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284,657 | fcd51cd7dbaf938e217e39deefb881064a82a7f2 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 11:44 EST, 25 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:51 EST, 25 September 2013 . Air pollution is said to account for 2.1 million premature deaths worldwide, according to new research, and mortality rates can vary widely between certain countries. To highlight the risk, Nasa's Earth Observatory has used these numbers to create an air pollution map that shows, at a glance, how levels of a type of pollution called fine particulate matter differ across the globe. It compares data compiled on 1 January 1850 to levels recorded on 1 January 2000 and shows the average number of deaths per 1,000 square kilometres, per year. This map uses air pollution data gathered by the University of North Carolina. Dark brown areas have more premature deaths than light brown areas. The areas shown in blue represent countries where air quality has improved in relation to data previously held about pollution from the 1850s . Fine particulate matter is made up of particles, such as dust and soot, that are 2.5 micrometres or smaller. Because of this size, the particles are scientifically referred to as particulate matter 2.5, or PM2.5. They cause health problems because they are small enough to enter a person's lungs through the respiratory system. PM2.5 is released from car exhausts, for example, as well as other industrial, domestic and natural sources. The data was collected by researcher Jason West, an assistant professor of environmental sciences at the . University of North Carolina. In a study published in the journal Environmental . Research letters, West estimated that around 2.1 million deaths a year are linked to levels of fine particulate matter (FMP). Fine particulate matter is made up of particles, such as dust and soot, that are 2.5 micrometres or smaller. Because of this size, the particles are scientifically referred to as particulate matter 2.5, or PM2.5. They cause health problems because they are small enough to enter a person's lungs. PM2.5 is released from car exhausts, for example, as well as other industrial, domestic and natural sources. According to a blog post from Nasa's Earth Observatory: 'Dark brown areas have more premature deaths than light brown areas. Fine particulate matter is made up of particles, such as dust and soot, that are 2.5 micrometres or smalller; scientifically referred to as PM2.5. They're small enough to enter a person's lungs. PM2.5 is released from car exhausts, pictured, as well as other industrial, domestic and natural sources . 'Blue areas have experienced an improvement in air quality relative to 1850 and a decline in premature deaths.' 'Fine particulate matter takes an especially large toll in eastern China, northern India, and Europe - all areas where urbanisation has added considerable quantities of PM2.5 to the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution.' It continued that areas, such as the southeastern states of the U.S., saw levels of PM2.5 drop to levels seen before the development of industry. 'The decrease in PM2.5 is likely related to a decline in local biomass burning that has occurred over the last 160 years,' explained the post. Nasa's Earth Observatory claims that toxic pollution can linger in the air for 'days or even weeks' and increases the number of people admitted to hospitals with breathing or heart problems. | Nasa used global pollution data compiled by North Carolina University .
Dark brown areas show where more people die prematurely from air pollution than light brown areas .
Blue areas are regions where pollution levels have improved since 1850 - such as the southern states of the U.S.
The most polluted area is shown over Asia, in particular China, but Eastern Europe also has high levels of damaging soot, dust and car fumes . |
162,020 | 5d7c9e591f559b8839df3657b8d586486e8e22ec | CNN has learned the White House wanted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to wait until this week to resign, so it would have a new nominee in place by then. But Hagel refused to wait, deciding if the White House was going to push him out, he wanted to make his resignation known as quickly as possible. Hagel resigned a full week earlier on Nov. 24. A source very close to Hagel and the resignation process detailed that decision to CNN. "Once the secretary saw that he would have to go, he wanted to move quickly," the source said. After months of frustration with the White House, Hagel wanted to "at least control his departure." A second source highly familiar with the resignation of Hagel, and the search for a new nominee, tells CNN that in the days before he resigned, Hagel consulted both Republican and Democratic former senators about whether there was a way for him to stay on the job, and concluded there was not. GOP Sen. John McCain told News Talk 550 radio in Arizona on the day Hagel resigned that the defense secretary had recently visited him and expressed his displeasure with the White House. "I know Chuck was frustrated with aspects of the administration's national security policy and decision making process," McCain had said. "His predecessors have spoken about the excessive micro-management they faced from the White House and how that made it more difficult to do their jobs successfully. McCain added: "Chuck's situation was no different." Behind the scenes one close Hagel advisor is former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell. It is not clear how closely the two men talked about this issue. Officials have characterized the decision to replace Hagel as mutual between the President and the secretary. A senior US official not in the Pentagon says the White House had become increasingly disenchanted with Hagel, feeling he was not clearly articulating White House strategy and Hagel had become frustrated. Hagel's determination to resign on his own timing, began a series of events that has left the White House scrambling to find a nominee. Often, a replacement is announced at the same time a resignation is made public. Both sources tell CNN that the supposed front runner, Michele Flournoy, was not a fully vetted and selected candidate by the time Hagel resigned, and that she pulled her name after talks with the White House. Several people familiar with Flournoy's thinking say she decided to withdraw her name in part out of concern over dealing with White House micromanagement. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the second source says, was essentially put on the White House's so called short list after Flournoy withdrew to make it look like there were high-level candidates under consideration. But several sources tell CNN that Johnson quickly made it clear he didn't want to go through another confirmation hearing and was reluctant to leave DHS after less than a year on the job. Democratic Sens. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Carl Levin of Michigan also said they did not want the job. That essentially left Ash Carter as the last candidate under serious consideration. But even on Tuesday, as the final touches were putting on the White House plans to announce Carter, still another administration official said the White House was going back one more time to see if there were other possible higher profile candidates. Carter is deeply respected inside the defense establishment, and has a long track record serving in a number of Pentagon jobs, but he is not likely to bring significant change to the Pentagon. Nearly one dozen Pentagon officials CNN has spoken to say they doubt this White House really wants a secretary of defense who will offer significant new ideas. | Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel refused to wait for his replacement before announcing his resignation .
The White House had hoped he would hold off until this week .
Hagel's frustrations with micromanagement led to his early departure . |
75,159 | d51bd914ca5887faec1692e089e40ada1a34f40c | (CNN) -- A tornado that ripped across part of North Dakota damaged an oil field camp and destroyed at least a dozen recreational vehicles, officials said. The twister touched down Monday evening about six miles south of Watford City, the McKenzie County Sheriff's Office said. Nine people were injured -- eight who suffered minor injuries, and one who was flown to Trinity Hospital in Minot, the sheriff's department said. The tornado's path included an oil field camp five miles south of Watford City, the National Weather Service in Bismark said. The McKenzie County Sheriff's Office said 12 to 15 RVs were destroyed at an RV park. Severe weather is possible again Tuesday for parts of North Dakota. | The tornado struck an oil field camp in western North Dakota .
12 to 15 recreational vehicles were destroyed, the local sheriff's department says .
Nine people were injured . |
118,605 | 2523ee1dfd9e003835e97d5081ecbc691f298443 | Richard Ben Cramer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose 1992 book "What It Takes" remains one of the most detailed and passionate of all presidential campaign chronicles, died Monday night, according to his longtime agent, Philippa "Flip" Brophy. He was 62. The cause of death was lung cancer. Cramer's work -- and work ethic -- was legendary among reporters. He talked in firm, declamatory bursts in a growl of a voice tinged with cigars and alcohol. He was generous with other writers, dogged in his pursuit of information, and known for idiosyncratically "doing things in his own way, on his own schedule," recalled Brophy. "He was stubborn, charming and the most brilliant person I knew -- and the warmest," she said. "He was an unmatched talent who set an enormously high bar for political journalism. I will miss him," said Vice President Joe Biden in a statement. Biden and Cramer became friendly when the author was working on "What It Takes." CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger, echoing many, attests to his generosity. She was a cub reporter for the old Washington Star when she was assigned to the Maryland statehouse beat. Cramer, then with The (Baltimore) Sun, took her under his wing. "I was this new kid on the block, and he'd been around and knew Maryland politics very well, and he was smart and a brilliant writer -- and kind to a new reporter on the beat," she said. Cramer put all his fury, emotion and eye for detail on the page in such works as "Joe DiMaggio: A Hero's Life" (2000), "How Israel Lost" (2004) and especially "What It Takes," a 1,047-page account of the 1988 presidential race. "What It Takes" reads like Tom Wolfe on speed, like Theodore H. White left out in the wild. It's fueled by Cramer's determination to find out just exactly why people are crazy enough to run the obstacle course in pursuit of the nation's highest office. The book contains astute and sympathetic profiles of George H.W. Bush, Michael Dukakis, Joe Biden and particularly Bob Dole. The latter comes across as particularly rich, with his distinctive third-person speaking style and tossed-off "Aghs," all rendered with Cramer's painterly eye. "Too much political journalism today, even in book form, is geared more toward staff feuds and soap opera and less to what Richard spent so much time in 1988 exploring: what makes these candidates tick, and what drives them to compete in such an arduous -- and yes, at times, ridiculous process," said CNN's chief national correspondent, John King, who covered the Dukakis campaign that year. Cramer plunged into the day-to-day drudgery of a presidential campaign with a vengeance, and what emerges is half winged exultation, half death march. (Indeed, the strain of doing the book made him very ill, though reports that it nearly killed him were "exaggerations," said Brophy.) In the long history of campaign works, which includes White's "Making of the President" series, Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72" and John Heilemann and Mark Helperin's gossipy "Game Change," Cramer's tome looms large -- "one of the most important books on American politics in the 20th century," said Michael Pakenham, a former editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer and a Cramer colleague. The book was hugely influential. "Richard Ben Cramer transformed a whole generation of political reporters with his sweeping chronicle of the 1988 campaign," said Howard Kurtz, host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" and Washington bureau chief for The Daily Beast. "While almost no one could write and report as he did, he set the bar higher for everyone." Cramer was fascinated as much by the machinery that produced power and hero worship as he was by the people at their center. "He was a journalist who listened and watched particularly well," says Butch Ward, a senior faculty member at the Poynter Institute and another former Inquirer colleague. "He went places most of us aspired to, but he got there." Such determination didn't often sit well with reviewers. "What It Takes" was criticized as self-indulgent; "How Israel Lost," which painted a bleak picture of Cramer's former Mideast stomping grounds, was knocked as simple-minded. And Cramer's warts-and-all DiMaggio biography, though a bestseller, was slammed for the author's blunt handling of the New York Yankee hero. Cramer "relentlessly, pulverizingly tells us that the man wasn't worthy of the legend built up around him," Allen Barra wrote in Salon. The review was headlined "Joe Cruel." Cramer, of course, didn't see it that way. "I think among older fans there's a sense that I'm somehow messing with their own memories, which was never my intent," he told CNN at the time. "I can understand their annoyance. But to me the life of DiMaggio was always more interesting than the myth." Cramer was born in Rochester, New York, in 1950, and studied at Johns Hopkins and Columbia's journalism school. He worked at The Sun in the 1970s and then at the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1977 to 1984. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his Middle East reporting in 1979. As a freelance writer, he wrote a number of well-received profiles, including a Rolling Stone piece on Jerry Lee Lewis, an Esquire cover story on Baltimore mayor (and later Maryland governor) William Donald Schaefer, and a much-talked-about story on Ted Williams, later reprinted as the book "What Do You Think of Ted Williams Now?" Despite his renown among journalists, he wasn't always an easy sell, recalls Brophy. After she signed him -- "intercepting" him from agency head Sterling Lord because she loved his newspaper and magazine work -- she spent years funneling him book ideas from interested publishers. "He'd say, 'No, no, no, no, no,' and I would say (to others), 'He's really the type of person who needs to come up with his own idea.' " When he finally had his own idea, it was for "What It Takes," a mammoth undertaking that frightened publishers. "I said, 'Richard, that's a great book idea, but it's not a first book. It's like a 10th book.' And he went, 'Sell it,' " said Brophy. "And I did." With just four books and a handful of magazine articles over his long post-newspaper career, Cramer operated on his own clock. Sometimes that meant literally, said Brophy. One morning, while researching "What It Takes," he called her at 7:30, saying that he had missed a 7:15 flight. "What time did you get there?" she asked. "7:20," he replied. But that was Cramer, agree his friends, an occasionally shambling presence who was also a keen observer, a raconteur, a baseball fan, a master of ceremonies. (He served the latter role at Pakenham's wedding.) Ward imagines him in another time, another place, holding court with some other witty friends. "It's probably not too much a stretch to imagine Richard sitting at the Algonquin, sharing great thoughts with other people," he said. Cramer is survived by his wife, Joan Cramer, and a daughter, Ruby. An earlier marriage ended in divorce. According to The Sun, there will be no funeral at Cramer's request. | Richard Ben Cramer, author of monumental "What It Takes," dead at 62 .
Cramer remembered as generous, warm, a little stubborn .
"What It Takes" called one of the great books on American politics in 20th century .
Cramer's other books included biography of Joe DiMaggio, thoughts on Mideast . |
71,246 | c9fc969d196c7aa9420a33f2189ee7e610287a72 | (CNN) -- Switzerland defender Philippe Senderos is in talks to leave Arsenal and join English Premier League rivals Everton, according to the Liverpool-based side. Philippe Senderos is seeking to leave Arsenal to keep his World Cup hopes alive. The 24-year-old has been out of favor with the London club for the past year or so, and spent last season on loan with Italy's AC Milan. The center-back made only 15 appearances in his injury-hit stint with the Rossoneri, and returned to Arsenal where he has a year left on his contract. Everton chairman Bill Kenwright confirmed that talks were underway, but said that no deal had been done despite an earlier claim by the Swiss Football Federation. "We have been negotiating with Arsenal for the transfer of Philippe. Nothing has been concluded yet but talks are on going," Kenwright told Everton's official Web site on Tuesday. Everton face the possible departure of England defender Joleon Lescott, the subject of two bids from big-spending EPL rivals Manchester City. Transfer gossip: City to bid again for Lescott. Manager David Moyes has rejected both offers and is determined to keep the player, who has been ruled out of recent pre-season friendly action due to a hip injury picked up on the tour of the United States. Moyes needs cover for injured center-back Phil Jagielka, who is not expected to return to action until November. The Swiss Football Federation had said on its official Web site on Monday that Senderos had agreed to join Everton because he needed regular first-team action ahead of next year's World Cup finals in South Africa. Switzerland are level on points with Greece at the top of Group Two after six of 10 games, with the winner qualifying directly and the runner-up hoping to go into one of the four play-offs. Senderos joined Arsenal in the summer of 2003 from Swiss club Servette, and established himself in the first team alongside Kolo Toure when regular Sol Campbell was injured. However, he missed the 2006 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona due to his own injury, with England defender Campbell returning in his place to score the opening goal of the 2-1 reverse. Senderos missed the start of the 2006-07 season after suffering a shoulder problem at the World Cup finals, and subsequently struggled to break back into the Arsenal team. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has a wealth of central defensive resources despite selling Toure to City last month, having brought in Belgium international Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax in June. William Gallas, Johan Djourou, Mikael Silvestre and Alex Song are also competing for first-team places. | Philippe Senderos in talks to leave Arsenal and join English rivals Everton .
Switzerland defender wants regular first-team action ahead of 2010 World Cup .
Senderos spent an injury-hit loan spell with Italy's AC Milan last season .
The 24-year-old joined Arsenal in 2003 from Swiss club Servette . |
68,078 | c1286eb2b291b2d02976ea020abc38fe979ee814 | A 21-year-old Florida woman was so wounded by the end of a two-week relationship that police say she threatened to hurt her now-former boyfriend. Authorities say Brittney Klemka texted her ex when the relationship ended and told him she was going to come to his hgme and beat him up. She even tried to recruit one more person into the planned assault, Daytona Beach cops said. Authorities say Brittney Klemka texted her ex when the relationship ended and told him she was going to come to his hgme and beat him up . Dating back to 2011, she been arrested several times for DUI charges, drug possession, and battery . The Daily News reports that the unidentified boyfriend had messaged police saying Klemka wanted to 'mess him up.' It wasn't her first encounter with the law. Dating back to 2011, she been arrested several times for DUI charges, drug possession, and battery. Jail records indicate she has since been released after her latest incident . On Tuesday she was booked into the Volusia County Jail on charges of making threats to kill or do bodily harm. Jail records indicate she has since been released. | Authorities say Brittney Klemka texted her ex when the relationship ended and told him she was going to come to his home and beat him up .
She even tried to recruit one more person into the planned assault, Daytona Beach police said .
On Tuesday she was booked into the Volusia County Jail on charges of making threats to kill or do bodily harm . |
189,755 | 81b89957082c0eaf50d91614a9f70f863ef5899f | By . Darren Boyle . A Eurofighter Typhoon adorned with commemorative D-Day invasion stripes has been unveiled ahead of the 70th anniversary of the landings. The state-of-the-art jet has been specially painted with the famous black and white markings in tribute to the role of the crews of the Hawker Typhoon during the D-Day operations. It took to the skies today at an unveiling ceremony at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire alongside a similarly adorned Spitfire, which flew in the landings. An RAF Eurofighter Typhoon following a historic Spitfire during a fly-past at RAF Coningsby . Both aircraft have been painted in special D-Day black and white stripes on their wings . The special paintwork made it easier to recognise the aircraft on D-Day and reduce the chance of them being shot down by friendly forces . Eurofighter Typhoon . Engines: 2 Eurojet EJ200 turbojets . Power: 20,000lbs of thrust each . Max Speed: 1.8 Mach . Service Ceiling: 55,000 ft . Length: 15.96m . Wing Span: 11.09m . Weapons: Missiles, 27mm cannon and 1,000lb bombs . Hawker Typhoon . Engine: Napier Sabre 24 cylinder . Power: 2,180hp . Max Speed: 412mph . Service Ceiling: 35,000 ft . Length: 9.73m . Wing Span: 12.5m . Weapons: 4x20mm cannon. 2x1,000lb bombs or eight rockets . D-Day veteran John 'Paddy' Byrne was invited to today’s event. The 92-year-old, originally from Belfast but now living in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, flew the Hawker Typhoon on D-Day. After the flypast, Mr Byrne, who joined the RAF as a boy apprentice in 1938 aged 16 and served with the force until May 1946, said: 'It’s been marvellous. The flypast was fascinating to see. It’s a much faster aircraft with a jet engine where we had propellers.' Talking about D-Day, he said: 'The memory that stands out mainly in my mind is towards the end of a sweep around. I came down a country lane and I saw a horse and cart with a German soldier driving it and I thought "well I can’t kill the horse".' 'The Typhoon was quite a heavy aircraft but it was still a nice aircraft to fly.' The Hawker Typhoon, nicknamed Tiffy, was one of the most effective fighter bombers during the Second World War. It was originally designed as a replacement for the Hurricane but it was initially considered a failure as a fighter. However, when it was used as a ground-attack aircraft it was found to be utterly devastating. The Typhoon was the first fighter that could carry two 1,000lb bombs and was equipped with four 20mm cannons. As a result, it was very effective as a train destroyer. It was also the first British fighter to be equipped with rockets. The last remaining Typhoon from the RAF museum collection has been loaned to Canada to honour the RCAF pilots who served during the invasion of Europe. The aircraft is normally a at the centre of the D-Day exhibition at RAF Hendon. The Eurofighter will retain its striped paintwork during the summer's airshow season to commemorate the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944 . Unlike the Spitfire, pictured, the WWII era Hawker Typhoon was a fighter bomber and was a devastating ground-attack aircraft . The RAF Typhoon could be equipped with bombs and rockets, which could not be carried by the Spitfire . The modern Typhoon, like its WWII era namesake is a multi role aircraft with devastating firepower . With a top speed of just over 400mph, the Typhoon formed part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force that extensively supported ground operations during the D-Day landings on June 6 1944. The alternating black and white invasion stripes were painted on the fuselages and wings of all RAF and Allied aircraft ahead of the landings to increase recognition by friendly forces. Today the Hawker Typhoon’s modern counterpart, the Eurofighter Typhoon, is powered by two Eurojet EJ200 turbojets and can reach Mach 1.8, flying at up to 55,000ft (16,764m). At a moment’s notice they can launch and intercept unidentified aircraft in three locations: the UK, Lithuania as part of the Nato Baltic Air Policing mission - helping to protect and secure Nato airspace over the Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania - and in the Falkland Islands. Flight Lieutenant Noel Rees, who flew the Typhoon today, said: 'It was an honour to be able to fly in close formation with the Spitfire and to get both aircraft with D-Day markings together. 'I’m proud to be part of the Royal Air Force and really proud to be able to fly and display this aircraft which commemorates D-Day. 'I think it’s (D-Day) one of those shocking parts of history. I’m in awe of what people on the ground were doing supported by the RAF in the air.' Flt Lt Rees said the Hawker Typhoon and its modern-day counterpart were not too dissimilar. He said: 'The Hawker Typhoon is actually not too dissimilar to the Typhoon we have now with its role, which is a multi-role aircraft. 'The Hawker Typhoon not only conducted air-to-air missions but also dive-bombing and air-to-ground missions as well. And that’s exactly what the Typhoon does these days.' The commemorative Eurofighter Typhoon will fly in air shows across the UK this summer. Allied air forces flew an astounding 14,674 during the first 24 hours of Operation Overlord, losing just 113 aircraft. Much of those losses was attributed to friendly fire as the Luftwaffe was only able to launch 319 sorties. RAF Typhoons managed 294 sorties on D-Day alone. Allied aircraft on D-Day faced a greater threat from friendly fire than they did from the German Luftwaffe as they had comprehensive air superiority . Former RAF pilot John 'Paddy' Byrne from Belfast flew the Hawker Typhoon on D-Day . Mr Byrne said that his version of the Typhoon was 'quite a heavy aircraft but it was still nice to fly' Typhoon pilot Flight Lieutenant Noel Rees, right, said the modern version of the aircraft performed a similar role to the WWII fighter-bomber, pictured beside Flight Lieutenant Anthony Parkinson of the Battle of Britain memorial flight . The Eurofighter Typhoon is deployed in the UK, Lithuania and the Falkland Islands . | Modern day fighter jet painted in D-Day markings to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Operation Overlord .
The aircraft were painted with black-and-white stripes so they could be easily identified by Allied forces .
The Typhoon managed 294 sorties on D-Day while allied aircrew completed almost 15,000 missions . |
192,263 | 84ee85e635099af851b267fe74a71b50c06df37f | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 00:08 EST, 13 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:56 EST, 13 April 2013 . Steve Job's widow spoke out for the first time about her husband's death and his lasting legacy that inspires her to fulfill her passions. Laurene Powell Jobs spoke about how her famous husband Steve left both a personal and a private legacy, only one of which she feels comfortable talking about now that he is dead. 'In the public (legacy) we see the products that he created, that he cared so deeply about that changed all of our lives- the way that we function and communicate,' she said in an interview with NBC's Brian Williams on Rock Center that aired Friday night. Scroll down for video . Life after love: Laurene Powell Jobs talked about how her husband Steve left a private and public legacy . Tender moment: Though he was known best as the Apple CEO, Laurene said that she and their children miss Steve as a loving father and husband (seen together in 2011) What he wanted to do in his life was create tools that allow people to work at the highest level, and I think he did that. So that legacy is beautiful for me to live with.' Mrs Powell Jobs, who continues her husband's tradition of being notoriously private, agreed to be interviewed because she is working with a documentary filmmaker to promote immigration reform. As part of the preconditions for the interview, she made it clear that she would not talk about her famous husband's death. That said, she did pay a small tribute to her husband of 20 years by praising him as a father and partner. In his absence: Laurene said that seeing how Apple products have changed the world makes her feel good about the work that her husband did while he was alive . In the living: Steve Jobs died in October 2011, but since his death, Laurene has become involved in the push for immigration reform . Lips sealed: Mrs Powell Jobs only spoke briefly about her husband, saying that seeing Apple products around the world is a positive reminder of his great work . 'His private legacy with me and the kids is that of husband and father, and we miss him every day,' she said. Jobs was known for his intense work ethic, and even he admitted that part of the reason why he allowed a biographer to interview him repeatedly before his death was so that his children could get a full portrait of the work he did while away from his family. In addition to the more than 650-page tome, Mrs Powell Jobs told how the myriad of Apple products that he created also serve as living memorials. Passion project: Mrs Powell Jobs teamed up with filmmaker Davis Guggenheim to created a documentary about the struggles of undocumented immigrants . 'Having the body of work surrounding us is actually a really beautiful reminder and I find it touching and inspiring for me to make sure that I continue to do what I'm most passionate about and I hope my kids feel the same way,' she said. That passion has driven her to work with Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim to create and promote the film ‘The Dream is Now’ which unveils the plight of students raised in the United States who are pushed out of the country because they are undocumented immigrants. | Laurene Powell Jobs speaks out for the first time since her husband Steve's death .
Reflects on how her Apple CEO husband had a 'public and private legacy'
She is lending her name to the cause of immigration reform . |
20,491 | 3a28268d4bce027e38f15a1e7b86ef06caa93116 | Manchester United are prepared to stump up £15million to beat Barcelona to the signature of Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen. Manager Louis van Gaal is anxious for more signings following the club’s return from their pre-season tour in America and wants to close deals for Vermaelen and Ajax wing back Daley Blind before his Premier League bow against Swansea City on August 16. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward accepts he will have to pay a premium price for Vermaelen however because Arsenal would prefer to see him go to La Liga than play for one of their Premier League rivals. VIDEO Scroll down for Arsene Wenger: Thomas Vermaelen could leave Arsenal . Swapping sides: Could Thomas Vermaelen be lining up alongside Manchester United this season? Familiar face: Vermaelen tries to block a shot from United star Robin van Persie . Barcelona have already made a £10million offer for the 28-year-old Belgian World Cup star but United have informed the London club they will top it. Vermaelen was officially Arsenal's club captain last season but played only seven Premier League games due to the form of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. He and the versatile Blind can also provide cover for left back Luke Shaw. Van Gaal wants transfer business both in and out the club to gather pace in the next fortnight. Targets: World Cup star Daley Blind and Vermaelen are both on United's list this summer . The Dutchman pointed out at his unveiling that he had approved rather than initiated United’s first two summer signings Ander Herrera and Shaw. United made their third capture, teenage Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic, but Van Gaal wants to improve the balance of the squad, needing more defenders to play his preferred 3-4-3 formation following the departures of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra. A move for Borussia Dortmund’s highly-rated midfielder Marco Reus is likely to have to wait until next year when his £20million buy-out clause kicks in. On the lookout: Louis van Gaal wants to add more signings to his squad before the season starts on August 16 . VIDEO Van Gaal wants reinforcements . United’s tour players can expect to find about their futures from Van Gaal when they return to training on Friday. Van Gaal has given the squad two days off after travelling nearly 15,000 miles across America but plans to work them hard physically on their return. He has also promised the players to let them know who he wants to keep, and who are surplus to requirements and will either be sold or loaned out. After a final rest day on Thursday, the players have been told to report to the Aon training complex at the end of the week with Van Gaal preparing to make his decision on the likes of Shinji Kagawa, Javier Hernandez, Wilfried Zaha and Michael Keane. Marouane Fellaini and Anderson are also expected to be allowed to leave. They have been training all week with Fellaini given time off after the World Cup and Anderson suffering an injury that caused him to miss the tour to America. Uncertain future: Marouane Fellaini could leave Old Trafford before the transfer window closes . Several of United’s former greats including Champions League winners Pau Scholes, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole will pull on the red shirt again in Munich on Saturday in a match between Bayern All-Stars and a United legends team. Former Old Trafford midfielder Owen Hargreaves – whose signing was labelled 'a disaster' by Sir Alex Ferguson – will line up in the game for Bayern against United. Phil Neville will play in United’s team despite announcing on Wednesday he was no longer on United’s coaching staff. Goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, a title winner just four seasons ago, has been drafted in to replace Edwin van der Sar who is in south-east Asia with current club Ajax where he is marketing director. | United prepared to stump up the cash for out-of-favour Gunners skipper .
Louis van Gaal also keen on signing Holland World Cup star Daley Blind .
Dutch boss to decide on the future of United star in next couple of days . |
112,219 | 1cc304283f686c3f709ad48a5d27b4de5fbb371d | (CNN) -- Syria denies that it has used, or even possesses, chemical weapons, accusing the United States and Britain of lying in order to pressure the embattled Damascus government. Syrian Information Minister Omran Al-Zoubi talked to Russia TV on Friday, dismissing a claim by U.S. officials a day earlier that they had evidence the chemical weapon sarin had been used in Syria on a small scale. "Everything that the American minister and British government have said lack credibility," Al-Zoubi said. "It's baseless, and it's a new tactic to put political and economic pressure on Syria." Al-Zoubi said the Syrian government is the one that called for an investigation of an incident in which it claimed chemical weapons were used by "terrorist groups." The government routinely labels rebel fighters as terrorists. Syria does not have chemical weapons and would not use them if it did, he said. The Americans "want to manipulate the issue, to let whoever used the chemical weapons ... get away (with it), and to repeat the Iraq example," Al-Zoubi said. After a meeting on Friday with Jordan's King Abdullah, President Barack Obama reiterated U.S. "preliminary assessments" that "chemical weapons have been used on ... populations in Syria." He didn't backtrack from his earlier statements that it would be a "game changer" -- as far as how the world deals with Syria -- if it's proven definitively that President Bashar al-Assad's forces used chemical weapons on his own people. Still, Obama didn't specify what actions the United States might take if that determination is made. For now, he said, the United States is planning to continue its own "very vigorous investigation" and to work with its Middle Eastern allies and the United States. "We to have act prudently," the president said. "... But I think all of us, not just in the United States but around the world -- recognize how we cannot stand by and permit the systematic use of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations." Israel, for one, is asking the United States to take the lead in crafting a response to the evidence of chemical weapons. "I think the U.S., as the leader of the Western world, should lead the efforts with our partners in Europe and Israel and to take action with what we're seeing happening today in Syria," Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said on Friday. Opinion: Obama must act on Syria chemical weapons . While he didn't offer specifics, Danon said that Israeli military intelligence also has information indicating "Syria has used chemical weapons." Also Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked the man heading the world body's investigation into chemical weapons use in Syria to report to U.N. headquarters on Monday for "consultations," a U.N. spokesman said. Ban had "taken note" of comments Thursday from the U.S. government that it has evidence sarin has been used in Syria. The U.N. leader has repeatedly asked the Syrian government to give U.N. inspectors unrestricted access to the country as it looked into chemical weapons use allegations. The team, led by Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom, is ready to head to Syria within 48 hours if an agreement is reached. "We remain in close contact with the Syrian authorities, most recently through another letter (Thursday) urging the Syrian government to grant unconditional and unfettered access to the mission," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said. "The secretary-general strongly urges the Syrian government to respond swiftly and favorably so that this mission can carry out its work in Syria." Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich responded Friday by criticizing Ban's position as "nothing but a demonstration of a politicized approach." "The inspection system proposed is analagous to that used at the end of the previous century in Iraq, which -- unlike Syria -- was under U.N. sanctions," Lukashevich said in a statement posted on the foreign ministry's website. "It is difficult to understand why the U.N. secretariat prefers to take its cue from those who care not about concrete steps to prevent attempts to use chemical weapons in the Syrian crisis but to change the regime of a sovereign state." Earlier this week, the Russian foreign minister also warned against a repeat of the "Iraqi scenario" in which claims that Saddam Hussein's government possessed so-called weapons of mass destruction were the basis of the U.S.-led invasion. He also said that international investigators were asking "too much" by demanding access to all facilities in Syria and to have the right to interview any Syrians. Read more: What is the Syrian Electronic Army? In a letter sent to lawmakers before U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced there was evidence sarin has been used in Syria, the White House said that intelligence analysts have concluded "with varying degrees of confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically the chemical agent sarin." The White House cautioned that the "chain of custody" of the chemicals was not clear and that intelligence analysts could not confirm the circumstances under which the sarin was used, including the role of al-Assad's regime. British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he supported Obama and that the use of chemical weapons should constitute a "red line," the UK Press Association reported. But if a red line has been crossed, Cameron was less clear on what the next steps should be. Asked if the development could result in sending troops into Syria, Cameron said he didn't want to see that. "But I think we can step up the pressure on the regime, work with our partners, work with the opposition in order to bring about the right outcome," he said, according to the Press Association. "The question is how do we step up the pressure. And, in my view, what we need to do -- and we're doing some of this already -- is shape that opposition, work with them, train them, mentor them, help them, so that we put the pressure on the regime and so what we can bring this to an end." The Syrian government has been battling a rebellion for more than two years, bringing international condemnation of the regime and pleas for greater international assistance. The United Nations estimated in February that more than 70,000 people had died since the conflict began. The opposition Local Coordination Committees in Syria reported that 139 people, including 16 women and 14 children, had been killed across the country on Friday. Twenty-nine of those deaths were in and around Damascus, while 27 were in Homs province. Members of the rebel Free Syrian Army clashed with government forces in at least 115 places around Syria on Friday, during which the opposition group reported 235 bombing attacks -- including from warplanes and surface-to-surface missiles. CNN's Yousuf Basil, Sara Sidner, Saad Abedine and Michael Pearson contributed to this report. | NEW: Team looking into chemical weapon use in Syria asked to report to U.N.
NEW: A Russian official criticizes the U.N. leader for taking a "politicized approach"
Syria accuses the U.S. and Britain of lying, says it doesn't even have chemical weapons .
Obama says if it's proven Syria used such weapons, it would be a "game changer" |
4,829 | 0dd6719fa5f9d21c57d2ce69472ef4b1e8dbed73 | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 20:09 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:19 EST, 20 February 2014 . Email alert: Sir Bruce Keogh urged officials three months ago to launch a series of investigations . Health bosses have been accused of trying to cover up high death rates and alarming waiting times in the NHS in Wales. The medical director in England Professor Sir Bruce Keogh urged officials three months ago to launch a series of investigations into six hospitals after being alerted to the figures by a Welsh Labour MP. He also pointed out that waiting times in Wales were ‘persistently higher’ than in England, with up to 80 per cent of patients waiting more than six weeks for key diagnostic tests for diseases such as cancer. However bosses didn’t reply to his email – nor did they launch any investigation. The revelation comes amid growing concern over the state of the NHS in Wales. Labour – which has been in power in Wales since devolution in 1999 – runs the country’s NHS separately from the health service in England. It has not ring-fenced the NHS budget as the Coalition has done. Instead spending on the Welsh NHS has been slashed by 11 per cent since 2011. There is now growing evidence that the financial cuts are having a knock-on effect on waiting times, in A&E and on the overall standards of care in hospitals. At one hospital, three nurses have been arrested amid claims of serious patient neglect. The Princess of Wales hospital in Bridgend was already under the spotlight over the death of a patient who waited four hours in an ambulance before being admitted to A&E. In his email, sent to his Welsh counterpart Dr Chris Jones on November 28 last year, Sir Bruce pointed to figures showing that around 50 per cent of Welsh patients wait at least six weeks for bowel cancer scans compared to around 1 to 2 per cent in England. Similarly for MRI scans – which are used to detect everything from cancer, dementia and muscular injuries – 48.6 per cent of patients wait six weeks or more compared to less than 1 per cent of English patients. And 80 per cent of patients were waiting 6 weeks or longer for urine tests which can be used to detect bladder cancer. Sir Bruce wrote: ‘There are six hospitals with a persistently high mortality which warrant investigating.‘I do not have adequate data to form a view. ‘Waiting times in A&E are considerably worse than England, but the real concern is around prolonged (longer than 6 weeks) waiting times for diagnostics (scans which include cancer tests) including which, of course, translates to delayed treatment.’ Last night MPs said the situation was ‘deeply disturbing’ and accused the Labour Assembly of covering up the truth about the state of its hospitals. They likened the situation in Wales to other scandals such as Mid Staffordshire, which occurred when Labour was in power. The Princess of Wales hospital in Bridgend was already under the spotlight over the death of a patient . Charlotte Leslie, Tory MP for Bristol North West said: ‘This is an abominable indictment of Labour’s attitude to the NHS. ‘Now, in the last corner of the country where Labour is still in charge of health, what do we see, but exactly the same efforts to protect political self-interest over patients’ lives. ‘Just like with Mid-Staffs, we find all the effort focused not on investigating hospitals of concern, but an effort to discredit the data, potentially at the cost of peoples’ lives.’ The six hospitals Sir Bruce said he was concerned about include the Princess of Wales, University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, Royal Gwent in Newport, Royal Glamorgan near Llantrisant, and three community hospitals. He was alerted by MP Ann Clwyd, who in 2012 exposed how her husband died like a ‘battery hen’ in a Glasgow hospital. The Labour MP for Cynon Valley, said: ‘The situation is deeply disturbing. I have been calling for an inquiry into death rates for some time because several of the figures are extremely worrying. ‘People in Wales ought to be able to have as good care as anywhere else, but instead here are people dying on hospital waiting lists, and suffering appalling failings in care.’ A Welsh Assembly spokesman said: ‘Mortality rates in Wales are published on a quarterly basis and latest figures demonstrate clear improvement. If issues are identified, we work quickly to put them right and we do not hesitate to investigate as needed. ‘To suggest that the Welsh NHS is covering up high death rates is therefore utterly ridiculous and completely without foundation.’ Concerns: Former nurse Glenda Rodriguez-Noza . For years campaigners have been trying to get a proper investigation into claims of serious neglect at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. Cases where patients have suffered ‘prolonged, unnecessary suffering’ haunt the families involved. Three nurses have been arrested over falsifying patient records at the hospital after staff blew the whistle. Bereaved relatives have sought help from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, but many are calling for a full public inquiry. An independent review was ordered by the Welsh government, prompted by the ‘unacceptable’ care of Lillian Williams, an 82-year-old amputee who was admitted to the hospital four times before she died there in August 2012. Her son Gareth Williams said: ‘Lillian was left Nil by Mouth on one occasion for two days without assessment because it was a weekend and the assessment teams didn’t work on the weekends. It was nothing short of torture.’ Doctors told Mrs Williams’s family she had pneumonia and that the hospital would withdraw support of all food, water and medication. She died four days later when the family insisted on a post-mortem examination. Mr Williams said: ‘There was no pneumonia. She died of a heart attack after days without nutrition and after days deprived of life-saving medications for her heart and diabetes. ‘It was the most cruel, prolonged, unnecessarily suffering death. It haunts us.’ Former nurse Glenda Rodriguez-Noza, who worked at the hospital for eight years before leaving in 2009, says she raised several complaints about patient care but was ignored. She said she saw an infected room poorly cleaned before it was used by other patients, a dementia patient being roughly handled by a nurse and a nurse give the patient the wrong medication. An urgent review is under way following the death last month of a 58-year-old man attended by paramedics in an ambulance outside the hospital for more than four hours before being admitted to the emergency department. A statement from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said: ‘We apologise sincerely to the patients and families who we have let down at the Princess of Wales Hospital. ‘In May 2013 we invited an external team – Advancing Quality Alliance – to review quality and safety at the hospital. This was in response to serious complaints about care provided to some patients; critical Ombudsman’s reports; mortality rates, and a police investigation into allegations of falsification of records by some of our nurses.’ | Professor Sir Bruce Keogh urged officials to launch investigations .
He said waiting times in Wales were ‘persistently higher’ than in England .
However bosses didn’t reply to his email or launch any investigation .
Revelation comes amid growing concern over the state of the NHS in Wales . |
229,519 | b533c63de59342433d80c7de29374736c44555e9 | By . Mike Dawes . London Welsh have boosted their chances of survival in the Aviva Premiership next season with the signing of former New Zealand scrum-half Piri Weepu. Weepu, who joins from Super 15 side the Blues, represents something of a coup for Welsh, who secured promotion from the Championship in May. The 30-year-old won the World Cup with the Kiwis in 2011 and earned 71 caps for his country, scoring 103 points along the way. New club: Former New Zealand scrum-half Piri Weepu has joined London Welsh . Weepu said: 'I'm hugely excited by the opportunity of joining London Welsh and at the challenge of playing in the Aviva Premiership - consistently one of the best leagues in world rugby. 'London Welsh is an iconic and globally recognised brand in the rugby world and I'm looking forward to linking up with head coach Justin Burnell and my new London Welsh team-mates - and helping the club re-establish itself in the top flight and in Oxford.' Weepu joined the Blues for the 2012 Super 15 campaign, after eight seasons with the Hurricanes. At provincial level he played for Auckland and Wellington, as well as representing New Zealand Maori and the All Blacks at Under-21 level. He made his senior New Zealand debut in 2004 against Wales at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, with his last appearance coming against France in June 2013. The experienced number nine played an important role in the Kiwis' 2011 triumph, particularly in their knockout victories over Australia and Argentina, when he was named man of the match. Experienced: Weepu won the World Cup with the All Blacks in 2011 and has earned 71 caps . Welsh head coach Justin Burnell said: 'It doesn't get much better than being a World Cup winner with 71 caps for the All Blacks - it's a signing that speaks for itself. 'It's massive statement of intent from the club in regard to its drive to be able to compete in the Aviva Premiership next season - and not just survive. 'It's also going to be a fantastic opportunity for the younger players within our squad to mix and learn from a player of Piri's experience and ability. As a player, his skill set is unbelievable; his kicking game and tactical appreciation are tremendous. Ready for action: London Welsh coach Justin Burnell poses with the Aviva Premiership trophy last week . 'After meeting with him in Singapore at the club 10s, his personality and aura is such that it will be second nature for him to fit in to the environment we've created at London Welsh.' Weepu will join up with his new club at the end of the current Super 15 campaign. Welsh begin their Aviva Premiership season at home to Exeter on Sunday, September 7. | Former New Zealand scrum-half Weepu is something of a coup for newly-promoted Welsh .
The Club secured promotion from the Championship in May .
Weepu, 30, won the Rugby World Cup with New Zealand in 2011 . |
259,611 | dc1ca537620495c8d5f69419f9f75a4a023e6668 | (CNN) -- Israel was founded on democratic principles with the Jewish state's declaration of independence in 1948 including a commitment to the "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex." It has remained a continuous democracy ever since. The 120-seat Knesset is the Israeli seat of government. The seat of Israeli government is the Knesset, the country's national parliament, located in Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital. The Knesset's 120 lawmakers are elected by universal suffrage with all Israeli citizens over the age of 18 entitled to vote. Knesset seats are divided according to each party's proportion of the overall vote. But parties must poll at least two percent nationally to gain a seat. Participation in elections, including among Arab Israelis who constitute around 20 percent of the population, has traditionally been high at around 80 percent turnout, according to Israeli government figures. Israel currently has around 5.3 million eligible voters. Israel usually holds national elections every four years. But this year's poll on February 10 was called early -- less than three years since the last vote -- by Israeli President Shimon Peres following the resignation of prime minister Ehud Olmert amid allegations of corruption and his Kadima Party successor Tzipi Livni's failure to form a coalition. Olmert has continued to serve as caretaker prime minister in the interim. Coalitions of two or more parties are common in Israel; in fact no party has ever won enough votes to form a government by itself. Those remaining outside the ruling coalition make up the opposition. Thirty-four parties will participate in the 2009 elections, including major parties such as Kadima, Likud and Labor and also three Arab parties. The task of forming and leading a government is charged by Israel's president to the Knesset member and party leader considered to have the best chance of forming a viable coalition. The prime minister-designate then has 28 days, extendable by 14 days, to build a coalition commanding the support of at least 61 Knesset members. Officials results are due to be published on February 18 with the new Knesset convening on March 2. | Israel goes to the polls in national elections on February 10 .
34 parties bidding for 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament .
Turnout among Israel's 5.3 million eligible voters expected to be high .
Election follows collapse of Kadima-led coalition, resignation of ex-PM Ehud Olmert . |
90,939 | 00f64db29190e2ff1da2b1d9f258d58bbe883651 | By . Ryan Kisiel . PUBLISHED: . 17:08 EST, 9 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:32 EST, 10 April 2012 . The cost to taxpayers of transporting Polish criminal suspects from Britain to face court in their home country has doubled in the past two years, it has emerged. The secret extradition flights, dubbed Con . Air, now take place on a weekly basis to remove hundreds of suspects who . have fled to the UK across open borders. While Poland pays for the flights, the ‘hidden’ administration expenses for security and holding the fugitives for weeks as they are processed through UK courts is estimated to have cost the British taxpayer £50million last year, up from £25million two years previously. Illegal: The secret extradition flights, dubbed Con Air, now take place on a weekly basis to remove hundreds of suspects who have fled to the UK across open borders . Although some of the fugitives are wanted for serious offences, many have been extradited for motoring offences and minor crimes such as spraying graffiti or even stealing a chicken. And many of those extradited are back in the UK within three days of being dealt with by a court. In 2009, the extradition flights, which involve dozens of Polish police officers landing at a small airport near London as part of a massive security operation, were scheduled on a fortnightly basis. New figures from the Polish authorities show they have now become weekly – with two flights having to be run during some weeks in ‘peak periods’ when there are more than 50 prisoners waiting to be extradited. Extradited: Although some of the fugitives are wanted for serious offences, many have been extradited for motoring offences and minor crimes such as spraying graffiti or even stealing a chicken . Homeward bound: New figures from the Polish authorities show extradition . flights have now become weekly, with two flights having to be run . during some weeks in 'peak periods' Back in Poland: Last year, a total of 986 suspects were flown to Poland on 65 flights. This was up slightly on the figures for 2010 and a huge leap from the figures for previous years . Critics say the cost to Britain of processing the fugitives is the latest problem with the European Arrest Warrant. The cross-border crimefighting agreement was introduced in 2004 and states EU members must hand over people wanted in other EU countries with a ‘minimum of formalities’, in an effort to speed up extradition. However it is argued it disproportionately costs Britain millions of pounds to enforce. During the handovers, prisoners are led across a runway handcuffed, carrying their possessions in plastic bags before being strapped into the seats of the usually full 80-seater Polish military twin-propeller aircraft. They are then shackled down inside before flying from Biggin Hill Airport in Kent – a former RAF commanding base during the Battle of Britain. The airport closes to other business for the flights, which are not published on the usual schedules. Since Poland joined the EU in 2004, hundreds facing court hearings have fled to seek refuge among Poles living in Britain. At first, they were sent home on commercial flights, but the huge cost led to Polish authorities using a military plane instead. Last year, a total of 986 suspects were flown to Poland on 65 flights. This was up slightly on the figures for 2010 and a huge leap from the figures for previous years. Charged: Police said some of the Poles are suspected of minor offences . which carry only a maximum one-year jail sentence, meaning most receive . only a fine when sentenced . Police said some of the Poles are suspected of minor offences which carry only a maximum one-year jail sentence – meaning most receive only a fine when sentenced. Patrick Mercer, chairman of the House of Commons sub-committee on counter-terrorism, said: ‘The European Arrest Warrant is full of faults, but it was introduced for a sensible purpose. ‘It is mildly abused and the Government needs to tackle this and levy the whole cost against the warrant-issuing country rather than the British taxpayer.’ A senior police source told the Mail: ‘We’ve had requests to arrest people who are wanted for motoring offences and it’s cost a fortune on interpreters, transport and man hours processing them for the flight only for them to return a few days later. ‘It’s insane that we’re wasting our time and resources processing these people for such trivial crimes. The Poles want all their offenders tracked down no matter what.’ Expensive: British officials have pleaded with Poland for a let-up in the extradition of those wanted for minor offences, but to no avail. Polish officials say they are constitutionally bound to find every offender. Arrested: During the handovers, prisoners are led across a runway . handcuffed. They carry their possessions in plastic bags before being . strapped into the seats of the usually full 80-seater Polish military . twin-propeller aircraft . British officials have pleaded with Poland for a let-up in the extradition of those wanted for minor offences, but to no avail. Polish officials say they are constitutionally bound to find every offender. A spokesman for the Polish interior ministry defended the flights, saying: ‘There is no other way.’ The Serious Organised Crime Agency, the body responsible for processing European Arrest Warrants in the UK, declined to comment. A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We will always ensure that those who attempt to evade justice by crossing a border within the EU are quickly brought to justice. We will continue to press EU countries to consider proportionality when issuing European Arrest Warrants.’ | Secret extradition flights take place on a weekly basis to remove hundreds of suspects who .
have fled to the UK .
Some of the fugitives are wanted for serious offences but many have been extradited for minor crimes .
Critics say the cost to Britain of processing the fugitives is the latest problem with the European Arrest Warrant .
Last year, a total of 986 suspects were flown to Poland on 65 flights . |
33,953 | 607fa5e69262850476cbdb5ab75e118252b0e212 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 06:21 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:24 EST, 18 October 2012 . The proportion of GCSE students scoring at least five Cs, including in English and maths, has fallen for the first time, official figures show. The drop is said to be down to fewer English entries from private schools, but the harsh grading of this June's GCSE English exam is likely to have played a part. The news comes as more than 45,000 pupils prepare to resit their English GCSE exams in November. Tough exams: The number students achieving at least five A*-C GCSEs has dropped for the first time . The number of students in England who achieved five A*-C grades, including the two key subjects, is down almost half a per cent from 2011. This year 58.6 per cent of pupils in England achieved five A*-C grades, according to Government data. Thousands of pupils received lower than expected results in GCSE English in the summer after grade boundaries were raised between the January and June exams. Not improving: The proportion of students achieving at least five C's is down by half a per cent since last year . A report compiled by the Association . of School and College Leaders published last week blames the summer exam . for ‘enormous and unprecedented’ fluctuations in results. The number of sixth-formers awarded with at least three top A-level grades has fallen for the first time in four years. One in eight students at all English schools and colleges achieved at least three A*s or As in their exams, down from 13.1 per cent in 2011, according to Government statistics. The Department for Education data also shows that private school students are three times more likely to score top grades than their state-educated peers. The proportion of private school pupils achieving three or more A*-A grades dwarfed state schools with 30.6 per cent compared to 10.7 per cent and 7.9 per cent of those at further education colleges. Overall, 91.7 per cent of all students achieved two or more A-levels at grade E or higher, down from 94.1 per cent in 2011. And more boys than girls achieved three or more A-levels at grade A or higher (12.7 per cent compared with 12.2 per cent). One in four secondaries saw at least a 10 . per cent drop in the proportion of pupils securing a C and a fifth . suffered at least a 15 per cent fall. The report concludes sudden changes in . pass marks between January and June’s English GCSE sittings led to . large swings in results. In a . letter to the Commons education select committee, ASCL’s secretary . Brian Lightman said pupils had suffered a ‘gross injustice’. He renewed his demands for the English exams to be re-graded and for an independent inquiry. A . document attached to the letter shows one in four out of 3,000 state . secondary schools, some 750, saw large drops in their results. However, the official Government figures show a rise in pupils entered for all the subjects in the Government’s English Baccalaureate, with 25 per cent and 18.1 per cent achieving the EBacc. The EBacc qualifications is awarded to pupils who score a C grade or higher in English, maths, science, history or geography, and a language. This year’s EBacc results are up on last year, when 23.8 per cent entered and 17.6 per cent achieved it. | The proportion of GCSE students achieving at least five Cs has dropped for the first time .
This year's results show 58.6 per cent achieved five A*-C grades, including history and maths .
New grade boundaries in English exam believed to be the cause .
Overall A-level qualifications also down by 2.4 per cent since last year . |
151,427 | 4fc5e9ee6ff4dcc05a340427b833e93db3d9ccfb | A 29-year-old Virginia woman charged with lying to the FBI about alleged connections to the terror group ISIS will remain in jail until her trial. Heather Coffman of Henrico County, Virginia, stood quietly in federal court in Richmond on Wednesday, where she waived her right to a detention hearing and a preliminary hearing. Coffman, mother of a 7-year-old son, is accused of trying to help people go to Syria to take up arms with ISIS. No court date was set at the hearing Wednesday for Coffman, who was dressed in a navy-blue jailhouse jumpsuit and bright orange rubber shoes, her brown hair unkempt and her face emotionless. Authorities say they built their case against Coffman over several months using information from a series of undercover interviews and social media posts. Coffman first caught the attention of the FBI through her Facebook activity, according to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Investigators say Coffman, using the name Ubeida Ametova, listed her "work and education" on her Facebook account as "jihad for Allah's sake" and posted images of ISIS fighters armed with AK-47s with captions including, "We are all ISIS" and "Virtues of the Mujahideen." Investigators say they also discovered a man whom Coffman claimed was her husband. According to Facebook communications detailed in the complaint, the man told Coffman he hoped their future son would be "Mujahideen" and Coffman agreed, expressing her support for "whatever you want to do." Several of Coffman's neighbors told CNN there were indications she was increasingly observant of the Muslim faith but they saw no signs she was radicalized. They say they noticed a change in Coffman's appearance about three months ago when she started wearing black burqas and headscarves. Neighbor Adrian Ford said she found it "strange" when Coffman started wearing a burqa because she used to wear T-shirts and jeans. Authorities say it was information gathered by an undercover FBI agent during a series of interviews with Coffman that led to the charges against her. Starting in July, an agent posing as an ISIS sympathizer routinely met with Coffman and began to investigate her recruitment network. After establishing a relationship, the undercover agent told Coffman about an associate who shared their views on Islam and was prepared to join the fight with ISIS in Syria, according to the criminal complaint. Federal agents say Coffman revealed she had experience connecting potential recruits with ISIS facilitators. The undercover agent met with Coffman three times, on November 5, 6 and 7, according to officials, who said she again offered to help find a contact and facilitate travel into Syria. On November 13, two FBI agents met with Coffman at her work and interviewed her. Investigators say she lied when she denied the undercover agent ever expressed support for ISIS or similar terrorist groups. She was arrested the next day and charged with lying to the FBI. Her attorneys and federal prosecutors all declined to comment to CNN. | Heather Coffman is accused to trying to help people go to Syria to fight with ISIS .
Investigators say an undercover FBI agent gathered information in the case .
Feds: Coffman claimed she had experience connecting recruits with ISIS facilitators . |
185,538 | 7c551d96d870efaa4a27767e484c940f7a2e25c0 | (CNN) -- Seven peacekeepers from Niger were killed Friday in an ambush in southwestern Ivory Coast, and more may be in danger, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. The blue-helmeted peacekeepers were part of the U.N. Operation in Cote d'Ivoire on patrol near the border with Liberia, where threats of attacks against civilians have prompted the operation to strengthen its presence, the United Nations said in a statement. "These brave soldiers have died in the service of peace," Ban said. "I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms." The incident occurred near Para Village, a spokesperson for Ban said in a statement. Ban called on the government of Ivory Coast "to do its utmost to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable." He added that he understood that other peacekeepers remained in danger. "Even tonight, after the attack, more than 40 peacekeepers remain with the villagers in this remote region to protect them from this armed group," he said. Clinton urges Ivory Coast dialogue . A spokeswoman for the U.N. mission in Ivory Coast said Friday's incident was the first attack on peacekeepers since they entered the country in 2004. Sylvie van den Wildenberg, in a telephone interview from her office in Abidjan, said the remaining forces were continuing to protect area residents, "who are living in a very difficult terrain -- their villages scattered." Van den Wildenberg said it was not clear who was responsible for the attack, which occurred mid-afternoon. "This is an area where you have so many different types of armed people," she said. "People have different aims and different reasons to carry arms and to perpetrate attack. So this is a very complex environment. We can't extrapolate. We just can't fingerpoint any group." The peacekeepers were on a reconnaissance patrol because U.N. officials had heard rumors several days earlier of armed men in the area threatening to attack a village, she said. Van den Wildenberg said she had received reports that some Ivorian citizens may also have been killed or wounded, "but we are still checking the facts." Because the shooting occurred in such a remote location, "it's going to take time for us to get the information." U.N. peacekeepers remained in Ivory Coast after the 2010 presidential election, when the country was thrown into crisis after incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo refused to acknowledge defeat to former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. The latter was sworn in on May 21. Gbagbo is in custody at the Hague, accused of crimes against humanity during post-election violence that killed thousands. In the statement, Ban's spokesperson said the secretary-general "remains seriously concerned about the continued instability in the border areas between Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia since the Ivorian post-elections crisis, which has resulted in the death of a number of individuals in that region." According to the United Nations, its peacekeeping force in Ivory Coast as of April 30 included nearly 11,000 uniformed personnel, as well as several hundred international civilian personnel, local staff and volunteers. They provide technical, logistical and security support to the government. CNN's Umaro Djau contributed to this report. | More may be in danger, U.N. secretary-general says .
The peacekeepers were on patrol near the border with Liberia .
"We never had such an attack," a mission spokeswoman says .
U.N. peacekeepers have been in Ivory Coast since 2004 . |
99,516 | 0c38ffdc3ecf0293dc05df41edcd5386fc99066d | By . Mike Dickson . Follow @@Mike_Dickson_DM . Should Andy Murray’s defence of his Wimbledon title this coming fortnight be disappointingly brief then blame should not be laid at the door of his new coach Amelie Mauresmo. The reigning champion discovered on Friday that Belgium’s David Goffin, a neat striker of the ball who looks like he might be the shy one in a boyband, will be his opponent when he steps out on to Centre Court at 1pm on Monday. And in the unlikely event of the worst happening, he warned against using his mentor Mauresmo as a scapegoat. ‘I could lose in the first round and it certainly wouldn’t be her fault,’ said Murray. Scroll down for video... Practice: Defending Wimbledon champion Andy Murray trained with new coach Amelie Mauresmo on Friday . No scapegoat: Andy Murray insists it won't be his new coach's fault if he crashes out early . Taking a breather: Murray looks up at new coach Mauresmo as she chats with him in between practice . ‘You cannot, as a coach, change anything in five or six days. It is silly to suggest otherwise. But what I can sense is whether I feel like things we are working on in practice are the right things, whether I feel like we communicate well, tactics and the way we talk after a match. ‘I have enjoyed the last few days. I don’t think the first few (at Queen’s where he lost in the third round) were the perfect place to start. ‘Every time we were on the practice court and she stood anywhere near me there were the clicks of a hundred cameras. It is normal to be a bit uptight in those circumstances, especially as we did not know each other well at that stage. ‘Since Queen’s we have managed to get away from everything and spend some time together on court. I had dinner with her on Wednesday night. I suppose the thing that has surprised me is that she has fitted in with the team very quickly.’ Unlike what initially seemed to be the case 12 months ago, Murray’s early draw looks relatively kind, although 23-year-old Goffin is someone whose natural talent exceeds that of his ranking of 104. He reached Wimbledon’s third round two years ago and defeated Bernard Tomic, who had made the last eight at SW19 12 months before. Goffin will not blast Murray off the court but is a skilled opponent who is attractive to watch — it is to be hoped he does not become this year’s Steve Darcis, the little-known Belgian who took out Rafael Nadal in the 2013 first round. Team effort: Murray and his coaches share a joke during Friday's training session in SW19 . Favourable draw: Murray will face Belgian David Goffin in the first round of the Men's Singles . First up: Andy Murray has been drawn to face Belgian David Goffin in the first round at Wimbledon . Murray should face a relatively easy first week, although big-serving Kevin Anderson would present problems. But to beat David Ferrer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in five days will be a considerable ask...Rnd Possible opponent Rank1st D Goffin (Bel) 104 2nd P Andujar (Sp) 79 3rd R Bautista-Agut (Sp) 28 4th K Anderson (SA) 18 Q/F D Ferrer (Sp) 7 S/F N Djokovic (Ser) 2 F R Nadal (Sp) 1 . Murray is scheduled to meet last year’s runner-up Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals this time. The Serb was practising at Wimbledon yesterday after pulling out of his favoured pre-Wimbledon exhibition on Thursday as a precaution to protect his wrist, which he notably flexed and shook at times yesterday. Both Nadal and Roger Federer have potentially awkward second rounds. The Spaniard could meet Lukas Rosol, the man who knocked him out at the same stage in 2012, while Federer might meet Frenchman Julien Benneteau, who led him by two sets that same year. Enough British players have have had the luck of sympathetic draws to encourage thoughts of several home first-round wins, while in the women’s draw the outstanding prospect is a quarter-final between the two favourites, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. All white on the night: Andy Murray models the new adidas collection he will be wearing at Wimbledon . Tough times: Andy Murray has had to deal with injury problems and changing coach since last summer . Three is the magic number! Andy Murray has been seeded third for his defence of the Wimbledon title . | Andy Murray warned new coach Amelie Mauresmo shouldn't be blamed if he crashes out of Wimbledon .
British No 1 is defending his title after becoming first British winner for 77 years to win the Championships .
Scot handed favourable draw and will face Belgian David Goffin .
Murray has revealed his new adidas kit that he'll be wearing at SW19 . |
67,699 | c00691a6dfba305147fb30991bb5a51d3c71d8be | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama campaigned in America's car country on Monday after his administration filed a trade complaint against China's auto industry subsidies, while Republican challenger Mitt Romney complained the move was "too little, too late." Romney spoke Monday to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in his attempt to diminish the president's advantage with the Latino vote, a traditionally Democratic demographic that strongly supported Obama in 2008. With the November election just over seven weeks away, Obama seeks to maintain the momentum of a perceived "bounce" in support following this month's Democratic National Convention while Romney wants to gain ground on his rival ahead of the three presidential debates next month. Romney makes push for Hispanic voters . In speeches at Eden Park in Cincinnati and Schiller Park in Columbus, Obama focused on the auto sector that, according to industry research, supports almost 800,000 jobs in Ohio. The president touted both the auto industry bailout from his first year in office, noting Romney at the time called for letting Detroit go bankrupt on its own, and his administration's new complaint with the World Trade Organization that accuses China of providing $1 billion in illegal subsidies to auto and auto parts exporters between 2009 and 2011. "You can talk a good game, but I like to walk the walk, not just talk the talk," Obama said of Romney, accusing the former Massachusetts governor of backing companies that outsourced U.S. jobs to China while a private equity investor. iReport: 'I'm the 47%, but you're wrong, Romney' "We've brought more trade cases against China in one term than the previous administration did in two -- and every case we've brought that's been decided, we've won," Obama continued in Cincinnati, adding that the subsidies being challenged "directly harm working men and women on the assembly line in Ohio and Michigan and across the Midwest." His voice rising to a shout, Obama said to cheers: "It's not right; it's against the rules; and we will not let it stand." Critics of U.S. trade policy say a tougher line with China is necessary. Romney labeled the administration's move an election-year stunt in comparison to what he called his own consistent criticism of China as an unfair trade partner. "The president may think that announcing new trade lawsuits less than two months from the election will distract from his record, but American businesses and workers struggling on an uneven playing field know better," Romney told the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles. In an earlier statement, Romney said Obama "has spent 43 months failing to confront China's unfair trade practices." Romney ads paint plans to help middle class in broad strokes . The WTO is the global organization that referees trade disputes between nations. In the last decade, the Chinese auto industry has grown rapidly as the nation's expanding middle class made the country the world's largest market for car purchases, with General Motors now selling more cars in China than in the United States. According to White House estimates, up to 60% of China's auto parts exporters benefit from subsidies, making it hard for American companies to compete. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement on Monday that China agreed when it joined the WTO in 2001 to eliminate the kind of export subsidies targeted by the new U.S. complaint. Obama's mixed record on trade . Ohio is considered one of the most important battleground states of the November election, offering 18 electoral votes and the historical footnote that no Republican has ever won the presidency without carrying it. In his speech to the Hispanic businessmen, Romney touched on economic and education issues important to Latino communities. Obama's policies made things worse for Hispanic Americans, he said, citing higher unemployment and increased poverty compared to when the president took office. "No one is exempt from the pain of this economy, but the Hispanic community has been particularly hard hit," Romney said. He offered some new details on his budget-cutting plans, saying he would save $500 billion by reducing government employment by 10% through attrition while combining agencies and departments to reduce overhead and linking government compensation to private sector levels. Romney also promised to "permanently fix our immigration system," the latest in a series of attempts to appeal to Hispanic voters despite polls showing the Republican presidential nominee faces a sizable deficit among the key voting group. Opinion: Can Romney connect with Latino voters? Obama leads Romney among Latino registered voters by 64%-27%, according to a recent Gallup poll. Later this week, both candidates will separately answer questions from the Spanish-language television network Univision as part of outreach to Hispanic voters. Romney has struggled in the past to frame his positions on immigration in ways that appeal to Hispanic voters as well as the conservative base of the Republican Party. On Monday, he repeated past support for requiring employers to verify the legal status of workers and to simplify immigration laws while strengthening border security. He also reiterated his opposition to amnesty -- a code word for the DREAM Act proposed by Democrats and backed by Obama that would provide a path to legal status for children of illegal immigrants brought to America by their parents. At the same time, he expressed support for giving permanent residency to those who served in the military or obtained an advanced degree, and blasted Obama for failing to deliver on a 2008 campaign promise of immigration reform. "Despite his party having majorities in both house of Congress, super majorities, the president never even offered up a bill," Romney said. "Like so many issues confronting our nation, when it comes to immigration, politics have been put ahead of people for too long." At a Republican presidential candidate debate in January, Romney said he favored a system of "self-deportation," a policy that involves making economic conditions so difficult for undocumented workers that they choose to leave the country to find better opportunities. That stance was derided by Democrats and his Republican rivals. Romney retools campaign message . Obama's campaign released a web video on Monday denouncing Romney's "Extreme Makeover, Latino Edition," claiming the candidate was attempting to "overhaul his positions and slow his sharply declining popularity in the Latino community." "Can Romney cover up his belief in self-deportation as an immigration solution with a bold new wallpaper choice?" Team Obama asks. "Will a new window treatment help disguise his cuts to education and college scholarships? If he does something amazing with spackle, will people forget he's promised over and over again to repeal Obamacare on day one - denying millions of Latinos comprehensive health care coverage? And on his promise to veto the DREAM Act. ... well, duct tape can fix everything, can't it?" On another issue, a new poll on Monday showed that more respondents favored Obama over Romney on their handling of anti-American unrest in Arab world countries. The Pew Research Center survey showed that 45% approved of Obama's handling of the attacks on U.S. embassies and diplomatic compounds while 36% disapproved, compared to 26% approving Romney's actions while 48% disapproved. Meanwhile, a pair of television ads released Monday by the Romney campaign focused on the nation's economy, which voters identify as their main issue of concern. In the first ad, Romney speaks interview-style about proposals he claims will help bolster earnings for middle income Americans and ultimately create 12 million new jobs before the end of a potential first term. The ad generally repeats Romney's main campaign themes on the economy without offering new details. The second ad on Monday features a narrator listing problems with the nation's economy since Obama took office. "Barack Obama: More spending, more debt, failing American families," the ad says. Excerpts: Romney vows to 'permanently fix our immigration system' CNNMoney's Chris Isidore and Charles Riley and CNN's Thom Patterson, Jessica Yellin, Kevin Liptak and Dan Lothian contributed to this report. | NEW: Mitt Romney tells a Latino group that President Obama failed them .
Obama says Romney doesn't "walk the walk" on China .
The Obama administration files a trade complaint against China .
Romney calls the trade complaint a campaign stunt . |
122,923 | 2ae02af4f67af9551283e2c19b9d87ebcb35b75f | By . Ted Thornhill . A Wisconsin father convicted of abuse for starving his teenage daughter down to 68 pounds was sentenced to just five years in prison. Before being sentenced by Dane County Circuit Judge Julie Genovese, Chad Chritten, 42, read a statement insisting his daughter suffered from severe emotional and behavioral problems that he couldn't handle, that his job as a trucker kept him away from home and that he didn't notice how thin she had become. ‘There was no master plan against my daughter,’ the man said, his voice breaking at times. ‘I was bailing water from a sinking boat with my bare hands.’ Failed father: Chad Chritten, 42, was found guilty of starving and neglecting his daughter for a number of years until she escaped wearing only pajamas . The case came to light in February . 2012 when the girl, then 15, ran away from her family's Madison home and . was picked up by a passing motorist. The girl told investigators she . had spent most of the previous five years confined to the home's . basement and was denied food. Genovese . said it was clear the girl had problems and that everyone who . encountered her failed her. But, she told the father, ‘it's your turn to . accept your part in this.’ ‘What . I think you did was put your head in the sand. It's your job as a dad . to see it and you didn't. Really, the buck stops with you,’ the judge . said. Family affair: Stepbrother Joshua Drabek (left) will stand trial next year to face sexual assault allegations, stepmother Melinda Drabek-Chritten (right) is serving a five-year term in prison for beating the teen girl . The girl also told . investigators that her stepmother beat her, her stepbrother repeatedly . forced her to perform oral sex on him and she was forced to eat her . feces and drink her own urine. ‘They . made me feel like I was dehumanized a lot,’ the girl said in a letter . to Genovese. ‘It's all thanks to my stupid dad and stepmom for not . giving me an education and keeping me locked up for most of my life and . making me feel like I was in a scary spot in my life.’ Genovese . sentenced the stepmother, Melinda Drabek-Chritten, to five years in . prison this summer after the woman pleaded no contest to reckless . endangerment and causing mental harm to a child. The stepbrother is set . to stand trial on sexual assault charges next month. The . father went through two trials. Jurors in March deadlocked on some . charges, leading to a second proceeding in November. In all, he was . convicted of child neglect, child abuse, reckless endangerment and . causing mental harm to a child, all felonies. He was acquitted of false . imprisonment and misdemeanor neglect. 'This is so far from a mistake': Assistant District Attorney Matthew Moeser argued during the trial that the abuse ongoing, and hardly an error in judgement . He's a simple man: Defense attorney Jessa Nicholson tried to convince the jury her client didn't have the smarts to mastermind the torture - they didn't bite . During . his November trial, the man testified he believed the girl's stepfather . sexually assaulted her in Texas. After the father brought the girl to . live with him in Wisconsin, she refused to eat and threatened to kill . the family in their sleep, he said. A . psychologist suggested the girl live on a different level than the rest . of the family, he testified, but he denied locking her in the basement. Social workers made several visits to the home, but he couldn't follow . up on her care because he was always on the road. He said social workers . should have removed her from the home. The . man had faced up to 28 years in prison going into Wednesday's . sentencing. District Attorney Ismael Ozanne asked Genovese to give the . man 10 years behind bars, saying he and his wife kept the girl isolated . because they didn't want her to tell anyone she was being abused. ‘The . course of conduct would have ended in (the girl's) death but for her . courage to run away,’ Ozanne said. Asked after the sentencing if he . agreed with five years, he simply said he respected Genovese's decision. No master plan: Mr Chritten is alone with his thoughts as he hangs his head in court . The man's attorney, Jessa . Nicholson, countered he deserved probation. He already has lost his . family and his job, his wife is in prison and his reputation has been . destroyed, she said. ‘Apparently we are still a society that favors punishment,’ she told reporters after the hearing. Genovese . said the man deserved the same sentence as his wife. Together they . stole five years of the girl's life, the judge said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Chad Chritten said 'there was no master plan against my daughter'
Chritten, his stepson and wife locked his now 16-year-old daughter in the basement for six years .
The shocking abuse started when she was only 10-years-old .
Mr Chritten starved her, the wicked stepmother beat her and the stepbrother repeatedly sexually assaulted her, officials said .
The tortured teen escaped last year wearing only her pajamas and was rescued by a passing motorist as she wandered aimlessly down a street .
Stepmother Melinda Drabek-Chritten is serving a five year prison sentence, her son's sex assault trial begins next year . |
222,831 | ac7740262964f20a86d34c5180b5864af95a5315 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 20:03 EST, 4 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:17 EST, 5 November 2012 . The Royal British legion is launching a major campaign that it hopes will extend the traditional two minute silence on Remembrance Sunday to the Twitter-generation. A new social media tool will allow millions of Facebook and Twitter users to pay their respects to servicemen and women who have lost their lives at war online. The charity is the UK's first to embrace the American technology, known as Thunderclap, which allows social media users who have opted to take part to send a simultaneous Tweet or status update. Labour Leader Ed Miliband (left) Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Prime Minister David Cameron pay their Armistice respects at the traditional Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph. Social network users will be able to join in online this year . It is hoped that through 'likes' and retweets, the Royal British Legion message will reach a large chunk of the UK's 10 million Twitter and 33 million Facebook users. Helen Hill, head of Remembrance at the . charity, said: 'We hope to create the largest ever show of online . Remembrance by using the communicative power of social media to remind . millions of Britons that they have a very personal opportunity to honour . the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice.' Thunderclap is the first . 'crowdspeaking' platform that allows a charity or cause to produce a . single message that can be mass-shared simultaneously. It is the brainchild of New York . studio De-De, a spin-off of advertising agency Droga5, and was developed . with the aim to get important messages to stand out above the babble of . social media. Chief executive Hashem Bajwa said: 'Twitter is a wonderful way to say something, but it's difficult to be heard. 'Thunderclap lets people be heard by saying something together.' Thousands gather to pay their respects on Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in London. Thunderclap technology will allow millions of Twitter and Facebook users to simultaneously post their respects . More than three quarters of the UK population are expected to observe the period of silence next week which has been traditional on the second Sunday of November since 1919 following the Armistice to end the First World War signed at 11am on November 11 1918. Social network users can join in the Thunderclap by clicking to authorise their Twitter and Facebook accounts to send the tweet or message that will read: 'I'll be remembering the fallen at 11 o'clock #2MinuteSilence #LestWeForget' at 9am on Sunday. When they sign up, their Twitter or Facebook feed will also automatically display the message: 'I won't forget to Remember on 11.11.11 Will you? #2MinuteSilence.' | 'Thunderclap' technology will see social media users send out a simultaneous message on Remembrance Sunday .
The charity is the first in the UK to use the American social networking device . |
241,215 | c4457ea8de4e3a31596948796fd139d54ffeff9b | By . Richard Spillett . and Chris Greenwood, Crime Reporter . Pc Carol Howard, 34, who was in Diplomatic Protection Group, was subjected to a year of bullying in the Metropolitan Police, who then deleted sections of an internal report on her case, a tribunal found . Deleting internal records of sex and race discrimination was a 'policy' at the Met Police, according to the lawyer of a black firearms officer who was bullied for a year. Pc Carol Howard, 35, was intimidated by a senior officer who spied on her through Facebook after she called in sick, an employment tribunal found this week. The case revealed that a detective sergeant looking into her complaint was told to delete references to discrimination and harassment from an internal report. Ms Howard's lawyer, Kiran Daurka, has now claimed that deleting findings of discrimination . was 'a policy' within the Met Police so that they could avoid having to . investigate their officers. She told the BBC: 'We anticipate that wherever there's findings of discrimination they are being instructed to delete them.' Mayor of London Boris Johnson today said he is . 'dismayed' by the tribunal's findings and has agreed to review previous . complaints within the Met police to see if other reports were altered. Pc Howard was thrust into the spotlight in 2012 when the Met chose her to . be a poster girl for a magazine feature on the 10,000 men and women on . duty during the Olympics. But . a tribunal ruled the elite Diplomatic Protection Group officer was . unfairly treated by her inspector who singled her out from colleagues. When . the Met found out she had brought an employment tribunal, all . references to discrimination and harassment were removed from the . document. The . tribunal found this was done 'not because they were not supported by . evidence in the report, but because the claimant had brought a complaint . of race and sex discrimination in the tribunal'. Ms Daurka, of law firm Slater & Gordon, called for a . full public inquiry into how the Met handles race discrimination claims. Miss Howard featured in a magazine article on the 10,000 men and women on duty during the 2012 London Olympics but she was the victim of intimidation and spying by a senior office, a tribunal has now found . She branded the judgment a 'damning indictment' of the Met and said its conduct has been 'deplorable'. 'My client was subjected to discriminatory treatment because she is black and because she is a woman,' she said. 'Fifteen . years after the Met was branded "institutionally racist" they have . failed in addressing discrimination which pervades the system. The . tribunal ruled that Miss Howard's supervisor, Acting Inspector Dave . Kelly, showed a 'personal hostility or antipathy' towards her and worked . to 'undermine, discredit and belittle her'. It . found that within weeks of becoming her boss he formed the view that . she was 'dishonest' and not up to the standard of her colleagues . 'without any sound basis.' And his 'negative perception' was linked to her race and gender and 'no credible explanation' was provided for singling her out. In . one incident, a police car was sent to her home after she reported in . sick for one day and her Facebook was monitored to check the reason for . her absence. And a request by Pc Howard to move away from the unit to escape her bullying inspector was blocked by him. At . the hearing the Met agreed that the inspector behaved 'unreasonably' but said his actions were down to a lack of experience and his 'robust . and overzealous management style'. 'This case . shows that there needs to be a complete re-write of the Met's equality . procedures and an independent investigation into existing measures . purporting to deal with discrimination complaints. 'That's the only way to protect officers facing similar discrimination in the future.' Pc . Howard is now line for substantial compensation and costs after an . employment tribunal upheld her claims of racial and sexual . discrimination. It said . she was intimidated by the 'aggressive' inspector who 'scolded' her in . front of other senior officers. He repeatedly picked on her as he . monitored her Facebook account, where she posted images of herself in a . bikini. The tribunal also found that the senior officer did not face any misconduct . proceedings even after an internal inquiry found he did discriminate . against Pc Howard. Commenting . on the case, Daphne Romney QC said: 'What is particularly . shocking is the deliberate attempt to cover up internal findings of . discrimination. 'The . outcome of the internal grievance investigation led PC Howard to . believe that the investigating officer did not accept that there had . been either race or sex discrimination, when clearly this was not the . case.' Pc . Howard, who continues to serve with the Met, is one of just two black . women among 700 officers in Diplomatic Protection Group. In its judgment, the tribunal found: 'She was treated the way she was because she was black and because she was a woman.' A . 'remedy' hearing will take place this month to decide what compensation . Miss Howard, who was backed by the Police Federation, should receive. The Met Police have said they are 'disappointed' by the tribunal's findings, which they are now examining . Last night, a Met spokesman said: 'We are disappointed at the tribunal's finding in favour of Pc Howard. 'The . tribunal's decision will now to be given full and careful . consideration. We will review the findings, take legal advice and take . forward any learning or actions as appropriate.' The officer responsible for the bullying and 'detrimental' course of conduct was Acting Inspector Dave Kelly. The . tribunal found he and the Met 'directly discriminated' against Miss . Howard 'on the grounds of sex and race' between January 31 and October . 29, 2012. It . said a number of her complaints of 'victimisation' were 'well-founded.' Miss Howard, of Purley, Surrey, is now seeking compensation for injury . to feelings and aggravated damages. John . Tully, of the Met Police Federation, said: 'While we are pleased that . this judgment recognises that racist and sexist behaviour is . unacceptable and is capable of being challenged, it is of concern that . such issues are still prevalent in the Met, despite the many measures . introduced to address the problem. 'Discrimination . of any kind at any level is not acceptable in the police service and we . must all work together to eradicate this.' | Firearms officer was bullied 'because she is a black woman', tribunal finds .
But references to discrimination were wiped from her police records .
Move branded a 'deliberate attempt to cover up' findings by Met Police .
Lawyers claim deleting such files was 'a policy' within the London force .
Boris Johnson has now agreed a review to see if practice was widespread .
Pc Carol Howard is now in line for compensation and costs from the force .
She was spied on despite being poster girl for policing of London Olympics . |
197,399 | 8b7f4a99a05931ec2272e519c72df67276ac806b | By . Peter Allen . UPDATED: . 11:05 EST, 7 March 2012 . Behind bars: PIP boss Jean-Claude Mas has been jailed while he awaits trial over the breast implant scandal after failing to pay his £83,000 bail (file picture) The former multi-millionaire businessman at the centre of a worldwide breast implant health scare was behind bars today after failing to pay his bail money. Jean-Claude Mas, 72, is facing a range of charges in his native France relating to the collapse of his Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) business. Thousands of women, including many in Britain, want to sue him after the implants were found to have been filled with industrial silicon and were linked with a range of illnesses. Mas was arrested earlier this year, but released from police custody on January 27 on bail of 100,000 euros (£83,000). But after he failed to pay all of the bail money, police revisited him on Monday and took him to Baumettes prison in Marseilles. He will remain there indefinitely until his trial for causing 'involuntary injuries', and also faces a charge of 'causing bodily harm'. The French authorities took all the implants off the market in March 2010 because of concerns about the way they leaked so easily. Last December, health officials in Paris recommended that all the implants should be surgically removed. British health secretary Andrew Lansley has also ordered a review of the possible dangers, urging concerned women to visit their GPs. Detained: Mas in a police car outside a Marseille police station after being arrested on January 26 . Accused: The 72-year-old faces trial on charges of causing 'involuntary injuries' and bodily harm' after his cut-price implants were linked to various illnesses . Mas has, meanwhile, accused women who are trying to sue him of doing so solely 'for the money'. He insists that there was nothing wrong with the cut-price implants which, at the height of his career as a medical supplies businessman, made him a millionaire many times over. Mas has since claimed that all the money has gone, although investigators believe that much of his fortune was simply passed on to Dominique Lucciardi, his former girlfriend, and their two grown-up children. Cheap: Thousands of women, including many in Britain, want to sue Mas over the implants, which contained a substandard gel that enabled him to save the company about £1million a year . Mas, a former travelling salesman who started out selling meat and wine, founded PIP in 1991 to take advantage of the booming market for cheap cosmetic implants. Using a substandard gel enabled him to save the company about £1million a year and still increase sales. A French police spokesman said: 'We can confirm that Mr Mas was arrested for not meeting his bail conditions. He is currently being held in prison in Marseilles.' | Jean-Claude Mas couldn't stump up £83,000 bond . |
268,134 | e7447cd3ef992890d9ce710e693b2b74597f9b06 | TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (CNN) -- The head of the Organization of American States said Friday he has found no willingness among leaders of Honduras' interim government to return President Jose Manuel Zelaya to power. OAS Secretary General Jose Insulza doubts Honduras' new leaders will restore ousted President Jose Zelaya. "They have, for the moment, no intention of reversing the situation," Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza told reporters. He said he had reached that conclusion after speaking Friday with members of the Supreme Court, among others. Insulza also rejected assertions by the interim government that the change in leadership was not really a coup d'etat. "I don't know what else you would call it when a group of military take a president out of power and sends him to another country," he said. At the end of Insulza's comments, Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Lorena Alvarado said Honduras is willing to withdraw from the OAS. "If the Organization of American States doesn't deem Honduras worthy of membership of the Organization of American States, then Honduras would renounce, with immediate effect, the inter-American charter." Vice Chancellor Martha Lorena de Casco also said Honduras was ready to leave the OAS, which she called a political organization rather than a tribunal of justice. "Honduras will defend its sovereignty," she said in a televised response. Zelaya was ousted in a military-led coup Sunday and sent to Costa Rica in his pajamas. The same day, the Honduran Congress voted to install Roberto Micheletti as interim president. That sparked international condemnation, with the OAS on Tuesday passing a resolution calling for Zelaya's reinstatement by Saturday and threatening to suspend Honduras from the group. Zelaya has said he will return this weekend with presidents of other OAS member countries, despite Micheletti's vow to have him arrested for violating the country's constitution if he does so. On Friday, thousands of people assembled in front of the presidential residence in Tegucigalpa, where Micheletti praised the armed forces for their efforts and offered a different version of events. "We must tell the world that there was no coup d'etat here," he said, his voice hoarse. "It wasn't a coup! It wasn't a coup!" He promised that the nation would revert to a democracy, but did not say when. "Here, in front of Honduras and the entire world, I guarantee we will have free elections, as soon as we decide when," he said. Micheletti has promised not to run in elections slated for November. "You may choose any candidate from any party," he told the crowd. "I want to tell you that I am governing for all political parties. I am governing for the poor, for the businessmen, for the rich, for the children and for all the people of Honduras." Though the two sides appeared far apart, a compromise might be possible, said Jennifer McCoy, an Americas expert at the Atlanta, Georgia-based Carter Center. "The options are that neither side backs down and that President Zelaya shows up tomorrow and the police are there waiting to arrest him." If Zelaya returns accompanied by international figures, the result would be "awkward," she said. McCoy added there could be "some kind of compromise, including mutual guarantees." One such scenario -- Zelaya's promise not to pursue legal action against the coup plotters in exchange for their agreement to step aside and not to pursue his Cabinet ministers who are in hiding. McCoy praised U.S. President Obama for supporting Zelaya without qualification. "By taking the principled stand for democracy that he took in this case in favor of a government that is an ally of Venezuela, he did not let politics intervene. This is a change from the previous administration," she said. McCoy was referring to the tacit U.S. approval that was given to the coup that in 2002 briefly toppled leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has been a consistent U.S. critic. "It helps to recuperate the pro-democracy credential of the United States in this hemisphere," she said. Meanwhile, Amnesty International accused the new government Friday of intimidating media workers. "Recent reports suggest that journalists who have published news stories on the crisis or covering the issue of protests and scores of detentions have been intimidated," it said. "Prosecutors have also reported threats on account of their attempts to verify human rights abuses during protests." At the center of the dispute was a referendum that Zelaya had vowed to carry out last Sunday even after the country's supreme court and congress declared it would be illegal. The nonbinding referendum could have opened the door to the creation of a constitutional assembly to modify the country's charter. Opponents accused Zelaya of having sought to rewrite the constitution to allow him to run for re-election. Zelaya denied that was his intent. However, international support for the new government has been virtually nonexistent. On Thursday, the European Union announced that all its ambassadors had left Honduras. Also Thursday, the U.S. State Department said it was suspending some aid programs to the country. Earlier, the U.S. military, which has trained Honduran forces for years, postponed some planned exercises with the Honduran military until the situation in the country settles down. Zelaya narrowly won the presidency in 2005 with 49.8 percent of the vote to 46.1 percent for Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo. After 18 years of nearly uninterrupted military rule, Honduras returned to civilian control in 1981. Since then, the military has not seemed interested in holding power in the nation of more than 7 million people, about 70 percent of whom live in poverty. Military interventions were once common in Latin America, but civilian governments have held sway since the 1980s. Before Sunday, the only other barracks revolt this decade was the unsuccessful 2002 coup attempt against Chavez, when the military displaced him but backed down days later and allowed his reinstatement. CNN's Karl Penhaul contributed to this report. | OAS head doubts Honduras' interim leadership will restore ousted President Zelaya .
Vice chancellor: Honduras prepared to withdraw from OAS .
Zelaya vows to return to country despite arrest threat . |
33,400 | 5f019095f384d1327a0f11b9eb6656240cd0d5b6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 6:39 PM on 5th December 2011 . Hillary Clinton has revealed the U.S. has 'serious concerns' about how Russia's parliamentary elections were run - after European monitors revealed the vote was heavily stacked in favour of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's party. The U.S. Secretary of State launched the attack following reports the poll was marked 'by the convergence of the state and Putin's United Russia party' - and amid allegations of ballot box stuffing. She said, during an Afghanistan summit in Bonn, Germany, that her opinion mattered less than that of Russian voters, whom she said deserved the right to know their votes were fairly cast and counted. Concerns: Hillary Clinton said the U.S. was worried about the way the Russian election had been conducted . But she added: 'Russian voters deserve a full investigation of all credible reports of electoral fraud and manipulation and we hope in particular that then Russian authorities will take action on reports that come forward. 'The Russian people, like people everywhere, deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. That means they deserve free, fair, transparent elections and leaders who are accountable to them.' And she said Washington was also concerned that internal Russian election monitors were harassed, including by cyber attacks on their web sites. Arrest: Russian policemen detain a participant of a rally against 'unfair parliamentary elections' in Moscow today after neutral observers voiced concerns about ballot-box stuffing and other electoral malpractices . Preliminary results released this morning show the man who has steadily tightened his grip on the nation for nearly 12 years had suffered a humiliating setback. Putin's party has seen its majority in Russia's parliament weaken sharply - despite European monitors also highlighting limited political competition and a lack of fairness. And they said it was tainted by frequent procedural violations and instances of apparent manipulations, including serious indications of ballot box stuffing. Voting: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (left) and President Dimitry Medvedev (right) cast their votes . Celebration: Activists of pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi pictured marking the victory of United Russia in central Moscow today . 'To me, this election was like a game in which only some players are allowed to compete,' head of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Heidi Tagliavini said. United Russia is still expected to retain its majority in the lower house and Putin is all but certain to win next March's presidential election, but yesterday's vote has badly dented his carefully groomed image. Russia results . It reflected a strong public frustration with the lack of political competition, ubiquitous official corruption and the gap between rich and poor, which will pose a growing challenge to Putin's power. With about 96 per cent of precincts counted, United Russia was leading with 49.5 per cent of the vote, Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov said. He predicted that it will get 238 of the Duma's 450 seats, a sharp drop compared to the previous vote that landed the party a two-thirds majority in the State Duma, allowing it to change the constitution. Critics said that even that United Russia performance is strongly inflated, pointing at numerous reports of ballot-stuffing and other violations. The nation's only independent election . watchdog has been subjected to a massive official intimidation campaign . in the week before the vote and saw its website blocked by what it . described as a massive cyber attack it blamed on authorities. United . Russia has been seen increasingly as the party of corrupt officials, . and its description as a 'party of crooks and thieves' has stuck, . flashing up as the first suggestion on Russia's top web search engine. Putin . sought to stem a quick decline in United Russia's popularity by trying . to expand its support base with a so-called Popular Front, an umbrella . group for unions, professional associations, veteran groups and others. But . the effort has brought no visible result, and Putin last month received . a stinging blow to his own ego when he was met with catcalls after a . mixed martial arts fight at a Moscow arena. Opposition leader Boris Nemtsov said after the vote that Putin's 'honeymoon' with the nation was over. 'He needs to hold an honest . presidential election and allow opposition candidates to register for . the race, if he doesn't want to be booed from Kamchatka to Kaliningrad,' Nemtsov said on Ekho Moskvy radio. Seeing . the declining fortunes of his party, Putin named his handpicked . successor as president, Dmitry Medvedev, to lead United Russia's list. The . vote will further weaken positions of Medvedev, whom Putin promised to . name prime minister after the presidential vote, a move that has fuelled . public irritation. Members of election committee empty a ballot box after voting closed at a polling station today . Voting: Yuri Zaitsev casts his ballot at home in Oster (left) as Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia casts his ballot (right) A World War II veteran casts his vote at a boarding house for disabled and elderly people during the State Duma elections . Putting a positive spin on the . disappointing returns, Putin said late Sunday that 'we can ensure the . stable development of the country with this result.' But he appeared glum when speaking to supporters at United Russia headquarters and limited his remarks to a terse statement. The . Communist Party appeared to benefit most from the protest vote, with . exit polls and the early returns predicting it would get nearly 20 per . cent, up from less than 12 per cent four years ago. The socialist Just Russia and the . Liberal Democratic Party led by mercurial nationalist Vladimir . Zhirinovsky are also expected to increase their representation in the . Duma. Anarchy: Campaigners shout and hold a banner in protest against the conduct of Russia's elections. The banner reads, 'you were cheated' Pedestrians walk past a stencilled graffiti showing Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin, with the words 'Public Enemy No 1' underneath near the Russian Embassy where expatriate Russians voted . Prime minister Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his staff and supporters among the United Russia ruling party's campaigners . Just 20 years ago, they seemed consigned to the dustbin of history - but Russia's communists are enjoying a new found resurgence. Students, intellectuals, and even some businessmen voted for the Community Party (CPRF) in a bid to wound Vladimir Putin's United Russia. The party, which to some may still evoke memories of elderly poor left behind a New Russia of glitzy indulgence, doubled its vote to about 20 per cent. For many Russians disillusioned by rampant corruption and a widening gap between rich and poor, the communists represented the only credible opposition. Through all the turmoil of the early 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed, the party kept a strong national organisation based on regions and workplace. With access to official media limited for the opposition, it has had a huge advantage. 'The Communists are the only real party out there,' said one Western banker in Moscow. 'United Russia is a joke, Just Russia is a joke and the LDPR is a joke and many people know it. So they vote communist because they realize it is a real vote for the opposition and against United Russia. This is as ironic as you get.' Perceptions among some Russians that the nationalist LDPR party and Just Russia are in the Kremlin's pocket and will vote with United Russia in parliament also helped the communists. Despite that, Putin should still have no problem getting his laws rubber-stamped. Even . the Communists have posed only token opposition in the outgoing Duma, . and the two other parties have consistently voted with United Russia. About 60 per cent of Russia's 110 million registered voters cast ballots, down from 64 percent four years ago. Only . seven parties were allowed to field candidates for parliament this . year, while the most vocal opposition groups were barred. Several parties complained Sunday of extensive election violations aimed at boosting United Russia's results. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov . said his party monitors thwarted an attempt to stuff a ballot box at a . Moscow polling station where they found 300 ballots already in the box . before the start of the vote and pointed at numerous other incidents of . ballot-stuffing. Russia's . only independent election monitoring group, Golos, which is funded by . U.S. and European grants, has come under heavy official pressure in the . past week after Putin accused Western governments of trying to influence . the election and likened recipients of Western aid to Judas. Golos . website was incapacitated by hackers on Sunday, but it was still able . to field more than 2,000 observers, and they reported numerous . violations, director Liliya Shibanova said. She . said many of the violations involved absentee ballots, including . so-called 'cruise' or 'carousel' voting where people with the ballots . are bussed to multiple polling stations. Many people complained that they were forced to get absentee ballots and hand them over to their bosses. Social . media were flooded with messages reporting violations. Many people . reported seeing buses deliver groups of people to polling stations, with . some of the buses carrying young men who looked like football fans. Electoral officials visit villagers during the parliamentary election, in the western Russian village of Gryaz, some (290 miles from Moscow yesterday . | Election monitors say vote was 'biased' in favour of Putin's party .
United Russia forecast for 13-seat majority - down from 315 seats to 238 .
Loses crucial two thirds constitutional majority .
Communist 'comeback' as party gains fifth of vote .
Arrests as protesters take to the streets . |
84,285 | ef126aea3e5bd548d636c764ff37864533f8c5f6 | An Iowa man has been arrested after he allegedly used a McChicken sandwich to attack his pregnant wife on Tuesday. Marvin Tramaine Hill II, 21, told police that he threw the burger at his wife 'because he doesn't like them' after she woke him up at 1pm with one she had bought for him. According to police after he woke he hurled the McChicken sandwich at her, picked it up and then fired the snack at her again. Attack: Marvin Tramaine Hill II has been arrested and detained after allegedly attacking his wife with a McChicken sandwich . Snack: The popular burger is on McDonald's $1 and More menu list and Hill's wife alleged bought one for him prompting his temper tantrum . Hill is then alleged to have followed his wife to the bathroom where she had gone to clean herself up and then shoved the bun into her face. When officers arrived at his home when his wife called 911, Hill claimed that his wife assaulted him, but found mayonaise on her shirt and face when they went to speak to her. They saw that her nose was swollen and despite Hill trying to show them cellphone footage of his encounter, they arrested him and charged him with simple domestic assault. According to the Des Moines Register, after viewing the video, officers believed that Hill was trying to engineer another fight with his wife to make her seem the aggressor. Hill is currently being held in Polk County Jail without bond. | Marvin Tramaine Hill's wife woke him at 1pm with the lunch time snack .
He then allegedly attacked her with it, throwing it at her repeatedly .
Police found her with mayonnaise on her face and shirt . |
258,212 | da2e2c4c745b418fece9d2b3b564dc5fcd645b3a | By . James Gordon . Lance Armstrong says he believed he is living a 'positive and free' life after confessing to using performance-enhancing drugs. The disgraced cyclist told CNN that he has been able to go about his daily life without being taunted or heckled for what he did. A cancer survivor and once hero to millions, Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France victories and banned for life from racing in 2012 by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after it accused him in a report of engineering one of the most sophisticated doping schemes in sports. The investigation and later admission to doping destroyed Armstrong`s reputation and career. Time for reflection: Lance Armstrong is living an unbothered and positive life 18 months after confessing to using performance-enhancing drugs . 'I never get crap, not once, and I`m surprised by that,' Armstrong told CNN. 'Sure, I sometimes get the vibe that someone wants to say something but it`s never happened.' The Armstrong lies along with the bullying and the betrayal has laid him bare to all manner of abuse. The cyclist`s problems are far from over however. He and his team of lawyers are about to face several civil lawsuits that could drain the fortune gained. In June a federal judge rejected Armstrong`s bid to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit claiming that he and his former cycling team, which the U.S. Postal Service had sponsored, defrauded the government in a scheme to use banned, performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong claims the U.S. Postal Service benefitted hugely from the exposure it got from its sponsorship and that the lawsuit had been brought too late. Toughing it up: He admits to having an 'f-you' attitude, but the disgraced cyclist insists he 'never gets crap' from people following his long-awaited admission of long-term doping . The lawsuit has potential $100 million ramifications for a man who was previously one of the world's most bankable sports stars. 'I'm very confident that that's a winner for us,' he says. 'I don't think anyone can truly argue the U.S. Postal Service was damaged. They made a lot of money in the deal and got what they bargained for. 'I`m very confident that that`s a winner for us,' said Armstrong. 'I don`t think anyone can truly argue the U.S. Postal Service was damaged. 'They made a lot of money in the deal and got what they bargained for. 'I worked my ass off for them and I`m proud of it. Furthermore there wasn`t a technical relationship between myself and the U.S. Postal Service.' Armstrong relishes a good fight. He claims it's what made him a great cyclist. 'I definitely have a 'f-you' attitude,' he says. 'I fight in training, I fight to win races, I fight to motivate the guys in the team. Bleak outlook: There's no hope of him ever riding competitively again and he is facing civil lawsuits to the tune of tens of millions of dollars . The list of those he hurt, and who won't forgive him, is long: three-time Tour winner Greg LeMond; journalist David Walsh, who spent more than a decade trying to expose Armstrong; and former friends Frankie and Betsy Andreu, to name a few. A number have asked whether his public mea culpa on Oprah was genuine and if he needs to do more. 'That's a difficult one for me to answer,' he says. 'You can't do justice in a one-hour conversation. It was a situation for a lot of people that it was too much information, but for other people - cycling fans, sports fans, for other parts of the population - it wasn't enough, I didn't go far enough.' Armstrong says he's sorry in conversation repeatedly but, at the same time, he knows it doesn't matter to many people. 'I don't blame anyone for thinking, 'I don't trust this guy with all his b*****t for 10 years,' ' he adds. In some ways it is as if Lance Armstrong is trying to rebuild his tattered reputation and although he will never be welcomed back into cycling society,mixed with presidents or Hollywood movie stars, he claims he is still friends with many. Reboot: Armstrong hopes to restart his charity work, undergo a course of therapy andsays he is planning on writing a book where he will 'put it all out there' There even friends who stopped ringing or answering his calls but he is adamant it is not part some PR campaign. Armstrong says he has big plans for the future including rebooting his original cancer foundation, and he says he wants to write a third book which won't have anything to do with cycling. 'I need to write a book and it needs to be pretty raw. I need to put it out there and let it sit. The sooner the better. It has to be the right book, the right tone and there has to be totally no b-s.' He says that he sees writing as a kind of therapy that will help see him through the next few years. He says he is 'fully committed to putting it all out there.' If that's the case, a good many of his former fans are wondering, what don't we yet know? | The cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in 2013 .
Armstrong is confident of winning his legal battle with U.S. Federal Government .
The Texan plans to write a third book that 'needs to be pretty intense and transparent'
Cyclist says he has offered apologies to people over doping . |
9,343 | 1a841319b2d7efe5f01fe2f780fe13629a02c334 | (CNN) -- Lytro cameras, which let you take a photo and refocus anywhere after it's taken, are getting two much-requested new features: Instagram-like filters and the ability to bring the entire image, not just one section, into focus. The camera was released early this year by a new Silicon Valley-based startup. Long and rectangular with a small touchscreen on one end and minimal buttons, the camera uses Light Field technology to capture its interactive images. Since the camera's release, Lytro employees have been busy testing and releasing new features. The most recent additions will be available December 4. First is the new Perspective Shift feature. Until now, you could focus only on one small section of a Lytro image at a time, which seemed to negate the benefit of having a camera that could focus on everything in the frame. Perspective Shift finally allows you to bring the entire image into focus, but that's not the most interesting part. When you click and drag on a Lytro picture, there is also a 3-D effect, allowing you move the image around for altered angles. Existing Lytro camera owners will be happy to learn that the effect can be applied to older images as well. For one test photo, Eric Cheng, Lytro's director of photography and a former underwater photographer, filled a glass Christmas ornament with paint and shot a pellet through it, capturing the explosion as it happened (click and drag the image to the left to see the effect). The desktop application will also gain new filter options. If there's anything the photography industry has learned over the past two years, it's that people love adding quick filters to their photos to make them look better. Lytro's first nine filters are a mix of typical retro -- Film Noir, 8-Track and Crayon -- and some genuinely unique effects that take advantage of the interactive features of Lytro pictures. For example, the Glass filter (below) throws up a pane of frosted glass between the foreground and the background. Click around to refocus, and it will move accordingly. Carnival distorts the photo like a funhouse mirror, undulating in different directions depending on where you focus. A year after the product was announced, the question of who exactly it is for still lingers. The $400 and up price tag is steep for a camera that takes only one kind of photo, and while it's fun to play with, it's not immediately clear what practical purpose refocusable photos serve. A flattened JPEG of a Lytro image is only 1.2 megapixels, which rules out many pro photography uses like product photography. Lytro is not sharing any sales numbers or statistics but says the camera has mostly been a hit with amateur photography enthusiasts. Enterprising customers have found some creative uses. Food bloggers are snapping interactive shots of their meals (the ability to make a bowl of ramen jiggle in 3-D could be an amazing or gross addition). An artist who makes miniature figures uses it to document her work. Bug lovers everywhere like its impressive macro photography abilities. Some in the medical field have tested the technology out, too; Lytro says there is a dermatologist who uses the camera to take up-close photos of skin issues, and a dentist takes shots of teeth. "What we're looking for are people who are interested in storytelling in some new way," Cheng said. "That's the common thread between all of our earlier camera owners." Lytro has released other updates to the camera's firmware and desktop software over the year, including rolling out a Windows version of the desktop application and adding manual camera controls. With the manual controls, you can speed up or slow down the shutter speed to play with interesting effects like light paining. The company has also released a handful of accessories, cases and a tripod mount. There are new Lytro body colors (hot pink and forest green), but other than that, the hardware is the exact same camera that started shipping at the start of the year. The prices have also stayed the same: $399 for the 8GB camera and $499 for the 16GB version. | Lytro cameras capture photos that can be refocused after they're taken .
New photo filters include a funhouse mirror effect and retro coloring .
Lytro images can finally be focused entirely; perspective-shifting effect has been added . |
23,140 | 41a7cb1af17914ef3b6c94a1ab31df8ed83523f6 | By . Mia De Graaf . Sniffing extraordinaires, dogs are known for their ability to suss out something by giving it a once-over. But this trick had them stumped. In a unique video that is sweeping the internet, more than 50 confused canines are seen gazing dumb-founded at a GoPro camera on a pole. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Curious: Mitch Bergsma, from Texas, captured a variety of dogs trying to work out what a camera is . Sniff: They each have their own approach to tackle the task but all lunge in with their nose to start with . For all they know, the black camera stuck in the ground on a pole is a toy. Or even a strange plant. And each one has their own approach to sussing out what this knew object is. With humans off in the background, the clips are a glimpse into each dog's own world that human videos rarely capture. All of them make eye contact with the lens before making their move. Own world: Humans are off in the background as these canines peer dumb-founded into the lens . Bored: Some, however, seem less than impressed by the project, as this one lets out a dramatic yawn . Some are apprehensive as they peer stoically at the camera. Thankfully, GoPro cameras, often used for action shots, are made to be durable as some of the dogs fearlessly slam their slobbery noses onto the lens. One terrier seems to have worked it out as he delightedly performs for the camera. But another appears bored by the whole process, yawning dramatically. Captured by Texan surfer and video blogger Mitch Bergsma, the result is a four-minute collection of some of the internet's most heart-warming canine clips. And within hours it is already a hit on YouTube. One person commented: 'Wonderful movie!' Another said: 'This is so cool!' Cute: The video shows them up-close - possibly closer than many people would care to get with a slobbery dog . Indignant: This terrior glares angrily at the apparatus as he stops playing with another dog to examine it . Others picked up on the drooling: 'How many gallons of lens cleaner did you end up using??' And . most were smitten by the pets on show, desperate to get one of their . own, with one commenter asking: 'What kind of dog is 1.05? I'm loving . how he/she looks.' Mr Bergsma, from Austin, Texas, has been making videos for years, with his work regularly posted by the GoPro team on their Facebook page. Gang: There may be three of them but curiosity leaves them standing still in the water mid-play . Surfing: Many of surfer Mr Bergsma's shots show dogs on a surf board or in the water . Despite being 90 per cent deaf, Mr Bergsma has been praised for his choice of music synced with the shots . Despite being 90 per cent deaf, he is praised by viewers for his choice of music, which is timed perfectly with the shots. On his website he explains: 'I use American/English sign language. I can only hear 10 per cent in my left ear. 'I can hear everything if I wear the hearing aid but I prefer it off most of the time! I use it with subwoofer to edit the videos with the music. I can’t understand the words when I listen to the music.' | Mitch Bergsma filmed pets in their own world on hidden GoPro cameras .
More than fifty dogs show unique approaches to sussing out alien object . |
268,852 | e84253910ee238a9e65f62f489824c6e134eb9c3 | (CNN) -- A Southern California teenager has serious bragging rights: After docking back in his home state late Thursday morning, Zac Sunderland, 17, can claim to be the youngest person to sail around the world alone. The hardest part of a solo voyage is always being tired, Zac Sunderland says. Sunderland was greeted with thunderous applause and congratulations as he arrived at Marina del Rey in his 36-foot sailboat. "It's kind of crazy to have it done now because, I mean, for the past year I've been just fighting for the next ocean, fighting to get back. And now I'm back so it's amazing," he said. The teen acknowledged the 27,500-mile voyage wasn't easy. He told CNN that pirates off the coast of Indonesia gave him quite a scare. "[I] had a boat circle in and ended up calling in the coast watch and they chased them off but, yeah, [I] lucked out there! About an hour and a half of hell." Severe storms also were a problem, he said. Sunderland's Web site says he bought the boat with his own money. His parents had hoped he would find something that would spark a fire in him, a passion that would direct him away from all the negative and harmful influences that are so prevalent in society, but even they were stunned by the scope of his dreams and desires, it says. Watch Sunderland give advice to fellow teens » . He was 16 when he left Marina del Rey on June 14, 2008, aboard his boat, Intrepid. Solitude and exhaustion were just a couple of factors that faced him each day. "The hardest constantly was the tiredness," he said. "I mean, you get over the loneliness, but tiredness, it's an ongoing thing. Half the time I haven't slept in 48 hours and it's just hard to get enough rest." Sunderland said he made some good contacts along the way. "It's interesting just thinking back to the different places in the world because I have so many friends in different parts of the world that are like family, you know, and all these different experiences," he said. "It's an amazing year. It seems like yesterday that I was here but in other ways it seems like a hundred years." So what's next? "Yeah, I don't know, just go chill with my friends," he said. "Go skate. Go do something normal for a change, you know." CNN's Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report. | Zac Sunderland, 17, is youngest person to sail around the world alone .
California teen met pirates off the coast of Indonesia .
Now, teen wants to "just go chill with my friends" |
27,636 | 4e53e996b923961fc0274a5d72fda37e2f1dd967 | (CNN) -- Nine-man Inter Milan surged nine points clear of city rivals AC Milan at the top of Serie A with a dramatic 2-0 win in the San Siro on Sunday night. Diego Milito gave the reigning champions the lead in the 10th minute, but they were forced to much of the game with 10 men after Wesley Sneijder was sent of in the first half. Goran Pandev's 65th-minute goal sealed the win for Jose Mourinho's side, who then saw Brazilian star Lucio shown red in stoppage time before Ronaldinho saw his penalty saved at the end of a dramatic derby which could go a long way to deciding the outcome of the title race. Sneijder hit the outside of the post before Inter took the lead as Goran Pandev's ball sent Milito clear to beat Dida in the Milan goal. Dutchman Sneijder saw red on the half hour mark as his sarcastic gesture after Lucio had been pulled down saw him given his marching orders under strong protest. Milan tried hard to level at the start of the second half as Julio Cesar saved a close range Clarence Seedorf header from a David Beckham corner before Ronaldinho was just wide with a volley. Beckham, who earned a yellow card in the first half, sent in a series of dangerous crosses from the right, but it was Inter who sealed the win through Pandev's superb curling free kick. In injury time Lucio was sent off for a second booking as he conceded a penalty but Ronaldinho's effort was saved by Cesar to complete a miserable night for his team. Earlier on Sunday, Napoli won 2-0 at Livorno to move to within a point of third-placed AS Roma while Palermo beat Fiorentina 3-0 to go fifth. | Inter Milan beat AC Milan 2-0 in top of the table clash in San Siro .
Inter end match with nine men after Wesley Sneijder and Lucio sent off .
Goals from Diego Milito and Goran Pandev seal crucial victory .
Napoli beat Livorno 3-0 to step up bid for Champions League place . |
178,023 | 72752a4bf5dad7a46fc34d22fc0580ea6278431c | (CNN)How would you describe America in five words? That's what Aja Barber wanted to know last week as she was reflecting on how it feels to be a black person in America. She tweeted the question on Friday: "How would you sum up #AmericaInFiveWords?" She targeted black Twitter by posing the question to influential writers and activists Baratunde Thurston and Feminista Jones. They responded, sharing the conversation with their hundreds of thousands of followers, and the hashtag took off. By Monday night, the hashtag had been used more than 99,000 times as people of all racial backgrounds and political persuasions weighed in, steering the conversation in various directions. Some challenged the sentiments related to racial inequality and oppression, with conservative columnist Michelle Malkin among the first chime in. Barber said she started the hashtag because she feels unsafe as a black person in the United States. She wanted to encourage others to share how it feels to be a person of color right now in America -- and, she wanted others to listen. To her, the wide range of responses to #AmericaInFiveWords, especially on the conservative side, is further proof of the country's racial divide. "I feel like right now there's two Americas. Some of America thinks that everything is fine and the other thinks that it's not," she said in a phone interview Monday. "I think it says something about the state of our country that when minorities speak their mind and from their heart they come under attack." Along with race relations, guns, police and war were common themes: . Our obsession with fast food and portion sizes was also a popular trope: . Fortunately, amid the negativity and cynicism, expressions of pride and hope could be found -- along with what some might call opportunities for improvement: . How would you describe America in five words? Tweet at @CNNLiving using the hashtag #AmericaInFiveWords. | Aja Barber asked on Twitter last week: "How would you sum up #AmericaInFiveWords?"
#AmericaInFiveWords has been used more than 99,000 times .
Race relations, guns and fast food among common themes . |
5,785 | 106a9f5f06c7e39010d309aef51db3f46395c3e6 | Christina Huffington, the daughter of media mogul Arianna Huffington, has posted pictures of herself happily kissing her new girlfriend. The 24-year-old writer - who has been open about a battle with cocaine that nearly killed her - is believed to be seeing film producer Sophie Watts and has put up a series of pictures of the blonde on her Instagram account. A source told MailOnline: 'Christina and Sophie have been dating for a while, they're very happy.' Happy: Christina Huffington, daughter of Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, is said to be in a happy and blossoming relationship with Sophie Watts . Smiles: Christina Huffington, seen here with Sophie Watts, has spoken openly about her battle with cocaine addiction and praised her family for their support . Happy family: Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington with her daughters Christina, on her left, and Isabella, on her right . Christina beams in the pictures - which include a picture of Sophie and her dog, to which she remarks 'My faves'. While in another photo, Sophie is seen at breakfast with Christina in Los Angeles, showing off a newspaper advert for Ariana's new book Thrive. Sophie is thought to be the daughter of Tessa Watts, a renowned English music video producer, who has worked with stars ranging from Michael Jackson to Madonna and Paul McCartney and Beyonce. Tessa is best known as one of the original members of Virgin Records and has been credited with coming up with the name for the company, founded by Sir Richard Branson, as all the staff were 'virgins' to business. She is divorced from rock journalist Michael Watts. Sophie attended Cambridge University and is now a film producer in her own right. Christina's father is former Republican congressman Michael Huffington, who came out as bisexual following his divorce from Arianna Huffington in 1998. She has been open about her lengthy battle with cocaine addiction that started when she was just 16. She first made the admission in a harrowing essay on her mother's website Huffington Post last April. She revealed how she had suffered bulimia as a teenager, scarred by her parents divorce, saying things came to a halt in 2012, writing: 'On March 4th, 2012, I was having trouble breathing. 'Am I going to be okay?' I asked the nurse who was monitoring my heart rate. 'I don't know,' she said. 'If you are, I hope you stop destroying your life'.' Proud: Christina Huffington posted a picture of Sophie Watts showing an advert promoting her mother Arianna Huffington's new book, Thrive . 'Fave Girls': Christina Huffington posted a picture on her instagram account of Sophie Watts and her dog with that message . She then penned a piece for Glamour magazine and went on the Today show, telling host Savannah Guthrie that despite all appearances, she was snorting lines of cocaine alone 'six or seven times' a day while at Yale University. She said It was 'absolutely un-glamorous. It was very much me by myself, in my apartment using drugs all day, from morning to night. There was nothing fun about it. I wasn’t at fun parties. I was really depressed, I was scared, I was anxious. I sort of felt isolated and alone and I thought I would never get out of there.' Christina, who is friends with troubled star Lindsay Lohan, who has also battled with drink and drugs, said she was opening up about her struggle in order to show people that drug addiction can hit anyone regardless of their social and economic background. 'II have been really blessed, and that’s part of the reason I struggled coming forward. What I want to show is that addiction can strike, no matter what. You can come from a loving family. You can have financial resources and you can still feel that pit of loneliness and emptiness and that desire to fill it with substances, so I just wanted to give a different face to the disease.' At one point, Christina said her mother was so worried she would drive her to the doctor for random drug testing, telling her 'I'm scared of what a good liar you are'. First trying the drug as a teen at boarding school, Christina told how she and her friends would spend $50 on a gram, meeting the drug dealer at the mall in Los Angeles and then getting their house keepers to pick them up, adding: 'We didn’t even have our licenses, but there we were, doing coke at each other’s houses.' Arianna said: ''Millions of young people in their teens and 20s struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. 'If Christina’s story can prevent one parent watching now from getting the call that I got, 'Mommy, I can't breathe,' and help one young or young man come out, reach out for help and know you can turn your life around, then it will have been worth it.' Mother love: Christina Huffington gives her mom Arianna a kiss . Battle: Arianna Huffington poses with Lindsay Lohan, who is friends with her daughter Christina, last August. Both Christina and Lindsay have battled drug issues . Christina has now been sober since March 4, . 2012, 'a day I’ll never forget. I stayed up all night doing cocaine, . then smoked pot with a friend.' She . then found it hard to breathe and ran barefoot into the streets of New . Haven, Conn., and ended up in the emergency room. She recalled asking . the nurse just before she was sedated whether she would be okay. 'I don’t know,' the nurse told her. 'But I hope, if you are, you’ll stop destroying your life.' Christina, who headed back to Yale to finish her degree, now lives in New York City with her . mother and her younger sister, Isabella, who told her 'you owe it to us . to get better' after putting them through so much. 'I . know there are thousands of those girls out there, feeling like I did: . alone, isolated, and guilty. I want to tell them that getting through it . is possible. And once you do get through it, you have a life.' she . said. She now works at Huffington Post in the Women's section, adding: 'I get . to write about a lot of things I care about: body-image issues, mental . health, and relationship stuff. It’s funny, because I’d always seen . [Huffington Post] from the outside; I never really knew how it worked. But now I see behind-the-scenes, and everyone is very cool.' MailOnline has contacted Christina for a comment. | Christina, 24, is the daughter of Huffington Post founder Arianna and her ex husband, former Republican congressman Michael Huffington .
She has been open about a struggle with cocaine addiction that nearly killed her .
She's said to be dating film producer Sophie Watts . |
70,881 | c8f743307d5d1f7f19f1474d68c9390b22f6d076 | (CNN) -- When Facebook's 27-year-old CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, wore a hoodie at a presentation to investors during the lead-up to Facebook's initial public offering, a financial analyst publicly accused Zuckerberg of immaturity. By dressing casually at such an important event, he alleged, Zuckerberg was telling potential shareholders they didn't matter. The blogosphere's response was swift: Business and tech commentators across the nation rushed to the billionaire's defense, explaining that the hooded sweatshirt was a symbol of his independent-mindedness, his youth, his authenticity, his loyalty to the culture of Silicon Valley. They argued his business acumen is reflected in Facebook's numbers, not in his fashion choices. Now that the firestorm has cooled, it's worth taking a moment to consider the complex significance of the hoodie for someone like Zuckerberg. Life on Planet Facebook . In one respect, both the anti-hoodie and pro-hoodie factions are correct. When Zuckerberg wears a hoodie at a high-profile meeting, he's saying: I am an artist, not a salesman. Salesmen wear suits because their job is to persuade, seduce, cajole; appearance is all-important. And the salesman's first priority is profit, which, if you're a Facebook shareholder, is the ethos you might wish to see in the CEO of the company you're investing in. But Zuckerberg has said explicitly he is devoted above all to his beautiful creation: Facebook. This, presumably, is why he turned down Yahoo's offer of $1 billion for the company back in its early years and chose to keep running the company himself. He's first and foremost an inventor, a tinkerer in a workshop, a monk in hooded robes. Sales, the bottom line, these are not the things that define me, the hoodie says. To a tech geek, indifference to dress is a badge of pride because any creative endeavor, whether it's coding software or writing novels, goes better if you can forget about yourself entirely, forget about how you look, what you're wearing, how people perceive you. Your must immerse yourself in your art. It must become the only thing on your mind. Timeline: Mark Zuckerberg's rise from child prodigy to Facebook billionaire . The nerd's spastic movements, childlike laugh, checked-out eyes as she codes or writes or thinks are the symptoms of a person obsessed with work, a person unconscious of herself and the impression she's making. That's why Bill Gates used to dress like a homeless guy, and Steve Jobs wore a black turtleneck, why Zuckerberg wears the hoodie. It's about taking pride in being an artist. Hoodie's evolution from fashion mainstay to symbol of injustice . So the analyst who said the hoodie shows I-don't-give-a-damn attitude was right in one sense, but he was wrong to suggest Zuckerberg's hoodie was bad news for Facebook investors. Because showing the world that you're an artist instead of a salesman can be a great sales tactic. As a cub reporter, I had the privilege of watching Steve Jobs pitch the Pixar movie "Monsters, Inc." to a handful of journalists in a small room. It was the best sales presentation I've ever seen. While it was happening, I wanted to do anything Jobs asked, because he was able to seem like he didn't care what we thought of him. He was unshaven, wearing his cat-burglar ensemble. He never tried to kiss up to any of us, like movie people often did. There were no visual aids, no refreshments. He just fulminated about what a good movie it was, how major its advances in animation technology, almost as if we weren't there. Are you living without Facebook? He was a brilliant salesman because he didn't act much like a salesman. You believed him because he didn't seem like he cared that much whether you believed him or not. He was a good-looking, confident person, but his conduct in many respects was that of somebody so passionate about his work that it made him just a little socially unacceptable. This guy is a nerd, you thought -- the real thing, so he must know what he's talking about. Zuckerberg has learned much, I suspect, from Jobs. He knows the impression he makes is important, so, like Jobs, he acts like he doesn't think it's important. The hoodie is both who he really is -- a big nerd -- and a thoughtful executive's performance of who he really is. He isn't being immature or youthful at all. He's striving to earn the confidence of investors by presenting himself as a scruffy genius who doesn't care about earning their confidence. And that's good business. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Benjamin Nugent. | Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was criticized for wearing a hoodie in meeting .
Benjamin Nugent: Zuckerberg's hoodie signals that he is an artist, not a salesman .
He says that for tech geeks, indifference to dress is a badge of pride .
Nugent: Zuckerberg isn't immature; wearing a hoodie is a great sales tactic . |
257,394 | d920d71aea7a8bdef2dbe59eaf0b39aaf8498d27 | By . Jaymi Mccann . PUBLISHED: . 13:50 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:34 EST, 4 April 2013 . This is the chilling picture that shows a murderer carrying a dead body in a suitcase. Victim Geoffrey Reed was a paedophile who was beaten to death by Stuart Wareham, 26, Benjamin Walter, 22, and Lee Wareham, 33, on June 7 last year. The men were sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday morning after being found guilty of murder on Wednesday. Scroll down for video . CCTV: Stuart Wareham carries the body of Geoffrey Reed in the suitcase after he was murdered . Callous: The three men buried Mr Reed in a shallow grave after they killed him for his past crimes . Murderers: The Wareham brothers and Mr Walter have all been sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison following the murder . Stuart Wareham, half-brother Lee Wareham, and Walter were convicted of killing the sex attacker in his flat in Boscombe, Dorset. upon . sentencing, the judge said that: 'Stuart Wareham killed him not because . he considered him a paedophile, but because he saw an opportunity to . take his flat.' They then stuffed his body into a suitcase and buried it in a shallow grave in the woods. The . trio killed Reed, 57, after discovering that he was a convicted sex . attacker and had spent a decade in prison for raping a vulnerable adult . and a child. They carried . out a brutal attack on the paedophile by stamping and jumping on him . causing multiple blunt force injuries to his head, neck and chest. Reed’s body was discovered doubled up . in a foetal position in the suitcase hidden on land in Lytchett . Matravers, near Poole, six days later. Specially trained police dogs from South . Wales Police identified a potential burial site late on June 12 and Mr . Reed’s body was excavated the following day. He was found with a plastic bag over his head and a ligature around his neck. He had 28 rib fractures, a skull fracture, two fractures of the breast bone and a broken neck. Stuart Wareham, 26, was sentenced to a . minimum of 20 years in jail before being eligible for parole at . Winchester Crown Court today. Buried: Geoffrey Reid was found in a suitcase in a shallow grave six days after he died . Discovered: Specially trained dogs found the burial site on land in Lytchett Matravers, near Poole . Lee Wareham, 33, and Benjamin Walter, 22, were both sentenced to a minimum of 18 years before being eligible for parole. The . court heard that Stuart Wareham had admitted grabbing flatmate Reed . around the throat and punching him once after he threatened to force . himself on his sister. But he insisted he did not kill him. Stuart Wareham wrote many letters in prison to friends and family as well as his co-defendants Lee and Benjamin. Stuart and Benjamin referred to themselves as characters from the Harry Potter series and said Reed was 'Voldemort', Potters arch-nemesis, because he is “evil, twisted, and ruins people’s lives. Reed was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2002 for four counts of rape and was released in November 2011 after being recalled for breaching the terms of his licence. The paedophile had also been convicted for other historical sex crimes. He attacked a 16-year-old girl in his car in Bournemouth in 1997, which he was jailed for six months for. In March 1998 Reed, then aged 43, was hauled before magistrates for failing to register as a sex offender. Stuart Wareham (left) who bludgeoned Geoffrey Reed (right) to death before burying him in a shallow grave . Stuart's brother Lee Wareham (left) and friend Benjamin Walter (right) were also sentenced for the attack . In 1999 and 2001 he was convicted of similar offences. The jury delivered their verdict on Reed’s murderers at Winchester Crown Court after just over five hours of deliberations. There was no reaction from the dock as the verdicts were delivered. The court heard Reed was a vulnerable and frail man at the time of his death, weighing just eight stone. Addressing the jury, Justice Griffith . Williams said: 'All human life has value and Geoffrey Reed is entitled . to the same justice as victims whose reputations are exemplary.' Speaking outside court, DI Stewart Balmer, of Dorset Police’s Mayor Crime Investigation Team, said: 'As the judge rightly pointed out, nobody is entitled to take the law into their own hands and everyone has a right to life. 'Mr Reed may have had a chequered past, but regardless of this nobody deserves to die in such a violent manner. 'This was a callous crime committed by three men who did their best to cover up their actions. 'The . successful conclusion of this case is down to the timely and brave . disclosures made by witnesses to the police which led to the early . arrests and an opportunity for the officers to act and gather the . evidence available. 'Without . the support of these witnesses there could have been a very different . outcome and, as was the defendants’ plan, people may have genuinely . believed Geoffrey Reed was missing of his own accord. 'This . was a complex and challenging investigation and I would like to thank . all of those involved in the investigation, in particular Detective . Sergeant Trevor Hawkins who has been with the case from the outset.' Planning: They were caught on camera with shovels on North House farm in Lytchett Matravers, near Poole . Walking away: Stuart Wareham and Benjamin Walter were seen walking near the burial site with shovels at 17.36 on . Murderers: Stuart Wareham leaves the scene of the burial having taken his jacket off . Returning: The pair leave the scene. Specially trained dogs would find the body six days later . | Stuart Wareham, Lee Wareham and Benjamin Walter carried out the murder .
Were filmed carrying off the body in a suitcase to a shallow grave .
They bludgeoned Geoffrey Reed before burying him in a shallow grave .
When they were arrested the trio lied to police claiming he had gone away .
Judge said no one has the right to take the law into their own hands . |
123,065 | 2b192924460701669cd10f290b231410afe95217 | A small business owner in St Louis pulled out a gun and shot dead all three of his employees after an argument and then killed himself, it was revealed Thursday. The owner of AK Home Health Care could be seen on surveillance cameras shouting at his employees in the tiny office Thursday afternoon before producing a handgun and killing everyone in the room, police said. The man then turned the pistol on himself. A sobbing family member said all of the dead, two men and two women, are family members and are immigrants from Somalia. Agony: A woman sobs after going to AK Home Health Care following a deadly rampage there that left four people dead . A.K. Home Healthcare was a family business and one mourner said all of the dead were related . Crime scene: St. Louis police work the scene where four people were found dead after a murder-suicide in a business along Cherokee Street south of downtown in St. Louis on Thursday . The owner of the business is a man named Khandra Muse, of O'Fallon, Missouri - a St Louis suburb, the St Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Police have not identified either the perpetrator or the victims. Authorities say all the dead were in their 40s and 50s. Police are still investigating what drove the business owner to open fire on his employees. The nature of the argument is unknown at this time and the confrontation lasted on a few moments before the perpetrator pulled out the semi-automatic pistol and started shooting. 'We don't know if this was a thing that carried over into today or was initiated today,' St Louis Police Captain Michael Sack. While police were still investigating a crime scene, a woman wearing a hijab tried to enter the business. When she was block by police, she collapsed to the sidewalk, sobbing. Scene: The shooting is believed to have broken out at a healthcare office in this building in south St Louis . Search: Police said they found a gun at the scene where shots erupted at 1.50pm on Thursday . Mohammed Ismail, 21, who said he was the woman's nephew, told the Post-Dispatch: 'All of the people, these are our family.' Another family member said the dead were all from Somalia. When police arrived on the scene, the . building was evacuated and several people were interviewed. At least one . man and two women were taken into custody. They were later released. The building, which is a former movie . theater, houses five to 10 small companies including an attorney, an . African bazaar and a home health company, the Post-Dispatch reported. Abdi Salam Elmi, an . immigrant from Somalia who drives a cab in St. Louis, said he was close . to all four of the dead in Thursday's shooting. He described them as . hardworking, friendly people. The neighborhood is home to many Somali immigrants and family members say all of the dead are Somali . The shooting, which left everyone in the room dead, even affected hardened St Louis police officers . 'They always . smile for me. This is my worst day in my life. It's a very, very sad day . for us and a very sad day for the city of St. Louis,' he said. St. Louis has long struggled with urban violence, but the last week has . seen a troublesome uptick in bloodshed. Police scrambled late Monday and . early Tuesday to respond to five different shootings on the city's . north side that left 15 people wounded. Elmi . said as a cab driver he sees too much violence in the city and he's . concerned about the recent shootings. 'I feel the same as I did when I . left Somalia,' he said, referring to the war-torn African country. | Boss killed everyone in the small St Louis office before turning the gun on himself .
Owner of the business is Khandra Muse, of O'Fallon, Missouri, but no identity of the shooter has been confirmed .
All of the dead are said to be Somali immigrants and family members .
Shooter was found with semiautomatic pistol . |
273,862 | eebede1cf6079d08141c385837c0f044ec581d38 | By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 05:57 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:03 EST, 23 October 2013 . Ringo Starr needs a little Help! finding five teenage fans that he photographed during The Beatles’ first tour of America in 1964. The group were snapped by Starr in Miami Beach, Florida, after their car drew up alongside the convertible The Beatles were in. A sixth youngster can be seen in the background on the right-hand side. They would now be in their sixties and the musician is hoping that they will come forward, or that someone will recognise them. Driven to take a picture: Ringo Starr is searching for five Americans now in their sixties who he photographed during The Beatles' first trip to the US . The picture is being published for the first time in Starr’s new book Photograph, along with over 200 never-before-seen shots. Snap happy: Ringo Starr is releasing a new book called Photograph, containing never-before-seen images . Starr, 73, wrote in the book: ‘It’s just a great shot. They're looking at us and I'm photographing them.’ He added: ‘I love pictures put together, showing different times of your life.’ The Beatles formed in Liverpool in the late 1950s with their most famous line-up being John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The group’s first big hit in the States was I Want To Hold Your Hand, which sold 1.5 million copies in less than three weeks. A crowd of thousands greeted them at the airport in New York when they arrived for their tour and one radio station even aired a running commentary on the event. Their first gig in America took place in Washington DC and their first US TV appearance – on the Ed Sullivan Show - attracted around 70 million viewers. Fab Four: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr shot to stardom as The Beatles . Meanwhile, Ringo Starr's lyrics for Abbey Road song Octopus's Garden have recently been turned into a children's book. The book comes with a CD featuring a reading by Ringo Starr and a never-before-heard version of the song. There are just 2,500 copies of Photograph for sale. Each one is signed by the author and is available from www.RingoPhotoBook.com. | The group were snapped in Miami Beach during the Beatles' first US tour .
The picture is being published in Starr's new book, Photograph .
The signed publication contains around 250 never-before-seen images .
If you’re one of the teens in the car that Starr photographed, or if you recognise them, email us at [email protected]. |
62,591 | b1d3ab4b2ecff5539be5abc039035a1516383984 | Paul McGinley wants his Team Europe stars to be inspired to Ryder Cup victory by the words of the legendary Bob Torrance. The home captain, who dropped a minor selection bombshell by floating the idea of dissolving the Rory McIlroy-Graeme McDowell partnership, revealed on Monday that one of the recently-departed Torrance’s favourite quotes had been given pride of place in the European team room at Gleneagles. McGinley, a former pupil of the coaching great who passed away during this year’s Open Championship, said: ‘It’s just a simple message. It’s the last message they see before they leave the locker room and it’s a quote from Bob Torrance, who unfortunately passed away a couple of months ago, as we all know. The late, great coach Bob Torrance's words will be printed in the Team Europe locker room . Paul McGinley played under Torrance and hopes the legendary coach's words will inspire his team . ‘He used to say to every player on the range, as we walked to the first tee, he would shake your hand and say: “Happiest days of your lives.” And that’s the quote, that’s the last thing they will see as they leave the locker room.’ The fact that McIlroy and McDowell are involved on opposite sides of a contractual dispute involving McIlroy’s former management company has been repeatedly downplayed by McGinley, who again insisted yesterday that the pair being at loggerheads in court wouldn’t prevent him from pairing the Northern Irishmen together again. But, alluding to a points tally that belies the general view of the Rory-G Mac axis as a power duo, he said he may have good golfing reasons to break them up. Speaking about the court case, McGinley said: ‘It’s not an issue and it’s not been an issue for me in terms of Ryder Cup captaincy over the last year, certainly, since these court proceedings started. Both of them have assured me all along that there are no issues and that’s the way I’ve always seen it. World No 1 Rory McIlroy may not be paired with fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell at the Ryder Cup . ‘Whether they come together or not is another story. Three or four months ago, I had a very strong view that they would have been but, the more I look at their statistics and the more I look at the different value I have with them, I’m thinking there may be a value in not doing it. ‘But if I don’t do it, it certainly won’t be because of any issues. As both of them have said, there are no issues between them and both of them will be happy to play together but it will be my decision ultimately. McIlroy could be partnered with Ian Poulter instead if McGinley opts for a different approach at Gleneagles . ‘I’ve got lots of options with them. But if I don’t decide to play them, it would be for tactical reasons. It won’t be for any other reasons. ‘They have played six Ryder Cup matches and they have only won two together. It’s not like these guys are written in stone. They are not a formidable fourball pairing that’s unbeatable. ‘Having said that, there’s no reason why they wouldn’t play together. When I was captain of the Seve Trophy I had them paired together and they played very well in that. So I’ve got lots of options with them - but it doesn’t have to be that they have to be together.’ VIDEO Pundits provide insight into potential pairings . | Paul McGinley reveals that Bob Torrance's mantra, 'Happiest days of your lives' will be printed in the Team Europe locker room .
The legendary coach died aged 82 during The Open Championship in July .
He was the father of Ryder Cup-winning captain Sam Torrance .
McGinley also hinted that he may break up the Rory McIlroy-Graeme McDowell partnership .
The Ryder Cup begins on Friday at Gleneagles . |
129,361 | 333330a99908141876721ffd46e2a6725d1864f6 | Louis van Gaal gave Manchester United players the full hairdryer treatment during a stunning dressing room blast following their humiliating 5-3 defeat at Leicester. Van Gaal was furious with his players for allowing a 3-1 lead to slip and led a fiery dressing room inquest with his players following the capitulation. Van Gaal, who has a reputation for losing his temper with his players, was openly critical of his expensively constructed team after their second defeat in the Barclays Premier League. Louis van Gaal and Ryan Giggs appear in shock after Manchester United's capitulation against Leicester . United players look dejected after the fifth goal at the King Power Stadium . United players celebrate Ander Herrera's goal as the visitors raced to a 3-1 lead at the King Power Stadium . United capitulated to a humbling loss to leave Van Gaal furious at his players for ‘giving the game away’. Van Gaal’s team led 3-1 after an hour but crumbled defensively in the face of Leicester’s energetic attack to suffer defeat after leading by two goals for the first time in Premier League history – a run stretching 853 games. Jamie Vardy, playing non-League football two years ago, terrorised United’s backline with his direct running and had a hand in all the goals, winning two penalties, and finishing calmly to put Nigel Pearson’s side 4-3 up. A Leonardo Ulloa brace, David Nugent spot-kick and Esteban Cambiasso goal added to overturn strikes from Robin van Persie, Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera as Leicester became only the sixth Premier League team to put five past a United side. Van Gaal named Radamel Falcao, Wayne Rooney and Van Persie in the starting line-up but afterwards complained: ‘We have too many players who want to seek for the goal.’ The match turned on Mark Clattenburg’s decision to award a soft penalty in the 62nd minute for a push by Rafael on Vardy after the Leicester striker had shoved the Brazilian to the floor to win the ball. Van Gaal gave United players the hairdryer treatment in the dressing room after the game . Van Gaal looks shattered on the bench as Leicester raced into a 5-3 lead despite the game looking done . Van Gaal declined to criticise the referee but added: ‘I am sitting on the fence. He was waiting for the push but it was stupid to do that. You know you are in the penalty area and you allow the referee to whistle if you make a challenge.’ Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher was more forthright on Sky Sports, calling the decision from Clattenburg ‘shocking’. But he criticised United for splashing £150million in the transfer window without securing a ‘proper defender’. ‘Spending all that money and not bringing in a top defender is mismanagement at the end of the day,’ said the former Liverpool defender. ‘United look vulnerable like that at the back this season.’ Rafael (centre) and Wayne Rooney (right) argue with referee Mark Clattenburg after Tyler Blackett was sent off . Injury to Evans means he will miss the match against West Ham on Saturday. ‘Luke Shaw shall be fit enough to play so we can manage it but it is a thin defence,’ conceded Van Gaal. Leicester now stand seventh in the table after a tough run of fixtures and Pearson said: ‘At 3-1 down I would have been happy to get anything out of it. It says a lot about character. I think we have a bit more quality than people may be aware of.’ Vardy added: ‘We knew their full backs would push up and leave a bit of space, which was easy enough for us to exploit when we got the ball and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Every chance has gone in the back of the net.’ Radamel Falcao was taken off on his first start for United as the Colombian striker works towards full fitness . Defender Jonny Evans added to United's injury list after leaving the stadium on crutches . | Manchester United were beaten 5-3 by Leicester in Premier League clash .
Red Devils led 3-1 with goals from Robin van Persie, Ander Herrera and Angel di Maria before falling apart .
Manager Louis van Gaal slammed players for not killing off the game .
Jonny Evans left stadium on crutches to add to defensive woes .
Nigel Pearson has praised Esteban Cambiasso's performance . |
66,684 | bd1f55fb53a775254f628b957994f635f7bfad30 | By . Alex Ballard . This is the dramatic moment that a quiet residential street resembled a scene from Independence Day when this eerie cloud formation appeared. The 1996 blockbuster saw Will Smith team up with Jeff Goldblum to fight an alien invasion. In one of the sci-fi film's best-known scenes, the alien spaceships appear for the first time by passing through the clouds - and the Bristol skyline looked remarkably similar on Tuesday evening, as the sun began to set behind a long line of clouds. Scroll down for video . Spectacular: The moment the Bristol skyline appeared to resemble the terrifying scene in Independence Day when the alien starships reveal themselves to the earth . This still from the sci-fi blockbuster shows an enormous spacecraft materialising from the clouds to herald the beginning of the film's intergalactic conflict . Alex Trott, 29, an urban designer who lives in Kingswood, Bristol, captured the amazing sight. He said: 'My dog Betsy was barking like mad so I looked out the window and couldn’t believe my eyes. 'It was like a scene out of Independence . Day. Germany had just scored again but I didn’t care, I just had to run . upstairs and get a better look. I’ve never seen anything like it.' The Met Office said the brooding skyline was caused by the contrast in light as the setting sun lit up one side of the cloud while there were showers on the other side . Photographer Alex Trott said that he 'couldn't believe his eyes' upon witnessing the sight of the eerie cloud formation in skies above Bristol . A spokesperson for the Met Office said: 'This is a bank of stratocumulus cloud which has been highlighted by the contrast in light between the setting sun illuminating one side, and the showers behind the cloud. 'This is a totally normal cloud formation but has been made to look more dramatic by the light.' | Setting sun behind cloud bank results in spectacular skyline above residential street in Bristol .
Moment appears reminiscent of 1996 sci-fi hit Independence Day starring WIll Smith and Jeff Goldblum .
'I've never seen anything like it', admits awestruck photographer Alex Trott, who took the amazing images .
Met Office expert reveals the scene, while normal, looks so dramatic due to contrasting light . |
120,436 | 27a39c03f3e10aa192de7eabc6fb8094438fa7ac | (Real Simple) -- Here are five great ways to enjoy your summer. Lazing in a hammock is one of the best ways to spend a summer evening. Best way to cut jeans into shorts -- What better way to declare the start of summer? The key to cutting off jeans is not to go too short too soon. Slip on the jeans and mark the desired length on one leg with chalk. "Take them off, fold the leg at the mark, and iron the fold," says Caroline Calvin, creative director of Levi's. "Then cut just under the crease with fabric scissors. Lay the short jean leg on top of the other side and cut to evenly match." Repeat as needed to get the length you want. Ninety-degree days? Bring 'em on! The best way to catch fireflies -- How? With womanly wiles: "Fireflies blink to attract a mate," explains naturalist Lynn Havsall, director of programs at the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, in Bar Harbor, Maine. "Males fly around while females sit in trees, in shrubs, or on the ground. So find a female and watch her blinking pattern. Then imitate the pattern with a pen flashlight and the males will come to you." ]A plus: The bugs move slowly, so they're easy to trap in a jar. Punch some holes in the lid and add a little grass and a piece of fruit for moisture. Admire your pretty night-lights till bedtime, then let them go. The best way to run on the beach -- Who needs a treadmill when you have miles of shoreline? Running on the beach can get you into great shape. Take it from lifeguard Benjamin Guss, 25, of Del Mar, California, who recently qualified to compete in this year's Iron Man triathlon (yes, that means swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and then running a marathon -- consecutively) in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Beware, shoeless Joes. If you choose to run barefoot, keep your workouts brief at first to allow tender soles to build up calluses. "You can get blisters, even burns, from hot, soft sand," says Guss. "I like to run barefoot, but for more than a couple miles, I wear shoes." Know your sand. "In soft sand, one mile is like two," says Guss. You may work foot and leg muscles you don't always use, so start slowly. And hard sand can be as tough on your legs as the road, so wear running sneakers. Pick the right time to run. "My favorite time is in the evening," says Guss. "The wind dies down, and the sand isn't that hot." To work harder, fill small bags with sand to use as hand weights. The best way to get in and out of a hammock -- Everyone looks good lazing in a hammock -- it's getting in and out that's tricky. To make it less so, try these tips from Penny Waugh, a buyer for http://www.hammocks.com/. • Position your backside toward the hammock's center and tilt back until you reach a 45-degree angle, with the hammock parallel to your rear. • Gently sit back into the hammock and let it level out. • Swing your legs up and stretch them out. • Lie back. Loll. Sigh contentedly. For a graceful exit, sit upright and swing your legs off, anchoring your feet on the ground. Then push with your behind, gathering momentum to stand. "It's tricky, since there's nothing to hold on to," says Waugh. "But it's good for the glutes." The best way to tie espadrilles -- Apply this lace-up logic from Meghan Cleary, author of "The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You." • Slide your foot fully into the shoe and plant it firmly on the floor. • Cross and tie the laces once behind the ankle, then bring them forward, cross and tie again, and continue up the leg, depending on how long the laces are. The calf is the maximum height -- any higher and you'll look like a gladiator. • Each time you cross and tie, secure the laces slightly tighter than is comfortable, since they will loosen a bit when you walk. Just don't cut off your circulation. • For a streamlined leg, make the final tie in the back. Create a more whimsical look by putting the final tie in front with a small bow. E-mail to a friend . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE ! Copyright 2007 Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Real Simple tips can add up to great summer .
Best way to catch fireflies starts with easiest to catch .
Tip on how not to look like a gladiator when wearing espadrilles .
There is a graceful way to get in and out of a hammock . |
105,931 | 149d43d7651c605025fabb05770eb1199d065081 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that she intends to move ahead with a vote on a resolution that labels the deaths of more than a million Armenians during World War I as genocide. The resolution has strained U.S. relations with Turkey and drawn criticism from the Bush administration. "This resolution is one that is consistent with what our government has always said about ... what happened at that time," Pelosi said on ABC's "This Week." When asked about criticism that it could harm relations with Turkey -- a key ally in the war in Iraq and a fellow member of NATO -- Pelosi said, "There's never been a good time," adding that it is important to pass the resolution now "because many of the survivors are very old." "When I came to Congress 20 years ago, it wasn't the right time because of the Soviet Union. Then that fell, and then it wasn't the right time because of the Gulf War One. And then it wasn't the right time because of overflights of Iraq. And now it's not the right time because of Gulf War Two. "And, again, the survivors of the Armenian genocide are not going to be with us." But White House Spokesman Tony Fratto said bringing the resolution to a vote "may do grave harm to U.S.-Turkish relations and to U.S. interests in Europe and the Middle East." Turkey's top general warned Sunday that ties with the United States will be irreversibly damaged if Congress passes the resolution, The Associated Press reported. Turkey has recalled its ambassador from Washington for consultations and warned of cuts in logistical support to the United States over the issue. The recall is only for a limited period of time, said a U.S. State Department official who talked to the ambassador. "If this resolution [that] passed in the committee passes the House as well, our military ties with the U.S. will never be the same again," Gen. Yasar Buyukanit told the daily Milliyet newspaper, according to AP . The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 27-21 Wednesday to approve the nonbinding measure, which declares the deportation of nearly 2 million Armenians from the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923 was "systematic" and "deliberate," amounting to "genocide." The deportations led to the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million people. But Sunday, Pelosi stood by her previous assertion that the measure would be taken to a full vote if it passed the committee. Newly installed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, tried to calm tensions by phoning his Turkish counterpart shortly after Wednesday's vote. Mullen told Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, Turkey's chief of staff, that the Pentagon is working hard to inform Congress of what the military implications might be if the Turks were to respond by cutting off U.S. access to the air base at Incirlik in Turkey. Seventy percent of U.S. air cargo bound for Iraq passes over or through Turkey. The Armenian government and Armenians around the world, including many Armenian-Americans, have been pressing for international support for their contention that Armenians were the victims of genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. The Ottoman Empire disintegrated in 1923, replaced by the modern republic of Turkey, where the Armenian issue remains sensitive. Turks reject the genocide label, insisting there was no organized campaign against the Armenians and that many Turks also died in the chaos and violence of the period. Though predominantly Muslim, Turkey, which borders both Europe and Iraq, is secular and pro-Western. In addition to its membership in NATO, Ankara is also seeking to become a member of the European Union. Speaking later on ABC's "This Week," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell denounced the House committee's vote -- despite agreeing with the assertion that the killings amounted to genocide. "I think it's a really bad idea for the Congress to be condemning what happened 100 years ago," the Kentucky Republican said Sunday. "We all know it happened. There's a genocide museum, actually, in Armenia to commemorate what happened. "But I don't think the Congress passing this resolution is a good idea at any point. But particularly not a good idea when Turkey is cooperating with us in many ways, which ensures greater safety for our soldiers." Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham echoed those comments on CNN's Late Edition. "I'm not worried about World War I. ... I'm worried about what I think is World War III, a war against extremists, and Iraq is the central battle front and Turkey has been a very good ally," Graham said Sunday. "We've had problems with Turkey, but the problem that Turkey has with the northern part of Iraq, if you think it is bad now, let the country fail." Turkey has engaged in ongoing cross-border skirmishes with rebels from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which launches raids from northern Iraq. The recent killings of Turkish soldiers brought the conflict to a boiling point, and Turkey's parliament may consider a motion to approve cross-border incursions into northern Iraq as early as this week. Watch how the rebels are straining U.S.-Turkish relations » . The United States and the EU have designated the PKK a terrorist organization. The U.S. State Department has urged Iraq to crack down on the PKK, though some Turkish officials have said Washington has failed to take decisive action. E-mail to a friend . | Turkey's top general warns that ties with U.S. will suffer if resolution passes .
White House says labeling deaths genocide would harm relations in region .
Pelosi says "there has never been a good time" for this resolution .
Deportation of Armenians after WWI resulted in estimated 1.5 million deaths . |
62,427 | b156c873daa7ff27d7293ef2a8dd1c8741cd04a7 | Villagers took part in a four-hour stand-off to successfully fend off travellers from their green - but not before police warned they could be charged with false imprisonment for confronting them. About 11 caravans drove in to the village of Nepcote, near Findon, West Sussex, shortly after 2pm yesterday. Fifty residents then surrounded the village green - blocking the only entrance to the space with their cars. Although some vehicles got through the human blockade, the villagers managed to block a majority of the caravans. Scroll down for video . Residents in Nepcote, Findon, West Sussex formed a human blockade around their village green (pictured) after a group of travellers descended on the area . About 50 residents (some pictured) blocked the only entrance to the green - meaning no others could enter the space. The travellers (in the background) were handed an eviction order by police and they moved on last night . After several hours, their campaign was finally victorious - with police serving an eviction notice forcing the group to move on. However, during the tense stand-off some villagers were warned by officers they could be charged with false imprisonment for blocking the group in. When asked whether West Sussex Police had warned residents they could be hit with false imprisonment charges, a spokeswoman said: 'Officers spent time in Findon on Tuesday engaging with the community and travellers who arrived during the morning. 'At some point there were vehicles blocking the access to Nepcote Green, preventing the travellers from leaving. 'Owners of those vehicles were given advice by officers as to their actions and the travellers were able to leave the area without incident. The shift response by officers has been praised by residents.' The episode comes just two weeks after another group of travellers invaded a recreation ground near Horsdean, Brighton - just 23 miles away. More than 30 locals took to the Horsdean Recreation Ground in Vale Avenue, Brighton, to block eight vans from entering the site. The travellers, who had been evicted from Wild Park in Moulsecoomb earlier the same day, were moved on at around 10pm. One eyewitness today described the scene in Nepcote - where last year a group of travellers moved in and caused £8,000-worth of damage - last night. The group of about 11 caravans and residents pictured on the village green. Locals said they were warned by police they could be charged with false imprisonment for blocking in the group . More of the group pictured on the village green. Peter Goldsworthy, chairman of Findon parish Council, said he was 'absolutely delighted' the group had been removed yesterday . He said: 'They [the drivers] turned up and drove on to the green right in the middle of the village. 'The villagers took it upon themselves to fight and not let anyone go on. They blocked the only entrance - which had been locked - and wouldn't let anyone else on. 'They would let them get through. 'Police eventually managed to get rid of them. It was a great result. 'Apparently the police told the locals they were going to have to move as it is false imprisonment on the behalf of the travellers.' Peter Goldsworthy, chairman of Findon parish Council, said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ the group had been removed. He told the Worthy Herald: 'The local police persuaded the assistant chief constable to grant an eviction order at around 8pm.The travellers insisted on seeing the eviction order but were gone by 9pm.' Resident David Gear told the paper: 'It was absolutely brilliant. Around 50 villagers were present to make sure that the travellers left, along with the police. They used all sorts of delaying tactics. Another group moved in to the Horsdean Recreation Ground, pictured, near Brighton just two weeks ago. They were met by scores of locals - who blocked some of them out of the area . The group were moved on by police just hours after they arrived following the stand-off (pictured) 'We celebrated afterwards with burgers and tea and coffee. It was like the old war-time spirit.' Judith Davies, chairman of Findon Village Hall said: 'They have blocked the road and the police are there in force. It’s so disappointing because of the money that’s been spent and the efforts of all the villagers to prevent this from happening.' Of the incident yesterday, Sussex Police said: 'At 2.45pm on Tuesday police were informed that a group of travellers in about 11 vehicles had entered Nepcote Green at Findon Village. 'Officers attended and are remaining at the site, liaising with the parish council, and assessing the situation. 'Early on Tuesday evening, police served a Notice under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 on the travellers at Nepcote Green and they all left shortly after 8pm. There was no disorder and there were no arrests.' Police confirmed today the travellers moved on after they were handed a section 61 order asking for them to move. The group had been evicted from Wild Park in Moulsecoomb earlier the same day . Of the Horsdean incident, a police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to a report of a group of travellers arriving in Horsdean Park Recreation Ground. 'Some of them had been part of a large group moved on from Wild Park on Wednesday afternoon after a section 61 order was served on them requiring them to leave. 'About 12 vehicles and eight caravans got on to the ground, upsetting residents. Police attended the site immediately and early consideration for a further direction under a section 61 order was undertaken. 'Officers remained at the site to prevent a breach of the peace.' | Group of travellers descended on Nepcote, West Sussex, at 2pm yesterday .
Residents blocked access to village green so no more could set up camp .
Police eventually handed travellers an eviction order - and they moved on .
But officers are said to have told residents during stand-off they could have been charged with false imprisonment .
Comes two weeks after residents in nearby village also fought off travellers .
Group of eight tried to take over Horsdean Recreation Ground, Brighton .
Were moved on their way within hours following stand-off with locals . |
214,058 | a13946c4a5cc6f410023e5ef0cb7eb6933e43dc3 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 13:27 EST, 21 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:09 EST, 21 January 2013 . Large groups of bats in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are feared to be infected with the deadly white-nose syndrome . Large groups of bats in one of America's most popular national parks appear to have gone crazy after being infected with a deadly disease. At a time of year when they should be in deep sleep, bats at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, are said to be awake, acting in an odd way and attacking people. Officials have said it is likely the bats have been infected with white-nose syndrome, a lethal fungus wiping out a variety of bat species throughout the East Coast. There have been reports of holidaymakers being forced to fight off the bats, while one man was even struck in the forehead in an attack. Some biologists have even warned the disease could could in fact be a possible extinction event, according to The Washington Post. Bill Stiver, supervisor of wildlife biologists at the park, said while it was likely to be white-nose syndrome, it should be confirmed during February when the annual census is carried out. He said: 'Our gut feeling is the disease is starting to manifest itself in the caves.' Steven Thomas, leader of the National Park Service regional monitoring program, made the discovery while he was in the caves, when he saw a white spot on a bat. Tests proved it had been infected with the disease, which is thought to have killed between five million and seven million bats since it was first discovered in 2006. It is feared the disease, which is killing bats up and down the East Coast, could be a possible extinction event . White-nose syndrome is linked to a . cold-loving fungus known as Geomyces destructans and usually strikes . during hibernation, which lasts between October and April. Despite . attempts to battle the fungus by federal agencies and non-profit . groups, it is feared the common little brown bat could disappear in the . East and even in the Midwest if the fungus continues to spread. There are also fears for the northern long-eared bat and the Indiana bat. Reports . of erratic behaviour in the Great Smoky National Park, which has 275 . million visitors a year, started just before Christmas. It is hoped bats in the U.S. will develop an immunity to the fungus, like bats in Europe have. But others fear the worst. Mylea . Bayless, conservation programs manager for Bat Conservation . International in Austin, said: 'We’re watching a potential extinction . event on the order of what we experienced with bison and passenger . pigeons for this group of mammals.' White-nose syndrome (WNS) has been linked to the deaths of at least 5.7 million to 6.7 million North American bats. The condition was first discovered in Schoharie County, New York, USA, in February 2006. Researchers conducted in 2011, found that the condition was caused by a fungus called Geomyces destructans, but no obvious . treatment or means of preventing transmission is known. It has rapidly spread and as of spring 2010, the condition had been found in over 115 caves and mines ranging mostly throughout the Northeastern US and as far south as Alabama and west to Missouri and into four Canadian provinces. Most researchers agree that bat-to-bat transmission is the predominant factor in the spread of the disease. A recent study found that bat-to-bat contact is required for the spread of the disease. The fungus Geomyces destructans has been found in soil samples from infected caves and suggests that it can be transported from cave to cave by soil, such as that carried by human clothing. Precautionary decontamination methods are being encouraged to inhibit the possible spread of spores by humans. Cave management and preservation organizations have been requesting that cave visitors limit their activities and disinfect clothing and equipment that has been used in possibly infected caves. In some cases, access to caves is being closed entirely. | Bats in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been acting crazy .
Fears large numbers have been infected with deadly white-nose syndrome .
Some biologists believe disease could be a possible extinction event . |
96,656 | 0860308e3f5dce47db7a51b69ea346bfa7003e58 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A father's lasting tribute to his little girl was deemed too offensive by an Australian pub, which asked the man to leave for violating its 'no face and neck tattoo' policy. Andrew Lester, a 30-year-old professional photographer, was asked to leave the Alma Tavern in Adelaide while enjoying a meal with friends on Saturday night. Two security guards approached his table and gave him an ultimatum: cover up the large tattoo which reads 'Love Is Blind' - a tribute to his little girl - or leave. Love Is Blind: Andrew Lester's tattoo is a tribute to his young daughter, who was left blind by optic nerve damage, and was deemed offensive by an Adelaide pub . Andrew was told by two security guards to cover up the tattoo with band-aids - while enjoying dinner with friends . Mr Lester, angered by the pub's actions, posted an angry message on the Alma Tavern's Facebook page (below). The post has since been removed but dozens of punters have added messages of support to other posts on the page. 'I was honestly absolutely shocked, I was just laughing and said ‘you can’t be serious, surely that can’t be something that happens’, and they said I had to cover it up with a band-aid,' he told The Advertiser. Mr Lester was inked with the tattoo, which looms large on the right side of his neck, 18 months ago as a reminder of his daughter Juno's numerous health problems. Juno had just been diagnosed with optic nerve damage, leaving her blind. 'It was part of the healing process for me after receiving that diagnosis to say I’m proud of my daughter,' he said. 'It’s something that I want to be open about, which is part of the reason I chose to put it on my neck so when I’m with my daughter people can see it and understand the significance.' Mark Ricciuto (L), former captain of the Adelaide Crows AFL team, is a co-owner of the pub and himself sports several large back tattoos; Dustin Martin (R) is one of a number of high-profile footballers with a neck tatt . The pub is co-owned by former Adelaide Crows AFL captain Mark Ricciuto, who himself sports a number of large back tattoos. Mr Lester told the Mail Online he has since met with Mr Ricciuto, and while the pair have 'agreed to disagree' on the pub's policy, they have shaken hands over the incident. 'He's an awesome bloke. He copped a lot over the past couple of days,' Mr Lester said. 'I want to set it straight that it was in no way a personal attack. It's just an argument over policy. It has nothing to do with my daughter.' Mr Lester was planning to issue another Facebook post to declare an end to the feud, which he says has forced the club to review its stance on tattoos. 'They believe it's crucial to the safety of their patrons, that from their experience people with tattoos on their face, neck or head are more likely to cause trouble,' he added. 'I've never had any issues in the past. It came as such a shock. After returning home from the pub, Andrew posted this angry message on the Alma Tavern's Facebook page - demanding a formal apology . Apology: The club says it's sorry Andrew was left embarrassed by the situation and asks to meet him in person . 'I can't see the problem with it. It's not something I've come up against before.' Several high-profile Australian athletes and celebrities have neck tattoos, including Richmond AFL player Dustin Martin, Cronulla NRL player Todd Carney and former Australian Idol winner Stan Walker. Mr Lester's initial Facebook message read: 'I’m married with three kids and own my own business in the CBD so I am a respectable member of society, and to be treated like Im some sort of criminal really rubs me up the wrong way, simply because I decided to put a tattoo on my neck.' He posted a link on his own Facebook profile and encouraged his friends to get involved, saying 'Pls comment and share guys, this really p***ed me off'. The pub later messaged Mr Lester to apologise. Mr Ricciuto said: 'I understand his tattoo was one involves his daughter and is a sad story but security don't look at the individual detail of tattoos. ''We're sorry for the embarrassment caused to him.' | Andrew Lester, 30, confronted while having dinner with friends .
Two security guards told him to cover up 'Love Is Blind' tattoo .
Dad got inked after his little girl was diagnosed with optic nerve damage .
Lester has now met with the club's co-owner - former AFL star Mark Ricciuto - and 'agreed to disagree' |
232,385 | b8e7d83e4f115fd2c65e2a1a50a88c7ffbe7197a | An ax-wielding man is on the loose following an unprovoked attack on a Washington, D.C. cop just days after a rookie NYPD officer was hacked by a radical Muslim convert while on patrol. The officer was sitting in a marked police car when the suspect shattered the driver's side window at 3.20am on Friday morning. Following the ambush, the officer chased the subject and tackled him to the floor, but the suspect was able to escape. Unprovoked: The officer was sitting in a marked police car when the suspect shattered the driver's side window at 3.20am on Friday morning in Washington, D.C. Officials in the District of Colombia stressed there was no evidence linking the two attacks, but contacted the New York City police's counter terrorism unit, who have now put their officers on high alert. The department released an advisory saying uniformed officers saying they should 'remain vigilant' and approach all situations 'tactically'. According to the New York Daily News they will not be allowed to patrol alone, with officials fearing they could be targeted by terrorists in random attacks. Last Thursday, Zale Thompson targeted a group of four rookie officers while they were out on patrol in Jamaica, Queens. Photographer Dominick Williams spotted the officers and asked them to stand for a picture. Seconds later, Zale Thompson ran up to the cops - who where standing against a wall in Jamaica, Queens - and started swinging a sharp hand ax. Officer Kenneth Healey, 25, was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive the injury. Scene: Following the ambush, the officer chased the subject and tackled him to the floor, but the suspect was able to escape . Washington, D.C, Police Chief Cathy Lanier said: 'A lot of these radical organizations, terrorist organizations are very vocal about targeting first responders. It's no secret. It's not new. But it certainly has ramped up,' Lanier said. 'We're on extremely high alert.' Lanier said she spoke with John Miller, New York City's top counterterrorism official, to go over any investigative details that might be helpful. The officer spotted the man briefly before the attack and believed he was carrying a baseball bat, Lanier said. The officer drove into an alley in an attempt to follow him but did not see the man again until the ax hit the car, Lanier said. The officer chased the man and tackled him and was injured in the struggle, police said. Police don't have a good description of the man, and Lanier said investigators were pursuing 30 to 40 leads, including some generated by tips from the public. The FBI offered help with the investigation if needed. Fanatic: Last Thursday Muslim convert Zale Thompson attacked a group of four rookie NYPD cops in Jamaica Queens, critically injuring one . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Suspect smashed the window of a marked police car at 3.20am on Friday .
Officer then chased the man and tackled him - but suspect escaped .
NYPD released a memo telling their officers to 'remain vigilant'
Follows attack by Muslim convert Zale Thompson in Queens last week .
Uniformed cops have been prohibited from patrolling alone in the city . |
145,812 | 488a32ae72ae7c21274d9a97a80028cd741ff145 | Reggie Brown says newly released evidence proves why he's called ‘The Third Winkelvoss’ in the lawsuit worth $267 million against Snapchat, a photo sharing app he says he thought up before friends shut him out. Now the company is worth $800 million and while Brown's former Stanford classmates and Snapchat founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy admit he first came up with the idea, they say he had no part in creating the massively popular company. Photos of the trio together, emails, and text message exchanges are all proof, Brown claims, that he deserves hundreds of millions. Stolen: Frank Reginald Brown IV, seen left, has filed a lawsuit against company Snapchat as well as its co-founders Bobby Murphy and Evan Spiegel, seen right, alleging they stole his idea for the program . Value: Analysts have valued the company that uses this ghost as its logo at $800 million . It began at a home in Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles in 2011, reports Business Insider. Brown, an English major, decided to spend the summer there at the home of Spiegel, his friend from Stanford. Earlier that spring, Snapchat now admits in the suit, Brown came up with the idea of a disappearing photo app. But that's where the two parties' stories part ways. 'From spring of 2011 and into the summer,' reads Brown's filing, '[Brown] and Spiegel and Murphy lived, worked, developed and launched the Application together.' Proof? Text messages between plaintiff Reggie Brown and Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel allegedly help prove Brown was an integral part of the formation of Snapchat . Tenacious: Brown has moved on from Stanford, but the English major has not let go of claims he helped found Snapchat . The setting: The creation of Snapchat and subsequent alleged betrayal all took place at Spiegel's Pacific Palisades home, pictured, in 2011 . Some evidence seems back up this claim. A saved text message conversation between Brown and Spiegel suggests Brown helped secure the company's first patent. Another makes the group look like the three-man startup Brown's suit claims they were. 'No chance we're celebrating wo you bro,' reads a message from Speigel to Brown. But that's exactly what Spiegel and Murphy are now doing. Snapchat has become one of the world's fastest growing internet services of all time and estimates list its worth at a whopping $800 million. Brown's lawyers have also presented evidence that the Stanford grad overheard a conversation between his two former friends about how they intended to excise him from the company. Meanwhile, Snapchat contends--along with CEO Evan Spiegel and CTO Bobby Murphy, who each pocketed $10 million as part of the company's fundraising efforts--Brown had 'no equity' in the venture. Friends? Brown says he deserves a third of the $800 million smash hit iPhone app, but the defense says the Stanford English major had no equity in their company . No one denies that, at some point in the summer of 2011, things went sour and Spiegel and Murphy changed the passwords to the servers and shut Brown out. Brown was then horrified when he saw Snapchat become a huge hit with 60 million pictures now being shared every day via the service, more even than Facebook-owned Instagram. Brown’s claims echo those of twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, who say that Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from them whilst they were all at Harvard. They were given $65 million in a settlement but spent four years trying in vain to get more, with their story being dramatised in the film The Social Network which was about the birth of Facebook. Snapchat lets users send photos to each other which will then be deleted after a certain period of time, typically 10 seconds. It lets people send embarrassing pictures without the worry they will be saved forever. Happier times: In September Snapchat celebrated their one-year anniversary and so had a new cake but Frank Reginald Brown was visibly not around to share it . New team: The Snapchat team posted a picture of themselves in Norway last fall, left, as well as one of the team members playing with their app, right, five months before the lawsuit was filed against them . Brown, 23, alleges that he came up with the concept before going to Spiegel, who called it a ‘million-dollar idea’. They supposedly agreed to work together and looked for somebody to write the code, so chose Murphy. The trio moved into Spiegel’s father’s house in Los Angeles where they worked on the app in the summer of 2011, the lawsuit states. Brown claims he came up with the ghost logo and the original name, Picaboo, which the trio used in the launch of July that year. The following month however they had a falling out and the lawsuit states that Brown was locked out and the other two refused to talk to him. The falling out took place in August. In September, Snapchat was launched. Twins? Twins Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss, left, were given a $65million settlement after their claimed part in Facebook despite the denials of founder Mark Zuckerberg, right . As part of his claim Brown included a photo of all three men by a cake with the Snapchat logo on it, the Los Angeles Times reported. Brown's lawyer Luan Tran told the paper: ‘He wants his share of what he is entitled to’. The claims of start-up skulduggery will be all too familiar to the Winklevoss brothers, who were dubbed the ‘Wiklevii’ in The Social Network. It was in 2003 that they claimed they asked Zuckerberg to write the code on their own social network, called Harvard Connection. They alleged that he then started his own rival called thefacebook.com which went on to become the biggest website of its kind in the world with more than one billion users. Whilst they were given their $65 million settlement Zuckerberg has gone on to become one of the richest men in the world. According to the latest Forbes rankings, he is the 35th richest man on Earth with a fortune of $17.5billion, although he was far wealthier before Facebook’s bungled stock market floatation. A representative for Snapchat said: ‘We are aware of the allegations, believe them to be utterly devoid of merit, and will vigorously defend ourselves against this frivolous suit. ‘It would be inappropriate to comment further on this pending legal matter.’ | Frank Reginald 'Reggie' Brown stands to win $267 million .
Brown claims he first came up with the idea of disappearing photo messages but was cut out of the company .
Analysts value photo sharing app at $800 million .
Suit mirrors Winklevoss twins who claimed Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for Facebook that made him a multi-billionaire . |
125,660 | 2e739c449a1a23faedd8fe93f513a277b5851b8a | A couple have been charged with child neglect after allegedly using meth in front of their children and allowed swinging partners to come to the house while the kids were home. Andra Rae Martinez, 43, and Juan Martinez, III, 44, were charged with endangering a child in Houston, Texas on Thursday. Police said the couple left meth and pot in front of their children, a ten-year-old boy and six-year-old girl, and also allowed strange men to come to the house to have sex with the wife. Andra Rae Martinez, 43, and Juan Martinez, III, 44, have been charged with endangering a child in Houston, Texas after allegedly taking part in their drug-taking, swinging lifestyle in front of their children . According to ABC, the husband would put ads online for men to come to the home and have sex with his wife. He also allegedly offered his six-year-old daughter for sex acts to one man, a claim which police were investigating. Investigators began looking into the couple's drug-filled, swinging behavior last September after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A search of the home uncovered drugs which were easily in reach of the children and they were also exposed to porn DVDs with explicit covers. Both parents denied having sexual interest in children despite court documents alleging that the father had incest fantasies. The ten-year-old boy reportedly told police he was worried his father would get in trouble for 'smoking something illegal'. Juan Martinez's bail was set at $30,000 and Andra Martinez's at $2,000. Daily Mail Online was awaiting comment from the Webster Police Department on Friday. | Andra Rae Martinez, 43, and Juan Martinez, III, 44, have been charged with endangering a child in Houston, Texas .
The couple left out meth and pot in front of their ten-year-old son and six-year-old daughter along with explicit porn DVDs .
Police investigating claim that father offered six-year-old daughter for sex acts to one man .
Couple placed personal ads for swinging partners who came to their home while children were present . |
167,547 | 64b1a8c1ffba6833624b5dc2b4049ca54053e941 | (CNN) -- Health officials say the H1N1 virus, commonly known as the swine flu, is likely to cause more illnesses and deaths in the United States, even though much of the initial anxiety has eased. A researcher investigates swine flu at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported higher levels of flu activity than the average for mid-May and an unusual number of outbreaks in schools. Some clinics reported high numbers of respiratory diseases more commonly seen during the peak of flu season. "We do think that the way the virus is spreading in the U.S., we are not out of the woods, and the disease is continuing," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director for science and public health program at the CDC in a news conference this week. In the United States, six deaths have been linked to the swine flu, although it's unclear whether these were caused by the virus or pre-existing conditions. Nationwide, at least 5,123 cases of H1N1 flu have been reported, although the actual number of people affected may be higher. New data released by the CDC Tuesday showed that the majority of the 30 patients who were hospitalized with H1N1 in California had other medical conditions, such as chronic heart and lung disease, suppressed immune system, diabetes, and obesity. None of the patients died. They had fevers, coughs, vomiting and shortness of breath, according to the CDC report that examined the patients. Six of them were admitted to the intensive care unit and four required mechanical ventilation. See an explanation of H1N1 flu » . Five of them were pregnant -- two of the fetuses did not survive. Earlier this month, Judy Dominguez Trunnell became the first U.S. resident to die from complications of the H1N1 flu. Her daughter was delivered via emergency Caesarean section. Dominguez Trunnell felt body aches and numbing in the left side of her face and went to the hospital, her husband, Steven Trunnell, told CNN's Larry King. Watch the interview. » . Trunnell has filed a wrongful death claim against Smithfield Foods, a pork and meat producer, alleging that the company's actions may have contributed to the virus' creation. "She was a healthy, pregnant woman who was eight months pregnant until she contracted the virus," he said. "She became acutely ill, but she was never diagnosed with any major medical complications of any kind." Health officials have said repeatedly since the outbreak's beginning that the virus cannot be contracted from eating pork. Pregnancy increases the risk of certain medical problems and creating complications from the flu, Schuchat said. "There is some immunosuppression that occurs during pregnancy," she said. "There maybe also a role of the mechanical effect of pregnancy in decreasing the lung capacity that maybe you're not easily able to handle lung infection or respiratory problems." Early steps toward an H1N1 vaccine are being taken. The process could take between five and six months from the time the virus appeared to when the vaccine would be available to the public, officials have said. Tom Skinner, a CDC spokesman, said the agency has sent H1N1 strains to roughly seven labs around the world to use in the first steps of vaccine development. The CDC expects to get the viruses back from the institutions by the end of the month and "if we do go in the direction of producing a vaccine, we could see the production of pilot lots, and clinical trials, beginning as soon as late June." Though the initial surveillance of the California cases indicates that most healthy patients recovered and were discharged after short hospital stays, those with other medical conditions had greater complications. "Our best estimate right now is that the fatality [with the H1N1] is likely a little bit higher than seasonal influenza, but not necessarily substantially higher," Schuchat said. The seasonal flu kills 36,000 people every year. While people of all ages get the seasonal flu, its complications more severely affect older people or those with weakened immune systems. About 95 percent of people who die from the seasonal flu are 65 years old and above, according to the World Health Organization. Many of the confirmed and probable cases for the H1N1 virus have been younger people between the ages of 5 and 24. "The hospitalizations that we're tracking have this disproportionate occurrence among younger persons," Schuchat said. "That's very unusual to have so many people under 20 requiring hospitalization and in some of those intensive care units." While there have been no deaths in that age group in the United States, Schuchat said: "We would not be surprised to see serious hospitalizations and deaths occurring in people in this age group and I think we need to be prepared for that." "It's important to dispel the idea that we're out of the woods, or that this was a problem that really didn't merit response," she said. "Influenza is unpredictable, and we really need to stay attuned to that, to be prepared for surprises in the days and weeks ahead." And the flu viruses can mutate. Dr. Dan Jernigan, deputy director for the CDC's influenza division said last week, "We're not seeing significant evidence of any mutation towards more virulence in the U.S." H1N1 flu activity has been confirmed in 22 states and appears to be most active in the Southwest. In April, concerns about the H1N1 virus prompted travel warnings, airport checks and school closures. The outbreak has sickened 9,830 people worldwide and caused at least 79 deaths -- mostly in Mexico, according to the WHO. Last month, U.S. officials discouraged all nonessential travel to Mexico after the flu strain killed dozens of people there. On Friday, the CDC downgraded its warning and advised people with medical complications, advanced age or pregnancy to check with a doctor before going on a trip to Mexico. CNN medical senior producers Saundra Young and Shahreen Abedin contributed to this report. | CDC reported higher levels of flu activity than the average for mid-May .
Health officials warn disease is likely to continue and contribute to more deaths .
Initial data shows hospitalized patients had underlying medical conditions . |
70,937 | c924a5939ba603d71d8ebb30b63904cf3d258dba | (CNN) -- Brazil "will not bend" to U.S. pressure to seek sanctions against Iran, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Brasilia. The United States was seeking support for sanctions against Iran, which it accuses of harboring a non-peaceful nuclear program. Brazil shares the table with the United States on the United Nations Security Council, where it holds a non-veto seat. "We think with our own mind. We want a world without nuclear arms, certainly without proliferation," Amorim said at a news conference with Clinton on Wednesday, according to the official Agencia Brasil news agency. "It is not about simply bending to an opinion that may not be true. We can't simply be taken along. We have to think with our own head." During her remarks, Clinton reiterated the case for new sanctions, saying that Iran is not likely to engage in negotiations over its nuclear program until after sanctions are in place. Clinton said Iran is trying to stall the international community. Amorim countered that there is still time for negotiations, and that a uranium swap deal remains a possibility. The United States is proposing tough new sanctions on Iran at the U.N. Security Council in an effort to persuade Iran to stop uranium enrichment and negotiate with world powers over its nuclear program, senior U.S. officials and Security Council diplomats said. The United States and its allies are discussing the measures as part of a possible fourth Security Council resolution against Iran over its nuclear program. The sanctions focus on the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, which has vast business interests in the country. The sanctions would center around the banking, shipping and insurance sectors of the Iranian economy, broadening the scope of the sanctions in the three previous U.N. security resolutions. While existing sanctions call on U.N. members to exercise "vigilance" or "restraint" on trade, the sources said the proposed new sanctions call for an outright ban on certain transactions with Iran. The proposed measures expand existing areas of sanctions, adding new companies and additional individuals facing a travel ban and assets freeze for their work on Iran's nuclear program. The United States wants to gain the support of Russia and China to negotiate the proposed sanctions draft. The United States and its allies hope that China will voice its support in talks with Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg in Beijing this week. CNN's Elise Labott and Adam Levine contributed to this report. | United States is proposing tough new sanctions on Iran .
Proposed sanctions focus on the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps .
Clinton says Iran is trying to stall the international community . |
158,745 | 593dc8187575e5da93e9e889538a76024d8ba3cc | By . Chris Kitching for MailOnline . It’s one of the most unpleasant situations you can find yourself in on a plane – sitting next to a fellow traveller who doesn’t smell very fresh. And passengers believe airlines can do their part to prevent such an uncomfortable scenario, with more than half of them calling on carriers to give out free deodorant to mask bad body odour, a new survey reveals. A poll of 1,100 adult travellers by Cheapflights.co.uk found 52 per cent would prefer a stick of deodorant over any other in-flight freebie. Sniff test: More than half of respondents in a new survey want free in-flight deodorant along with other perks . Complimentary deodorant is included in welcome packs on some business or first class flights, but those travelling in economy aren’t so lucky. And it appears many of those who fly in the lap of luxury are also getting the short end of the stick. A review of welcome kits provided by 27 different airlines found that only four included deodorant. Four in ten English adults – and 20 per cent from the rest of the UK and Ireland – have been lucky enough to enjoy the pampered experience of business or first class travel on a plane, the survey found. Passengers who have received a free upgrade from economy are more likely to get one by flirting than by pretending to be ill or other deceitful means. Cheapflights.co.uk spokesman Oonagh Shiel said: ‘Many airlines go to great effort to ensure they anticipate customers' needs and expectations but it would seem sometimes it's the smallest of tweaks that are needed to the offering to really hit the mark. ‘After all, nobody wants passengers causing a stink.' A review of welcome kits provided by 27 different airlines found that only four included deodorant . | Poll of 1,100 adult travellers found deodorant is the most wanted freebie .
Four in ten English adults have travelled in business or first class .
Passengers are more likely to get a free upgrade by flirting . |
112,891 | 1dabc6712a658867c3764344b35ad426da83b8ed | (CNN)Being stuck on the ground in an airliner for 12 hours is bad enough, but then imagine having to stay in the plane for another 16 hours to reach your destination. That's what happened Saturday in Abu Dhabi for passengers and crew aboard Etihad Airways Flight 183, a Boeing 777 scheduled to fly to San Francisco. The airline apologized, blaming an "unprecedented fog disruption" that forced the airport to close runways until authorities said it was safe to take off. Passengers expected to push back from the gate at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, but they didn't go wheels up until 2:30 p.m., the airline said. One passenger, Thomas Piani, told CNN affiliate KGO that the crew "kept telling us that we were going to leave, you know 15 minutes from now, 20 minutes from now, 30 minutes for now, for 12 hours," which ratcheted frustrations higher and higher. Tension was obvious in the tone of passenger tweets. "...crew won't serve food," tweeted @SuzeTwtr . Passenger Venkatesh Pahwa told KGO, "Everybody was fighting with each other, and the flight attendants were fighting with us, and we were fighting with the flights attendants." "Stuck in an @EtihadAirways flight on the ground for 10+ hours. And not allowed to get off. I feel like I'm in a 'Seinfeld' episode," passenger Ravali Reddy tweeted. In a statement, Etihad said that when the plane was on the ground awaiting permission to take off, "passengers were provided with refreshments and were updated about the reasons for the rolling delay caused by the extreme weather conditions." The airline said replacing the crew before taking off also contributed to the delay. A fresh crew had to be brought in because of rules that limit flight-time. The non-stop route from the Abu Dhabi to San Francisco is an ultra-long haul lasting 16 hours. The situation, Etihad said, was "impacted by circumstances which were largely beyond our control." Bad weather costs airlines and passengers flying into and out of the U.S. billions of dollars because of canceled and delayed flights. In the United States, federal regulations forbid airlines with 30 or more passenger seats on their domestic flights to allow their planes to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours without giving passengers the opportunity to disembark. Violators are subject to federal fines. Read more: High cost of flight delays . In July 2012, passengers on 13 United Airlines flights were stuck on their planes during severe thunderstorms at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for stretches ranging from just over three hours to nearly four-and-a-half hours. The Department of Transportation fined the airline $1.1 million. Read more: United fined $1.1 million for tarmac delays . CNN's Rene Marsh and Daisy Carrington contributed to this report. | Etihad Airways blames heavy fog for keeping passengers on plane for 12 hours before an 18-hour flight .
The delay sparked tensions between passengers and crew on the flight from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco .
In the U.S., passengers can remain on the tarmac for 3 hours before they must be offered a chance to disembark . |
210,952 | 9d35b946330b9fd6df02c79d6d7cc77d26f1377c | The world's only surviving Bronze Age metropolis could disappear within 20 years unless urgent action is taken to preserve it. The 5,000 year old ruins of the ancient city of Mohenjodaro is situated in what is now the province of Sindh in southern Pakistan on the west bank of the Indus River. But the settlement has been left to crumble over the years due to government neglect, a drop in tourism and security issues within the country. The city dates back to 3000BC and was made up of homes with interconnecting rooms, court yards and roads . Experts have now warned that Mohenjodaro is in danger of corroding away completely if a rescue plan is not drawn up immediately to save it. Officials met in Karachi last week to discuss ways of preserving it. The city dates back to 3000BC and was made up of homes with interconnecting rooms, fired brick walls, court yards, good roads, clean water and even a complex draining system. The advanced example of urban planning was incredibly complex for its time. Gold bracelets and a button which were discovered in the settlement in 1980 - the year Mohenjodaro was declared a World Heritage Site . A statue of a woman (left) and of a king priest (right) discovered in the ancient settlement . These dice are believed to date back to the Bronze Age and reveal a cultured and sophisticated civilisation living in the Indus Valley . There were separate drains for rainwater and sewage which were covered with slabs of limestone to prevent insects. Wells were built for drinking water and clay litter bins even lined the streets. Wheat and barley were stored on . raised platforms to protect them from flooding and a water cooler took . pride of place in a marketplace where people would gather. There was even a large swimming bath complete with dressing rooms - mainly used for keeping clean. Cultured: Artefacts found by archeologists in the settlement included this chess set which is now at the Karachi Museum in Pakistan . A necklace made of Carnelian beads (left) and statue known as a mother goddess both discovered on the site . Restored pottery discovered on the ancient site lines a wall near the ruins of the ancient city of Mohenjodaro . More than 40,000 artefacts have been discovered which reveal a sophisticated society of around 40,000 inhabitants living in the Indus Valley which even had its own system of law. Artefacts include gold jewellery, statues, pottery, games and even a chess set. But little is known about the appearance of men and women in Mohenjodaro. However, a seven inch high stone sculpture discovered in the lower city shows how men might have looked and dressed. The figure's beard is short and neat, . his upper lip is shaved clean, and his hair is tied with a band that . hangs down his back to his shoulder. Experts have warned that the World Heritage Site could disappear within 20 years if a rescue plan is not carried out immediately . Sir John Marshall, the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India, led the team who dug through the sand and mud to uncover the city and thousands of artefacts. But now the walls of this ancient city are crumbling from the base upwards. The salt content in the ground is eating away at the bricks which before had survived thousands of years. Hot summers, cold winters, monsoon rains and humidity have all contributed to the city's major decay. Preservation . work has been carried out since the very first excavations in 1924. Some experts believe the settlement, . which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1980, should be buried again . to stop any further decline. Dr Asma Ibrahim, a Pakistani . archeologist, told The Telegraph: 'There is no department with . expertise, no decisions taken for the last two years. 'The way things are going, it will survive maybe only another 20 years.' | The 5,000-year-old ruins of Mohenjodaro are situated in southern Pakistan .
The settlement has been left to crumble due to government neglect, a drop in tourism and security issues .
Experts believe the site may have completely disappeared within 20 years . |
188,390 | 7ff61b75f0d512b5e6f94ee0506411108f26dd98 | By . Mike Dawes . Leicester are close to agreeing a £7million move for Brighton forward Leonardo Ulloa. Foxes boss Nigel Pearson is hugely interested in the Argentine centre-forward and the Premier League new-boys have been locked in talks about a switch for weeks. And a breakthrough was understood to have been made yesterday, after agreeing a fee for the 27-year-old. Leonardo Ulloa (left) scored 16 goals in all competitions for Brighton last season . Ulloa celebrates after scoring the winner for Brighton against Nottingham Forest in May . Ulloa arrived at Brighton in January 2013 and has scored 23 goals for the Seagulls since then. But providing he agrees personal terms, which is understood to be a formality, Ulloa is set to leave the Amex Stadium this summer. Highly-valued: Leicester are willing to pay £7million for the 27-year-old Argentinian . | Leicester agree fee with Brighton for 27-year-old striker .
Highly-rated Argentine scored 16 goals for The Seagulls last season .
Foxes boss Nigel Pearson keen to strengthen his strike force . |
187,411 | 7eb747f07d2b1fe2d6dc67348f5ca44962a9db0d | Crew members ran for their lives when overhanging metalwork crashed onto a stage in a Toronto park Saturday afternoon, pinning and killing one man, authorities said. The collapse happened around 4 p.m., one hour before spectators were set to begin streaming in for a concert by the alternative rock group Radiohead. Several people were on the stage at the time, preparing for the show, when scaffolding-like material towering about 50 feet above collapsed. "Unfortunately, four people were hurt," Toronto police Constable Tony Vella said. "The remainder of the people, when they heard the stage coming (down), ran from the area." Firefighters arrived to find one man "trapped under the structure," said Toronto fire Platoon Chief Tony Bellavance. They helped to extricate the man, then moved away from what was then still considered an "unstable structure," Bellavance added. Paramedics, who happened to be at the scene in preparation for the concert, "immediately rendered aid," according to on-site Toronto Emergency Medical Services commander Peter Rotolo. The victim -- who has not been identified, amid efforts to contact his next of kin -- was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said he was in his 30s. Another man who suffered serious injuries due to the collapse was transported to Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital, Ian McClelland of the city's EMS department said. The 45-year-old man suffered a head injury that isn't considered life-threatening, according to Toronto police. Two other men with minor injuries were assessed and released, McClelland said. Aerial footage afterward showed that some metal framing -- some of it covered in a blue material -- crumpled on the stage, which was in front of a large grassy area. Some of the scaffolding-like material remained standing, reaching about 50 feet in the sky. The stage was being set up especially for the Radiohead concert, Vella said. At the time it came down, the weather was good with no storm rolling through or significant winds, added fellow police Constable Harrison Ford. "The big question is how" this happened, Vella said. "And that's something we will be working closely with the Ministry of Labor to determine (the cause) exactly, to prevent any future cases." Reports: Indiana State Fair stage where 7 died was inadequate . The gates were scheduled to open at 5 p.m., allowing fans onto the concert grounds for the sold-out concert, according to CNN affiliate CBC. The show was canceled due to what the production company Live Nation Entertainment described as "unforeseen circumstances." "Radiohead concert canceled. There has been an incident, more details forthcoming," said a post on Downsview Park's official Facebook page. The band was to be joined by the Canadian musician known as Caribou. The Toronto incident comes 10 months after metal scaffolding supporting stage lights fell onto a crowd of fans and workers as a storm swept through at the Indiana State Fair right before the band Sugarland was to perform. Seven died and more than 40 were injured. In February, the Indiana Department of Labor announced penalties totaling $80,800 following a worker safety investigation into the collapse. Sugarland's lead singer says band not responsible for Indiana stage collapse . | Several crew were on stage when the top part of the stage came crashing down .
Most fled unharmed, but 4 were injured -- including 1 pinned under the structure .
The trapped man was extricated and pronounced dead at the scene .
Radiohead was set to perform a sold-out concert in the Toronto park Saturday evening . |
16,479 | 2ec80455c565c0b4f1c63ece5f6f2fabb7aaf276 | (CNN) -- Italy's Matteo Manassero became the youngest ever winner at the PGA Championship. He had to work hard for it. Manassero edged England's Simon Khan on the fourth extra hole of a playoff after Scotland's Marc Warren exited on the first extra hole. The trio had finished at 10-under 278. Khan found the water with his second shot on the deciding hole in fading light at Wentworth, and when Manassero struck a birdie to clinch victory, he surpassed Bernard Gallacher as the youngest champion. At 20 years and 37 days, Manassero was two months younger than Gallacher when the Scot triumphed in 1969. As a result of winning the European Tour's flagship event, he'll move from No. 57 to inside the top 30 in the world rankings, leads the Race to Dubai and booked a spot at this year's U.S. Open. "I feel unbelievable, really emotional," Manassero was quoted as saying by the European Tour's Web site. "It's been an amazing week. I have always felt something really special about this place and this tournament. "Everything has come together this week. I managed to play well and managed to stay in contention after a tough day on Friday and pulled it off with this playoff." The dramatic finish at Wentworth helped make up for the early departures of Rory McIlroy, the world's second ranked golfer, and defending champion Luke Donald. Both missed the cut after underwhelming in the opening two rounds -- played in chilly conditions. The fans at Wentworth couldn't lift Ryder Cup stalwart Lee Westwood to victory, either. He was only a shot behind overnight leader Alejandro Canizares. Westwood, who recently moved his family from England to Florida, led at one stage on the front nine but was undone by a double bogey and two bogeys on the back nine. He finished the fourth round at one-over 73. He was bidding to better two runner-up finishes at Wentworth. "Obviously Lee had the most support at the beginning, but I had so much -- the crowd in general this week has been unbelievable, really," Manassero added. "I think the weekend that they got to see was a reward for the people that were here Friday with that weather to watch." Manassero and Warren had chances to win the title before the playoff but faltered. Khan, five shots off the pace going into the final round, made a charge with a 66. When Khan won the PGA Championship in 2010, he rallied from a seven shot deficit in the final round with another 66. He was playing his first event since March due to his wife's illness, the European Tour's Web site reported. "I wanted to prove to myself I've got it in me and that's been the great thing today," Khan was quoted as saying. "I've played great. After such a long layoff, to come back and lose in a playoff of this fantastic tournament, I can take a lot out of it definitely. "I felt great going into the playoff. It's just a shame that second shot (on the fourth extra hole) didn't carry another couple of yards or I would probably be going back out to 18 again." Canizares and Miguel Angel Jimenez, the oldest man in the tournament at 49, finished a shot off the pace. British Open champion Ernie Els tied for sixth following a final round 67, while Sergio Garcia, under fire last week for "fried chicken" jibe, ended up tied for 19th. | Italy's Matteo Manassero, at 20, becomes the youngest winner of the PGA Championship .
Manassero beats Simon Khan and Marc Warren in a playoff at Wentworth .
Ryder Cup stalwart Lee Westwood struggles on back nine and falls out of contention . |
37,217 | 69791cb758bcac15cf1ee47f5f9c28bdb4802190 | By . Jaymi Mccann . PUBLISHED: . 03:53 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:23 EST, 17 May 2013 . It is good news for wine lovers on a budget as British supermarket champagne came out top in an international blind taste test. Two £20 bottles of champagne from the Co-op and Asda have beaten rivals such as the £135 2005 Cuvee Amour De Deutz to win a . prestigious award in the annual wine 'Oscars'. The Co-op £19.99 Les Pioneers champagne and Asda’s £19.75 Extra Special Premier Cru Champagne won coveted Gold Medals in the IWC (International . Wine Challenge) awards. Cheers: 32 supermarket own brand wines won Gold Medals at the coveted award ceremony . Medals are given to the very best wines, regardless of price, after blind taste testing by an international panel of experts. That means they could be giving out a Gold Medal - the highest accolade - . to a supermarket wine costing less than a tenner or to an expensive . bottle of rare burgundy. The supermarket chain celebrated by . reducing the price of the non vintage bubbly to £16.99 for a limited . period until June 4th. The cut-price champers are named Les Pionniers after the Lancs town . 'pioneers' who founded the Co-operative Society 165 years ago. Supermarket value: Asda's Premier Cru champagne (left) beat the £135 a bottle Cuvee Amour de Deutz, 2005 (right) Ben Cahill, Co-operative Champagne buyer, said: 'Our Champagnes have . knocked spots off the competition, reflecting our commitment to . providing Co-operative shoppers with great-value, exceptional wines from . around the world. 'We work hard to ensure the high quality of our wine range, and to have . our Champagnes recognised in this way is a fantastic seal of approval.' A total of 32 Gold Medals were handed out to own brand wines from . British supermarkets including a staggering 13 gongs to Marks and . Spencer alone. The award winning M&S range included everything from a posh £50 . Italian barolo red wine and a £25 vintage port to a £6.49 Marsala. One of Tesco's five gold medals was for a £6.49 dessert wine while Sainsbury's picked up six Golds and Waitrose got five. Of the 32 supermarket wine winners, 13 cost less than a tenner. It was also a successful year for . English Wine, as three sparkling wines and a sweet white wine won Gold . Medals, and a further 19 wines won silver medals. IWC chairman Charles Metcalfe said: 'We are thrilled with the success of our supermarket wines. 'Quality wine should be accessible as well as great value and these Gold . medal winners demonstrate how the supermarkets are reacting to the . demands of the modern consumer.' 'More people are now choosing to spend a little extra on a wine which . they drink at home, and supermarkets are reacting to that changing . trend. 'In this time of austerity, consumers are looking for affordable quality . and supermarkets have definitely stepped up to the mark with their own . brand ranges.' The winning wines can advertise their Gold Medal success on their bottles which can be a major boost to sales. | £19.99 bottles of champagne from the Co-op and Asda won Gold Medals .
They beat more expensive rivals such as the £135 Cuvee Amour De Deutz (2005)
32 supermarket own brand wines won Gold at the International Wine Challenge . |
148,002 | 4b63aae2426f6c061781a3765afa458056f5a33b | An armed robber was caught after he dropped his gun and took off his balaclava to pick it up after attempting to hold up a London betting shop. It was as if the dozy robber had directly copied the move from Guy Ritchie's comedy 'Snatch' where two robbers remove their masks immediately after a flopped raid at a bookmakers. Derek Rossi, 58, tried to hold up the Ladbrokes in Holborn with a sawn-off shotgun hidden in an umbrella. Fail: Criminal Derek Rossi robbed a north London betting shop and then took off his balaclava outside in front of dozens of witnesses. Pictured here is a balaclava discovered at Rossi's home in Finsbury Park, north London . He carried out the attempted burglary at 8am on Monday November 4 last year at the betting shop located in the busy business area. When staff could not open the safe, Rossi fled the betting shop empty handed and then accidentally fired his antique shotgun. He then dropped the gun in the street during the raid and took off his balaclava to pick it up - before trying to flee on a bike. The Ladbrokes is located just . metres from Holborn underground station and on a busy commercial road next to outlets such as . Subway and Boots. When Rossi removed the balaclava, his face was seen by dozens of witnesses and Rossi, of Finsbury Park, north London, was arrested. Rossi was charged with attempted robbery and weapons offences, and pleaded guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court last Thursday. This shotgun was discovered at Derek Rossi's home in Finsbury park. The robber used a sawn-off off shotgun hidden in an umbrella for his attempted hold up . Shot gun cartridges and ammunition discovered at Derek Rossi's home. The robber held up a Ladbrokes in Holborn, London. When staff could not open the safe he fled the bookmakers and dropped his gun. To retrieve it, he removed his balaclava in front of dozens of onlookers before trying to flee on a bike. Rossi was arrested soon after . He is due to be sentenced later this month. Detective Inspector Scott Hartley, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a terrifying attack committed in broad daylight and Rossi gave no thought to his terrified victims and what he put them through. 'They have been left traumatised by the event of having a shotgun pointed at them and they both feared for their lives. 'Rossi showed an utter disregard for the victims and I can only but praise them for coming forward and assisting us with our investigation to ensure that a he is put behind bars.' The Ladbrokes held up by Rossi is located just metres from Holborn underground station and on a busy commercial road next to outlets such as Subway and Boots . We've seen that before: In Guy Ritchie's 2000 film, 'Snatch', two robbers attempt to hold up a betting shop but leave empty handed . Robbers in Guy Ritchie's film 'Snatch' also leave a betting shop they attempt to rob empty handed. They then remove their balaclavas in front of CCTV cameras. Rossi carried out a similar move when he took off his balaclava in front of onlookers outside the betting shop he had held up . | Derek Rossi, 58 attempted to rob a betting shop in Holborn, London .
Staff in the Labrokes could not open the safe .
Rossi left the scene and accidentally fired his gun before dropping it .
To pick up the weapon, the robber removed his balaclava .
His face was seen by dozens of witnesses and he was arrested . |
124,304 | 2cb06a82c8d79912f40dbb52b554e532726caddb | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 19:54 EST, 6 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:24 EST, 7 September 2012 . A terrified widow called for a priest . to cleanse her ‘evil’ house after she claims to have seen her dead . husband appear on her bedroom wall. Andrea Samuels said the strange shape on her wall and ceiling is her husband Brian, who died four years ago. The 41-year-old also claims her dead dog is calling for her beyond the grave in the bathroom of her Carlisle home. Haunted house: Andrea Samuels with the image on the wall she believes is her deceased husband Brian who died four years ago . Miss Samuels with the image she believes is of her dead husband, and right, a mark on the ceiling which she thinks is her dead dog . She called for Catholic priest Father Paul Dadson who used holy water to cleanse the property on Wednesday. Father Dadson, of St Bede’s Catholic . Church, confirmed the patches in the bedroom resembled a man and said . there was also a figure in the ceiling which resembled part of an . animal. Writing on the wall: The apparent image of Andrea Samuels' dead husband Brian, left, and a shrine to Princess Diana on another wall at her home . Andrea, who believes the animal in her . ceiling is her dead boxer Hoob, said her house has been the scene of . numerous inexplicable events. She claims brand new furniture has . broken, pictures have fallen off walls and that she has suffered . personal problems since the images first appeared. Andrea also believes that one of her pet birds, the aptly named 'Spirit', flew away after getting caught up in all the strange happenings. Her second bird, Spook, is now the only one that is left. Andrea, who was described as being in . ‘good psychological and emotional health’ by the priest, said: ‘I used . to have a beautiful house and it just went.’ Upon his arrival, Father Dadson scattered holy water around the building, blessed it and said some prayers. Miss Samuels with her bird Spook, which is now alone after the other one in his cage mysteriously flew away amidst the strange happenings at the home . Lonesome: Now that his friend has disappeared, Spook is all alone in the home, which has been the subject of strange noises and images appearing on walls . The end-of-terrace home in Carlisle where Miss Samuels has lived for ten years. Her husband died four years ago and a priest has now been summoned to cleanse the property . He arrived in Carlisle in January after working as a priest in Botswana and his native Nigeria for 13 years. He said this is the second time he has had to carry out this kind of spiritual cleansing in the city. He said: ‘I was there and saw . something on the wall which looked to me like some kind of image. 'From a . distance it appeared like the figure of a man. ‘In some houses things have been done, . maybe people have carried out some kind of sacrifice or other activity . that influences people with the forces of evil.’ Andrea, who has lived in her Carlisle . home for ten years, now hopes the blessing will help her to move on with . her life and says it has helped her discover her religious faith. | Andrea Samuels, 41, says shape on her wall is deceased husband Brian .
She also claims dead boxer Hoob appeared on her ceiling . |
206,581 | 97781b2ad72674213db5194199bb40a3b9eb1b94 | (CNN) -- A woman convicted in the 2002 kidnapping of Utah teenager Elizabeth Smart pleaded guilty in the attempted kidnapping of Smart's cousin a month later, court officials said Monday. In exchange for Wanda Barzee's plea of guilty but mentally ill to one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping, prosecutors dropped state charges against her in Smart's abduction, said Nancy Volmer, spokeswoman for Utah state courts. Barzee, 64, pleaded guilty in November to federal charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor in connection with Smart's abduction. As part of that plea agreement, she agreed to cooperate with the state and federal cases against her husband, Brian David Mitchell, federal prosecutors have said. Barzee and Mitchell were accused of abducting Smart, then 14, at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family's Salt Lake City home in June 2002. Smart was found nine months later, walking down a street in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy, Utah, in the company of Barzee and Mitchell, a drifter and self-described prophet who calls himself Emmanuel and had done some handyman work at the Smarts' home. The month after Smart was kidnapped, prosecutors alleged, Barzee and Mitchell attempted to break into the home of her cousin, but were unsuccessful. The girl was 15 years old at the time, according to CNN affiliate KSL. She is not named in court documents. "Mr. Mitchell's attempt was thwarted when the minor child awakened, which caused Mr. Mitchell to flee," the court documents said. Following her arrest in 2003, Barzee told authorities that she and Mitchell went to the home in order to abduct the girl, and planned to hold her, along with Smart, in the couple's camp in the mountains, according to court documents. Sentencing is set for May 21 on the state charge, Volmer said. Barzee faces between one and 15 years in prison, but prosecutors have agreed to allow that sentence to run concurrently with her federal sentence, according to court documents. Federal prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 15 years in prison for her in exchange for her cooperation against Mitchell. Federal sentencing was set for May 19, but a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors has said a sentence would not be imposed until Barzee's cooperation against Mitchell is complete. At the hearing in federal court, Barzee apologized to Smart, according to a transcript. "I'm greatly humbled as I realize how much Elizabeth Smart has been victimized and the role I played in it," she said. "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth, for all the pain and suffering I have caused you and your family. It is my hope that you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me one day." Barzee had been housed at the Utah State Hospital while courts determined her competency as well as Mitchell's. After years of being declared incompetent, she recently was declared competent to stand trial, according to the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper. A state court had ruled she could be forcibly medicated, and that ruling led federal prosecutors to proceed with bringing a case against the couple, the Tribune said. At a competency hearing for Mitchell in October, Smart, now 21, testified that she had been held captive in Utah and California. Just after her abduction, Mitchell took her to a wooded area behind her home and performed a mock marriage ceremony with her, she said. During the nine months of her captivity, Smart testified, no 24-hour period passed without her being raped by Mitchell. U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball has not yet ruled on Mitchell's competency. State court proceedings are on hold pending the outcome of the federal case. CNN's Ashley Hayes and Eliott McLaughlin contributed to this report. | In exchange for plea, Barzee's state charges in Smart's abduction have been dropped .
Prosecutors: Barzee, husband tried to kidnap Smart's cousin month after taking Smart .
Barzee, husband kidnapped Smart -- then 14 -- in Utah in 2002, prosecutors say .
Barzee already has pleaded guilty to federal charges in Smart's abduction . |
149,644 | 4d7e54addc118d658c8271316cf0b044b58759f0 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 08:48 EST, 14 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:27 EST, 14 November 2012 . The European Union would maintain Britain's £3billion rebate and make further cuts in overall spending in its next seven-year EU budget, according to its latest draft compromise drawn up ahead of a vital summit later this month.The proposals, made by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, could help appease Britain and other austerity-minded governments keen to limit their contributions to the union's finances, as the bloc tries to reach a deal ahead of a budget meeting on November 22 and 23.But further cuts - proposed by Britain, Sweden and others - to farm subsidies and development funds for poorer countries are likely to face opposition from France and former communist Eastern European states. Herman Van Rompuy: The EU President's proposals could help to appease the UK by offering the chance for it to retain £3billion . The European Union pays a refund of £3billion back to the UK on its contribution to the EU budget. 'The existing correction mechanism for the United Kingdom will continue to apply,' said a draft proposal sent to capitals late last night. Linked rebates for Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden would also remain, but Austria would lose its refund. The draft outlines further cuts of about 27 billion euros from a proposal drafted by the Cypriot EU presidency at the end of last month.The Cypriot plan already reduced the roughly 1 trillion euro ($1.3 trillion) budget proposed for 2014-2020 by more than 50 billion euros, meaning the overall reduction from the European Commission's original plan now lies at about 80 billion euros.That is unlikely to be deep enough to satisfy countries like Britain, Sweden, and the Netherlands, who are pushing for cuts of between 100-200 billion euros to the Commission blueprint. The European Parliament's demands for a 6.8 per cent increase in spending - despite the economic crisis - saw budget talks dramatically stall yesterday. Prime Minister David Cameron has signalled his refusal to approve the 9billion euro (£7.2billion) increase, insisting the EU should live within its means like families at home. Austerity-minded: David Cameron has warned that the EU cannot continue to increase spending . The deepest cuts in the latest proposal fall on EU cohesion funds used for building motorways, bridges and other infrastructure projects in less developed regions, which have been reduced by about 17 billion euros.Farm spending, which had been left largely untouched in the Cypriot compromise, is reduced by nearly 15 billion euros in the Van Rompuy proposal, including a cut of 8 billion euros in direct subsidies.France has long threatened to oppose any plan that reduces payments to farmers, which currently account for about 40 percent of all EU spending.But Britain, Sweden and others would like the EU to reduce spending on farm subsidies to free up funds for research, energy projects and other measures to boost economic growth.'The revised proposal means some small steps in the right direction but it's not enough,' Sweden's EU Minister Birgitta Ohlsson said in a statement on the proposals. 'We need a clear model for reducing agriculture subsidies.'The proposal from Van Rompuy also suggests that two-thirds of receipts from a new financial transaction tax planned by about a dozen EU countries should be paid directly to the bloc's budget, in return for an equivalent cut in those countries' national contributions.But the idea is unlikely to win the support of the countries involved. | Herman van Rompuy to appease London ahead of critical meeting by offering UK chance to keep £3billion .
Talks to secure a deal on the EU budget for 2013 ahead of next week's summit stalled yesterday as governments refused demands for extra money .
The European Parliament wants to increase spending even as countries adopt domestic austerity measures to tackle the economic crisis .
David Cameron has warned that the EU must start 'living within its means' |
234,916 | bc1588e19821a8008f0a5c99130a02b04eee7130 | Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. State Department has issued a travel alert for U.S. citizens in Europe, based on information that suggests that al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. Americans are warned to be aware of their surroundings and protect themselves when traveling. One senior U.S. official said earlier that in addition to the travel alert from the State Department, "U.S. military installations are taking prudent precautions. This is a serious situation." A separate U.S. official said the alert is being prompted by the volume of intelligence on possible terror threats, rather than new intelligence. It emerged last week that U.S. intelligence officials were looking at information about a possible "Mumbai-style" attack in cities across Europe. A United Kingdom security source said Saturday that it was not believed the expected U.S. alert was a result of new intelligence received in the last few days. But the source added that the intelligence related to the possible Mumbai-style attack was being looked at very seriously on both sides of the Atlantic. The security source said there are no plans to raise the terror threat level in the United Kingdom from severe to critical. A severe threat level means an attack is considered highly likely; critical means an attack is expected imminently. A possible backlash from the French burqa ban is considered a factor in the expected warning, the security source said. The French Senate recently approved a law banning veils that cover the face, including the burqa, worn by some Muslim women. Mumbai, the financial hub of India, was the site of a three-day terror attack two years ago that left more than 160 people dead. Ten men launched the carefully planned assault, targeting prominent sites such as the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, the Oberoi-Trident hotels, the historic Victoria Terminus train station and a Jewish cultural center. A U.S. law enforcement official told CNN Saturday that an advisory will likely be sent to law enforcement agencies around the United States after the travel alert is issued, "just to keep them in the loop." But the official added that current intelligence is about Europe rather than a threat in the United States. CNN's Elise Labott, Jeanne Meserve, Andrew Carey, Barbara Starr, Pam Benson and Carol Cratty contributed to this report. | NEW: State Department alert warns Americans in Europe to be aware of surroundings .
Not believed the alert is a result of new intelligence, security source says .
Alert comes in light of recent terror threat information . |
93,524 | 04472e00a95f745b8c84a9e877f4cc80ec1610b3 | By . Chris Wheeler . Follow @@ChrisWheelerDM . Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has rejected an offer to become the new coach of Brazil, according to reports in his native Chile. It has been claimed that Pellegrini was approached as the World Cup reached its climax on Sunday, 24 hours before Luiz Felipe Scolari quit following a calamitous end to Brazil’s bid to win the tournament on home soil. However, Pellegrini is said to have refused to enter into negotiations with the Brazilian FA, insisting that he wants to see out his three-year contract at the Etihad. Not interested: Manuel Pellegrini has turned down the chance to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari as Brazil coach . Successful: Pellegrini won the Premier League title and Capital One Cup in his first season in charge at City . The 60-year-old won the Premier League title and Capital One Cup during his first season in England. Pellegrini . and his squad are spending the week training at St Andrews in Scotland . before playing their second pre-season friendly against Hearts on . Friday. Director . of football Txiki Begiristain is also staying at the famous golf resort . although it is unclear whether the two men have discussed the alleged . approach from Brazil. VIDEO Brazil coach Scolari resigns . Out of a job: Scolari's contract was not renewed with Brazil after they finished fourth at the 2014 World Cup . Defeated: Scolari's reign ended in dismay with emphatic losses to Brazil and Holland . Popular figure: Pellegrini is well liked by Man City's star-studded playing squad . Pellegrini has wasted no time strengthening his squad this summer with the signings of Bacary Sagna on a free transfer from Arsenal, goalkeeper Willy Caballero from Malaga and they have been linked with defender Eliaquim Mangala from Porto. Winger Samir Nasri has also committed his future to the club, signing a new contract which will extend his stay at the Etihad until 2019. Arrival: Bacary Sagna has signed for Man City from Arsenal . Safe hands: Willy Caballero has joined City from Malaga . | Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini has rejected the chance to coach Brazil .
Luiz Felipe Scolari left after failing at finishing fourth at 2014 World Cup .
Scolari oversaw a 7-1 defeat to Germany and a 3-0 loss to Holland .
Pellegrini won Premier League and League Cup in first season in England . |
110,092 | 19f13465c2fcc0cecbb5dccd29e6c76a1ffe1d8e | Two men have been arrested in New Jersey on charges that they took part in kidnapping an Orthodox Jewish husband to force him to grant his wife a religious divorce. The thugs beat him and shocked him with a stun gun on his fingers and genitals. David Aryeh Epstein, 39, and Chaim Baruch Rubin, 32, of Lakewood are charged with kidnapping. Like father, like son: Last year Rabbi Mendel Epstein was arrested for allegedly offering to kidnap and torture husbands so they'd grant their wives divorces. Now his son, David Aryeh Epstein, 39, is accused of the exact same thing . Epstein is the son of Mendel Epstein, a 68-year-old Brooklyn rabbi who was accused of similar charges last fall. According to court documents unsealed Thursday, the uncooperative husband in the most recent case was also engaged in a contested divorce. During the summer of 2009, the husband separated from his wife and moved out of the family’s Brooklyn home. In November of the same year, as the victim walked to his car one evening after staying late at work, he was attacked by a group of men, the complaint says. The two suspects then abducted the husband dragging him into a van, bound with duct tape and zip ties before being brutally beaten and shocked with a stun gun. They they used an electric cattle prod on his genitals until he granted his estranged wife a Jewish divorce. Investigation: The arrests come after a lengthy investigation that started more than two years ago in the ultra-Orthodox community in Lakewood, New Jersey . Under Orthodox Jewish law, a wife cannot get a religious divorce unless the husband agrees to give her a 'get,' a document she needs for the divorce to go through. The men told the husband they 'were willing to do whatever needed to be done,' according to the affidavit, including breaking his bones. To show they were serious, they used a cattle prod to shock the husband's fingers and genitals. At some point during the beating, Rubin got in the front seat of the van. In January, the victim saw a photo of David Epstein and identified him as one of the men who attacked him. The complaint says a rabbi pointed a video camera at the victim, telling him to repeat the words needed for a get. After the victim refused, the driver began stomping on the victim until he agreed. The husband 'relented and recited the words as directed by the rabbi,' according to court documents. The victim, no longer religiously married, was driven to another location and tossed from the van. After finding his way to a house nearby, he called for help. He was taken to a local emergency room where he was treated for broken ribs, a bruised spine and other injuries. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Charged: David Aryeh Epstein, 39, and Chaim Baruch Rubin, 32, of Lakewood are charged with kidnapping . Both men appeared Thursday in federal court in Trenton and were released on $500,000 bail with home detention and electronic monitoring. David Epstein's father, Mendel Epstein, was charged in October 2013 with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, along with nine other people, accused of plotting to kidnap and torture an Orthodox Jewish man to force a religious divorce. Mendel and David Epstein were also implicated in the May 6 guilty plea of David Wax to similar charges. Wax, 51, of Lakewood pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit kidnapping in a 2010 case, authorities said. The . arrests come after a lengthy investigation that started more than two . years ago in the ultra-Orthodox community in Lakewood, New Jersey. | David Aryeh Epstein, 39, and Chaim Baruch Rubin, 32, are charged with kidnapping .
Epstein is the son of Mendel Epstein, 68, who was accused of similar charges last year .
Only Orthodox men can initiate divorce - not their wives . |
43,123 | 79a2f1557a7d65d9b75044d826adcf2703943283 | Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when he dropped to his knees in prayer after an interception, the NFL said on Tuesday. The league's rule book prohibits players from celebrating while on the ground, but spokesman Michael Signora wrote in an email on Tuesday that 'the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play.' The flag thrown in the fourth quarter of Kansas City's 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots on Monday led to criticism on social media, with many wondering how it was different from players such as former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow dropping to one knee in Christian prayer. Penalty: Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he dropped to the ground and performed the Sajdah (above) during Monday's game against the Patriots . Big play: Abdullah had just intercepted a pass from Tom Brady (above) and ran it back into the end zone . Further punishment: The NFL may also fine Abdullah (above) as well . Abdullah is a devout Muslim who took a year off from American football to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. He said after Monday's game that he knew before he even reached the end zone he would drop to his knees in thankful prayer after intercepting Tom Brady. After he slid to the grass in Arrowhead Stadium, yellow flags came flying from the officials. 'I don't think it was because of the actual prostration that I got the penalty,' Abdullah told The Associated Press afterward. 'It was because of the slide.' And that's precisely the explanation that Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he received from the game officials. They had no issue with the prayer, Reid said, only the celebratory slide. 'I'm pretty sure he (Reid) understands who I am, what my faith is,' Abdullah said. 'And again, the prostration is all right. It's the slide. Come to a full stop, get down, make the prostration, get up and get out.' Faith: Abdullah (above, with his son Jalaal) is a devout Muslim who fasts during Ramadan . Pilgrimage: Abdullah (above, with his son Jalaal) also sat out the 2012 season so he could visit Mecca during the Hajj in October . No response: Abdullah (above) has yet to comment on the call . The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil liberties and advocacy organization, issued a statement early Tuesday asking that the NFL take steps in response to the penalty. 'To prevent the appearance of a double standard, we urge league officials to clarify the policy on prayer and recognize that the official made a mistake in this case,' CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said. Reid didn't agree with the penalty, but he also didn't make much of it. 'When you go to Mecca,' he said, referring to the end zone, 'you should have the privilege to slide anywhere you want to slide. We have two priests in here. They will vouch for me.' Indeed, there were two pastors sitting in Reid's postgame news conference. Tebowing: Giving praise following touchdowns and major plays is common among many players in the NFL, most notably Tim Tebow (above) Abdullah is in his second year with the Chiefs after spending an entire season away from the game. He decided that, in the prime of his career, he would join his brother Hamza - who also was playing in the NFL at the time - to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Fifth Pillar of Islam is The Hajj, the pilgrimage that all Muslims are supposed to make once in their lifetime. Abdullah, who also fasts during Ramadan, told the AP in an interview last year the brothers wanted to make sure they did the pilgrimage while they still had the health and means to go. In the case of Hamza, it proved costly. He never got a shot to return to the NFL. | Husain Abdullah received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he performed the Sajdah on Monday night .
Abdullah intercepted a Tom Brady pass and returned for a touchdown .
NFL admit that Abdullah penalty was wrong and he should not have been punished . |
157,725 | 57f384e92fb846075e2efeb4056bcd3ee0f99ff6 | Roy Keane's and Sir Alex Ferguson's frosty relationship doesn't appear to have melted after the duo blanked each on a flight home from Paris to Manchester on Wednesday afternoon. The pair both boarded the flight AF1068, departing from Charles de Gaulle airport at 12.55pm, but failed to acknowledge each other throughout the duration of the one-hour-or-so journey. Keane and Ferguson had both been in the French capital to watch Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last 16 first leg 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea on Tuesday night. Roy Keane (left) and Sir Alex Ferguson blanked each other on a flight home from Paris on Wednesday . Ferguson had been in Paris to watch the Champions League first leg last 16 draw between PSG and Chelsea . Keane (centre right) was working as a pundit for ITV alongside ex-United team-mate Paul Scholes (centre left) Keane had attended the Parc des Princes clash as a pundit for ITV's coverage of the match, while Ferguson was in the stands watching as part of his work with UEFA. According to the Guardian, Keane sat impassively by the window with former United team-mate, and ITV pundit, Paul Scholes on one side as Ferguson sat three rows back on the other. The publication notes that Ferguson was the first to board the plane with his wife Cathy. As Keane eventually took his seat, it is reported that Mrs Ferguson gave her husband a nudge to indicate who had walked past. Ferguson (right) enjoys a chat with UEFA President Michel Platini during Tuesday's Champions League tie . But instead of greeting him, it adds that 'Ferguson took one look, narrowed his eyes and then lifted up his newspaper to continue reading the sports pages.' The hostile atmosphere is the latest episode in the two's long-standing feud since Keane sensationally left Manchester United in 2005. Both Keane and Ferguson have reported their version of events differently at how the former left the Old Trafford outfit in subsequent well-documented autobiographies - to the disdain of each. Prior to that the pair enjoyed a trophy-laden 12-and-a-half-seasons period as manager and player at Manchester United which included seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League crown. Ferguson (left) and Keane had enjoyed a trophy-laden 12-and-a-half-seasons at Manchester United . | Chelsea drew 1-1 away at PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday night .
Roy Keane was working as a pundit for ITV's coverage .
Sir Alex Ferguson attended the Parc des Princes as part of work for UEFA . |
184,060 | 7a69ad5a9903a76b280275d038f5b89405c89f69 | By . Amanda Williams . Police have seized one of the largest ever hauls of weapons found in London - including a Tommy gun, a Walther PPK and an Uzi submachine gun. The 30 firearms were found at an address in Leyton, east London, and include assault rifles, sawn-off shotguns and a large amount of ammunition. Metropolitan Police described the haul, seized during a raid on yesterday morning, as 'exceptional'. A huge arsenal of firearms have been seized by the Waltham Forest Gangs Task Force in one of the of the biggest gun seizures ever by the Metropolitan Police . The 30 firearms were found at an address in Leyton, east London, and include an Israeli made Uzi submachine gun . Metropolitan Police described the haul, seized during a raid on Wednesday morning, as 'exceptional'. This appears to be a sporting air pistol with an extended stock . The huge haul - seized in a dawn raid - also included handguns, including this gas operated Walther-style air weapon . Air rifles were also among the weapons found. The Met said Operation Trident detectives were investigating . This Thompson submachine gun, similar to those used by allied troops in World War Two, was also found . Acting Det Supt Gary Bruce said: 'Seizing guns has helped us vastly reduce gun crime across the capital. 'The size of the seizure is exceptional and the danger of the these weapons in the wrong hands cannot be overestimated.' A 51-year-old man was arrested at the address by the Waltham Forest Gangs Task Force and remains in custody. What appears to the remnants of an antique handgun was also discovered . Police described the size of the seizure as 'exceptional' A large amount of ammunition was also seized . The Met said Operation Trident detectives were investigating. The . Met police said in the past two years shootings have reduced by 40 per . cent in the capital and MPS and Trident officers have seized over 320 . firearms since April 2013. At the end of last month, officers were called to a shooting on Essex Road, in North London. A 23-year-old man was found at the scene on March 31 suffering from a suspected gunshot wound. Officers executed a search warrant after receiving intelligence about the property, they said . A 51-year-old man was arrested at the address by the Waltham Forest Gangs Task Force and remains in custody . The 30 firearms were found at an address in Leyton, east London . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The 30 firearms were seized in raid at an address in Leyton, east London .
Includes assault rifles, sawn off shotguns and large amount of ammunition .
Police described the haul as 'exceptional' - a man, 51, has been arrested . |
156,038 | 55b5769c48e87bbe27cb10bcfd6b0672eb05ff29 | Washington (CNN) -- An Internal Revenue Service official involved in a 2010 conference cited for wasteful spending said Thursday no rules were broken and no fraud occurred, though he acknowledged that video parodies, fancy hotel suites and other excesses funded by taxpayers never should have happened. "It's embarrassing, and I apologize," said Faris Fink, the IRS official who portrayed the Mr. Spock character in a training video for the conference that parodied the "Star Trek" television show and films. Fink told a congressional hearing that new federal regulations would prevent such a video and conference from occurring today. However, he said planners "followed IRS and government procedures that were in place at the time." He also noted that an inspector general's audit that revealed high hotel bills and other wasteful spending for the $4.1 million cost of the conference found no fraud occurred. "In hindsight, many of the expenses that were incurred at the 2010 conference should be been more closely scrutinized or not incurred at all," said Fink, a 32-year IRS veteran. His testimony under oath to the House Oversight Committee followed fierce criticism from the panel's top Republican and Democrat. IRS puts two on leave over lavish 2010 conference . GOP Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa of California called the waste by the agency that collects taxes from the public "maliciously self-indulgent." He noted that in some cases, IRS workers who received employee benefits from the conference failed to file W-2 forms for the income, saying "the IRS effectively was guilty of tax evasion." The panel's ranking Democrat, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, berated Fink for wasting the money of people who earn less in a year than the cost of the "Star Trek" parody video. Insisting he found "no redeeming value" from the video, Cummings cited examples of working people in his neighborhood, such as a hotel cleaning woman he saw at the bus stop on Thursday morning. "That is her money, the one who makes $35,000, that's her," he told Fink. "The gentleman up the street from me who makes $45,000 hauling trash. That's their money and so, it was wasted." Thursday's hearing was the seventh in recent weeks on controversies at the IRS. The others focused mostly on the targeting of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status that was uncovered in a separate inspector general's audit made public last month. Despite the public displays of outrage by legislators, Issa and Cummings conceded that such wasteful IRS spending on conferences and travel no longer occurred due to government reforms. "It's not a new occurrence and many of these things may not be happening today," Issa said, while Cummings credited both the committee and the Obama administration for taking effective action in response to a similar spending scandal involving the General Services Administration that was uncovered in 2011. Partisan views of IRS targeting: Political conspiracy or overzealous scrutiny . On Wednesday, the IRS announced it has placed two employees on administrative leave in connection with the Anaheim, California, conference in 2010. Daniel Werfel, the acting IRS commissioner appointed by President Barack Obama last month to clean up the mess at the agency, said Thursday the move was a step toward firing the two employees, who have not been identified. In his report on the conference spending made public on Tuesday, Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George said the IRS spent taxpayer dollars on everything from event planners' commissions to speakers' fees to guest prizes to parody videos. "Questionable expenses" comprised much of the budget, according to George's report, which also said $3.2 million to pay for the conference expenses came from unused funds allocated for hiring. The August 2010 conference, held by the Small Business/Self-Employed division, had 2,600 attendees at three hotels in Anaheim. Fink said the conference provided valuable training for new managers at the time, despite what he called inappropriate spending. That didn't satisfy the legislators from either party, who questioned how IRS employees notorious for being sticklers on compliance with the law did not realize or protest the excess and waste of the conference. Democratic Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia called the problem "a culture of arrogance and a real tin ear to the concerns of the public that pays the bill" rather than something criminal. Gregory Kutz, an official in the inspector general's office who helped conduct the spending audit, agreed with Connolly, telling the panel it didn't appear to be fraud but rather "a case of people who lost sight of the fact they were spending taxpayer money." While outrage over the wasteful spending was bipartisan, both sides sought to score political points on Thursday. Issa, a leading GOP messenger in efforts to depict the Obama administration as government gone wild, complained of a "culture without whistle blowers" in the federal government and referred specifically to the targeting scandal his panel also is investigating. He wondered out loud how many IRS workers involved in the improper targeting could have benefited from better training and more staff paid for by the money spent instead on the Anaheim conference. Cummings, meanwhile, noted that IRS spending on conferences doubled during the final years of the GOP Bush administration, when the nation headed into recession. "It would be legislative malpractice if we don't figure out what happened there," he said. Some Republicans sought to link the IRS controversies to Obama's health care reform law, pointing out the tax agency will enforce compliance with requirements for people to purchase health insurance. GOP Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina said the problem was a "cultural, systemic, moral, character" issue at the IRS that no amount of training would solve. Noting that people now will submit health information to the IRS, which already has their financial information, Gowdy said "those are details we don't share with people we do trust." Cummings took exception with such remarks, saying that the misdeeds of some at the IRS didn't impugn the 90,000-employee agency or its ability to do its work. "I don't buy this because we had some bad players, we can't do the job," he said, asking Werfel if the IRS was up to the task of taking on the health care law's mandate. "Yes," replied Werfel, saying the IRS has reached all key milestones so far in preparing for its new responsibilities and adding he would be "very active in this area because it's one our critical operational priorities." On the targeting issue, Werfel said the agency and the inspector general would soon be providing additional information on groups seeking tax-exempt status that came under extra scrutiny. In the inspector general report last month, an IRS unit that handles applications for tax-exempt status was found to be using criteria that included conservative labels such as "tea party" to target groups for extra questioning. Republicans contend the targeting was political discrimination, but the report blamed poor management in dealing with unclear regulations and an increased workload rather than a political motivation. Latest on the IRS inquiry . CNN's Dana Bash and Ashley Killough contributed to this report. | NEW: New IRS head says more information coming on targeting .
A House committee looks at wasteful IRS spending at a $4 million conference in 2010 .
An inspector general's report disclosed the spending on hotels, gifts and parody videos .
The hearing is the seventh by Congress in recent weeks on IRS controversies . |
22,614 | 403227c140f9b4bb572774d92d778c981f86e6f9 | By . Andy Dolan and Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 18:24 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:54 EST, 4 April 2013 . Mick Philpott’s ‘shameless’ lifestyle was fuelled by a welfare system which encouraged him to have children for the benefit money they generated, Ann Widdecombe said yesterday. The former Government minister, who spent a week living with the Philpott family for a television documentary, said the father of 17 treated his offspring as ‘meal tickets’. The former Tory Home Office Minister spoke amid a debate over the welfare system’s role in fostering families such as the Philpotts, as sweeping Government reforms aimed at halting a ‘culture of dependency’ come into force this week. Scroll down for video . Meal tickets: The former Government minister spent a week living with the Philpott family for a television documentary . She was backed by councillors in Philpott’s home city of Derby and a local MP, Nigel Mills, in blaming the benefit system for encouraging Philpott’s dysfunctional family set-up. But the Philpotts’ MP, Labour’s Margaret Beckett, said the family were not reflective of benefit claimants in general. Philpott raked in tens of thousands of pounds a year in child benefit, working family tax credits and the wages of his wife and mistress, Lisa Willis, 29, who both worked as cleaners. In the 2007 documentary Ann Widdecombe Versus The Benefit Culture, the then MP found Philpott three jobs but he failed to keep any of them. She said yesterday the ‘prime purpose’ of Philpott’s children was to ‘serve his convenience and provide his benefits’. Conman: Ann Widdecombe said she was appalled by a state system which allowed a man to live in this way . In the 2007 documentary Ann Widdecombe Versus The Benefit Culture, the then MP found Philpott three jobs but he failed to keep any of them . She branded Philpott’s attempts to portray himself as a devoted father and house husband a pathetic con. She said: ‘I’m appalled by what happened to the children and that now wipes out everything else, but before this happened I was appalled by a state system that allowed a man to live in this way so blatantly. 'He tried to portray himself as a house husband, but that was nonsense, he didn’t do anything.’ Conservative councillor Mick Barker, who represents the Oakwood ward at Derby City Council, said: ‘You might think the Philpotts were dysfunctional, but believe me, they were not exceptional and not unique. ‘Everyone in the police knew of Mick and the fact he was using his children to live a life of luxury on welfare, but he was one of dozens of people the authorities dealt with every day who did the same thing.’ Childline founder Esther Rantzen joined neighbours and former friends of the Philpotts in criticising social services for failing to intervene in the family over the decade Philpott lived with his wife, lover and the children. She said Philpott’s history of domestic abuse and the ‘pernicious’ impact violence, fights and arguments would have had on the children should have been enough for them to have stepped in. Derby City Council has refused to comment on the extent of its involvement with the family ahead of a serious case review, but has admitted the children were ‘not subject to child protection plans or legal orders’. For more video from This Morning's coverage of the Philpott trial click here. | Former Home Office minister spoke amid a debate over the welfare system .
She blamed the benefit system for encouraging dysfunctional family set-up .
Labour’s Margaret Beckett said the family were not reflective of benefit claimants .
Philpott raked in tens of thousands of pounds a year in child benefit, working family tax credits and the wages of his wife and mistress . |
242,249 | c58ca359a225ff2cad2e4102d35ff85d0dba96d8 | Los Angeles police are looking into a possible connection between a Canadian porn actor suspected in the mutilation of a university student and the killing of a California man who was dismembered in the same grisly manner. In January, a woman walking on a hilltop trail near the famed Hollywood sign discovered a freshly severed head. Police scoured the area and found human hands and feet and identified the victim as Hervey Medellin, 66. Parts of Medellin's body are still missing. Officer Cleon Joseph of the Los Angeles police said reporters have asked detectives whether Medellin's killing was linked in any way to Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, suspected of killing Chinese student Jun Lin in Montreal. The sick fascination with a death video . Joseph said police do not have any evidence that establishes a connection between the two crimes. Montreal police told the Toronto Sun newspaper that Magnotta may have been in Los Angeles at the time of Medellin's killing. After a massive manhunt, Magnotta was arrested Monday in a Berlin Internet cafe. He is awaiting extradition to Canada to face first-degree murder charges. In the grisliest Montreal crime in years, police say they suspect the porn actor killed and dismembered Lin and posted a 10-minute video of it online. Montreal police Cmdr. Ian Lafreniere said the video shows Magnotta engaged in sexual acts involving body parts and also included evidence of cannibalism. Police say they believe Magnotta sent Lin's body parts by mail to political party headquarters in Ottawa and two schools in Vancouver, British Columbia. Magnotta then fled Montreal for Europe. Lin's distraught family traveled from their village in China to Montreal this week. Lafreniere said the family had little money and people had stepped up to help. On Friday, Concordia University, where Lin was studying, announced the Jun Lin Family Fund, which will absorb funds from the Lin Jun Rest in Peace Foundation announced by the Chinese consulate in Montreal a day earlier, university spokeswoman Christine Mota said. The Jun Lin Family Fund will provide financial assistance to the Lin family, and the school is also creating the Jun Lin Award to benefit Chinese students studying at the university after the family said they wanted something good to come out of Lin's killing, Mota said. "The outpouring of offerings have been tremendous," Mota said. "Calls and letters from Texas, California, Hong Kong -- people with no relation to the university -- read about this and want to do something." | University where dismembered victim studied sets up funds in his honor .
Police are looking into possible ties between two grisly crimes .
Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing and mutilating a Chinese student .
Hervey Medellin was killed and dismembered in Los Angeles . |
143,657 | 45c603485ba0e9db0fdf8d7be028f4a040922846 | Cristiano Ronaldo was back in Real Madrid training after his stoppage-time winner earned Portugal three points in Denmark in midweek. The World Player of the Year, who scored in the 95th minute to earn his country a 1-0 win on Tuesday, looked fresh and relaxed on his return to club duty ahead of a huge week for Real. The Spanish giants face Levante on Saturday in La Liga, before travelling to Anfiedl to play Liverpool on Wednesday and then hosting Barcelona next weekend. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates wildly after nutmegging James Rodriguez . Cristiano Ronaldo is put through his paces on his return to Real Madrid after a tiring international break . The Portuguese star enjoys a joke during Real Madrid training ahead of Saturday's clash with Levante . Ronaldo and Bale go for a run ahead of what is a huge week for Real, with Liverpool and Barcelona coming up . France internationals Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane are both ill and will miss the Levante clash. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said the striker and defender 'woke up with fever and won't be available.' Raphael Varane (left) and Karim Benzema (right) both played for France this week but are now ill . Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will keep faith with Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, despite criticism . Toni Kroos puts the disappointment of Germany's draw with Ireland behind him as he returns to Real Madrid . Ancelotti also said that Iker Casillas will start in goal at Levante despite being benched for Spain's most recent European Championship qualifier after his poor performance in his country's defeat to Slovakia. Madrid are in fourth place in the Spanish league, trailing leaders Barcelona by four points. Madrid's attacking trio of Ronaldo, Bale and James Rodriguez all had successful international breaks . Arsenal target Sami Khedira was back in training as Real prepared to travel to Levante . | Cristiano Ronaldo scored stoppage time winner for Portugal this week .
World Player of the Year returns for Real Madrid ahead of big games .
Real play Levante on Saturday before games with Liverpool and Barcelona .
Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane both miss out through illness . |
10,963 | 1f33512374256921d139832672ff7c9462ad625e | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 06:09 EST, 10 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:47 EST, 11 June 2012 . Prince Charles is the people's choice to succeed the Queen and take over the throne as King, a poll has revealed. Before the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, William was the country's preferred choice to be the next king. But in a dramatic shift of mood, Charles is now considered to be the best person to take over the throne. Popular: Prince Charles is the people's choice to succeed the Queen and take over the throne as King, a poll has revealed. He is pictured paying a moving tribute to 'Mummy' after Monday's Diamond Jubilee concert . Turnaround: A fortnight ago, Prince William was the favoured successor to the Queen. But since the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Prince Charles is now the most popular choice. This could be because of his witty speech in praise of the Queen . The boost in Prince Charles' popularity may have been helped by his witty and emotional speech in praise of his mother at the close of the Diamond Jubilee Concert last Monday. His opening word – ‘Mummy’ – earned him rapturous cheers from the crowd as the Queen looked on delighted. As he drew to a close, he led the audience in giving three cheers for the Queen, before kissing her hand affectionately and adding: ‘So Your Majesty we offer you our humble duty and with it three resounding cheers for our Majesty The Queen!’ Next generation: Just a fortnight ago, 44 per cent of people said they preferred Prince William to be the next king . Another reason could be the way in which he stood in for his father, Prince Philip, who was hospitalised with a bladder infection which caused him to miss a large part of the Jubilee celebrations. The figures a fortnight ago revealed that 44 per cent of people preferred William to be the next king. This was compared with 38 per cent who preferred Charles. But since the successful Jubilee celebrations the figures have exactly reversed, according to a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times. The last time Charles was favoured to be the successor to the Queen was in 2005. Previously, he has struggled to shake off the perception among some members of the public that he is stuffy and pompous. But this has gradually altered over the years, thanks largely to his ideas for reform. He is believed to have been talking privately to aides for a number of years about a stripped-down monarchy - something which was demonstrated last week when the core members of the Royal family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the final day of the Jubilee celebrations. The Queen appeared with Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Just Prince Philip was missing as he was being treated in hospital for his illness. The poll also revealed that William remains as popular as the Queen with 86 per cent of people considering them to be an asset to the royal family. Prince Philip yesterday celebrated his 91st birthday quietly with his family after spending five nights in hospital. He was discharged from the King Edward VII Hospital in central London on Saturday after being treated for a bladder infection. When asked if he was feeling better, the Duke of Edinburgh replied: ‘I wouldn’t be coming out otherwise.’ Buckingham Palace said he would ‘continue his convalescence’ at home but could not confirm if he would accompany the Queen to a garden party at Sandringham tomorrow. The Duchess of Cambridge polled 81 per cent with Prince Harry slightly behind - but still popular- on 75 per cent. Reflecting the astonishing success of the Jubilee celebrations, 33 per cent of people said they feel more proud to be British following last weekend's events. A total of 29 per cent also said they felt more positive towards the royal family since the Jubilee celebrations. During Charles' popular speech last Monday, he paid tribute to ‘the life and service of a very special person’. He told the Queen: ‘A Diamond Jubilee . is a unique and special event, some of us have had the joy of . celebrating three jubilees with you, and I have the medals to prove it. ‘And we're now celebrating the life and service of a very special person, over the last 60 years. ‘I . was three when my grandfather George VI died and suddenly, . unexpectedly, you and my father's lives were irrevocably changed when . you were only 26. ‘So as a nation this is our opportunity to thank you and my father for always being there for us. ‘For inspiring us with your selfless duty and service and for making us proud to be British.’ Stripped back: Prince Charles is believed to be in favour of a slimmed-down monarchy. Just the core members of the royal family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the final day of the Jubilee celebrations . Success: Since the Jubilee celebrations, 33 per cent of people said they feel more proud to be British . Supportive: A total of 29 per cent of people also said they felt more positive towards the royal family since the Jubilee celebrations . VIDEO: Prince Charles meets the Romanian PM and is treated to a mini Jubilee celebration . | 44 per cent of people polled want Prince Charles to be king compared to 38 per cent for Prince William .
Prince Charles' witty speech in praise of his .
mother at the close of the Diamond Jubilee Concert may have boosted his popularity .
Poll also reveals that William remains .
as popular as the Queen with 86 per cent of people saying they are an asset to the royal family . |
11,505 | 20b5f455609d57b8b427c54afe5df40e067d62ad | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Sada Jacobson may be a world champion fencer with three Olympic medals, but dressed in a T-shirt and sweats, she looked like any other student getting a lesson at the gym. Olympic medalist Sada Jacobson says "a little hard work, a little luck and some guidance" makes a champion. She grabbed her saber, pulled down her mask and started sparing with her long-time coach, Arkady Burdan, at the Nellya Fencers facility in Atlanta, Georgia. "I've been doing this for 10 years," remarked Jacobson, 25, a first-year law student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. "I never anticipated that this is where my life would take me, and it has been an amazing trip." This year alone, that trip has taken her to competitions around the world from Algiers, Algeria, to Havana, Cuba, and eventually to Beijing, China, where she claimed two Olympic medals. Watch Sada Jacobson on the move » . About a dozen young fencers gathered around her during a break from their own lessons to take a close look at Jacobson's silver and bronze medallions. She passed around another bronze medal that she earned at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Jacobson isn't one to brag, but she's happy to serve as a role model for the next generation of competitive fencers. She said all it takes to be a champion is "a little hard work, a little luck and some guidance." Jacobson was inspired to pursue fencing by her own father. David Jacobson was a member of the 1974 U.S. National Fencing team. Her mother and two younger sisters also participate in the sport. She blushed when her father stepped into the group of children admiring her medals and reminded them that Sada "started out just like you guys." Sada Jacobson played down her abilities. "The beauty of this sport is that anyone can do it," she said. "It's such a mental game that you can use any kind of physical attribute to your advantage." There are three types of fencing: epee, foil and sabre. Jacobson specializes in sabre. "Sabre is analogous to a sprint," she explained. "It's very fast, very powerful. It's over very quickly, and you have to put a ton of energy into changing your momentum." While preparing for the Olympics, Jacobson spent countless hours cross training and working on agility exercises. Unlike other sports, Jacobson called fencing an asymmetrical workout. "You are constantly in an unnatural body position," she said. "It's very lower-body specific, so you need really strong legs, but you also need to be very quick and light on your feet," she noted. The physical preparation was only part of her focus. She also studied countless videotapes of her opponents in competition in an effort to mentally outsmart them. Burdan, her coach, described the sport as a form of "physical chess." He said that Jacobson has outstanding technical skills but that she's also one of the best fencers in the world because she uses her brain to strategize during a match. That's helped her during the past five years as she captured medals in more than two dozen World Championship, World Cup and Grand Prix competitions. She arrived at the Beijing Olympics ranked No. 1 in the world. When she returned to Atlanta after the Olympics, the entire team from the Nellya club was there to greet her at the airport. Seeing that kind of hometown support "was a truly amazing feeling," she said. One of her admirers is Matthew Tennant, 12, a budding fencer. He knows that it is going to take a lot of hard work and practice to match Jacobson's accomplishments. "It's kind of cool that she's been in the Olympics," he said. "You know, it's not every day you get to meet a famous person." Jacobson may be famous but not enough to forget where she got her start or to know when it's time to hang up her saber. "I'm retiring," she announced. "My coach thinks I'm going to make a comeback, but I'm committed to doing some other stuff." The other "stuff" includes plans to get married next year and finishing law school. "I enjoy coming back and seeing everyone and fencing for fun," she said. "But I think this is it for me." | Sada Jacobson, world champion fencer, is happy to serve as a role model for kids .
Jacobson: Fencing is an asymmetrical workout, with body in unnatural position .
Fencing is "physical chess" where brain must strategize during a match . |
80,178 | e33aa32b365839c37f2c63953de5e01479946913 | Asuncion, Paraguay (CNN) -- Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo continued to purge the top ranks of the nation's military Friday, removing the armed forces' commander. Lugo fired the commanders of the country's army, air force and navy on Wednesday. The armed forces commander, Rear Adm. Cibar Benitez Caceres, had been the only top official to survive Wednesday's dismissals. Lugo has given no reason for the firings, publicly denying rumors of a coup plot. Benitez Caceres will be replaced as armed forces chief by Brig. Gen. Juan Oscar Velazquez Castillo, the president's executive order said. The handover ceremony was scheduled to take place Friday afternoon. The military held a ceremony Thursday for the new army, navy and air force commanders. Lugo did not attend. Brig. Gen. Bartolome Ramon Pineda Ortiz was installed as the new army commander. Brig. Gen. Hugo Gilberto Aranda Chamorro took over the top post at the air force and Rear Adm. Egberto Emerito Orie Benegas, at the navy. Benitez had said at Thursday's swearing-in ceremony that other changes would be coming in the lower ranks, but denied there was any truth to talk of a coup. Some opposition politicians said Friday that Lugo, a leftist, is trying to install military commanders more in tune with his political and ideological leanings. Opposition Sen. Enrique Gonzalez Quintana was quoted in the Neike.com digital newspaper as saying Lugo has an agenda similar to that of leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Paraguay's history is filled with unstable transitions of power since it emerged in 1989 from Gen. Alfredo Stroessner's 35-year dictatorship. There were attempted coups in 1996 and 2000, and President Raul Cubas resigned amid controversy in 1999. Friday's military shakeup is the fourth since Lugo took office. The former Catholic bishop was elected to a five-year term last year, bringing an end to six decades of one-party rule in Paraguay. But the goodwill did not last long. In April, Lugo admitted that he fathered a child while he was still a priest and that he may have fathered more. Three women have accused him of fathering a child. The revelation, which came as a shock to most, hurt his political image. Calls for his resignation began, and have continued as Lugo has struggled to push reforms through a majority-opposition legislature. Oppositions lawmakers, who say Lugo also has been ineffective in battling the nation's crime wave, are trying to impeach him. | Paraguay's president revamping military commands .
President Fernando Lugo fired military branch commanders earlier this week .
Opposition says Lugo trying to bring leftist agenda to military .
Military shakeup is fourth since Lugo took office . |
262,377 | dfdc76c8786cb0489f0c58c85cea53e3db8a6ab0 | (CNN) -- One question that policymakers might have overlooked in trying to come up with a long-term strategy toward North Korea is this: Could the Hermit Kingdom be the next Myanmar? Myanmar, widely known by its former name of Burma, was once a pariah, but it has surprised almost everyone by becoming a Western investor's dream. While there are significant differences between Myanmar and North Korea, there are similarities that prompt the same Southeast Asian investors who correctly predicted Myanmar's turnaround to be optimistic about North Korea's future. Until recently, Myanmar's only ally was China. For over a decade, the international community placed sanctions on Myanmar for its human rights violations, including the house arrest of the prominent activist Aung San Suu Kyi. But the junta drastically changed direction and endorsed a U.S. road map for reform -- a process that led to the U.S. lifting its export ban in September. Today, an emancipated Suu Kyi is working with the new government on reforms, and Westerners carrying suitcases of cash (sometimes literally) are looking to invest in the country. There are many good reasons to turn to Myanmar. The country has plenty of fertile land for agriculture, an abundance of precious stones and large reserves of oil, gas, coal and metals. Office rentals in some parts of Yangon, the former capital, exceed those in central Tokyo. Children who used to beg on the streets have been spotted selling copies of the investment law (in Burmese and English). Myanmar's transformation is partly because of the leadership realizing that overreliance on China jeopardized the country's national security. The government prioritized diversifying its trading counterparts, and the detente began. An over-dependence on China could become a big issue for North Korea, too. China props up North Korea with aid and diplomatic support. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the Middle Kingdom provides North Korea most of its energy needs and consumer goods and nearly half of its food supplies. But despite the support, the North Korean leadership often ignores Beijing's requests. North Korea conducted its third nuclear test in February despite China publicly asking it not to so. Economic and political pressures do not work well on North Korea's leadership because its central ideology of Juche, translated as "self-reliance," produces a very negative reaction to outside pressure. This stems from an underdog psyche resulting from centuries of kowtowing to strong Chinese and Japanese neighbors. When the regime feels provoked, it often acts in the opposite direction to demonstrate its independence. For China, being ignored by North Korea is an embarrassment. China's strategy is a combination of reprimand with ongoing economic engagement, hoping that its influence will change North Korea's mind. Meanwhile, North Korea's leadership is aware of its ever-increasing reliance on China, and the Juche ideology may catalyze diversification -- as in Myanmar. And like Myanmar, North Korea would have an appeal to investors. It, too, has large deposits of undeveloped mineral wealth, estimated by the South Korean government to be worth $6 trillion. The country also boasts a cheap labor force, with even higher literacy rates than Myanmar. There is one big difference between the two countries -- the attitude of the people toward the West. Even when the U.S. had sanctions on Myanmar, the people weren't taught to hate America. A steady stream of propaganda, however, has left North Koreans with a negative view of the United States. But the recent celebrated visits of Americans such as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and former NBA Star Dennis Rodman show the appeal the U.S. still has -- and the soft power it can leverage. While the State Department criticized Schmidt, saying the timing wasn't "particularly helpful," the timing was in fact telling. Even while going head-to-head with the U.S. on the world stage, a representative of U.S. capitalism was heralded inside North Korea. Of course, soft power strategies are difficult to employ while tensions are high. Since the nuclear test in February, North Korea has threatened to strike at U.S. bases in Asia. It has closed the joint North-South Kaesong Industrial Zone and declared a state of war with South Korea. These are actions that cannot be ignored. But in deciding a response, it's important to understand how the leadership is thinking -- and what the future could hold. In the meantime, it's the China-North Korea relationship that the savviest of Southeast Asia investors are watching most closely. Maybe North Korea could learn valuable lessons from Myanmar. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Kim and Daniel Freedman. | John Kim and Daniel Freedman: Could the Hermit Kingdom be the next Myanmar?
Kim, Freedman: Myanmar surprised everyone by its reforms, and Western investors responded .
They say North Korean leadership may not want to rely solely on China for its needs .
Kim, Freedman: Visits to North Korea or interactions with its people should be encouraged . |
259,122 | db68947e6fb10cbd4e0142837a26fe2fe0b361b9 | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Wearing a plaid green A-line spring skirt from her new fashion line, paired with a black patent leather belt and black leather gladiator sandal stilettos, "Sex and the City" actress Kristin Davis is the perfect combination of sweet and fierce when we meet up after her fashion show at the Belk department store in Atlanta, Georgia. Kristin Davis surrounded by models and Belk store official Arlene Goldstein. It's a look that totally says her character, Charlotte, with a little bit of screen pal Carrie. Davis is so much like her character, adorable and upbeat, I expect Carrie or Samantha to drop in on our conversation and say something to shock her. As any true fan knows ... OK ... as every woman knows, watching "Sex and the City" was like being front row at a fashion show with a plot. TV show and movie costume designer Patricia Field dressed the characters in haute couture as they skipped down the streets of New York City in $600 stilettos. But is this reality? Most sane women wouldn't choose to walk even one city block in high heels. And most women certainly can't spend a month's rent on a belt or bag, even if they have a truly fabulous party to wear it to. So, what about us, the fashionistas on a budget? Are we to be ignored, forced to wear boring clothing and practical shoes? Luckily, no; designers are catching on. Target features affordable lines from high-end designers like Alexander McQueen and Isaac Mizrahi. All of the pieces in Sarah Jessica Parker's clothing line Bitten cost less than $20 before the clothing store that carried them went under. Davis is the latest celebrity to jump on the clothing label bandwagon, designing a line for Belk department stores. Will she meet the same fate as Parker? Davis has the following to be successful. Although her character was by far the most conservatively dressed (Carrie strolling through town in just a bra top, anyone?), she had the most wearable wardrobe, and Davis became a fashion icon along with the rest of the ladies. Her favorite piece from her line? "I can't decide, impossible to choose!" she says. So I choose for her: definitely the gladiator heels. "It's important for women to have a strong shoe," she says. "Then you can wear anything on top. With a strong shoe on, you're good to go." She admits she didn't have a defined style before meeting Field, who bluntly told her that "Sexy Secretary" was going to be her look. Davis' philosophy is a good one: Stick with what works. She takes the look that Field defined for her "Sex and the City" character. Original it's not, but everything coming down the runway is something the stylish Charlotte York would definitely wear. Davis is in touch with all of us real women out there, saying, "I don't want to make clothing that only skinny actresses could wear." Her solution? Dresses, shoes and swimsuits worthy of a "Sex and the City" episode that you don't need Park Avenue pockets to afford. It's versatile enough to look good on every body type. "Everyone has body issues. I really wanted to create pieces that looked good on different kinds of bodies. I had all of my family members trying on the outfits!" she says with a laugh. Davis won't spill any secrets from the scripts of the "Sex and the City" movie sequel, which comes out in May 2010, but she admits it's a "happy" movie. She does hint that our famous foursome might have to cut back a little on their clothing expenses as art imitates life. And she's willing to share some fashion tips: How to look like you stepped out of the wardrobe room on the set of the next "Sex and the City" movie? Green. "It's THE color" she says. And hey, who doesn't need to save some green? It all works out perfectly. I left the meeting with Davis to check out her displays. Then I skipped out into the streets of Atlanta, in a pair of her new gladiator stiletto sandals. That I got on sale, of course. | "Sex and the City" actress Kristin Davis says women need strong shoes .
The actress says her new fashion line fits different types of bodies .
She says "Sex" movie sequel will have characters spending less .
Green will be the hot color in the latest movie, Davis says . |
78,693 | deefe6d2715c967c2c9ec3d5c9fe4b8fe2486d2f | Most parents can’t wait to fill their Facebook pages with endless snaps of their newborn baby or tiny toddler. And now taking pictures of your child has never been easier, thanks to the new Baby Selfie app created by software developer and doting father Matthew Pegula. Attracting your baby’s attention with rattling sounds you can custom yourself, and animal pictures, once the smartphone is picked up and touch detected, it takes the picture in colour and stores it on your phone. Software developer Matthew Pegula used his six-month-old daughter (left) as the 'face' of his Baby Selfie smartphone app (pictured here) Matthew Pegula, pictured here with his baby daughter, created the Baby Selfie app . Pegula, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a software developer and founder of photo sharing app Hitchedpic, used his six-month-old daughter as the face of Baby Selfie. He tells Charlotte Lytton of The Daily Beast that he wanted to facilitate a . 'mash up' of his roles at work and home by creating the app. 'Baby . Selfie started out as a much more ambitious project that was going to . try to determine when a baby was smiling, and report back to parents . what the baby liked,' he says. The Baby Selfie app attracts the baby with sounds and pictures, then automatically snaps and stores a photo . 'But as I was working on that, the much . simpler idea of Baby Selfie arose, and seemed like a good starting point . to gauge interest.' The . app, which costs 60p to download to any Smartphone with a front-facing . camera, describes itself as ‘peek-a-boo with a camera twist' and uses customisable drawings and fun . sounds to grab your baby's attention and 'surprise' them. The images and sounds capture the baby’s reaction, producing what Pegula says will be a 'unique, unexpected photo that you’ll love to . share.’ Using rattling sounds, which you can custom design using the smartphone’s settings, animated pictures of owls, puppies and other animals will appear to attract the baby’s attention. Once they touch the screen, the camera identifies where your baby is and takes a quick snap. A message then pops up on your homescreen so you know how many photos were taken, and where they are stored (Baby Selfie automatically saves them to your phone’s gallery). Pegula told the Washington Post that he expected some ‘eye-rolling’ from cynics. 'Hopefully people realise it’s all in good fun and can provide parents with some fun photos,' he said. 'I think it’s good because it engages parents and babies with the screen, it’s not really something where you can park your kid in front of it and walk away.' In an age where we are seemingly obsessed by selfies (and pet selfies, butt selfies, exercise selfies...), it was only a matter of time before the Baby Selfie was invented. But Pegula is quick to point out that the app is more of a hobby for him than a solid investment. 'No one is getting rich off of Baby Selfie,' he told The Daily Beast. 'We've sold enough to buy my daughter a box or two of Pampers so far, so I'm happy with the results of my little weekend project.' Baby Selfie may be the first tool for photo-loving youngsters, but it's just part of the growing trend of apps to help ease pregnancy and parenthood. Bellabeat Global, . a 'pregnancy social platform,' is currently being developed in the US . and will allow users to share their baby's heartbeat. Meanwhile Oogababy . the self-proclaimed 'Instagram for babies,' allows parents to chart . everything from new pictures to their child's weight, height and head . circumference. | Matthew Pegula, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, created the 'Baby Selfie' app .
Smartphone app attracts your child using sounds and animated pictures .
Once they touch the screen, the camera detects baby's face and takes snap . |
240,707 | c39f5cfd51a2652223ab1ebdd9187626ede267f1 | A bizarre phenomenon was spotted over Britain this week which looked like someone had punched a hole in the sky. However, experts at the Met Office say the hole was in fact a holepunch or fallstreak cloud. This atmospheric phenomenon is believed to be caused by a combination of both mother nature and man. Experts say this pattern was probably caused by ice crystals forming round an aeroplane . For . the fallstreak hole to begin, cirrocumulus or altocumulus must contain . super-cooled water which cannot freeze without a tiny particle to first . cling to. Scientific . opinion as to what finally causes the ice to form and begin to . crystallize in the atmosphere has only solidified in recent years as . meteorologists have become more certain that airplanes flying through . the clouds start the process. Air passing along propeller blades . or wings expands and cools rapidly. The ice crystals begin to form and . after the plane is long gone - the crystals can still be seen where . they've dropped down below the cloud. What's left above the drifting ice particles is a round hole in the cloud that can sometimes be very large. #ufo? A strange cloud formation that hovered above Southern California in May was a fallstreak cloud . If the sun catches the particles at just the right angle, another . phenomenon called a sun dog can form as a bright patch of colored light . hovering in the sky. This photograph was taken by Marc Eilbeck and posted on Twitter. Nicole Maxey, from the Met Office, said: 'This is a holepunch or fallstreak cloud. 'It forms when part of the cloud layer forms ice crystals which are large enough to fall. 'This happens in clouds of supercooled water droplets – water that is below 0°C but not yet frozen. 'These water droplets need a tiny particle, a nucleus, to freeze or to be cooled below -40°C. 'Aircraft punching through this cloud layer can cause air to expand and cool as it passes over the aircraft wings or propeller. 'This change in temperature can be enough to encourage the supercooled droplets to freeze and fall from the cloud layer in this distinctive pattern.' | Experts at the Met Office say the hole is a holepunch or fallstreak cloud .
Atmospheric phenomena believed to be caused by mother nature and man .
Ice crystals form around planes which then begin to drop out of the sky . |
252,123 | d24e1c850a474f20c6579a7d23538a6fe2af342d | If the Curiosity rover had been sent to Mars in ancient times, it might have found itself sinking in a stream. The 2,000-pound super-rover, which made its now-legendary landing on Mars on August 6, has come across stones in conglomerate rock suggesting that water must have flowed there in the past. One such rock outcrop is called Hottah, after Hottah Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories. It looks like someone took a jackhammer and lifted up a sidewalk, said John Grotzinger, lead scientist for the Curiosity mission, at a press conference Thursday. The consensus is that "this is a rock that was formed in the presence of water," Grotzinger said. "We can characterize that water as being a vigorous flow." In and around this bedrock, Curiosity has come across rounded gravels. The rocks appear to have been subjected to a sediment transport process, carried by either water or wind, said scientist Rebecca Williams of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. The gravels seem too large to have been transported by wind, meaning it's likely that this is a stream bed. A second rock outcrop, called Link, holds similar evidence. Scientists used data from Curiosity and the orbiters at Mars to enhance their understanding of the area. The water flowing in these rock formations was probably somewhere between ankle and hip deep, said Curiosity science co-investigator William Dietrich of the University of California, Berkeley. What we've done on Mars, and what's next . Scientists believe the water and sediment flowed down the crater into an alluvial fan -- a geological formation created by material that water transports. At least intermittently, this fan appears to have extended down to the area where the rover landed. It's hard to say how long ago this water flowed -- an estimate would be "thousands to millions of years," Dietrich said. Previously, scientists have used data from past Mars missions to speculate about channels on the planet, and whether water could have flowed in them. This is the first direct observation of streambed material, Dietrich said. There are no plate tectonics on Mars, meaning the planet does not have moving plates underneath the surface that cause quakes. So why does this Hottah rock formation look the way it does? Grotzinger hypothesizes that "Somewhere near this outcrop, a small impact occurred and lifted the beds up and rotated them," he said. Read more about space and science on CNN's Light Years . The rover did not employ any of its chemistry tools to examine the area; rather, scientists made their judgments about the rocks based on photos. Curiosity is now three-quarters of the way between Hottah and Glenelg, its next official stop. Glenelg was chosen as a target because it has three types of terrain, including layered bedrock, making it a potentially interesting place for Curiosity to try out its drill. An unsolved mystery is whether life could have been supported on Mars. Water is a necessary ingredient, but an energy source and carbon are also essential. Curiosity can detect organic molecules and tear them apart to deliver details about them back to Earth, but they would still not be definitive evidence that life existed. Such molecules can come from nonliving sources, and Curiosity doesn't have the technology to make that distinction. That will have to wait for another mission. This rover's ultimate destination is Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-high mountain with layers of sediment that will provide more opportunities to search for organic molecules. Curiosity recently tested out its contact instruments on a rock called Jake Matijevic. It used its Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument to touch the rock, and the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to take close-up photos. Another instrument, ChemCam, shot laser pulses at the rock and finished its testing on Monday. The $2.6 billion mission is slated to last for two years, but previous rovers have far outlasted their estimated lifetimes. The Spirit rover operated from 2004 to 2010, and the Opportunity rover has been chugging along since 2004. These twin rovers had initial mission periods of only 90 days. Meet a Mars rover driver . | The Mars rover Curiosity finds stones suggesting past water flow .
In bedrock are rounded gravels too large to have been moved by wind .
Scientists believe water and sediment flowed down the crater of an alluvial fan .
The mystery is whether Mars could have supported life remains unsolved . |
197,431 | 8b87100d95a953783930ee3bce384635834e287d | Newcomers to Northern Territory roads might be surprised to find themselves overtaking BIGNOSE, tailgating YOLO, or feeling inferior to ADONIS. Cars just have more personality in the NT, and one woman was so taken with the personalised number plates that she has collected a gallery of almost 10,000 and published a book displaying some of the best. Number Plate Stories of the NT was launched in Darwin on Wednesday by Irish-born Vivien Joseph, who moved to the top end in 2011 after a redundancy and immediately began tracking the plates. Scroll down for video . One of almost 10,000 personalised plates in the Northern Territory documented by author Vivien Joseph . Ms Joseph has launched her book, Number Plate Stories of the NT, after spending three years documenting the wildly popular form of self-expression . 'It was the first thing that caught my attention. It's one of the most loveable things about the NT,' Ms Joseph said. Personalised plates in the NT only cost about $178, a fraction of the $500 or so they cost in other states. Ms Joseph thinks affordability is a key factor, as well as the quirky, non-conformist attitude of Territorians. 'The stories are always surprising,' she said. Many plates are references to family in-jokes and nicknames, such as the multi-generational plates of the Butt family: Dad is HEDBUTT, Mum is MYBUTT and their son is, simply, BUTT. Personalised plates in the NT only cost about $178, a fraction of the $500 or so they cost in other states . Ms Joseph thinks the quirky, non-conformist attitude of Territorians is a another key factor in the popularity of the plates . A reference to a central joke in the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy . Businesses also exploit the advertising potential: Look no further than SMILEDR the dentist, HITMAN the pest controller, or POOGURU the plumber. Even the NT Police are on the bandwagon, with WATCHNU. Ms Joseph has spotted ASUWISH, from a Princess Bride fanatic, and BADNANA, whose grandchildren bought her the plates after she snuck alcohol into an Elton John concert. Deciphering the plates has become a fun way to pass what are often long stretches in the car. There's the coffee-loving CAFIEND and the resigned YESDARL. You might see the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy fan who reminds motorists of the ultimate answer to all questions in the universe with LIFE 42. Businesses also exploit the advertising potential, such as this plumbing company . This is an example of a local pest controller . Deciphering the plates has become a fun way to pass what are often long stretches in the car. Vivien Joseph thinks affordability is a key factor in the popularity of the plates, as well as the quirky, non-conformist attitude of Territorians . There are the ultra-macho, such as PWRFUL, GOTNADS, and REDBALL, a ute which proudly dangles a set of red plastic testicles. There's the pink Hyundai TICKLED, and the red Suzuki jeep PUNKROK, which incongruously bears a Team Edward Twilight sticker. Cruising the streets of Darwin, one might be exhorted to COPTHAT, COMEON, CRANKIT, JAMIT, or be charmed by FULISIK and BOGAN. 'Is it that when you move up here you become a bit bolder, a bit more creative? Is it that the spirit of things up here makes you feel freer to do things that are more fun? I don't know,' said Ms Joseph, aka PL8LADY. You can check the official website here . | Vivien Joseph collected a gallery of almost 10,000 number plates .
The plates only cost $178, while they cost $500 or so in other states .
The plates are based on nicknames, family jokes and business advertising .
Ms Joseph said the plates are a a sign of the quirky attitude of Territorians . |
22,032 | 3e878a1219d3772780fed1646496326a3e8edf0c | Employees at a Texas industrial plant where four died of toxic poisoning last November may have been exposed to potentially deadly gas for years, new findings suggest. State records obtained by the Houston Chronicle indicate that the DuPont factory in La Porte, Houston, reported regular malfunctions with its multimillion-dollar exhaust and ventilation systems in 2009 and 2010 but nothing was done to resolve the problem. Based on these disclosures, it's believed that factory staff could have been subjected to dangerous levels of methyl mercaptan - a sulphurous-smelling colorless gas which can irritate the skin, eyes and lungs. Employees at a Texas industrial plant where four died of toxic poisoning last November may have been exposed to potentially deadly gases for years, new findings suggest . Repeated exposure may cause damage to the liver and kidneys or affect the blood cells causing anemia. High levels can cause loss of consciousness and death. As much as 600 parts per million of methyl mercaptan an hour could have filled a poorly ventilated room at the DuPont facility, according to estimations. But federal guidelines say workers shouldn't be exposed to more than an average of 10 ppm per day of the gas, which is used to manufacture crop-protection products such as insecticides and fungicides. Four employees at the DuPont plant died after being exposed to methyl mercaptan during a hazardous leak on November 15. A fifth worker was hospitalized and later released after being held for observation. Jeff Suggs, emergency management coordinator for La Porte, said the chemical release was not toxic for those living nearby, but that it caused a smell that's similar to rotten eggs. State records obtained by the Houston Chronicle indicate that the DuPont factory in La Porte, Houston, reported regular malfunctions with its multimillion-dollar exhaust and ventilation systems in 2009 and 2010 but nothing was done to resolve the problem . Federal officials and the state agency are still investigating the incident. DuPont declined to comment on its workers' potentially prolonged exposure to the gas in light of the new findings. 'Considering individual issues in isolation or speculating can lead to inaccurate conclusions,' DuPont spokesman Aaron Woods said. 'DuPont is committed to maintaining the integrity of ongoing investigations. To that end, it is premature for us to comment or provide additional information outside of these processes.' The La Porte plant has more than 300 DuPont employees. Four other companies are also tenants at the complex. | Newly-obtained state recordsindicate that the DuPont factory in La Porte, Houston, reported regular malfunctions with its ventilation systems .
However, nothing was done to resolve the problem for more than five years .
As much as 600 parts per million of methyl mercaptan an hour could have filled a poorly ventilated room at the DuPont facility, according to estimations .
But federal guidelines say workers shouldn't be exposed to more than an average of 10 ppm per day of the gas .
Four employees at the DuPont plant died after being exposed to methyl mercaptan during a hazardous leak on November 15 .
Federal officials and the state agency are still investigating the incident . |
280,147 | f6ec53655b7c679bb95d69f4f8d99d016013f9fd | By . Chris Foy . Follow @@FoyChris . England are confident Joe Launchbury will be galvanised by the shock of being initially dropped for the third Test against New Zealand on Saturday to make light of the late withdrawal of Geoff Parling. The tourists were forced into a late reshuffle by the loss of Parling, who was unable to shake off a hamstring strain which has hampered him this week. The Leicester lock was identified by head coach Stuart Lancaster as the team’s leading forward in the first two Tests and Andy Farrell conceded that his absence will be keenly felt. Passing muster: Joe Launchbury (second left), in training in Hamilton, will replace Geoff Parling in the pack . In the running: Launchbury (centre) sprints during England's training session in Hamilton . VIDEO Lancaster explains seven third-Test changes . ‘He's been in great form and leading very well from the front as far as the forward pack is concerned,’ Farrell said. ‘He was struggling at the beginning of the week and did everything he possibly could to get right, but he isn't right to play at Test match intensity. 'It's a big loss for us but we have good cover in that position and a couple of hungry boys waiting to do the job for us tomorrow.’ The cover in the starting XV is Launchbury, but the young Wasps second row has struggled during the Tests in Auckland and Dunedin, which led to him being removed from the team for this match, to be replaced by Courtney Lawes. Lancaster claimed that the 23-year-old is tired at the end of a long season but Parling’s injury has presented him with an unexpected opportunity to end the tour on a high and Farrell is optimistic he can do that. ‘Joe was gutted to not be starting the match,’ he said. ‘From the reviews, he knows the reasons why, he's licked his wounds a little bit and has a chance to start. I'm sure we'll get more out of him because of that initial disappointment. He's champing at the bit and raring to go.’ Grabbing the opportunity with both hands: Launchbury has been backed to take his chance by Andy Farrell . M Brown (Harlequins); C Ashton (Saracens), M Tuilagi (Leicester), K Eastmond (Bath), M Yarde (Harlequins); F Burns (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath); C Lawes (Northampton), J Launchbury (Wasps); T Wood (Northampton), B Vunipola (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins. capt). Substitutes: R Webber (Bath), M Mullan (Wasps), K Brookes (Newcastle), D Attwood (Bath), B Morgan (Gloucester), L Dickson (Northampton), D Cipriani (Sale), L Burrell (Northampton). After the All Blacks named their line-up for Saturday’s game at Waikato Stadium, head coach Steve Hansen mischievously suggested that England are in a tactical ‘quandary’, after, ‘tThey took us on in Dunedin playing a game of real pace and worked out they couldn’t’. Farrell was asked to respond to the remark and hit back by saying that it followed accusations that England had tried to employ stalling tactics in the series opener. ‘Well, we didn't try to slow the game down in the first Test and they thought that was our tactics and now they say we’re trying to speed the game up and can’t do that,’ he said. ‘The reality is that the game always takes its own path and we’ve got to be in control of our own game and we want to play quick at the right times, be composed at the right times and slow things down when needed. We’ll be ready for either way of playing.’ The England squad watched their football counterparts lose to Uruguay early on Friday morning, local time, and Farrell admitted that they were ‘gutted’ by the outcome. But they are convinced that they can lift the spirits of the nation’s sports fans and finish this promising tour with the victory they crave. Gutted: Farrell and the England squad were left disappointed by the footballers' defeat by Uruguay . | England forced into late reshuffle by Parling's hamstring strain .
Parling a 'big loss' but that has given Launchbury another chance .
England coach Andy Farrell hits back at All Blacks' Steven Hansen .
England watched footballers lose 2-1 to Uruguay in World Cup . |
107,279 | 1660aa1c8dfd25aa7e7a9fdcab749b857e568efb | A Brazilian rent boy whose claims of drug-fuelled sex forced a Tory MP to quit as a minister's aide says he will name another Westminster client. Rogerio Santos contacted a publicist this week claiming he wants to reveal details about another Conservative politician in exchange for a large sum of money. Last year the male escort's allegations about Mark Menzies led the MP to resign as private secretary to the then International Development Minister Alan Duncan. Brazilian rent boy Rogerio Santos, whose claims of drug-fuelled sex forced a Tory MP to quit as a minister's aide, says he will name another Westminster client . The new claims about an as yet unidentified MP are also believed to involve sex and illegal drugs. A source told the Daily Mirror: 'Mr Santos is very convincing. He wants to speak out again – but only for the right price.' The rent boy, 20, claimed the second Conservative was a 'colleague' of Mr Menzies. The source added that the new allegations would heap pressure on Mr Menzies, who plans to run again in Fylde, Lancashire, in May. The Brazilian said he and Mr Menzies met on a gay escort website and claimed the politician had given him a tour of the Houses of Parliament before allegedly offering to pay him £250 for a two-hour session. He insisted that Mr Menzies, who was one of David Cameron's 'A-listers' at the 2010 General Election, asked him to supply him with mephedrone – also known as M-Cat and Meow Meow. Last year the male escort's allegations about Mark Menzies led the MP to resign as a minister's aide . Possession of the Class B drug became a criminal offence in 2010, however no charges were brought against the MP or Mr Santos. The escort, who returned to Sao Paulo, Brazil, because his student visa had expired, made the claims to the Sunday Mirror in March last year. Mr Menzies worked for Alan Duncan, pictured . He said at the time: ‘I have been having sex with a Conservative MP for money. Mark also asked me to buy mephedrone. I have messages of him talking to me about drugs. ‘We met very regularly over the last 18 months. He took me to the Houses of Parliament. Recently, he has been asking me to buy drugs. I have SMS messages and photographic evidence.’ Mr Santos is also reported to have a photograph of Mr Menzies next to a plate of mystery white powder. Discussing the picture, Mr Santos said: ‘There is a plate of mephedrone. He asked me if I could buy methedrone. He had many drugs, a lot of drugs.’ He also claimed that he had received a text from Mr Menzies in which the MP asked ‘What underwear you have?’, and another in which he told the rent boy to meet him in south London and ‘bring sexy underwear’. The Tory MP said at the time: ‘I have decided to resign as a Parliamentary Private Secretary after a series of allegations were made against me. 'A number of these allegations are not true and I look forward to setting the record straight in due course.’ | Brazilian escort says he will name Tory MP he claims to have had sex with .
Rogerio Santos alleged last year that he had sex with Mark Menzies .
The then ministerial aide was forced to quit over drug-fuelled sex claims .
Santos, 20, wants large sum of money to reveal details about second MP . |
126,488 | 2f7846b1a6e47ecf2ad0139eddd52d9de880e249 | Mario Balotelli needs to score more goals, according to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers. The Italian forward joined the club from AC Milan this summer in a £16million deal but has so far failed to live up to his billing. While Rodgers admits Balotelli is working hard and trying to build his fitness, the former Swansea boss says the 24-year-old will ultimately be judged on his scoring record. Mario Balotelli started on the bench for Liverpool's recent Premier League match against West Brom . Former Manchester City star Balotelli poses with his PumaxBape range of clothes, boots and bags . Rodgers said: 'I think in terms of his behaviour since he's come into here, into the training, he's consciously trying to work hard at the aspects of the game of which we would demand here at Liverpool in terms of his intensity and that work rate. 'I think in terms of goals he needs to improve. It's as simple as that. 'As a striker, not just him but any striker or attacking player, you're judged on your goals and your games and the number of assists that you make. 'Of course at this moment he hasn't probably hit the numbers that he would want to.' The former Manchester City star posted a string of photos on his Instagram account of himself modelling the new PumaxBape range. Rodgers admitted that, as a striker, Balotelli will always be judged on the number of goals he scores . Former Southampton captain Adam Lallana scored his first goal for the club in the 2-1 win over West Brom . VIDEO Conte picks Pelle as Balotelli ignored for Italy . | Mario Balotelli joined Liverpool in the summer .
While the Liverpool striker has scored, his form has been poor .
Balotelli was left out of latest Italy squad .
Brendan Rodgers says he needs to score more goals . |
28,144 | 4fca060f51de655ea2f0078adc856eb51463cc18 | By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:00 EST, 26 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 27 December 2012 . While the U.S. stares over the 'fiscal cliff' and $536 billion in tax increases for all Americans, President Obama and the House of Representatives have been accused of acting like kindergarten students engaged in a dangerous dare of 'who goes first'. President Obama returned to Washington D.C. after cutting short his Christmas vacation and the Senate is going back into session, but the Republican ruled House is still out on recess as the deadline of January 1st looms that could damage a still fragile recovery. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner informed Congress on Wednesday that the government was on track to hit its borrowing limit on Monday and that he would take 'extraordinary measures as authorized by law' to postpone a government default. Scroll down for video . U.S. President Barack Obama walks across the South Lawn upon his return to the White House today in Washington D.C. President Obama returned to Washington under pressure to forge a year-end deal with Republicans to avoid the tax hikes and spending cuts of the fiscal cliff . Still, he added, uncertainty over the outcome of negotiations over taxes and spending made it difficult to determine how much time those measures would buy. In recent days, Obama's aides have been consulting with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid's office, but Republicans have not been part of the discussions, suggesting much still needs to be done if a deal, even a small one, were to be struck and passed through Congress by Monday. At stake are current tax rates that expire on Dec. 31 and revert to the higher rates in place during the administration of President Bill Clinton. All in all, that means $536 billion in tax increases that would touching nearly all Americans. Moreover, the military and other federal departments would have to cut $110 billion in spending. This chart shows a snapshot of how single people in different income groups will be affected by the U.S. stepping off the fiscal cliff . The fiscal cliff tax burden for married people is shown here in this graph . President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One to return to Washington to deal with the looming fiscal cliff that the U.S. is staring over . But while economists have warned about the economic impact of tax hikes and spending cuts of that magnitude, both sides appear to be proceeding as if they have more than just four days left. Indeed, Congress could still act in January in time to retroactively counter the effect on most taxpayers and government agencies, but chances for a large deficit reduction package would likely be put off. House Republican leaders on Wednesday said they remain ready to negotiate, but urged the Senate to consider or amend a House-passed bill that extends all existing tax rates. In a statement, the leaders said the House would consider whatever the Senate passed. 'But the Senate first must act,' they said. Aides said any decision to bring House members back to Washington would be driven by what the Senate does. Reid's office responded shortly after, insisting that the House act on Senate legislation passed in July that would raise tax rates only on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. Meanwhile, Obama has been pushing for a variant of that Senate bill that would include an extension of jobless aid and some surgical spending reductions to prevent the steeper and broader spending cuts from kicking in. President Barack Obama greets base visitors and personnel before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington on December 26th from Hawaii . For the Senate to act, it would require a commitment from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell not to demand a 60-vote margin to consider the legislation on the Senate floor. McConnell's office says it's too early to make such an assessment because Obama's plan is unclear on whether extended benefits for the unemployed would be paid for with cuts in other programs or on how it would deal with an expiring estate tax, among other issues. What's more, House Speaker John Boehner would have to let the bill get to the House floor for a vote. Given the calendar, chances of accomplishing that by Dec. 31 were becoming a long shot. Amid the standoff, Geithner advised Congress on Wednesday that the administration will begin taking action to prevent the government from hitting its borrowing limit. In a letter to congressional leaders, Geithner said accounting measures could save approximately $200 billion. That could keep the government from reaching the debt limit for about two months. But if Congress and the White House don't agree on how to avoid the "fiscal cliff," he said, the amount of time before the government hits its borrowing limit is more uncertain. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is going to unveil 'extraordinary measures' in efforts to avoid the nation triggering the debt ceiling . 'If left unresolved, the expiring tax provisions and automatic spending cuts, as well as the attendant delays in filing of tax returns, would have the effect of adding some additional time to the duration of the extraordinary measures,' he wrote. Whenever the debt ceiling hits, however, it is likely to set up yet another deadline for one more budget fight between the White House and congressional Republicans. Initially, clearing the way for a higher debt ceiling was supposed to be part of a large deal aimed at reducing deficits by more than $2 trillion over 10 years with a mix of tax increases and spending cuts, including reductions in health programs like Medicare. But chances for that bargain fizzled last week when conservatives sank Boehner's legislation to only let tax increases affect taxpayers with earnings of $1 million or more. Obama and his aides have said they would refuse to let Republicans leverage spending cuts in return for raising the debt ceiling. But Republicans say the threat of voting against an increase in the limit is one of the best ways to win deficit reduction measures. Another potential showdown is pending. A renewed clash over spending could come in late March; spending authority for much of the government expires on March 27. The U.S. Treasury Department will begin taking steps this week to delay hitting the government's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit, or else the debt limit would be hit on Dec. 31, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said WednesdayThe U.S. Treasury Department will begin taking steps this week to delay hitting the government's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit, or else the debt limit would be hit on Dec. 31. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a letter Wednesday to congressional leaders that the department will take several accounting measures to save approximately $200 billion. The government borrows about $100 billion a month, so that typically would keep the government from reaching the limit for about two months. The move comes as President Barack . Obama and the GOP congressional leadership are locked in negotiations . over how to avoid a series of tax increases and spending cuts, known as . the 'fiscal cliff,' that are scheduled to take effect next week. Congressional . officials said Wednesday they knew of no significant strides toward a . compromise over a long Christmas weekend, and no negotiations have been . set. After conferring . on a conference call, the House Republican leadership said they remain . ready for talks, but gave no hint they intend to call lawmakers back . into session unless the Senate first passes legislation. 'The . lines of communication remain open, and we will continue to work with . our colleagues to avert the largest tax hike in American history, and to . address the underlying problem, which is spending,' the leadership said . in a statement. Obama . has sought to include an increase in the borrowing limit in the talks. But Speaker John Boehner and other Republican leaders have demanded . concessions in return. The negotiations hit a stalemate last week and . Obama and lawmakers are returning to Washington this week to resume . talks. Geithner says it is harder to predict how long the delay will last because ongoing negotiations over tax and budget policies make it hard to forecast what tax revenue and government spending will be next year. The borrowing limit is the amount of . debt the government can pile up. The government accumulates debt two . ways: It borrows money from investors by issuing Treasury bonds, and it . borrows from itself, mostly from Social Security revenue. The move comes as President Obama and the GOP are locked in negotiations over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. Obama is pictured (second right) with Geithner (far left), House Speaker John Boehner (second left) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (right) In 2011, Congress raised the limit to nearly $16.4 trillion from $14.3 trillion. Three decades ago, the national debt was $908 billion. But Washington spent more than it took in, and the debt rose steadily — surpassing $1 trillion in 1982, then $5 trillion in 1996. It reached $10 trillion in 2008 as the financial crisis and recession dried up tax revenue and as the government spent more on unemployment benefits and other programs. In August 2011, the rating agency Standard & Poor's stunned the world by stripping the U.S. government of its prized AAA bond rating because it feared that America's dysfunctional political system couldn't deliver credible plans to reduce the federal government's debt. S&P decried American 'political brinksmanship' and concluded that 'the differences between political parties have proven to be extraordinarily difficult to bridge.' A year and a half later, the two political parties are still as deadlocked as ever. Despite S&P's warnings and the political stalemate, investors still want U.S. Treasurys. Given economic turmoil in Europe and uncertainty elsewhere, U.S. government debt and U.S. dollars look like the safest bet around. That is why the interest rate, or yield, on 10-year Treasury notes has fallen from 2.58 Aug. 5, 2011 to 1.75 percent Wednesday. | The President has returned to the Capitol from his Christmas vacation in Hawaii to deal with the looming fiscal cliff which will be triggered on Monday when the U.S. debt ceiling is hit .
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner however has told Congress that the president's administration would take 'extraordinary measures' to avoid the tax increases .
The inability to make a decision has been likened to a group of kindergarten children playing a dare game of 'who goes first' |
202,455 | 9218b6f4e5fba5da206be66c85f168da92b31abe | (CNN) -- Park Ji-sung headed a second half winner as Manchester United beat bitter rivals Liverpool 2-1 to reclaim top spot in the English Premier League on Sunday. Spanish international striker Fernando Torres gave Liverpool a shock fifth-minute lead at Old Trafford, but Wayne Rooney quickly equalized from the penalty spot. The goal came in controversial circumstances with Javier Mascherano's foul on Antonio Valencia appearing to start outside the area. Rooney's initial spotkick was saved by Pepe Reina, but the England striker continued his rich scoring vein by hitting home the rebound in the 12th minute. In a second half of few openings, South Korean star Park dived to power home the winner on the hour mark from man of the match Darren Fletcher's superb cross. Torres, who had started and finished the move to put Liverpool ahead, fluffed a great chance to equalize in the the last minute, but his shot ballooned high and Yossi Benayoun could only head it straight at Edwin van der Sar. The win takes United two points clear of Arsenal on 69 points after 31 games. Third-placed Chelsea were later held to a 1-1 draw at Blackburn to be four points adrift, but with a game in hand. It was another setback for Chelsea, who were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter Milan in midweek. Didier Drogba gave Carlo Ancelotti's men an early lead at Ewood Park as he neatly converted Nicolas Anelka's cross, but they were unable to press home their advantage. El-Hadji Diouf equalized for the home side in the 70th minute when he rose above Paulo Ferreira to cleverly direct Michel Salgado's cross past Petr Cech. Fletcher claimed their earlier victory over Liverpool, who are battling with Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa for the final Champions League spot, had put the pressure on Chelsea. "The team that puts the most consistent run to the end of the season will probably be the champions," Fletcher told Sky Sports. United's city rivals Manchester City also enjoyed a crucial 2-1 win on Sunday as they beat Fulham at Craven Cotage. Fulham were feeling the effects of their famous win over Juventus in midweek and fell behind to first half goals from Roque Santa Cruz and Carlos Tevez, who starred for the visitors. Fulham captain Danny Murphy pulled one back from the spot in the 75th minute but they could not force an equalizer. City move above Liverpool into fifth place, two points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham, but with a game in hand. | Park Ji-sung heads a second half winner to give Manchester United 2-1 win .
Fernando Torres puts Liverpool ahead with Wayne Rooney leveling from spot .
Victory sees United reclaim top spot in the English Premier League .
NEW: Chelsea held 1-1 at Blackburn and are four points adrift with a game in hand . |
147,016 | 4a1b044055c0e88f73d0a5f80f3fa2d41beb72e3 | (CNN) -- More than two weeks after a factory collapsed in Bangladesh, trapping workers in a mangled concrete heap, the death toll has surpassed 900. Authorities pulled more bodies from the rubble, bringing the number of people killed to 931, Bangladesh's national news agency BSS reported Thursday. The April 24 collapse occurred in Savar, a suburb of the capital, Dhaka. Rescue workers saved more than 2,400 people in the aftermath of the collapse, but have focused on using heavy machinery to uncover bodies buried beneath the ruins. The building, which housed five factories full of garment workers, caved in, burying hundreds of people in a heap of concrete. It is the South Asian nation's deadliest industrial disaster. The owners of the building and the factories are under investigation over accusations they ordered workers to enter the premises on the day of the collapse despite cracks in the structure the day before. Bangladesh's $20 billion garment industry accounts for 77% of the country's exports. Among those caught up in the finger-pointing after the building's collapse are Western retailers and clothing brands that Bangladeshi suppliers say put heavy pressure on prices, resulting in bad pay and conditions for workers. Eight killed in Bangladesh garment factory fire . | NEW: The death toll rises to 931, according to Bangladesh's national news agency .
Rescue workers save more than 2,400 people in the aftermath of the collapse .
The building, which housed five factories, caved in, burying hundreds in a heap of concrete .
It is the South Asian nation's deadliest industrial disaster . |
136,110 | 3c190a7ff566ee7b44e4cebf7d1685b0a2d530da | (CNN) -- Celebrated on November 11 every year, Veterans Day honors men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. The date marks the anniversary of the end of World War I -- which ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918. Here are some more facts behind the holiday. By the numbers . 21.5 million: The number of military veterans in the United States in 2011. 1.6 million: The number of female veterans in 2011. 2.3 million: The number of black veterans in 2011. Additionally, 1.2 million veterans were Hispanic; 264,695 Asian; 153,223 American Indian or Alaska Native; 27,469 Native Hawaiian or Other PacificIslander; and 17.2 million non-Hispanic white. 9.2 million: The number of veterans 65 and older in 2011. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.8 million were younger than 35. 7.5 million: Number of Vietnam-era veterans living in 2011: 5.1 million served during the Gulf War eras (representing service from August 2, 1990, to present); 1.8 million in World War II (1941-1945); 2.4 million in the Korean War (1950-1953); and 5.4 million in peacetime only. 51,079: Number of living veterans in 2011 who served during the Vietnam era and both Gulf War eras and no other period. Other living veterans in 2011 who served during three wars: . -- 43,942 served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam era. Living veterans in 2011 who served during two wars and no other period: . -- 876,663 served during both Gulf War eras. -- 205,205 served during both the Korean War and the Vietnam era. -- 129,972 served during both World War II and the Korean War. Tomb of the Unknowns . -- November 11, 1921: The first Unknown Soldier is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. -- 1958: Unknown Soldiers from World War II and the Korean War are buried next to the Unknown Soldier from World War I. -- The tomb has the words inscribed, "Here rests in honored glory An American Soldier Known but to God." -- Services are held at 11 a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on Veterans Day. A combined color guard representing all military branches executes Present Arms at the tomb. The president lays a wreath on the tomb and a bugler plays taps. -- 1984: An unknown soldier from Vietnam is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He is identified through DNA tests in 1998 as Michael Blassie, a 24-year-old pilot shot down in 1972 on the border of Cambodia. His remains are disinterred and reburied in his home state of Missouri. VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) -- The VFW is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit organization. -- It was founded in 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection start local organizations to advocate for rights and benefits for veterans. -- The VFW advocates rights and benefits for veterans and offers assistance to veterans, including assistance with funeral services. -- Posts offer members a place to socialize. Bingo, fish fries, dances and inexpensive drinks have been the hallmark of VFW posts. -- Membership is open to "all U.S. service members who have earned an overseas campaign or expeditionary medal and are currently on active duty, in the Reserves or who have been honorably discharged..." -- The first chapters started in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania. Timeline . -- 1919: President Woodrow Wilson proclaims November 11 as Armistice Day. -- 1938: Armistice Day becomes a federal holiday. -- June 1, 1954: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a bill renaming the holiday Veterans Day in order to honor all U.S. veterans. -- 1968: Congress changes the date of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. -- September 25, 1975: President Gerald Ford changes the date of Veterans Day back to November 11. The change takes effect in 1978. A daughter faces demons of father's war . Travel ideas for Veterans Day . On the front line of our communities . | Veterans Day is celebrated every November 11 .
The date marks the anniversary of the end of World War I .
In 2011, there were 21.5 million military veterans in the U.S. |
2,679 | 07da13842a7b35364c441c91379608d03bdb51a3 | By . Bill Caven . PUBLISHED: . 22:01 EST, 3 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:30 EST, 4 November 2013 . He has studied the dictionary for up to ten hours a day to amass a vocabulary that would put the rest of us to shame. But teacher Paul Allan clinched the 42nd National Scrabble Championship yesterday using two words that would not be out of place in his classroom. Mr Allan scored 46 points for 'ugh' and 'yeah' during a tense final against full-time Scrabble consultant Allan Simmons. Scroll down for video . Champion: Teacher Paul Allan, from Rushden in Northamptonshire, points to some key words used in his victory at the 42nd British National Scrabble Championships held in London yesterday . Tense match: Paul Allan, pictured left, competes against Allan Simmons, from Coldingham Village in the Scottish Borders, during the Scrabble final . The 43-year-old said his main concern during the match is strategy, not using impressive words. However, the finished board also included much more obscure words such as 'coniines' and 'bandura', a Ukrainian lute, which earned Mr Allan a score of 86 points - and the £2,500 prize. He was quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying: 'The whole dictionary is there, and it is a rich dictionary. 'There are no good or bad words.' The final came down to the last match in the gruelling best-of-five showdown, but Mr Allan finished with a flurry and an overall score of 503 points to Mr Simmons’ 389. Afterwards, Mr Allan said: ‘I am . delighted to have won, especially given the fact that the final is . played to a public audience of players who expect to be impressed. Allan . played exceptionally well and was a delight to compete with.’ And it is not the first time Mr Allan, from Rushden, Northamptonshire, has savoured victory in the event. He was previously crowned champion in 2007 and has won a number of tournaments since starting to play Scrabble on a competitive level in 1993. How . the final board looked: Coniines, a poisonous alkaloid found in . hemlock, and Atigi, a coat worn by Canadian Inuits, were among the words . used in the Scrabble final . Heated exchange: Paul Allan and Allan Simmons compare notes during the final Scrabble match . Dedication: Mr Allan, pictured right, spends up to 10 hours a day studying the dictionary . Armed with a four-inch thick tome entitled The Collins Official Scrabble Dictionary, Mr Allan spends up to ten hours a day memorising words. The process started several years ago with the three- and four-letter words. Then came the five- and six- letter ones – and so on up to eight. ‘After that, it’s the law of diminishing returns,’ he explained. ‘You end up learning words which you will never ever have the chance to play. Asked if he ever bothers to learn what they all mean, Mr Allan replied: ‘Mostly – it helps me remember them.’ High scores: Mr Allan beat Mr Simmons' 389 final score with an overall score of 503 after playing his last word bandura for 86 points . Oops: Mr Simmons slaps his head as his opponent puts down his last word to win the final . And how often does the champion play? About 30,000 games in the past 20 years – an average of four games a day, 365 days a year. Away from the game, he enjoys athletics and juggling, although he will be brushing up on his words again in time for next month’s World championships in Prague. More than 150million Scrabble sets have been sold, according to Mattel, which owns the rights in most countries. It is estimated that some 30,000 games are started across in the world each hour. | Paul Allan clinched the title in the 42nd National .
Scrabble Championship .
He won a tense final against full-time Scrabble .
consultant Allan Simmons .
Mr Allan sealed his victory with the word bandura for 86 points . |
43,249 | 79f5ac0831ef03c2ebb40d325758350937a55313 | By . Travelmail Reporter . Tourism chiefs in Spain are set to mount a £400,000 PR drive to persuade holidaymakers Magaluf is still a viable family destination after a bar sex scandal involving a British teenager. Officials were due to meet with British Embassy representatives in Madrid today to discuss a joint campaign to clean up the party resort's image. Local politicians want to follow police clampdowns on potential licensing breaches by bars and unruly behaviour by tourists with a costly publicity push targeted in the UK to persuade tourists Magaluf is not all sex and cheap alcohol. Party capital: Magaluf, popular for its cheap clubs and bars, has earned its reputation as one of the top places for drinking and clubbing holidays in Europe. It is especially popular with British tourists (file picture) The move . comes after a British teenager was filmed performing a sex act on 24 men . in a Magaluf bar - apparently for a free drink - after an eight-hour . drinking binge organised by controversial firm Carnage Magalluf. Two . British brothers thought to own a lapdancing club, bars and hotels in . the resort are said to be the brains behind the company, although a . fellow Brit is listed as its sole director. Local . Civil Guard officers have identified the bar - Alex's Place - where the public sex act . occurred and its owner but say there is no evidence a crime was . committed. Margarita Najera, ex-mayoress of Calvia, which covers the resort of Magaluf, called for the bar to be shut down anyway. She . said: ‘The first thing that should be done is to close the bar that's . promoting these type of practices because it's degrading. Scene: Party capital: The unnamed girl was captured on video working her way through men at Alex's Bar (pictured) in Magaluf. It was claimed her actions were the result of cheap alcohol and a party culture . ‘This sort of thing shouldn't be allowed and it would serve as a warning to others not to repeat it.’ Spain's . Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borrego, said: ‘We're talking . with the Balearic Islands' regional government about what needs to be . done and what messages and measures need to be put in place to ensure . this sort of thing never happens again in a holiday destination. ‘There . will be a joint publicity campaign against this sort of thing, focusing . on the fact we want responsible and quality tourism.’ Holiday . rep Alan Collinson, 28, who leads the bar crawls, wrote on Facebook . after organising the bar crawl where partygoers clapped and cheered as . the British 18-year-old performed sex acts on 24 men: ‘Don't know what . all the fuss is about, it's an average night on a Carnage bar crawl.’ Marketing experts have told Ultima Hora the campaign would cost around £400,000. Benefits . Street's Dee White, one of the TV stars invited to the bar crawls to . raise attendance, has vowed never to return following the bar scandal. Her manager Barry Tomes said: ‘I'm completely disgusted with the whole thing.’ | Comes after sex act video at holidaymakers' party in Magaluf goes viral .
Officials due to meet with British Embassy representatives today .
Want to persuade tourists Magaluf not all sex and cheap alcohol . |
121,150 | 28996f5ac0de15a2208de9df9e9cded99ad6f64b | By . Alexandra Klausner . PUBLISHED: . 18:10 EST, 7 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:19 EST, 8 December 2013 . Spectators at a Florida wedding got quite the surprise when comic book villains and superheros showed up to join in on the nuptials. Video game developer Adam Bohn and his wife Michelle Cheng planned a wedding with appearances from knights in shining armor, ninjas, Iron man, Batman, WWE star Jimmy Hart, and some feisty hotel bell-hops. The video was posted on Wednesday and since then has gone viral with almost 800,000 views. The wedding guests had no idea that they were about to witness a thrilling performance by Adam, Michelle, and a group of hired actors. 'The guests had no idea,' wrote Bohn in the description under the Youtube Video. The NY Daily News reports that the videographer didn't even know what was about to happen. Bohn wrote on Youtube, 'The videographer scrambled and got 3 extra cameras when tipped off by a man in an Iron Man suit about what was going to happen.' When the wedding officiant asked if anyone objected to the couple getting married--organized chaos ensued. First, a knight in shining armor withdrew his sword and demanded that Bohn battle him to keep his love. After Bohn stopped the armored gentleman from meddling, two men in suits stormed in with a group of ninjas doing back-flips. It was a bridesmaid who won this small battle, after one threw a ninja down and another bridesmaid took a suitcase and smashed it over the ninja's leader's head. Another bridesmaid pushed a numchuck wielding ninja to the ground. It started off like any other wedding and little did guests know it was about to take a wild turn . Adam Bohn was threatened by a knight who said that he must fight for Michelle Cheng's everlasting love . Michelle gave Adam a sword and told him to fight honorably for her heart . Upon recognizing Bohn's incredible ability to fight crime and stay calm amidst danger, Iron man came before him and begged that he join him in future battles. Batman then rushed in the room, pushed Iron Man aside, and told Bohn that instead he should join him in Gotham City where they would fight and 'dance', and have a great time. Bohn respectfully refused their lucrative offers and said that instead he must marry his love Michelle. Just when everyone thought the show was over, the hotel manager stormed in and asked that everyone leave. He threatened anyone who didn't would have to face his bellhops. In a finale of courage and laughter, the bride, the groom, and the entire wedding party defeated the bellhops. A sweaty and visibly smitten Bohn dipped Michele back and gave her a romantic wedding kiss. The applause was unanimous. Just when the audience thought the show was over, a group of flipping ninjas stormed in . The couple got a little help from the bridesmaids who courageously stepped into battle . Iron man shocked the audience when he entered and demanded that Adam Bohn help him fight crime . Next, Batman made an offer that Adam Bohn respectfully refused . WWE personality Jimmy hart just had to make an appearance and recruit Adam Bohn on his wedding day . After the fighting and recruitment were through, Bohn took his wife in a romantic embrace . | Adam Bohn and Michelle Cheng's wedding guests had no idea that the wedding was going to host some comic book visitors .
Adam Bohn is a video game developer with a love for characters .
Video of the wedding went viral and had over 800,000 visitors .
The videographer didn't know what was about to occur until a man dressed like Iron man 'tipped him off' |
283,206 | fadcb9abe201b4cbde9ee8dc28a82ebac2a8306c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:02 EST, 11 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:23 EST, 11 March 2013 . Alan Bennett said being touched on his legs by older men when he was a child did not bother him . Alan Bennett has revealed he was ‘touched up by old gentlemen’ as a young boy – but claims it didn’t bother him. The 78-year-old playwright and author said the incidents happened when he was about ten or 12, and never went any further. In Bennett’s acclaimed play The History Boys, English teacher Hector is known to fondle some of his pupils while driving them home on his motorbike. But the character is portrayed sympathetically and the 17-year-old students tolerate his advances. It now seems Bennett may have been drawing on his own experiences. He told the Radio Times: ‘When I was young, ten or 12, one often found one’s legs were touched up by old gentlemen, in a mild sort of way. ‘It never got beyond that. I remember thinking, “Oh God, here we go again”. But it didn’t bother me. I knew it was wrong, but I shouldn’t say anything about it because I knew they would get into trouble. ‘But the notion that one would be scarred for life…’ In his short autobiographical play Cocktail Sticks, which was first shown last year, Bennett revealed he was once ‘interfered with’ in a Leeds cinema by an adult male customer. But in the Radio Times interview Bennett played the episode down, saying it was ‘in a mild way’. In Bennett's play The History Boys . the character Hector fondles pupils in his class as he drives them home on a motorbike . He also talked about a recent appearance at the National Theatre, when he was asked whether he had considered rewriting The History Boys in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex-abuse scandal. He said: ‘I just said no. It’s a ridiculous idea that I might rewrite it and I said so, kindly. It was never on the cards.’ Bennett lives in London with his long-term partner, magazine editor Rupert Thomas, 46. | Alan Bennett recalls thinking 'Here we go again' when touched as a child .
He dismissed rewriting plot of The History Boys post-Savile as 'ridiculous' |
125,447 | 2e30efd19ad643452585fc8f06e5f7dfdd1a2e77 | (CNN) -- Adhesive in the shape of a heart was found on a corner of a piece of duct tape that was covering the mouth portion of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony's skeletal remains, an FBI latent print examiner testified Monday in the capital murder trial of the girl's mother, Casey Anthony. Elizabeth Fontaine explained the find to jurors by asking them to think about when they remove an adhesive bandage from their skin and some of the adhesive remains in the shape of the bandage. Instead of a bandage, however, the outline was the shape of a heart, she said, and about the size of a dime. Although it has not been mentioned in testimony, court documents in the case have stated that a sheet of heart-shaped stickers, with some missing, were found by police executing a search warrant at the Anthony home. A photograph of a page of stickers, found in a search of the home the day after Caylee's remains were found, was admitted into evidence in the trial Saturday. A line of investigators and forensic experts have been called to the stand by prosecutors in an effort to prove their theory that Anthony, 25, killed her daughter by knocking her out with chloroform and putting duct tape over her nose and mouth. They allege the Orlando woman then put the body in black garbage bags and stored it in her trunk before dumping it in woods near her home. The skeletal remains were found in December 11, 2008. Caylee was last seen June 16, 2008, but her disappearance was not reported until July 15, 2008, after Anthony's mother demanded answers about the little girl's whereabouts. Anthony faces seven counts in her daughter's death, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and misleading investigators. If convicted, she could face the death penalty. She has pleaded not guilty. Her attorneys have said Caylee was not killed but rather that she drowned in the family pool shortly after her family last reported seeing her and that Anthony and her father, George Anthony, panicked when they discovered the body and covered up her death. George Anthony rejected that scenario in his testimony the first week of the trial. The trial is ahead of schedule, Orange County, Florida, Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. told jurors as they took a break for lunch. Prosecutors are down to their final witnesses, he said, but they won't be available until Tuesday afternoon, they said. The prosecution may rest Tuesday or Wednesday, Perry said. The defense anticipated beginning its case Thursday but is trying to accelerate that process and begin Wednesday, the judge said. He said he believes testimony in the case could conclude by the end of next week, although he cannot say for sure. Deliberations could begin by June 25, he said. The court recessed until 1 p.m. Tuesday. Fontaine said she found the heart-shaped adhesive while examining the three pieces of duct tape found on Caylee's remains for fingerprints. She said she didn't find fingerprints but didn't expect to, given the months the tape and the remains had been outdoors and exposed to the elements. Any oil or sweat from a person's fingertips would have long since deteriorated, she said. Asked whether she tried to photograph the heart-shaped adhesive, which she saw under an ultraviolet light as part of her testing, Fontaine said she did not. "When I observe something is unexpected, I note it and continue with my examination," she said. She said she tried to photograph it later after subjecting the tape to dye testing, but the adhesive was no longer visible. She testified she did show it to her supervisor. Earlier Monday, jurors heard more testimony about a hair found in Anthony's trunk and hairs found with Caylee's remains. However, Perry would not permit Stephen Shaw, a hair and fiber examiner for the FBI, to show jurors a PowerPoint presentation dealing with a study he is conducting on hair decomposition. Anthony's defense attorneys protested vigorously, saying they had not received a copy of the presentation or had a chance to adequately review it. "The court does find it troubling that the state, at the ninth hour, provides a PowerPoint with color photographs that was not provided to the defense," Perry said. The dispute over the presentation was heard outside the jury's presence. Perry did allow Shaw to testify about the study. Shaw told jurors that he examined the hair and a "hair mass" found with Caylee's remains and that he came to the same conclusion as FBI trace evidence examiner Karen Lowe. Lowe previously testified that a 9-inch piece of hair from the trunk appeared similar to a piece of hair recovered from the little girl's hairbrush and had a dark band that she had seen only in hairs that remained in the scalp of a decomposing body. Shaw said he agreed with Lowe's findings, adding that the "hair mass" found with the remains had a "brushlike" appearance associated with a later stage of decomposition. Shaw noted, however, as Lowe did before him, that hair identification is not an exact science and that he cannot say the hair was Caylee's, to the exclusion of all other people. In addition, the "hair mass" "is not a suitable normal hair sample," he said, and he cannot say with certainty it was Caylee's hair, only that it was found with her remains. Shaw said that in his study, he was attempting to recreate banding in hairs taken from living people. While he said some of the hairs -- which were put in varying indoor and outdoor locations -- showed evidence of decomposition, none showed postmortem banding. However, under cross-examination by defense attorney Jose Baez, Shaw admitted he cannot state definitively that postmortem banding is exclusively seen in hair taken from dead people. Two independent examiners as part of his study both analyzed the hairs, and each in their initial findings identified a hair as banded from a live person, although they both discounted that in their confirmed findings, he said. But Shaw estimated for prosecutor Jeff Ashton that he's seen thousands of hairs in his career and that he has never seen a hair with a decomposition band that did not come from a corpse. Baez also elicited testimony from Shaw that it was his first time testifying in court about such evidence. On Saturday, an insect expert testified that tiny flies found in the trunk of the Orlando woman's car fit the theory that Caylee's body was stored there -- perhaps for three to five days. The flies suggest that something began to decompose inside the trunk but do not prove that the material was a human body, said Neal Haskell, a forensic entomologist from St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana. Such flies will feed on many things, he said. Based on his analysis of temperatures and the reproductive habits of the small flies found on paper towels from the trunk that another scientist found were soaked in fluid from decomposition, Haskell said it appeared that whatever attracted the flies had been in the car for three to five days. Baez, in his cross-examination of Haskell, tried to show that the flies could have been attracted by common garbage or leftover food. Numerous witnesses have testified to a foul odor emanating from Anthony's trunk after her daughter's disappearance; a bag of garbage left in the trunk for weeks has been suggested as the source of the smell, but prosecutors allege it was the smell of human decomposition. Saturday's testimony also included a crime scene investigator who collected a piece of Henkel brand duct tape from an area near where Caylee's skull was found. Ronald Murdock, a forensics supervisor for the Orange County Sheriff's Office, also testified that despite a thorough search of the house, the only piece of Henkel duct tape investigators recovered from the home Anthony shared with her daughter and parents was attached to a gas can. Last week, jurors saw graphic photos of Caylee's bones and heard testimony that they had been gnawed by animals as her body decomposed during as much as six months in the field. They also watched a video superimposing an image of Caylee's skull over her living face and an outline of a strip of duct tape in an effort to prove tape could have been, in effect, the murder weapon, Ashton said. Baez tried to prevent jurors from seeing the presentation, which he called "disgusting." But Perry ruled that the role of duct tape in the girl's death is "highly relevant." He also rejected a defense motion for a mistrial based on the video at the close of Friday's session. In Session's Cara Hutt and Nancy Leung contributed to this report. Watch Nancy Grace Monday through Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on HLN. For the latest from Nancy Grace click here. | NEW: Court recessed for the day; prosecution may rest Tuesday or Wednesday .
The judge says testimony could conclude by the end of next week .
No fingerprints were found on the duct tape, an FBI examiner testifies .
Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, in 2008 . |
59,055 | a79be67a2fd48c6bffa6e191c07d495b4528a742 | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The FBI and University of California at Los Angeles police are investigating a new round of threats from anti-animal research activists who claimed to have sent AIDS-tainted razor blades and a threatening message to a research professor, a university spokesman said Tuesday. The university said law enforcement officials confirmed that UCLA neuroscientist David Jentsch received a package at his home containing razor blades and a threatening note. The North American Animal Liberation Press Office posted an unsigned communique on its website from a group calling itself "The Justice Department at UCLA," claiming its members sent the razor blades to Jentsch because he uses primates for government-funded testing of drug addiction. "He has no business addicting primates to phencyclidine known on the streets as PCP and other street drugs using grant money from the federal government," said the statement issued Tuesday by the activist group. Since 2006, other anonymous activists claimed responsibility for at least 11 acts of sabotage, vandalism, criminal damage and firebombing against UCLA faculty or property, either on and off campus, university officials said. In March 2009, activists seeking to stop the use of animals in research claimed to set fire to Jentsch's vehicle parked overnight outside his home. Jentsch, a professor of psychology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, uses vervet monkeys in his research into the biochemical processes that contribute to methamphetamine addiction and tobacco dependence in teenagers, and the cognitive disabilities affecting schizophrenia patients, according to the university. Much of Jentsch's work is funded by the National Institutes of Health, university officials said. "Responsible use of animals in research aimed at improving the health and welfare of the mentally ill is the right thing to do, and we will continue because we have a moral responsibility to society to use our skills for the betterment of the world," Jentsch said in a statement. In a phone interview with CNN, Jentsch said the activists have been "using various tactics to get at me." "They started with incinerating my car," he said. "They have participated in monthly demonstrations outside of my house. Usually the threats are general, this one was very specific. "They said they were going to cut my throat, and they named one of my students. "I'm not afraid. I'm angry. It's so ridiculous in our society that people do this just because they don't like what you do," he added. Jentsch provided an account of the threat. "About a week ago I was going through my mail in my kitchen and I opened a letter and razor blades spilled out on the floor. It was the first sign something was nefarious," he said. "The letter inside contained quite specific and heinous acts of violence to kill me." He said the letter was signed by the Justice Department, which he described as a group "loosely aligned with the Animal Liberation Front." "The major reason [no one has been arrested] is because the Animal Liberation Front has no official membership. Their spokesman calls from underground and claims to not know any of its members," Jentsch said. Jerry Vlasak, an animal rights activist, said he does not know who targeted Jentsch but he says he understands why the researcher was targeted. "He does not have the right to go home to feel at ease. Try to look at it from the perspective of the innocent beings that he is doing this to," Vlasak said. Vlasak says he is a medical doctor who also used to do animal research but stopped because he felt it was incredibly torturous to animals. "He has refused to debate with me and other doctors. He has spoken out against animal activists. So he has basically made himself an even bigger target, by saying not only am I going to continue torturing animals but I am flipping the bird to all these animal rights activist that want to stop me," Vlasak said. University spokesman Phil Hampton condemned the threats. "What's happened here recently is only the recent manifestation of a pattern of reprehensible, repugnant criminal activity directed at UCLA researchers," Hampton said. "UCLA is committed to conducting research that helps us to understand better the human body and is making important steps and strides to new diagnoses, treatments and cures to a wide variety of ailments such as Parkinson's (disease) and cancer." CNN's Nick Valencia contributed to this report. | Researcher says, "I'm not afraid. I'm angry"
Anti-animal research activists make new round of threats against researcher .
Animal Liberation Front posts online a claim of responsibility from group .
UCLA researcher uses vervet monkeys for drug addiction studies . |
177,310 | 7187d39c867bdf0a2927355614e7c957d07410a9 | A day before Gene Warrington, 88, passed away in her hospice room she was paid one final visit by her equally ill husband. The pair, inseparable since high school and who wed in secret as love-struck teens, held hands for 45 minutes before parting. Pat Warrington could see his wife's death was imminent so returned to his own room and pulled out all his intravenous tubes. He died exactly eight hours after his wife of 69 years. High school sweethearts: Throughout their 69-year marriage, Gene (left) and Pat (right) Warrington were always together, dying just eight hours apart . Phil Warrington said his father recognized that Pat was in critical condition and made the decision to pull out his tubes. 'We were able to get them together for about 45 minutes and he held her hand,' son Phil Warrington said. 'He said it wouldn't be fun without her,' the son added. The pair, from Ohio, met in junior high school and wed secretly as teenagers while he was home from boot camp before leaving for World War II. Pat was 16 and Gene was 18. Til death do us part: Gene pulled out his own life saving tubes on December 27 so that he could die along with his wife of 69 years . The wedding was kept a secret so that Pat could graduate high school. After Gene returned from war, he graduated from high school in 1947, a year after Pat's graduation. 'He told me that when he came back from war, he knew he never wanted to be away from her again,' Phil Warrington said. Their family grew with three children, seven grandchildren and a dozen great-grandchildren. Throughout it, the Warringtons were nearly inseparable, even in failing health at the end of their love story, their son said. 'You could have almost predicted it,' he said. 'They did everything in their life together. They were never apart.' 'They had been feeding on each other all along,' he concluded. | Gene Warrington, 88, and his wife Pat, 86, died on December 27 in Ohio .
Son Phil Warrington said his father recognized that Pat was in critical condition and pulled out his own intravenous tubes the next day .
'You could have almost predicted it. They did everything in their life together. They were never apart,' said their son . |
123,150 | 2b33776dfcb12ae619215de885eeeafb4ee26b81 | (CNN) -- The drinking water in the area of last month's coal-sludge spill in eastern Tennessee is safe, but elevated levels of arsenic have been found in the sludge, authorities said. Properties near ground zero of the December 22 Tennessee spill are covered in sludge. A billion gallons of the sludge, made up of water and fly ash from a coal-burning Tennessee Valley Authority steam plant in Kingston, Tennessee, swamped 300 acres of mostly private property when a dike on a retention pond collapsed December 22. All residents in the area were evacuated, and three homes were deemed uninhabitable, according to the TVA. About a dozen other homes were damaged. Preliminary results from water samples taken in the spill area show no unsafe levels of toxins, said Leslie Sims, on-scene coordinator for the Environmental Protection Agency. The testing includes municipal supplies and private wells, he said. Kingston Mayor Troy Beets said he let his grandchildren drink and bathe in city water at his house over the holidays and didn't worry about it. At a Friday news conference, he drank a cup of water he said was straight from the tap in his home. View a map of where the spill occured » . "I'm gonna be fine," he quipped. However, samples of the fly ash scooped up along roadsides and river banks show elevated levels of arsenic that normally would trigger an EPA response, Sims said. "These are levels that we consider harmful to humans," he said. But the EPA is not responding because the TVA is taking action to fix the problem, he added. Arsenic is a natural element found in soil and minerals, but exposure to it can cause sickness, the National Institutes of Health says. Learn more about arsenic » . The arsenic is in the sludge but not in the air in significant amounts, said Alan Nye, a scientist with the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, a private scientific consulting company based in Arkansas. "The bottom line is that the air quality is very good and continues to be so," Nye said. That's not good enough for Suzanne Solomon, who rents a home about 2½ miles downwind from the spill zone. She and her family are moving somewhere they feel will be safe from fly ash that might blow around once it dries. "We have a 2-year-old daughter whose health is not worth the risk, even if it is a minuscule risk," she said. "I am an opera singer with mild asthma [and] I do not wish to expose [my lungs] to any dust which might become airborne. ... I do not see any way that they can keep all of this out of the air." Rather than try to gather up all the spilled ash, the TVA plans to lock it in place by planting seeds and covering it with mulch, said Bob Summers, the TVA's operations section chief. "We're hearing all kinds of stories," said Tom Vereb, whose formerly picturesque lakefront property is now caked in deep, swirling layers of gray muck and debris. "We're hearing everything from 'This is perfectly fine to be around,' to 'Get away, as far as you can, from it.' So we really don't know what the right answer is there. We're not going to get panicked about it." Howie Rose, director of the Roane County Emergency Management Agency, said the city of Kingston, about 40 miles west of Knoxville, has asked the EPA for long-term environmental monitoring, "and we've got a commitment for that." The TVA also is rebuilding the dike, as well as the roads and railroad tracks that were heavily damaged by the rushing sludge. "It's 40 feet deep of sludge in the middle of a channel, and they're talking about four to six weeks of cleanup," said Travis Cantrell, another local resident. "That'd be a stretch." Whether the plant will continue to store its fly ash -- a byproduct of coal-burning -- in ponds will have to be evaluated, said Tim Hope, the TVA's incident commander. "I would imagine that things would be done differently," Hope said. CNN's Brooke Baldwin, Taylor Gandossy and Mike Phelan contributed to this report. | EPA says water safe, but arsenic at levels "considered harmful to humans"
Family moving to avoid potential risk to toddler from arsenic .
Mayor chugs cup of water, says, "I'm gonna be fine"
Billion gallons of fly-ash sludge from TVA coal plant spilled December 22 . |
139,625 | 408e40e9e8332758434e8421550efcf443849996 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A bloody war between Mexican drug cartels is no longer solely a south-of-the-border problem, members of Congress said Tuesday at a hearing on the issue. A member of the Mexican Federal Police patrols in Ciudad Juarez during a recent operation to fight drugs. The violence accompanying those battles has crept into the United States, and is believed to be largely fueled by money and guns from America, said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois. "The drugs are coming north, and we're sending money and guns south," said Durbin, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. "As a result, these cartels have gained extraordinary power." About 90 percent of guns seized in Mexican raids are traced back to the United States, according to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, he said. About 2,000 firearms cross the border into Mexico daily, according to the Brookings Institution, he added. The subcommittee held a joint hearing Tuesday on the issue with the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control. The hearing focused on ways the United States can assist Mexican President Felipe Calderon's efforts to combat drugs and violence. In addition, American communities are seeing an increase in violent crimes related to the Mexican drug trade. In Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008, 366 kidnappings for ransom were reported -- more than in any other U.S. city, Durbin said, citing federal statistics. The vast majority of those, he said, were related to Mexican drug cartels. "We're not winning the battle," Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard told lawmakers. "The violence that we see in Mexico is fueled 65 to 70 percent by the trade in one drug: marijuana." Goddard said he believes the United States can do more to remove the profit from such operations, as well as attempt to reduce the demand for the drugs. It's not only border states that are affected, either. Authorities believe cartels reached 230 American cities, up from 50 in 2006, Durbin said. In his home state of Illinois, far from the Mexican border, he said, cartels are believed operate in three cities: Chicago, East St. Louis and Joliet. Lawmakers and witnesses at the hearing universally applauded Calderon's efforts to deal with drug violence through actions such as sending troops into Ciudad Juarez. "I think he needs every single bit of our support," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California. However, the violence has skyrocketed, Goddard said, with a new and appalling trend: assassinations of police officers, prosecutors and other officials who are combating cartels. Perhaps even more horrifying, as the violence increases, so does the possibility that innocent citizens will be caught in it, he said. In at least one instance in Phoenix, criminals making a home invasion had the wrong house, he said. "The casual fallout is going to be significant if we can't do something to try to assist Mexico in stopping it south of the border," Goddard said. Efforts by Arizona authorities to fight the violence include intercepting wire transfer payments to smugglers of drugs and of human beings, Goddard said. Between 2003 and 2007, he said, Arizona seized about $17 million in such transfers. However, a more comprehensive and regional effort is needed, he said, as the cartels, faced with increasing law enforcement surveillance in one area, will simply take their crimes elsewhere. And authorities must target the masterminds and leaders behind the violence, he said: "Just arresting and deporting foot soldiers is a waste of critical assets." Also Tuesday, a federal firearms official told the subcommittee there has been a "troubling increase" in the number of hand-grenades seized from Mexican drug traffickers recently, and that officials are concerned violence involving explosives could spill into U.S. border towns. "In the past six months, we have noted a troubling increase in the number of grenades seized from, or used by, drug traffickers," William Hoover of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told the Senate subcommittee. "We are concerned about the possibility of explosives-related violence impacting our U.S. border towns," he said. Hoover did not give statistics about the number of hand-grenades seized by ATF, nor were statistics immediately available from the agency. Another federal law enforcement official told the subcommittee he doesn't expect Mexican cartels to intentionally target U.S. officials and interests "in the near term." Anthony Placido of the Drug Enforcement Administration said the DEA does not believe "that in the near term the cartels will deliberately target U.S. government personnel or interests or intentionally target U.S. civilians in the United States." But, he added, "defining spillover is a tricky business." CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve, Mike M. Ahlers and Carol Cratty contributed to this report. | Senate subcommittee, caucus focus on ways to help Mexican leader's battle .
Mexican drug violence, fueled by U.S. guns, cash, is creeping north, senator says .
Most guns seized in raids traced to U.S.; 2,000 cross into Mexico daily, he says .
Authorities believe cartels have reached into 230 American cities, up from 50 in 2006 . |
154,294 | 53666a9a3695040897e7e78d271a4d78cf2cd0f0 | Spies around the world could soon be able to listen in on secret conversations without any fear of being found out thanks to the first ever one-way sound machine. Sound waves traditionally travel forward before bouncing back, and with sound this means you can speak, hear yourself speak, and hear any responses. Called an acoustic circulator, the first-of-its-kind system uses fans to change the flow of air as the sound waves travel through it, and this prevents the waves from bouncing back. Scroll down for video . The centre of the acoustic circulator, pictured, is fitted with three specially positioned fans that change the flow of air through the separate chambers. The arrows show how sound waves flow from one port, to the next, in sequence, and never bounce back. The circulator is the first-ever one-way sound machine . The circulator was created by a team of researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin led by Professor Andrea Alu. Alu said his experiments successfully prove that the 'fundamental symmetry with which acoustic waves travel through air between two points in space - for example, if you can hear, you can also be heard - can be broken by a compact and simple device'. The inspiration for the device came from current three-port electronic circulators that are typically used in communication devices and radars. For example, Microwaves and radio signals are able to move from one port to the next in sequence, meaning they're never sent back to the recipient. In the middle of the team’s acoustic circulator is a 'resonant ring cavity' fitted with three small computer fans (pictured right). These fans circulate and keep the airflow travelling at a specific velocity. The ring is connected to three ports, each with a microphone fitted to the end that can record sound. During Professor Alu’s experiment, researchers sent sound from one port to another. When . the fans were turned off, the sound signal from Port 1 split in half . and travelled through the two other ports, Port 2 and Port 3, as . expected - known as ‘transmission symmetry’. However, . when the researchers turned the fans on and delivered a moderate . airflow into the ring, with specific velocity tailored to the ring . design, transmission symmetry was broken and the signal from Port 1 . would flow into Port 2, leaving Port 3 isolated. Similarly, when a signal was sent from Port 2, it would flow into Port 3, leaving Port 1 isolated, and so on. The sound waves continued to move through the ports in sequence, and never travelled in the opposite direction or bounced back. In these electronic circulators, when one of the ports isn’t being used, the system acts as an isolator, letting signals to flow from one port to the other, but not back. The UT Austin team realised the same principles could apply from sound waves traveling in air, which led to the team's building of a first-of-its-kind three-port acoustic circulator. 'Using the proposed concept, we were able to create one-way communication for sound traveling through air,' said Professor Alu. 'Imagine being able to listen without having to worry about being heard in return. ‘It . is just the right spin of fluid (air) coupled with the strong resonance . of our ring cavity, which makes our design powerful.' To test the circulator, researchers sent sound from one port, pictured, to another. When the fans were turned off, the signal from Port 1 split and travelled through the two other ports - known as transmission symmetry. However, when the researchers turned the fans on transmission symmetry was broken . 'These two combined mechanisms create strong nonreciprocity in a compact device. Sound waves are routed in one direction only - always contrary to the direction of the airflow.' The findings, Sound Isolation and Giant Linear Nonreciprocity in a Compact Acoustic Circulator, are published the journal Science. This research may eventually create an ‘acoustical version of one-way glass,’ said Preston Wilson, acoustics expert and associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. ‘It also opens up avenues for very efficient sound isolation and interesting new concepts for active control of sound isolators.' The researchers are now working on using these concepts to create nonreciprocal circulators and isolators for radio waves and light, as well as a design for the sound circulator that does not use moving parts. | The one-way sound machine is called an acoustic circulator .
Waves traditionally travel forward before reversing and bouncing back .
With sound, this lets you speak, hear yourself speak, and hear responses .
The circulator chambers move waves through its three-port formation .
Fans change the flow of air and stop the sounds from bouncing back .
Scientists in Texas claim it works in a similar way to one-way glass . |
67,604 | bfca27510ab9db6f3310f64efb8b958add867d29 | A surge in the number of flu cases is threatening to push the NHS ‘over the edge,’ doctors warned last night. Latest official figures show a four-fold increase in the number of flu cases during December, with GPs, facing an extremely busy post-Christmas week at their surgeries, amid fears that hospitals will become log-jammed if the outbreak continues to gather pace. Medical experts are worried a resurgence of ‘Hong Kong flu’ – a strain known as H3N2 and blamed for the deaths of more than a million people worldwide in the 1960s – could make the situation worse by putting thousands of sufferers into hospital, with the elderly in particular at risk. Medical experts fear that a resurgence of 'Hong Kong flu' could put thousands of sufferers into hospital (file picture) Britain has not had a bad flu winter in four years, as more people have developed resistance to the H1N1 swine flu virus, dominant in recent years. However, scientists say ‘nasty’ H3N2 flu has taken its place – with virulent vaccine-resistant strains also in circulation. Dr David Mant, professor emeritus of general practice at Oxford University, said: ‘There is good reason for anxiety that this will be a bad winter for flu. 'This will place extra demand on an already over-stretched NHS. Many hospitals are already working at very high bed occupancy rates and emergency departments are experiencing record numbers of attendances.’ At the start of December, there were an estimated 3,500 new flu cases per week, according to data published by Public Health England. At the start of December, there were an estimated 3,500 new flu cases per week but by Christmas it had jumped to 13,500 cases . 'But by Christmas that had jumped to 13,500 new cases a week – an almost four-fold increase. Dr Peter Swinyard, chairman of the Family Doctor Association, said a major flu outbreak would put ‘immense pressure’ on A&E departments and hospitals generally. Dr Richard Vautrey, a Leeds GP and a senior member of the British Medical Association, added: ‘The system is running hot at the moment and you only need a little bit of extra pressure to push it over the edge.’ | Figures show there has been a four-fold increase in flu cases this month .
Medical experts are worried about a resurgence of 'Hong Kong flu'
They fear that the situation could put thousands of sufferers in hospital .
At the beginning of the month there were an estimated 3,500 new flu cases .
By last week cases had increased to 13,500 new cases a week . |
93,887 | 04b976d5ffecfeab29789448cfd5ac9e52bcda52 | By . Sean Poulter . Home buyers will be paying an average of £7,500 in stamp duty within two years if the current house price surge continues, it is claimed. The recent property price boom has delivered a huge windfall for the Treasury and the Chancellor George Osborne in terms of income from the controversial property tax. Research suggests that the failure to raise the thresholds at which stamp duty applies in line with rising prices means the Government made an extra £4.7billion from home buyers in 2012-13 alone. Home buyers will be paying an average of £7,500 in stamp duty within two years it is believed . It seems the Government is keen to keep picking the pockets of buyers with no plans to revise the tax on buying a home, despite claims the current system is warping the market. The struggle to find the money to pay stamp duty is putting a huge burden on home buyers, who are facing other big bills, such as raising a deposit, funding legal and removal costs. Research by estate agents Haart (correct) suggests the UK average house price will rise above £250,000 by the end of 2016, which is the threshold for stamp duty to rise from one per cent to three per cent. Currently, a house selling for £250,000 attracts stamp duty at one per cent, which works out at £2,500, however this rises to £7,500 once the price hits £250,001. Until 1997, stamp duty was charged at just one per cent on all homes sold for £60,000 or more. The recent property price boom has delivered a huge windfall for the Treasury and Chancellor George Osborne in terms of income from property tax . Now it is charged at one per cent on properties between £125,000 and £250,000, three per cent up to £500,000, four per cent at £500,000-£1,000,000, five per cent at £1,000,001-£2,000,000, and seven per cent above £2,000,001. The Institute of Economic Affairs slammed stamp duty as ‘a bad tax’ which should be ‘abolished’ by the Chancellor, or ‘at the very least’ overhauled. Both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Council of Mortgage Lenders think the crude thresholds should be replaced with a system similar to the income tax regime. The Haart chief executive, Paul Smith, said: ‘If national property prices continue to increase at their current rate, the average price of a UK home will fall within the three per cent stamp duty tax bracket before the end of 2016 – which means buyers forking out at least £7,500 on top of other costs when moving home. ‘Where a property tips over into this 3% tax band, an extra penalty of at least £5,000 is incurred on any property priced over £250,001. ‘Stamp duty bands have not moved upwards in line with house price inflation, a fact that successive Governments have benefited from to the tune of £4.7 billion for 2012/2013. ‘First-time buyers, who pay an average £154,645, have no relief as they are already in the one per cent stamp duty band.’ A second survey published by the Rightmove property website today (mon) raises the predicted price rise for 2014 to eight per cent. Rightmove estimates house prices will continue to rise despite measures introduced by the Bank of England last month to curb prices such as new caps on high loan-to-income value loans and stronger affordability ‘stress tests’ for borrowers. Earlier this week the Office for National Statistics said house prices in London had risen at a record annual rate of 20.1per cent while they were up 10.5per cent across the UK. Rightmove said the Government’s Help to Buy scheme had not only encouraged first-time buyers, but had freed up the market for richer third-time buyers who could afford larger properties. Director at the group, Miles Shipside, said: ‘The unleashing of this more affluent group, plus good supporting acts from first-time and second-time buyers, will mean that the musical chairs of trading up and down will continue in the second half of the year having been kick-started by Help to Buy in the first half.’ The group also said that speeding up of housing completions, down 10 days year-on-year to 65 days had brought more sellers into the market. The housing website also added that the London ripple effect, which pushes up the prices of properties around the capital, continued unabated because of the shortage of suitable housing stock. The firm added it was seeing the beginnings of the same London ripple effect around large northern cities such as Manchester, Leeds, York and Liverpool. A third study published by the Post Office suggests the average cost of moving one rung up the property ladders is more than £100,000. Getting the right mortgage is essential to making sure buying a home is as affordable as possible. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of options out there, so, as well as doing your own research, this is an occasion to search out expert opinion from a good mortgage broker. First, read Mail Online's award-winning money section This is Money's regularly updated What next for mortgage rates? This outlines the current state of the market and highlights the current best buy deals. Then also check the top mortgage deals on offer currently in our best buy mortgage tables, or click through by using our helpful table (right). You should now be armed with some knowledge about what is on offer and you can use our True cost mortgage calculator to compare how different deals stack up. You should also talk to a mortgage broker. There is no obligation to go through with their recommendation and so . they may not end up actually arranging the mortgage for you, but they will be able to explain your options and . help you to find the best deal. Go a broker who offers advice from the whole market. Avoid . brokers who offer a restricted service based on products from a limited . number of lenders, and don't just simply go to your bank - unless you . get lucky, you will be unlikely to find the best deal this way . This . is Money has a carefully chosen partnership with mortgage broker London . and Country. We have picked them because they offer a good service, . with no upfront fees. Find about more about London & Country's fee free mortgage advice here. - Amy Andrew, This is Money . | Homebuyers are struggling to find the money to pay stamp duty .
UK average house price will rise above £250,000 by end of 2016 .
Institute of Economic Affairs slammed stamp duty as ‘a bad tax’ |
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