor, the regions and those with manual jobs - older workers and pensioners are paying a heavy price for a pro-rich Budget.' | Higher income tax allowance of five million elderly people to be phased out .
Move will reduce allowance from £10,500 to £9,205 .
'Stealth tax' is the Budget's biggest money-spinner for the Treasury .
Removes an old age tax relief that was first introduced by Winston Churchill in 1925 . |
34,983 | 6367b01d0f0fb8478cee70569debe5c261ae35b2 | By . Stephen Johns for The Daily Mail . Navy Pilot: Prince Andrew, pictured in 1982, said he was 'foolish' to think he was invincible . The Duke of York has spoken about his fear of dying in the Falklands after he was shot at by Argentine forces. Prince Andrew said there were a ‘couple of times’ he feared not coming back home after carrying out dangerous missions while serving as a helicopter pilot. He joined the Royal Navy in 1979 and served for 22 years, including the Falklands War in 1982. Speaking to American television channel CNBC ahead of a charity initiative to help young entrepreneurs, he said he had been ‘very lucky’ to survive the conflict and admitted he had been ‘foolish’ to think he was ‘invincible’. He added: ‘If you’ve been through those sorts of experiences you understand the frailty of life. And it’s not particularly nice being shot at and I can attest to that. ‘You look at life in a different way and you try to achieve more. I was very lucky to come back without having been shot down. ‘I have to say that afterwards I thought I was completely invincible and if anybody wanted to do it again, absolutely bring it on. ‘But I’ve realised the error of my ways now and I think that’s more foolish.’ When asked if there was a moment he thought he might not come home, he said: ‘Yeah probably a couple of times. But that’s normal. ‘One was being shot at, one was being missed by a missile which didn’t actually really arrive because it already hit somebody and the other one was trying to identify a ship at night.’ He said becoming a helicopter pilot was a ‘logical choice’ because it posed the ‘greatest intellectual challenge’ possible in the military. Prince Andrew also talked about his good friendship with his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. He said their relationship meant a ‘whole heap’ to the family and their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Scroll down for video . Prince Andrew on board the HMS Invincible on its return from the Falklands War . A Royal Marine mortar team getting ready for action on the slopes of Mount Kent in east Falkland . He said: ‘I just see it as illogical not to be a friend at the end of the day, regardless of what your set of circumstances are.’ He added the Duchess was a ‘fantastic mother’. The Duke is currently working with American musician Will.i.am on an initiative called iDEA to support young digital entrepreneurs. The interview, CNBC Meets HRH The Duke of York, is due to be broadcast on Wednesday at 10pm. | Duke of York said there were times when he thought he might not return .
Prince Andrew served as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War in 1982 .
He told American channel CNBC he was 'very lucky' to have survived . |
59,245 | a82fa41956fdb1de14e62ebd4d5ceb759c39b85e | Washington (CNN) -- A group that's working to keep Democrats in control of the Senate is releasing its first television ad in the contested U.S. Senate race in Alaska between incumbent Sen. Mark Begich and his GOP challenger, Dan Sullivan. The "multi-million dollar" ad buy from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee comes as Begich's campaign faces a slew of negative headlines for releasing a political attack ad that focused on a gruesome 2013 murder and sexual assault case. The DSCC said it was already planning to go up with the new 30-second spot before the recent controversy, and the ad doesn't mention Begich's ad. Rather, it hits Dan Sullivan for opposing Obamacare. In the commercial, an elderly woman whose husband has Alzheimer's disease says Sullivan "supports a plan" to slash Medicare benefits, and his policies would raise prescription drug costs. In the commercial, an elderly woman whose husband has Alzheimer's disease says Sullivan "supports a plan" to slash Medicare benefits, and his policies would raise prescription drug costs. Fact Check: Would repeal of Obamacare hike seniors' drug costs? According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Alaska has the largest growth rate for seniors (age 65 and older); the population for that age group increased by 54% between 2000 and 2010. The ad also hits Sullivan for saying he's open to raising the minimum age for Social Security eligibility. While Sullivan has advocated for reform for younger generations, he has said "we're not going to touch" benefits for seniors who are either receiving Social Security benefits or about to receive them. "But with the younger generation, to phase in reform, there is opportunity," he said last month at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce GOP debate. CNN rates the race between Sullivan and Begich as one of six toss-up contests in this year's midterm elections. As a Democratic senator in a reliably red state, Begich is considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to retake the majority in the Senate. The DSCC also has spent money on ads in Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Iowa, Colorado and Michigan. The new spot comes as Begich is under hot water after his campaign went up with a Willie Horton-style ad against Sullivan on Friday. The spot accused Sullivan of being soft on crime, focusing on a case in which a man allegedly murdered an elderly couple last year and sexually assaulted the couple's granddaughter, as well as another elderly woman in the home. At the time of the crime, the suspect had just finished a prison sentence of four years for another crime. His sentence should have been longer because his record included a separate felony, but he was only sentenced to four years because of a mistake by the state. Because Sullivan was serving as attorney general at the time of the suspect's sentencing in 2010, Begich's campaign tried to fault Sullivan for letting the suspect go early. However, the mistake that led to the short sentence was made before Sullivan became attorney general. Politifact gave the ad a "Pants on fire" rating, saying the ad "is not only inaccurate, it makes an inflammatory accusation." Shortly after the spot aired, the victims' family called on Begich and Sullivan, who had released his own ad countering the claims, to pull down their spots, saying the publicity could affect the jury pool for the trial scheduled for this month. Sullivan's campaign asked TV stations to stop running the ad Sunday, while Begich's team first said it would alter the ad to remove references to the case. The campaign later pulled down the ad altogether. | The DSCC is spending money against the GOP challenger in Alaska's Senate race .
The Democratic incumbent senator is facing criticism for making an ad that focused on a heinous murder .
Sen. Mark Begich pulled down the ad after the victims' family got involved .
The race in Alaska is close and could determine the balance of power in the Senate . |
9,121 | 19d1fab5c98b3a289f3b541182111787c93811c1 | (CNN) -- Very few things will make my skin crawl more than listening to someone totally misrepresent the famous "I Have A Dream" speech the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave on August 28, 1963. It's clear that far too many people haven't bothered to actually read or listen to the speech. Instead, folks -- especially those who likely would have branded King a Communist, a socialist, a Marxist or a racial hell-bent on destroying America -- love to tout King's "content of character" line in order to push back against a variety of issues, especially affirmative action. Just today, I saw a press release from Project 21, a coalition of black conservatives, suggesting that a rally planned Saturday by a radio talk show host and Fox News personality is akin to King's 1963 march. Coby Dillard, a member of Project 21, is quoted as saying, "The dream of King -- that every person be judged by their character rather than their color -- is one of the tenets that makes our nation honorable in the minds of people around the world. King's legacy is a gift to us all, and no one person or organization holds claim to his work and his message. I can think of no better way to honor him by renewing our shared commitment to uphold those principles that have held our country together throughout history." It's clear that Dillard, and so many others, hasn't read a history book or other publications surrounding the march and instead loves to continue to spread falsehoods, misrepresentations and outright fabrications stemming from the Washington march. First, we need to stop calling it the March on Washington. It was officially called the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. If you leave off the "Jobs and Freedom" part, it sounds like black folks just went for a walk that day. Upset with the lack of economic opportunities for blacks at the time, as well as the voting rights injustices, the organizers wanted to put pressure on Congress and the President Kennedy administration to put their muscle behind a comprehensive civil rights bill. No, the 1963 march had nothing to do with some hokey values espoused by a radio/TV windbag. It was a day to assemble a mass of people to represent a show of strength and to get leaders in Washington to listen to the urgent need across the country. Second, we continue to misrepresent King's speech as the "I Have a Dream" speech. As CNN's Soledad O'Brien reported in the special "MLK Papers: Words That Changed a Nation," the speech was never called that. It was actually titled "Normalcy: Never Again." In fact, the "I Have A Dream" portion, which represents the bottom third of it, wasn't in the original text. As Soledad reported, King often gave variations of the "Dream" portion of the speech, and on that day, he was encouraged by gospel great Mahalia Jackson to tell the audience about his "dream." There is no doubt that his soaring oratory about the need for racial harmony continues to send chills down our spines today, but if we as a country get so excited and wrapped up in the "dream" sequence, we forget the economic nightmare King painted in the top two-thirds of the speech. When I give speeches, I often tell folks that the "I Have A Dream" portion is the "hoop" part, which is when the pastor begins sing, scream and shout when he/she has finished the sermon. But the real measure of a sermon is the scripture, which serves as the thesis. So let's get to the meat -- or the purpose -- of King's 1963 speech. At the top, he lays out the vision of slaves being freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, yet 100 years later, "One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land." Then he makes clear that the purpose of going to the Lincoln Memorial is to "dramatize a shameful condition." "In a sense, we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check," King said. "When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. "This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the 'unalienable rights' of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.' "But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice." King then began to talk about the "fierce urgency of now," laying out the treacherous conditions upon which black people lived in, and having to deal with violence and the trampling of their rights. He laid bare the despair of not being able to stay in hotel rooms, having to drink out of segregated water fountains and the lack of voting rights. Then King launches into the portion about his "dream." Folks, the fulfillment of King's dream wasn't about getting along. It was about every man and woman being afforded equal rights and an opportunity to find a job, raise their family and not have to suffer from brutality. His speech wasn't partisan or political; it was prophetic and about prosperity. How is it relevant today? If anyone wants to model that march, then stop with the ego-driven nonsense and focus on pushing Congress to enact a jobs bill so Americans can work. Tell Democrats and Republicans to stop playing footsy with lobbyists and looking out for Wall Street's interests. Tell leaders in Washington to give a damn about the poor of this country, from the hills of West Virginia to the dusty roads in Alabama. Tell some Republicans to stop their shameful condemnations of Americans who can't find a job. For the nearly 250,000 who gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, it wasn't about ego; it was about results. There was no partisan agenda; it was one where whites and blacks refused to stand idly by and watch black Americans denied an opportunity to thrive in this country. In the final five years of his life, King fought for equal pay for sanitation workers in Memphis and was planning a Poor People's Campaign for DC to highlight the economic injustices. Please, take the time to go and read or listen to the speech. Understand the context. Examine the overall mission. And don't try to pimp and pervert King's prophetic word so you can score some political points. And that goes for a charlatan, even if they have a TV or radio show, who seeks to align themselves with King's momentous and radical speech 47 years ago. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Roland S. Martin. | Roland S. Martin says the famous speech is often misrepresented .
He cites a rally set for Saturday in Washington as one example .
Two-thirds of speech paints picture of an economic nightmare, he says .
The best move today would be to push for a jobs bill, Martin writes . |
137,678 | 3e0e2ee79223c87eafd0533538b1cf7f64d0faee | (CNN) -- Host Zain Verjee takes viewers through Oman's diverse terrain -- sailing the seas in a sleek racing boat and driving through oasis towns en route to the rugged mountains of Jabal Al-Akhdar. Plus: . The 'Jewel of Muscat' Omanis' relationship with the sea goes back generations and sailors have traveled and traded on the water for centuries. Inside the Middle East watches the launch of the "Jewel of Muscat," a reconstruction of a 9th century spice ship. The sewn-plank ship has been faithfully reconstructed from handmade coconut fiber ropes and wood -- and without a single nail. The "Jewel of Muscat" will follow old trading routes stopping in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia before arriving in Singapore in July. Inside the Middle East goes on deck with the captain ahead of the ship's historic launch. Your IME diary We bring you highlights from the Tour of Oman where cyclists rode for six days on a 700 km route in a race that is the first of this kind in Oman. At a Muscat art gallery we meet contemporary artist Hassan Meer and he describes his abstract paintings and photography. We also explore the exotic scents at the House of Amouage where CEO David Crickmore gives us a tour of the luxury perfumery. From the UAE we bring you the flavors of Gourmet Abu Dhabi as we report from the kitchen. My Beirut with Zuhair Mourad Drawing inspiration from the blue of the Mediterranean and the green of Lebanon's valleys and mountains, fashion designer Zuhair Mourad has made his name internationally in couture. Mourad most recently made headlines at the Brit Awards red carpet with a gold corset mini-dress worn by singer Florence Welsh who went on to win Best Album. Mourad says he is inspired by the many civilizations that have left their mark on his country -- from Byzantine to Ottoman, from French to "modern Lebanese" -- he shows us around the city where he was raised, Beirut. | Inside the Middle East is in Oman .
On deck with the captain of a historic recreation of a 9th century Omani spice ship .
Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad explains how his home, Beirut, inspires his designs . |
186,261 | 7d3f415b1fa43e85cc451cd16ef176aa5c2697d3 | Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- A woman who was dragged away by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's officials after telling journalists that some of his troops had raped her will finally be seen by journalists in the coming days, a government spokesman said Thursday. Eman al-Obeidy will "hopefully" be visited by two or three female journalists by Saturday, Mousa Ibrahim said. He added that he did not know where she was Thursday. "The only place she will be other than her family house" is a shelter for women who have been raped, kidnapped, or otherwise victimized, he said. "Maybe she is there." But al-Obeidy's mother, Aisha Ahmad, told CNN Thursday that she still has not heard from her. Ahmad said she is concerned the government will portray her daughter in a negative light. Ahmad said she no longer fears Gadhafi. "If I were to see his face, I would strangle him," she told CNN in a previous interview at her modest home in the eastern coastal city of Tobruk. It was on Saturday that al-Obeidy, a 29-year-old law school graduate, burst into the Rixos Hotel as foreign journalists were having breakfast. Her face and legs were bruised. She showed reporters blood on her right inner thigh. She said she had been held against her will for two days and raped by 15 men. Her visible injuries appeared to support her claims, but CNN could not independently verify al-Obeidy's story. "Look at what Gadhafi's brigades did to me," she said. "My honor was violated by them." Al-Obeidy displayed what appeared to be rope burns on her wrists and ankles. Government officials tried to subdue her, but she persisted. Even a member of the hotel's kitchen staff drew a knife. "Traitor!" he shouted. Another staffer tried to throw a dark tablecloth over her head. One government official who was there to facilitate access for journalists pulled a pistol from his belt. Others scuffled with reporters and wrestled them to the ground in an attempt to take away their equipment. Some journalists were beaten and kicked. CNN's camera was confiscated and smashed beyond repair. As security forces dragged her away, al-Obeidy warned: "If you don't see me tomorrow, then that's it." The Libyan government first said al-Obeidy was mentally ill and drunk. Officials called her a prostitute. Later, the government changed its story and said al-Obeidy was sane enough to withstand legal proceedings. Libyan government spokesman Mousa Ibrahim said the men accused of raping al-Obeidy are being investigated, but the suspects, in turn, have filed countercharges for slander. Ahmad said she received a call Sunday from a man who offered her a bribe to reject al-Obeidy's claims and persuade her daughter to change her tale. Ahmad refused. She stands by her daughter, she said. So does her entire family and tribe. To show their support, the family held an in-absentia engagement ceremony for al-Obeidy at a mosque in Tobruk on Monday. The attempt to discredit al-Obeidy as a promiscuous, un-Islamic woman ties into the idea of sexual shaming in a conservative Muslim society where it's commonly believed that a woman who has been raped has lost her honor, said Mona Eltahawy, a columnist on Arab and Muslim issues. For a woman in such a society to come forward to claim she has been raped is no small thing. "No one would do that unless they were raped, and especially in a conservative society," Eltahawy told CNN on Tuesday. Al-Obeidy's act ended up being as significant as that of the discontented fruit vendor in Tunisia who set himself afire and sparked revolt in the entire region, Eltahawy said. The way al-Obeidy spoke out was unprecedented and she has already been hailed as a hero on social networking sites. Ahmad challenged Gadhafi to air video of her daughter on state television as proof of her well-being. She also said she was worried about her other daughter, with whom al-Obeidy was living. A group of lawyers and human rights activists tried to approach al-Obeidy's sister's house Monday, but were blocked by security forces. The sister's mobile phone has apparently been turned off, a source with the opposition in Tripoli told CNN. Al-Obeidy's story raced around the world after she stormed into the Rixos Hotel as international journalists were having breakfast Saturday morning. Ahmad said she has not been able to stop crying. She hasn't slept or eaten. She sees only her daughter's distress shared so publicly at a pivotal moment of her nation's history. CNN's Reza Sayah, Nic Robertson, and Khalil Abdallah contributed to this report . | NEW: Mother says she worries government will portray her daughter in a negative light .
Al-Obeidy will "hopefully" be seen by a few female journalists by Saturday, government says .
Her mother told CNN she had not seen her .
Al-Obeidy's speaking out was unprecedented, a columnist says . |
135,098 | 3ac3504e373ad9913539d65d4860f858a1cc1b21 | She loved his predecessor 'to bits' and insisted that he always be present during her Balmoral summer holidays. But the Queen seemed just as thrilled to see 'Pony Major' Cruachan VI for a second time as she officially moved in to her Scottish holiday home today. The black Shetland pony was celebrating his fifth birthday but joined the men from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to give the monarch a ceremonial welcome home. Naughty! Cruachan VI appears to be going for demotion as he raises his lip at the Queen's outstretched hand . All smiles: The Queen beams as she is reunited with Cruachan IV and his handler, Major Cpl Mark Wilkinson . Inspection: The Queen joins Major Jason French as she gives her guard of honour a once over . Traditional: The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders provide the traditional welcome to the Queen at Balmoral . But disaster almost struck when the naughty pony rolled his top lip back as the Queen approached, although the monarch didn't appear too concerned. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is one of the UK's most famous regiments and began life in 1881 before going on to fight in every major conflict of the 20th century. Now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland along with the Black Watch, the Royal Scots Borderers, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Highlanders, the Shetland mascot tradition began in 1928 and continues despite the merger. The first to march with the regiment was Cruachan I, a jet black Shetland pony gelding, who joined with the title of 'Pony Major'. Moving in: The Queen spent last week elsewhere because Balmoral hadn't yet been closed to the public . Enjoying the day: The Queen was all smiles as she inspected the men and their Pony Major in lovely sunshine . Cheers: A crowd of well-wishers was waiting outside Balmoral to see the Queen and the troops . Last meeting: The Queen's favourite Cruachan III and Corporal Joe Walker meet the monarch in 2012 . Cuddle: Cruachan III and his companion Islay get a pat from the Queen during a visit to their barracks . Since then, the position has been held by another three black Shetland geldings, with Cruachan III, a pony especially adored by the Queen, retiring at the grand old age of 23 in 2012. During his tenure, he made regular visits to Balmoral and led the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Royal Regiment of Scotland, at events and parades, including the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. 'He’s done a lot of parades in his time and he was a real favourite of the Queen,' revealed handler Captain Dougie McDougall at the time of his retirement. 'If she was ever on holiday and knew Cruachan was around she would make sure he was there on the day that she arrived. She loves him to bits.' Retired: Cruachan III has now retired from ceremonial duties and spends his time munching grass in a field . Lifelong friends: Placid Cruachan III lives with his feistier companion, piebald Shetland pony Islay . Also popular: Cruachan II, the second pony to hold the title of Pony Major, also proved a favourite of the Queen's . But with Cruachan III now enjoying a peaceful retirement with his companion, a piebald Shetland named Islay, the Queen is getting to know his replacement - and certainly seemed to be enjoying the experience. Her Majesty is a long-standing fan of Shetland ponies, having begun her own riding career at the age of four on the back of another Shetland, Peggy. She is also a fan of another Scottish breed, the Highland pony, which she breeds from a stud attached to Balmoral. Well trained: Cruachan II welcomes the regiment home from Cyprus in Southampton in 1959 . Number one: The first Shetland pony mascot, Cruachan I, served with the regiment from 1928 to 1942 . | The Queen appeared delighted when she was reunited with Cruachan VI .
Shetland pony is the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland .
Tradition began in 1928 and each mascot has the title of 'Pony Major'
The Queen began her own riding career on a Shetland, her first pony Peggy .
Cruachan VI was helping to officially welcome Her Majesty to Balmoral . |
11,259 | 2007bd0b7b7ad08d8e4850afef7463962081ba19 | A young woman has documented the moment an annoying pothole in her street grew so large within an hour that she could climb into it. Taking local road maintenance into her own hands, trainee paramedic Krystal Chapman live-tweeted hilarious pictures of her body sinking into the tarmac hole outside her home in North Curl Curl, in Sydney’s northern beaches. Dressed in a coral top, blue trousers and sunglasses, Ms Chapman at first tentatively just stuck her ankles into the pothole. Scroll down for video . Trainee paramedic Krystal Chapman documented the moment an annoying pothole in her street grew . ‘Sink hole in north curl curl, pitt road!,’ she tweeted to her local newspaper the Manly Daily and her local council in Warringah. The collapsed part of the road was marked by three orange cones but Ms Chapman demanded immediate action from authorities. In her next photo on Twitter, Ms Chapman’s leg is submerged in the hole right up to her knee. ‘It's getting worse by the minute!,’ she joked. Ms Chapman tweeted hilarious pictures of her body sinking into the tarmac outside her home in North Curl Curl, in Sydney’s northern beaches . 'It's getting worse by the minute!,' she joked as her legs were submerged right up to her waist . Her whole legs, up to her waist, are stuck in the final shocking photo as she uses her hands to stop herself from falling further into the crevice. ‘I don't think council understand the extent of the rapidly worsening problem here!,’ she wrote on Twitter. When Warringah Council responded to her tweets asking where the pothole was, she told them: ‘@warringah was on pitt road in curl curl! Filled in overnight!’ ‘A water pipe broke under the road just outside the house,’ she explained while speaking to Manly Daily. | Trainee paramedic Krystal Chapman found the pothole outside her home .
She took a series of photos showing the gap getting worse .
Ms Chapman stuck her legs into the pothole to illustrate it getting worse .
Warringah council, in Sydney, fixed the hole within 24 hours . |
208,079 | 9962ce322aeaa11ff428484b5cd92ed1a9da58ad | Australia's heightened terror alert saw naval personnel returning for duties urged to 'look after your mates' and ordered not to wear their uniforms in public. HMAS Sydney has just returned to the Garden Island naval base in Sydney Harbour after taking part in Exercise Kakadu, which is Australia's biggest naval warfare training drill, and border protection duties. Those on board were under strict instruction to change into their civilian clothes ahead of leaving the dock with their loved ones. Colleagues from within the base were seen to be admonished by gate security earlier in the day, when they had apparently forgotten the edict. Before and after. HMAS Sydney crew walk down the gangplank during their homecoming at Garden Island in full uniform but (left) leave the naval base in civilian clothes (right) Welcome home dad! HMAS Sydney crew members are re-acquainted with family and friends on the ship's return to Garden Island. Able Seaman Candice Beech, into her third year serving and part of the vessel's Communications team, did confirm that, despite their 6 months away from home, all the crew was well aware of the recent counter-terrorism operations and measures in Australia. On the back of two reported incidents against members of the navy, one which has since been ruled out, an email was circulated yesterday by a high-ranking naval officer to commanders, advising them that 'all ADF personnel are instructed not to wear uniforms externally'. As for that order not to be walking the streets in uniform or fatigues, she said 'it doesn't faze us'. HMAS Sydney crew members have been away for six months, involved in border protection duties and war games during Exercise Kakadu . After the reunions, sailors were quick to change out of their uniforms, as directed by superiors, before leaving the naval base . 'Everyone is just happy to be home, we still feel safe here,' Able Seaman Beech told Daily Mail Australia. But there was also another very clear message from their superiors before docking at Garden Island. 'To be aware, not alert, just look out for your mates, keep an eye on everything, as we do always - we always keep an eye out,' she added. Crew member Able Seaman Candice Beech returned home to a warm welcome from her parents and nephew . HMAS Sydney crew were told 'to be aware, not alert, just look out for your mates, keep an eye on everything, as we do always - we always keep an eye out' The 'Sydney' is one of four guided missile frigates left in the Royal Australian Navy fleet, with 210 crew members under the guidance of Commander Karl Brinckmann. Candice's family, including parents Cathy and Larry, was on hand - banner and all - to welcome her back to dry land. 'We're really proud of her and she's proud to be in the navy, she'll keep safe, they all do,' said Mrs Beech. 'No I don't think it (not wearing the uniform) will be a problem, she likes to wear them but if it's going to be a problem, she won't.' Able Seaman Beech was happy to be home after serving in war games and border protection duties. 'It was really good, I mean you get used to it - first couple of weeks are hard,' she said. 'You miss family a lot but then you just get into your routine. Go to work, go to bed, work out.' Naval bases have been moved onto their highest alert level of 'Charlie' and tighter security measures have included updating of identification cards for naval personnel and civilian contractors. Strict security was in place as family and friends arrived at Garden Island to welcome home HMAS Sydney . Naval bases are all at the highest alert level of 'Charlie' and tighter security measures have included updating of identification cards for naval personnel and civilian contractors. Even those arriving at the HMAS Kuttabul base in Sydney's east were dressed in civilian clothes and not their defence gear. Defence chief Mark Binskin says 'I want people to be aware of of their situations and aware of their surroundings' Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, the ADF Commander, today insisted he would not be issuing a general alert for all ADF personnel to avoid wearing their uniforms and instead would leave that up to others. 'I want people to be aware of of their situations and aware of their surroundings,' he said. 'People are aware of it, commanders will make those decisions as to what is best for their people.' All sailors leaving HMAS Sydney today took to the streets wearing their civilian clothing . | Sailors from the returning HMAS Sydney are ordered not to walk the streets in uniform .
All left Sydney's Garden Island on Friday wearing civilian clothes .
Royal Australia Navy personnel were advised 'to be aware, look out for your mates and keep an eye on everything'
An mmail was sent from a senior navy official instructing commanders that all personnel were not to wear uniforms externally .
HMAS Sydney has returned from border protection duties and war games off Darwin, in Australia's far north . |
84,374 | ef5596ece4a9de118290ed5d3942befc8bf95540 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 24 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:40 EST, 24 September 2013 . Publisher Iain Dale today wrestled a protester to the ground as he tried to disrupt a TV interview with controversial spin doctor Damian McBride. The bizarre scene on the Brighton seafront saw Mr Dale grappling with anti-nuclear protester Stuart Holmes who regularly holds up placards during live TV broadcasts. Mr Dale later admitted he had 'gone nuclear' after pushing Holmes to the floor, with his pet dog looking on. Tumble: As publisher Iain Dale tries to protester Stuart Holmes getting into the back of the interviews, he ends up on the floor . Protest: Even after being pushed to the ground, Mr Holmes tried to get his message across . Dignified: Viewers had no idea what was going on, as Mr Dale made his move . Mr Dale's extraordinarily intervention came as Mr McBride was plugging his explosive memoirs Power Trip on ITV's Daybreak. Mr Holmes often appears in the background of TV broadcasts, holding up placards campaigning against nuclear power. As he tried to use the interest in the McBride book to further his cause this morning, he came up against Mr Dale, who runs BiteBack, the firm publishing Power Trip today. The barking of the protester's dog - which eagerly joined in the commotion - could be heard by TV viewers as the struggle continued. But the terrier - carrying placards reading 'No Nukes' on its back - failed to live up to the loyalty expected from dogs, jumping up and biting its owner on the rear. Tussle: The bizarre scene was being played out while Damian McBride was defending his explosive memoirs on live TV . Fight: Others piled in to help Mr Dale in his efforts to stop the broadcast being interrupted . Publicity: Protester Mr Holmes is a regular on the media circuit, hoping to see his banners caught on camera . During the interview Mr McBride defended his decision to release the book, lifting the lid on the culture of lies and smears in the last Labour government, during the Labour conference. He told Daybreak: 'Two separate things - why I decided to write the book is I wanted to tell my story about my time in politics and all the lessons that I learnt from it and, indeed, the lessons that both the Labour party and other parties can learn from the way that I got brought into the political system and the way that effectively started to operate in a way that was unacceptable. 'In terms of why I’m publishing it now, I was always going to write this book at some stage, I had more lucrative offers to publish it close to the general election when it would have caused more of a distraction and chose not to do that. I though the earlier I published it the better.' Referring to the incident with Mr Holmes, Mr Dale later wrote on Twitter: 'Oh dear, I seem to have gone nuclear... Mirror photographer tells me I did what the snappers have wanted to do for years!' Explosive: Damian McBride's memoirs Power Trip have rocked the Labour party conference in Brighton . Share what you think . The comments below have not been moderated. Stuart, . Edinburgh Scotland, United Kingdom, . 1 hour ago . Career protesters butting in on everything annoy the absolute heck out of everyone except the seasonal ones of course, even his dog wouldn't stop joining in on attacking him even when it's over, i've really never seen that in a dog before, it was probably grabbing it's own chance to protest at being dragged along to be involved in it's owners no doubt numerous arguments whilst being made to wear awkward uncomfortable signs (cruelty i'm afraid) like it's only purpose to him is to gain sympathy and be a walking slogan billboard. wonder if the owner fed it properly as it was only annoyed at him and not the angry guy attacking him which is really strange. dave, . Uk, . 4 hours ago . He needs charging for assault. It is disgusting him attacking and old man. Protesting isn't illegal . Billy Hamilton, . Belfastq, United Kingdom, . 10 hours ago . He should train his dog to go for the 'jewels'. Though Mr Dale is nothing less than expect from a Labour party employee / member. Disgusting. Billy Hamilton, . Belfastq, United Kingdom, . 10 hours ago . Labour do something right for British society?? Pull the other leg. They have been a cancer to Britain for the last 20 years plus. ( And I am only 25)...... Neil Waterhouse, . Basingstoke, . 11 hours ago . What right has he got to assault anyone? Where are the Police when this is plain and clear....ignoring Politicians crimes today, and hunting down celebs crimes in the 1960's. Ron, . Carlisle, United Kingdom, . 11 hours ago . There a bloody nusance these placard waving loons. Billy Hamilton, . Belfastq, United Kingdom, . 10 hours ago . Yea, people standing up for what is right, is a real nuance to society. Get out from under your 'Everything is OK' banner and open your eyes. You are deluded to say the least. simon, . farnham Surrey, . 11 hours ago . Ian Dale... LBC will be interesting tomorrow afternoon! Maybe a debate on: freedom of speech, freedom to protest, or public displays of aggression on Brighton sea front? Nosser, . Gosport, United Kingdom, . 11 hours ago . I would demand a Public Flogging,,,,,,,,,,, but Dale might rather enjoy that ! GaryEXPAT, . Bamberg Germany, . 11 hours ago . He should press charges, that is common assault. Supermom23, . Paradise, United States, . 11 hours ago . If he hurt my dogs he wouldn't be breathing . The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. | Anti-nuclear protester Stuart Holmes often holds up placards on live TV .
Tried to disrupt ex-spin doctor Damian McBride promoting memoirs .
Publisher Iain Dale ends up flat on his back during altercation .
Protestor bitten on the backside by his own dog during the scuffle . |
212,740 | 9f77665d2c020cdc59bef75fe59add46f36a6b79 | Washington (CNN) -- There's good news for drivers hitting the road this Memorial Day weekend: Gas prices are falling. Regular unleaded dropped to a national average of $3.71 per gallon this week, 23 cents below an April high of $3.94, according to the federal government. But will less pain at the pump undercut GOP attacks against President Obama? The answer is unclear. Earlier this year, there was rampant speculation that national gas prices could top $5 or even $6 per gallon. Republicans seized on the issue, sensing new political vulnerability for the president. "American families and small businesses are continuing to struggle, and one of their big struggles these days is the rising price of gas," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in February. "If the president's serious about working with (Republicans) to expand energy production in America and to deal with the rising oil prices, it's time for him to lay his cards on the table." In March, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney called on Obama to fire the heads of the Energy Department, the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, blaming them for earlier price spikes. Cardona: How to take long holiday from high gas prices . Republicans also bitterly criticized Obama's decision last winter to temporarily block an extension of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would stretch from Canada's tar sands to the Gulf of Mexico. GOP leaders call it a blown opportunity to create jobs and cut prices. Now, gas prices are trending down, but Republicans aren't yielding on the issue. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, spent Friday touring an offshore oil drilling platform in the Gulf, a not-too-subtle way of criticizing the administration's energy development policy. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is holding two hearings next week to keep up the drumbeat. One of the hearings, according to a committee news release, will "examine administration policies and regulations that hinder the production and use of oil, natural gas, and coal as energy sources." CNN on Friday asked Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, whether declining gas prices are blunting the GOP's political message. "We haven't stopped talking about it, because the need to solve the problem is still there," Stewart said. "This administration is hostile to domestic energy production. ... I don't think you'll find anyone out there who thinks that, even at $3.70 a gallon on average, that it's no longer something to work on." Top Democrats on Capitol Hill were skeptical of the GOP's ability to gain traction on the issue. "On gas prices, I would say ... that yes, (the GOP's) attempts to capitalize on gas prices have fizzled," said a senior Senate Democratic leadership aide who asked not to be identified. "But even before prices went down, I think the Republicans' attempts to exploit the issue was coming off as pure politics and thus not gaining much traction anyway." A CNN/ORC International survey from late March, when gas prices were still rising, showed serious public concern over the issue. Roughly one in five Americans called pump pain the most important issue facing the country; seven in 10 said higher gas prices had caused hardship for them. There were indications, however, that political fallout from rising gas prices was limited. The poll showed that most Americans blamed oil companies for the price increases, not the Obama administration. Congressional Republicans received almost as much blame as the White House, and foreign oil-producing countries got more blame than politicians of either party. "Republicans seemed to think they had a big weapon to use against Obama. Now, it's not so clear that they will," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Americans don't worry about gas prices as much as they worry about gas shortages. The energy crises of the 1970s that arguably had some effect on elections were really due to long lines and rationing. If those return for any reason, Obama would face a big problem. But if prices are high and gasoline is still easy to acquire, the public would probably not view that as a crisis." Oil industry experts argue that politicians, including the president, have a very limited ability to affect short term prices one way or the other. Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for the Maryland-based Oil Price Information Service, said the recent price drop is due primarily to investors misreading the global oil market earlier this year, less recent focus on the nuclear standoff with Iran and Europe's economic woes. Policy changes such as increased domestic drilling wouldn't affect prices "one way or the other" right now, Kloza said. Changes to automobile mileage standards or Gulf drilling permits could affect prices in about five to 10 years, he estimated. "Nobody can take credit (for the short-term changes), and nobody can take blame," he said. CNN's Ted Barrett contributed to this report. | Gas prices have dropped 23 cents per gallon since peaking in April .
It's unclear whether the drop will undermine GOP attacks against Obama's energy policy .
Industry experts say politicians deserve little credit or blame for short-term price changes . |
277,387 | f3621468dac093f7537b61267df2466b53be1cc7 | Jonathan Trott's return to the cricketing fold received a welcome endorsement yesterday, when he was named captain of the Lions team that will tour South Africa in the new year. Trott has not played for England since his shock return from Australia in the wake of the first Test in Brisbane last year suffering from what was eventually diagnosed as situation anxiety. But his rehabilitation, which faltered when he withdrew from county cricket soon after his return last season, has now reached the point where he is one step away from a full England recall. Jonathan Trott is expected to be named in an England Lions squad to tour South Africa in January . Trott has been named Lions captain following a series of impressive displayed for Warwickshire . First-class squad to face South Africa A . Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jack Brooks (Yorkshire), Alex Lees (Yorkshire), Adam Lyth (Yorkshire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Adam Riley (Kent), Sam Robson (Middlesex), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), James Vince (Hampshire). Jason Roy (Surrey), Stephen Parry (Lancashire) and Samit Patel (Notts) will replace Trott, Robson and Riley in the 50-over squad to face South Africa A . Yet James Whitaker, England’s national selector, urged caution while welcoming the development. ‘It’s exceptional news,’ said Whitaker at Lord’s yesterday. ‘I have spoken to Trotty regularly and the improvement in his state of mind and readiness to get back involved in cricket has been huge for him. ‘He can take great credit for that. ‘Let’s work with him to get the best opportunities for him. 'If it means he’s simply a county cricketer in the future then that’s still fantastic but we’ve given him a step-staged return and he will be going into an environment which is slightly higher than county cricket. The players travelling to South Africa with Trott and their schedule for the January-February tour . Since returning to action with Warwickshire, Trott has scored 1,156 runs and earned a new three-year deal . Trott walks off the field after being dismissed in the first Ashes Test against Australia in November 2013 . (First-class matches only) Matches: 9 Innings: 14 Runs: 628 . Highest Score: 164 Average: 44.85 . Hundreds: 3 Fifties: 1 . ‘He’s going to captain the Lions and has already made good contributions in the Performance Programme. 'Who knows what will happen in the future? 'We’ll take one step at a time and the great thing is Trott is back playing and enjoying cricket again.’ Trott sits down during a Warwickshire nets session during his successful domestic season . November 25, 2013: The ECB announces Trott has left the Ashes tour of Australia with a stress-related illness. March 6, 2014: After a lengthy absence, including missing Warwickshire’s pre-season tour of Barbados, Trott confirms he will return in the pre-season match the following month against Gloucestershire. March 14, 2014: Speaks publicly for the first time and denies he was suffering from depression. Trott stated he was ‘burnt out’ following the first Ashes Test. The comments attracts the ire of former captain Michael Vaughan, who says that he feels ‘conned’ by Trott’s version of events. April 1, 2014: Can only muster four runs off 19 balls in his comeback innings at Edgbaston against Gloucestershire. April 8, 2014: Makes eight from 22 balls against Oxford MCCU in a friendly as he struggles for form. Trott also plays in the opening LV= County Championship match against Sussex, scoring 37 and 26. April 18, 2014: Steps away from cricket for a second time due to a recurrence of stress-related illness. May 16, 2014: Returns to training with Warwickshire. June 19, 2014: Makes his comeback in the Birmingham Bears’ NatWest T20 Blast win against Northamptonshire, where he makes one off seven balls. June 29, 2014: Returns to championship action at home to Nottinghamshire and contributes 23 and 19 in the Bears’ three-wicket win. July 23, 2014: Follows up his first 50 of the season against Durham at Chester-le-Street by cracking first ton with 106 against Sussex at Horsham. July 31, 2014: Scores another century in Royal London One-Day Cup match against Durham at Gosforth. September 20, 2014: Registers two off 15 balls in loss to Durham in the Royal London One-Day Cup final at Lord’s. Trott still finishes as the second highest run-scorer in the tournament with 488 in 10 innings at an average of more than 50. He ends the season having scored 1,156 runs across all three formats. October 23, 2014: Signs a new three-year deal with Warwickshire. October 28, 2014: Called up by England Lions to play in the four-day matches in South Africa. December 20, 2014: Named England Lions captain for tour to South Africa as he continues recovery from stress-related illness. | Jonathan Trott named England Lions captain for South Africa tour .
The 33-year-old batsman has not represented England since coming home from last winter's disastrous Ashes tour with a stress-related illness .
Sam Robson and Gary Ballance also in England Lions party .
Seven Yorkshiremen have been rewarded with Lions squad places . |
257,082 | d8bf12e2cc7bcc6ddc0ef2c98739d034bcf72b02 | The mother of a teenage tennis star who was left with blood streaming down her face after being hit by her father for losing a match has launched an astonishing defence of her husband. Umpires called the police after Ioana Andrada Surdeanu, a 16-year-old Romanian junior player, was injured by her father Lucian, who is also her coach, when she crashed out of a girls' tournament in Israel. Miss Surdeanu, who had reached the quarter final of the International Tennis Federation Tournament, screamed when her father hit her as 'punishment' for losing against the favourite to win the competition, witnesses said. Ioana Andrada Surdeanu (left), a 16-year-old tennis star, was hit in the face by her father (right) after she lost a match . Umpires called the police after Ioana Andrada Surdeanu, a Romanian junior player, was slapped by her father . Amazingly Alina Surdeanu said her husband Lucian had been treated like a 'common criminal' adding that the incident was regrettable but he had never hit the teen before . Both Alina and her husband Lucian complained about his treatment by Israeli investigators. Her daughter Ioana has also defended her father . But instead of defending her daughter, Alina Surdeanu sided with her 47-year-old husband and complained about his treatment by Israeli police investigating the incident. 'It was regrettable that he lost his temper,' she said. 'He has never hit her before, this is the first time. There were arguments before because they're both very temperamental. Using her daughter's middle name she added: 'Andrada wants to succeed very much, and when her game is bad, she gets angry.' Bemoaning Lucian's arrest, she said he had been 'handcuffed on both his hands and ankles and led away like a common criminal in front of everyone.' After being told his daughter had a broken nose she said he 'was worried for her' and had wanted to see his daughter, only to be refused his request by investigators. 'He pleaded guilty,' she said. 'He was in tears over his thoughtless gesture, but despite his clear remorse they did not give in. In fact, the police extended the investigation without any reason. 'He was not allowed to phone.' 'Each day he was moved to a different cell, with other prisoners. He did not even see daylight until a week later.' She added that she had only found out the full story on her husband's return to Romania. As for Ioana, she said her daughter was feeling 'guilty' about the incident and that her husband had sacrificed his military career so he could coach his daughter when she was five-years-old. 'He went with her to tournaments and took care of the financial side,' she said. 'Nobody helps us, the parent's of players are the ones who invest in tennis in Romania.' Alina's views were echoed by her daughter, who said it was normal for him to 'punish' her after matches, usually by taking her phone. The fledgling tennis star said: 'I didn't play well in that match. At the end, he went to confiscate my phone. That's the way he punishes me when it is my fault and I don't win matches. I was annoyed and I threw the phone at him and said "take it". 'Of course he didn't catch it, and he got angry because of the way I've behaved. He pushed me and slapped me twice. One of the slaps hit my nose. 'I sat down on my knees, and I put my hands on my face so he would not be able to hit me again. I had a little blood, I was scared and shaking. 'He gave me a wet towel and said that I should go to the tournament's doctor. When I came back, he was already kicked out from the tennis court and they told me he had been sent to the hotel.' 'By the time I got to the hotel, they had already arrested him. The umpires took me to the police station. On our way, we stopped near a police car. It had bars on the back seat and when I looked inside I saw my dad.' Miss Surdeanu, who had reached the quarter final of the International Tennis Federation Tournament, screamed when her father, Lucian, hit her . Miss Surdeanu defended her father, saying she 'deserved' to be punished after her defeat . Mr Surdeanu was given a £237 fine for hitting his daughter and has reportedly returned home . Despite needing treatment from a doctor to stem the blood pouring from her nose, Miss Surdeanu, ranked 249th in the world, tearfully defended her father. 'At the police station they didn't let me see him, like he was dangerous and I had to stay away from him. 'My father is not a beast, he didn't break my nose, I didn't have my face covered in blood. It's true, he slapped me. But so what? I deserved it. 'It was my fault because I've yelled and said some bad words to him. I was irresponsible after all the sacrifices he made for me. I admit that I was scared in that moment he hit me, but I know he regrets what he did and he loves me as much as I love him. 'He maybe exaggerated a little, but he didn't deserve to be arrested. I'm worried for him. I want to continue this journey in tennis with the support of the whole family. 'When I read that he is described as a "criminal" and a "beast", I feel like I want to scream. I feel guilty for what is happening.' Mr Surdeanu was given a £237 fine and has reportedly returned home to Romania. Showing little remorse for the incident he claimed that his time in an Israeli jail had left him with skin disease and lice. 'For me, Israel no longer exists on the map,' he said, adding that he would never return to the country. Tough: Richard Williams, father of Serena and Venus, brought them up in Compton, California, to give them a 'fighter's mentality' 1) Richard Williams, father of Serena and Venus, admitted that he brought up his daughters in the notorious neighbourhood of Compton, California, to give them 'a fighter's mentality'. He took them to the courts when they were just four years old, later realising that he should have waited until they were at least six. He says the motto he drilled into them from an early age was: ‘You got to be rough, you’ve got to be tough and you’ve got to be strong.' 2) John Tomic, the father and coach of Bernard Tomic, headbutted his son's hitting partner, breaking the player's nose after a row on a training court in Madrid. Despite this, he said: 'I don't feel guilty, I didn't do anything wrong.' 3) Damir Dokic, father of Jelena Dokic, bizarrely threatened to assassinate the Australian ambassador to Serbia and was ejected from Wimbledon in 2000 for breaking a journalist's camera. The father of the tennis star also hit the headlines after saying he would kill himself if his daughter was a lesbian. 4) Jim Pierce, father of retired player Mary Pierce, shouted at her daughter to 'kill the b****' during a tournament. In 1993, Ms Pierce obtained a restraining order from her father, who had verbally abused her. His outbursts were so bad that he was eventually banned from Women's Tennis Association matches. 5) Croatian player Mirjana Lucic said she left her home with her mother and four siblings to escape her abusive father Marinko. He told the Telegraph: 'I never used excessive force, and if I did give her the occasional slap, it was because of her behaviour; I did what I believed what was best for the child.' Damir Dokic, father of Jelena Dokic, was banned from Wimbledon after breaking a journalist's camera . | Tennis star Ioana Andrada Surdeanu, 16, was slapped by her father .
Her father, who is also her coach, hit her twice because she lost a match .
Miss Surdeanu, from Romania, was left with blood streaming down her face .
Umpires called the police who arrested her father at the tennis court .
Amazingly her mother defended him saying it was the first time he hit her .
The teen also said she 'deserved' her punishment .
Mr Surdeanu was fined £237 and has returned to Romania . |
279,789 | f670c833d6a1a5a4ad8f8564032b621e00511659 | Claim: Denise Lindsay has gone to the court to find out if the word 'golliwog' is 'inherently discriminatory' A black chef claims that her white boss racially harassed her when he mentioned the word ‘golliwog’ during a conversation about the famous Robertson’s jam labels. Lawyers for Denise Lindsay, 45, claim that the word is ‘inherently discriminatory’ and has ‘racial overtones’ and should not have been used in front of their client. But her boss Mark McAleese claims that he was talking about the jam label changing and has apologised to her and said that he had no desire to ‘violate her dignity’. Her lawyers are battling to convince three top judges that the word is inherently offensive to black people and almost always discriminatory - no matter in what context it is used. Her barrister, Daniel Matovu, told the court: ‘White people don’t get called golliwogs. The word is an overtly racial comment. [The word] golliwog cannot be interpreted in any other way. ‘What the authorities make clear is that, when something is inherently discriminatory and clearly has racial overtones, there is no further debate.’ British jam manufacturers Robertson’s started using the Golly character, dressed in a yellow waistcoat and bow tie, on its jars from 1910. In the late-1920s, the company started producing popular badges featuring the character, including a golfing, cricketer and footballer version. The items became collectables. However, the cartoon disappeared from labels in 2002 after decades of controversy and jars of marmalade now feature Paddington Bear. The company has always insisted that the Golly character was withdrawn for commercial reasons rather than a reaction to the controversy surrounding the figure. Chef Denise Lindsay is suing her boss for racial harassment after he used the word 'golliwog' in a conversation about the removal of the controversial character from labels of Robertson's jam . Jars of Robertson's marmalade now feature the far less controversial Paddington Bear . Miss Lindsay was working as an assistant chef manager at the LSE’s Bloomsbury student halls in February 2009 when the comment was made by chef manager Mr McAleese. He used the word while discussing ‘the change to the label of Robertson’s jam’, the court heard. But Miss Lindsay, of Clapham, south west London, was upset and an employment tribunal later found that what Mr McAleese said amounted to ‘an isolated act of harassment’. He apologised and said that he had not uttered the word for the ‘purpose of violating her dignity’. The tribunal ruled: ‘We have concluded that, for a white manager to use the words “golliwog” and “golliwog jam” in the course of a conversation with a black Afro-Caribbean colleague is unwanted conduct.’ However, Miss Lindsay’s harassment claim was dismissed after the tribunal said it had been brought too late. Denise Lindsay's complaint relates to her time working at a London School Of Economics hall of residence in Bloomsbury . Whether that decision was justified is one of the central issues now being considered by the Appeal Court judges. Miss Lindsay’s other complaints of race discrimination were dismissed by the tribunal and, although she still has an active victimisation claim, she is asking the court to reconsider the issue. Her barrister Mr Matovu argued that the tribunal was plainly wrong to dismiss the golliwog complaint purely on grounds of delay. However, the LSE’s barrister, Shaen Catherwood, insisted that Mr McAleese’s use of the controverisal word - spoken quietly and quickly - did not come anywhere close to racial harassment. ‘I say it is unsatisfactory that somebody should be labelled with a finding of harassment on racial grounds when the actual context in which the word was used was innocent and inoffensive,’ he told the court. Lord Justice Moore-Bick, Lord Justice Floyd and Lord Justice Christopher Clarke reserved their decision on the case until a later date. | Denise Lindsay worked at university hall of residence in London .
Her boss Mark McAleese was discussing removal of character from jars .
Robertson's used the controversial character on labels until 2001 . |
109,543 | 19327254f6a2b16f2340ce5e58427911b505ed92 | (CNN) -- It's early in the morning of a grand prix weekend, but Formula One's kitchens are already sizzling with activity. Inside Red Bull Racing's roof-top kitchen, four chefs are chopping, stirring and flipping spitting pans in perfect unison. "I'm normally at the track between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. on the busiest days of the race weekend," the team's executive chef Sandro Gamsjager tells CNN as he peers out from the steam. At Williams headquarters, the UK team's chefs are taking a breather after serving up their popular English breakfast. A traditional fry-up of bacon, eggs and all the trimmings is dished out to the ravenous British media before every Friday practice session. Motorsport's extensive traveling circus is not likely to go hungry in Hungary, which hosts round 11 of the championship on Sunday. "In a race weekend we go through more than 500 eggs, 15 kilos of butter and 10 liters of olive oil," chef Adam Dixon tells CNN as he does the maths. F1 races on its stomach but, like most things in the elite division, fueling the sport is complicated. The chefs are spinning plates as they cater for three tiers of hungry mouths -- the race drivers, the teams and VIP guests. "There are different levels of food service: the drivers; downstairs is the buffet for the team; and on the first floor it's like a really high quality, a la carte restaurant." adds Gamsjager, who also oversees the menu for Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso. First to be fed are the drivers, who as toned athletes munch on a more carefully controlled menu. "Like everyone they have a diet of protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats," Carlos Corell, the physio for Sauber reserve Giedo Van Der Garde, tells CNN. "The only difference is the proportion of each they need compared to someone who sits at a desk all day. "The races are mentally and physically demanding so they do need more carbohydrates, for example. "Each driver's physique, the track and weather all make a difference to the number of calories burned during a race but at the 2013 British Grand Prix, for example, Giedo burned 1,175 calories." Drivers' dietary needs . Like so much in F1, timing is everything. "The only important thing for the drivers' food is that it is on time," says Gamsjager, who prepares the food for Red Bull's four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. "They have a strict plan which we get in the middle of the week. Normally they eat one and a half hours before they get in the car. "They eat the same thing every week -- it's basically chicken, vegetables and pasta. Sebastian and Daniel might eat red meat on Sunday after the race." Dixon, who cooks up Williams driver Felipe Massa's meals, reveals: "Felipe is very set. On Friday he'll have chicken salad with tomato and maybe a little mozzarella after first practice. "Maybe he'll have some pasta with fresh tomato sauce after second practice. Interactive: Take a trip around the Hungaroring . "He has the same on Saturday and then on Sunday a little bit of pasta, tomatoes, olive oil and Parmesan before the race. He eats very lightly when he's driving but he eats when he feels it's right." Across the other side of the Williams kitchen, chef Jon Smee is spicing up the menu for Valtteri Bottas. "He has the same thing every day, which is wild rice with vegetables and tuna -- but he likes it spicy," Smee reveals. "He also has a side salad with a chilli vinaigrette. "Valtteri has cut down on the flapjack this year -- he's not eating it now because he's trying to keep slim." Perhaps the Finn's chilli diet and decision to cut out cakes has helped him climb onto the podium twice this season for a resurgent Williams team -- but not all drivers are so conscientious. "I had one whose diet was penne arrabiata and a Mars bar every day," laughs Dixon. Lean machine . It's not just F1's drivers who are chowing down on healthy food. In an intensely competitive sport, each team looks to gain a competitive advantage any way they can, and that means its staff must be leaner. Pit crews who are now capable of changing tires in under three seconds rely on exercise regimes and carefully managed diets. "I've been doing this for 16 or 17 years and when I first started everyone was out to have a good time," Dixon explains. "Now there's a real push to be physically fitter and to base food around healthy eating. It's noticeable up and down the paddock. "We're looking at leaner cuts of meat and fish, we're not serving fried food and the vegetables are steamed." Serving up healthy grub is only one prerequisite for F1's chefs -- quantity is just as important as quality. "We make 2,000-2,500 meals from Wednesday to Sunday," Gamsjager calculates. "The ingredient we use the most? Well, we do eat a lot of pasta." Team staff tend to chow down on the ground floor of the motor homes -- or if the car needs an MOT, a takeaway sandwich satiates rumbling tummies. The top table . On the upper tier of the plush motor homes of the Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Williams teams, F1's top tables are reserved for VIP guests, including local dignitaries, celebrities, business partners and sponsors. This is a chance for the paddock chefs to demonstrate their culinary prowess. The menus tantalize the tastebuds with beef cheeks and shallot and horse radish confit, crab cakes with sauce vierge and frozen coffee parfait. "This is my little baby here," says Gamsjager, proudly surveying his bijou Red Bull restaurant at the top of the motor home. "To do a little bit of fine dining, I love this, I need this. "I love to do variations, to make old things a bit newer," adds the Austrian, who has won awards in his homeland for his cooking capabilities. The only problem with fine dining across 19 countries is that sometimes it's hard to find exactly the right ingredients. "If you go to Hungary and try to find micro herbs, it becomes a bit more difficult," explains Dixon with a smile. Gamsjager agrees, citing India as a hard place to get healthy food. "They have different thinking about those things, but all the other countries have very good products," he says. "For the overseas races, I always start two or three months before, and I send them an order list for the main things -- dairy, cheese and things like this -- and then when we arrive I drive around searching for where I can get fresh meat and fish, and I buy them by myself." Michelin man . With such complex catering demands, it's no wonder that F1's kitchens are filled to the brim with highly-trained chefs -- Mercedes even has a former UK Masterchef contestant among its ranks. The chefs insist there is no rivalry bubbling away between them -- though most also say they serve the best food. But arguably at the top of the table is a team which boasts a chef with two Michelin stars. Perhaps fittingly, the restaurant rating system was created by a company that was one of F1's tire suppliers until the end of 2006. Michael Caines, who earned his prestigious stars at Gidleigh Park in Devon, has been working in partnership with the Williams team since 2011. But are Massa and Bottas served up Michelin-star-quality food on the road? "Michelin stars credit the quality of the food and the work you do but we can't pretend we're bringing that to a pop-up restaurant -- and ultimately that's what (the Williams motor home) is," Caines, a lifelong F1 fan, tells CNN. "What we do try to do is to bring inspirational cooking to F1 with the quality of flavor, service, the ingredients and presentation." All the chefs agree, however, that the most important ingredient when it comes to fueling F1's global circuit is a taste of home. "We try to make everybody feel at home," says Gamsjager. "When I see the car running and then the team come in and have good food, I think it helps." Dixon agrees: "When you spend a lot of your time away from home traveling, the team really look to us to provide home-cooked food. "There is something special about this job. You're not just a chef." | F1's hungry mouths are fed by skilled chefs who serve up to 2,500 meals per race .
Chefs must make sure the drivers' food is ready on time after each track session .
There is a push for teams to eat more healthy food while VIP guests pick from a la carte menu .
Williams team's menu made by Michael Caines, a British chef with two Michelin stars . |
120,978 | 285d06e8b9593c65e4dccb19142fb66c84eb6107 | Justice Department and FBI representatives have had a front-row seat to the St. Louis County investigation into the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. They've participated on witness interviews and got full access to grand jury testimony and evidence. But in the coming weeks, when local authorities announce the results of the investigation and a decision by the grand jury on possible charges against the police officer who killed him, don't expect federal authorities to be standing next to county prosecutor Robert McCulloch. McCulloch has pushed for the federal officials to coordinate the completion of the separate federal civil rights investigation and to make a joint announcement, according to federal and local officials briefed on the discussions. Local officials believe a united front would help reduce the potential for violence on the streets if the grand jury declines to bring charges against officer Darren Wilson. Justice officials have rejected the idea, in part because they believe a joint announcement would undermine their argument that the federal investigation is independent. 5 crucial things about the grand jury investigation . State and federal investigations are focused on separate legal statutes, federal officials say. A Justice official says that the department "has informed the locals that the [federal] investigation will conclude when it's ready not on an artificial timetable." If, as is widely expected, the St Louis County grand jury declines to bring charges, the Justice Department could announce it will review the state investigation to ensure it was done properly, according to the officials briefed on the matter. Rising tensions between officials . Local officials bristle that the federal government could do another review. That's because the Justice Department and the FBI have sat through almost every interview, or have had access to transcripts from those interviews, according to government officials. The tussle has heightened an already tense situation in discussions among local, state and federal officials. All are concerned about possible violence in the wake of the grand jury's decision. No one wants the blame. The manner in which the local prosecutor has presented the case is somewhat unusual for St. Louis County. Ferguson on edge as doubts raised over Darren Wilson indictment . Usually grand jury proceedings involve a couple of witnesses, but, in this case, there have been many more. And the prosecutor is presenting all evidence to the grand jury, including information that supports the account of Wilson. That's also unusual. There is some cooperation between the federal and local investigators. The FBI performed some of the forensic tests that the state is using in its case. Trying to heal a community-police rift . But as the investigation into the shooting has continued, federal and state officials, along with members of the Missouri congressional delegation, have been working on proposals to try speed reforms to improve a poor relationship between the Ferguson police and the mostly African-American community it is supposed to protect. Among the those efforts is a plan in the works under which Thomas Jackson would step down as Ferguson police chief to make way for the St. Louis County Police Department to assume management of the smaller force, according to government officials briefed on the discussions. CNN's report on those plans prompted pushback from city officials who already weren't pleased by state and federal officials push for rapid changes. On Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder said in remarks at the Washington Ideas Forum: "I think it's pretty clear that the need for wholesale change in that department is appropriate." Last month, the Justice Department publicly released a letter it sent to the Ferguson Police to prohibit city officers from wearing on-the-job wristbands with the words "I am Darren Wilson." Justice Department officials have also expressed anger at leaks that they blame on local authorities trying to manage the public perception of the case. Another point of contention could come at the end of the grand jury process, when local officials want to immediately release all evidence that was part of their investigation. If federal officials are still conducting their investigation, they may oppose the release of sensitive information. Complete coverage of Ferguson shooting and protests . | Local officials want a united front when a grand jury decision is announced .
Justice Department officials have rejected the idea; they want to appear independent .
Officials fear being blamed if violence erupts after the decision is announced .
A grand jury is deciding whether to bring Officer Darren Wilson to trial in Michael Brown's death . |
60,834 | acdeebbaea63e75ffeba744b2efae4a37d2f01f3 | San Diego, California (CNN) -- Sometimes, a film is so powerful that it haunts you long after you've left the theater. Usually, it's because of the weight of the message. The film haunting me is "The Blind Side." And the message? I'll leave that to Leigh Anne Tuohy to explain. Tuohy and her husband, Sean, are the subjects of the new movie, "The Blind Side." The film is an adaptation of the 2006 book, "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" by Michael Lewis. It tells the incredible story of Michael Oher, who went from being a homeless inner-city high school student whose father was dead and whose mother was a crack addict to a star lineman at the University of Mississippi -- eventually being selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 NFL draft. The Ravens recently signed the 6-5, 309-pound Oher to a 5-year, $13.8 million contract. This American Dream is brought to us not just by Oher's talent, perseverance, and hard work but also by the fact that he was adopted by the Tuohys. The white, wealthy Memphis family not only fed and clothed Michael but also loved him as one of their own along with daughter Collins and son Sean Jr. The "Blind Side" is the No. 2 film in America, and the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy is played to perfection by Sandra Bullock. Still, some critics dismissed the film as hokey and condescending, with one calling it the latest chapter in Hollywood's "long, troubled history of well-meaning white paternalism, with poor black athletes finding success through white charity." They missed the point. Simply put, there's a lot that any one of us can do to improve the life of our fellow man. And the fact that we do it is its own reward. "He had a much greater impact on our lives than we did on his life," Leigh Anne said in a recent interview. "You have this child, and you bring him in, and you realize how fortunate you are, how you're blessed to have family, you're blessed to have your health. So much in life you take for granted." There's the message: So much in life you take for granted. We've forgotten how lucky we are, because we're busy cursing fate. We've stopped being grateful for what we have, because we somehow find it more satisfying to complain about what we don't. Until we meet someone who has much less than we do. So much in life you take for granted. As Americans, we've become victims of our own success. We've strayed so far from the example of our immigrant parents and grandparents that we bear no resemblance to that model. Weighed down by own bloated sense of entitlement and self-importance, we've lost our appetite for competition and we prefer to talk instead about what we think we "deserve." At the first sign of adversity, we play the victim, give up, or fall apart. With all the blessings that come with living in the world's most remarkable country, still we complain. We retreat. We whine. Here in the Golden State, thousands of students at the University of California turned out to protest a 32 percent fee increase. I wrote a column, expressing disappointment that these "brats" consider a publicized subsidized college education an entitlement and telling them to go get jobs if their education is that important to them. I heard back from many of their parents who, angrily rising to their children's defense, informed me -- in incompatible narratives -- that either there were no jobs or their kids already had two of them. How about that? Bratty parents. Apparently, in California, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. After a few days of that noise, I was ready for a movie where, in one of the more poignant scenes, a young man is given his own bedroom and remarks that he's "never had one before." Not a room but a bed. In another scene, Michael is so grateful to be at Thanksgiving dinner that he respectfully sits at the dining room table while the rest of the family plops down in front of the television. In another scene, he requests a driver's license just so he can have something with his name on it. So much in life we take for granted. I saw the movie in a well-to-do suburb north of San Diego. The crowd cheered, laughed, and cried. When it was over, there were smiles all around. I wondered: For all we've acquired, what have we lost -- and look to movies like this to replenish? The scene about the bed made me want to run home and gather up every one of my kids' toys and give them to Goodwill. And, I tell you, the next time they ask for something they don't need, they're getting a paper route. Or at least they would if they weren't a preschooler and a toddler. In one scene, Leigh Anne interrupts football practice to give Michael a helpful tip for a lineman -- treat the team like your family and protect the family. She tells the startled football coach: "You can thank me later." Treat yourself to a nice present this holiday season. See this movie. You can thank me later. The opinions expressed by this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. | A new film, "The Blind Side," tells inspirational story of hope and caring, says Ruben Navarrette Jr.
He says film points up how fortunate most Americans are .
Rather than appreciate their luck, many wallow in complaints about obstacles, he says .
Navarrette: There's so much in life that we take for granted . |
98,094 | 0a4bfde3b4e8d552314677f4df976b7ff6aeeb01 | By . Claudia Joseph . PUBLISHED: . 20:06 EST, 26 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:06 EST, 26 May 2012 . It was a very public death. In the grey light of dawn, the body of a man was found hanging from scaffolding underneath Blackfriars Bridge in Central London, his feet dangling in the water. He was wearing an expensive Italian suit and his pockets were weighted with bricks and stuffed with cash. Family moment: Italian financier Roberto Calvi (right) and his son Carlo in a picture taken by Carlo's sister Anna in 1982, the year Roberto was found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge in London . Initially police believed that Italian financier Roberto Calvi, known as ‘God’s banker’ because of his close financial ties with the Vatican, had committed suicide. But the dead man’s son, Carlo Calvi, commissioned an independent forensic report, which concluded in October 2002 that he had been murdered. In 2005, Italian prosecutors brought murder charges against five suspects but all were acquitted after the subsequent trial in Rome. Now, 30 years after his father was found dead, Carlo remains convinced that he was murdered and wants police to reopen the case. Carlo believes that up to a dozen men from the Italian underworld were involved in the murder – and claims many are still at large in London. ‘A long time has passed since my father’s murder on June 18, 1982,’ he said. ‘It is not unrealistic to believe that there are individuals involved in his death still alive. I want the City of London Police to pursue these individuals and put them where they belong. It is a matter of public interest. These people are still operating in London. We should all know who they are and what they are doing.’ 'Crime scene': The jury at the second inquest in 1983 visit the spot where Calvi was found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge . Carlo, aged 58 and himself a former banker, has dedicated his life to seeking justice for his father, who was the chairman of Italy’s second-largest bank, Banco Ambrosiano. The bank subsequently collapsed with debts of half a billion pounds amid dark rumours of laundered Mafia drug money, a link with the clandestine ‘P2’ Masonic lodge and secret political slush funds. Now living in Montreal, Canada, Carlo spends his time travelling between his home and London, New York and Milan – sifting through evidence, meeting secretive contacts willing to talk about Italian organised crime and poring over the transcripts of Mafia trials. His obsession with finding the men involved in his father’s murder has come at a price – both financial and personal. He has spent £15 million on fees for lawyers, private detectives and other experts in an attempt to identify the guilty. And his marriage to Marie Josee, mother of his two sons, Roberto, 18, and Nicola, 16, broke up in 2000. He has also not seen his sister Anna, 55, a lecturer at Warwick University, since their mother’s death from Parkinson’s disease in 2006. ‘There’s no doubt I have fixated on the case,’ he said. ‘I’m sure that played a part in my divorce and it has affected my relationship with my sister. She doesn’t necessarily agree with the things I have done.’ Call to re-open case: Carlo believes up to a dozen men from the Italian underworld were involved in the murder of his father (pictured) and claims many are still at large in London . Carlo was a 28-year-old post-graduate student at Washington’s Georgetown University when he recieved the telephone call that would change his life. His mother Clara, then 60, and sister Anna, 25, were staying with him in Washington, having been warned by his father that their lives were in danger. ‘My mother had been living with me in America for about six weeks because my father feared for her safety,’ he recalled. ‘My sister arrived the day before he died. We were awoken by the telephone in the middle of the night when my uncle Luciano, my mother’s brother, called from Bologna to say that he had heard the news on the radio. ‘He spoke to my mother who had a complete breakdown. She was devastated. We had to call a doctor. I remember telling my uncle that he could have been more careful with his words. I think he was a little too direct.’ Within hours the family had been escorted by American police to a secret apartment in the Watergate complex, famous for the break-in that brought about the fall of President Richard Nixon. They spent the next few weeks under police guard before returning to Carlo’s home. ‘My mother never recovered from my father’s death,’ said Carlo. ‘She and my father had always dreamed of living near Lake Como. They were very close and she remained very attached to her dreams. ‘The following year, she suffered the first symptoms of Parkinson’s. I don’t think she got it as a direct result of my father’s murder – but surely it doesn’t help if you have lived through such a shock?’ Carlo’s quest for the truth began a month after his father’s death when a London inquest recorded a verdict of suicide. It was hardly a likely explanation. Six days before his death, Calvi had shaved off his moustache and skipped bail in Italy pending an appeal against a four-year suspended prison sentence for illegally transferring £18 million out of the country. Fearing for his life, the 62-year-old banker chartered a private plane and fled to Britain on a false passport with Sardinian business tycoon Silvano Vittor, a long-term associate who assumed the role of bodyguard. He was taken to a safe house in Chelsea Cloisters, West London – believed to have been organised by another Sardinian businessman, Flavio Carboni. Calvi had already written to Pope John Paul II warning him of the imminent collapse of Banco Ambrosiano, saying that it would ‘provoke a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions in which the Church will suffer the gravest damage’. Roberto Calvi (back left), known as 'God's banker' because of close ties to the Vatican, with other top Italian financiers who appeared in court in 1981 charged with illegal export of funds abroad . Calvi also had close links to the Mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra – a Mafia-like criminal organisation based in Naples – and the Masonic lodge P2. The latter was described by Calvi’s former Banco Ambrosiano mentor, Sicilian Michele Sindona, as a ‘state within a state’ because of its powerful members, including former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Carlo refused to accept the 1982 inquest’s suicide verdict. He hired one of Britain’s best-known barristers, George Carman QC, to represent the family at a second hearing, which recorded an open verdict. Still not satisfied, he demanded that his father’s body was exhumed. Carlo then commissioned the independent forensic report, which concluded in October 2002 that his father had been murdered as the injuries to his neck were inconsistent with hanging, there was no trace of rust and paint on his shoes from the scaffolding and he had not touched the bricks in his pockets. In 2005, Vittor and Carboni were accused of killing Calvi. But the duo and three others – Mafia financier Pippo Calò, businessman Ernesto Diotallevi and Carboni’s girlfriend Manuela Kleinszig – were acquitted 20 months later. Another name linked to Calvi’s murder was Mafia ‘supergrass’ Francesco Di Carlo, known as ‘Frankie the Strangler’. Determined: Carlo Calvi (pictured) has dedicated his life to seeking justice for his father . According to Di Carlo, the killers were Vincenzo Casillo and Sergio Vaccari of the Naples Camorra. ‘Calvi was naming names,’ said Di Carlo. ‘No one had any trust in him any more. He owed a lot of money. His friends had all distanced themselves. Everyone wanted to get rid of him. I was in Rome and received a phone call from a friend in Sicily telling me that a certain high- ranking Mafia member had just been killed. ‘I will never forget the date because of this: it was June 16, 1982 – two days before Calvi was murdered. The friend told me that Pippo Calò was trying to get hold of me because he needed me to do something for him,’ Di Carlo claims. ‘When I finally spoke to Pippo, he told me not to worry, that the problem had been taken care of. ‘That’s a code we use in the Cosa Nostra. We never talk about killing someone. We say they have been taken care of.’ Carlo Calvi believes that the supergrass is telling the truth. He agrees with Di Carlo that his father’s killers were Casillo – the second-in-command of the Camorra, who was murdered by a car bomb in Rome in 1983 – and his sidekick Vaccari, who was stabbed to death three months after Calvi’s murder. Vaccari was also a former tenant of Calvi’s last known home, the rented flat at Chelsea Cloisters. Carlo points out that both his father and Casillo had business cards belonging to Alvaro Giardili, a Camorra associate, in their possession when they died. ‘I’m not suggesting Alvaro Giardili was involved, but he definitely connects to some of the individuals involved in the case,’ Carlo said. ‘When my father died, he had Giardili’s business card in his wallet. ‘One of the first people to ring us when we returned to the house after my father died was Giardili. In general, I consider Di Carlo a reliable witness. But I am more interested in what he has to say about the social network of the Italian underground in London during the Eighties.’ It is that underground movement that Carlo is now hoping will be exposed – even if his own safety is jeopardised. Calling for a third inquest, he said: ‘The police have already admitted it was murder but I would like to see the case reviewed in open court and the remaining defendants in their jurisdiction pursued. ‘When I lived in Italy I had bodyguards but now I have to rely on my own judgment and instinct. ‘There have been instances when I have been concerned for my safety but I try not to be confrontational and protect myself. ‘If the worst happens, I am not the only person who has this information. I will not rest until I find out the truth about my father’s death.’ | Son of 'God's banker' Roberto Calvi talks 30 years after father's death .
Carlo Calvi, 58, has spent £15million conducting his own investigation . |
41,455 | 74f2540e1d34858f6f98d4b26599dc5781f68b08 | Ronny Deila has insisted he's got no issue with the critics who've turned their guns on him after four months in the Celtic job. Despite going joint top of their Europa League group with a 2-1 win over FC Astra on Thursday, Celtic's error-strewn display put the Norwegian firmly in the firing line. Former Parkhead player turned TV pundit Chris Sutton led the volley of criticism by describing the performance against the Romanians as 'pathetic'. Ronny Deila makes his point during Celtic's narrow 2-1 Europa League win against FC Astra on Thursday . The Norwegian manager says getting criticism is a part and parcel of such a high-profile job . Such stinging words came on the back of a string of indifferent displays across all competitions with Deila's side currently sitting sixth in the table having only won three successive games once this season. The 39-year-old says he has no beef with anyone taking a verbal swipe at him, however, and insists his only concern is finding a permanent solution to his side's erratic form. 'I haven't seen so much from the critics as I try to avoid anything like that,' he said. 'But I know that at every big club you get this. I'm used to it from Norway as well. 'I can handle the critics no problem - but if I don't see the answer, then my brain is starting to work overtime. 'I've been a big-mouth myself before. Back home, I was talking in big words about how Norwegian football should be. 'I upset a few other managers in Norway with things I said. I had a lot of arguments. But I was young. I understand the rules now - talk about yourself and your club, that's the most important thing. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton called the Parkhead side's performance against Astra 'pathetic' 'The worst feeling I can have is that I can't solve the problem, if I feel I can't see the next step. I'm using the hours to reflect on things we are doing now.' Despite being roundly criticised for the display in Thursday's 2-1 win, Deila's has presided over five wins from the past six matches. But he readily accepts that the inconsistency his side have shown both game-to-game and within matches is something that has to be eradicated. 'It's hard at the start,' he added. 'There are tough times and good times - we are going up and down all the time right now. But that's part of the job. 'You can take one game here and there and get positives. People were positive after Ross County then negative maybe after Thursday because it didn't happen quickly enough. Stefan Scepovic slides on his knees after scoring for Celtic on Thursday night against Astra . 'On Thursday night it looked like they were a little bit afraid to lose. But when we went 1-0 up, suddenly everything was going smooth and quick. We need to get that freedom into our play. You saw that against Ross County after the first goal as well. We have to focus on that on Sunday against Kilmarnock.' While acknowledging the need to produce more quality performances in the short-term, Deila has asked to be judged by the success or otherwise he brings over the course of the campaign. 'Again I have to say I think I have been very clear in my goals this season – that we want to go through in the Europa League and we want to win the Treble' he stated. 'Winning the league is the main thing. If I don't do that, or we don't do that, I will understand that I have the problem.' The 39-year-old manager's focus now turns to the Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock on Sunday . Deila, who met with chief executive Peter Lawwell at Lennoxtown on Friday to discuss scouting, revealed that James Forrest is nearing his return to the first-team squad. However, the winger is unlikely to be involved against Kilmarnock on Saturday. 'He could have played by now but we want to get him fitter so we can hopefully get more consistency in his play. So we are patient with him,' he added. 'He is a top player and we know he can make a difference in the team. It's very important that if he is going to be the player he can be, we do everything we can to manage his situation. He has taken full part in training this week, so that's positive.' | Celtic manager Ronny Deila has been critcised for his team's poor displays .
The Bhoys laboured to a 2-1 win against FC Astra on Thursday in the Europa League .
Former Parkhead striker Chris Sutton labelled the performance 'pathetic'
Deila has dismissed the abuse of his side and says it's part of the job .
Celtic host Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday . |
239,465 | c20938682ae34512aeeb5033697db440ae781115 | A Texas magazine has published a cover emblazoned with the words 'Taste Of Africa Comes To Dallas!' - just days before a Liberian man became America's first Ebola case in the state. The unfortunate Dallas Weekly front cover, published online on September 25, featured a map of Africa over a Texas flag with the attention-grabbing headline. The ill-timed cover was designed and published prior to the news last week that Liberian national Thomas Duncan, who arrived in Texas on September 20, had become the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola on American soil. Scroll down for video . The Dallas Weekly front cover was published on September 25 - just days before the city announced that the U.S. first Ebola case was being treated - a man who had traveled to Texas from Liberia in West Africa . However the magazine's Twitter account continued to tweet pictures of the front cover as late as October 3. The publication is described as the 'No.1 serving the African-American community' in the North Texas area and has been in circulation for more than 55 years. Mr Duncan has been hospitalized at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital since September 28 with his condition downgraded to critical on Saturday. The Ebola patient arrived in Dallas on September 20 and fell ill on September 23. He was initially sent home from Texas Presbyterian with antibiotics before being rushed back to the medical facility on September 28. Officials said ten people definitely had close contact with Duncan and a further 38 may have been around him when he was showing symptoms of the disease. Mr Duncan was staying with his girlfriend Louise Troh at a Dallas apartment when he became ill. On Friday a hazardous-materials crew hauled out items from the apartment in industrial barrels for permanent disposal. The Dallas Weekly tweeted its unfortunate front cover on October 3 following the news that the city was treating the U.S. first Ebola patient - who had arrived from Liberia in West Africa . A member of the clean-up crew takes a barrel of items out of the Dallas apartment on October 5 where Ebola patient Thomas Duncan was staying before being admitted to a Texas hospital . Thomas Duncan is now in a critical condition with Ebola at a Texas hospital after arriving from Liberia last month and subsequently being diagnosed with the virus . | The magazine's front cover, published online on September 25, features a map of Africa over a Texas flag .
The cover is emblazoned with the words: 'Taste of Africa Comes To Dallas'
The cover was published before it emerged that Liberian national Thomas Duncan, who arrived in Dallas on September 20, had Ebola .
Mr Duncan is the first patient diagnosed with Ebola on American soil and is being treated at Texas Presbyterian in North Dallas .
The patient's condition was downgraded to critical this weekend . |
77,204 | dadc9599df58bb7e96d5e02ab4c01e3321895810 | A babysitter has admitted to burning a toddler so badly during potty training that he was left with third degree burns and needed to learn how to walk again. Mary Ann Garrett was in charge of Caden Collumns' care at her home daycare in El Dorado toddler in October when he was seriously injured. She originally told police the two-and-a-half year old had been burned by another child at her home, although she later confessed. Caden was burnt with hot water from a removable shower head. Caden Collumns was burnt with hot water from a removable shower head while being cared for Mary Ann Garrett at her home daycare in El Dorado toddler . Mary Ann Garrett is charged with one count of child abuse and one count of interference with law enforcement . She is charged with one count of child abuse and one count of interference with law enforcement. Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet says Garrett lied to detectives at the start of the investigation. 'After she had done it and took the child to the hospital, she blamed her own granddaughter for doing it,' said the prosecutor, reports KWCH. Garrett even made her three-year-old granddaughter spray Booth with the shower water, making the girl believe she was responsible, according to investigators. Two months later, detectives brought Garrett back for further questioning and she confessed. Sheriff Kelly Herzet says Garrett ran an unlicensed daycare out of her home. He says she admitted to spraying Caden with scalding hot water from a detachable shower head during potty training. 'I think it had something to do with the child dirtying his diaper in his pants,' Herzet said to Kake. 'And I don't know if it was her way of punishing or what she was trying to prove. Caden spent a month in hospital recovering from extensive second and third degree burns on the front of his legs. 'He was on really strong pain medications, was in so much pain, it was awful,' said Caden's grandmother Leah Booth. Caden spent a month in hospital recovering from extensive second and third degree burns on the front of his legs . He has now been released and is re-learning how to walk following his horrific injuries . 'He was on a feeding tube. He had no appetite, he just didn't want to eat.' He has now been released and is re-learning how to walk. Caden's mother is a single mother and a Go Fund Me page has been set up to help her with the medical funds. | Mary Ann Garrett was in charge of Caden Collumns' care at her home daycare in El Dorado toddler in October when he was seriously injured .
She originally told police the toddler had been burned by another child .
But she later confessed to the abuse . |
1,461 | 043988513bd29b6e9751c73a5f5df794e7497727 | Esteemed author Harper Lee has denied giving permission to a journalist to document her life in a highly-anticipated new memoir. The reclusive writer of To Kill A Mockingbird has shunned the spotlight following the success of her Pulitzer prize-winning first and only novel in 1960, refusing to do interviews or make public appearances. However Marja Mills, a former Chicago Tribune reporter, claims to have become friends with Lee after moving into the house next door to her in Monroeville, Alabama, for 18 months in 2004. Mills has now written a book about the experience, The Mockingbird Next Door: Life With Harper Lee, which was released by The Penguin Press on Tuesday and is being pushed as the first official account of Lee's life. Hitting back: Extremely private author Harper Lee, 88, has released a statement saying she did not cooperate with a new book about her life and that she was 'saddened' and 'hurt' by the writer . Under fire: Journalist Marja Mills (left) maintains she was always honest with Harper Lee during their 18-month friendship that she was writing a book . As Mills writes: 'I wasn't an unknown quantity but someone she (Harper Lee) knew and trusted.' 'I could not have done (the book) without the trust, support, and encouragement of Nelle (as Harper Lee is known) and (her sister) Alice Lee and their closest friends.' But Lee, 88, has now released a letter to Entertainment Weekly to deny having anything to do with the project. 'Miss Mills befriended my elderly sister, Alice. It did not take long to discover Marja's true mission: another book about Harper Lee,' the statement said. 'I was hurt, angry, saddened, but not surprised. 'I immediately cut off all contact with Miss Mills, leaving town whenever she headed this way. 'Rest assured, as long as I am alive, any book purporting to be with my cooperation is a falsehood.' It is the second statement Lee has released on the book. The first was dated April 27, 2011. At the time Lee wrote: 'Contrary to recent news reports, I have not willingly participated in any book written or to be written by Marja Mills. Neither have I authorized such a book.' A big part of the dispute is a letter Mills has written by Lee's sister Alice. 'Delicious mystery': Harper Lee, 88, has lived an extremely private life since the release of her first and only book, To Kill A Mockingbird, in 1960 . Responding to the claims on Tuesday, Mills refers to the letter, while maintaining her book is not a Harper Lee biography but a collection of stories that Lee chose to share with her. The written letter I have from Alice Lee, which she sent May 2011 in response to the original letter issued in Nelle's name, makes clear that Nelle Harper Lee and Alice gave me their blessing,' Mills said. 'In regard to the writing and release of Nelle Harper Lee's April 2011 statement about my book, Alice Lee (Alice Lee practiced law until she was 100 years old) wrote: 'Poor Nelle Harper can't see and can't hear and will sign anything put before her by anyone in whom she has confidence. Now she has no memory of the incident.' " Penguin also released a statement on Tuesday, saying: 'Penguin Press is proud to publish The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee by Marja Mills today. The book, a southern gothic novel that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1962, has sold over 30 million copies . This photo of Harper Lee, taken in an Alabama courthouse, was shot around the time she released To Kill A Mockingbird in 1960 . 'Mills' memoir is a labor of love and Marja Mills has done an extraordinary job. We look forward to sharing her story of the wise and wonderful Lee sisters with readers.' Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. USA Today book critic Charles Finch gave it 3.5 stars out of four, calling it a 'thoughtful, sweet-tempered, witty piece of work." He also noted that "Mills wrote her story with the approval of both sisters, and it sometimes reads more like a friend's account than a reporter's, which may be why it doesn't pry too insistently into Lee's secrets.' To Kill A Mockingbird has sold more than 30 million copies. Lee has not given an official interview since the book came out, but has intermittently released statements to media. She has been described as a 'delicious mystery', and while having started other books, one a non-fiction about an Alabama serial killer, she filed them away as unfinished. She is said to have been crippled by the pressure to match the success of her debut. | New memoir The Mockingbird Next Door: Life With Harper Lee is a collection of stories reporter Marja Mills was told by Harper Lee over a year-long friendship .
Lee has released a statement saying she did not cooperate with the book and is 'saddened' by how Mills operated .
Mills maintains she was honest with Lee while spending time with her that she was writing the biography . |
235,130 | bc65723fd9071d598743f5af8d98d048fe2caba4 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 15:56 EST, 3 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:58 EST, 4 February 2014 . Plunge: Tracy Shelvey, 41, pictured in happier times on a ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in 2011, jumped to her death after Patrick Hall was cleared of raping her . A mother threw herself to her death because she was living in fear of a former soldier who had been cleared of raping her, her friend claimed today. Tracy Shelvey, 41, was forced to give evidence against Patrick Hall, 24, in the crown court twice after an initial case collapsed because the jury could not reach a verdict. She jumped to her death off a shopping centre roof in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, yesterday morning just three days after the soldier was found not guilty of carrying out the attack following a retrial. Today Miss Shelvey's friend of ten years Kathy McGowan, 45, said the mother felt she had been let down by the police and other authorities. Greater Manchester's Police and Crime . Commissioner Tony Lloyd has called for a 'root and branch review' of how . victims and witnesses are treated in the criminal justice system in the wake of the tragedy. Miss Shelvey was described by neighbours as an alcoholic who had been living in a run-down mid-terrace property in Heywood, Greater Manchester, without electricity or water. Miss McGowan, 45, said: 'She told me about the rape because she was really frightened. She was very angry and she would say "I want him to go down". 'But she felt like no one was helping her and that she was not getting help from anyone other than her friends. 'It seemed the authorities could have done better in helping her - it was only her friends who were there for her. She was really scared about it all and she thought he would come after her if he got let off. She thought he would kill her. 'It had been really hard for her to testify and I think that's why she drank more because she was so scared. She became against all men - and she was very traumatised by it all. 'I just felt helpless because it seemed there was nothing I could do given what she had gone through. The authorities should have given her a lot more help and guidance.' Miss Shelvey went to police around three years ago to report the alleged sex attack. She told officers she had been walking to her home in Heywood when a car stopped and the driver offered her a lift home before attacking her inside the vehicle. Death: Tracy Shelvey, 41, died after falling from this shopping centre in Rochdale despite police efforts to talk her down . Mr Hall, also from Heywood, went on trial on April 2 last year at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court charged with raping seven women between 2006 and 2011. He was acquitted of three rapes and a judge directed the jury to find him not guilty on a fourth charge. At the original seven-week trial, 36 witnesses gave evidence. He . was then retried in Manchester on the three other rapes, with Miss . Shelvey once again testifying against him in court. But a jury returned . not guilty verdicts last Friday after three days of deliberations. Miss . McGowan added: 'Tracy was a really generous loving and caring woman . from a really nice working class family . But she had become really . angry about the rape and felt that nothing was getting done. 'She . let her house go really messy and didn't care about anything - not . herself or her life anymore. I felt Tracy was very vulnerable especially . towards the end and she was on her own. She was really scared that he . would come after her and beat her. 'She . told me that she knew him and he had called her into the car and was . going to give her a lift so she only got in the car because she knew . him. 'But she said he wouldn't let her out of the car and was raping her.'She . said it had been an ordeal for her and then he drove her home. I think . her family will feel let down because she was so brave to report it and . then she has been let down. 'After . the rape she was taking overdoses and was in and out of hospital. We . didn't know if she wanted to kill herself but it was after the rape that . she started overdosing. Tributes: Flowers left outside the shopping centre in Rochdale where Tracy Shelvey fell to her death yesterday . 'I . think she felt ashamed and she was trying to hide it that she was on . drugs. It was heartbreaking for me because I couldn't do anything. 'I . can probably guarantee that all the six other women were the same as . Tracy. She went to the police thinking that something was going to get . done. 'Everyone was telling . her to report it saying he will get locked up and she would be . protected but in the end she was not protected and she lost her life to . it. 'I think it was a . cry for help because she didn't want to be in that situation. She wanted . to make clean breast of things and get a job. 'Finding . out that he had been acquitted definitely must have tipped her over. Tracy was very angry about what happened to her and every time I saw her . she would mention it. 'She . was such a lovely woman, she loved helping people and was always nice . and happy but inside she was angry and she tried to put on a brave face. 'After . the rape she went downhill. I know she will be missed by a lot of . people. this could have been prevented and it has all been happened . because he was let off. She was very scared indeed.' In . a short statement released through the police today, Miss Shelvey's . parents said they were 'proud' that she had shown the courage to give . evidence in the two trials. They said: 'Tracy was a kind and caring person and comes from a loving family who she kept in regular contact with. Grief: Floral tributes left in Rochdale after Miss Shelvey died yesterday - despite police efforts to stop her from jumping . 'She . had a warm heart and was a loyal friend and will be deeply missed by . all. We are so proud of Tracy for standing up in court on the two . trials. 'She was a strong person with a lot of pride. We also want to thank Tracy’s friends for their support at this time.' Two . specially-trained Greater Manchester Police had visited Miss Shelvey on . Friday to tell her that Patrick Hall bad been cleared of rape. A spokesman said: ‘The woman appeared angry and upset at the news and she was offered support by the officers. ‘A referral was made to partner agencies who have previously provided support to the woman.’ Later that evening, Miss Shelvey, called police in an emotional and distressed state. Officers and ambulance staff visited her. The . police spokesman added: ‘The woman was in a much calmer state when the . officers attended, who again gave her advice and made a further referral . to partner agencies helping the woman.’ However, . at around 10.10am yesterday police were called to the Wheatsheaf car . park in Rochdale, Lancashire, less than two miles from Miss Shelvey’s . home, after she was seen on the roof. Although officers tried to speak to her, she jumped off the top of the multi-storey car park. Greater Manchester Police has referred its involvement with Miss Shelvey to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd today called for the case to be reviewed. 'We have to learn from this tragedy and others that have come before,' he said. 'What is abundantly clear is that victims and witnesses are not where they should be - at the heart of the criminal justice system.' Tragedy: Tracy Shelvey, 41, had lived in this property in Heywood, Greater Manchester, for a number of years, neighbours said . Tragedy: Frances Andrade took her own life after giving evidence against the choir director who sexually abused her while she was a music student at the Chetham's School of Music in Manchester . Ms Shelvey's death comes a year after . Frances Andrade took her own life after giving evidence against the . choir director who sexually abused her while she was a music student at . the Chetham's School of Music in Manchester in the 1970s and 1980s. Ms Andrade's family claimed she had not been offered enough support during and after the court process. Mr . Lloyd said: 'The court process is a brutal one, and the fact that we . have had at least two people in Greater Manchester alone who have taken . their lives after going through this ordeal is of grave concern. 'Many, many rape victims say that the court process is as traumatic as their original ordeal. 'This can't go on - a root and branch review of how victims and witnesses are treated is urgently needed. 'A chain of vulnerability exists from the moment someone reports an incident to police - and it can break at any point. We need to ensure that victims and witnesses are surrounded by support from when they report to police, throughout the investigation, the court process and - critically - after trial is over, whether the accused is found guilty or innocent. 'We need to ensure the right services are engaged, be they mental health or psychological counselling. And we all need to work much better together to ensure that victims and witnesses get the support they need, when they need it.' After joining the Army at 16, Mr Hall served with 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in Kuwait, Iraq, Canada and Germany. He was part of the armoured Strike Battle Group based at the British Army base at Basra airport in Iraq, but is now thought to have left the Forces. | Tracy Shelvey, 41, jumped to her death three days after Patrick Hall was cleared of raping her .
She testified against the former soldier twice after the first trial collapsed .
Mother 'had wild fears that Mr Hall would kill her after being cleared of rape'
She had become a recluse and 'drank more because she was so scared'
Police Commissioner calls for review of how victims of crime are treated by officers in the wake of the death yesterday . |
205,391 | 95e53ae468bb4af4d503c59722a4b741fbd8c38d | Gerard Depardieu has revealed he was once a rent boy and a petty thief who served three weeks in prison for stealing a car . He is regarded as one of the most prolific and talented character actors to grace the screen and it appears his ability to adapt to any role given can be traced back to his childhood. Gerard Depardieu has revealed he was once a rent boy, a petty thief who served three weeks in prison for stealing a car and also turned his hand to grave robbing before being saved from destitution by a gay theatre talent spotter who paid for him to study French drama. The 65-year-old award-winning actor makes his confessions confessions in his autobiography, called 'it happened like that' (Ca c'est fait comme ca) in which he also tells of his unexpected friendship with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president and the death of his son Guillaume in 2008. Depardieu, who became a household name in Britain for his role in the 1990 romantic comedy Green Card alongside Andie MacDowell, reveals as a toddler he became accustomed to hearing his mother tell him about her attempts to abort him using knitting needles adding: 'And to think I almost killed you.' His family was so poor that as a child he helped deliver his siblings as his parents could not afford a midwife. Depardieu writes he began to wander the streets when he was just 10 but could easily pass for being 15 - and quickly realised he was attractive to men. He said: 'I've known since I was very young that I please homosexuals' and added when men approached, asking for sex, 'I would ask them for money'. He also admits he occasionally helped a man to dig up newly buried bodies in the cemetery and steal jewellery and shoes from them. At 16, he served three weeks in prison for stealing a car but continued his career as a rent boy after moving from Châteauroux, in central France, where he grew up, to Paris. Occasionally he would mug his clients. 'At 20, the thug in me was alive and kicking,' he writes. 'I would rip some of them off. I would beat up some bloke and leave with all his money.' Scroll down for video . The actor became a household name in Britain for his role in the 1990 romantic comedy Green Card and his performance in Cyrano de Bergerac . He also describes stealing watches and money from students taking part in the May 1968 anti-government protests, picking their pockets as they slept on the street in between skirmishes with police. At one point he also routinely charmed his way into a Nato base where he bought cigarettes to sell for twice what he had paid. Describing himself as a 'rough-hewn peasant' he eventually married actress Elisabeth Guignot, who is from a well-off Parisian family and they had two children, Guillaume and Julie. He had two more with two other women: but family life and the role of father is not one that Depardieu plays well. When his children have complained about being associated with him he writes he has told them: 'What do you want? Change your name, for heaven's sake, if it bothers you.' The confessions of the Cyrano de Bergerac star also shed new light on the tragic life of Guillaume who was also an actor. He also admitted to working as a rent boy when he was broke and he served two prison sentences for theft and drugs. He died of viral pneumonia in 2008, aged 37. He also describes stealing watches and money from students in the May 1968 anti-government protests . Depardieu blames his inability to tell his children he loved them on his father Dede, a metalworker and volunteer fireman who said very little. 'I could never find the words,' he writes. 'I know how to speak the words of others, but when it comes to my own, I am the son of Dédé.' Depardieu, a drinker and gourmet, is well known for rumbustious behaviour. He has crashed his scooter when drunk, attacked photographers and outraged fellow aircraft passengers by urinating in the aisle. The actor recently boasted of drinking 14 bottles a day, starting with champagne in the morning and ending with whisky at night. He claims his drinking is not a sign he is an alcoholic but a man hounded by phobias: 'I'm obsessed with the racket in my body, the beating of my heart, the gurgling of my intestines, my joints cracking,' he writes. 'It's become a phobia to the point that if I'm alone in a hotel I must drink so as not to hear it, so as not to go mad from it. I can't get to sleep unless I am dead drunk.' He has little patience for the Socialist government of President François Hollande whom he blamed for leaving France in a 'filthy mess'. He fled the country last year for Belgium and Russia, where he became a citizen, to avoid paying what he said was an 87% tax bill. 'Are you happy now?' he claims to have bellowed down the phone at Hollande after telling him he was leaving. Depardieu also tells of his friendship with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. They first met in 2008 and immediately hit it off, recognising they had much in common. 'We could have both become hoodlums,' he writes. 'I think he immediately liked my hooligan side ... the fact that I had occasionally been picked up off the pavement dead drunk. 'Like with me, nobody would have betted a penny on him when he was 15.' Depardieu reveals he regularly writes to Putin: 'It's very easy', he explains, 'I speak, there's a guy who taps it out in French then translates it into Russian and it arrives on Putin's desk. I send him letters that tell him about everything. He's like an old chum. It amuses him and he replies.' | Gerard Depardieu revealed he was a rent boy and mugged some clients .
He dug up newly buried bodies from the cemetery and stole their jewellery .
Actor said he wandered the streets and was jailed for stealing a car .
Depardieu was saved from destitution by a gay theatre talent spotter .
He made these confessions in his autobiography, 'It happened like that' |
153,425 | 523b7c23ec6c78d66cffbc5f13cad05203c29fad | (CNN) -- A California man accused of running a "revenge porn" website told CNN affiliate KFMB that he hasn't done anything criminal, but that he understands why people are upset and is done with the business. "I just don't want to be involved in that kind of website anymore," Kevin Bollaert told KFMB. "I want to do good things with my life." Bollaert, 27, of San Diego, is accused of creating one website that allowed people to post explicit images of people without their permission, and creating another one soliciting payments to get the photographs taken down. Authorities on Tuesday charged Bollaert with 31 felony counts of conspiracy, identity theft and extortion, the state attorney general's office said. Court documents allege that in December 2012, Bollaert created the website ugotposted.com, which allowed for the posting of sexually explicit photographs of people without their permission. "This website published intimate photos of unsuspecting victims and turned their public humiliation and betrayal into a commodity with the potential to devastate lives," Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said. The sexually explicit material, primarily of women, was routinely posted by angry former boyfriends and ex-husbands, authorities said. It contained their real names and links to their Facebook profiles. Prosecutors allege Bollaert also created a second website, changemyreputation.com, that charged up to $350 to remove the content, the documents said. Bollaert made tens of thousands of dollars through the website, prosecutors allege. Neither website was operational Wednesday morning. A 20-year-old Reno, Nevada, woman whose nude pictures appeared on the site told KFMB that she didn't know how the photos got there, but that it was devastating. "You should have seen me. I was a wreck. I was bawling my eyes out," the woman said. "That's me, that's my personal nakedness, and everyone can see it now." Bollaert denied doing anything illegal. "I don't feel like I've committed any crime," he said, adding that he knows why there's an uproar. "I understand that a lot of people would be upset by what would happen and be hurt," Bollaert said. KFMB reported that court documents contained pleas to the website from women who said the postings resulted in nearly around-the-clock harassment from creepy men. "I have gone to the police, I've had a restraining order put in place because of this site, (and) my phone has been going off EVERY 2 MINUTES with strange men sending inappropriate things to me," one woman, who said she was a minor when the photographs were posted, wrote to the website, according to the court documents cited by KFMB. "It's disgusting. Also, I've had to ... have a sexual harassment charge put in place in court because of this. I don't know what gets you off about ruining people's lives, but I was underage in the photos posted of me so, yes, you are showing child pornography," she wrote. Sonya Hamasak contributed to this report. | Man accused of running "revenge porn" site tells KFMB he's done with the business .
But Kevin Bollaert, 27, says he hasn't done anything illegal .
Authorities say Bollaert created a site for people to post sexually explicit photos of others .
They allege he then used another site to solicit payments to get the materials removed . |
39,786 | 704f108999f9bdf91571b4a2fcdfb4db327bde80 | A banker shot his estranged wife dead in the street before turning the gun on himself in front of their two young children on Halloween during a custody exchange. Scott Gimbel, 50, and Linda Sachs Gimbel, 44, were found outside an apartment block in Mission Viejo, Orange County, California, at 8.30pm on Friday. It is believed one was handing their 13-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son to the other in a custody exchange. Attack: Scott Gimbel, left, shot his estranged wife Linda Sachs Gimbel, right, in an Orange County parking lot during a custody exchange. He then killed himself as their daughter, 13, and son, seven, watched from the car . Tragic: The family, pictured, had allegedly become embroiled in a custody dispute in recent months . Dispute: They were together as recently as December 2013 before an apparent separation and custody dispute . But as the children sat in the car, Mr Gimbel, senior vice president of a leading mortgage lending firm PFI Financial Inc, opened fire. Mrs Sachs Gimbel, an accounting executive at Citadel Services Corp, was killed instantly,reports claim, before Scott then killed himself. Their 13-year-old daughter called 911. The family was pictured together as recently as December last year before an apparent separation sparked the alleged custody dispute. A high-flying couple, both Mr Gimbel and Mrs Sachs Gimbel have extensive experience in the financial services industry. Mrs Sachs Gimbel worked as a sales manager at Deutsche Bank before joining Citywide Mortgage Corporation, which Scott founded, as senior operations manager. High flyers: Linda, 44, was a successful accounting executive and Scott, 50, founded a leading mortgage firm . Shooting: Their bodies were found at 8.30pm in the street after their daughter called 911 from the car . Tribute: Linda's sister Leigh, pictured right, and friends have paid tribute to the 44-year-old as 'smart and funny' Mr Gimbel was educated at Indiana University Bloomington. He founded Citywide in 1999, and by 2005 it was one of the largest mortgage brokerage firms in the country. Paying tribute to Linda, her friend Jamie Melim wrote on Facebook: 'My heart aches at the loss of a beautiful friend. 'She was smart, amazing and sooo funny! She was tragically taken from this world last night. 'She left behind two young children and a family that absolutely adored her. Exchange: The children were sat in a car by this Mission Viejo apartment block when Scott opened fire . 'Please pray for her family tonight and for my dear friend Leigh Ann as she is trying to cope with the loss of her beloved sister.' Her sister Leigh Ann Sachs posted a picture of herself with Linda and their father, commenting that she didn't have the words to express her feelings. She wrote to a friend: 'Thank you for posting that beautiful tribute to Linda. I just couldn't do it.' | Scott Gimbel, 50, shot Linda Sachs Gimbel, 44, as they handed over kids .
The senior banker then turned gun on himself in Orange County parking lot .
Their 13-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son watched from the car .
Friends pay tribute to 'smart, amazing, funny' accounting executive Linda . |
14,154 | 282f1910bd57e50d4401c695ebe75b817de68548 | (CNN) -- As the presidential campaign veers off onto the Bain Capital ramp, the predictable arguments ensue: Is the turn simply a political attack meant to distract from bad economic news? (So says Mitt Romney). Or is it an important, valid argument at the heart of the contest? (So says President Barack Obama.) 'Other-ness': What Obama and Romney have in common on religion, race . Distill all the arguments down to an essential core, and they're really about one thing: experience. As in, does past experience matter? Is it an indicator of future behavior? Or of your values? And if you behaved one way at another job in your past, what does that tell us about how you would behave as president? Finally, should your previous experience (or lack of it) in any way disqualify you from the presidency? The arguments over experience are hardly new. In fact, back in the day when then-candidate Obama was a tad short on the experience side, Hillary Clinton made the case that she was the best-equipped to handle foreign policy disasters as president (See: ad with red phone ringing at 3 am.) Obama's response: "I have shown the judgment to lead." Which seemed a fair enough retort. So let's apply that standard to the Bain Capital fight: Romney's job was to make money for investors. Bain Capital claims that revenues grew in 80% of the more than 350 companies in which it has invested. It also makes the case that the Obama campaign's cause-and-effect simplification of the eventual failure of a paper company -- such as Ampad -- was completely overblown and unfair: Bain bought the company in 1992, and it grew. Its control ended in 1996, four years before it folded, although Bain did retain some stake in the company. And it folded, Bain says, because the marketplace changed. It's more Dunder Mifflin than Darth Vader. And, um, where was the Romney judgment call in this episode? To be clear: This is a political campaign. Romney's experience at Bain is certainly relevant. After all, Romney often brags about creating 100,000 jobs, so digging into what happened there under his watch is only natural. The problem with campaigns is that issues and events and results need to be either black or white -- especially in 60-second spots that liken companies such as Bain to vultures. None other than the president himself conceded that there's some complexity here, as The Washington Post points out in an editorial, which says the president is trying to argue all sides. "I think there are a whole lot of folks who do good work in that area and there are times where they identify the capacity for the economy to create new jobs or new industries," the president said at the NATO summit. Indeed, this is a president who has friends in private equity, who raises money from private equity and is making a pitch to the same folks this time around. (Full disclosure: A member of my family works in private equity.) The issue, the president told us, is that the goal of "maximizing profits" is way different from what a president does, which is making sure that "everybody in the country has a fair shot." And Romney, he would argue, has no experience at doing that. Understand this: It's not really just about business. It's about values. The president may be broader in his approach, but his ads argue a more simple point: that Romney doesn't have the right values to be president; that he does bad things to good people. It might be more lucrative for Obama's re-election prospects to go after Romney's actual record -- as a less-than-outstanding job creator as Massachusetts governor. Or as a politician with "evolving" views on issues ranging from abortion to immigration. Or to remind independent voters that during the primaries Romney called himself "severely conservative," whatever that means. Some of this is surely in the works. And what about the Obama campaign starting to talk about its own record? Team Obama may want to turn this into a choice election, but when incumbents run for re-election they have to explain why they should be rehired. "The Obama people believe they can win this election by criticizing Romney," says Bill Galston, a former Clinton administration domestic policy adviser. "But they're going to lose this election if American people don't think they have done a good job." One more thing: Obama's consistent strength is that more than half of Americans really like him. They see him as in touch with their lives and their aspirations. And his poll numbers only increased last year, for instance, when he shared America's disgust during the distasteful debate over extending the payroll tax cuts. House Republicans seemed in desperate need of day care; Obama was the adult in the room. That's what people want. When a president who wants to be transformational runs a campaign that wants to deliver transparent caricatures, there's a downside. The candidate starts looking like all the other pols. And nobody likes them. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gloria Borger. | Gloria Borger: President Obama's argument about Bain Capital is about experience .
She says he suggests Mitt Romney lacks background, values to be president .
She says Obama would be better off focusing on his record or Romney's as governor .
Borger: Obama's image could be tarnished by questionable attacks . |
221,939 | ab4559d040246a403615029b87894c3a09936a5c | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States and Britain said Wednesday they are committed to remaining in Afghanistan, despite increased military casualties and declining public support for the war effort. U.S. Marines partrol part of the Gharmsir district in Afghanistan's Helmand province on Wednesday. "We went into this together, and we will work it through together because we are stronger together," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said after a half day of talks at the State Department with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Clinton praised Miliband's approach on Afghanistan, including the call for the government to reconcile with moderate elements of the Taliban. "His analysis of the way forward is very much consistent with ours, and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of our common objectives," Clinton said of her counterpart. In a speech at NATO headquarters on Monday, Miliband called for rank-and-file Taliban to be given the chance to reconcile with the Afghan government, even as the campaign continues against Taliban commanders who are waging jihad. He also urged greater burden sharing not only among NATO allies in Afghanistan but by the Afghan government. "There is a lot of talk, rightly, about burden sharing within the coalition, but the greatest burden sharing must be between the international community and the government of Afghanistan, which increasingly needs to take the lead -- the security lead, as well as the political lead -- in shaping the future of that country," he said. Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told reporters that boosting the training of Afghan forces would be a big focus after the country's August 20 election. When asked whether the election would be fair, Holbrooke, who just returned from the region, said he had heard complaints from all sides but was not "unduly upset." "It's an extraordinary thing to hold an election in the middle of a war, and this is the first contested election in Afghanistan in history," Holbrooke said, adding the United States has no favorite candidate but only wants "an election whose outcome is accepted as legitimate by the Afghan people and the world, which reflects the desires of those who vote." July has been the deadliest month for U.S. and British forces since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, with 39 U.S. troops and 22 British troops killed. Miliband said the effort was going through a "tough phase," but added that the British people understood the "vital nature" of the mission to stabilize Afghanistan. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been under under enormous pressure from his opposition, which charges that British troops don't have proper resources to fight the war, including helicopters. But he was sanguine. "I think the British people will stay with this mission, because there is a clear strategy and a clear determination on behalf of the United States and other coalition members to see this through," he said, adding that the British people understood the mission's "vital nature." Americans, too, have questioned whether the war in Afghanistan is winnable and worth the effort. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and members of Congress, including Democrats, have predicted that President Obama has a year to show progress in Afghanistan before public support for the war further erodes. Clinton said Britain and the United States "have made significant gains in the recent operations" against the Taliban, but "there remains much work to be done." "We know that this is a challenge that is not going to be easily resolved in a short period of time," she said, adding "both of our countries are still threatened by the same enemy, an enemy that has attacked London, New York and Washington." "We know they've attacked us in the past, and, unfortunately, we know that they plot against us even today," she said. | July deadliest month for U.S., British forces in Afghanistan since '01 invasion .
"We will work it through together," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says .
Miliband calls for Afghan government to reconcile with moderate Taliban elements .
U.S. official: Boosting the training of Afghan forces will be a big focus . |
109,552 | 193683f0e164ff140a9adf000a3925f3b726c36e | By . Associated Press . A California man who was charged after refusing treatment for his tuberculosis was found and arrested, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Eduardo Rosas Cruz, 25, was arrested late Monday in Kern County, San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Stephen Taylor said. Before Rosas Cruz can be sent back to San Joaquin County, he has to be medically cleared, which could take weeks, Taylor said. Authorities last week obtained an arrest warrant for Rosas Cruz, saying he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in March after going to San Joaquin General Hospital's emergency room with a severe cough. Rosas Cruz is a transient and comes from an area of Mexico known for a drug-resistant strain of TB, authorities said . Medical staff at the hospital told him to stay in a Stockton motel room, where a health worker would deliver his medication and watch him take it. But officials say he left. Rosas Cruz is a transient and comes from an area of Mexico known for a drug-resistant strain of TB, authorities said. He was arrested on the San Joaquin County warrant during a traffic stop in Lamont, a community about 15 miles southeast of Bakersfield, said Ray Pruitt, a spokesman for the Kern County Sheriff's Office. Officers took him to the Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield. TB can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The disease can be deadly. Authorities said Rosas Cruz was diagnosed with tuberculosis in March after going to San Joaquin General Hospital's emergency room with a severe cough . Taylor said the goal of prosecuting a tuberculosis patient through the criminal courts is not to punish him, but to protect the public. He said Rosas Cruz refused to cooperate with officials. 'When somebody has behaved like this, it's time to go in-patient,' Taylor said. In court papers filed in support of the warrant, public health officials said Rosas Cruz resisted treatment from the start. He also used crack cocaine and methamphetamine, officials said, adding that he could develop the drug-resistant strain if he hasn't already. By law, health officials can't force a patient to be treated for tuberculosis, but officials can use the courts to isolate him from the public. That is when officials offer treatment. | Eduardo Rosas Cruz, 25, was arrested late Monday in California .
Authorities last week obtained an arrest .
warrant for Rosas Cruz, saying he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in .
March after going to an emergency room with a .
severe cough .
Medical staff at the hospital told him to .
stay in a motel room, where a health worker would deliver his .
medication and watch him take it - but officials say he left .
Rosas Cruz is a transient and comes from an area of Mexico known for a drug-resistant strain of TB, authorities said . |
93,227 | 03eb6a71792d10ea3e0d260876f086a03c1afa5e | (CNN) -- The driver of a truck that crashed into a crowd of spectators in a California desert, killing eight, will not face criminal charges, a spokesman for the highway patrol said on Monday. Four people were also taken to hospitals in serious condition after the Saturday crash at an off-road race in Southern California's Mojave Desert. Five others suffered minor to moderate injuries. "The reason we are not going to file criminal charges is because it was a sanctioned event," said Mario Lopez, a California Highway Patrol spokesman. Lopez added that California vehicle codes did not apply to the race because permits were issued to the event's organizers. He said any safety violations would be investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which owns the land where the race happened, or by agencies that handle permitted events. The 200-mile race was part of an amateur series on a course in the Lucerne Valley area of San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles, said Tim Franke of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The Bureau of Land Management has said it is looking into the deadly crash, as well as conducting a safety review of other off-road vehicle events in the state's deserts. The race's sanctioning body, Mojave Desert Racing, urges spectators to stay back 100 feet from the 50-mile course. "But as you can tell, there are no delineations to where the track begins and where the track ends at this point," said Joaquin Zubieta, a California Highway Patrol spokesman. Images from the night of the crash show trucks speeding within feet of spectators. Mojave Desert Racing was not immediately available for comment. The land management bureau has said the group was responsible for the safety of everyone at the race. "You can give all the warnings you want, but at the end of the day, they're out there, they're on their own and they do what they want," Larry Webster, automotive editor for Popular Mechanics magazine, said about off-road race crowds. "It's almost like a vehicular version of running with the bulls, and obviously we can tell it's really dangerous," he told CNN. Authorities have identified Brett Sloppy as the driver of the out-of-control truck. In a Facebook message, Sloppy, who has not responded to repeated requests by CNN for comment, said he was devastated by what happened. "Soo incredibly lost and devistated [sic] my thoughts and prayers go out to all the familys and friends involved," the San Marcos resident said on his Facebook page late Sunday. "Thank you too all my friends for sticking with me even thru these tragic times I love you all." Vince Dimiao, a driver who was running just ahead of the truck that crashed, said races often take place at night because of the extreme daytime heat. He said officials initially halted the race for an hour because of the crash, then canceled it when the scope of the "carnage" became known. Keith Carty, who had a friend killed in the California crash, told CNN's HLN that races attract a certain type of person -- someone who wants to participate as much as watch an event. "These are hard-core, off-road enthusiasts," he said about people who attend off-road races. "It's not anybody's turn to baby-sit us. We're out there -- we understand the risk. Everybody that was there understood the risk -- the drivers, the spectators, everybody," said Carty. Jonathan Davy, who attended Saturday's deadly race and captured the accident on video, said he sensed the danger even before the crash. The event was his first off-road race. "What seemed to be like a great day ... something I had never been to before, just turned tragic," he said. "It's forever going to be in my head. I couldn't sleep last night. I got chills right now just thinking about it." CNN's Stan Wilson, Nick Valencia, Chuck Johnston and Rick Martin contributed to this report. | The Bureau of Land Management says it will review accident, other desert events .
The California Highway Patrol says it will not file criminal charges against the driver .
The driver says he is devastated by the incident .
Truck crash at the off-road desert race leaves eight people dead . |
705 | 020af9a92c53cd8fb2c444262addaf770c0d3bb9 | By . Mark Duell . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 31 December 2011 . Police today launched a huge manhunt for a serial arsonist who hit Hollywood for a second night early this morning. Another eight fires were set in the area last night after 22 blazes were set in only four hours on Friday morning. Dozens of Hollywood residents were forced out of their homes and power was disrupted in several neighbourhoods shortly after midnight. Scroll down for video . Burning up: A fire engine arrives at a blaze in the Laurel Canyon section of West Hollywood on Friday, where former Doors lead singer Jim Morrison used to live . Response: The fires started shortly after midnight and occurred over a four-hour span before dawn . Smoking: Burning cars are shown at the site of an arson fire in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles . ‘It was a long, tough night,’ a Los Angeles County fire spokesman said, adding that the department does not yet have any suspect description. 'Thank goodness no one was seriously injured or killed,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at an afternoon news conference, where he was joined by county and West Hollywood officials. West Hollywood Mayor John Duran heatedly spoke directly to the person or persons suspected of starting the fires, reports the LA Times. 'What were you thinking?” he said. “This is the most dense part of Los Angeles. If you’re trying to say something, this is not the way to say it.” Authorities ruled out any possible link to terrorism while bracing for . another round of arson attacks, reports CBS News. One of the blazes happened at the former home of late Doors lead singer Jim Morrison, who died in Paris in 1971 aged just 27. He used to live in the house with girlfriend Pamela Courson in the 1960s and it provided the inspiration for the Doors song ‘Love Street’. There were no civilian injuries on Friday but one city fireman was treated and released from a hospital after a fall while battling a blaze. Aftermath: Los Angeles City firefighter Dane Jackson investigates the scene where fire caused damage to a home once occupied by Doors frontman Jim Morrison . Map: The fires burned at 19 different locations on Friday (in blue). Red markers represent locations where separate fires burned on Thursday . Spray: Firemen in Los Angeles, California, were scrambling to put out the fires that torched parked cars and then spread to nearby homes and flats . Blazes: Dozens of Hollywood residents were forced out of their homes and power was disrupted in several neighbourhoods shortly after midnight . Fallen star: A blaze happened by the former home of Jim Morrison . I woke up really scared,’ evacuated resident Daniel Meza told KABC. ‘I heard somebody saying, “Fire, fire”. The smoke was in my face.’ Mr Meza had to run and get his little sister as well as wake up his parents and tell them all to get out of his block of flats. Arson investigators are looking for building CCTV and eyewitnesses. ‘If you see something, say something,’ the L.A. County fire spokesman said. A $35,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the conviction of the arsonist or arsonists. County supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told Msnbc.com that the county is putting up $25,000 and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is adding another $10,000. Yaroslavsky added there around $350,000 worth of damage was caused to property in West Hollywood alone from the fires. Fire officials couldn't say whether the rash of fires was the work of a copycat as there was a series of other arson fires early Thursday, also in Hollywood. Two people have been arrested and remain in custody for those blazes, officials said. Scary: There were no civilian injuries but one city fireman was treated and released from a hospital after a fall while battling one blaze . Emergency: It was the second day of arson fires locally after two people were arrested on Thursday following a spate of similar car and rubbish fires . Burnt out: Los Angeles fire officials say they do not yet have any suspect description . ‘It was a long, tough night' L.A. County fire spokesman . Samuel Arrington, 22, of Sunland, L.A., was arrested along with another person on Thursday when a shop worker allegedly saw him trying to cause damage. ‘We have so many that are going around hitting occupancies just like this, carports with residents above,’ an L.A. City fire spokesman told KABC. Hollywood is served by the L.A. city police and fire departments. But the fire and sheriff's departments of L.A. County serve West Hollywood. See video here . | $35,000 reward offered for information leading to capture of arsonists .
Around $350,000 worth of damage caused to property in West Hollywood .
Firemen scramble to put out fires early Friday morning .
Authorities braced for another round of arson attacks .
Locals talk of scary moment when blazes woke them up .
One fire outside old home of late singer Jim Morrison . |
262,000 | df5680deadb623016c647ea81ba421696c746ce0 | Hollywood movie director Steven Spielberg is the talk of the internet after a photo of him posing with a 'dead' dinosaur went viral. The picture, taken on the set of his 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, was posted online last Sunday by Facebook meme-maker and wit Jay Branscomb. In an apparent reference to the furor surrounding Kendall Jones, the 19-year-old Texas cheerleader who has gained notoriety for posing with exotic animal she has killed, Branscomb added a jokey caption claiming the photo showed a ‘despicable’ hunter. Scroll down for video . The picture, taken on the set of Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, was posted online last Sunday by Facebook meme-maker and wit Jay Branscomb . ‘Disgraceful photo of recreational hunter happily posing next to a Triceratops he just slaughtered. Please share so the world can name and shame this despicable man,’ read his humorous caption. But it appears that not everyone was able to appreciate Branscomb’s sarcastic sense of humor and failing to recognize the world famous director, they took the photo at face value. One Facebook commenter who misunderstood Branscomb’s humur was PenelopeRayzor Bachand. She labelled Spielberg an ‘inhumane p****’ and ‘animal killer.’ ‘Steven Spielberg, I’m disappointed in you. I’m not watching any of your movies again ANIMAL KILLER,’ she ended her impassioned rant. One Facebook commenter who misunderstood Branscomb's humur was . PenelopeRayzor Bachand, who labelled Spielberg an 'inhumane prick' and . 'animal killer' Joker? 'I don't care who he is, he should not have shot that animal' wrote Vincent Smith . ‘I don’t care who he is, he should not have shot that animal,' wrote Vincent Smith. A number of other commenters also apparently fail to realize that the triceratops has been extinct for 66 million years ago and that Spielberg, one of the most famous movie makers of all time, is sitting beside a mechanical prop from a movie which has grossed more than $1 billion and won three Academy Awards. To date, Branscomb’s post has received over 9,000 likes, been shared more than 30,000 times and attracted more than 5,000 comments. Suffice to say, as the post has become more popular, more and more people have joined in leaving humorous comments and memes using the image. Suffice to say, as the post has become more popular, more and more people have joined in leaving humorous comments and memes using the image . Just in case there is anyone out there who hasn't cottoned on to Branscomb's original gag, he has posted a new photo, this time featuring Spielberg almost 20 years earlier when he was filming Jaws in 1975. ‘Folks, we need your help identifying the vicious shark-killer shown posing with his illegal prey,' wrote Branscomb. 'Sharks are essential to the eco-system and their waters are protected off the coast of California. If you have any knowledge of this fiend's identity or whereabouts, please contact authorities immediately.' Just in case there is anyone out there who hasn't cottoned on to Branscomb's original gag, he has posted a new photo, this time featuring Spielberg almost 20 years earlier when he was filming Jaws in 1975 . | A photo of the Hollywood director on the set of his 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park was posted online last Sunday .
Facebook meme-maker and wit Jay Branscomb added a jokey caption claiming the photo showed a 'despicable' hunter .
Not everyone was able to appreciate his sarcastic sense of humor and criticized the 'animal killer'
One commenter labelled Spielberg an 'inhumane p****' despite Triceratops being extinct for 66 million years .
To date the post has been shared more than 30,000 times and attracted more than 5,000 comments . |
147,586 | 4ad64be331352d22f55f3b3a347bfb477835fb67 | Police descended on a Roma camp today in France to evict its residents in a new crackdown agasint illegal immigrants. Men, women and children were carrying out their belongings as they are were removed from the camp in Lille, northern France. In the past year France has shut down many illegal camps full of Roma gypsies which have sprung up around the country. Eviction: People from the Roma community carry their belongings into a bus as they are expelled from their camp in Lille, northern France . Destroyed: Earth moving equipment is used to destroy the makeshift homes . Removed: A child sits on his belongings as police move in to clear the camp . Determined: Diggers moved in to make sure that the Roma community could not return to their temporary homes . With an estimated population of about 15,000 Roma in France, and the government seems determined to expel as many as it can. In August there were similar raids and hundreds of Roma gypsy families being forcibly sent from France back to their countries of origin in Romania and Bulgaria. Those evicted from camps in France were . herded together under the watchful eye of CRS officers (the French . equivalent of the riot police) wearing military-style blue outfits and . black leather boots, then taken to airports and put on flights to their . home countries. Leaving: The residents were shipped out of the area on coaches . Final: A girl looks out the coach as the site is destroyed. There is an estimated population of about 15,000 Roma in France . The French are so determined to move on the Roma that they offer them financial incentives. In addition to covering the cost of the trip home, the French government pays 300 euros (£235) to every expelled Roma adult and 100 euros (£80) for every child. Reports of Romanian gangs perpetrating organised crime, such as cashpoint fraud, are common in France — as in the rest of Europe — and this only serves to whip-up anti-Roma sentiment. In total, nearly 1,000 Roma have been deported following at least six raids last summer. The exact figures are hard to establish because the French authorities are not allowed to define those they have ejected as ‘Roma’, because this would suggest that their actions are potentially racist and therefore illegal under EU law. Battle: France has shut down illegal camps full of Roma gypsies which have sprung up around the country . Reports of Romanian gangs perpetrating organised crime, such as cashpoint fraud, are common in France — as in the rest of Europe — and this only serves to whip-up anti-Roma sentiment . Herded: People from the Roma community are expelled under the watchful eye of the authorities . Packed up: Roma residents put their belongings in the back of the coach before being driven away . Only the vulnerable — pregnant women, the frail and the elderly — are given housing by the French social services. However, healthy young men have been seen fleeing into nearby woods, or through the streets to avoid being rounded . Marine David, mayor in Saint-Priest, admits the French authorities are playing a game of ‘ping-pong’ with the gypsies. ‘We are going round and round in circles,’ she says. ‘We can’t offer them a permanent housing solution, and I know there’s a risk they will just set up another camp. We just don’t have the means to deal with this kind of situation.’ This game of human ‘ping-pong’ began under the previous president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who ordered the ejection of around 9,000 gypsies, only for many of them to return. He introduced the deportation crackdown in 2010 after linking the Roma community to begging, prostitution and petty street crime. Despite promising tolerance and humanitarian assistance if elected, Sarkozy’s successor, Socialist President Francois Hollande also approved the eviction programme after he and interior minister Manuel Valls said the camps were adversely affecting the lives of the French working class living near to them. Local councils’ court orders to destroy camps are all approved by the national government. | Roma community were seen carrying out their belongings during eviction .
They were removed from the camp in Lille, northern France earlier today .
In the past year France has shut down many illegal Roma camps . |
23,863 | 43b7bc36e75246c4f4debdcdaef800eec199a461 | COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) -- Oprah Winfrey delivered her "favorite" candidate in the presidential race something his campaign hoped for Sunday: the largest crowd yet of any event in the race to '08, according to the Obama campaign. Oprah campaigned with Obama this weekend in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Although exact figures were not immediately available, campaign officials estimated more than 30,000 people packed into Columbia, South Carolina's Williams-Brice stadium to hear the talk-show queen explain why she believes Obama is the man with the "vision" for America. "Dr. King dreamed the dream. We get to vote that dream into reality by supporting a man who knows not just who we are but who we can be," she told the crowd. South Carolina is one of the first states in the nation to hold its presidential primary, making it key to the success of any presidential candidate. Winfrey gave a similar speech Saturday in the first stop of a two-day, three-state tour with her fellow Chicagoan. She discussed on Sunday stepping out of her "comfort zone" by entering the political scene on behalf of a candidate, and praised Obama's "ear for eloquence and tongue for unvarnished truth. We need politicians to tell the truth and be the truth." Watch what issues are important to Iowans » . She also said Obama would bring "a sense of statesmanship" to the White House. Watch Winfrey endorse Obama » . After extensive thank-yous to his wife Michelle and to Winfrey -- and acknowledging that the crowd was largely there to see Winfrey, not him -- Obama launched into his stump speech. "I am running because of what Dr. King called 'the fierce urgency of now,' " he said. Covering ground from the Iraq war to the economy to health care, he said, "there is such a thing as being too late -- and that hour is almost upon us." His campaign worked the crowd, passing out cards to sign up supporters and verifying that those who showed up are registered to vote. They handed out cards asking fans to provide their mailing addresses and phone numbers. The cards also featured an "optional" pledge to vote for Obama on January 26. In his speech, Obama did not mention his chief rival by name. But he clearly referred to Sen. Hillary Clinton, saying that if he gets the Democratic nomination, his Republican competitor won't be able to say he ever "supported the Iraq war." Watch how Winfrey's campaigning could give Obama a boost » . Clinton was among the Democrats who supported a resolution authorizing force in Iraq in 2002, though in a speech on the Senate floor she said she believed supporting the resolution could ultimately make war itself less likely. Obama was not in the Senate at the time, but gave a speech opposing the possibility of war with Iraq. Clinton has held a lead over Obama in South Carolina, where the Democratic primary consists largely of African-American voters. Clinton had a star of her own on the campaign trail for her Sunday in South Carolina -- her husband, former president Bill Clinton, who addressed a church in the morning. Check out some other celebrities who are endorsing candidates » . "She has the best combination of mind and heart and strength of leadership and feeling for ... the problems of ordinary people of anybody I've ever worked with," the former president said Sunday. Clinton was on the campaign trail with her mother and daughter. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Peter Hamby and Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report. | NEW: Largest crowd yet in the race to '08, said Obama campaign .
NEW: Officials estimate more than 30,000 people attended event in S. Carolina .
"Oprah-bama" hit Iowa on Saturday; South Carolina, New Hampshire on Sunday . |
52,502 | 94c364a1fd973de33e5262a07c929ebb192310f4 | (CNN Student News) -- December 20, 2013 . In our final program of 2013, CNN Student News reports on a congressional budget compromise. We also discuss a data breach at a major U.S. retailer, and we offer some suggestions for how shoppers can protect themselves against credit card fraud. Finally, we look back at some significant events and uplifting stories from the past 12 months. Teachers, please note that CNN Student News will not air through the rest of 2013. The program will return in January. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, Maps pertaining to today's show, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). 2013 Newsquiz: The following questions relate to events that were covered this year on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. On March 13, the Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals elected a new pope. In what country was Pope Francis born? 2. On February 1, who was sworn in as U.S. secretary of state, succeeding Hillary Clinton? 3. In what African city did terrorists launch an attack on a shopping mall on September 21? 4. In September, Diana Nyad set a world record for an uncaged swim to the U.S. from what country? 5. What country conducted its third nuclear test on February 12, resulting in increased sanctions from the international community? 6. In what American city did terrorist bombings occur on April 15? 7. What country gave temporary asylum to former U.S. national security contractor Edward Snowden? 8. What U.S. city filed for the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history? 9. What civil war-torn country agreed to destroy its chemical weapons? 10. In December, what country became the third nation to "soft-land" a spacecraft on the moon? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request. | This page includes the show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and Maps .
Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
The Daily Curriculum's Newsquiz tests students' knowledge of events in the news .
At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum . |
279,368 | f5e88554642e2181e7684f91f7ec2e5a533069f4 | A picturesque lifestyle property with 270 degree views of the breathtaking Kangaroo Valley, south-west of New South Wales, is available for purchase. 'Burrawang' is perfect for those looking for a peaceful get-away property with an abundance of privacy. Surrounded by a spectacular river and valley, the 73-hectare property is located in a national trust area and one of only seven fully enclosed valleys in the world. Scroll down for video . A picturesque lifestyle property with 270 degree views of the breathtaking Kangaroo Valley, south-west of New South Wales, is available for purchase . 'Burrawang' is perfect for those looking for a peaceful get-away property with an abundance of privacy . 'I think the beauty of it is that, as well as being such a high-quality home with those stunning 270-degree views, it has so much land but it's all so low-maintenance,' said Richard Cooper agent at Sotheby's International Realty. Offering privacy like no other, the 1970 retreat provides a unique Australian experience just two-hours out of Sydney, 10 minutes to Kangaroo Valley's village, 30 minutes to Berry and 40 minutes to Bowral. Burrawang's majestic setting features a private driveway that leads you through your own national park with rocky outcrops and tall cycads, until you reach your north-facing sandstone property. Burrawang features a club size tennis court and pavilion . Surrounded by a spectacular river and valley, the 73-hectare property is located in a national trust area and one of only seven fully enclosed valleys in the world . The 3-bedroom home boasts a butler's pantry, cinema/games room, wine cellar, a large office and a fully equipped contemporary kitchen. The large open living and dining area with exceptional gardens are perfect for entertaining. A guest house is also located on the property, providing 4-bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and a combined living and dining room. Adding to it's perfect lifestyle retreat, Burrawang also features a club size tennis court and pavilion, swimming pool, private river access for kayaking and fishing, bush walking paths and landscaped gardens and lawns. 'It has an acre of garden around the house, and land by the river you could throw a few head of cattle on if you wanted, or you could just leave the land to look after itself. It's the perfect lifestyle property; the best of both worlds,' Mr Cooper said. Burrawang is available for inspection though agent Richard Cooper from Sotheby's International Realty. A spectacular lap pool is located within the property's exceptional gardens . The three-bedroom property is the perfect home for families looking for a peaceful get-away . Offering privacy like no other, the 1970 retreat provides a unique Australian experience just two-hours out of Sydney . Burrawang features a large office . The 3-bedroom home boasts a butler's pantry, cinema/games room, wine cellar, a large office and a fully equipped contemporary kitchen. The large open living and dining area with exceptional gardens are perfect for entertaining . An open-spaced fully equipped contemporary kitchen is perfect for those who love to cook . A guest house is also located on the property, proving 4-bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and a combined living and dining room . Burrawang's majestic setting features a private driveway that leads your through your own national park with rocky outcrops and tall cycads, until you reach your north-facing sandstone property . Burrawang is available for inspection though agent Richard Cooper from Sotheby's International Realty . | Burrawang in Kangaroo Valley, south-west of New South Wales is available for purchase .
The 73-hectare property is the perfect spot for a peaceful get-away .
Only two-hours out of Sydney, the breathtaking property places your within your own national trust area, surrounded by a river and valley .
Burrawang is available for inspection though agent Richard Cooper from Sotheby's International Realty . |
261,059 | de1c72c9c110478aebafb5f9c39f4a66c39dbbbf | By . Luke Salkeld and Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 3 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:35 EST, 3 June 2013 . David Hamnett (pictured) was being treated for sleep apnoea, a condition that can halt breathing during sleep around the time when his car crashed on the M5 . A drunken driver who crashed his car at 100mph has avoided jail after telling a court he was ‘sleep driving’. David Hamnett, 47, had been drinking whisky and wine before getting behind the wheel of his Volvo S40 while, he claimed, he was still asleep. He travelled 150 miles at up to 100mph before rear-ending another vehicle and slamming into a motorway’s central barrier. The marine engineer was cut free from the wreckage wearing a T-shirt and jogging bottoms with bare feet. He was found to be almost twice the drink-drive limit. Hamnett told a court he had been ‘sleep driving’ after getting into his car to drive to Devon, where he works during the week, from his home in Ormskirk, Lancashire. He said he must have been asleep during the entire drive before the crash in Worcestershire in the early hours. The married father of two told Shrewsbury Crown Court he had put his ‘sleeping clothes’ on to go to bed and woke up to find himself in the smash on the M5. However Dr Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said it was ‘highly unlikely’ he could have been asleep behind the wheel without crashing for two hours. Judge Peter Barrie accepted Hamnett had a sleeping disorder and that it was possible he may have got into his car while asleep. But he said he had likely carried on with the journey after waking. Hamnett was convicted of dangerous driving and given a 12-month community order, banned from driving for six months and ordered to take an advanced test. Judge Barrie said of the crash in the early hours of Saturday July 9, 2011: ‘This was a highly dangerous incident at high speed, weaving on a motorway and causing an accident in which you and the occupants of another car suffered significant injuries. An aggravating feature was that you were well over the drink-drive limit.’ Sleepwalking: David Hamnett was found guilty of dangerous driving at Shrewsbury Crown Court . Hamnett claimed he travelled the entire 150 miles in a state of ‘parasomnia’. Dr John O’Reilly, from the North West . Regional Sleep Service, based at Aintree University Hospital in . Liverpool, confirmed he had undergone treatment for sleep disorders. But prosecution witness Dr Idzikowski . said it was ‘highly unlikely’ that anyone could have negotiated a . 150-mile journey without waking up. Hamnett, who was sentenced last week, . said yesterday that he had driven home from Plymouth to Lancashire on . the Friday then gone to bed after a drink with his wife Janet, a nurse. He insisted he had woken trapped inside his mangled car and still has no recollection of how he ended up there. At the time of the accident Hamnett – . who fractured his spine and spent a month in hospital – was undergoing . treatment for sleep apnoea, a condition that affects breathing while . asleep. He continued: ‘I’d had a few episodes where I had woken up to find myself walking around the house. ‘I’d not thought that much about it . because it was so infrequent. It turned out that sleep driving was . actually quite common also. I think it’s a long, straight road and . driving along it is a fairly simple task. ‘I was in my pyjamas, I had no money . and wallet, and I had just driven all the way back from work so why on . earth would I want to go back there on a Saturday morning?’ The research and development director for a marine engineering firm has dropped from 24stone to 15stone since the crash. He says the weight loss seems to have cured his sleep problems and curbed his sleepwalking. | Marine engineer David Hamnett was twice the drink drive limit .
47-year-old rear-ended another car and slammed into motorway partition .
Claimed he travelled the .
entire 150 miles in a state of 'parasomnia'
Has since lost stone, in attempt to cure troubled sleep habits . |
61,527 | aecbac12c35eaf37cb164e71248778bf3b0a0d96 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 06:20 EST, 7 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:02 EST, 8 May 2013 . With large houses and mischievous children to look after, nannies are known to have a wide-range of skills. But, with Britain seeing an influx of wealthy foreigners in recent years, today's nannies are learning skills which were certainly not on display in the classic musical Mary Poppins. Trainees at Britain's most prestigious nanny school are now learning self-defence and stunt driving - to protect against robbers and kidnappers. Fearsome: Trainees at Britain's most prestigious nanny school are now learning self-defence and stunt driving - to protect against robbers and kidnappers. This picture shows one of the college's self-defence classes . Skills: To meet the needs of modern wealthy parents, the college has now added getaway driving and martial arts to the curriculum so that nannies can protect babies in their care . Tough: Trainee nannie Caroline Bullen strikes her instructor Andy Tombling during one of the self- defence classes . Norland College in Bath, Somerset, has been training professional nannies for the rich and famous since 1892. But, to meet the needs of modern wealthy parents, the college has now added getaway driving and martial arts to the curriculum in order to protect babies in their care. Students now undergo rigorous stunt and evasive techniques to enable them to drive at high speed in any weather conditions and escape the potential grip of attackers. Abby Harris, 19, said the new modules are essential to her training as future clients are likely to be a potential target for crooks. 'It's a really crucial part of training', she said. 'You have to be prepared for things and if we have high-profile charges in our care then we need to know how to protect them. 'Self-defence is really important because the charges you never know who could be out there. Fast: Students now undergo rigorous stunt and evasive techniques to enable them to drive at high speed in any weather conditions and escape the potential grip of attackers . Multi-skilled: Trainee nannie Lucy Draper gets behind the wheel of one of the cars as she practices getaway driving . Important: The new modules at the college are essential to training as future clients for the nannies are likely to be a potential target for criminals . Good old days: Three Norland nannies, from left, Christine Garner, Rosemarie Coley and Jennifer Good, pushing prams in the park . 'It was definitely not something I expected to do before I came to Norland, but it was amazing, so much fun.' Fellow classmate Lucy Draper, 24, added: 'It teaches you how to look after your charges so if you have them in the back in dangerous situation you know how to cope. 'It teaches you things like how to get away from the paparazzi or if you're being chased as well as if you are on black ice or something like that. 'I definitely feel a lot better and more prepared now.' Norland nannies are known as the creme de la creme of the childcare world and are firm favourites of royals, celebrities and the super-rich. But their Mary Poppins-style brown uniforms, felt hats and white gloves makes them instantly recognisable and prime targets for potential attackers. Skillful: Trainee nannie Fiona Searle shows one of the moves she has been taught during her self-defence classes at Norland College . Prestigious: Norland nannies are known as the creme de la creme of the childcare world and are firm favourites of royals, celebrities and the super-rich . Defence: Trainee nannie Fiona Searle shows how she would defend a baby in her care in the face of an attacker . The trainees - who pay £36,000 for the four-year BA Honours degree course - are taught everyday skills such as first aid, sewing, fitting car seats and cooking. As well as housekeeping skills, the college now prepares the girls for the 21st Century version of childcare - by taking its second-year students to Castle Combe Racing Circuit in Wiltshire, for driving lessons with a difference. The class teaches students how to deal with icy roads and how to safely get away from anyone trying to get to the children in their care. Driving instructor John Yeo, who normally trains bodyguards, said the nannies course was 'tough and realistic'. Essential: As well as the self-defence skills, nannies at Norland also learn the housekeeping skills. Norland nannies are pictured here in the 1970s . Innocent: The self-defence skills today's Norland nannies are being taught are a world away from those in the past. This image shows a Norland nurse in 1933 . Reputation: Norland College is renowned for producing excellent nannies over a 100 year period . Unique: The Norland nannies Mary Poppins-style brown uniforms, felt hats and white gloves makes them instantly recognisable and prime targets for potential attackers . He said: 'We put them under as much pressure as we can. 'If we're putting all the pressure on them and they can still pull the car out of a situation quickly and efficiently, it's been a good reward. 'And we know when they go out there and that happens they've got the best chance possible of keeping safe.' They also undergo Tae Kwon-Do self-defence training where they learn to manoeuvre prams away from kidnappers and give themselves the best chance at escaping or alerting attention. Claire Burges, lecturer and former graduate of Norland College, believes the college's founder, Emily Ward, would have loved the new additions to the prospectus. She said: 'When Emily Ward set up Norland, it was forward thinking it was always thinking about what was needed for the children in the families that the nannies were going to be caring for. 'And I think she'd love the idea that we're now moving it even more forward.' | Norland College trainees learning self-defence and stunt driving .
Students undergo rigorous stunt and .
evasive techniques .
This enables them to drive at high speed in any weather .
conditions . |
159,905 | 5ab3087d77534d62666b2d819dd4c4889f4b8316 | Karim Benzema has committed his future to Real Madrid by signing a contract extension until 2019 after snubbing advances from Premier League clubs. Speculation regarding the France forward's future in the Spanish capital had been rife in recent weeks, but he will remain at the Bernabeu until 2019. Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were among the Premier League sides linked to the 26-year-old this summer but the former Lyon man will not be plying his trade in England next season. VIDEO Scroll down for Benzema models Real Madrid's new strip for next season . Staying put: Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has committed himself to the club until 2019 . Wanted: Benzema had been linked with a move to Liverpool, Tottenham or Arsenal this summer . Prolific: Benzema has netted 111 times in 235 appearances since signing for Real from Lyon in 2009 . Radamel Falcao had been touted as a potential replacement for Benzema at Madrid - yet the club have put faith in their current star forward to partner Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and the newly-arrived James Rodriguez in attack. Benzema has scored 111 goals in 235 appearances since signing for the club from Lyon in 2009, including an impressive 24 in 52 last season as Real lifted their 10th Champions League trophy. He has also won La Liga once, the Copa del Rey twice and the Supercopa Espana once during his time in Spain. Success: Benzema helped Real Madrid win their 10th Champions League trophy last season . Star: Benzema excelled for France during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as they reached the quarter-finals . Dream: He will be part of a mouth-watering attack with Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale . | Benzema commits future to club until 2019 by signing new contract .
The forward had been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham .
He has scored 111 goals in 235 games since signing from Lyon in 2009 .
He scored 24 goals in 52 games as Real won Champions League last year . |
242,675 | c61fab511f679d7660309fcce6414f1e2b66915c | Strolling hand-in-hand on a summer’s afternoon, they look like a couple without a care in the world. But this is the married co-founder of online fashion emporium ASOS, which counts the Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister’s wife Samantha Cameron as customers. The woman by Nick Robertson’s side is his former PA Charlotte Balin – 15 years his junior – and together they have set up home just a short distance from his estranged wife. Nick Robertson (pictured left and right) has moved in with his former PA Charlotte Balin (left), just around the corner from his estranged wife Janine (right, pictured before their split) It was announced in March that Mr Robertson, 46, one the UK’s richest men, had parted from Janine, his wife of ten years. He was said to have left the £8.3 million six-bedroom property in Wimbledon, South-West London, that he shared with Mrs Robertson, 41, and their two daughters. At the time, friends said the couple were living apart on civilised terms and were trying to make their marriage work. But now it has emerged that Mr Robertson is renting a five-bedroom house with Ms Balin, 31, in Wimbledon, close to his former family home. It is understood that divorce proceedings have begun. She declined to comment when approached by The Mail on Sunday. Earlier this year, it was suggested the couple had drifted apart because the tycoon had been travelling a lot due to work commitments. But now a source has told The Mail on Sunday that Mrs Robertson is hurt, angry and feels betrayed by her husband. ‘The marriage only ended a few months ago and now Nick is moving into a property so close. They might as well have set up home at the bottom of the garden,’ a source said. Home sweet home?: Mrs Robertson is said to be hurt, angry and feels betrayed by her husband after he moved into this rented property with his PA . Mr Robertson founded ASOS – which stands for As Seen On Screen – with friend Quentin Griffiths in 2000. Specialising in clothing and accessories, it rapidly became a £2 billion global company. The Duchess of Cambridge, Samantha Cameron and First Lady Michelle Obama have all worn ASOS’s own-label designs, helping the company to achieve annual sales of £770 million. The great-grandson of retailer Austin Reed, Mr Robertson is said to be worth £448 million and his wife would be likely to get a large chunk of his fortune. However, because most of his wealth is tied up in the business, there are fears that any divorce settlement that forces Mr Robertson to sell part of his 9.28 per cent stake in the business could rock its share price. It would be the latest in a series of blows for the retailer, which has issued two profits warnings this year and suffered a suspected arson attack at its main distribution centre. Its share price has dropped 65 per cent since March, wiping almost £4 billion off its value. A spokesman for Mr Robertson and Miss Balin said Mr Robertson moved out of the family home last October but neither he nor Miss Balin wished to comment. | Nick Robertson believed to have moved out of family home in Wimbledon .
Said to be living just around the corner with former PA Charlotte Balin .
Source says Mrs Roberson is hurt and feels betrayed by the move . |
257,778 | d99983975f1021d9098873abdbeaf3220ee47680 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 06:09 EST, 27 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:16 EST, 27 July 2012 . Smart foods that tell the brain you have eaten enough could hold the key to beating obesity, researcher have claimed. A Dutch team has already started work on the intelligent foods that could one day help the world beat obesity. They hope the foods will contain a special chemical that mimics the message our gut sends the brain when it is full. Intelligent food: Scientists hope to create snacks that can trick the brain into thinking the gut is full after just a few bites . By sending the message earlier, the brain can be fooled into not overeating. 'We know nutrients interact with gut cells, which dispatch chemical messengers – hormones– to the brain to signal 'stomach full'," endocrinologist Jens Holst of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, told youris.com. This messaging from our food to gut to brain is now being decoded to fight obesity. Holst discovered a small molecule in the gut, called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which acts on parts of the brain that regulate appetite. He is now involved with an EU funded research project, Full4Health, to try and find out exactly how the gut tells the brain when it is full. A big problem: Scientists hope smart food could help deal with the global obesity crisis. 'There is a raft of hormones, which are all satiety hormones, which will tend to help terminate a meal,' said project coordinator Julian Mercer, obesity scientist at the University of Aberdeen, UK. 'We don’t know much about which nutrients are involved and whether we can manipulate how food interacts with those signalling systems and how those systems are integrated at different levels in the brain.' The team hope their research could lead to drugs which mimic the message, and hope to eventually make food that can also contain the messages. 'It would be even better if we could come up with smart food,' says Mercer. Recent research found Britain has one of the most sedentary populations on earth, with almost twice the proportion of people defined as 'inactive' as in neighbouring France. The global figures reveal that even the Americans put Britain to shame when it comes to taking exercise. In the UK, 63.3 per cent of the population fails to meet recommended levels of physical activity, increasing their risk of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. By comparison, 40.5 per cent of US citizens are inactive, despite more than 30 per cent of them being obese. | Dutch researchers hope to develop food that tricks the brain into thinking we are full .
Could have an instant effect on the obese . |
131,397 | 35ea7876dc2ac3880c20e01dc7e4a3a4e7d232cf | PUBLISHED: . 04:05 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:13 EST, 25 November 2013 . Time for change: Morpurgo, above, said the reintroduction of story time would give children the opportunity to contemplate stories, instead of using them as tools . Author Michael Morpurgo has called on the education secretary Michael Gove to reintroduce 'story time' in schools, saying children need the time during their working day for 'contemplation'. The former children's laureate and author of War Horse, said listening sessions where students are not tested on what they have heard would teach young people to rediscover their love for reading. Morpurgo, himself a former teacher, said he believes books are primarily to be enjoyed and that the current education system makes texts seem like working tools which are used solely to improve English. In a direct message to the education minister, the writer said a change in culture was required to change attitudes towards reading. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he said: 'You cannot force this medicine down their throats and say "you have to learn this because you’re going to be tested on it".' 'It’s really, really important for . children to have these moments in the school day for contemplation, there must be no questions afterwards, no comprehension exercises . and no testing. 'I would like to see it in every school in the country, Mr Gove.' Morpurgo, 70, was speaking at the opening of a new new library, built at Brackenbury Primary School, west London, after parents raised £95,000 in funds. They held a series of cake sales, sponsored walks and charity auctions, with a local building contractor offering to work with the school at a discount. Morpurgo said he felt 'very, very strongly' about the need to give children the time to 'come to stories'. Kevin . Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, . said ideas such as reinstating story time could 'certainly help' to . instill a love of reading in children and are 'worth discussing'. Mail Online has contacted the department for education for reaction to Mr Morpurgo's comments. The author called on the education secretary Michael Gove, above, to implement the changes immediatley . | The former children's laureate said books are used too much as 'tools'
He wants time for children to listen to stories without being tested .
War Horse author was speaking at the opening of a new school library . |
198,754 | 8d465bcfd532fe8ad25c1b59ab9b2cdb0d81fe09 | With temperatures in the Gulf still baking hot, wealthy Arabs are seeing out the end of the summer in London's rather milder climes. And, in what is becoming an annual tradition, they have brought their supercars with them. As these astonishing pictures show, the streets of Knightsbridge and Mayfair are still currently lined with expensive motors which have been shipped over to Britain while their owners seek shelter from the sun (not to mention some retail therapy) in the capital. With their Arabic number plates they're a traffic warden's nightmare but a car spotter's dream, with marques including Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Forgiato, and Lamborghini. And they've all had the requisite custom paint jobs. Fans of the ostentatious cars, known as the 'carparazzi', are descending upon London to photograph the often extremely rare vehicles. But local residents are not fans of the supercar spectacle, complaining the drivers take the parking spaces without respecting parking rules. Others complain of drivers revving their cars' engines and treating the well-heeled streets as a racetrack until the early hours of the morning. However, as this top picture taken outside the Dorchester shows, either the cars' owners - or perhaps more accurately, their chauffeurs, are rather good at reverse parking - no mean feat when the car involved is worth north of £1million. Flashy: This line-up of two Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupés, two gold-plated Land Rovers, a Lamborghini, a Ferrari and a Bugatti Veyron, is worth at least £3.1 million . They can afford a parking ticket or two: This exclusive Ferrari is one of many ultra-expensive cars to have hit the streets of the capital within the past few months . Summer: Wealthy residents of Arab countries frequently transport their cars to London during the summer months to escape the stifling heat in the Gulf . Glamorous: The cars - including a Forgiato C7 Corvette Widebody - have been zooming around pricey parts of the city such as Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Kensington . A Kuwaiti car covered in Arabic writing (above and below) as well as photos and social media tags is one of the more unusual sights for the 'carparazzi' fans . Sleek: The vehicles, such as this Ford GT (above and below), have been attracting admiring looks from passers-by this summer as their owners shelter from the heat . Colourful: The cars are often in eye-catching shades and have been customised with scant regard to price or, some might say, taste . You wouldn't call it understated: This gold-plated Ferrari is parked outside Harrods, where it has received a traditional British summer soaking . High roller: A Lamborghini with an Arabic licence plate parked on double yellow lines outside five-star hotel 45 Park Lane, which overlooks Hyde Park . Shopping trip: An enormous SUV parked outside Harrods, the landmark department store in Knightsbridge, a favourite for supercar owners . This matte blue Ferrari (above and below), one of several on the city's streets with a Kuwaiti numberplate, has had a soaking in a London rain shower . End of the season: Many of the supercars will soon return to the Middle East - but some, like this Audi R8, appear to be based in Britain full-time . Glitzy: This silver Mercedes (above and below) was yet another one of the glitzy cars to zoom past the Dorchester, infuriating residents on central and west London . This white Pagani Huayra (above and below) - one of the supercars transported over to London for the summer by its rich Arab owner - was seen on double yellow lines . The sports car, which can sell for up to £850,000 and can reach speeds of more than 200mph, was seen parked out Harrods in Knightsbridge this week . Despite being built for the desert sands, a converted Mercedes G63 AMG - worth an estimated £350,000 - was among the cars stuck in traffic in west London this week . | Wealthy Arabs escape the stifling summer in the Gulf by coming to London - and they bring their supercars with them .
Expensive marques lining the streets of Knightsbridge and Kensington include Ferrari, Forgiato, and Lamborghini .
Locals complain their drivers have no respect for parking rules and treat the smart London streets like race tracks .
But car enthusiasts - dubbed the 'carparazzi' - love what is now an annual spectacle and descend with their cameras . |
46,807 | 83de751e1a40feaeab0b487b0641bf41e0a29efa | You have good manners, right? After all, you (usually) keep your elbows off the table and say "Please pass the salt," right? But when you head abroad, things get a little more complicated. Case in point: Rest your chopsticks the wrong way, and you might remind a Japanese friend of their grandmother's funeral (Rule 2). But knowing what the etiquette rules are won't just save you from some awkward situations, says Dean Allen, author of the "Global Etiquette Guide" series. It can also help you make friends. "It's really a statement of your openness and awareness of the fact that the people you're with... may in fact see the world differently," he says. "It's simply going to get you out of the tourist bubble." Sound good? Then here are 15 rules to keep in mind. Budget Travel: 21 Girl trips you absolutely love . In Thailand, don't put food in your mouth with a fork. Instead, when eating a dish with cooked rice, use your fork only to push food onto your spoon. A few exceptions: Some northern and northeastern Thai dishes are typically eaten with the hands -- you'll know you've encountered such a dish if the rice used is glutinous or "sticky". Also, stand-alone items that are not part of a rice-based meal may be eaten with a fork. But, says Leela Punyaratabandhu, a food writer who blogs at SheSimmers.com, the worst thing to do at a traditional, rice-based meal would be to use chopsticks. "That is awkward and inconvenient at best and tacky at worst," she says. In Japan, never stick your chopsticks upright in your rice. Between bites, your chopsticks should be placed together right in front of you, parallel to the edge of the table -- and nowhere else, says Mineko Takane Moreno, Japanese cooking instructor and co-author of "Sushi for Dummies." (If there is a chopsticks rest, you use it, putting the tips you've been eating with on the rest.) But sticking them upright in a bowl of rice is even worse: During funerals in Japan, the rice bowl of the deceased is placed before their coffin...with their chopsticks upright in the rice. So what would she rather see: Someone doing that at a meal, or asking for a fork? Mineko doesn't hesitate. "Asking for a fork," she says. Budget Travel: 12 elevators you need to see to believe . In the Middle East, India and parts of Africa, don't eat with your left hand. In South India, you shouldn't even touch the plate with your left hand while eating. That's largely because the left hand is associated with, um, bodily functions, so it's considered to be dirty. In fact, says Allen, don't even pass important documents with your left hand. A lefty? Then it's okay to use your left hand -- as long as you take your right hand out of the game. At a traditional feast in Georgia, it's rude to sip your wine. At what Georgians call a supra (traditional feast), wine is drunk only at toasts. So wait for those... and then down the whole glass at once. On the upside, says Georgia-based photographer and videographer Paul Stephens, the glasses tend to be on the small side. In Mexico, never eat tacos with a fork and knife. Worried about spilling refried beans and salsa all over your front? Tough. Mexicans think that eating tacos with a fork and knife looks silly and, worse, snobby -- kind of like eating a burger with silverware. So be polite: Eat with your hands. In Italy, only drink a cappuccino before noon. Some Italians say that a late-day cappuccino upsets your stomach, others that it's a replacement for a meal (it's common to have just a cappuccino, or a cappuccino and a croissant, for breakfast). Either way, you won't see Italians ordering one in a café at 3pm -- and certainly not after a big dinner. Do so, and you'll be instantly branded a tourist. If you need that coffee fix, though, an espresso is fine. In Britain, always pass the port to the left -- and remember the Bishop of Norwich. It's unclear why passing port on the left is so important; some say it has to do with naval tradition (the port side of a boat is on your left if you're facing the helm). Regardless, passing the decanter to the right is a big gaffe. So is not passing it at all. If you're at a meal and the decanter stalls, then ask the person with it, "Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?" If they say they don't know him, reply, "He's a very good chap, but he always forgets to pass the port." It sounds weird, but it's true. This is such a nationwide tradition, the Telegraph wrote an article on it. Budget Travel: Can you spot the travel rip-off? In France, don't eat your bread as an appetizer before the meal. Instead, eat it as an accompaniment to your food or, especially, to the cheese course at the end of the meal. That said, one thing that would be a faux pas anywhere else -- placing bread directly on the table and not on a plate -- is perfectly acceptable in France -- in fact, it's preferred. In China, don't flip the fish. Although you might be used to flipping over a whole fish once you've finished one side, don't -- at least when you're in China, especially southern China and Hong Kong. That's because flipping the fish is "dao yue" in Chinese, a phrase similar to "bad luck." Plus, says Allen, "to flip the fish over is like saying that the fisherman's boat is going to capsize." The most superstitious will leave the bottom part untouched, while others will pull off the bone itself to get to the bottom. In Italy, don't ask for parmesan for your pizza -- or any other time it's not explicitly offered. Putting parmigiano on pizza is seen as a sin, like putting Jell-O on a fine chocolate mousse. And many pasta dishes in Italy aren't meant for parmesan: In Rome, for example, the traditional cheese is pecorino, and that's what goes on many classic pastas like bucatini all'amatriciana, not parmesan. A rule of thumb: If they don't offer it to you, don't ask for it. Don't eat anything, even fries, with your hands at a meal in Chile. Manners here are a little more formal than many other South American countries. So while it might be the most practical to just pick up those fries with your fingers, don't do it. "The greater need is to identify with European culture, so food is [eaten] with a knife and a fork," Allen says. In Korea, if an older person offers you a drink, lift your glass to receive it with both hands. Doing so is a sign of respect for elders, an important tenet of Korean culture. After receiving the pour with both hands, you should turn your head away and take a discreet sip, says Stephen Cha-Kim, a Korean-born worker's rights advocate who regularly visits family in Korea. "To this day, if anybody hands me anything, both hands shoot out instinctively," Cha-Kim says. Similarly, don't start eating until the eldest male has done so (and don't leave the table until that person is finished). Budget Travel: The 6 most inspiring travel films of the year . Never mix -- or turn down -- vodka in Russia. The beverage is always drunk neat -- and no, not even with ice. Adding anything is seen as polluting the drink's purity (unless the mixer is beer, which produces a formidable beverage known as yorsh). But there's another faux pas that's even worse, says Allen: when you're offered the drink and you turn it down. Since offering someone a drink is a sign of trust and friendship, it's a good idea to take it. Even if it is 9am. When drinking coffee with Bedouins in the Middle East, shake the cup at the end. Typically, anyone Bedouin -- or Bedouin-related -- will continue to pour you more coffee once you've finished unless you shake the cup, meaning tilting the cup two or three times, when you hand it back. It's such an important tip, says Middle East-based freelance correspondent Haley Sweetland Edwards, that last year, Bedouins she was eating with in Qatar made her practice it until she got it right. In Brazil, play your tokens wisely. At a churrascaria, or a Brazilian steakhouse, servers circle with cuts of meat and diners use tokens to place an order. If a server comes out with something you want, make sure your token, which you'll have at your table, has the green side up. If you don't want any more, flip it with the red side up. Since the meat can be never-ending, it's important to strategize -- if you leave that token green side up you could end up ordering a lot more than you intended. Budget Travel: Secrets to the 10 most popular cruise ports . | Knowing local etiquette will save you from awkward situations and help you make friends .
In Japan, Thailand and Mexico, be mindful of flatware usage .
Never turn down vodka in Russia, or drink a cappuccino after noon in Italy . |
148,331 | 4bca93b9b4fb4725425c3c57b060f2dd2d7475e6 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 4 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:27 EST, 4 December 2013 . Five nurses were today found guilty of neglect at a care home where malnourished pensioners lived on porridge and had pressure sores so deep that their bones were exposed. The abuse came to light after five residents aged between 83 and 100 died in just two weeks at the scandal-hit Parkside House Nursing Home in Northampton. Home manager Phyllis Johnson and nurses Anastacia Madulu, Girlie Franklin, Maria McKenzie, and Mary Ombui, were all found guilty of failing to provide basic care to ten residents between them. Nurses: Anastacia Madulu (left) and Girlie Franklin (right) were found guilty of failing to provide basic care . Johnson was also found guilty of not reporting the deaths of three residents to the Care and Quality Commission, and failing to provide them nutritious meals and ensure staff were adequately trained. The residents died at the site between July 22 and August 6, 2009, after being left malnourished, immobile in bed, and with putrid pressure sores, a hearing was told. Concerns were first raised when an elderly woman was admitted to Northampton General Hospital on July 21, 2009 with severe pressure sores on her heels exposing her bones and tendons. She was unresponsive and died the next day, exhibiting signs of dehydration and malnourishment. Another resident with severe pressure sores died on the same day at the home, while three people were shipped out of the home over fears for their health. The third vulnerable pensioner died in a community hospital on July 28 while two died in separate care homes on August 4 and 6. Alzheimer’s sufferer Doreen Sheridan, 83, died on August 4 after contracting bronchopneumonia which doctors said was caused by a lack of movement. Neglectful: Mary Ombui (right) admitted all allegations against her on the basis that Maria McKenzie (left) prevented her from providing basic treatment to patients at the care home . Healthcare manager Karen Stagg undertook an assessment of some of the residents on July 24 following ‘serious concerns’ about the care provided. Mrs Stagg reported a series of fundamental failings, including staff who could not use basic equipment, residents fed ‘mainly porridge’ and meaningless care plans that were out of date. One female pensioner who suffered from physical and mental disabilities had skin which ‘appeared to be paper thin and dry’. Mrs Stagg had told the panel that an elderly woman at the home had a sore that was ‘necrotic and yellow, slow to heal and granulating’. One pressure sore she inspected was 2.8in across and 2.4in deep - deep enough to ‘feel the bone’, the panel heard. Parkside House’s remaining residents were moved elsewhere and its registration was later cancelled. A serious case review into the deaths found the ‘causes considered to be consistent with the effects of severe neglect’. Madulu, who represented herself at the hearing, and Ombui, who was with her representative, admitted all allegations against them on the basis that McKenzie prevented them from providing basic treatment to patients. Accusations: The abuse came to light after five residents aged between 83 and 100 died in just two weeks at the scandal-hit Parkside House Nursing Home (pictured) in Northampton . McKenzie and Franklin were found guilty of the bulk of the charges relating to the residents - referred to as A, B, C, D, E, F, G H, I and J - including failing to provide adequate care. But the pair were cleared of charges including not completing nutrition risk assessments for certain residents, failing to monitor the weight of some residents and not using documentation to help monitor care. Johnson, who denied all the charges, did not attend the Central London hearing and has now retired to Trinidad and Tobago. She was found guilty of the majority of the charges against her and cleared of failing to review procedures and policies at the home and failing to notify the CQC when Residents A, B and C were admitted to hospital. If the nurses are found guilty of misconduct, they could face being barred from the profession. Two other Parkside House nurses, Alice Nojozi and Nobuhle Moyo, were let off with cautions following earlier Nursing and Midwifery Council hearings. The hearing continues with the panel set to decide on whether the charges amount to misconduct tomorrow, before moving on to sanction. | Abuse came to light after five residents died in two weeks at nursing home .
The five nurses failed to provide basic care to ten residents between them .
Manager also found guilty of not reporting three residents' deaths to CQC . |
36,750 | 6824b2f28d1ef427d207dd075344ae421858b669 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- Pakistan, ranked by the Pew Research Center as one of the least tolerant countries in the world for gays, has pulled the plug on its only online resource for the Muslim nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Queer Pakistan, which just went online in July, confirmed it had been blocked September 24 with a Twitter post saying, "It's official! QueerPK is banned from viewership in Pakistan." Netizens attempting to access the site inside the country are greeted with the note, "Surf Safely! This website is not accessible. The site you are trying to access contains content that is prohibited for viewership from within Pakistan." Outside the country, however, Queer Pakistan can still be reached via a redirect. "#QueerPK is now accessible on new domain name http://humjins.com! We are determined to fight #censorship if we have your support!" said Queer Pakistan in a follow-up Twitter post. "The government's blocking of Queerpk.com clearly violates internationally recognized rights to freedom of expression and non-discrimination, and should be lifted immediately," Phil Robertson, Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, told CNN. Queer Pakistan's last entry on its homepage, dated September 4, detailed religious, political and social reactions to its existence -- including a call for the government "to control them" and a statement that the "West should not try to impose their values on us." "Pakistan's shuttering of this news portal shows how incredibly out of step Pakistan is with growing efforts by the United Nations to ensure rights protections for LGBT persons, including the strong public endorsement of LGBT rights given by none other than the U.N. Secretary-General himself," added Robertson. "Pakistan's donors should get off the sidelines and publicly press the government to reverse this internet censorship and permit discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity to proceed unhindered." Homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan, a country of more than 193 million people, nearly 97% of which are Muslim. According to IRIN, a U.N. humanitarian news and analysis service, "under section 377 of the PCC (Pakistan Penal Code), whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which [shall not be less than two years nor more than] 10 years, and shall also be liable to a fine." Pakistan is also one of just several countries in the world that still reserve the death penalty for homosexuals, according to the International Lesbian and Gay Association, or ILGA. This past June, the Pew Research Center released the results of its survey on the "Global Divide on Homosexuality." Of 39 countries studied, Pakistan was found to be one of the least gay-tolerant, with 87% of those surveyed saying homosexuality should be rejected. In Asia, only Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim country -- scored higher with 93% disapproval. Spain and Germany were found to be the world's most- and second-most tolerant countries respectively. In a separate survey, Spartacus World's Gay Travel Index ranked Pakistan 124th of 138 nations surveyed for gay tolerance. The country received an overall score of "-5" for the high degree of religious influence, anti-gay laws, local hostility and the risk of prosecution. Vatican City, Egypt, and Russia scored even lower -- with Iran bottoming out the list with a score of "-13." | Pakistan has blocked country's first and only gay resources website .
Queer Pakistan, which went online in July, confirmed block via Twitter .
Human Rights Watch: "government block of Queerpk.com violates rights"
Pakistan Penal Code details up to life in prison for gay sex acts . |
224,919 | af3d92cc597d2d2ffb03cea438ff61ab52516cc4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:20 EST, 21 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 21 September 2013 . The most powerful typhoon of the year was eyeing landfall on Hong Kong today as it swept past the Philippines and Taiwan, sparing those countries from the worst of its wrath. Typhoon Usagi had gusts exceeding 163 mph this morning as it battered island communities in the Luzon Strait, according to the U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center. China's National Meteorological Centre announced a red alert, its highest level, as the storm maintained its track toward Hong Kong and the manufacturing heartland of the Pearl River Delta. Scroll down for video . Huge: Super Typhoon Usagi is seen heading west-northwest through the Luzon Strait in this shortwave infrared satellite image. The strongest storm in the Western Pacific this year was today headed for Hong Kong . The observatory warned that Usagi would also smash into coastal areas of Guangdong, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. The Hong Kong Observatory said today that Usagi was 406 miles east-southeast of the city. It predicted that the storm's maximum sustained winds would weaken to 103mph by 2pm on Sunday as it approaches Hong Kong before making landfall overnight. The observatory was maintaining a No. 1 Standby Signal and warned that the storm poses a 'severe threat' to the densely populated city, where windows were taped up in anticipation of the chaos. Blow me down: People in Taipei hold their umbrellas tight against powerful gusts of wind generated by Typhoon Usagi as the storm passed 342 miles south, sparing the country's coast from the worst of its wrath . Better off with a macintosh: People in Taipei struggle to keep dry in the heavy rain brought by the storm . A woman and her child hold their umbrellas tight against powerful gusts of wind: Gusts of nearly 150mph were recorded further south on the Taiwanese island of Lanyu in the Luzon Strait . Further south: A three-wheeled taxi lies on its side after being blown over by winds from Typhoon Usagi in the town of Hengtsun in south-east Pingtung county today as it swept past the southern parts of Taiwan . Waterfalls cascade on to a road close to Hengtsun: Nearly 2,500 people were evacuated from flood-prone areas and remote mountainous regions as Taiwanese soldiers were deployed into potential disaster zones. As the storm passed 342 miles south of Taiwanese capital Taipei, the country's Central Weather Bureau said it was veering west, mostly likely sparing the country's south from the most destructive winds near its eye. But gusts of nearly 150mph were recorded on the Taiwanese island of Lanyu, and the bureau warned that dangerous winds were buffeting the holiday resort of Kending on the Hengchun peninsula. In the Philippines, the storm triggered landslides and power outages in parts of the north of the country, including the Batanes island group, where it made landfall early this morning. No casualties have been reported. The Filipino weather bureau warned that storm surges and heavy waves could cause damage in the Batanes and other islands in the Luzon Strait before Usagi blows past the country by tonight. Is that really a good idea? A man and a boy sit inside a makeshift raft as they paddle through rough waves brought by Super Typhoon Usagi along the coast of Manila Bay in Navotas City, Philippines . A boy clings to a concrete bank as rough waves . crash into Manila Bay: Usagi slammed into the Philippines' northern . islands today, cutting communication and power lines, triggering . landslides and swamping rice fields . Filipino children scamper across wrecked floating shanties at a . village in Paranaque city, south of Manila: The Filipino . weather bureau warned that storm surges and heavy waves could cause . more heavy damage tonight . A Filipino girl walks away from a shack: The . Office of Civil Defense in Manila, the Filipino capital, said landslides . damaged houses and roads, and pockets of power outages were reported in . at least five northern provinces . A man walks past crashing waves at Manila's Baywalk area: The Philippines has avoided the brunt of the storm . In Taiwan, nearly 2,500 people were . evacuated from flood-prone areas and remote mountainous regions as the . government deployed military personnel into potential disaster zones. The . storm system has dumped more than 8in of rain along the eastern and . southern coasts in a 13-hour period, with officials warning that a total . rainfall of 39in could drop before the storm leaves tomorrow. Local . officials closed mountain highways blocked by landslides and suspended . train services connecting the east and west coasts as power outages . affected thousands of homes. Usagi . has a massive diameter of 680 miles, with its outer rain bands . extending across Luzon and all of Taiwan across to the Chinese coast. Frightening: An image taken from space by the Japanese Meteorological Agency's MTSAT-2 satellite yesterday . Getting ready: A man leaves a Hong Kong shopping mall where entrances are taped up in anticipation of the expected chaos that Usagi will bring when it makes landfall there on Sunday evening . Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau warned winds of 63mph could hit Taipei. The Office of Civil Defense in Manila said landslides damaged houses and roads, and pockets of power outages were reported in at least five northern provinces, where several roads and bridges were impassable. Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair said flights today were unaffected except for one canceled flight. But both airlines warned of delays and cancelations at Hong Kong International Airport from tomorrow evening to Monday morning, and urged passengers to postpone non-essential travel on those two days. | Gusts exceeded 163mph today as it swept through the Luzon Strait .
China announces red alert for Pearl River Delta manufacturing heartland .
Hong Kong Observatory warns of 'severe threat' to densely peopled city . |
183,673 | 79eb5e081fd91faf84944d224967551421d64911 | AUSTIN, Texas (CNN) -- Lady Bird Johnson, who was first lady during the 1960s and in her later years became an advocate for beautifying public landscapes, died Wednesday, family spokesman Tom Johnson said. She was 94. Lady Bird Johnson's real name was Claudia. She was the widow of Lyndon Baines Johnson, sworn in as the nation's 36th president on November 22, 1963, just hours after President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Lady Bird Johnson was briefly hospitalized last month with a low-grade fever. She was released and returned to her Austin home on June 28. After suffering a stroke in 2002 that limited her ability to speak, she communicated chiefly by writing. Upon news of her death, Texas Gov. Rick Perry ordered flags in the state to be flown at half-staff. "Lady Bird Johnson embodied all that is beautiful and good about the great state of Texas," Perry said. "She inspired generations of Americans with her graceful strength, unwavering commitment to family and keen sense of social justice." The former first lady was born Claudia Alta Taylor in 1912 in Karnack, Texas, a small town near the Louisiana line. She got her unusual nickname while still a toddler from her nurse, who proclaimed the child was as "purty as a lady bird." Lady Bird attended St. Mary's Episcopal School for Girls, a junior college near Dallas and then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1933, then stayed an extra year to earn a journalism degree. She hoped to become a newspaper reporter, but those plans changed after she met a 26-year-old congressional aide named Lyndon Baines Johnson. Watch the former first lady's life in restrospect » . They married in 1934 after a whirlwind courtship and soon moved to Washington. Early on, Lady Bird Johnson proved herself to be the quintessential political wife. In 1937 she used part of an inheritance to fund her husband's first bid for public office and campaigned with him to win a congressional seat. She used more of her mother's money and Johnson's connections to purchase a faltering Austin radio station in 1942 for $17,500. She turned it around and later used the station as a base for a multimillion-dollar communications company based in Austin. After three failed pregnancies, she gave birth to the Johnsons' first daughter, Lynda Bird, in 1944, followed by Luci Baines three years later. Lyndon Johnson rose quickly in politics, becoming the youngest Senate majority leader. In 1960, Johnson set his sights on the presidency but lost the Democratic nomination to Kennedy. A day later, he agreed to become Kennedy's running mate. Lady Bird Johnson traveled more than 35,000 miles during that campaign. After one of the closest presidential elections in U.S. history, Johnson was sworn in as vice president on January 20, 1961. With Kennedy's assassination, Johnson became the 36th president. As the Johnsons moved into the White House, Lady Bird Johnson "went around and went to all of the staff that was remaining in their jobs, told them how happy she was to have them there," said Leticia Baldridge, Jacqueline Kennedy's former social secretary. "She needed their help. She needed their support. And, of course, they all just immediately turned from supporting the Kennedys to supporting the Johnsons. That's what the staff does in the White House." In the landslide election of 1964, Lyndon Johnson won victories in the Northeast, West and Southwest. Of the eight Southern states that many had expected to vote for Republican Barry Goldwater, six went for LBJ -- in part, it was said, because of the first lady's efforts. During her husband's one term as president, Lady Bird Johnson worked tirelessly for the beautification of America, promoting the Highway Beautification Act, which sought to limit billboards. She was also a strong advocate for the Head Start program. Lyndon Johnson died in 1973. In 1982, she founded the National Wildflower Research Center outside of Austin. The center was renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in 1998. Its mission is the research and preservation of native plants throughout the United States. E-mail to a friend . | Former first lady, widow of Lyndon Baines Johnson, dies in Texas .
She was treated last month for fever, suffered a stroke in 2002 .
Former Claudia Alta Taylor was successful businesswoman .
After term ended, she became highway-beautification advocate . |
263,058 | e0ba78829ce2d102220fbcdf13b85e813be88c66 | Ched Evans has insisted he was guilty only of infidelity - not the rape he was jailed for - as he apologised to his girlfriend in a new video and pleaded for a 'second chance' in football. The 25-year-old former Sheffield United player made the comments on YouTube as his girlfriend Natasha Massey clutched his arm and wore what appeared to resemble an engagement ring. It is the first time he has spoken since his release from prison on Friday after serving half of a five-year sentence he received for raping a 19-year-old woman in his home town of Rhyl, North Wales. Scroll down for video . 'Determined': Ched Evans pleaded for a second chance to play football again - and insisted he was innocent . Relationship: Evans' girlfriend Natasha Massey, who stood by him throughout the trial which found him guilty of rape, clutched his arm in the video and wore a gold-coloured band on the ring finger of her left hand (circled) In the statement he said he has 'constantly regretted my act of infidelity and the damage that has been done on so many fronts because of it'. But he said he was 'determined to continue to fight to clear my name' and has now submitted his case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. As he made the video address dressed in a black shirt and tie, his girlfriend clutched his arm, a gold-coloured band visible on the ring finger of her left hand. 'I made an incredibly foolish decision and failed those people who trusted and believed in me - most of all, Tasha and our families,' Evans added. 'It is a rare and extraordinary privilege to be permitted to play professional football. Now that I've served the custodial part of my sentence of two and a half years, it is my hope that I will be able to return to football. 'If that is possible, then I would do so with humility having learned a very painful lesson. I would like a second chance but I know not everyone would agree. Evans, left in his police mugshot and right this week after his release, maintains he was innocent . Attention: The statement came days after Evans was released from Wymott Prison in Preston (pictured) Evidence: Evans' victim on CCTV at the hotel in his home town of Rhyl, North Wales, on the night of the assault . 'I don't believe I have a given right to play again, but for any club to take me on, I've learned a valuable lesson and know that, over time, I can prove myself to be a positive influence, not just on the pitch but also in the community.' Evans was driven out of Wymott Prison in Preston in a Mercedes 4x4 at 5am on Friday amid rumours he had been offered a contract by his old club, Sheffield United, worth more than £500,000. Released: Evans and his girlfriend Natasha enjoy his freedom on Monday in Alderley Edge, Cheshire . Sheffield United denied the report in The Sun, calling it 'false and damaging to the Club'. Evans was jailed for five years in 2012 after being convicted of raping a drunken 19-year-old after a former team-mate invited her back to a hotel room in his home town of Rhyl. He admitted having sex with her, but insisted it was consensual. The woman told the jury she had no memory of the incident. An online petition against Evans returning to Sheffield United has gained more than 150,000 signatures. The release of the two-minute video came hours after the BBC was forced to apologise after BBC presenter and veteran journalist Michael Buerk appeared to criticise Evans' victim for being drunk. In a trailer for Radio 4 discussion show Moral Maze on the rehabilitation of criminals, Buerk said neither footballer Evans nor the woman he attacked emerged "with any credit" because she was so intoxicated 'she could barely stand'. His comments have incensed victims' rights campaigners who described the trailer as 'damaging' and 'deeply offensive'. A Radio 4 spokesman said: 'There was no intention to suggest that the victim was in any way at fault, and we apologise if the way this live trail was phrased suggested this. 'Tonight's Moral Maze will ask whether a convicted rapist who maintains his innocence should be entitled to get his job back.' There was also controversy after TV host Judy Finnigan said the disgraced footballer should be allowed to return to Sheffield United. She and her daughter Chloe both received rape threats online after she told the Loose Women programme the footballer should get his job back. She had added the victim was ‘drunk’ and the rape was ‘unpleasant’ but ‘not violent’. Ms Massey (right) has led a campaign to have Evans' conviction overturned in a case review . Evans, pictured in action for Sheffield United, wants to restart his career after serving a sentence for rape . Katie Russell, for Rape Crisis England and Wales, said after the BBC controversy today: 'To infer that being drunk is in any way "morally" comparable to committing the serious and violent crime of rape is deeply offensive and will undoubtedly have caused considerable distress to the huge numbers of survivors of sexual violence who will inevitably have been listening. 'Let us not forget that there is a rape survivor at the heart of this story, who is currently living with the devastating and potentially lifelong impact not only of having been sexually violated but of the terrible abuse she has subsequently suffered in the public domain. 'It is partly because of the kind of shaming, victim-blaming attitudes voiced by Michael Buerk this morning that currently only 15 per cent of all those who are raped choose to report to the police.' 'In May 2011 in a hotel in North Wales, by cheating on my partner Natasha I hurt the woman I love with all my heart. 'Since that night I've constantly regretted my act of infidelity and the damage that has been done on so many fronts because of it. 'Foolish': Evans with his girlfriend Natasha Massey . 'The support that's been shown by Natasha, our friends and family during the trial and the time spent in prison has kept me strong. 'It can't have been an easy thing to stand by someone who the court found guilty of such a destructive act. I will be forever grateful. 'Even though I've been released from prison I'm determined to continue to fight to clear my name and it is public knowledge that an application to refer my case back to the Court of Appeal has recently been submitted to the Criminal Case Review Commission by my lawyers. 'The application seeks to demonstrate that the acts I engaged in on that night were consensual in nature and not rape. 'I made an incredibly foolish decision and failed those people who trusted and believed in me - most of all, Tasha and our families. 'It is a rare and extraordinary privilege to be permitted to play professional football. 'Now that I've served the custodial part of my sentence of two and a half years, it is my hope that I will be able to return to football. 'If that is possible, then I would do so with humility having learned a very painful lesson. I would like a second chance but I know not everyone would agree. 'I don't believe I have a given right to play again, but for any club to take me on, I've learned a valuable lesson and know that, over time, I can prove myself to be a positive influence, not just on the pitch but also in the community. 'Thank you for listening to me.' | It is the first time the 25-year-old has spoken since his release from prison .
He was jailed for five years for raping woman, 19, in Rhyl, North Wales .
In video he apologises for cheating on his girlfriend as she holds his arm .
But he insists he is 'determined' to prove innocence in Court of Appeal .
Petition against jailed rapist returning to football has 150,000 signatures . |
91,063 | 011dd5ca439244539c3f068b510bbb2b1a03507f | By . Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 18:09 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:48 EST, 16 August 2013 . It was hardly the reunion William Reid had imagined when he waved his daughter Melissa off to Ibiza seven weeks earlier. In a police station in distant Peru, he tries to comfort his distraught child, stroking her hair and kissing her head as she sobs into his chest. She cannot hug him back because her hands are cuffed. When he sees the chains around her wrists, he breaks down too. Scroll down for video . William Reid hugs his daughter Melissa as he reunites with her in Diandro police station . This is the first time Mr Reid has seen his daughter since she and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle £1.5million worth of cocaine out of Peru. Police officers believe they were knowingly involved in smuggling, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in jail. The women claim Colombian gangsters forced them to act as drug mules. Exhausted from travel, Mr Reid confesses it takes him a few seconds to realise it is his child rushing towards him. Her face is thin, there are deep bags under her eyes and she is almost unrecognisable from the happy, tanned teenager he saw in the photographs of her holiday she posted on Facebook. Today Melissa turns 20, but there will be no celebrations at Lima’s maximum security Dirandro police station, where Mr Reid, 54, was allowed only 15 minutes with his daughter on Wednesday night. He says he is living his worst nightmare, and can scarcely believe what is happening. While he flew out to Lima, his wife Debra, 53, a National Grid administrator, remained at their home in Lenzie, Glasgow, to look after their other children Liam, 22, and twins Stephanie and Jennifer, 18. The pictures capture the first time Mr Reid has seen his daughter since she and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle £1.5million worth of cocaine out of Peru . Still holding the Ugg boots he brought her from home, the father hugs his daughter - who cannot embrace him back because her hands were tied . Seven weeks earlier, he dropped off his ‘bubbly, intelligent’ daughter at Glasgow airport for her flight to the Spanish party island of Ibiza, where she planned to work in bars and clubs for a season. Mr Reid, a manager for a gas company, told her to ‘have fun but be careful’. On August 6, Melissa and Michaella were caught at Lima airport with nearly six kilos of cocaine hidden in their suitcases as they waited to board a flight to Madrid. Melissa claims Colombian gangsters took her from Ibiza to Palma in Majorca, and then Madrid. At least one gang member escorted her on each flight. Physically shaking, Melissa tells her father: ‘They made me do it.’ But as he breaks down, she tells him soothingly ‘I know Dad’ and reaches for his hand. She talks quickly as she tells him how one of her new female friends in Ibiza had introduced her to a charming British man who gave his name as Jake. She said he had seemed ‘really nice and friendly’, and he came back to the apartment she shared with a close friend from home, 20-year-old Rebecca Hughes. There, she claimed, he became aggressive. ‘I felt really scared because I was alone in the flat. He told me I had to come and meet some of his friends and pressured me to get into a taxi.’ Then she was bundled into a flat and confronted by a group of Colombian gangsters, who put a gun to her head. She says: ‘I could feel the metal against my temple. I thought they were going to kill me. They said they knew all about me and my family. I was so scared they were going to hurt them if I didn’t do as I was told. I didn’t know they wanted me to take drugs or money or guns at that point.’ Melissa Reid, 19, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, were found with £1.5million worth of cocaine as they waited for a flight out of the South American country . Melissa says she first met Michaella, from Northern Ireland, in one of the gangsters’ dingy hideaways in Palma. They were kept captive in a flat, she said, then flown to Lima separately. Officers suspect they were recruited by a cartel allegedly operated from behind bars by Philip Austin Collins, the nephew of singer Phil Collins. The 38-year-old was arrested in Peru last year after £3million worth of cocaine was found on a yacht he and two other British men were trying to sail across the Atlantic. During the first visit, Melissa tells her father: ‘I wanted to tell the air hostesses or anyone in the airports, but the men said they would know if we had spoken to anyone, that they were watching all the time. ‘It was a choice between doing what I was told and getting it over and done with and hopefully getting back to Spain or trying to escape and being killed.’ The two women are in separate concrete cells, but are able to communicate when they visit the shared bathroom. Melissa says she is ‘freezing’ at night, but that staff are treating them well. The women are trying to help the police to find the mystery Briton, who is believed to work finding ‘drugs girls’ in Ibiza. She tells her father that they expect to be questioned formally by police for the first time within the next 24 hours. Melissa also says she fears evidence has already been contaminated, claiming police officers did not wear gloves as they handled the food bags in which the drugs are said to have been stored. As she talks to her father about her fears, a detective tells her that she must return to her cell. Mr Reid quickly gives her a few comforts he and his wife chose from her bedroom at home – a navy blue spotted onesie from Next, a pink fleece and her grey Ugg Boots. She puts them on immediately. Coerced: Melissa Reid, left, and Michaella . McCollum Connolly, right, say they were forced into carrying drugs by a . violent gang who threatened their families . The father and daughter look anguished as she stands up to leave and Mr Reid whispers in her ear: ‘We will do everything we can to get you out of here. We will work something out.’ As they separate, armed guards lead Melissa down to her cell and she shouts to her father, ‘I need to learn Spanish’. As the metal doors leading to the prison shut, she shouts: ‘I love you dad’. Mr Reid was able to return to visit his daughter and Michaella last night. They described how they tried to escape in Palma, when they saw the door to the flat was ajar. Michaella said: ‘We looked at each other and said “let’s run away and escape now”. ‘We didn’t think the men spoke English but then one of the guys ran over to us and said: “Be nice my friends, or my friends will shoot you in the head’ and he made a shooting gesture. ‘We were so scared that we didn’t try to run after that.’ | Melissa Reid, 19, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, found with £1.5m .
The girls from Northern Ireland and Scotland were 'caught' at Lima airport .
Reid 'was forced to fly there with Connolly after being kidnapped in Spain'
They claim they were not smuggling out of choice but feared for their lives .
William Reid was reunited with his daughter at Diandro police station . |
109,048 | 18929c35bdefc630b785089638334d61fa03bbdd | A heartwarming new video has proven once again that older doesn't necessarily mean wiser. An Italian video journalist called Luca Lavarone conducted a social experiment with children on a busy street, to highlight the issue of violence by men against women. In the three-minute clip, several boys aged between six and eleven years old are introduced to a girl and asked to pay her a compliment, caress her, pull a funny face to make her laugh... and then they are told to slap her. The participants react to the final request with shock and appear visibly upset, but their responses as to why they won't go through with the task are the real tearjerker. A new video shows Italian boys aged between six and eleven asked to slap a girl. The children all look horrified and refuse. When asked why, answers include, 'Because I'm a man' and 'Never hit a girl'. The film is part of an anti-domestic violence campaign . The video was produced by the Italian news company Fanpage.it with the aim of putting an end towards domestic violence. It starts off with the cameraman asking several different boys, who they claim are ordinary members of the public, their names and ages on a busy Italian street. The children answer with a number of ages, that range from six to eleven. The boys are then asked what they would like to do when they grow up and they answer with a variety of professions that include a pizza maker, a footballer, a firefighter, a policeman and a baker. Next, a pretty young girl with long blonde hair called Martina appears and is introduced to the boy who is being interviewed. A pretty young girl with long blonde hair called Martina appears and is introduced to the boy who is being interviewed . The boys all look stunned and many of them giggle nervously as the cameraman asks: 'What do you like about her? Among the replies are: 'Her eyes,' 'her hair,' 'her shoes and her hands,' and 'everything - you're a pretty girl.' One love-struck boy even says: 'I'd like to be your boyfriend.' The cameraman than asks the boys to 'caress her,' and the boys giggle nervously before quickly stroking her arm, hair or cheek. The cameraman than asks the boys to 'caress her,' and the boys giggle nervously before quickly stroking her arm, hair or cheek . Next up, they are asked to make a funny face at her and they pull out their ears, stick out their tongue or do something similar. The finally, the cameraman tells them: 'And now... slap her!' Each boy he asks is shocked. Some frown or look perplexed, while others seem like they're about to cry. But not one obliges. When the cameraman tells the boys to slap the girl standing next to them, each once is shocked. Some frown or look perplexed, while others seem like they're about to cry . The cameraman says to each boy again: 'Slap her, hard!' Come on! Then slowly, each boy looks at him and says no . The cameraman says to each boy again: 'Slap her, hard!' Come on! Then slowly, each boy looks at the cameraman and says no. He asks: 'Why not?' At this point, each boy responds with an answer worthy of any domestic violence poster. One says: 'Why? Cause she's a girl, I can't do it.' Another replies: 'Because you're not supposed to hit girls, I don't want to hurt her.' When the cameraman asks the boys why they are refusing to slap the girl standing next to them, they come up with a range of answers that would warm even the coldest hearts . The clip ends with one of the younger boys looking directly the the camera, saying: 'Why? Because I'm a man!' One of the eldest boys tells the interviewer: 'As the saying goes: 'Girls shouldn't be hit, not even with a flower.' Another replies: 'I'm against violence.' The clip ends with one of the younger boys looking directly the the camera, saying: 'Why? Because I'm a man!' A slogan then flashes up that reads: 'In the kids' world, women don't get hit.' | Italian journalist asks boys aged between six and eleven to slap a girl .
The children all look horrified and refuse .
When asked why, answers include 'Because I'm a man' and 'Never hit a girl'
The video is part of an anti-domestic violence campaign . |
103,862 | 12045a4c6077dc72deaca6c2139e24352215f04f | Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. military has blocked access to a range of popular commercial websites in order to free up bandwidth for use in Japan recovery efforts, according to an e-mail obtained by CNN and confirmed by a spokesman for U.S. Strategic Command. The sites -- including YouTube, ESPN, Amazon, eBay and MTV -- were chosen not because of the content but because their popularity among users of military computers account for significant bandwidth, according to Strategic Command spokesman Rodney Ellison. The block, instituted Monday, is intended "to make sure bandwidth was available in Japan for military operations" as the United States helps in the aftermath of last week's deadly earthquake and tsunami, Ellison explained. U.S. Pacific Command made the request to free up the bandwidth. The sites, 13 in all, are blocked across the Department of Defense's .mil computer system. "This is a response to a time of extreme demand for networks," Ellison said. Ellison emphasized that it was a temporary measure. "This blockage will be of a temporary nature and may increase or decrease in the size and scope as necessary," according to the message distributed to military announcing the move. "We are doing this to facilitate the recovery efforts under way in Japan," Ellison explained. "We are trying to make sure we are giving them as many avenues and as much support as we can." The blocked websites are: . * Youtube.com . * Googlevideo.com . * Amazon.com . * ESPN.go.com . * eBay.com . * Doubleclick.com . * Eyewonder.com . * Pandora.com . * streamtheworld.com . * Mtv.com . * Ifilm.com . * Myspace.com . * Metacafe.com . | YouTube, ESPN, eBay among popular websites blocked on military computers .
Effort is intended to free up bandwidth for use in helping Japan .
Blockage is temporary and subject to change, Strategic Command says . |
274,018 | eeee9bd492d2cf20748865bf580aaf8748548278 | Niamey, Niger (CNN) -- An Islamist militant group has claimed responsibility for Thursday's deadly attacks on an army barracks and a uranium mine in Niger, saying they were responses to Niger's cooperation with France in a "war against Sharia," CNN affiliate BFMTV reported. Twenty soldiers and five assailants were killed, and at least 30 other people -- including civilians -- were injured in attacks about 200 kilometers (124 miles) apart in Niger early Thursday, the African nation's defense minister said. Karidjo Mahamadou said later security forces were in charge of the two sites, including one where an attacker had taken hostages. "I ensure that the situation is under control and that the Niger security forces have renewed the vow to secure the country and the people," he said. A spokesman for the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, said that "thanks to Allah, we have carried two operations against the enemies of Islam in Niger," BFMTV reported. MUJAO is among the radical Islamist groups that have been fighting Malian and French forces in Mali, which borders Niger. Both attacks -- at the army barracks in Agadez in central Niger and a Somair uranium mine in Arlit in northern Niger -- happened about 5 a.m., Niger Domestic Affairs Minister Abdou Labo said. In Agadez, a regional capital to the southeast of Arlit, a truck carrying armed assailants and explosives detonated in front of the army barracks, Labo said. A battle ensued in which the 20 soldiers were killed, Labo said. A breakdown of how many deaths were attributable to the bombing and how many happened in the battle wasn't available. The surviving assailant closed himself in a building with cadets and threatened to detonate explosives, Labo said. Mahamadou didn't say whether the suspect had been captured when he said everything was under control. At the Somair mine, operated by French nuclear power group Areva, a truck with explosives blew up at the gates, killing two assailants, Labo said. At least 14 civilians were wounded, Mahamadou said. Areva said the injured included at least 13 workers. MUJAO spokesman Abu Walid Sahraoui said the group "attacked France and Niger for its cooperation with France in the war against Sharia," BFMTV reported Thursday. France deployed about 4,000 troops to Mali, the country directly to Niger's west, in January to drive out Islamist militants -- including MUJAO members -- who had attempted to take control of the country. Islamic extremists with links to al Qaeda carved out a large portion of northern Mali last year, taking advantage of a chaotic situation after a military coup in March 2012. France took military action this year after the militants began to push into the southern portion of the country. MUJAO is a splinter group of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, according to the United Nations. France strongly condemned Thursday's attacks, the French foreign ministry said. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius spoke with his Nigerien counterpart and expressed France's solidarity with Nigerien authorities in the fight against terrorist groups, the ministry said. Niger, a former colony of France, gained independence in 1960. Journalist Ibbo Daddy Abdoulaye reported from Niamey, Niger. CNN's Jason Hanna and Pierre Meilhan reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Amir Ahmed also contributed to this report. | NEW: 20 soldiers, five assailants dead after another bombing, battle .
Islamist group MUJAO says attacks are response to cooperation with France .
Truck bomb kills two assailants, wounds 50 outside mine .
MUJAO has been fighting French forces in Mali, which borders Niger . |
180,543 | 75b8a2a22baf65f214bf5f6a416df312de8fdeaf | By . Aladair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 20:06 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:41 EST, 27 February 2013 . His mother died when he was barely into his teens. So it’s little wonder that when asked what he’d do if he had a time machine, Sir Paul McCartney’s response was simple: ‘Go back and spend time with my mum.’ He made the touching reply in answer to a fan from Brazil, whose question was picked from more than 10,000 submitted to his website in a new monthly feature. Sir Paul’s mother, Mary, was a midwife. She died at the age of 47 from an embolism, following surgery to treat breast cancer. Sir Paul, her eldest son, was just 14. 'I would spend time with mum': Paul McCartney, pictured left aged six, said he would go see his mother Mary, pictured right with his four-year-old brother Michael, if he had a time machine . Muse: Paul McCartneysaid his mother inspired the hit Beatles song Let It Be after appearing to him in a dream . The 70-year-old Beatle has previously described how his mother inspired the song Let It Be, which he wrote after she appeared to him in a dream. He said Mary contributed ‘a good half’ to the family income. The McCartneys were too poor to have a car, but they ‘just about had a television’. He added: ‘At night when she came home, she would cook, so we didn’t have a lot of time with each other. But she was just a very comforting presence in my life. 'And when she died, one of the difficulties I had, as the years went by, was that I couldn’t recall her face so easily. That’s how it is for everyone, I think. 'As each day goes by, you just can’t bring their face into your mind, you have to use photographs and reminders like that.' Of the dream, he said: ‘My mother appeared, and there was her face, completely clear, particularly her eyes, and she said to me very gently, very reassuringly: “Let it be”. McCartney family portrait: From left to right are Michael, mother Mary, father Jim and a young Paul . Mary died when Paul McCartney, pictured right next to his Beatles band mates, was just 14 and never lived to see his success as a member of one of Britain's most successful music groups . ‘It was lovely. I woke up with a great feeling. It was really like she had visited me at this very difficult point in my life and gave me this message: Be gentle, don’t fight things, just try and go with the flow and it will all work out. ‘So, being a musician, I went right over to the piano and started writing a song: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me … speaking words of wisdom, let it be.”’ He added that he got together with Linda, his first wife, shortly afterwards, saying ‘it was as if my mum had sent her’. Sir Paul continued: 'So those words are really very special to me, because not only did my mum come to me in a dream and reassure me with them at a very difficult time in my life - and sure enough, things did get better after that - but also, in putting them into a song, and recording it with the Beatles, it became a comforting, healing statement for other people too.' Let It Be was released as a single in 1970, and went on to become one of The Beatles’ best-loved hits. The album of the same title was released in May of that year, shortly after the band announced they were splitting up. A gift from mum: Sir Paul McCartney met his future wife Linda, pictured together in 1982, shortly after the dream and said it felt as though his mother had sent her his way . | Sir Paul McCartney's mother, Mary, died at the age of 47 from an embolism .
Musician said he would spend time with her if he had a time machine .
He made the touching comment in reply to a question from a fan .
Sir Paul said his mother inspired 'Let It Be' by appearing to him in a dream . |
28,904 | 52063110e4765acd5785997b0823f11118890ae0 | By . Simon Jones for MailOnline . Blackburn have signed Everton defender Shane Duffy for a fee of £1.5million. The Republic of Ireland international struggled to breakthrough at Goodison Park under both Roberto Martinez and his predecessor David Moyes and has opted to drop down a division to link up with Championship Rovers. Duffy spent last season on loan at Yeovil, making 39 appearances in Somerset. He also had loan stints at Burnley and Scunthorpe after moving to Everton in 2009. On the move: Shane Duffy, playing for Everton in a pre-season friendly against Celta Vigo, has joined Blackburn . His path to the Everton first team is blocked by Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin, Antolin Alcarez and the emergence of John Stones. The centre-back made his senior international debut against Costa Rica in June. Duffy had been set to make his bow for the national team in 2010 but had to have life-saving surgery after suffering a freak accident in Ireland training. He suffered a lacerated liver after colliding with a team-mate and lost 3.6 litres of blood, around two-thirds of the body's supply. Duffy made 10 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees, making his bow in December 2009 in a Europa League clash with AEK Athens. | Duffy drops down a division to link up with Championship side Blackburn .
The Irish defender moves in a £1.5million deal having failed to make the breakthrough at Everton under bosses Roberto Martinez and David Moyes .
Duffy spent last season on loan at Yeovil and also had temporary spells at Burnley and Scunthorpe . |
97,728 | 09ceaa6c3e05f17bdc11dfb3eb56e88a3e5771e1 | John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood and Katherine Hamnettgo's designs . Fetish, Goth, Rave, High Camp and New Romantic clubwear . Boy George, Adam Ant, Leigh Bowery and Duran Duran's 80s style . By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 09:39 EST, 21 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:24 EST, 21 December 2012 . Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s, the V&A's summer fashion exhibition, opens in July 2013 at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. It will explore the creative . explosion of London fashion in the 1980s and look at how the impact of . underground club culture was felt far beyond the club doors, reinventing . fashion worldwide. More than 85 outfits by designers . such as John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood and Katherine Hamnett will be . on display together with accessories by designers including Stephen . Jones and Patrick Cox. The ground floor gallery will focus . on the young fashion designers who found themselves on the world stage . for creating bold, exciting looks. Sketch for Levi Strauss & Co. jacket 'BLITZ', by Enrico Coveri (left), and Fallen Angel suit (right) by John Galliano . Duran Duran formed by members Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor . The mezzanine gallery will concentrate on club wear, grouping garments by tribes such as Fetish, Goth, Rave, High Camp and New Romantics. This includes clothes of the type worn by Boy George and Adam Ant, as well as more extreme designs worn by Leigh Bowery. The Catwalk To provide a snapshot of the most fashionable and creative designers working inLondon in the 1980s, the exhibition shows a display of Blitz denim jackets. In 1986, Blitz magazine commissioned a group of 22 London-based designers to customise denim jackets provided by Levi Strauss & Co. The jackets were exhibited at the V&A and auctioned in aid of the Prince's Trust on 10 July 1986. Further cases will display garments by influential 1980s designers, with a substantial amount of menswear designs by Jasper Conran, Paul Smith, Workers for Freedom and Willy Brown who dressed Duran Duran. Princess Julia and Boy George at Billy's Club For Heroes circa '78 (left) and Robert Smith of The Cure in Los Angeles, California, July 1987 (right) Denim jacket, 'BLITZ', by Levi Strauss & Co., customised by Vivienne Westwood . Sketch for Levi Strauss & Co. denim jacket, 'BLITZ', by Stephen Linnard . Wendy Dagworthy utilized Liberty prints while English Eccentrics and Timney Fowler made print fashionable. There will also be sections dedicated to the energetic, bright clothes of Chrissie Walsh, Georgina Godley, Bodymap and John Galliano. In the early 1980s Katherine Hamnett pioneered the vogue for stylish, casual clothing made in oversize crumpled cottons and silks while Bodymap, founded in 1982 by Stevie Stewart and David Holah, produced an exhilarating blend of form-fitting knits, layered stretch Lycra jersey and rhythmic print. Two of John Galliano's menswear ensembles from the 1985 Fallen Angel collection will be on display, along with a pink, muslin dress from 1986. This section will also explore the emergence of knitwear as fun and fashionable, with examples from Kay Cosserat, Artwork and Patricia Roberts, while evening wear by Bruce Oldfield and Anthony Price will reflect the more glamorous aspect of 1980s fashion. London's clubs in the 1980s acted as a site for the convergence of music and fashion and provided a safe environment in which young people could experiment and mix with those of similar tastes. A range of looks will be displayed, ranging from the exaggerated, exotic styles favoured by the Blitz crowd, through the distressed styles of Hard Times, to the eclectic mixing and individual expression of Taboo, to the dance influenced looks of acid house. Clothes designed and worn by Leigh Bowery, ringmaster of a . carnivalesque nightspot Taboo, will be on display along side fetishwear by Pam Hogg and Vivienne Westwood. Khaki suit designed by Katharine Hamnett (left), and Dress designed by Willy Brown (right) Clothes by Christopher Nemeth and jewellery by Judy Blame will show how customization, DIY and re-appropriation of objects prevailed as the club look. Rave and euphoric house nights, where the combination of dance music and drugs created an atmosphere in which inhibitions were totally gone, changed dress once again. Following the summer of 1987, a number of DJs began to recreate the sound and atmosphere of the Ecstasy-fuelled Ibiza dance clubs. The loose shapes of the early 1980s disappeared and a new kind of tight fitting club wear evolved that featured day-glo colours and metallic tones. This movement is represented by the designs of Rifat Ozbeck and Westwood's silver leather 'armoured' jackets. Beatrice Dalle, Kylie Minogue and Vivienne Westwood in the 1980s . Write caption here . The atmosphere of friendly and fun clubs like Shoom began to be reflected in much more casual styles. The dressed-up aesthetic of earlier clubs, like Taboo, was replaced by 'ponchos, dungarees, and loose T-shirts bearing the yellow Smiley motif' as reported The Face in June 1988. A small club-like area will be created within the space to show film footage of clubs from the 1980s and stream music chosen by DJ Princess Julia. There will also be unique garments made for club stars such as Leigh Bowery, Scarlett and Juliana Sissons. Magazines and accessories The exhibition will feature magazines of the time - The Face, i-D and Blitz - that captured and propagated the club and street look to a wider audience. The Face heralded the arrival of the 'style' magazine and combined a sense of immediacy with the high-end production values of Vogue and Tatler. i-D, essentially a fashion fanzine, was launched in August 1980 and, alongside The Face, was considered the definitive 'style bible' of the 1980s. Accessories were an essential part of any clubber or fashion follower's wardrobe and the 1980s launched the careers of some hugely influential accessories designers. The work of Judy Blame, Bernstock Speirs, Patrick Cox, Johnny Moke and collaborations with Sock Shop will be on display alongside the Filofax and Mulberry bags. The exhibition is curated by V&A Head of Fashion, Claire Wilcox, and Wendy Dagworthy is the expert consultant. Entry to the exhibition will be £5. Tickets will go on sale June 2013. To bookvisit www.vam.ac.uk or call 020 7907 7073 (booking fee applies) | John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood and Katherine Hamnettgo's designs .
Fetish, Goth, Rave, High Camp and New Romantic clubwear .
Boy George, Adam Ant, Leigh Bowery and Duran Duran's 80s style . |
49,065 | 8a964d813e567ab0eb263329ecf203719862e547 | (CNN) -- Even 6-year-olds at Hamilton Central School in central New York came to school prepared for swine flu. Jessica Poyer, a first-grade teacher, noticed in the spring that kids had begun bringing their own hand sanitizer, tissues and water bottles. Guidelines on when schools should dismiss the student body because of H1N1 were released Friday. Poyer, also the mother of two young children, thinks about swine flu, also known as influenza A H1N1, every day, both at school and at home. She knows that some schools nationwide have had to close because the disease was widespread, and she has mixed feelings about the school closures. "I hate to close schools, because it interrupts learning, but we leave it up to health professionals," said Poyer, who lives in Deansboro, New York. Federal health officials, releasing guidelines Friday, suggested that closure of schools this fall be rare. "There are measures we can take to protect the students, protect the staff, and to allow learning to continue," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A key change in the new guidance is that people with H1N1 should stay out of school for 24 hours after their fever is gone, regardless of whether they are taking medication such as Tamiflu. Before, the recommendation was seven days, Frieden said. Watch a report on the new recommendations » . In the current context of the H1N1 outbreak, if it is similar to the situation in the spring, schools should consider closing if most or all students have particular medical needs, such as children on ventilators or pregnant teens, Frieden said. In addition, some districts may decide that because there are so many cases of H1N1, from an administrative point of view, they cannot stay open, he said. In addition, despite telling parents to keep sick children home, some parents may continue to send their children to school with a fever -- a situation that resulted in the closing of some New York schools in the spring, Frieden said. Officials emphasized that school closures are ultimately local decisions, which Superintendent Al Hambrick at the Sherman Independent School District in North Texas also stresses. He said his district will always take federal guidance into account, but individual localities will handle the H1N1 situation differently depending on the particular circumstances of the outbreak. If there are cases of swine flu at Sherman ISD, and the federal guidelines suggested that children shouldn't necessarily be sent home, the school may decide to dismiss the students anyway, he said. "We might send the whole school home because we want to sanitize the building," he said. Ryan Koczot, a teacher at Broad Creek Middle School in Newport, North Carolina, believes that if proper precautions are taken early, such as telling parents to keep their sick children at home, schools will not have to close. He is concerned about creating panic among faculty, staff and students, and about making up lost days at the end of the year. "Let the individual students and parents handle it," he said. Tara Whittington, a math teacher at Villa Rica High School near Atlanta, Georgia, who makes hand sanitizer available for her students, considers school closures a waste of time if only one student has H1N1, but supports dismissal if a quarter of the students become ill. "By the time a fourth of the students have it, your school may be the cause of it being spread between the students, need to step in and clean it out," she said. Boston Public Schools in Massachusetts had 10 closings in the spring, which came about through collaborative decisions between the city public health commission and the superintendent, said Matt Wilder, spokesman for the schools. In Georgia, the final decision about closing schools because of H1N1 is usually up to the local school board with input from local and state public health officials, the Department of Community Health said. "Some school closures may be based on operational interruption due to a significant percentage of student and staff absences, while some school closures may be based on a recommendation of public health to reduce the virus spread," the department said in a statement. The novel virus is known to have been circulating worldwide since April. There have been 353 deaths, and more than 5,500 people have been hospitalized for H1N1 in the United States so far, according to the CDC. In Montgomery County, Maryland, public school principals have been asked to come up with plans for giving students lessons in the event of school closings, said schools spokeswoman Kate Harrison. One option for continuing instruction is a Web resource called Edline, which lets them post lessons and assignments online, she said. There is also a cable television station that could be used to broadcast lessons, she said. These Maryland schools, which will follow the guidance of local health authorities on school closings, have also ordered hospital-grade face masks, she said. It is still unclear under what circumstances these masks would be used, but, for example, employees who have to work together closely may use them, she said. Watch the U.S. education secretary talk about preparedness » . Other schools across the country are ramping up their cleaning efforts to prevent H1N1 transmission. At Sherman ISD in Texas, the staff is disinfecting door handles during the upcoming school year, something the school didn't do before, Hambrick said. Most schools in the district have hand sanitizer in every classroom, he said. Sherman ISD schools, which have not had any confirmed cases of the virus, will also be distributing informational pamphlets about H1N1, he said. For athletic practices, coaches discourage the sharing of towels and water bottles, Hambrick said. In the spring, the schools canceled field trips to places where there had been reported cases of H1N1, he said. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told government leaders last month that a vaccine to fight the H1N1 virus should be ready for distribution in mid-October. At what point schools should close because of the new virus, if ever, is a matter of controversy. A recent study in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases concludes that there are a lot of uncertainties about the consequences of closing schools during a pandemic -- for example, the ways that children interact when they are not in school. For example, children may mix with each other at the mall if school is not in session, said Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health, who was not involved with the study. Moreover, school provides a relatively safe environment, whereas other problems could arise outside school such as children getting hit by cars, he said. Disinfecting classrooms may not be so effective, either, because the virus dies within about three hours, he said. "If people will stay away from school when they are sick and do the ABCDs, that will mollify, or make less severe, the transmission of disease in schools," he said. | NEW: Federal agency releases guidance on closures related to H1N1 .
In Maryland, schools prepare for instruction when students aren't in class .
Some schools have ramped up cleaning, offered hand sanitizer in classrooms .
The value of closing school because of H1N1 is still being debated . |
108,198 | 1781feab7bc22dedd65a4d578cec877975f9e299 | A senior Somali militant who had a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head has been killed in infighting among members of the al Qaeda-aligned group Al-Shabaab, a spokesman for the group said Saturday. Ibrahim Al Afghani, a senior member of Al-Shabaab, was killed along with another top member, Moalim Burhan, in a shootout between two factions of the group June 20, spokesman Abu Musab said. Al Afghani was wanted for terrorism by the U.S. State Department, which offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his location. A U.S. administration official said the United States believes the report of his death is true. It is the first time Al-Shabaab has confirmed the killing of two of its most senior members. The internal fighting in Al-Shabaab is between two groups, one loyal to founding member Ahmed Godane and another, smaller faction that supports foreign jihadists in Somalia. It began about a month ago when a member of the smaller group was targeted in a tea shop, allegedly by members from the other side. Al Afghani and Burhan were both members of the smaller faction. The main Al-Shabaab group denies there is infighting and blames reports of a split on local media. Musab said the two men were killed when Al-Shabaab fighters tried to arrest them for supporting foreign jihadists and the pair fought back. He said Al Afghani and Burhan were not killed intentionally. Residents of the town where the men were killed described heavy fighting between opposing sides of Al-Shabaab. They told the private Shabelle Media Network that they fear war between the two factions could break out at any time. In addition to the killing of the two, a prominent Somali militant leader was arrested by pro-government forces and turned over to the government in Mogadishu. Hassan Dahir Aweys was detained this month. In 2012: U.S. puts bounties on 7 key members of Somali terror group . | Ibrahim Al Afghani was a top member of the Al-Shabaab militant group .
The United States had a $5 million bounty on his head .
Fighting between two Al-Shabaab factions began about a month ago .
The group denies a split and blames the reports on local media . |
260,892 | dde1e131eb3c9c969f750ae8026c6da70e0c3ac0 | (CNN) -- Most of us know we shouldn't be talking on a handheld cell phone while driving. But recent studies suggest that hands-free devices are just as dangerous on the road. Studies suggest that talking on a hands-free cell phone while driving is just as dangerous as a handheld one. Engaging in a phone conversation on a mobile device while driving distracts the brain and delays reaction times, experts said. Drivers are more likely to swerve between lanes, slow down and miss important signs. "When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call," said Janet Froetscher, president of the National Safety Council, which in January urged legislators in all 50 states to pass laws prohibiting motorists from using cell phone devices. A recent University of Utah study found that drivers engaging in a cell phone conversation on a headset were more likely to make errors behind the wheel than a driver talking to a front-seat passenger. "It doesn't matter what kind of cell phone device they are using, because the impairments are so large," said University of Utah professor David Strayer, who used a high-tech driving simulator for his experiment. Strayer's study, published in December, concluded that conversations with a front-seat passenger can actually mitigate accidents, because the passenger can help observe road conditions and warn the driver of possible hazards. In Strayer's previous studies, he found driving while talking on a mobile device is "just as bad as driving drunk." The risk of getting into a car accident while talking on a wireless device -- including headsets and vehicles with built-in communication systems -- is growing as the number of cell phone subscribers increases. There are 270 million cell phone subscribers in the United States, up from 76 million in 1999, according to CTIA -- The Wireless Association, an organization representing the wireless communications industry. In a survey by Nationwide Insurance, 80 percent of people admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving. About 45 percent of drivers said they have been hit or nearly hit by someone using a cell phone, according to Nationwide's survey, conducted in 2006. Some experts said drivers talking on cell phones are four times more likely to get into a crash than those who don't talk on their phones behind the wheel. One study from the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis estimated that 636,000 traffic accidents each year -- about 6 percent of all accidents -- are caused by drivers using their cell phones, resulting in an estimated 2,600 deaths. Elderly and younger drivers are most at risk of getting into an accident when they talk on a mobile device while driving, said Arthur Kramer, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "I don't think legislation alone is the answer," Kramer said. "Education needs to go along with the legislation to encourage people that these are risky habits for yourself and for others." There is no federal law against using handheld devices on the road, but six states and the District of Columbia have such laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a group that tracks legislative data trends. No states ban the use of hands-free or wireless communication devices, experts said. Some private industries, such as trucking and bus companies, prohibit their employees from using cell phones on the road. Other states restrict teenagers from talking on cell phones while driving. Anne Teigen, a policy specialist on transportation issues for the National Conference of State Legislatures, says states are moving to ban handheld cell phone use. Almost all states have debated the issue, but many governments are reluctant to pass restrictions because they say there isn't enough research. They point out that talking on a mobile device isn't the only distraction. Other distractions, such as reaching for the glove compartment, changing the radio station or putting on makeup, also can cause accidents. The popularity of smart phones equipped with Internet, text messaging and e-mail present drivers with even more distractions. Such new technology also makes it difficult for states to keep their laws updated. "Then there is the final question of whether these laws are enforceable or not," Teigen said. Some members of the cell phone industry are advising drivers to stop using cell phones on the road, but few have taken a stance on hands-free devices, because research has been limited. Verizon Wireless was one of the first cellular phone companies to support hands-free driving laws in the early 2000s. The company is focusing on promoting laws against text-messaging while driving. So far, only a handful of states ban the practice. Aegis Mobility, a Vancouver, Canada, company, has created a device that would reduce cell phone usage in cars. The product, DriveAssist, set to launch this fall with a major network carrier in the United States, will enable cell phones to automatically detect when a mobile user is driving. Users can subscribe to DriveAssist's service, which manages incoming and outgoing calls, text messages and e-mails electronically. Callers get a message that the recipient is driving but can leave an emergency message alerting the driver to pull over and return the call. "People find it hard to stop talking on their cell phones because we've been conditioned our entire life to answer the phone," said David Teater of Spring Lake, Michigan, one of the product's backers. Five years ago, Teater's seventh-grade son died in a daytime car accident after a woman talking on her cell phone ran a red light. "Her life was ruined as well," Teater said. "She had no idea what she was doing was so dangerous. The vast majority of drivers have no idea that it's dangerous." | Study: Talking on a hands-free cell phone while driving is still dangerous .
Drivers on cell phones are involved in an estimated 636,000 traffic accidents a year .
Six states and District of Columbia ban handheld cell phones by drivers .
DriveAssist service can help drivers stay off the phone by managing calls . |
283,045 | faa292ebfb10e27ef1bfa041094588f6a8f34983 | Paris (CNN) -- Seventeen police officers were injured in violent clashes with young people in the city of Amiens in northern France overnight, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said Tuesday. In addition, three public buildings were badly damaged during several hours of disorder, CNN affiliate BFM-TV reported. Amiens Mayor Gilles Demailly told BFM that the damage amounted to millions of euros. People were shocked and upset by the violence, he said. Images from the north Amiens neighborhood showed burned-out cars and the charred wreckage of a kindergarten and a sports center. Clashes were reported in the same area Sunday night, BFM reported. The latest violence, involving about 100 young people, broke out late Monday evening and carried into early Tuesday. The police officers were injured with buckshot, fireworks and projectiles, BFM reported. Police responded with tear gas but made no arrests. Speaking at a news conference in Amiens, Valls said that the violence shown toward police was "unacceptable" and that law and order must be restored. More security forces would be deployed Tuesday night to ensure there was no repeat of the trouble, he said. Valls said those suffering most from the disorder were the residents of the neighborhood affected. The area had already been designated a "high security zone" because of drug trafficking and other problems, he said, meaning extra resources were to be used there. A local resident told BFM the community was angered Sunday when police carried out an "aggressive" traffic stop as a funeral was being held for a young man killed in a road accident last week. Sabrina Hadji, a sister of the victim, said police fired shots as people -- including women, children and the elderly -- were gathered for the ceremony. The community is tired of being treated without respect and "like animals," she told BFM, and a silent march was organized as an expression of "anger because we are never listened to." Valls acknowledged there is tension between police and the community after the incident and said an inquiry has been ordered into the police operation. However, nothing excused violence directed at police and the torching of public buildings, he said. Valls said he had not come to Amiens to point the finger at anyone, but the rule of law must be followed. After the initial unrest Sunday, the mayor appealed for "calm, respect and dialogue" in a statement on the official website for Amiens, a city of about 130,000 people. Demailly urged communication between police and residents, saying it is important they have confidence in each other. Earlier Tuesday, Valls traveled with President Francois Hollande to the Var area, in southeastern France, to pay tribute to two women police officers who were killed in the line of duty in June, BFM reported. Hollande addressed the trouble in Amiens, saying that public security is "not just a priority, but an obligation" for authorities. More must be done to prevent and punish violence, delinquency and criminality, he told reporters. Hollande, who was sworn in as president three months ago, said the next budget would include additional resources for policing, after years of cutbacks. France has been shaken by unrest in poorer urban areas on several occasions in recent years, notably in 2005, when the deaths of two young men of North African descent sparked weeks of rioting. CNN's Alexander Felton and Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report. | NEW: Interior minister says more police will be deployed Tuesday night to ensure calm .
17 police officers were injured in clashes with young people, Manuel Valls says .
The interior minister says law and order must be restored after "unacceptable" violence .
The trouble broke out late Monday amid tension with police in the northern city of Amiens . |
237,102 | bedf71c76d810e8e06b6598b3e0c38f473503c53 | By . Martin Robinson . Last updated at 10:11 AM on 3rd November 2011 . Controversial: Government expert David Norgrove, pictured, says that grandparents do 'damage' children during divorce cases . Badly behaved grandparents 'damage' children because they interfere in divorces and ramp up conflict between couples, it was claimed today. Acrimonious couples also use their parents as 'weapons' to get one over their partners as they break-up, according to the Government's legal advisor on families. David Norgrove has been leading a review on family law and said while he accepted that grandparents are often 'extremely important in a child’s life' they can be demanding when it comes to access to their grandchildren. He says this can mean that children do not always come first in a bitter divorce, hurting the innocent youngsters involved. 'Grandparents can be used by parents as a way of getting at their ex-partner. Grandparents are not always straightforward in the way they behave and the result can be damage to children,' he said. 'Not all grandparents are good grandparents. One of the separating parents can use his or her parents as a weapon against the other partner. 'We should not be putting all the emphasis on the rights of the adults. The question is wrong: it should be what is in the best interests of the child, not what is right for the adults.' Controversially his review has dashed fathers’ hopes of securing equal rights to share custody of their children in the event of a split. He also rejected any claims that Grandparents also do badly after a divorce saying they must still go through the courts over access to children. Interfering: Grandparents are also used as 'weapons' in break-ups while children are left to suffer, it has been claimed . 'There is no evidence that courts unreasonably refuse the ability of a grandparent to bring an application for contact with their grandchildren,' Mr Norgrove said. A new DIY system is being proposed to speed up divorces away from court. The 'divorce information hub' would be online with a step-by-step guide showing how to end a marriage legally as well as set up maintenance and access arrangements for children. The new report suggests this route is the best way to keep parents and their children out of the courts. New parenting agreements will help decide where the child will live and also how much contact the other parent will have. The plan will mean that couples will only go to court as a last resort if the process above fails and they cannot agree. But critics say that the Tory-ordered report does not follow through on their promises for equal rights for all family in child-access arrangements. James Deuchars, of Grandparents Apart UK, said: ‘The Tories said before the election that grandparents were going to have more rights. This is a betrayal of that promise. It was all a con and a gimmick.' Mr Norgrove's 220-page review has been denounced as a ‘betrayal’ of the family as mothers still have more rights. Ken Sanderson, chief executive of Families Need Fathers, said the review's failure to recommend shared parenting legislation or a statement on the importance of both parents in law represents 'an abdication of their responsibilities to children and their families'. 'The core failing of the current family justice system is that the rights of children to maintain meaningful relationships with both parents, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, are not adequately supported or enforced,' he said. Nadine O'Connor, campaign director of Fathers 4 Justice, added that the review was 'a monstrous sham and a bureaucratic exercise in improving the efficiency of injustice.' Sham: David Cameron's Government has been accused of reneging on promises made before the last General Election . The review called for parents to be encouraged to develop a parenting agreement 'to set out arrangements for the care of their children post-separation' to help eliminate disputes over contact and where the child should live. Mr Norgrove's report is also suggesting that more parents should spend less time in . court instead using 'do it yourself' websites where divorce forms can be . downloaded. The online process would force the couple into mediation before being put in front of a judge as a last resort. 'At the moment it is very hard to get hold of the forms. The aim is to . make it easier for people to do it themselves because the tendency is . for it all to get out of control,' he said. The report also called for the Government to develop a child arrangements order, which would set out plans for the upbringing of a child when a court is required to get involved. These orders should also be available to grandparents and wider family members with the permission of the court. The review also called for the duration of court cases to be restricted to six months - instead of the average 13 months now. Mr Norgrove said that making children wait well over a year for their futures to be settled was 'shocking'. 'This is why we are recommending legislation to ensure that child protection cases must not be allowed to take any more than six months, save in exceptional circumstances,' he said. He added: 'Every year 500,000 children and adults are involved in the family justice system. They turn to it at times of great stress and conflict. 'It must deliver the best possible outcome for all the children and families who use it, because its decisions directly affect the lives and futures of all those involved, and have repercussions for society as a whole.' | DIY divorces being proposed to force couples to avoid court apart from in the most acrimonious cases .
Controversial review still favours mother over father in custody battles, critics claim . |
113,843 | 1ee394eff8bbe8488411ecb68712b0a6f08280f5 | Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria on Tuesday faced international calls to bring to justice killer mobs armed with guns and knives who massacred hundreds of villagers in the country's rural heartland. As more details of the atrocities emerged, Nigeria's acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, replaced his national security adviser, although it was not clear whether the move was related to the weekend violence. At least 200 Christian villagers died in the attacks early Sunday, when groups of men with guns, machetes, and knives attacked people in three villages south of Jos, in the Plateau State, Human Rights Watch said. Other agencies gave higher death tolls. Sani Shehu, president of the nongovernmental agency Civil Rights Congress, put the number of dead at about 485. And a Christian leader who participated in a mass burial of 67 bodies Monday in one of the towns said about 375 people were dead or still missing. Explainer: What's behind the violence . Human Rights Watch cited witnesses as saying the attackers were Islamic men and that they targeted Christians, mostly from the Berom ethnic group. The victims were in the villages of Dogo Nahawa, Zot, and Ratsat, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Jos, the state capital. The attackers had previously lived in the villages but left last month, Human Rights Watch said, citing multiple witness accounts. Witnesses, community leaders, and journalists who visited the villages told Human Rights Watch they saw bodies -- including those of children and babies -- inside houses, on the streets, and in the pathways leading out of the villages. They said many homes, cars, and other items were burned and destroyed. The U.S. diplomatic mission to Nigeria expressed its "deep regret" at the violence in the area. "We extend our sympathies to those who have lost their loved ones and friends, and for the massive destruction of property," the mission said in a statement. "We continue to urge all parties to exercise restraint and seek constructive means for addressing the continuing cycle of violence in Plateau State. Such loss of life and destruction cannot continue to weaken the fabric of unity and peace that all Nigerians love." The mission called on the Nigerian government to make sure the attackers are brought to justice. Human Rights Watch called on Jonathan to make sure the attacks are "thoroughly and promptly investigated" and to prosecute those responsible. The attacks were reprisals for previous attacks against Islamic communities in the area and the theft of cattle from herdsmen, Human Rights Watch said. Police have arrested 98 people in connection with those attacks, the group said, citing official police figures. John Onaiyekan, the archbishop of Abuja, told Vatican Radio on Monday that the violence is the result of a dispute over access to natural resources, not religion. "This kind of terrible violence has left thousands dead in Plateau state in the past decade," said Corinne Dufka, a senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities need to protect these communities, bring the perpetrators to book, and address the root causes of violence." Jonathan, who was installed as acting head of state in February while President Umaru Yar'Adua recovers from illness, has called for calm. He put security on high alert Sunday and began operations to seek the attackers. Human Rights Watch said the additional military presence and patrols have been largely limited, however, to major roads and towns and have not protected the smaller communities. The most populous country in Africa, with a population of more than 150 million, Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. With more than 78 million Muslims, it has the sixth-largest Islamic population in the world, according to a study last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. While some outbursts of violence are between Christians and Muslims, other disputes are based on ethnicity. The country is home to 250 to 400 ethnic groups, making it one of the most diverse African nations, according to the International Displacement Monitoring Centre. CNN's Christian Purefoy in Jos, Nigeria contributed to this report. | Nigerian national security adviser replaced after massacre .
At least 200 Christian villagers died in the attacks early Sunday .
U.S. diplomatic mission to Nigeria calls for killers to be brought to justice . |
86,628 | f5db95c161b89a68283769ba07705f90168efb91 | Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- The Cuban government has agreed to allow all private businesses to hire employees, something previously restricted to a limited number of occupations, state media said Tuesday. A meeting of the Council of Ministers also approved a proposal to delay massive layoffs, Granma newspaper reported, without providing any details. Last year, President Raul Castro announced the biggest shakeup to the Soviet-style economic model in decades. He said more than a million state jobs needed to be eliminated. At the same time, he said more private enterprise would be allowed to help soak up some of the unemployed and provide new sources of income, via taxes, for depleted state coffers. The government published a list of 178 private occupations that Cubans could hold, from running a private restaurant to working as a plumber to being a party clown. Of those, 83 of them could hire employees. Now, the Council of Ministers has granted all small businesses the authority to hire employees and agreed to further loosen regulations on the self-employed, according to Granma. The newspaper said it would provide details at a later date. More than 200,000 Cubans have bought licenses to open small businesses since October. The plan for government layoffs was harshly criticized by Cubans worried that for the first time in 50 years they will no longer be guaranteed a job, no matter how small the salary. Castro originally had said that half of the layoffs from state jobs would come by March of this year. He later announced that the layoffs would be delayed, without giving a new timetable. | All private businesses are allowed to hire employees, the Council of Ministers says .
Details will be provided at a later date, Granma newspaper reports .
More than 200,000 Cubans have bought licenses to open small businesses since October . |
193,284 | 863c4b3736d7193698337d8e4d1d01c5047777c8 | Hand transplants are being denied to English patients because of a bureaucratic NHS row, Britain’s leading expert said last night. In the meantime, Scottish patients can jump the queue and be treated in England while the dispute drags on. Professor Simon Kay performed the UK’s first hand transplant a year ago on former pub landlord Mark Cahill, 52. Potential hand transplant patients are being denied surgery because of a funding row, says the surgeon who performed the first transplant surgery on Mark Cahill (pictured) last year. Mr Cahill is progressing well . Success: Mr Cahilll's doctors say they are very pleased with his progress. He is gaining improved movement and feeling in his new hand . Professor Kay and his team at Leeds . General Infirmary performed the pioneering operation on Mark Cahill, who . is gradually regaining feeling in his hand. But no further operations have since been carried out - despite two patients being assessed as suitable for the procedure. It may not be until 2015 until these patients can undergo surgery and the delays follow the biggest-ever reconfiguration of the NHS. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which have been given charge of the bulk of NHS spending - including hand transplant surgery - are refusing to finance the operations, claiming it is the responsibility of NHS England which pays for specialised care. The funding dispute is believed to be among a number due to the complex shake-up in April. Internationally-renowned specialist Professor Kay, who heads the transplant team in Leeds, said he was frustrated at the delay. Both patients, one from the East of England and another from London, could be operated on 'immediately' if funding of £66,000 for the first year was available, with further life-time costs mainly for anti-rejection drugs running into several thousand pounds a year. Frustrated: Because of the funding row, Professor Kay says he will most likely operate on a Scottish patient next - in England . 'We are saying this is clearly the responsibility of the CCGs,' said Professor Kay, 'If they want to say no to it, they have to give a good clinical reason and there isn't one. 'Surgery would be life transforming for both patients. We could go ahead now - we are up and ready to go. 'NHS England have been very constructive. The people who haven't got up to speed are the CCGs in this respect. We certainly hope it can be resolved. They really do need to understand the value for their patients and move quickly.' Instead, a patient from Scotland is likely to be the next to undergo a transplant in the summer as funding north of the border - which has had no re-organisation - is still available. Professor Kay added: 'It will mean a Scottish patient will have treatment in England when an English patient can't at the moment. It really does need to be sorted out.' The team say they are very pleased with the progress of Mr Cahill, of Halifax, West Yorkshire, who is gaining improved movement and feeling in his new hand. Mr Cahill, 52, a former pub landlord, said: 'It's something I've been very proud to have. I think it's super.' He left the infirmary three weeks after the transplant but regularly attends the hospital for physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychology, as well as checks from the team. NHS England said: 'The specialised services that are the responsibility of NHS England are set out in regulations and are determined by Ministers. Other hospital services are the responsibility of CCGs, including, at present, hand transplant. "Ministers are looking at whether, during the next phase of deciding which services will be specialised, this service should become a prescribed service. 'In the meantime it remains the responsibility of CCGs to decide whether this surgery should be funded or not.' | Professor Simon Kay performed the first hand transplant last year .
His team at Leeds General Infirmary have now approved two more ops .
But a row has broken out over who will fund the operations .
NHS England says the local funding board should pay and vice versa .
Situation means a Scottish patient will be next to benefit from Leeds surgery . |
117,628 | 23e1472e5766226354d5a2994390179969980691 | By . Luke Salkeld . PUBLISHED: . 06:52 EST, 9 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 9 May 2012 . A hugely expensive and controversial wind farm was given the government’s go-ahead yesterday, building a permanent ‘blight on the countryside’, campaigners said. The £365million project, the biggest ever in England and Wales, will involve erecting 76 turbines - each of which will stand 475ft tall. Countryside lovers, who have been fighting the proposal for almost two decades, said the farm would be ‘ugly’ and ruin the local landscape of hills and valleys. The beautiful South Wales countryside which campaigners fear could be ruined by plans to build a wind farm . But despite their petitions and appeals, they lost their struggle when permission was granted to build what will be among the highest turbines in Europe across 155 acres of countryside. Each taller than the London Eye (443ft), it is claimed they will be able to produce enough energy to supply 206,000 homes. But to those opposed to the Pen-y-Cymoedd development in South Wales, say that electricity will come at far too high a price for the area. A spokesperson for the Glyncorrwg Action Group, named after an affected village, said: ‘Wind farms are ugly, inefficient and will spoil the wild beautiful areas around the village. ‘Our fight against the wind farm developers is one of David against Goliath, big business against small vulnerable communities. ‘Measures should be introduced to prevent the free for all by developers, that is taking place in areas such as Glyncorrwg.’ Energy Minister Charles Hendry (pictured) who supports the proposed scheme . He continued: ‘This ugly, industrial . wind farm development is totally unfair and it would ruin our landscape . and our hopes to develop tourism. ‘This proposal will be detrimental to our future, short-term gain will lead to long term losses of our beautiful landscape.’ The development on rural land between the Welsh towns of Neath and Aberdare, was given the backing of the energy ministry. The wind farm is being built by Swedish company Vattenfall is likely to cost around £300 million, with construction starting as early as next year. Despite vocal objections local councils chose not to block to the scheme. Former Welsh Assembly Member Dr Brian Gibbons, who has seen the detailed plans, said the move forward was a ‘disappointment’. He added: ‘It is too big and far too intrusive to our local communities.’ The site of the farm is owned by the . Forestry Commission Wales, which has worked with the company on the . proposal, and is backed by the Welsh wing of the RSPB, whose director . commented: ‘RSPB Cymru welcomes the positive approach Vattenfall has . taken to nature conservation through the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm - an . approach which will result in a net gain for wildlife in this area.’ Wind turbines are being switched off in Scotland because of fears for children's safety. Up to 16 turbines at school sites in The Scottish Highlands are affected by the move, in what is being described as a 'precautionary measure' by council bosses. The machines are being turned off following concerns raised by Highland councillors and residents earlier this year. The building of two new turbines in Scotland have also been postponed. SNP’s Inverness Central member Donnie Kerr, voiced concerns about their safety and refused to back their construction due to a lack of exclusion zone in either scheme. Despite the turbine shutdown, however, Steve Barron, Highland council’s deputy chief executive has vowed to continue to press on with renewable energy schemes. She . added: ‘We hope that other companies will adopt a similar attitude and . that that this project will set the gold standard for wind farm . developments in Wales and, indeed, elsewhere.’ Vattenfall . has pledged a benefits package to the community said to be worth £55 . million, including £3 million for habitat management and £6,000 a year . for each megawatt of electricity paid into a community fund. Energy Minister Charles Hendry said: ‘Onshore wind plays an important role in enhancing our energy security.‘It is the cheapest form of renewable electricity and reduces our reliance on foreign fuel. ‘This . project in South Wales will generate vast amounts of home-grown . renewable electricity and provide a significant benefits package for the . local community.’ The green light for the project comes . after the Government released a joint report with industry body . RenewableUK highlighting the benefits to the economy of onshore wind, . including for local communities. Vattenfall . said it would cost around £300 million to build the wind farm, creating . or supporting around 300 jobs in Wales, and once a final investment . decision has been taken construction could start next year with the . first electricity generated in 2016. Piers Guy, Vattenfall’s head of onshore wind development in the UK, said: ‘Pen y Cymoedd is a major project that could be worth more than £1 billion to the UK economy. ‘We have consistently stated our commitment to making sure that we maximise the value of Pen y Cymoedd to the region and to Wales. This is now our priority.’ Campaigners are angry about the proposed wind farm project, which could look similar to these turbines erected in Lincolnshire (pictured) Last month plans to build the world’s largest wind farm at one of Britain’s top tourist attractions are facing new opposition after protestors mocked up a video showing how the giant turbines will ‘blight’ the heavily-protected Jurassic Coast. The £3 billion farm will be visible to the millions of tourists who visit the Dorset and Isle of Wight coast every year - and tourism chiefs fear it will drive visitors away from the area, currently England’s only natural World Heritage site. It also emerged that the Royal Family could soon be cashing in on dozens of wind turbines - even though they have been condemned by Prince Charles and Prince Philip. Energy firms have been given the green light for 45 windmills on Crown Estate land, which will rake in £1million a year in subsidies. Homeowners living next door to the prospective wind farms in Wales and Lincolnshire accused the Royal Family of hypocrisy, after the Prince of Wales described them as a ‘horrendous blot on the landscape’ while his father called them ‘useless’ and ‘a disgrace’. | Campaigners fear project will cause irreversible damage to countryside .
Each of the 76 turbines will be taller than the London Eye and will be among the highest in Europe .
Wind farm will be spread across up to 155 acres of countryside . |
277,139 | f30e3687448ae911c13a1cddfc5996a9d730fbf8 | NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- An Al Qaeda-linked militant group waging war against Somalia's fragile government is becoming an increasing threat to Western ally Kenya and could potentially destabilize the region with dire consequences for global security, officials and analysts warn. Al-Shabab fighters count their bullets in neighborhood of Mogadishu. Al-Shabaab, one of the strongest Islamic militias battling for control of Mogadishu, has gained ground in recent weeks, according to officials, and has started to flex its muscles beyond Somalia's border with terror strikes, kidnappings and recruitment drives. They warn that unless the world takes action the group, which wants to impose an extreme type of Islamic sharia law, could extend its grip across parts of East Africa to gain control of a region that flanks busy shipping routes already plagued by Somali pirates . Appeals by Somalia's government for international help to unpick its long-running civil conflict have escalated Al-Shabaad's threats with the group behind warnings of an attack on the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. And, say experts, the group is being backed by foreign fighters -- some said to have links to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network -- a situation that draws direct comparisons with the group's influence in pre-9/11 Afghanistan. "Al-Shabaab is a threat to the whole world," Somali Information Minister Farhan Ali Mohamoud told CNN. "First to Somalia, to the neighborhood, and to everywhere they have disagreed with." Watch more on Somalian threat » . Mohamoud, whose transitional government has largely failed in its long-term goal of reconciling Somalia's militias, concedes Al-Shabaab is making major gains on his administration and says the global community must act to prevent their threat escalating. "Somalia's problems are not for Somalia alone to solve. Not only for the African Union to solve. It is a global and regional issue. We are very appreciative that the international community understands that, but they need to act now, rather than later." "The issue is not Somalis taking over from other Somalis. But the issue is foreign jihadists imposing their ideas into the region. So Somalia can be a launching pad for a greater and wider jihadist issue." Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua told CNN his country did not yet fear direct attacks from Al-Shabaab but said it was becoming increasingly alarmed about its activities and its links to foreign networks. Despite the concerns, Mutua said the problem was nothing new and while his country struggled to exert control over its porous border with Somalia, it was taking steps to limit the danger. But he warned the threat was not limited to Kenya and could have global reach. "We do believe that Al-Shabaab poses a threat, not only to Kenya, but to all neighboring countries such as Ethiopia and Eritrea," he said. "It is not just a problem that we foresee in Kenya, just because we are neighbors to them, it is a problem that we foresee that may occur to a lot of countries and also poses a threat to outside even this region," he added. "Our concern is not limited to Al-Shabaab. We know that Al-Shabaab are not able to do it without foreign intervention in terms of money and weapons that they are getting from other countries." Ernst Jan Hogendoorn, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, told CNN that while Al-Shabaab had whipped up concerns with headline grabbing acts such as the recent kidnap of two French citizens in Mogadishu and three aid workers on the Kenyan side of the border, countries such as Kenya should pay heed. "I think that Kenya could do a much better job. There is always the possibility that someone could sneak across the border and launch an attack against a soft target. Obviously Kenya has been the target of attacks in the past that are very, very challenging to prevent." But, says Hogendoorn, with an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia proving largely ineffective, and Ethiopian military presence withdrawn in January ahead of an Al-Shabaab push, Kenyan military involvement was unlikely to offer any quick fix. "The problem is once [Kenyan troops] are on the ground they open themselves up to guerrilla style attacks and suicide attacks that could lead to significant loss in life." | Experts, officials warn of growing threat from Somali militant group .
Al-Shabaab is one of strongest Islamic militias battling for Mogadishu .
Kenya says danger is to region and world despite threats on Nairobi . |
167,272 | 6454975775665f8906ce6bff2e2323c91f30c257 | By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 11:47 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:07 EST, 20 June 2013 . A controversial Christian ministry that crusaded against homosexuality announced on Wednesday that it would closing down after a dramatic apology from its leader. Florida-based Exodus International had been operating for 37 years, devoting itself to helping people 'seeking freedom from unwanted same-sex attraction'. Exodus promoted the belief that homosexuality could be reduced or even eliminated through prayer and counselling. Change of heart: Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, with his wife, Leslie . In 2007, Mr Chambers said that he himself had benefited from this 'therapy'. He told The Associated Press: 'Exodus is here for people who want an alternative to homosexuality. There are thousands of people like me who have overcome this.' In an extraordinary change of heart Alan Chambers, the ministry's president, apologised ahead of the closure. He admitted: 'For quite some time we've been imprisoned in a worldview that's neither honoring toward our fellow human beings, nor biblical.' Mr Chambers, who served as president for more than 11 years, apologised to the entire gay community for 'years of undue judgment by the organisation and the Christian Church as a whole'. 'I am sorry that so many have interpreted this religious rejection by Christians as God's rejection. 'I am profoundly sorry that many have walked away from their faith and that some have chosen to end their lives.' The board of directors voted to shut . down Exodus to start a new ministry that would create 'safe, . welcoming and mutually transforming communities'. The 38th annual Exodus Freedom . conference, taking place at Concordia University in California until the end of the month, . will be the ministry's last. 'A new generation of Christians is looking for change – and they want to be heard,' Exodus board member Tony Moore said in a statement. Brad Allen, a former Exodus employee who came out last year, made a TV appearance with Mr Chambers on 'Our America with Lisa Ling', . Mr Allen said: 'I was incredibly proud of him for doing this — and he's taking flak from all sides.' Watch the full program on OWN 10/9c on Thursday . | Christian ministry that attacked homosexuality has apologised .
Florida-based Exodus International closing after more than three decades .
Leader Alan Chambers said God is calling us 'to love unhindered' |
192,492 | 853262398df75706e414148910655e00efcd500d | By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 05:53 EST, 22 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:25 EST, 22 August 2013 . During celebrations in the Spanish town of Iriépal in Guadalajara, a bull escaped from its cage and bolted down the motorway. Frightened drivers climbed out of their cars when the bull rammed several vehicles as it ran away down the road. The bull was on its way to help the town north of Madrid celebrate the feast of San Roque on August 16.Scroll down for video . The charging bull came right up close to terrified drivers in Guadalajara, north of Madrid . The bull could be seen on the horizon as it was filmed coming through the cars on the motorway that had come to a standstill . Seconds later the bull began running at full speed towards the terrified drivers . The steer left and went to the road where he found several vehicles that repeatedly rammed. The occupants of one vehicle recorded the images of how the bull caused damage to the car in which they traveled. Among horrified screams and the facts, the occupants tried to chase the animal. The Fiesta de San Roque starts with a Catholic mass and procession but in the evening towns celebrate with fun historical re-enactments, fireworks and parties. The bull charged just feet away from cars stuck in its path on the motorway . The animal had escaped from a truck when it was on its way to take part in celebrations for the feast of San Roque . Drivers tried to chase after the bull before it caused an accident on an adjoining road but he carried on running . | Rampaging bull was filmed charging into cars on Spanish motorway .
He was on his way to help town of Iriépal celebrate feast of San Roque . |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.