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33,024 | 5dcdc032c3275ca9fbab64ab143680184ab08b29 | Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- More than 2 million anti-government protesters gathered on Friday in Changes Squares across Yemen calling on revolutionary forces to take decisive action against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime and at any costs. Protests took place in 16 of Yemen's 21 provinces. Youth protesters in Sanaa chanted, "Escalation is a must for a quick ending of regime," and "Yemen will follow Libya's footsteps." This comes as defected military general Ali Mohsen released a video statement on Tuesday threatening to use force to ensure that the Yemeni revolution succeeds. "We know that the revolution will need military interference, and we will work to make it happen," said Mohsen. He also advised Saleh to not "follow the footsteps of Satan" and step down from power. Saleh is currently in Saudi Arabia where he is being treated for burns sustained in an attack on his palace earlier this year. He has vowed to return to Yemen to finish his term as president. Other opposition officials are also calling for military action against the Saleh government. The Yemeni revolution will prevail only if the military is used said Hasan Zaid, the secretary general of the opposition Haq party. "No real revolution can prosper peacefully from history's experience," he said. Fearing fresh clashes, heavily armed tribesmen loyal to the Ahmar family, chiefs of Yemen's most powerful Hashed tribe, started entering the capital and in large numbers. Eyewitnesses said that at least 200 entered Sana'a over the last 24 hours. The tribesmen created checkpoint near the residence of tribal chief Sheikh Sadeq Ahmar's, and blocked all roads leading to the Hasaba district. The Ahmar family waged a 12-day war with the government in June, which resulted in more than 200 deaths. Military planes were seen flying over the residence of Ahmar family in Hasaba and Hadda areas of the capital. On Thursday, the Interior Ministry announced that the Ahmar tribes killed a senior general in the army. The ministry said that the attacks on innocent civilians are not acceptable and the Ahmar family will be held responsible. Abdul Qawi al-Qaisi, the spokesman for Sheikh Sadeq Ahmar's office said that two of their tribesmen were killed when government forces attacked them. "The government continues to attack our tribes and insist on escalating the situation in the capital Sanaa," said Qaisi. Yemen's capital is seeing its strongest security presence since the Sanaa war in June. Eyewitnesses said that more than 2,000 pro-government heavily armed tribesmen are stationed in the outskirts of Sanaa on a mission to cleanse Sanaa's Change Square from youth protesters. "When we arrived to Sanaa today, they were in tents and said they were waiting for government orders to enter Sanaa," said Wissam al-Sabahi, a resident of Sanaa. | Opposition leaders call for military action against the Saleh government .
Heavily armed tribesmen loyal to the anti-government Ahmar family have been entering Sanaa .
More than 2,000 pro-government heavily armed tribesmen are stationed in the outskirts of Sanaa . |
137,172 | 3d71aed135aac2cf6b00e08bc7c360ce9f3f6c76 | This well-trained cat certainly seems like she was born to purr-form. Robert Dollwet from Australia filmed his pet tabby Didga - short for didgeridoo - obediently performing the rollover trick besides her two rottweiler friends. When instructed, the fluffy animal lays down before stretching out and rolling over. 'Good puppies,' Dollwet humorously says, admiring the feline's canine-like traits. Caught on camera: Robert Dollwet from Australia filmed his pet tabby Didga - short for didgeridoo - obediently performing the rollover trick besides her two rottweiler friends. Copycat: When instructed, the fluffy animal lays down before stretching out and rolling over . Off to the circus! 'Good puppies,' Dollwet humorously says, admiring the feline's canine-like traits . The professional dog trainer adopted Didga from a shelter as a youngster and started teaching her tricks. Other videos show her out being walked on a leash and skateboarding like a pro. To date the clip of her rolling over has been watched more than 300,000 times. Starting young: The professional dog trainer adopted Didga from a shelter and started teaching her tricks . Many viewers have applauded her skills. They have also praised Dollwet for his training, . 'That was so amazing. Especially right next to and in perfect sequence with the dogs!' 'Had cats and dogs all my life.... and never have I seen them work together that well,' one commenter wrote. Dowlett's YouTube channel titled Canmantoo, has garnered more than 21 million hits since he launched it in 2012. His animal training lessons range from upwards of $70 AUS. | Robert Dollwet from Australia filmed his pet tabby Didga obediently performing the rollover trick besides her two rottweiler friends .
'Good puppies,' he humorously says, admiring the feline's canine-like traits .
Other videos show her out walking on a leash and skateboarding like a pro . |
165,166 | 6193091b080c09f9f88b686cefc12b7a73d9aef6 | ITV's first night of World Cup coverage was beset with problems as protesters hurled rocks at its beach-side studio and the channel's online service went down during the opening game. Angry demonstrators pelted stones at the studio - situated next to the Copacabana Beach - so hard it smashed sections of the glass frontage. ITV host Adrian Chiles was inside the . studio at the time of the attack, along with several pundits including . ex-Arsenal and England right-back Lee Dixon, former Italy centre-back . Fabio Cannavaro and 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira. Football fans were also left furious after ITV's online service suffered technical difficulties halfway through the first match of the tournament, Brazil's clash with Croatia. Pundits (from left to right): Lee Dixon, Fabio Cannavaro, Patrick Vieira and Adrian Chiles in the ITV studio as it was attacked . Angry supporters pelted the studio, which was situated next to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, so hard it smashed sections of the glass frontage . Football fans complained after the ITV Player went down during the opening 'Group A' match between Brazil and Croatia tonight, which ended with the host nation winning 3-1 . Protesters gathered outside the ITV studio - next to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro - with banners that read 'Fifa go home' After the match, Mr Chiles described how angry demonstrators targeted the broadcaster’s studio while waving banners and placards which stated: ‘Fifa go home’. He said: ‘This demonstration materialised about 10 minutes before the end of the game. ‘We were all sitting up here and then suddenly sharp clattering sounds started greeting our ears, and that was them pelting the glass of our studio and other studios around here. We did try to explain to them that none of this is our fault at ITV Sport.’ Football legend Gary Lineker also voiced his opinion on the attack. He . posted a picture on his Twitter profile of police in full riot gear at the scene after the . protest broke out and captioned it with: 'Best defence on show this . evening, right outside the TV studios'. Football fans also took to Twitter to vent their frustration at missing parts of the opening game after ITV's online service suffered ' unprecedented technical problems'. Protests have been ongoing in Brazil this week as angry locals criticised the amount of money spent on the World Cup by the host nation . Gary Lineker tweets the defence of police outside the TV studios after riots by the Copacabana beach in Rio . Due to the issues, some fans struggled to . successfully watch all of the match, which kicked off after a 30-minute . opening ceremony at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo. Andrew Smith wrote on his Twitter page: ‘Is everyone else's ITV Player down too? Get it sorted!’ While Chris O'Callaghan said: ‘ITV player, why have you betrayed me?!’ And Claire Kitson also wrote: ‘ITV Player . congratulations on picking the worst time to do maintenance on your . website! Would it have killed you to wait 15 minutes?’ Responding to the barage of criticism, ITV blamed the high volume of viewers tuning in to watch the lively 'Group A' match. A spokesman said: ‘Due to unprecedented numbers of users during this game we are currently experiencing some technical problems with our live coverage via ITV Player on PC/Mac. Adrian Chiles (right) presented ITV's World Cup coverage live from Brazil this evening, with help from pundits Lee Dixon, Fabio Cannavaro and 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira . Fabio Cannavaro and Patrick Vieira were in the studio when demonstrators targeted the ITV studios in Rio . Football fans complained after the ITV Player went down during the opening 'Group A' match between Brazil and Croatia at the Arena de Sao Paulo (pictured) ‘We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.’ The broadcaster came under fire during the last World Cup in 2010 when more than a million viewers missed England's opening goal at the tournament in South Africa. Viewers were left furious when ITV1 HD switched to an advert followed by a blank screen as Steven Gerrard scored in the fourth minute against the USA. Earlier today, riot police in Brazil fired rubber bullets and baton-charged protesters as violent clashes broke out just hours before the World Cup celebrations kicked off. Earlier today, a protest broke out in Sao Paulo opposing the money spent on the World Cup . Protesters tried to block part of the main highway leading to the stadium ahead of the multi-million pound opening ceremony and opening match of the 2014 World Cup . A journalist working for CNN is taken to an ambulance by emergency services after being injured . Demonstrators from the anarchist group Black Bloc clashed with police during the protest . Noise bombs were also let off near the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo to disperse a crowd of about 200 demonstrators angry about government overspending on the event. The protesters were trying to cut off a key avenue leading to the stadium, on the eastern edge of Sao Paulo. At least one protester was arrested, local media reported. A producer for CNN was injured during the confrontation, witnesses said. | Protesters threw rocks at studio overlooking Copacabana beach in Rio .
Adrian Chiles, Lee Dixon, Fabio Cannavaro and Patrick Vieira were inside .
Fans angry after ITV Player suffered 'unprecedented technical problems'
Spokesman blamed high numbers tuning in to online service to view match .
Host nation Brazil beat rivals Croatia 3-1 in opening game of World Cup '14 . |
108,217 | 1789b0a8754fe71a127f8a26222b2234f6126904 | SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Donating to charity itself is a relatively new phenomenon in a society that traditionally values family units. President Lee Myung-Bak is criticized by opposition parties who say he supports policies that favor the rich. So the announcement that South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak will be donating $26 million, the bulk of his wealth, to charity, is considered highly unusual. The president's office said the money will be used to set up a new youth scholarship program. "My fortune, which I accumulated through hard work during my life, is very precious to me," said Lee in a statement. "I have long thought that it would be good if my wealth was spent for society in a valuable way." Lee, who came to office last February, promised to donate his personal wealth to society in late 2007 when he was accused of amassing his fortune through illegal means. He was since been cleared of all charges. But he is now facing criticism from opposition parties who say he supports policies that favor the rich. Lee is a former CEO of Hyundai Construction and the Seoul mayor. But he emphasizes his impoverished beginnings, as a poor young man who had to earn his college tuition cleaning streets. "Looking back, I realize that all of those who helped me were poor," said Lee in the statement. "I know that the best way for me to pay back such kindness is to give back to society what I earned." Analysts say this move will hopefully encourage many others to follow. | President Lee Myung-Bak to donate $26 million, the bulk of his wealth, to charity .
President's office says money will be used to set up youth scholarship program .
Lee promised to donate wealth in 2007 when accused of illegally amassing fortune .
He was since been cleared of all charges . |
171,243 | 69a3688fb79f5c3040e40d39f0d68e13f5248d30 | By . Paul Collins . Cristiano Ronaldo looked like he was preparing for life in Brazil as he dazzled his Portugal team-mates in training with a samba dance. The Real Madrid superstar is known for bamboozling defenders with a quick shimmy of his hips and he put those skills to good use by dancing around the ball as team-mate Hugo Almeida ran in to tackle him. Pepe, Ronaldo's pal at Madrid and the national side, looked very impressed and began to do his own samba wiggle in response. But the Portugal hatchetman displayed a little less grace than the Ballon d'Or winner. Scroll down to watch Ronaldo's samba dance . Samba style: Cristiano Ronaldo (second left) shows his dancing skills to the delight of his Portugal pals . Quick step: The Real Madrid star shuffled his hips to confuse team-mate Hugo Almeida (right) Snap him up for Strictly! Pepe (second right) looked especially impressed with the superstar's skills . Ronaldo gave Portugal a boost on the eve of the World Cup by resuming training ahead of Tuesday's friendly against the Republic of Ireland at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The 29-year-old Real forward has been struggling with tendinosis in his knee and a muscle injury in his left thigh since the end of the domestic campaign and there were serious fears he may miss Portugal’s opening game of the World Cup against Germany on June 16. However, the Portuguese Football Association confirmed encouraging news on Saturday, nine days before the country's opener in Salvador. Close control: Ronaldo shows off his silky ball skills during Portugal training . Injury doubts: Ronaldo is working back to full fitness following thigh and knee problems . When in the USA... Ronaldo throws an American football while warming up during training in New Jersey . Ronaldo inspired Madrid to their 10th Champions League title - La Decima - last season and has now spoken of his desire to add the World Cup to his huge trophy haul. But Portugal are far from favourites for the World Cup – they have been drawn in a tricky group alongside Germany, Ghana and the United States, so reaching the knockout stages will be far from easy. | Ronaldo showed his Brazilian-style dance moves during training .
Team-mate Pepe looked impressed with the Real Madrid star .
Portugal kick-off their World Cup campaign against Germany .
Ronaldo returned to training last week following injury problems . |
275,298 | f0a806b68f45d13d4117631ea13862620ef875da | (CNN) -- Sad news all around: The weekend brought one tragic story after another about people dying in travel accidents. Homicide charges after train derails in Spain . The driver of the train that careened around a curve and derailed in northwestern Spain last week now faces homicide charges. Authorities charged him Sunday with 79 counts of homicide --- one for each life lost. Over the weekend, relatives of victims embarked on the grim but necessary task of picking up the luggage left behind. A solemn parade of mourners wheeled bags away from the police station in Santiago de Compostela. The suitcases had been recovered from the wreckage scene, their owners either dead or badly injured. Somber organ music filled the city's cathedral Monday night at a memorial for the passengers who perished. On church trip, bus flips in Indiana . A youth pastor, his pregnant wife and a chaperone were killed on a church trip when their bus flipped over in Indiana on Saturday. The driver told witnesses that the vehicle's brakes failed as he was trying to make a left turn, an Indianapolis Fire Department spokeswoman said. The bus ended up on its side on a concrete road barrier, with luggage and other debris strewn on the roadway. "I saw bodies everywhere, kids in shock and disbelief," said John Murphy, who had stopped along the northern Indianapolis road where the bus crashed. The bus was returning from a camp in Michigan, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard said. Bus packed with pilgrims plunges off bridge in Italy . A bus returning pilgrims from a weekend visit to a Catholic shrine in southern Italy plunged off a bridge into a wooded area, leaving at least 38 dead. The bus was traveling east of Naples in Avellino province, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. Avellino police official Pasquale Picone said the bus struck 11 cars on the road before falling off the bridge, leading police to suspect the bus had brake problems. But the exact cause of the accident remains unknown. Photos from the scene showed a broken guardrail and the bus lying on its side. New York boat crash kills bride, best man . In New York, wedding plans turned to funeral arrangements after a power boat carrying a wedding party crashed into a barge on the Hudson River late Friday. Two people died. Lindsey Stewart, the bride-to-be, and Mark Lennon, who was to have been the best man in the wedding party, and disappeared late Friday when a 21-foot Stingray power boat they were passengers on slammed into one of three construction barges strapped together near the Tappan Zee Bridge, 25 miles north of Manhattan. New York authorities are trying to piece together what went wrong. "We're looking into every single thing," Rockland County, New York, Sheriff Louis Falco said. "What we're going to do is bring in an accident reconstruction team." Pennsylvania helicopter crash kills 5 . A day after a helicopter went missing during bad weather, search crews spotted the wreckage Sunday in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. Five people, including a child, died in the crash, the county's coroner said. The Robinson 66 chopper departed from Tri-Cities Airport in Endicott, New York, and was headed to Jake Arner Memorial Airport in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. Federal officials said earlier it had come from Greater Binghamton Airport. Federal authorities are investigating. Switzerland: Commuter trains collide . Two commuter trains collided head-on in western Switzerland Monday evening, between the cities of Moudon and Payerne. Dozens were injured, several of them seriously, Swiss Railways spokesman Reto Schaerli said. "We don't know why this crash happened," he said. Floodwater sweeps tour bus downstream in Arizona . The driver of a tour bus loaded with passengers attempted to cross through floodwater that was at least 6 feet deep and 100 feet wide in northern Arizona on Sunday, . When fire department crews arrived, the bus had rolled onto its side and floated 300 yards downstream. No one was injured or killed, but authorities didn't mince words when they described the situation Sunday. "The occupants were extremely lucky to have survived," Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District Chief Patrick Moore said. "When you think of how much water it takes to float a bus 300 yards," he said, "you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know you shouldn't drive there." CNN's Holly Yan, Karl Penhaul, Barbie Nadeau, Livia Borghese, Janet DiGiacomo, Ed Payne, Alina Cho, Greg Botelho, Mark Morgenstein, Sho Wills, Dave Alsup and Stefan Simons contributed to this report. | NEW: Dozens are injured when two trains collide in Switzerland .
NEW: Victims of a Spanish train crash are honored at a memorial .
A youth pastor and his pregnant wife are killed when a bus flips in Indiana .
A bus packed with pilgrims plunges off a bridge in Italy, killing 38 . |
23,967 | 4401f29e583e258c42235659ce16b2cf5669b765 | (WIRED) -- Microsoft Office has been a desktop computer staple for decades, and now it looks like it might finally migrate to modern touchscreen tablets. But does Microsoft's mouse- and keyboard-dependent productivity software even belong on a tablet? And if it does make the transition to touch, how will we actually use it? Yesterday, a report by staff of The Daily claimed that Microsoft Office for iPad apps are definitely in the works, and could be released "in the coming weeks." The story included photos and descriptions of a purported hands-on demo. Microsoft representatives were quick to shoot back both on Twitter and in an official statement stating The Daily had its facts wrong and that its reporters had not, in fact, seen an actual Microsoft product on the tablet. Nonetheless, The Daily's Peter Ha later insisted that a working version of the app was demoed to the digital publication by a Microsoft employee. It's a he-said-she-said situation, but at least one key industry watcher feels Office for iPad makes sense. "I can say that based on the products Microsoft currently has in the market, launching additional Office apps for Apple devices would be a logical extension of their existing strategy," Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps told Wired in an e-mail. Microsoft already has Mac and iOS products like Office for Mac, a note-taking app called OneNote, SkyDrive for cloud storage, and Lync, points out Rotman Epps. Rumors that Microsoft would be bringing Office to the iPad have been circulating for a while, particularly since The Daily reported in late November that the suite would arrive in early 2012 at a $10 price point. If what The Daily reported Tuesday is true, it's possible that Microsoft Office for iPad could land concurrent to -- or even onstage with -- Apple's first public iPad 3 demo, which is expected to be held the first week of March. It would certainly make for an interesting presentation, as Apple doesn't actively evangelize its Microsoft synergy. Microsoft will be demoing its Windows 8 OS consumer preview on Feb. 29 so the timing of an early March Office for iPad unveiling would seem to work: Microsoft's big platform-wide announcement wouldn't be upstaged by its smaller Apple announcement. So let's assume Office is coming to the iPad. How precisely will you use it? "You'll use it for content curation. And it's very unlikely you'll be using the iPad in native tablet touch mode," Sachin Dev Duggal, CEO of Nivio, told Wired. Nivio is a cloud platform that lets you access your desktop and its files -- including Windows and Microsoft Office -- with a touch-controlled mouse pointer as input. "In most cases, you'll have it docked into a screen or a keyboard," Dev Duggal said of the rumored Office app. However, a second use case -- passively browsing through documents -- definitely lends itself to the iPad's simple touch-controlled data input. And don't underestimate the value of full document support. By loading native Office docs directly into Office, you ensure files render with proper formatting, a talent not always manifest in competitors like Documents to Go Premium. In this case, "The pure gesture-based control works great," Dev Duggal said. "It translates to a tablet experience." OK, so Dev Duggal paints an interesting picture of how the app will be used, but, again, is there a desperate need for Office on the iPad? Many of us have been getting by just fine without it. Well, according to Resolve Market Research, 18% of those who decided not to purchase an iPad 2 did so strictly because it didn't come with Microsoft Office programs. That's not a number to balk at. Dev Duggal thinks students and small businesses will be interested in Office for iPad. And there's also another prime user group: people who don't want to spend money on multiple devices. "If they can cross-utilize devices to also do productivity, thats a huge cost savings," Dev Duggal said. Elaine Coleman of Resolve Market Research concurs with Dev Duggal. "Tablets are a critical dual-purpose device," Coleman told Wired, adding that close to 70% of personal tablet users also use their devices for business. Indeed, the iPad has a growing role in the world of enterprise computing, with a large percent of Fortune 500 companies adopting the tablet (this was a touch point in Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent first-quarter earnings call). So, no doubt, the addition of Microsoft Office to the enterprise mix would be welcome. But Microsoft has waited a long time to deliver this product -- perhaps too long. "Every day that Microsoft does not have Office apps for iPad, they lose potential sales to competitors," Rotman Epps said. Such competitors include: Apple's own iWork office suite; Quickoffice, an iPhone alternative for viewing, sharing and editing Microsoft Office documents; and SlideShark, an iPad-based PowerPoint platform. Rotman Epps pointed out that these and a host of other productivity apps are all top performers in Apple's App Store. Indeed, Apple's Pages, Keynote and Numbers (in other words, the iWork suite) make up three of the top five spots in the Top Charts for paid Productivity apps in the App Store. And with OS X Mountain Lion's heavy iCloud integration, using Apple's iWork suite will make even more sense for users who own multiple Apple products. Whether people who already use Office alternatives would switch to Microsoft-brand products is "hard to say for sure," says Coleman. "I think in the enterprise many still believe 'Office is King' and will come back." Regardless, if Microsoft Office for iPad did make its debut onstage for the iPad 3 in a few weeks, it would be the first time the two tech giants teamed up at an Apple event in 15 years. Considering what happened last time, it would be a landmark occasion. For both companies. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2011 Wired.com. | Microsoft Office for iPad is rumored to be coming as early as March .
Research shows 18% of shoppers didn't buy iPad 2 because it doesn't have Microsoft Office .
CEO of Nivio Dev Duggal says Office for iPad will appeal to students and businesses . |
205,709 | 964fc2a9aae91e679f602da2c1f5cfaa7533470c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 18:28 EST, 30 July 2012 . A military jury has found an Army sergeant not guilty of negligent homicide in the death of an Army private who killed himself in Afghanistan. Sgt. Adam Holcomb was the first of eight soldiers . to be court-martialed for the alleged racial hazing of Pvt. Danny Chen, . who committed suicide last October. The infantryman from New York City . shot himself in a guard tower in southern Afghanistan after what after what investigators say were weeks of physical . abuse, humiliation and racial slurs. Acquitted: U.S. Army Sgt. Adam Holcomb, right, of Youngstown, Ohio, speaks with his defense attorney Capt. Dennis Hernon as they leave the Fort Bragg Courthouse on Tuesday July 24, 2012, in Fayetteville, N.C. Death: Private Danny Chen, 19, of New York, was found dead in a guard tower at Combat Outpost Palace on October 3 after apparently committing suicide . Holcomb was . found guilty on Monday on two lesser charges of maltreatment of a . subordinate and assault. He faces a maximum of two-and-a-half years in . prison. The 10-member jury deliberated for two hours in military court at Fort Bragg in eastern North Carolina on Monday after hearing closing arguments. Throughout the trial, the defense . painted Chen as an incompetent soldier disowned by his family. Prosecutors said Holcomb abused Chen and drove him to suicide. A native New Yorker of Chinese descent, Chen had been in Afghanistan only two months when he shot himself in a . guardhouse at a remote outpost in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. Justice: Sergent Adam Holcomb (L), looks on during court-martial proceedings at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in this artist's rendering on July 24, 2012 . Family: Su Zhen Chen, second from left, mother of Pvt. Danny Chen, leaves the Fort Bragg Courthouse on Tuesday July 24, 2012 during the first day of trial of Sgt. Adam Holcomb . Remembered: Danny Chen is pictured with his family in an emotional video which features his friends and relatives asking: 'What happened to Danny?' Mr Chen's relatives said he was . brutally hazed during training because he was Chinese-American. They said investigators told them that he was subjected to numerous . racial slurs and forced to do excessive sit-ups, push-ups, runs and . sprints carrying sandbags as punishment for not being as physically fit . as the rest of the platoon. On the day that he eventually ended . his life, he had forgotten his helmet and his water when he went to . report to the guardhouse. His superiors forced him to crawl over 100 . meters of gravel with all of his equipment when he returned, all the . while having other soldiers throw rocks at him. Sadness: A portrait of U.S. Army Private Danny Chen is displayed during his funeral procession in New York on October 13 after his death in Afghanistan . Grieving: The casket of Private Danny Chen is carried by an honour guard during a funeral procession in New York in October last year . State Senator Daniel Squadron, who . represents the New York neighbourhood where Chen grew up, spoke about the . teen on the state Senate floor in February. Squadron said.'The tragedy that . befell him, the experience that he had serving our country, is one that . no person in this country should ever have, period,' 'What those who hazed Danny Chen did . is they disrespected every one of their brothers and sisters in the . armed forces,' he added. | Private Danny Chen, 19, was found dead in October .
Chen suffered racial and physical abuse for weeks . |
4,012 | 0b8e57c1f1e87c4962c2f5a62408514a118cc5c9 | By . Snejana Farberov . and Lydia Warren . Doctors have been working tirelessly over the past two weeks to keep Sharon Budd alive after a football-sized rock tossed from an overpassed shattered her skull. Screws, bolts and plates now hold together the face of the 52-year-old seventh-grade teacher from Uniontown, Ohio, who was left with a large, gaping wound across her forehead and broken bones when she was struck on July 10 in Pennsylvania. That is when police say four teenagers — three now charged as adults, one as a juvenile — decided to throw rocks from an Interstate 80 overpass as Budd, her husband and a daughter happened to be passing through, on their way to see a show in New York. Praying for recovery: Sharon Budd, 52, pictured with her husband, three sons and a daughter, has a long road ahead of her after her skull has been shuttered in a random rock attack . 'Blood on their hands': Brett Lahr, 18 (left), and his 17-year-old brother Dylan (right), are facing aggravated assault and conspiracy charges along with two other teens in the rock-throwing case . That first night, surgeons at Geisinger Medical Center did what they could to clean out pieces of her skull that were jutting into her brain. They also removed parts of her intact skull to allow for the swelling they knew would soon follow. ‘We had to make sure that she was going to survive, that was our immediate goal for the first 72 hours,’" Dr. Atom Sarkar, her neurosurgeon, said Monday. The damage destroyed barriers the skull forms that make separate compartments needed to avoid infection of the brain from the nose and mouth. Doctors also had to use a piece of her skull to fabricate a bridge between her eyes. Kaylee Budd, 19, one of the Budds' four children, was driving just before midnight July 10 when the rock crashed through the front windshield of their Nissan Rogue. The college sophomore stopped and turned on the light to see her 52-year-old mother, a breast cancer survivor, had suffered horrifying injuries. From some 20 feet above, the rock apparently struck Sharon Budd directly on the forehead. It hit like an explosion, said Randy Budd, who described the injuries as so gruesome that he wasn't sure what he was seeing — blood and possibly brain matter amid shattered glass. Waiting for help, Kaylee and Randy held Sharon's hands, prayed, did what they could to reassure her and tried to prevent her from rubbing her head wound. Injured: Sharon Budd, left, was struck by a rock thrown from an overpass as her family drove on I-80. Moments before, she spoke with her son Lucas, right, who is about to be deployed to Afghanistan . Shattered: Screws, bolts and plates now hold together the face of the 52-year-old married mother of four, seen left with her husband, Randy Budd . Altered: Doctors have been forced to remove the right frontal lobe of Sharon Budd's brain, which helps determine personality . Randy Budd said his wife had just . finished speaking with their eldest son, Lucas, before the vehicle was . struck by the rock. The . 28-year-old was scheduled to leave for Afghanistan with the Ohio . National Guard for a one-year deployment but his departure has . been delayed as his mother fights for her life. After hanging up the phone, she asked him to send her a photo from his station in Fort Bliss, Texas, which he did. 'He wrote back, "I really miss you mom",' Randy Budd said. At . the hospital, a physician braced Randy Budd for the worst, saying she . was perilously close to death and advising him to call loved ones. ‘Two . gentlemen came up and said: 2We're going to do an emergency surgery. Give her a chance to live.” I just signed. Some eye doctors came in and . basically said the same thing. I signed,’ Randy Budd said. It took her about a week to recuperate enough for ear, nose and throat surgeons to perform more comprehensive work on her face. It . was during that follow-up surgery last Thursday that doctors realized . damage to the right frontal lobe of her brain and some parts of the left . were likely to continue giving her problems and needed to be removed . during a 13-hour operation. The . frontal lobe helps determine your personality, a particularly bitter . fate for Sharon, a woman with a wide network of friends and a devotion . to her career as a language arts teacher. Loved: Mrs Budd, a teacher, is pictured with her husband Randy and 19-year-old daughter Kaylee, who were in the car but who did not suffer any injuries, and her three sons . ‘That . part of the brain actually affects your social interactivity, how she . is as a person, if she's warm and compassionate, or bubbly and . ebullient, or just quiet and reserved,’ Sarkar said. ‘That doesn't mean . that she can't be the person she was.’ Her . arms and legs appear to be moving appropriately, but doctors don't know . how her dexterity and fine motor control will be affected. It is likely . she has permanently lost the use of her right eye. A . tube in her brain was removed Monday, and although she is somewhat . sedated, she has been able to follow her doctors' commands, mostly . shaking her head or wiggling her fingers and toes, Randy Budd said . Tuesday. Doctors hope to perform additional skull reconstruction, and at some point remove the hardware. The . scar from the rock runs from her right ear across her forehead; the one . from the procedure to remove portions of her skull goes across the top . of her head, from ear to ear. Now they wait to see how she progresses. ‘We can say she's not going to die,’ Sarkar said, ‘but there's a very far gulf between not dying and being the person you were.’ Fears: Randy said when he saw her injuries, 'it was the most gruesome thing that you could ever imagine' Beautiful duo: Sharon and Randy Budd pictured on the day of their wedding decades before the July 10, 2014, tragedy . Three Pennsylvania teenagers have now been charged as adults in the near-fatal highway rock-throwing incident. Milton resident Tyler Gregory Porter, 17, appeared in court Monday on charges including aggravated assault and conspiracy. Court records indicate he told police another boy threw the rock that hit Budd's car. Two other teens, including 18-year-old Brett Lahr and 17-year-old Dylan Lahr, were previously arrested on those counts. A fourth juvenile identified only by his initials KLN was also apprehended. The group face felony charges of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and counts of propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle or onto roadway, possessing of instruments of crime and recklessly endangering another person, the Daily Item reported. KLM told state police that they had been driving in his Mitsubishi Eclipse when they stopped on the overpass to Interstate 80, according to the criminal complaint, the Daily Item reported. Dylan Lahr and Porter got out and threw rocks at and struck passing vehicles, KLM told troopers. He said he saw a vehicle slow down but that they fled to the Lahrs' house. They then got into the Lahr family's gold Honda Accord and drove past the scene to see what was happening and when they saw a police car, they returned to the home. Scene: A group of teenagers threw rocks from this overpass in Milton, Pennsylvania last week and one landed on the Budds' car. Four teens were arrested and now face charges in the incident . KLM and Brett Lahr headed back to the scene again and saw several more police cruisers before returning to the Lahrs' house. Police checked the license plate of the Honda, which was registered to the Lahr family, and went to their home in New Columbia. When questioned by police, Tyler Porter said he threw one rock onto I-80 but did not strike a vehicle whereas Dylan Lahr threw at least two rocks and one of them struck a car. Brett Lahr, the older brother, remained in Union County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail, while Dylan Lahr was released on supervised bail. Sharon Budd's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with her medical costs, which so far has collected more than $18,000 in donations. Another online fundraiser has been launched on YouCaring.com, where as of Tuesday afternoon supporters have surpassed the $25,000 goal. | Sharon Budd, 52, was driving from Ohio to New York with her husband and daughter when their car was struck with an 8lb rock in Pennsylvania .
The boulder shattered her forehead and she was rushed to hospital .
Mrs Budd, a cancer survivor, lost an eye and required 13-hour surgery to remove right frontal lobe of her brain that determines personality .
Brett and Dylan Lahr, ages 18 and 17, Tyler Porter, age 17, and another teen charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy .
Sharon's eldest son, 28-year-old Lucas Budd, was scheduled to leave for Afghanistan with the Ohio National Guard for a one-year deployment . |
232,743 | b9588706170d7e7e7f2eea81e67d92fc4c3c3085 | By . Kerry Mcqueeney . Last updated at 2:51 PM on 7th October 2011 . Savaged: John Paul Massey was killed by his uncle's pitbull . Police ignored reports that illegal dogs were being bred in a house where a four-year-old boy was killed by a pitbull, a damning report has revealed. Despite a senior housing officer telling officers that the uncle of little John Paul Massey was breeding illegal dogs in the same property where the youngster was mauled to death, police did nothing. Watchdog bosses have now rapped officers from Merseyside Police for failing to act in the nine months before the child's death. John Paul Massey was savaged by his uncle Christian Foulke's pitbull, Uno, while he was at his grandmother's home in November 2009. The little boy suffered appalling injuries to his head and neck after being shaken like a 'rag doll' by the dog. Foulkes, then aged 22, admitted owning the animal and was jailed for four months last June. A report into the incident centres on officers choosing to reject an earlier report that Foulkes was nurturing illegal dogs at a house in Wavertree, Liverpool, where his mother Helen lived. The Independent Police Complaints Commission described the force's reaction to the initial report a 'inadequate', highlighting a catalogue of errors. Key findings in the report include how: . Two police officers - an acting sergeant and a PC - as well as a member of the police communication staff were given 'management advice' for the inadequate handling of the report following the inquiry. Naseem Malik, IPCC commissioner for the north west, said: 'We will never know with any certainty what might have happened if a different decision had been taken by the officers and staff in February 2009. 'With hindsight it is easy to say that had the police responded differently the dangerous dog may have been seized and John Paul Massey would not have died. 'However hindsight is a wonderful thing. We cannot know for certain what would have happened.' Family tragedy: John Paul Massey's uncle Christian Foulkes (left) and the tragic youngster's mother Angela McGlynn (right) She added: 'What is a terribly sad certainty is that in November 2009 a young, innocent boy lost his life. 'I read the emotional tributes paid to John Paul after his death - he was clearly a well-loved little boy. 'He was too young to know the potential risk posed by that dog. The tragedy is others either were aware, or should have been aware, of the potential risk and they will have to live with that knowledge.' Merseyside Police introduced a dangerous dogs policy following the death of Ellie Lawrenson in St Helens in 2007, which was recognised for good practice by the Association of Chief Police Officers. However, failings in the John Paul Massey case 'undermined' the good work achieved previously. Illegal: Pitbulls are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act . Ms Malik ruled: 'An opportunity was clearly missed which may have resulted in further investigation. 'However this was not due to malice or any deliberate act. Rather it was poor decision making on behalf of the officers and staff involved. 'The officers and staff - the acting Sergeant, the PC who requested the log be closed and the communications room supervisor who closed the log - have been subject to action plans.' Chief Superintendent John Young, from Merseyside Police's Force's Professional Standards Department, said: 'Following the death of John Paul Massey we made a voluntary referral to the IPCC after the investigation discovered that information about potential illegal dog breeding at an address had not been dealt with adequately. 'This information was received by a police call handler nine months before a dog owned by John Paul's uncle and looked after by his grandmother, killed John Paul. 'However, on this occasion appropriate action was not taken. All recommendations made by the IPCC have been implemented.' | Housing officer reported illegal dogs in house nine months before John Paul Massey was savaged .
Watchdog describes Merseyside Police's reaction as 'inadequate'
The log into the initial phone call was closed down without further investigation; .
Officers discounted the warning call possibly in an effort to meet internal targets; .
'Poor decisions' were made repeatedly by staff; .
Officers involved had no clear direction from police of how to report a dangerous dog, despite the Merseyside force being considered a leader in that field. |
227,313 | b25601836654979e8ed38f989b7a221fc7d42e32 | A photographer has captured these poignant pictures showing the life of the outcast transgender people in Bangladesh. Shahria Sharmin decided to get to know the transsexual minority group, known as Hijras, who are shunned from society in most of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Her eye-opening portrait series, titled ‘Call me Heena’, highlights the struggles faced by males who choose to live as females – known as the ‘third’ or ‘unknown gender’. Scroll down for video . Shahria Sharmin captured these poignant pictures of the transgender community in Bangladesh known as Hijras in a portrait series entitled 'Call me Heena' Her pictures highlight the struggles faced by males who choose to live as females. Pictured is Zorina, 25, who said she wishes one day she would wake up and find she had become a woman . Meeting Heena, 51 (pictured above) changed the Bangladeshi photographer's opinion of the transgender community she had been brought up to see as less human . The 42-year-old Bangladeshi photographer, who is currently studying in London, said: ‘In Bangladesh Hijras hardly get an opportunity to have a normal life. ‘They do not have any school to study, no temple to pray in, no government and private organisations would want to see them in their employee list. ‘They have no access to legal system nor do even health service providers welcome them.’ She added: ‘I, like almost everyone else in my society, was raised to see them as less than human. Their habits, way of life, and even their looks marked them as apart, different and deviant. 'Always desiring to be a mother I have adopted Boishakhi. But I wonder what if she calls me father someday,' said 27-year-old Salma, a newly transgender mother . In Bangladesh Hijras hardly get an opportunity to have a normal life. They do not have any school to study, no temple to pray in, no government and private organisations would want to see them in their employee list. Pictured is Nayan, 24, who works at a garments factory and earns what is perceived as honest income by her family . Nishi, 21, waits for the man of her dreams after joining community that dates back thousands of years but has only been shunned for the last 200 hundred . 23-year-old Priyanka (right) is recreating old dreams of love into reality with her new lover (left). The government in Bangladesh now recognise Hijras a third gender . ‘Then I met Heena and she made me see how wrong I was. She opened her life to me, made me a part of her world and helped me to see beyond the word Hijra. ‘She made me understand her, and others who live in her community, as the mothers, daughters, friends and lovers that they actually are.’ As well as speaking with 51-year-old Heena, she also met and photographed other people in the Bangladeshi transgender community including Shumi, 22, and Priya, 26. While 21-year-old Nishi told her she was waiting for the man of her dreams and Salma, 27, who has adopted baby Boishakhi, wonders if she will call her father instead of mother one day. Sex worker Panna, 52, waits for her client in a winter evening. Many members of the Hijra community have descended into working as prostitutes . Shumi, 22, (Ieft) and Priya, 26, (right) pose semi-naked for photographer Shahria Sharmin, who is currently studying in London but is originally from Bangladesh . The photographer's opinion changed when she met transsexual Heena, who made her see how wrong she was after she opened up her life to her . Pinky Guru, 56m (right) the Hijra community leader shows her passion for expressions, joining followers in dance at a puja party within the minority group . Hijras have been part of South Asia’s culture for thousands of years but it was only when the British came to power in India in 1897 that outraged colonists introduced a law classing them as criminals. The word ‘hijra’ is an Urdu-Hindustani word derived from Semitic Arabic root meaning ‘leaving one’s tribe’. In 2013 the Bangladeshi Government formally recognised hijras as a third gender. This was followed by India in January of this year. Chaiti, 32, above, prefers to define herself as 'third gender', which is now officially recognised and can be used on passports by Hijras in Bangladesh and India . The word ‘hijra’ is an Urdu-Hindustani word derived from Semitic Arabic root meaning ‘leaving one’s tribe’. Laily, 33, is a member of the ostracised community . Exiled from her village for living as a woman, Sonia, 33, (left) lives in a plastic shade in the park. Once in a while she appreciates a walk with her transgender friend . Speaking with Heena made Sharmin understand her, and others who live in her community, as the mothers, daughters, friends and lovers that they actually are . Eight-year-old Tiptap's father and the Hijra community exchanged her luck against nature's progression. She dances under the light before her fate is decided for her . Sonali, 31, asks why society cannot accept them as they are. Western society has long accepted the transgender community but they are shunned in South Asia . 'I like it when guys are attracted to me like they would be attracted to any other woman,' says 24-year-old transgender Jasmine, who lives in Bangladesh . | Photographer Shahria Sharmin got to know shunned transgender group through poignant portrait series .
Known as Hijras, the minority community is shunned from most of society in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India .
Pictures highlight the struggles faced by the males living as females - known as 'third' or 'unknown' gender .
Sharmin, 42, from Bangladesh but currently studying in London, brought up to see them as less than human .
But after meeting Heena, 51, her opinion changed and helped her to understand the ostracised community . |
148,349 | 4bd0cfe7f9cab3d3eb7b6c8b2e5a9a135f0f1534 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 02:40 EST, 13 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:40 EST, 13 June 2013 . Prosecutors are still seeking the death penalty for Jodi Arias despite a jury being unable to reach a verdict on whether she should be executed. Arias, a former waitress from California, . was found guilty last month of killing Travis Alexander, whose body was . found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He . had been stabbed 27 times, had his throat slashed and was shot in the . face. Prosecutors have revealed they will still pursue a death penalty for Jodi Arias, pictured here before the jury's non-decision in her sentencing was handed down . Arias says the killing was self-defense, and that on the day of Alexander's death, he attacked her and she was forced to fight for her life. However, no other evidence - other than Arias' accounts - has been presented at trial showing Alexander had ever been physically violent. Authorities say Arias planned the attack. She initially denied involvement then blamed it on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said it was self-defense. Following the deadlock, the jury foreman claimed he is has been threatened with hate mail, with strangers saying they will kill him for failing to sentence Arias to death. 'Today I read hate mail my dad had gotten,' the son of foreman William Zervakos wrote on his blog. 'Some person had sent him a threatening message complete with his email address, full name, and phone number (which at the very least means that this guy should retake Hate Mail 101).' Heartbroken: Travis Alexander's relatives, including his sister Tanisha (right) were a constant presence at the trial and they were moved to tears when they heard that it would drag on for more months . The state of Arizona now has the . option of retrying the sentencing phase of the trial, which would . require a new jury be empanelled, NBCNews.com reported. If there is another deadlock, a judge . would sentence Arias to natural life in prison, or life with the . possibility of parole after 25 years. Maricopa County Attorney Bill . Montgomery told reporters prosecutors would ask a new sentencing jury to . do what the previous one could not - put Arias to death. 'At this point, we are still preparing to move forward to retry the penalty phase,' Montgomery told a news conference. New target: William 'Bill' Zervakos has received death threats in the wake of the Jodi Arias trail where he and the other jury members failed to punish her with the death penalty . Mr Zervakos has previously explained that the jury aced a decision that was wrenching and real, with implications that could haunt them forever. He said the jury struggled with one . specific question in their private deliberations: How heinous of a . killing deserves a similar fate? 'The . system we think is flawed in that sense because this was not a case of a . Jeffrey Dahmer or Charles Manson,' Zervakos told The Associated Press. 'It was a brutal no-win situation. ... I think that's kind of unfair,' the 69-year-old added. 'We're . not lawyers. We can't interpret the law. We're mere mortals. And I will . tell you I've never felt more mere as a mortal than I felt for the last . five months.' Zervakos . said the most difficult time of the entire trial was hearing directly . from victim's family as his brother and sister tearfully explained how . his killing has shattered their lives. 'There was no sound in that jury room for a long time after that because you hurt so bad for these people,' he said. 'But that wasn't evidence. That's what . made it so hard.... This wasn't about them. This was a decision whether . we're going to tell somebody they were going to be put to death or . spend the rest of their life in prison.' Zervakos . described a deliberations room full of tears and spinning moral . compasses as each juror struggled to come to grips with their own . beliefs about what factors - including Arias' young age at the time of . the killing and her lack of criminal history - should cause them to show . mercy and spare her life. 'You've . got Travis Alexander's family devastated, that he was killed, that he . was brutally killed. You've got Jodi Arias' family sitting in there, . both families sitting and seeing these humiliating images and listening . to unbelievably lurid private details of their lives, and you've got a . woman whose life is over, too,' Zervakos said. 'I mean, who's winning in this situation? And we were stuck in the middle.' Zervakos . declined to discuss his thoughts or those of other jurors on whether . Arias should have been sentenced to death or life. But he said he was . torn between her two personas: a killer and an average young woman . struggling through life. 'You heard (prosecutor Juan) Martinez say she was only 27.... She's old enough that she should have known better,' Zervakos said. 'I didn't look at it that way. I'm looking at 27 years of an absolutely normal everyday young woman that was living a life that was perfectly normal. 'Then something changed the trajectory of her life after meeting Travis Alexander, and it spiraled downhill from there.' | State of Arizona now has the .
option of retrying the sentencing .
If there is another deadlock, a judge .
would jail Arias for life .
Arias was found guilty last month of killing Travis Alexander in 2008 .
Former waitress from California says the killing was self-defense . |
71,202 | c9df2e3e1856fd2a138571067ef5c488aa27c1b2 | The scientists believe the same process . may be used by all mushroom fungi, including those that cause diseases . in plants, animals and humans . By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:00 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:46 EST, 26 November 2013 . Mushrooms have an extraordinary ability to control the weather, scientists have learned. By altering the moisture of the air around them, they are able to whip up winds that blow away their spores and help them disperse. Plants use a variety of methods to spread seeds, including gravity, forceful ejection, wind, water and animals. Scientists used high-speed filming techniques and mathematical modelling to show how oyster and Shitake mushrooms (pictured) release water vapour to cools the air around them, creating convection currents . Mushrooms have long been thought of as passive seed spreaders, releasing their spores and then relying on air currents to carry them. But new research has shown that mushrooms are able to disperse their spores over a wide area even when there is not a breath of wind - by creating their own 'weather'. U.S. scientists used high-speed filming techniques and mathematical modelling to show how oyster and Shitake mushrooms release water vapour to cool the air surrounding them, creating convection currents. The scientists believe the same process may be used by all mushroom fungi, including those that cause diseases in plants, animals and humans (puffball fungus, pictured) This in turn generates miniature winds that lift their spores into the air. The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics in Pittsburgh, suggest that mushrooms are far more than mechanical spore manufacturers. 'Our research shows that these "machines" are much more complex than that: they control their local environments, and create winds where there were none in nature,' said lead scientist Professor Emilie Dressaire, from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. 'That's pretty amazing, but fungi are ingenious engineers.' The scientists believe the same process may be used by all mushroom fungi, including those that cause diseases in plants, animals and humans. A mushroom - or toadstool - is technically the fleshy, spore-bearing, fruiting body of a fungus. Millions of spores, microscopic single-celled 'seeds', may be produced by a single mushroom, and at least a few of these are likely to land somewhere suitable for fungal growth. More than 80 different types of wild edible mushroom grow in the UK, as well as many poisonous species. One of the world's deadliest mushrooms, the death cap, is a common sight in British woodland. Although pleasant tasting, just one ounce of the fungus is enough to kill. A fungus is neither a plant nor an animal. It is similar to a plant, but it has no chlorophyll so cannot make its own food like a plant can through photosynthesis (the process by which a plant produces energy from exposure to sunlight) Fungi are thought to have diverged from the plant and animal kingdoms about one billion years ago. They obtain their food by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings. Some fungi cause disease by using living organisms for food. These fungi infect plants, animals and even other fungi. Athlete’s foot and ringworm are two fungal diseases in humans. Fungi exist in various habitats, including the depths of the oceans, lakes, deserts, very salty environments and areas of extremely high or low temperatures. Some can survive even after being exposed to intense UV and cosmic radiation as one would encounter during space travel. Indeed during the 13 years the Mir space station was in orbit, a great deal of equipment was continuously being damaged by mutated fungi that had been breeding in the space station. | Researchers found that oyster and Shitake mushrooms release water vapour that cools the air around them, creating convection currents .
This in turn generates miniature winds that lift their spores into the air .
The scientists believe the same process .
may be used by all mushroom fungi, including those that cause diseases .
in plants, animals and humans . |
202,533 | 923773ae3441bf9fb7352c8b7f5e571c6612a98f | By . Associated Press . A 34-year-old 'transient' crashed a classic 1930 Ford Model A coupe into a river in Oregon after pilfering it from a church parking lot. Sheriff's deputies arrested Erik Blake Halpin, whom they described as a transient, after he swam to shore and was treated at a nearby hospital for his injuries. The charges were drunken driving, unauthorized use of a vehicle and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree. The saga started when a 79-year-old man took the fully restored Model A to church on Sunday to show it off. A 34-year-old took this 1930 Ford Model A coupe on a joy ride on Sunday until he crashed it into the Crooked River in Oregon . Erik Blake Halpin was arrested on charges of drunken driving and unauthorized use of a vehicle after he allegedly stole a Ford Model A and crashed it into a river . When he left it to get a bite to eat . for lunch, Halpin stole the car and went on a joy ride before . crashing it into the Crooked River south of Prineville, Florida, . according to Oregon State Police. Police . in Prineville, Oregon, received a call that a car went off Highway 27 . into the river. Before they arrived, Crook County Fire & Rescue . paramedics found the driver. Halpin, who also has an outstanding warrant . for misdemeanor failure to appear in Klamath County Circuit Court, is . being held at Crook County Jail. Photos . released by the Oregon State Police show the mangled vehicle in the . river. A company towed the antique car to shore, and an estimate of the damages weren't immediately available. A man helps tow the Model A out of the river after it was stolen on Sunday. The owner had the car fully restored, and it was unknown what it would cost to repair the damage . | An unidentified 79-year-old man was showing off his fully restored Ford Model A in his church's parking lot .
Erik Blake Halpin, whom authorities described as a transient, took off with the man's ride while he was grabbing a bite to eat .
The journey ended in the Crooked River, where a towing company extracted the mangled Model A and police arrested Halpin on charges of driving while drunk and unauthorized use of a vehicle . |
208,338 | 99b84a8115e96b915f5ea380fc11fd124ca42fcf | (CNN) -- As though there were not enough tumult in Egypt. A year after revolution felled a longtime dictator, a new crisis has soured its strongest Western ally and threatened to sever military aid. Egyptian authorities had been investigating civil society organizations for a while but they stunned U.S. officials by announcing this week that 43 foreigners, including 19 Americans, working for civil society organizations would face prosecution. Egyptian officials blamed ongoing unrest in their country on foreign interference. Authorities carried out 17 raids on the offices of 10 organizations including the U.S.-based Freedom House, National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute. Among those going to court is Sam LaHood, son of Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary. Not a wise decision by the Egyptians, said journalist Ashraf Khalil, author of "Liberation Square: Inside the Egyptian Revolution." "You never ever mess with the son of a (government official)," Khalil said. "I never expected foreigners would be sent to trial. I started to think that maybe they really believe these people are spies." Khalil was not alone in his reaction. Several analysts said they were surprised the Egyptians chose to provoke America at such a critical juncture in their post-revolutionary journey; to bite the proverbial hand that feeds them. What makes this crisis even tougher is that there are no easy solutions to stave off tensions. The Egyptians say the pro-democracy organizations had received illegal foreign financing and were operating without a proper license. But some of the groups had been tacitly operating for some time in Egypt without permission, even under Hosni Mubarak. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the groups targeted did not fund candidates or parties. "There is nothing new in their activities," she said. Washington viewed the move as a crackdown on democracy and threatened to cut off more than $1.3 billion in military aid that was conditioned on Egypt's progress in transitioning to democracy. Top officials including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lashed out. And 41 members of Congress urged the administration to withhold further aid to Egypt until authorities allow the offices of the targeted organizations re-open. "We have underscored how serious a problem these actions are. We have said clearly that these actions could have consequences for our relationship, including regarding our assistance programs," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Monday. Nuland declined to speculate about possible consequences but said the dispute "is a very, very difficult situation in terms of the support we want to provide Egypt." The drama continued Tuesday when Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN that an Egyptian military delegation visiting Washington had canceled meetings with senior American lawmakers at the last moment and returned to Egypt. McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, did not give a reason why the Egyptians backed out but it wasn't hard to guess. "What is happening now is that both sides have painted themselves in a corner and they don't have an easy way to get out," said Marina Ottaway, a senior associate at the Middle East Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The Egyptians have now made a legal case and the Americans will find it difficult to tell them to interfere with the work of the judiciary when they are trying to push democracy, Ottaway said. One Egyptian official told the Al-Ahram newspaper: "Americans cannot preach to us night and day about the need to abide by the rule of law and then ask us to break the law to serve their interests." The United States entree into Egypt is through its military leadership -- Washington has no relationship with the political leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has a majority in Egypt's parliament. So it cannot afford to simply cut off Egypt, Ottaway said. At the same time, Egypt must find a way to expedite legitimate trial and release the Americans to protect its relationship with Washington. Ottaway said the military often blames foreign forces in having a hidden hand in anti-government protests. "This is what the military is doing," she said. "Unfortunately, they are not blaming some nebulous group. It's a big mess." The crisis may also have been fueled in part by the a great sense of nationalism on the government's part, said Isobel Coleman, a senior fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations. "It's better in the short term to be seen as standing up to the Americans,' she said. In recent days protesters have returned to Cairo's Tahrir Square, demanding an end to military rule. Some of those protests, in the wake of soccer riots that killed 79 people, have turned deadly. "As the situation continues to be very unsettled in Egypt, the powers that be will look for a scapegoat," Coleman said. "Blame your problems on outside powers. That's how it has been throughout history." Accusing activists of receiving foreign funds is not new, either. Under Mubarak, dissident Saad Eddin Ibrahim was accused of using European Union money for election monitoring. He was tried twice before a higher court dismissed the case. Khalil, who covered Ibrahim's trial, said he believes the Egyptian courts will back down on the foreigners. "I think the Egyptians understand the depth of the hornet's nest," he said. But what Khalil fears most are the consequences for a half-dozen Egyptian pro-democracy groups that have also been accused of receiving foreign money. They are not the ones in the spotlight, he said. But they are the ones who will feel the wrath of authorities the most. CNN's Ted Barrett contributed to this report. | Egyptian authorities crack down on foreign organizations .
Among those facing trial are 19 Americans .
Angry U.S. lawmkers threaten to cut off military aid to Egypt .
Many are surprised by Egypt's provocation but see no easy way out . |
36,150 | 668f64c3d305c4454d5315ef0be6e50450130975 | By . Ashley Clements . Follow @@Ashley_Clements . Chelsea assistant first-team coach Jose Morais has taken a one-year sabbatical in order to become the manager of Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabbab. Morais first joined Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan where he assisted in scouting and opposition analysis before following the now Chelsea boss to Real Madrid. The Blues have revealed that Morais's role as assistant first-team coach will be split between two different members of staff. Moving on: Chelsea coach Jose Morais (right) has taken a one-year sabbatical to manage Al-Shabbab . Head of analysis and opposition scouting James Melbourne will take over and report directly to Mourinho as he works closely with scouts Mick McGiven and Paul McGiven. Former Real Madrid staff member Carlos Lalin has also joined Mourinho's backroom from Real Madrid. Lalin will become the assistant first-team fitness coach and gym manager. Backroom: Jose Mourinho will now be joined by former Real Madrid coach Carlos Lalin . | Jose Morais takes one-year sabbatical to manage Al-Shabbab .
Chelsea assistant coach joined Mourinho at Inter and followed him to Real Madrid before Blues move . |
87,646 | f8ab7eff595a6bef236056765f13dd8cff74748a | By . David Gardner In Los Angeles and Daily Mail Reporters . PUBLISHED: . 14:03 EST, 29 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:25 EST, 30 April 2013 . Attorneys for Michael Jackson's family on Monday accused his concert promoter, AEG, of ignoring 'red flags' about his drug addiction and ill health in a ruthless pursuit of profits. AEG Live is the second-largest concert promoter in the nation and Jackson family lawyer Brian Panish told jurors that the company's only priority was overtaking its competition, Live Nation. 'They wanted to be No. 1 at all costs,' he said. Monday marked the beginning the trial for a wrongful death suit brought by the Kind of Pop's mother, Katherine Jackson, who claims AEG executives ordered Dr Conrad Murray to heavily medicate Jackson to ensure he continued to perform, despite pain and injury. The wrongful-death suit contends the . entertainment firm threatened to end Jackson’s career if he failed to . come through with the concerts and ordered Murray to keep the performer . on track. AEG officials have denied any . wrongdoing, and the company's lawyers have said executives could not have . foreseen the circumstances that led to the physician giving Jackson doses . of the anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid. Arrivals: Rebbie Jackson, left, and Randy Jackson attend the Jackson vs AEG court case on April 29, 2013 in Los Angeles, California . Former Michael Jackson lead attorney: Thomas A. Mesereau arrives for the opening arguments in Katherine Jackson's civil suit against concert promoter AEG . Doomed: The emails between executives from entertainment giant AEG are believed to reveal Michael Jackson's declining health ahead of his doomed This Is It comeback tour . 'Forget about helping Mr' Jackson,' Panish said. 'The show must go on.' AEG's attorney Marvin S. Putnam, however, said the singer's guarded private life meant the company was unaware that he was using powerful drugs. 'The truth is, Michael Jackson fooled everyone,' Putnam said. 'He made sure that no one, nobody, knew his deepest darkest secrets.' Panish said that AEG is the only . entity that claims it didn’t know about Jackson’s addiction to . prescription drugs. The addiction began, Panish says, following an infamous 1984 accident the filming of a Pepsi commercial that set Jackson's hair on fire. The singer suffered second and third burns and never fully recovered. First day: The Jackson family is seeking $40 billion in damages for the wrongful death of Michael Jackson from entertainment corporation AEG Live . Family: Jackson's mother, brother Randy and sister Rebbie, pictured, sat in the front row of the courtroom as Brian Panish detailed aspects of Jackson's life . Stating his case: Jackson attorney Brian Panish painted AEG Live as a greedy, ruthless company during his opening statements on Monday . Tears: Katherine Jackson, the pop star's mother, wept in court as lawyers played a song her son wrote for his three children . A jury of six men and six women will determine whether AEG is liable and any damages award. AEG Live, the second-largest concert promoter in the world, owed a duty to . properly investigate the doctor who treated Michael Jackson, Panish argued. 'His stirring voice, his musical . genius, his creativity and his generosity and his huge heart was . extinguished forever,' he told jurors. Katherine Jackson is suing AEG . claiming it failed to properly investigate the doctor convicted of . involuntary manslaughter over Jackson’s death. Suit: Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson is one of the family members who have brought the suit against AEG . Children: Damages are also being sought on behalf of the star's children Prince (left) Blanket (middle) and Paris (right) 'You’re going to hear the whole story about what happened in the death of Michael Jackson,' Panish said. Panish made his remarks in an opening . presentation filled with slides detailing the case against AEG, which . was promoting Jackson’s planned comeback tour, This Is It. Jackson’s mother, brother Randy and . sister Rebbie sat in the front row of the courtroom as Panish detailed . aspects of Jackson’s life. Millions, and possibly billions, of dollars are at stake. Katherine Jackson sued the company in . September 2010, claiming it failed to properly investigate former . physician Conrad Murray before allowing him to serve as Jackson’s tour . doctor. She is also suing on behalf of her son’s three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket. AEG denies it hired Murray, saying he was hired by Jackson himself. The company's lawyer have said they could not have foreseen the circumstances that . led to Jackson’s death at age 50. This Jackson trial has become a media spectacle, just like all of the previous court cases involving the King of Pop . A jury convicted Murray of giving . Jackson a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol in 2011. The . hospital-grade anesthetic was being administered as a sleep aid. Panish told jurors they would be putting together a puzzle, with three pieces being Jackson, Murray and AEG Live. He told the panel that Jackson . suffered from addiction to prescription medications and Demerol at times . during his life, and the problem increased when he was keeping up a . rigorous schedule. 'Over the years Michael family’s and . people who knew him believed he had a problem with prescription . medication,' Panish told jurors. The lawyer showed a brief clip of . Jackson rehearing for the This Is It shows and a clip of the singer . dancing in the early stages of his presentation. He also showed footage of a 1999 show . in Munich in which Jackson was performing when a bridge dropped 50 feet . with the singer on it. Despite pain, Jackson continued performing, . Panish said. Panish said Jackson turned to Demerol to relieve his pain. Katherine Jackson and her two oldest grandchildren, Prince and Paris, are listed as possible witnesses. An AEG attorney said on Monday that the company intends to call Murray as a witness in the case as well. Murray did not testify at his criminal trial and his lawyers said he will invoke the Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination if called to testify in this case. Panish told jurors they would have to determine who was responsible for Jackson’s death. 'Michael paid the ultimate price. He died,' Panish said. 'Michael has taken responsibility.' Evidence: The star's former wives Lisa Marie Presley (left) and Debbie Rowe could be asked to give testimony during the trial . Jailed: Dr Conrad Murray wwas jailed for four years for causing involuntary manslaughter for his role in Michael Jackson's death . Hundreds of private emails detailing . Michael Jackson’s dramatic deterioration in his final days will play a . key role in the trial. The messages sent by executives at . AEG, the US entertainment giant behind the star’s doomed comeback tour, . reveal the 50-year-old singer’s turmoil as he struggled with his health . and inner demons to prepare for the lucrative concerts. According to a senior AEG lawyer, the company is likely to bring up Jackson’s drug shopping as well as his acquittal on child molestation charges as part of their case that the promoter had no liability in the tragedy. The Jackson family's lawyers are likely to zero in on the emails they claim show how aware the company’s senior executives were of the singer's fragile state. Stars: Singer Diana Ross is one of a number of celebrities who could be asked to give evidence during the court case . When Randy Phillips, a promoter at AEG, . went to Jackson’s London hotel suite the day before the singer announced . his comeback concerts he found him so drunk that he had to dress him. ‘MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent. I [am] trying to sober him up,’ Phillips wrote to the company’s president Tim Leiweke. In the US where Mr Leiweke had just woken up, he replied: ‘Are you kidding me?’ ‘I screamed at him so loud the walls are shaking. He is an emotionally paralysed mess riddled with self loathing and doubt now that it is show time,' Mr Phillips responded. By June that year the alarm bells were ringing and a production manager wrote that Jackson was a ‘basket case'. The show’s director, Kenny Ortega, who had known Jackson for two decades, called for him to be evaluated by a psychiatrist. He also said the star would have to lip synch some of his songs because he was racked by ‘paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behaviour’. After Jackson's, Mr Phillips wrote in August 2009: ‘Michael’s death is a terrible tragedy, but life must go on. AEG will make a fortune from merch sales, ticket retention, the touring exhibition and the film/dvd.’ AEG would go on to earn about £160 million from the documentary film This Is It, which featured rehearsal footage. Lawyers representing the company will claim that Murray was hired by Jackson and not by the promoter. The civil trial jury took more than three weeks to select. The Jacksons are seeking a judgment against AEG equal to the money he would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime had he not died in 2009, plus exorbitant damages. | Firm was behind Michael Jackson's doomed comeback tour .
Case being brought by the star’s mother and his three children .
They claim promoter is liable for his death in June 2009 . |
65,877 | bb0055c2ce536d0322b2ddac87c2a47c0297d539 | Berlin (CNN) -- A German lawmaker who met Edward Snowden in Moscow on Thursday said Friday that the National Security Agency leaker offered to testify in front of the U.S. Congress. "He didn't present himself as an enemy of America, quite the opposite," German member of parliament Hans-Christian Stroebele told reporters in Berlin Friday. Stroebele said he had suggested Snowden testify before German lawmakers and that the former NSA contractor responded that in fact he wants to testify in Washington. Snowden said he might go to Germany, if he gets assurances that he could stay in a safe place afterward without being deported to the United States, said Stroebele, a well-known leftist legislator in Germany. However, Snowden's attorney, Anatoly Kucherena, told reporters in Moscow that his client would not be leaving Russia to testify on the U.S. spying allegations. Kucherena said he would advise Snowden not to testify at all if it is not in his client's best interest. Snowden has been in Moscow since June, having fled there from Hong Kong. In August, after he spent five weeks holed up at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia granted him asylum for one year. Snowden: 'Heartened by the response' Stroebele returned from the meeting with Snowden on Thursday with a letter from the NSA leaker to German authorities, which was distributed to the media. In the letter, Snowden says he is "looking forward to speaking" with German authorities in Germany "when the situation is resolved" -- a reference to the current efforts by the United States to extradite him. Snowden also wrote that he was "heartened by the response to my act of political expression, in both the United States and beyond. "Citizens around the world as well as high officials -- including in the United States -- have judged the revelation of an unaccountable system of pervasive surveillance to be a public service." The benefits of this knowledge to society are becoming increasingly clear, and the "claimed risks are being shown to have been mitigated," he added. Stroebele said he didn't know if Snowden had sent a similar letter to other governments in Latin America or elsewhere. The United States has charged Snowden with espionage and theft of government property. The 30-year-old collected information on spy programs -- in which the National Security Agency mined phone and Internet metadata from thousands of people inside and outside the United States -- and exposed the programs to the media, prompting uproar at home and abroad. German outrage . Snowden's letter to German authorities comes amid outrage among many German leaders about claims that an NSA surveillance operation targeted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone. Snowden "is an important witness for Germany," said Stroebele. But asked if Snowden could testify to German authorities via video link from Moscow, Stroebele said that could be problematic for several reasons. He suggested Snowden would be more limited in what he could say if he were in Moscow than if he were in Germany. So long as Snowden has asylum in Russia, he needs to avoid doing anything that would negatively affect his status there, the lawmaker said. In his closing remarks, Stroebele said that although the United States believes that Snowden has committed a serious offense, he believes he should not be penalized because his revelations have benefited the world. Stroebele also said Snowden, who was due to start a new job in Russia on Friday, appeared to be in good health. Kucherena told CNN on Thursday that the job was with a major Russian website but declined to give the employer's name for security reasons. He told Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti that Snowden would perform maintenance for the site. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reported from Berlin and Laura Smith-Spark wrote and reported in London. CNN's Alla Eshchenko, Diana Magnay and Richard Allen Greene contributed to this report. | NEW: Edward Snowden won't leave Russia to testify on U.S. spying claims, attorney says .
Snowden would like to testify in Washington, German lawmaker says .
Stroebele: "He didn't present himself as an enemy of America, quite the opposite"
Snowden would like to go to Germany if he were safe from extradition, Stroebele said . |
142,291 | 440496e8398d2de3250f4a6ac93779da63b3b70d | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 07:35 EST, 3 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:35 EST, 3 July 2012 . People with Parkinson’s disease suffer a decline in their quality of life years before they are diagnosed, it is claimed. Scientists have documented declines in physical and mental health, pain, and emotional health beginning several years before the onset of the disease. And the decline then continues at a rate of five to seven times faster than the average yearly decline caused by normal ageing in people without the disease, according to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. Parkinson's sufferer Muhammad Ali. A study has revealed that a decline in quality of life starts years before the disease is diagnosed . Lead researcher Dr Natalia Palacios said: 'We observed a decline in physical . function in Parkinson’s patients relative to their healthy counterparts . beginning three years prior to diagnosis in men and 7.5 years prior to diagnosis in women. 'The . decline continues at a rate that is five to seven times faster than the . average yearly decline caused by normal ageing in individuals without . the disease. 'This . result provides support to the notion that the pathological process . leading to Parkinson’s disease may start several years before a . diagnosis.' The study is the first to examine patterns in the quality of life of Parkinson's patients prior to diagnosis and is published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease. The researchers studied 51,350 male health professionals enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow Up Study (HPFS) and 121,701 female registered nurses enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS). In both studies, participants filled out biannual questionnaires that documented the occurrence of major chronic disease by answering questions about a variety of lifestyle characteristics. The nurses study measured health-related quality of life in physical functioning; role limitations due to physical problems; role limitations due to emotional problems; vitality; bodily pain; social functioning; mental health; and general health perceptions. By contrast, the HPFS questionnaire only assessed physical functioning. Of the 454 men and 414 women identified with Parkinson’s, the researchers found that a decline began about three years before diagnosis for men and 7.5 years for women. Results also showed other measures of quality of life - available only in women - declined in a similar pattern. The scientists point out that their study is bolstered by the available data on both Parkinson’s patients and a healthy group used for comparison. Dr Palacios said: 'Our hope is that, with future research, biological markers of the disease process may be recognizable in this pre-clinical phase.' | Scientists observe decline in physical function in Parkinson’s patients three years prior to diagnosis in men and 7.5 years prior to diagnosis in women . |
244,263 | c820876c65c6c8dbea24fe25119d7188717b0700 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:27 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 14 August 2012 . 'Accident': Thai senator Boonsong Kowawisarat (pictured) shot his ex-wife dead when he mistakenly fired an Uzi submachine gun during a family meal . A Thai senator accidentally shot his ex-wife dead with a submachine gun during a family meal in a restaurant, police have said. Boonsong Kowawisarat fatally injured Chanakarn Detkard, 46, when he mistakenly fired the 9mm Uzi as he tried to put it away after placing it on the table. Chanakarn, who worked as the senator's secretary, suffered a bullet wound to the stomach and died on the way to hospital, according to local police. Officers said around five family . members had been sitting in a private dining area of the Garden Resort, . in Phrae province, northern Thailand, when the gun went off on Sunday . evening. Police said . Boonsong, 56, who is the senate representative for northern Mae Hong Son . province, will be charged with causing death by negligence. He faces a maximum of ten years imprisonment and a 20,000 baht (£405) fine, reports the Bangkok Post. Boonsong and his wife had been separated for a while but had been living together, police said. Officers . have yet to arrest the senator - a member of the upper house of the . Thai parliament - as he is protected by parliamentary privilege, the . Bangkok Post reported. Fatal: Kowawisarat had been trying to put the 9mm Uzi (like the one pictured) away after placing it on the table at a restaurant when the weapon discharged . Officials said it was unclear why the senator was armed at the meal. 'From . our initial inquiry, the secretary's family will not sue because they . were relatives and it was an accident - he did not mean to do it,' a . local police officer said. Boonsong legally owned the machine gun, police said. | 'Gun discharged as Boonsong Kowawisarat tried to put weapon away in restaurant'
Chanakarn Detkard, who is also his secretary, suffered fatal bullet wound to stomach .
Kowawisarat is the senate representative for northern Mae Hong Son province .
He legally owned the machine gun, police said . |
227,615 | b2b817d621ec73a6fe284b1cefcc053c8e22ea40 | MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- A killer bug is spreading like wildfire. Armed guards stand outside the Mexico City Respiratory Hospital to control the flow of people. Streets of one of the world's biggest cities are eerily empty. Bars and restaurants have been shuttered for days. The president goes on TV to tell workers to stay at home for their own safety. Those who venture outside are clad in surgical masks. Once healthy people are suddenly falling sick and dying from a new disease, H1N1 swine flu. The government swears the situation is under control. But down at the hospital, medics scurry around behind the glass door of an isolation ward. They're clad from head to toe in biohazard suits, goggles and two pairs of gloves. At the airport, officials set up a barrage of thermal imaging machines. If the picture flashes up red or orange, would-be passengers are whisked off to medical facilities. See where the virus has been confirmed » . It may sound like a sci-fi movie. It's not. Welcome to Mexico City. It's a nightmare scenario and despite twice-a-day news conferences featuring Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova, people on the streets fear the virus may be out of control and that the real death toll may be greater than anyone is letting on. Watch how the city has been shut down » . "The measures we're taking are working and are helping us to slow the spread of the virus. But the situation continues to be serious," Cordova said at a news conference this week. Government orders to its citizens are clear: wash frequently, don't shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places. That's easier said than done. The doors on the subway car snap open at Hidalgo station. Dozens more passengers clad in surgical masks stream on. It's rush hour deep below the streets of downtown Mexico City. The subway system is the veins of the capital, ferrying millions of people from all social classes to and from work. It's hot and humid down there and there's little fresh air. It's just the kind of crowded place that Mexican authorities say could be a prime breeding ground for swine flu. "I'm pretty nervous of this whole virus thing," welder Frontino Valdez mumbled through one of the masks. Watch passengers packed onto trains trying to protect themselves » . Sitting one carriage down, Berta Hernandez, a product demonstrator, tries not to show her panic and applies eyeliner like any other morning. But today she has a problem, she has no intention of lifting her mask to paint on lip gloss. "I'm nervous of those people who aren't wearing masks. Maybe they will suddenly sneeze or cough," she said. In these days of swine flu paranoia, just coughing, or worse sneezing, in the subway, or "metro" as they call it here, brings black looks from fellow passengers. This has been a strange epidemic since the outset. So far, the Mexican government has been unable to pinpoint where or when this outbreak started. Authorities admit there was an outbreak of influenza in a village in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz in early April. But only one patient -- 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez -- was diagnosed as having swine flu. Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta ask the boy about his symptoms » . The international media have taken to calling him "Patient Zero." He made a full recovery. So far there's no evidence a pig farm near his home reported any problems with its livestock. The family hasn't explained how little Edgar could have infected a capital city let alone the world. The authorities haven't drawn up a genetic map of Edgar's illness nor compared it to the lethal strain that swept through Mexico City and other parts of the country. Lethal it is. But getting to the truth of who has really died from the virus is tough. Since midweek, the government abandoned its initial reporting and began to speak only of confirmed swine flu cases and confirmed deaths due to the H1N1 virus. Previously it had also tallied suspected cases and others under observation. In practice, it is taking days for the government to get test results from autopsies and tests. By the time a case is confirmed the patient may be long buried. One afternoon this week, at a cinder block home perched on a hillside in a poor northern neighborhood of Mexico City, a coffin was mounted on the living room table. A steady stream of neighbors filed in to pay their final tribute to a dead 24-year-old. Biting back tears, a young man said his brother had died of "respiratory problems." When asked what kind of a person his brother was, he said simply: "He was an honest man. He never got in any trouble." The man seemed to be feeling an underlying sense of shame. Suddenly there was a huge stigma attached to swine flu -- like in the early days of AIDS-related deaths -- and Mexican families were keen to dispel notions their loved ones had died of the mutant virus. They didn't want the prying eyes of the media near their home. We wanted to tell their story, observe the wake and follow the funeral. But death is a rite of passage. They had a right to mourn in private. The following day came a tip-off that a 5-year-old girl, Maria Fernanda Garcia, had died. The modest side street outside her home in eastern Mexico City was swarming with police, health workers and civil protection officials. Watch how armed guards were part of Maria Fernanda's funeral » . Little Maria Fernanda's father appeared briefly and told us we weren't welcome. He was curt when he told us his daughter had died from pneumonia. A medic confirmed the specific cause of death was indeed pneumonia. But he added the hospital was still waiting for test results to confirm whether the underlying cause was swine flu. He conceded that process could take days. But judging by the heavy security, local authorities certainly feared this was another case of the virus. "These are the prevention measures we must take. This case is still not confirmed but we must take these steps to protect citizens," said Victor Luna, a member of the public security detail for this district of Mexico City. A few minutes later, the hearse with Maria Fernanda's body pulled out of the housing complex where she lived. Her dad was clutching a Winnie Pooh cuddly toy as he rode up front. Police and health officials shadowed the funeral cortege to the graveyard. Police guards only permitted immediate family and close friends through the iron gates. Through the bars silent, tearful mourners could be seen weaving through a labyrinth of headstones. Later that afternoon, the family had left Maria Fernanda's grave -- a tiny patch of newly dug dry earth, not much more than 3 feet long. It was covered with sweet-scented white flowers. The plaque on the grave was a simple hand-painted affair: . "Maria Fernanda. 2004 to 2009. We love you." | Every aspect of life has been hit by the spread of H1N1 in Mexico City .
Citizens told not to shake hands or kiss .
Even a tragic death of a child brings suspicion, paranoia . |
252,486 | d2c7d3485fa5bc7e67472c36dc01dcc6bec1dc5d | Liberal Democrat MP Mr Hemming warned that cases can be skewed against parents because councils hold ¿all the cards¿ . Parents who face having their children taken away by social workers should flee abroad rather than go through the ‘unfair’ family courts, an MP has declared. Controversial families campaigner John Hemming spoke out as evidence emerged suggesting children are being wrongly taken into care – when injuries caused by vitamin deficiency are assumed to be signs of abuse. Babies who do not get enough Vitamin D can suffer fractures. In several cases children have been taken because the courts ruled injuries were caused by mistreatment, a BBC Panorama documentary will claim tonight. And Liberal Democrat MP Mr Hemming warned that cases can be skewed against parents because councils hold ‘all the cards’. The chairman of the Justice for Families group said he has been contacted by hundreds of parents who believe they have been unfairly targeted by social services. He said: ‘All the cards are held by the local authority. It has the resources to fight the cases, it does all the assessments.’ He added: ‘My advice to people if they can afford it is just to go abroad. You can’t get a fair trial here, because you can’t rely on the evidence being fair. It’s best simply to go if you can, at the right time, lawfully.’ His comments come amid concerns over the record number of children being taken into care by councils – more than 11,000 last year. The BBC documentary looks at four families who say their babies were unfairly taken away because of injuries which were the result of Vitamin D deficiency. Mother Jill McCartan, 25, took her daughter Alyssa to hospital after noticing swelling on her arm back in May 2010. Doctors spotted four tiny fractures, Wokingham Borough Council took her into care and Alyssa has now been adopted. Escape: Jill Mccarten and son Lo'iq who fled to Spain after her daughter was adopted . When her mother became pregnant again, she was determined not to let social services intervene – and decided to flee to Spain where her son Lo’iq was born. Jill, a hairdresser from Reading in Berkshire, said: ‘It’s hard having to leave the country that you’ve grown up in. I didn’t really want to leave but I wasn’t going to have my second baby taken by social services.’ But Anthony Douglas, the chief executive of the Children and Family Court Advisors and Support Service , said: ‘Leaving the country doesn’t solve the problem for the vast majority of children and parents.’ | Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming spoken out as evidence emerged suggesting children are being wrongly taken into care .
Chairman of the Justice for Families group said he has been contacted by hundreds of parents .
They believe they have been unfairly targeted by social services .
Panorama I Want My Baby Back will be on BBC One tonight at 9pm. |
184,143 | 7a8511114d5e4b83f2196e3837b70fdf0d7b40a3 | Was working 7 days a week to pay off £60,000 credit card debt . Now a seniors sales executive at Avon managing a team of 900 . Married in a lavish £30,000 wedding last year . Husband Kevin has recently joined the firm . By . Toni Jones . PUBLISHED: . 09:28 EST, 31 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:15 EST, 31 October 2012 . Just four years ago Jeanette Stewart was suffering from depression and working seven days a week in a desperate bid to pay off a crippling credit card debt of £60,000. After paying off her bills each month she had just £30 to live on, but her fortunes changed after she gave up her job as an N-Power complaints manager and started selling beauty products for Avon full-time and now the business woman from County Durham has an annual turnover of £1million as an Avon lady. Jeanette Stewart has turned her life around as an Avon lady and now manages a team of 900 sales people . She has been able to buy herself a E46 BMW convertible, has had the wedding of her dreams and paid off all her debts - which amounted to £60,000. The 33-year-old of Stanley, County Durham, said: “I was earning £24,000 a year at N-Power but all the money just went. 'I used it to pay off credit card debts and loans and was left with just £30 a month, which I spent on food. 'My house was under threat and I badly wanted to save it, meaning I worked all the over-time possible. 'I was suffering from depression and my mum had died of cancer. 'My life had hit rock bottom, I was even in the situation where I had started using credit cards to pay off debts. 'I was working seven days a week for N-Power, and I had no life. 'To make matters worse I was also in a bad relationship and a bad place.' Jeanette once lived on just £30 a month after amassing credit card debts amounting to £60,000 . Today she is a successful sales executive at the company where a convertible car is just one of the perks . But Jeanette has now completely turned her life around. She married Kevin, 29, at Lumley Castle in County Durham last year, spending a whopping £30,000 on the wedding. The Avon lady travelled to the venue in a horse and carriage, had a total of nine bridesmaids and a casino at the reception. She also enjoyed a champagne reception, a fire breathing show, a fireworks display, stilt-walkers and a seven tier castle cake built on a water fountain. It was a wedding she could only have dreamt of while living on less than £10 a week. In 2008 friends had suggested that Jeanette, whose mum had loved Avon products, give the company a ring. She applied for a job as a part-time sales leader and began by selling to friends and family. She added: “It was a huge step for me and my confidence was low. 'But I found I was good at selling the products. I started talking to more people, and began to feel better about my self. 'I got one order of £800 and that felt amazing.' Glamorous celebrities including Reese Witherspoon and Alesha Dixon have helped raise the profile of the traditional cosmetics brand . Jeanette, of Stanley, County Durham, is now a senior sales executive and manages a staff of 900. She said: 'I am so much happier now. 'I no longer suffering from depression. I am now a completely different person, plus I have managed to pay off all my debts. 'We had a massive, huge wedding, it was amazing. I had a lovely dress, it was like a fairytale.' Three months after joining Avon Jeanette became a team leader then eventually a senior sales executive. She added: 'Within a 12-week Avon campaign I had turned over £22,000. It changed my life. 'Avon gave me a car and I went to Berlin and Dublin on trips through Avon. 'One Christmas I took out £9,000 and just paid some cards off. 'In a normal job you would have had to save up for years to do that. To earn that amount of money and to do that in a job I love is amazing.' In 2011 Jeanette earned a total salary of £63,000 through Avon, while by the end of this year she expects to have received between £80,000 and £90,000. She says she expects her wage to carry on increasing at this rate year by year. After witnessing her success Kevin joined Avon to work alongside Jeanette when he lost his job. Jeanette added: 'Avon has changed my life for the better. 'My mum Jessie would have been ecstatic at my success. 'I spoke to her best friend the other day and she nearly had me in floods of tears telling me how she would have been so proud.' | Was working 7 days a week to pay off £60,000 credit card debt .
Now a seniors sales executive at Avon managing a team of 900 .
Married in a lavish £30,000 wedding last year .
Husband Kevin has recently joined the firm . |
261,376 | de825b08d68c440676389c4850c9ed722eba3153 | DAVID Cameron was under further pressure last night to tackle the scandal of Shaker Aamer’s incarceration after a fellow Guantanamo inmate had his terror conviction quashed by a US court. Supporters of 48-year-old Mr Aamer, who has been held in the camp for 13 years without charge or trial, said action was imperative after David Hicks – nicknamed the ‘Aussie Taliban’ – had his guilty plea overturned. Hicks, who was the first of just six prisoners convicted of offences at the base in Cuba, admitted in 2007 to providing material support to terrorism – a deal which allowed him to return home to Australia. Prisoner: Guantanamo Bay detainee Shaker Aamer, pictured with his son Michael (right) and daughter Johninh, has been held without trial in Guantanamo Bay for the past 13 years . The 39-year-old has since insisted he only pleaded guilty after being subjected to stress positions, sensory deprivation and music played extremely loud. The US Court of Military Commission Review struck out the conviction on Wednesday, saying the charge had not become a crime until years after he was captured. Last night campaigners said the Hicks case highlighted the plight endured by Mr Aamer who has twice been cleared for release – first by the Bush administration in 2007 and again by Barack Obama in 2009. They urged Downing Street to renew pressure on the White House to keep the promise to free the father-of-four, who lived in South London with his wife and children. Cori Crider of legal charity Reprieve and Mr Aamer’s lawyer, said: ‘It is increasingly hard to understand why the affront to justice that is Guantanamo Bay remains open. Tortured but released: David Hicks was captured in 2001 and pleaded guilty to terror crimes in 2007 in order to be able to return to Australia . Aamer's family is urging Cameron to pressure the White House to keep the promise to free him . ‘The overwhelming majority of people held there have never even been given a trial. Among them is Shaker, who has never been charged and continues to be held despite having been cleared for release by the US government. ‘David Cameron’s requests for Shaker to be released back home to the UK so far seem to have fallen on deaf ears – he must now redouble his efforts.’ Hicks travelled to Afghanistan in 1999, where he attended al-Qaeda training camps and met Osama Bin Laden. In late 2001, he was captured and handed to the US. Pleading guilty allowed him to return home to Australia where he served only nine months of a seven-year sentence. John Howard, Australia’s prime minister while Mr Hicks was in Guantanamo Bay, described the US decision on his verdict as a technicality, adding: ‘Nothing alters the fact that by his own admission, Hicks trained with al-Qaeda [and] met Osama Bin Laden.’ Saudi-born Mr Aamer moved to London almost 20 years ago and married, securing leave to remain in Britain. In 2001, he was detained in Kabul while carrying out peaceful voluntary work for an Islamic charity, his representatives claim. | Shaker Aamer has been twice cleared for release by US authorities .
He has been held without trial in Guantanamo Bay for the past 13 years .
The U.S. overturned Australian David Hicks' guilty plea . |
36,746 | 681e61e5d0a12a77243d0699b7d8941e357c4fb4 | (CNN) -- Firefighters gained ground in recent days in the battle with a wildfire that burned 84 buildings and blackened 28,000 acres of dense forest in northern California. The Ponderosa fire, which is in a remote area of Shasta County, California, is just one of 42,750 wildfires that have burned 6,901,035 acres in the United States this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire, ignited by lightning five days ago, was 57% contained by Thursday, allowing some families forced from their homes to return, fire officials said. The Ponderosa fire still threatens 900 homes, forcing those residents to evacuate. Nearly 2,500 people, equipped with 263 firetrucks and 11 helicopters, are involved in the effort to stop the Ponderosa fire. Fires rage on Canary Islands . Shasta is one of three northern California counties for which Gov. Jerry Brown has declared states of emergency because of wildfires this week. The other counties included in the declaration, which makes emergency funding available to fight the blazes, are Plumas and Tehama. In Plumas County, the Chips fire has burned 63,147 acres, most of it in the Plumas National Forest. The 1,146 personnel fighting it have managed to gain 40% containment, according to officials. "Today's mission is clear: hold, hold, hold," Operations Section Chief Rob Laeng told firefighters at their morning briefing Thursday. Wildfires spread in Greece . In Tehama County, the battle is almost over against the Mill fire. It is 95% contained after 1,680 acres burned, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A fire that has burned nearly 100,000 acres, mostly managed by the U.S. Forestry Service, in northern Idaho is still just 5% contained three weeks after it began, officials said. The Trinity Ridge fire threatens the community of Featherville, but efforts to create a buffer for the area have been "very successful," according to a statement on the fire's incident website. | California's Ponderosa Fire burns 84 buildings and threatens 900 homes .
Gov. Jerry Brown declares states of emergency in 3 California counties because of wildfires .
"Today's mission is clear: hold, hold, hold," chief tells firefighters battling California's Chips Fire .
42,750 wildfires have burned 6,901,035 acres in the United States this year, fire center says . |
186,399 | 7d786000360ebd1a3bef2637e5f83350313285cc | By . Kerry Mcqueeney . PUBLISHED: . 03:06 EST, 24 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:55 EST, 24 September 2012 . Coast guards are searching for 13 crew members missing from a fishing boat after their vessel collided with a much larger cargo ship in Japan's Pacific Ocean. The missing 13 were part of a 22-man crew on board the 119-ton Horiei Maru, which crashed with the 25,000-ton Nikkei Tiger about 900 kilometres east of Sendai at 2.30am on Sunday morning. It is believed the smaller ship - a tuna-fishing boat - might have sunk, officials from the Shiogama Coast Guard said. Rescue: Coastguards help survivors of the boat crash after their vessel collided with a cargo ship . Nine of the fishing boat's crew were rescued after the coast guard (pictured) responded to a distress call . Two planes from the coast guard have been sent to look for survivors, Osamu Nishikawa added. Nine of the fishing boat's crew were rescued at about 7am on Sunday after the coast guard responded to a distress call. Five of the survivors are Japanese and four are Indonesian. Twelve of the missing are Japanese, and one is Indonesian. Coastguards are continuing the search for them. The cargo ship, which officials say had come from Panama, was undamaged and its crew of 21 escaped without harm. It is unclear what caused the accident. Just last week coastguards in Japan came to the aid of a freight ship which had caught fire. The 12-member crew - which included 10 Chinese nationals - were rescued off the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture. Rescuers tend to a survivor pulled from the water. Two planes have been launched to search for the missing . | Coast guards believe the 119-ton Horiei Maru sunk after crashing with the 25,000-ton Nikkei Tiger . |
232,735 | b9572b5d38b1e1e09f2ceb1ad5ca99c1cc34488a | By . Rob Draper . Follow @@draper_rob . Luis Suarez made the extraordinary claim to FIFA’s disciplinary committee that he ‘did not bite or intend to bite’ Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini — but ‘fell’ into him. And his refusal to accept responsibility for the offence or even to admit that it took place appears to have backfired and resulted in the severe sanction from FIFA — he is banned from all football for four months as well as nine international games. Suarez’s defence will come as a further embarrassment and Liverpool are now preparing to sell the player to Barcelona. They are hoping to bring Chile and Barca striker Alexis Sanchez the other way as part of the deal. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Spirit of Suarez lives on as Uruguay fans wear Luis masks . Accident? Luis Suarez told FIFA he did not deliberately bite Giorgio Chiellini but fell on top of him . Big miss: FIFA have been formally informed of Uruguay's appeal against Suarez's ban . Time: The Uruguay football federation will now have a further seven days to prepare paperwork for the appeal . FIFA’s written reasons to the . Uruguayan FA for the sanction emerged yesterday and the document quotes . from Suarez’s explanation of the collision with Chiellini. Suarez . submission to FIFA said: ‘In the run-up to the impact, my knees came . together, I lost my balance and that destabilised my body and I fell . into my opponent. In that moment, my face came into collision with the . player, causing a small bruise on my cheekbone and a lot of pain to my . teeth, which caused the referee to stop play. That is what happened and . in no event did I, as is written in the document, “bite” or “try to . bite”.’ However, the . attempt to deny the incident appears to have been an enormous . misjudgment by Suarez and his legal team and resulted in a more severe . sanction than if contrition been shown. The . FIFA disciplinary commission noted ‘at no point did the player show any . contrition or repentance of any type, nor did he admit any violation of . FIFA regulations and has therefore not shown any knowledge of having . committed any offence.’ In . applying the sanction, the committee considered ‘the grave danger of . repetition, the exceedingly abnormal nature (of the offence) in the . context of a football match and the intention to harm the opponent.’ It . was also noted that he had been sanctioned previously for this offence . in club football. Suarez’s . latest offence means he will have been banned for a total of 47 matches . for three separate bites and racially abusing Manchester United’s . Patrice Evra. Last night, he . made his first public comment since arriving back home in Montevideo, . having been thrown out of the Uruguay camp by FIFA. In a tweet, he said: ‘Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving. ‘Both . myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for . being by my side and I want all my colleagues today to know we support . the national team for the match against Colombia.’ Painful: Suarez fell to the ground and held his teeth straight after the encounter with centre back Chiellini . Suarez . will now leave Liverpool, with the Premier League club working to . extract the best possible deal from a difficult situation. The . club will ask for £80million, although Barcelona and Suarez believe the . transfer can be done for £65m, based on a buy-out clause. Nevertheless, . Chile striker Sanchez could be key to negotiations. Barca are willing . to sell him, Liverpool want to buy him but the player needs to be . convinced and Arsenal are likely to bid, although they have not . registered their intent as yet. Liverpool will now begin a £120m rebuilding project to fill the void left by Suarez. Adam . Lallana’s £23m move will be announced tomorrow and the Belgian striker . Divock Origi will join at the end of the World Cup for £10m — although . he is expected to spend next season on loan with current club Lille. Liverpool . will look to add £15m Southamton defender Dejan Lovren and £25m Benfica . winger Lazar Markovic to their summer transfer spending, which has . already included £9m for Emre Can and £4m for Rickie Lambert. Liverpool will be forced to end up paying Suarez £3m in wages for doing nothing if they don’t sell him this summer. The . Uruguayan is occupying the minds of owner John W Henry and the . Liverpool hierarchy as they work out what to do next with their troubled . striker. Last night, the Anfield club were poring over the FIFA ruling handed to them by Suarez’s lawyers. The Premier League club has its hands tied, however. Although . the Uruguayan FA has handed in a formal appeal over Suarez’s . punishment, Liverpool will have to abide by FIFA’s final decision and . cannot mount their own, separate appeal. In . addition, withholding Suarez’s wages while he is suspended from playing . and training is not an option under agreements the Premier League has . made with the Professional Footballers’ Association — and FIFA’s own . rules. Evidence: Chiellini looked outraged as he showed the referee the apparent point of impact on his shoulder . Suarez took to Twitter on Saturday to thank his supporters and said: 'Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving. 'Both myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today to know we support seleccion for the match against Colombia.' The maximum fine . Liverpool can impose on Suarez, if they have a mind to, is two weeks . wages, under contracts signed with the PFA. Even . if the players’ union gave them special dispensation to increase the . fine because of the seriousness of his offence, Liverpool could not . withhold Suarez’s money for more than two months without Suarez being . free to move to another club — something Liverpool would not . countenance for such a valuable asset. It . leaves Liverpool having to decide whether it would be beneficial for . the club to enter negotiations with Barcelona, who would like the player . to form a dream attack with Neymar and Lionel Messi. If . an agreement for the player to move to Spain cannot be reached, . Liverpool will have to pay Suarez’s £175,000-a-week wages until the end . of October — amounting to £3million — even though the player cannot . play, train with his team-mates or watch the team play. Suarez . may even choose to stay away from the country altogether and there are . serious doubts about whether he will want to return to England while he . is banned. Even before his bite, the player had shown clear signs of wanting to quit the Premier League. He . and his family left their home in Woolton, Liverpool as soon as the . final ball had been kicked at the end of the Premier League season in . May. By the time Suarez was awarded the prestigious Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year in London four days after the end of the league . season, the 27-year-old was already in Barcelona where his in-laws live. The trophy was collected by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers instead. Show of support: Uruguay's WAGs have given their backing to Luis Suarez following the striker's ban . Message for his followers: Suarez took to Twitter to thank his fans for the messages of support they'd sent . Thumbs up: Suarez gestures to fans from the balcony of his home after returning to Uruguay . Rapturous reception: Suarez was joined by his children as he greeted the army of fans who had gathered . Suarez’s . comments after scoring twice against England in the Group D clash — in . which he claimed that he had been ‘laughed at’ in England — were also . seen as stirring upanimosity and an indication of his desire to play in . La Liga. But Liverpool . owner Henry showed last year, when he rejected out-of-hand Arsenal’s bid . of £40m- and-a-pound for Suarez, that he will only let the player go to . Barca if they meet his market value of around £70million — despite this . third biting offence. Despite . the furore surrounding Suarez, Liverpool are proceeding with plans to . bolster Rodgers’ squad for next season when they will play in the . Champions League after a five-year absence. The . protracted move for Lallana should be finalised and announced within . the next 48 hours and the club also has an interest in Belgian striker . Origi — who will be involved in his country’s World Cup quarter-final . against USA on Tuesday. Southampton . defender Lovren, Serbian striker Markovic and Croatia winger Ivan . Perisic, of German side Wolfsburg, are also being looked at while . Rodgers has stated his intention to buy a left-back, too. It is all part of Liverpool’s rebuilding plan that has been complicated by Suarez. | Liverpool to sell Suarez after his defence of biting incident is revealed .
Forward claimed to a FIFA panel that he 'fell' into Giorgio Chiellini .
Banned from all football four months as well as nine international games .
Reds now hoping to sell him to Barcelona and bring Alexis Sanchez in . |
60,602 | ac3db9310a62362d4e07a57a402649f350855bff | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 13:57 EST, 5 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:44 EST, 6 April 2013 . A young leopard found itself in a deep trouble, after it fell down a well in northeast India. The poor animal was discovered trapped in the pit at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, India. Forest officials, temple staff and volunteers all rallied around the narrow well to save the leopard and bring it back to the surface. Not so s-well:The young leopard fell down the well at a temple in north east India . According to locals, the leopard had been scouring for food at the temple fell down the narrow well. Forest officials were called to the scene where they were forced to tranquilize the animal before climbing a ladder and going down the pit. They tied a rope around the groggy leopard and it was successfully pulled out of the hole. After drying off the animal, forest officials transported it to a safe place for the leopard to recover before it is to be released into the wild. Saviors: Forest officials and volunteers gather around the narrow well to prepare for the rescue mission . Trapped: The leopard stares into the light from the well as forest officials get ready to tranquilize it . Spot on: A member of the rescue team climbed down the well and after . securing the animal with a rope, the leopard could be hauled out of the . hole . The Indian leopard is smaller than . its African relative, with the Indian leopard normally between 4ft 2in . and 4ft 8in long, compared to the sub-Saharan leopard, which can grow to . be 5ft 4in long. The leopard can be found across the Indian . subcontinent, but as it is under threat from poachers and habitat loss is rarely found outside protected areas. It is currently classified as ‘Near . Threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) but as a result of the downward population trend it may soon qualify . for a ‘Vulnerable‘ status. Knocked out: Officers lift the tranquilized leopard onto a truck following the successful rescue mission . Safe and sound: A rescuer pets the knocked-out leopard as it is placed in a cage before being taken to recover before its release back into the wild . | Leopard saved after falling down a well on food hunt in northeast India . |
276,343 | f20b06235e0205a3a82d5e4c97934f0b4314784b | By . Paul Donnelley . Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and Foreign Secretary William Hague called Bosnia's decision to include preventing sexual violence in military training ‘ground-breaking’ and said that it should become the standard for U.N. peacekeeping missions. Mr Hague added that rape was a devastatingly effective way to terrorise and displace a population and is currently being used in Syria, the Central African Republic and South Sudan. Jolie said the training was especially important for peacekeepers as their patrols ‘can mean that women no longer have to face a choice between going out for firewood and water and being raped or seeing their children go hungry.’ Scroll down for videos . Tearful: Angelina Jolie and William Hague (right) pay their respects at Srebrenica-Potocari Genocide Memorial cemetery, near Srebrenica . Pause for thought: Angelina Jolie and William Hague at Srebrenica-Potocari Genocide Memorial cemetery, near Srebrenica. Jolie and Mr Hague are in Bosnia to address a conference organised in Sarajevo by the country's Defence Ministry on sexual violence in conflict . Angelina Jolie and William Hague arrive at a conference about sex violence during war arranged by Bosnian Ministry of Defence . Jolie visited widows and mothers of genocide victims in Srebrenica - a Bosnian town where Serb forces killed more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in 1995. She left the meeting in tears . Angelina Jolie and William Hague (right) with the chairman of the Bosnian Presidency Bakir Izetbegovic (left), upon their arrival for a conference in Sarajevo, Bosnia . William Hague (left), Angelina Jolie (right) with Marina Pendes, the Deputy Minister of Defence for Bosnia-Herzegovina (second right), and Zekerijah Osmic, Minister of the Defence in Bosnia-Herzegovina (right) in Sarajevo, Bosnia, this morning . The actress and the politician: Angelina Jolie and William Hague arrive for the conference on sexual assault in wartime . Angelina Jolie (centre), during a visit to the memorial centre of Potocari near eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, 112 miles northeast of Sarajevo . Mr Hague and Jolie visited widows and mothers of genocide victims in Srebrenica - a Bosnian town where Serb forces killed more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in 1995. Jolie came out of the meeting crying. The comments came on the heels of a plea by António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that huge numbers of Syrian refugees flooding into Lebanon could lead to civil war war. His comments were echoed by Jolie, a special envoy for the UNHCR. Jolie recently met a family living in a Lebanese refugee camp and spoke to Hala, a young girl with five siblings. Angelina Jolie, a special envoy for the UNHCR, visits Syrian refugees . Hala lost both her parents: Her mother was killed when their home collapsed, and her father is missing and presumed dead . Hala (left) is one of many refugees that have fled Syria for Lebanon . Hala saw her mother killed under their collapsed home, and their father is missing and presumed dead. ‘Lebanon has serious problems with electricity and water,' said Mr Guterres, 'and largely . because of this huge increase in population; the health system is totally . overburdened, and the security implications of the Syrian crisis to Lebanon are . absolutely dramatic. ‘Nobody can afford the collapse of Lebanon in the present moment.’ Hala is forced to share a home in the refugee camp with strangers . Sympathetic: Angelina Jolie listens attentively to the plight of Hala and her siblings . Listener: Angelina Jolie highlights plight of Syrian refugees in her role as a special envoy for UNHCR . Boys' Own: Angelina Jolie (in headscarf) meets Syrian refugees in Lebanon . Jolie had met William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, in Downing Street to discuss tackling rape in war zones, before flying out to Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet victims. Once there they hailed Bosnia's decision to include prevention of sexual violence in military training. The pair addressed a conference on sexual violence in conflict, organised in Sarajevo by Bosnia's Defence Ministry, saying the ‘ground-breaking’ policy should become standard for any armed forces serving in UN peacekeeping missions. Jolie said the initiative is ‘redefining soldiering in the 21st century’. Mr Hague promised the UK will support a planned training centre in Sarajevo for future military and police peacekeepers from the region. He added that rape is a cheap and devastatingly effective way to terrorise and displace a population and is being used currently in Syria, Central African Republic and South Sudan. Before they reached Sarajevo the pair were the focus of an intense police effort, worthy of one of her films, complete with black screens, security guards and a number of policemen to get her across London - and away from the eyes of the public. Undercover: Angelina Jolie, pictured being escorted into a Government car before her meeting with William Hague . Hidden: Security officers put up black screens to shield the actress from view as she met the Foreign Secretary . Black out: The actress is picked up from her London hotel and driven to a breakfast meeting with Mr Hague . The actress was taken from her London hotel in a black government car to Downing Street for a meeting with Mr Hague. Accompanied by a police convoy, including motorcycles and unmarked police cars, she and the Foreign Secretary were taken to an airport, where they boarded a private plane for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The actress spent around 12 hours in the UK, arriving on Wednesday night when she attended a drinks reception, followed by dinner with Mr Hague at his office. Mission: Angelina Jolie, a Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, was picked up by a black government car and taken to Downing Street . Click here for Christiane Amanpour's full coverage on CNN.com . The Metropolitan Police Force refused to . comment on the specific security arrangements of Jolie's visit but a . spokesman told MailOnline: 'We never discuss specifics of security but . if Jolie was with Government officials as part of her UN duties, . that would explain a police presence.' Last year Jolie and Mr Hague travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they met survivors of rape. Their visit to Sarajevo comes ten weeks ahead of the three-day Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict at which they will be the co-chairmen in London in June. Police presence: The Metropolitan Police Force refused to comment on the specific security arrangements of Angelina Jolie's visit . Convoy: A police convoy accompanied Angelina Jolie to the airport . Protection: The actress and William Hague were also accompanied by unmarked police cars . In November Mr Hague pledged funding of more than £250,000 over . three years to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the . Department of Field Support to develop training as first responders to . rape and sexual violence. Speaking of their mission to Bosnia, Mr Hague said: 'Tens of thousands of women, girls and men were raped during the war in Bosnia. 'We are visiting to draw the world’s attention to their search for justice, and to call for global action to end the use of rape as a weapon of war once and for all. Flying out: Their visit to Sarajevo comes ten weeks ahead of the three-day Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, at which they will be co-chairmen in London in June . Jetting off: Angelina Jolie and William Hague will meet victims of sexual violence from the war in Bosnia, which ran between 1992 and 1995 . 'In . London in ten weeks’ time we will be asking nations around the world to . make that decisive commitment, so that from Bosnia to the DRC survivors . get the justice they need, and future mass rape can be prevented. 'We can and must change the entire global attitude to these crimes, and shatter the culture of impunity.' Arrival: William Hague and Angelina Jolie together as they arrived in Sarajevo . Purpose: William Hague and Angelina Jolie will also meet judges and prosecutors in the country who are working to address the huge backlog of sexual violence cases . Injustice: Angelina Jolie described the use of rape as a weapon of war as 'one of the great injustices of our time' Jolie added: 'The use of rape as a weapon of war is one of the great injustices of our time. For too long the world has tolerated these crimes, and left survivors to struggle in the shadows. 'Our goal is to bring forward the voices of the survivors of these crimes and to ask the world to stand with them and against impunity.' Jolie was appointed a Special Envoy of UN High Commissioner for Refugees by António Guterres in April 2012. Meeting: During the visit the pair will also speak at a regional military conference of ministers and senior officers . | Jolie visited orphaned children in Lebanese refugee camp .
UN refugee chief: Lebanon has serious problems with electricity and gas .
Jolie and William Hague addressed conference on sexual violence in conflict, organised in Sarajevo by Bosnia's Defence Ministry . |
60,669 | ac71df24148735f30df9b681bc4be2d7a6caffe1 | (CNN) -- The rapper 50 Cent brought a little holiday cheer and Thanksgiving food to New Yorkers hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. Curtis Jackson, who goes by the name 50 Cent, grew up in South Jamaica, Queens, lent a hand to feed Sandy victims at the Our Table is Yours event at the Cipriani Restaurant in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday. "Having Sandy hit New York -- you wanna get out and make sure everybody understands that you care about it," he said. The event provided meals to more than 1,000 New Yorkers impacted by Superstorm Sandy and was a collaborative effort between Food Bank for New York City, Feeding America, the Food Network, the Cooking Channel and Southern Wine and Spirits of America. Despite Sandy, Queens family gives thanks together . Buses transported guests to Cipriani, where they enjoyed meals prepared by professional chefs. Food included Thanksgiving favorites like turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies and plenty of desserts. Guests also were given a prepared meal to take home and gift cards to purchase essentials. A champion in the fight against hunger, 50 Cent works with Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger relief charity. After a trip to Africa, he became impassioned to spread awareness and fight world hunger. "Hunger's not a third world issue. It's a world issue. Within America one in six Americans actually go hungry. You've got more than one in five kids experiencing hunger or they're surviving on just their school lunch," he said. To help achieve a goal of eradicating hunger, 50 Cent provides 250 meals to Feeding America for every pair of headphones purchased online through his company, SMS Audio. Volunteers help Sandy victims start over . As for his own Thanksgiving, he loves turkey and stuffing, but his favorite dish is canned cranberry sauce. "You've gotta have it... I look forward to that particular portion of the meal," he said. To get involved this holiday season and make a donation to Food Bank for New York City's Hurricane Sandy relief efforts click here. To purchase a pair of the 50 Cent SMS Audio headphones and provide 250 meals to Feeding America, please click here. | 50 Cent served food to New Yorkers affected by Superstorm Sandy .
He worked with a coalition of nonprofits to make sure those still struggling could enjoy a meal .
Rapper is on a mission to eradicate hunger . |
220,134 | a8ec51ba636b5cdede763f13b2998ab6b597eeb1 | Talk about taking on the Brazilians at their own game. Liverpool academy star Adam Phillips showed his class on Sunday by scoring a glorious last-gasp equaliser against the South Americans for England Under 17s. The 16-year-old midfielder, who travelled with Brendan Rodgers' first-team squad on their United States tour last summer, looped home an exquisite 25-yarder in the eighth minute of injury time to earn 10-man England an unlikely 2-2 draw. Adam Phillips in action for England during an earlier match - he curled home a 97th minute equaliser for England Under 17s against Brazil in the Nike International Tournament on Sunday . Phillips took to Twitter to express his delight at scoring England's leveller . The Under 17s are currently out in Sarasota, Florida competing in the Nike International Tournament along with Brazil, the United States and Australia. Having lost 3-1 to the States in their first match on Friday, England were staring at a second defeat when they won a corner just as the clock was about to tick past 97 minutes. But after Sunderland's Daniel Wright played the ball out to him, Phillips curled the ball over a mass of bodies inside the penalty box and watched as it dropped over the despairing dive of Brazil goalkeeper Bruno Bertinato. The goals sparked wild celebrations, with England's substitutes rushing from the bench onto the pitch to celebrate with Phillips. 'Great moment for me scoring last minute against Brazil!! Great team effort bring on Australia!!!' tweeted an excited Phillips afterwards. He later added: 'What a game football is.' The Young Lions finish the tournament against Australia on Tuesday. Phillips celebrates a goal for Liverpool during an Under 18 Premier League fixture with Sunderland at Kirkby . Phillips pictured on the bench during Liverpool's pre-season tour to the United States . Phillips is regarded as one of Liverpool's brightest young talents and this was the latest demonstration of his class and ability. He hails from the Lancashire town of Garstang and joined Liverpool's academy at the age of 11 having spent three years with Blackburn Rovers. He joined Neil Critchley's Under 18 squad at the club's Kirby Academy in the summer but received a surprise promotion after impressing Rodgers in a pre-season friendly with Brondby on July 16. Phillips came on for Fabio Borini at half-time and, despite losing the match 2-1, did enough to win himself a place in Liverpool's 33-strong playing squad for the US Tour. So within a few weeks of finishing his studies at Rainhill School, where many of the club's scholars are educated, he was travelling alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge. 'Dreams do really come true,' tweeted Phillips at the time. Phillips (second right) lines up alongside fellow Reds youngsters Jordan Rossiter (left) and Cameron Brannagan (No 10) in an Under 21 Premier League fixture . Phillips challenges for the ball with Manchester City's Cameron Humphries during an U18 game this season . Critchley told the Liverpool Echo following his call-up: 'Adam came down for the first day two weeks ago when I did an induction meeting with the first years to welcome them aboard and tell them what to expect over the coming year. 'On the following Monday, Adam was called down to train with the first team at Melwood and we haven't seen him since. 'I'm not surprised that the manager is keen to have a good look at him. He's a talented lad who can play in a number of positions. He played wide right against Brondby but he can also play centrally. 'He played No 6, No 8 and No 10 for the U18s last season. He has a great range of passing and he can score goals. He can do a bit of everything.' His call-up meant Phillips had to wave the chequered flag on his other great passion - cycle speedway. He had joined Astley and Tyldesley Cycle Speedway club at the age of four and was a three-time British champion. Phillips tackles Manchester United's Devonte Redmond during an U18 fixture back in August . Phillips played the last five minutes of Liverpool's first tour match against Roma in Boston and gained valuable experience during the trip. This season, Phillips made his Under 21 debut, scoring twice in the 4-3 defeat to Manchester City and has also played in two UEFA Youth League fixtures. Internationally, Phillips made two appearances for England Under 16s, scoring the winner against Portugal in the Montaigu Tournament back in April, and was called up by John Peacock for the Florida tournament last month. | England's Young Lions were trailing Brazil 2-1 deep into stoppage time .
But from a corner kick, Adam Phillips curled ball home from 25 yards .
His last-gasp goal sparked wild celebrations as England salvaged draw .
The Liverpool academy midfielder went on club's pre-season tour to US .
Phillips, 16, made his Liverpool Under 21 debut this season, scoring twice .
England U17 conclude Florida tournament against Australia on Tuesday . |
92,208 | 02971cde9cc405226ad7d6c9c3b328a1fe5b998d | Chelsea are on the brink of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the UEFA Youth League after a seven-goal rout of Maribor on Wednesday afternoon. Two goals apiece for Dominic Solanke and Charlie Colkett, plus further strikes from Charly Musonda, Alex Kiwomya and Tammy Abraham, made it four group stage wins out of four for the Blues. After a 4-1 win over Schalke in their opening game, a 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon on matchday two and a 2-0 success over the Slovenian side a fortnight ago, Adi Viveash's team knew another three points would pretty much wrap up qualification. Dominic Solanke celebrates scoring his second goal as Chelsea routed Maribor 7-0 in the UEFA Youth League . England youth international Solanke slots home his second of the game and Chelsea's fifth in Slovenia . Charlie Colkett celebrates his second goal with Jay DaSilva as the Blues ran riot . Chelsea: Thompson, Tomori (Scott 67), Christensen, Clarke-Salter, Aina, Loftus-Cheek, Colkett, C Musonda, Brown (c) (Abraham 46), Solanke (Kiwomya 46), Dasilva . Substitutes not used: Baxter (GK), Christie-Davies, Ali, Wakefield . Scorers: Solanke 6, 40; Colkett 11 (penalty), 36; Musonda 25; Kiwomya 81; Abraham 90 . Booked: Aina . Maribor: Prineg, Straus (Polanc 70), Flis, Uskokovic, Marjanovic, Volmajer (Florjanc 59), Grmek, Rober, Lorbek (c), Kramaric (Taneski 86), Hajric . Substitutes not used: Moravac (GK), Sostaric, Mulalic, Bjedov Kobe, Taneski . Booked: Uskokovic, Florjanc, Marjanovic . Sent off: Uskokovic . Referee: Nikolai Yordanov (Bulgaria) Accordingly, they started brightly at the Sportni Park in Lendava, taking the lead after just six minutes when Solanke, who played for Jose Mourinho's senior side against Maribor at Stamford Bridge, capitalised on a sliced kick from goalkeeper Damjan Prineg to score from close range. Five minutes later and Chelsea doubled their lead thanks to Colkett's penalty after Ruben Loftus-Cheek was fouled in the box. Maribor, who have yet to win in the competition, were pinned back and Musonda made it three on 25 minutes with an accurate low shot from the edge of the area. The contest already settled, Chelsea continued to push forward at will with Prineg saving well from Solanke's chip after Colkett's ball over the home defence had set him clear. The reprieve was short-lived as Colkett scored his second of the afternoon with a moment of individual brilliance that saw him weave his way through the shell-shocked Maribor defence. It was five on the stroke of half-time when Loftus-Cheek scorched through the defence and crossed low for Solanke to score his second of the game and fourth of the competition. Chelsea's Charly Musonda fires home his team's third goal at the Sportni Park in Lendava . Solanke blasts home Chelsea's opening goal after seizing on a mistake by the Maribor goalkeeper . Charlie Colkett converts a penalty to double Chelsea's advantage after 11 minutes of the Youth League match . Viveash introduced Kiwomya and Abraham for Solanke and Izzy Brown at half-time and the traffic continued to flow in one direction. Colkett was denied his hat-trick when Prineg made a diving one-handed save after Musonda had played the Chelsea star through. Maribor's frustrations started to surface and defender Luka Uskokovic was shown a second yellow card with 20 minutes remaining. Maribor goalkeeper Damjan Prineg gathers the ball at the feet of Solanke as Chelsea press forward . Charlie Colkett scores his second of the match and Chelsea's fourth in Slovenia . There was no let-up from Chelsea and they struck a sixth when Kiwomya fired high into the net following aswift move involving Abraham and Musonda. And in stoppage time, Abraham swept home his third goal of the group phase after Colkett's free-kick was blocked. The result puts Chelsea clear at the top of Group G with 12 points from a possible 12. | Chelsea beat Maribor 7-0 to extend lead in UEFA Youth League group .
Dominic Solanke and Charlie Colkett scored twice each in Slovenia .
Charly Musonda, Alex Kiwomya and Tammy Abraham also scored .
Result means Chelsea preserve their 100 per cent group stage record . |
172,735 | 6b8d3ca45a9cf5333d2eff9e2597995720f1225e | Jason Britcher (pictured) outside Hull Crown Court, where he was found guilty of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault . A senior legal clerk has been jailed for nine years for attempting to rape a 'lovely, sweet' female barrister at a Christmas party. Jason Britcher, 40, sexually assaulted the sleeping lawyer by creeping into her hotel room after a night spent drinking whisky and snorting cocaine. The brazen attack occurred five years after he had raped a barmaid following a wedding reception. On each occasion Britcher, who was responsible for bringing in work for 50 barristers, was either high on drink or cocaine and looking for sex. A jury of six women and five men took just two hours after an eight-day trial at Hull Crown Court to find him guilty of rape, attempted rape and once sexual assault. They found him not guilty of one act of sexual touching on the barmaid. Britcher, who has a 13-year-old daughter and wife, put his head in his hands and turned pale before crying. His barrister David Osborne said Britcher's mother was terminally ill and would not survive his sentence. The prosecution claimed Britcher's clean-cut image as a charming gentleman masked a hard-drinking sexual predator. Judge Jeremy Richardson, QC, told Britcher: 'I have no doubt you are a man prepared to take risks and you unquestionably did that. You raped and attempted to rape two women when you were affected by alcohol and both women were asleep. 'You even perpetrated the two crimes by lifting their dresses in a very similar fashion whilst they lay asleep. 'This has been a catastrophe for everyone concerned. In many respects you deserve a more severe sentence, but I am mindful of the appalling affect this will have upon you and your family.' His victim, a female barrister in her 30s in the room opposite his, was described by Britcher as a 'gentle, lovely, sweet girl - almost timid.' The main attraction at the party was an ice sculpture, called a vodka luge, which allowed guests to take shots of Snaps poured down two luge runs from the top of an ice mountain into their open mouths. There was a DJ, karaoke, dancing and 'quite a lot of drinking.' Britcher said he had taken cocaine, given to him by a barrister friend, while solicitors and barristers enjoyed wine, spirits and nibbles and let their hair down. During the evening he had also shared a bottle of whisky with a CPS lawyer before leaving around 3am. He claimed his mind went blank after crashing on his bed and could not remember sending what he claimed were 'welfare' texts to two female barristers at 3.40am: 'Are you guys in the main room or Pleb X' and ' Make sure you are ok..I'm sleeping on the floor, u can have bed if struggling. X.' The junior barrister told the jury she had enjoyed a 'really lovely, fun evening in a nice atmosphere' before offering to share a room with a female friend. She had left the party for the hotel leaving her room door unlocked. She texted her husband saying she 'loved him' before falling asleep in her party dress because she had forgotten her pyjamas and did not want her room-mate to see her naked. She said: 'The next thing I remember was someone next to me cuddling up. I thought it was my husband. There was no initial alarm. I was fast asleep. 'But I felt that person touching me. I was asleep at the time and put my hand down and touched him. I think I became more aware at that point.' She said she was sexually assaulted twice and could feel his weight on her as she slept face down. 'I opened my eyes and looked and saw it was Jason. I think I said: "F*** Jason." He looked at me. I wanted to put my hands on my face. I said: "F*** off!" and kept repeating it.' Britcher left the woman in a state of distress and went back to sleep in his hotel room. The junior barrister called her sister in tears, saying she had woken up to find a man 'on top of her.' She could barely breathe and talk and initially did not want to report it. A jury at Hull Crown Court (pictured) yesterday found Britcher guilty on charges of attempted rape, sexual assault and rape . However, a solicitor doing an 'all-nighter' at the party was informed by a colleague and called the police. Police, equipped with body cameras, were called to the hotel at 6am and Britcher was filmed snoring in his room, being woken and arrested on suspicion of rape. He set about destroying forensic evidence by licking his fingers and dipping them in coffee provided in the police cell. He told the jury he had sleep walked through three doorways looking for a toilet. He claimed he had got in the junior barrister's bed by mistake and reacted on 'autopilot' when the woman touched his manhood. He admitted to the jury: 'When the realisation hit home, my whole world came crashing down. I panicked. I did not believe anyone would believe my story.' In a victim impact statement, the barrister said she felt betrayed and the first week after the attack she felt sick and guilty for reporting it to the police. Britcher (pictured) was described by the prosecution as an 'opportunistic sex offender' capable of being charming and considerate . She had to move chambers, lost out financially and had to be supported by family. She felt utterly defeated in August last year and went to the doctors to be described anti-depressants. She had difficulty explaining what had happened to her mother and it had affected her relationship with her husband. Britcher told the jury he worked his way up from being a humble listing officer to a senior clerk responsible for a criminal chambers, sitting on management committees. He agreed to resign his job after being told he was to be charged. Meanwhile, the police found a second complainant, a woman in her 50s who he had raped after a wedding reception. She told the jury: 'I thought everything was a dream. I could feel him inside me. I must have gone back to a deep sleep and the next thing I remember was his wife shouting at me.' She was bleeding and a friend of the woman telephoned Britcher's wife telling her: 'This is rape. This is not right.' She did not report it after being begged not to do so because of the affect on his family. Crown barrister John Thackray told the jury: 'We do not say he is a prolific sex attacker dragging women of the street with a mask on. He is an opportunist sex offender who takes his chance when it arises. He is capable of being polite, considerate, business like, perhaps even a gentleman. However, when a female is vulnerable, perhaps in drink, he will take his opportunity. He can be charming, but he can also be sinister.' | Jason Britcher, 40, sexually assaulted a sleeping junior barrister at a hotel .
He crept into her room and attacked her after taking cocaine at a party .
The senior barrister's clerk had similarly raped a woman five years earlier .
He was called an 'opportunistic' sex offender capable of being charming .
Britcher was jailed on charges of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault . |
274,039 | eef3c5469d9e4e1c16c5db92523a370f2960a14a | Dehydration is defined as a shortage of water in the body ¿ but the European Food Standards Authority decided the statement could not be allowed . It may not come as a surprise to many but bottled water can keep you cool and healthy. But it was only today that European authorities made the ruling, which should allow companies to make such claims on their products. It follows a bizarre ruling by the European Commission last week that drinking water does not ease dehydration. The controversial decision - after three years of discussion - led to much head-scratching at advertising companies. Now the European Food Standards Authority have added to the general confusion by approving two claims that bottled water can help keep you both cool and healthy. The EFSA said there was enough evidence to prove water can regulate the body's temperature and help it carry out normal 'physical and cognitive functions.' It is expected that the European Commission will allow companies to make both claims on packaging in the future. What they cannot do is say that it is prevents dehydration - and they face a possible two year jail sentence if they do so. This decision results from an attempt by two German academics to test EU advertising rules which set down when companies can claim their products reduce the risk of disease. The academics asked for a ruling on a convoluted statement which, in short, claimed that water could reduce dehydration. Dehydration is defined as a shortage of water in the body – but the European Food Standards Authority decided the statement could not be allowed. The ruling, announced after a conference of 21 EU-appointed scientists in Parma and which means that bottled water companies cannot claim their product stops people’s bodies drying out, was given final approval last week by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. In response Tory MEP Roger Helmer, said: ‘This is stupidity writ large. The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are worrying about the obvious qualities of water. If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project, then this is it.’ Under British law, advertisers who make health claims that breach EU law can be prosecuted and face two years in jail. The decision was being hailed as the daftest Brussels edict since the EU sent down laws on how bendy bananas should be. UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall said: ‘I had to read this four or five times before I believed it. Careful consideration: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso gave final approval to the 21 scientists' ruling this week . ‘It is a perfect example of what Brussels does best. Spend three years, with 20 separate pieces of correspondence before summoning 21 professors to Parma, where they decide with great solemnity that drinking water cannot be sold as a way to combat dehydration.’ He added: ‘Then they make this judgment law and make it clear that if anybody dares sell water claiming that it is effective against dehydration they could get into serious legal bother. ‘This makes the bendy banana law look positively sane.’ The statement on which the eminent EU experts ruled claimed that ‘regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration and of concomitant decrease of performance.’ However the Parma gathering ruled: ‘The panel considers that the proposed claim does not comply with the requirements for a disease risk reduction claim.’ It declared that shortage of water in the body was just a symptom of dehydration. Dr Andreas Hahn and Dr Moritz Hagenmeyer of the Institute for Food Science and Human Nutrition at Hanover Leibniz University said they were unhappy but not surprised. ‘We fear there is something wrong in the state of Europe,’ Professor Hahn said. He added that the academics had been trying to test the working of EU food and advertising rules. ‘It was free of charge, there was no apparent red tape attached and it gave food business operators, whom we regularly advise, a chance to advertise their products in a new way,’ he added. ‘We thought we should give it a try and see what would happen. ‘But over almost four years, it became clear that the procedure was anything but straightforward. Any company depending on the claim would long have gone out of business. What is our reaction to the outcome? Let us put it this way: We are neither surprised nor delighted.’ He said: ‘The European Commission is wrong; it should have authorised the claim. That should be more than clear to anyone who has consumed water in the past, and who has not?’ | UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall: ‘I had to read this four or five times before I believed it. This makes the bendy banana law look positively sane’ |
1,328 | 03c87c14a50da673121391d9d9a7a829c043b95b | A California man is facing multiple charges in relation to the death of a transgender woman who allegedly died from an unregulated silicone injection he gave her at a party. Liborio De La Luz Ramos, 44, was arrested Thursday and charged with one felony count of voluntary manslaughter by an unlawful act and two felony counts of unauthorized practice of medicine, the Los Angeles Times reports. Ramos is neither licensed to practice medicine nor is he allowed to perform surgical procedures. Charges: Liborio De La Luz Ramos, 44 (photographed), is facing multiple charges in relation to the death of a transgender woman who allegedly died from an unregulated silicone injection he gave her at a party . But police say he did just that, giving Felipe 'Katya' De La Riva, 40, the silicone injections to her buttocks that allegedly led to her death. Ramos and Riva met through Santa Ana's transgender community, ABC reports, and Riva reportedly received the injection from Ramos to enhance her buttocks in late December at a 'silicone party' in a Santa Ana hotel. On Jan. 1, Riva admitted herself into Kaiser Hospital because of a respiratory problem, according to a police report. She died nearly three weeks later of 'silicone embolism syndrome,' caused by the injection. Hospital officials contacted the coroner's office after they became suspicious of Riva's death, saying that the injection was received in a non-medical facility, the report states. Katya: Felipe 'Katya' De La Riva, 40 (photographed), died on Jan. 21 of 'silicone embolism syndrome' as a result of the unregulated buttocks injections administered by Ramos . Complete: Antonio Viramontes of the LGBT Center in Santa Ana said that deaths similar to Riva's are happening across the country as women who believe they were born in the wrong body will do anything to feel complete . Ramos is alleged to have injected a 28-year-old with silicone at his Santa Ana home, CBS reports. Detectives say they believe there may be more victims and are urging any others to contact the Santa Ana Police Department. The investigation is ongoing and Ramos is being held at Santa Ana jail on $500,000 bail. Antonio Viramontes of the LGBT Center in Santa Ana told CBS that deaths similar to Riva's are happening across the country as women who believe they were born in the wrong body will do anything to feel complete. Super Glue: Viramontes said that the unregulated injections, typically very painful, are deep perforations usually sealed with super glue . Active in the Community: Friends of Riva's say that she was very active in Santa Ana's LGBT community . He said that the unregulated injections, typically very painful, are deep perforations usually sealed with super glue. Police say Riva paid Ramos $400-$1,000 for the injections and used a cattle syringe to administer the silicone, CBS reports. 'It is usually with some kind of chemicals that have not been approved,' Viramontes said. 'Some of the stuff that I have heard that gets used, and is very common, is industrial-grade silicone, airplane fuel, goat's milk, dog urine.' | Liborio De La Luz Ramos, 44, allegedly gave Felipe 'Katya' De La Riva, 40, the unregulated silicone injections that led to her death .
Ramos is charged with one felony count of voluntary manslaughter by an unlawful act and two felony counts of unauthorized practice of medicine .
Riva admitted herself into a hospital on New Year's Day with respiratory issues and died 20 days later .
The unregulated injections are typically administered using a cattle syringe and sealed with super glue . |
72,137 | cc750f9bca3c9f5b168dd2a3ac0329b1ceb77bc4 | By . Matt Barlow for The Mail on Sunday . Hugo Lloris admits he was wrong to risk his health by demanding to play on during a game when he had been knocked unconscious and has applauded new rules protecting footballers against concussion damage. The injury suffered by Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris last November proved the catalyst for changes in the Barclays Premier League this season which give doctors the right to overrule players and coaches where head injuries are concerned. There is also an independent doctor in the tunnel area to assist club doctors in making these decisions. ‘It is definitely a good thing,’ said Lloris. ‘We don’t have to play with our health and someone in the profession had the good sense to find something better. Scroll down for video... Lesson learned: Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris realises it was wrong to play after being knocked unconscious . Sparko! The France No 1 was knocked out after a challenge by Everton's Romelu Lukaku in November 2013 . ‘I was a subject of that and so it is easier for me to understand the decision. I realise now that I had taken a risk with my health. It will not happen again.’ Lloris was knocked out in a collision with Romelu Lukaku at Everton last season, but recovered quickly and insisted upon playing on, even though Tottenham’s medical team wanted him to be replaced. A week later, he was deemed not fit to play against Newcastle and manager Andre Villas-Boas was criticised for failing to protect his player. In the backlash, the Premier League decided it was time for change. It was not the only high-profile head injury in football last season. Lukaku was also knocked out and played on against West Ham, as did Robert Huth, playing for Stoke against Manchester City. There were other incidents at the World Cup, involving Uruguay’s Alvaro Pereira and Argentina’s Javier Mascherano, who both continued after being briefly knocked unconscious. Head's up! Spurs stopper has welcomed new rules protecting players from the dangers of concussion . Lloris explained: ‘When you are on the pitch you don’t want to leave the pitch, you want to stay with your team-mates and help them get the best result. Now the rules are very clear and it will be better for everyone.’ It proved an eventful season for the Spurs and France keeper, who committed his future to the club, agreeing a new five-year deal before the World Cup and signing it on his return in July. ‘The decision was made before the World Cup,’ said Lloris, who faces QPR today. ‘I had some good chats with the chairman about the ambition and future of the club. The conditions were good for me. Blurred vision: Romelu Lukaku continued to play after a collision during last season's game with West Ham . ‘We found an agreement and I’m happy for that. It was about ambition, definitely, not money. I am a competitor and I know that in the Premier League it is difficult to get trophies because there are a lot of top teams, but I know Tottenham has ambition to grow and improve year on year.’ He added: ‘I think everything is done for players to improve at Tottenham. We need maybe some stability after two years with two managers and we have to work together, keep a good spirit in the changing room and get some great performances, because last season we know that we did not do enough against the top teams in the League.’ Mauricio Pochettino took over as boss from Tim Sherwood, who replaced Villas-Boas soon after the incident at Goodison Park. Prone: Javier Mascherano lays unconscious after being knocked out at the World Cup, but still played on . ‘He (Pochettino) has a good CV as a manager and as a player he was an international with Argentina,’ said Lloris. ‘I know him because he played in France and he has a good philosophy about football. Somehow we have to work together and go in the same way, keep our ambition high and try to improve.’ It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris realises it was wrong to play with concussion .
France No 1 was knocked out after collision with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku last season but insisted on continuing .
Then Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas was criticised for allowing him to play .
Premier League has adopted new laws to help protect concussed players .
Romelu Lukaku and Robert Huth both suffered head injuries last season .
Javier Mascherano and Alvaro Pereira played on after being knocked out at the 2014 World Cup . |
41,760 | 75c6e27a38b72bb9f75fa2b8e45e933bae10dac5 | CNN has joined Fox News Channel in saying that it was mistaken to report in the wake of an attack on the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo that there were neighborhoods in Europe considered 'no go' zones for non-Muslims. Fox apologized over the weekend for on-air comments made by pundits, including one who described the English city of Birmingham as 'totally Muslim.' In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo threatened to sue Fox over comments made about her city. Apology: Anderson Cooper has said he was mistaken in referring to 'no go' Muslim areas in Europe. He said: 'if you are going to point fingers at other people's mistakes, you should also acknowledge your own mistakes and we didn't do that on the program.' On Monday, CNN's Anderson Cooper aired a story on his program about what Fox had said. But The Washington Post subsequently pointed out the supposed 'no go' zones were talked about on CNN the previous week — including on Cooper's program. Cooper even used one analyst's comments about Muslim-dominated areas as the basis for a question he put to another guest. 'If you are going to point fingers at other people's mistakes, you should also acknowledge your own mistakes and we didn't do that on the program,' Cooper said on the air Wednesday night. Cooper noted that he did not challenge his guests. 'I should have been more skeptical,' he said. 'Won't make the same mistake again.' Blunder: Fox's Steven Emerson, billed as an expert on terrorism-related issues, was described by Prime Minister David Cameron as 'a complete idiot' and widely mocked by Twitter users after informing viewers Birmingham was 'totally Muslim' and was not visited by people of other faiths . CNN representatives did not have an immediate comment on whether other CNN shows would address the issue. The network went back and checked its transcripts when attention was called to its own lapses. Fox's Steven Emerson, billed as an expert on terrorism-related issues, was described by Prime Minister David Cameron as 'a complete idiot' and widely mocked by Twitter users after informing viewers Birmingham was 'totally Muslim' and was not visited by people of other faiths. Mr Emerson issued a string of apologies to British media outlets over his 'terrible, inexcusable error' during a broadcast last weekend and has also donated $750 to the city's children's hospital. | The anchor aired a program about what Fox had said on Monday .
However it was pointed out CNN had mentioned 'no go' zones beforehand .
Cooper even used one analyst's comments about Muslim-dominated areas as the basis for a question he put to another guest .
He has apologized saying 'you should acknowledge your own mistakes' |
89,901 | ff4f8ab9f32cf7a39052414655c551439e007422 | London (CNN) -- British Home Secretary Theresa May defended Thursday the government's decision to bring in an additional 3,500 military personnel to ensure security for the Olympic Games, only 15 days before the event starts. She said it had only become clear on Wednesday that the contractor G4S was not able to provide all the security staff it had promised to the organizers of the London Olympic Games. But, May told the House of Commons, "there is no question of Olympic security being compromised." The government's decision to bring in additional troops, on top of the 13,500 already agreed, was the appropriate response to the shortfall in G4S staff, she said. Read more: Is Olympic-level security already under way in Britain? "Contingency planning has always been central to our security work," May said. The deployment means that 17,000 troops will be on duty in the United Kingdom during the Games, compared with the 9,500 currently in Afghanistan. G4S had been expected to recruit a staff of more than 10,000 as part of a total security force of 23,700 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will still provide several thousand personnel. Britain is on a heightened state of alert ahead of the Games, which open on 27 July. Grilled by opposition politicians as she gave an emergency statement to the House of Commons, May rejected suggestions that the government had either not been on top of planning for the event or had been misled by G4S about its preparations. "This is not a lax approach to security, it is about the government ensuring we have the right approach to security," May said. Her opposition counterpart, Labour's Yvette Cooper, said it looked like "another Home Office shambles." Read more: Weather warning: London Olympics' biggest threat? May said it was the organizing committee's responsibility to ensure that G4S honored its contract and to enforce any penalties written into the contract, and that the British public would not pick up the bill for the security firm's failings. A Home Office statement released late Wednesday said: "The government are committing £553 million for venue security and we remain confident that we will deliver within budget." A G4S spokesman said in a statement that the contractor is "committed to ensuring that London 2012 is safe and secure" and that it understands the government's decision to bring in extra troops. G4S already has about 4,000 people at work across 100 venues and has more than 9,000 people going through the required vetting, training and accreditation process, the statement said. "This is an unprecedented and very complex security recruitment and deployment exercise which is being carried out to a very tight schedule," it said. "We have encountered some delays in progressing applicants through the final stages but we are working extremely hard to process these as swiftly as possible." The military personnel on duty will include reservists, the Ministry of Defence said, and the Olympic organizers have agreed to give 10,000 tickets to the armed forces to compensate for the short-notice deployment. "I can confirm that there remains no specific threat to the Games. Nor is there an increased threat to the Games," said Defence Secretary Philip Hammond. We are confident that the UK is ready and able to provide a safe and secure Olympic Games for the whole world to enjoy." May also faced repeated questions from lawmakers over border control at Heathrow Airport, amid concerns over staffing levels -- as some visitors wait more than two hours to enter the country -- and the stringency of security checks. Staffing is being stepped up for the Olympics, with additional personnel being brought in to ensure all desk are manned, May said. The United Kingdom's independent chief inspector of borders, John Vine, said Wednesday there had been some progress since a critical report in February, but the extra staff drafted in to ease congestion "often processed passengers less quickly and asked fewer questions." He also cited concerns over efforts to detect forged documents in some of the airport's terminals. Meanwhile, work to repair the main route from Heathrow Airport into London continues, following the discovery of significant cracks in a viaduct. A section of the M4 motorway has been closed in both directions since the end of last week, resulting in broad delays for drivers forced to take alternative routes into the capital. The Highways Agency, which is in charge of the UK road network, said Wednesday that the road would remain closed because the complex repair work had reached a critical stage. "The Highways Agency and its contractors are working around the clock and will reopen the motorway as soon as it is safe to do so," it said. "Conditional on the repair work being successful, it is still expected that the work will be completed and the road reopened within the next few days." | The UK government says 3,500 more troops are needed to ensure security .
Home Secretary Theresa May says security will not be compromised .
Private contractor G4S has failed to recruit as many security staff as promised .
Britain is on a heightened state of alert ahead of the Games, which open in 15 days . |
239,869 | c28ae06926ac9e32304700eb9edd9bc0ce8d90ff | A couple who claimed to be so broke they had to borrow money from relatives ran up £1million in fraudulent debt and spent it on a fleet of Bentleys and Range Rovers. Jeremy Palmer, 53, and his wife Dawn, 50, from Dunton near Basildon in Essex managed to obtain a credit card in the name of an unwitting relative to rack up debt between 2002 and 2008. The couple, who pleaded not guilty, were jailed for a total of eight and a half years when they appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court yesterday following a seven-week trial. Jeremy Palmer, 53, (left), and his wife Dawn, 50, (right) ran up more than £1million in fraudulent debts, which they spent on three Range Rover Sports and two Bentleys . They had used the name of Mrs Palmer's innocent brother, Mark Waterhouse, to acquire credit and buy three Range Rover Sports and two Bentleys and take out massive overdrafts. The shocked 51-year-old from Chelmsford, Essex, said he felt 'abused' by his family's betrayal and has not spoken to his sister and brother-in-law since their arrest in 2011. He said: 'I was devastated; couldn't believe it.' 'I'm still shocked to be honest. I had helped them in the past when they had money troubles, they were always borrowing money. 'I feel totally abused. You don't expect this from your own family.' Mrs Palmer also claimed to earn more than £200,000 a year to secure further advances against the marital home in Brentwood Road, Dunton, using her maiden name. The couple, who lived in Brentwood Road in Dunton, Essex (pictured), now face eight and a half years in prison . The total amount of credit obtained and losses run up with the bank and on credit cards amounted to more than £1million. Mr Palmer was jailed for six years after he was convicted of 16 counts and his wife was found guilty of five counts and was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment. Essex Police spent three years investigating the couple's fraudulent activity. Detective Sergeant Danny Walker, investigating officer, said: 'This was a prolonged, multi-faceted series of fraud offences where advantage was taken of a member of their family. 'The motivation for these offences was pure greed and the money obtained was used to purchase cars and other items which otherwise they would not have been unable to afford. 'Their selfish crimes have caused damage to a family which no money or prison sentence can repair.' | Jeremy Palmer and his wife Dawn obtained credit card in name of relative .
They managed to rack up debts of over £1million between 2002 and 2008 .
Couple had used name of Mrs Palmer's innocent brother Mark Waterhouse .
He said he felt 'abused' by their betrayal and hasn't spoken to them since . |
163,172 | 5efff71348a3ec472dd6a2e8056761cd326ca798 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 10:06 EST, 8 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:06 EST, 8 November 2013 . A solemn occasion turned into a violent attack on Tuesday after mourners beat a driver who honked his horn outside a church where the funeral was to be held. A witness caught the incident outside La Iglesia de Dios in Mount Holly, New Jersey on camera. Emotions were already running high when the driver of a red Chevrolet, irritated at funeral-goers who were holding up traffic, honked his horn. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Funeral gathering: The driver of the red car honked his horn as mourners congregated outside a New Jersey church . On edge: A group of young men angrily swarmed the red car and one began to punch the driver through the window . Beating: The man managed to lay several punches on the driver through the open car window . Footage shows a group of eight or more young men, some wearing memorial t-shirts, swarming the car angrily. Several of the men slam the car with their fists, and another runs up and begins to lay into the driver through his open car window. The man appears to land at least five hits on the driver of the red car before he is pulled away by fellow mourners. Other mourners approach the group of men and appear to by trying to calm them down. The witness who filmed the confrontation told NBC that other mourners encouraged the driver of the red car to leave before the young men could approach the car again. Pulled away: The main aggressor was dragged from the car window by other members of the group . Calming: It took five men to convince the angry mourner to leave the driver of the red car alone . Getaway: Other funeral attendees managed to convince the driver to to leave the scene . 'Some of the elders walked up next to the car to kind of keep the younger guys away, to kind of like, of nudge him on,' he said. 'But he never stuck around.' According to NBC, the incident was reported to local police, but the driver was long gone by the time they arrived. The witness said police ushered the mourners back into the church. As of Thursday night, no charges had been filed. | A driver was beaten after honking his horn at a group of mourners .
The incident was caught on camera outside a New Jersey church .
One mourner punched the driver five times through his open window .
He was dragged off and the driver had disappeared by the time police arrived . |
25,514 | 483deffa32aa66c096ebcf9dc8f0124316794f21 | The Grand Canyon is beautiful all-year round. Right now a light dust of snow has settled in the deep ravines of the iconic Arizona national park. And an astronaut working out of the International Space Station has managed to take a photo of just that from low Earth orbit. Ever wondered what the Grand Canyon looks like from space? Here you have it. Astronaut Terry W. Virts tweeted this picture Friday from the International Space Station . Astronaut Terry W. Virts tweeted the stunning picture on Friday. His caption of 'wow' pretty much sums it up. According to local station ABC 15, much of the desert state will be seeing close to freezing temperatures this weekend. Southern Arizona and parts of the Valley have expected temperatures in the 20s and 30s set for Saturday and Sunday. Grand: A young woman looks out over the Grand Canyon National Park in this stock photo . Dramatic: This photo shows the Colorado River running through the Grand Canyon National Park in the fall . | Astronaut Terry W. Virts tweeted the picture on Friday .
He is currently on a mission to the International Space Station .
The shot shows the ravines lightly dusted in snow . |
219,395 | a7fe157db2e8c73286e9493f5205bf1429e43e47 | A 19-year-old Texas man has been arrested in Louisiana for allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine across state lines in a stash of Jesus candles. The Smoking Gun are reporting the incident started when a passenger bus was pulled over in Baton Rouge for a traffic violation. However during the stop, a drug detection dog alerted police to something suspicious in the cargo hold. The El Expresso bus was en route to Mobile, Alabama. Arrested: Jose Antonio Rodriguez-Lara, 19, of Texas, was on a bus trip to Mobile, Alabama, that was pulled over by police, who allegedly found a stash of methamphetamine hidden in religious candles in his luggage . Stash: Investigators allege an unknown quantity of methamphetamine was found hidden among these 48 'Most Sacred Heart of Jesus' candles . During a search of the cargo, members of the Louisiana Highway Interdiction Unit found a suitcase carrying 48 'Most Sacred Heart of Jesus' candles. Investigators allege the stash, which weighed in excess of 110 pounds, contained 'methamphetamine mixed in wax'. However it is not known how much of the weight the drugs accounted for. None of the passengers on the bus claimed ownership of the bag. However a subseqent search of the suitcase produced a photo of a man on the bus. Jose Antonio Rodriguez-Lara, 19, of Texas, was arrested. He has been charged with possession of felony narcotics. Bail was set at $30,000. | Passenger bus was pulled over Thursday in Baton Rouge .
Was en route to Mobile, Alabama .
Drug detection dog suspected something in the cargo hold .
Found 48 candles that contained an unknown quantity of methamphetamine .
No one claimed the bag, but cops found a photo in the suitcase that matched a male passenger .
Jose Antonio Rodriguez-Lara, 19, was arrested on a felony narcotics charge . |
41,580 | 754651ee2d263a2e5eb791bc79178d670c75fcea | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 19 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:29 EST, 19 April 2013 . German authorities today destroyed a letter addressed to the country's president that was suspected of containing explosives. A spokesman for President Joachim Gauck's office said the envelope was found during routine checks on mail late this morning. The incident comes days after US president Barack Obama was sent a letter containing deadly ricin. Fears: Experts destroyed a suspected letter bomb sent to the office of German president Joachim Gauck in Berlin this morning . Experts decided to . carry out a controlled detonation of the letter in the park outside the . president's Bellevue palace in downtown Berlin after suspicions were . raised about its contents. Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office, which was responsible for the operation, confirmed a letter suspected of containing explosives had been destroyed. It said it was still investigating whether it actually contained a bomb. A spokesman for the president said there was no danger to Mr Gauck, Germany's largely ceremonial head of state, who was not on the premises at the time. It was not immediately clear where the letter came from. In 2010 a mail bomb was intercepted at . German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office - part of a spate of parcel . bombings for which a Greek anarchist group claimed responsibility. Attack: It comes just days after US president Barack Obama was sent a letter containing deadly ricin . Targeted: The incident comes three years after a mail bomb was sent to German Chancellor Angela Merkel (seen here with President Gauck) Kevin Curtis, 45, an Elvis impersonator from Corinth, Mississippi, has been charged with trying to poison President Obama. Curtis is . suspected of sending letters containing ricin to the president and to Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker. He had previously sent letters to Sen. Wicker and officials from his office alerted . authorities about the frequency of his correspondence when the suspicious letter was found. | Authorities destroy letter addressed to German president Joachim Gauck .
Fears that envelope may have contained explosives .
Comes after President Barack Obama sent poisoned letter . |
164,165 | 604bd413cbd89a6c8a4dd63968289de791c4399e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:09 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:09 EST, 19 September 2013 . A huge blaze erupted at a chemical plant in Oklahoma following two explosions at the site on Wednesday night. The Danlin plant in Thomas was surrounded by fireman as they fought to bring the fire under control with flames shooting 80 feet up in the air. No one had been working at the site at the time of the explosions close to 11pm (ET) but a dozen people living nearby were evacuated. Scroll down for video . All ablaze: A huge explosion erupted on Wednesday night at the Oklahoma chemical plant . Ferocious: No one was injured in the blaze in Thomas which took place around 11pm (ET) Officials say they do not yet know the cause of the fire or explosions. No injuries were immediately reported. The fire had been mostly extinguished today as investigators waited for the ruins to cool in order to assess the damage. EMT spokesman Mike Galloway told CBS that the fire began late at night when the plant was locked up. He said the explosions were caused by flames licking containers of production chemicals. Firefighters did not spray water on the blaze but allowed the chemicals to burn off. All chemicals had been contained at the site. Fire crews from the Thomas Fire Department, Custer City Fire Department, Custer City Police . Department, and Custer County Sheriff’s Office attended the scene. Thomas is a small town in Custer County with a population of around 1,180.The chemical plant employs many in the town making chemicals for the oil and gas industries. Fire crews surrounded the scene over night as they waited for the chemical fire to burn off . | The Danlin plant in Thomas, Oklahoma burned through the night .
No injuries have been reported and nearby residents were evacuated . |
202,034 | 918d66f6845c864b40c9c5ca02e552549c964772 | (CNN) -- U.S. ski queen Lindsey Vonn damaged the same knee that underwent major surgery in February when she crashed Tuesday on a training run at Copper Mountain in Colorado. Following the incident, she was not admitted to the hospital but underwent "further evaluation, as is typical after a crash," according to a statement from the U.S. Ski Team. On Wednesday, Vonn's spokesperson Lewis Kay revealed that the Olympic downhill champion had damaged the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her troublesome right knee during the fall. "Lindsey sustained a mild strain to her right knee, a partial tear to her right ACL, minor facial abrasions and scapular contusions from her fall," Kay said in a statement. "She needs to rest for a few days and then will pursue aggressive physical therapy and will determine the next time she is able to compete after seeing how she responds to the treatment. "We will provide a further update when new information becomes available." The news comes as a significant blow to Vonn, who was preparing to return to competitive racing after her serious knee injury earlier this year. Vonn was airlifted to a hospital in February after she landed heavily on her right knee on the opening day of the Alpine Ski World Championships in Austria. She underwent surgery for knee reconstruction. Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn dating . Vonn was crowned America's snow queen when she became the first American woman to win the Olympic downhill title at the Vancouver Games in 2010. She followed up her Vancouver victory with a stellar World Cup season in 2011-2012, winning 12 races and the overall title with a new record points haul. A combination of illness and injury disrupted Vonn's dominance on the slopes last season. She planned to return at the World Cup event in Beaver Creek, Colorado on November 29. Lindsey Vonn: Rebuilding a skiing superstar . | Lindsey Vonn damaged troublesome right knee in Tuesday's crash in training .
Olympic champion was not admitted to hospital after the fall .
Vonn had been preparing for competitive return after her serious injury earlier this year . |
225,629 | b02a01dcd5baae61a334622ee4e101a39f6b9dbc | MOGADISHU, Somalia (CNN) -- Ethiopian troops have not yet begun to withdraw from key positions in the capital of Somalia two days after they were supposed to do so under a peace agreement designed to end years of conflict. Ethiopian troops are yet to leave the Somlai capital despite a peace agreement. The Ethiopians had agreed to withdraw from some bases by Friday under an agreement signed last month by the Somali transitional government and a rebel faction known as the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia. Ethiopia invaded Somalia two years ago to expel Islamic forces who had conquered Mogadishu. Under the deal signed October 26, a cease-fire between the transitional government and the ARS went into effect November 5. The Ethiopians were to withdraw from from key positions in the capital on November 21, and leave the country entirely early in 2009. Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein has said that Ethiopian troops will withdraw as agreed. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, a moderate leader of the rebel ARS, told the local radio station Shabelle Saturday that the Ethiopian troops would pull out on schedule. Insurgents clashed with Somali government forces and their Ethiopian allies Friday, witnesses said, leaving at least 11 fighters dead. The fighting started when armed insurgent fighters attacked the house of a local commissioner in Mogadishu's Wadajir district, sparking heavy fighting between the government troops guarding the house and the insurgents. "I saw 11 men wearing red turbans on the heads dead on the ground," local resident Mohamed Haji Ali told CNN by phone from a house near where the clashes took place. Other residents provided a similar death toll. The commissioner whose house was attacked, Ahmed Da'd, said that his soldiers killed 17 insurgents. He displayed what he said were some of the dead insurgents for the media. It is not clear what will happen if the Ethiopian troops remain in Mogadishu despite the October 26 peace deal. Under that agreement, government and opposition members will form a 10,000-member joint police force to keep order, along with the African Union peacekeeping mission now in place and a U.N. force to be deployed later. Both sides will work toward establishing a unity government in Somalia, which has been riven by 17 years of strife since the collapse of its last fully functional government. Ethiopia invaded Somalia in December 2006 to install the transitional government in Mogadishu after a decade and a half of near-anarchy. The invasion had the blessing of the United States, which accused the Islamic Courts Union -- which captured Mogadishu earlier that year -- of harboring fugitives from al Qaeda. The Islamists responded with a guerrilla campaign against government and Ethiopian troops. Efforts to replace the Ethiopians with an African Union-led peacekeeping mission faltered as the violence worsened, and heavy fighting in Mogadishu and other cities drove hundreds of thousands from their homes. The lawlessness also spilled on to the seas off the Horn of Africa, where international vessels are routinely hijacked by suspected Somali pirates who demand large ransoms. Journalist Abdinasir Mohamed Guled and CNN's Mohammed Amiin and Amir Ahmed contributed to this report. | Ethiopian troops yet begin to withdraw from key positions in Somali capital .
Ethiopians had agreed to withdraw from some bases by Friday .
They were supposed to do so under a peace agreement designed to end conflict . |
128,347 | 31dcf7394aa322a0ffe9617d9d4dbb27bd3befac | A €1billion run on a recently nationalised Spanish bank has sparked further fears that the 17-nation eurozone is about to implode. European markets fell as fears of a continent-wide contagion from goverment-less Greece's economic crisis also spread. Shares in Bankia, Spain's fourth biggest bank formed in 2010 through a merger of seven struggling regional savings institutions, today plummeted by 27 per cent. Worry: A ¿1billion run on recently nationalised Spanish bank Bankia has sparked further fears that the 17-nation eurozone is about to implode . The pan-European FTSE 300 index was down 0.9 per cent at 984.22 points by 10.26.am, close to a four-and-a-half-month low of 983.95 points reached yesterday. Spain's benchmark IBEX index fell nearly 2 per cent to its lowest level since mid-2003. It came following a report in El Mundo newspaper that its customers had withdrawn more than €1billion from their accounts over the past week. It added to losses incurred yesterday after the European Central Bank said it had stopped providing liquidity to some Greek banks because they had not been successfully recapitalised. Greece is set to hold fresh elections on June 17 after voters rejected austerity measures imposed on it by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, which has heightened fears it will have to leave the eurozone. Investors are also worried by the possibility of contagion from a Greek exit from the euro spreading to other countries such as Spain or Italy. Change: French President Francois Hollande (right) has given his ministers a 30 per cent pay cut to mark a difference with Nicolas Sarkozy's (left) administration . 'It's not Greece leaving the euro that is the major issue, it's the domino effect,' said John Bearman, chief investment officer at British firm Thomas Miller Investment, which manages roughly €3billion worth of assets. Greece today held a swearing-in ceremony of Coalition of the Radical Left party leader Alexis Tsipras and former Prime Minister George Papandreou. But their leadership will be short-lived, as their parliament will be dissolved tomorrow so they can arrange new elections. The developments came as panicked savers in Greece also started to vote with their wallets, withdrawing a staggering £650million per day - more than eight times more than usual. It has led to the European Central Bank cutting off lending to at least four Greek banks, sparking fears they could collapse within days. And it has also seen rumours that Greece is about to limit the amount of money that can be taken from cashpoints. To add further pressure, credit ratings agency Moody's said it was reviewing 114 European institutions, which could result in widespread downgrades. Some banks may lose business, a smaller number could gain. Client exposures and risk may become even further concentrated amongst a limited number of market participants. On Monday, Moody's downgraded the long-term debt and deposit ratings for 26 Italian banks, prompting the Italian Banking Association to call the move an 'assault against Italy, its companies and its families'. Concerns over Spain were highlighted by data showing the country had slipped back into recession during the first quarter, while the country's medium-term borrowing costs rose sharply during a bond auction. Tensions within the European banking system were also exposed by the fact that key eurozone three-month bank-to-bank lending rates had edged higher today for the first time since the European Central Bank pumped in ultra-cheap, three-year funds in December. Royal London Asset Management's European equities fund manager Neil Wilkinson said he had reduced his exposure to financial stocks in recent weeks, as a result of the worsening European debt crisis. Wilkinson, who manages around £425million worth of assets, said his portfolio was 70 per cent invested in northern European equities markets such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, with a small amount in Italy and Spain. Wilkinson said he owned Italian bank Intesa and Spanish pharmaceuticals group Grifols, but was otherwise shying away from stocks in countries such as Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece. 'The selling pressure is going to continue,' he said. News of the run came as France's new President marked his first official day in the office by slashing his ministers' pay by 30 per cent. Short-lived: Greece's Coalition of the Radical Left party leader Alexis Tsipras (second right) and former Prime Minister George Papandreou (right) are sworn-in at the Greek Parliament today. The parliament will be dissolved tomorrow . Francois Hollande's new Socialist government said it was 'setting an example' with the symbolic move, aimed at drawing a clear distinction with the previous administration. Nicolas Sarkozy, voted out of power earlier this month, famously hiked up his pay 170 per cent to €19,000 per month on taking office in 2007. Senior ministers then said their first concern was tackling the European sovereign debt crisis - and promoting their new boss's view of shifting the focus from austerity to growth. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told news channel BFMTV: 'The priority is to disentangle the crisis in Europe. 'I am profoundly European but we need a different Europe, a Europe that is much more focused on jobs.' Changes: These pictures show the make up of the 1981 Socialist government (above) and the 2012 cabinet (below) | Shares in Bankia, Spain's fourth largest bank, fall 27% after media reports .
Greece forms government, but will dissolve it tomorrow for new election .
Francois Hollande slashes pay to 'highlight difference' with Sarkozy .
Greeks also 'running the banks' by withdrawing £650million per day .
Rumours Greek cashpoints could limit how much money they give out .
Moody's reviewing credit rating of 114 European institutions . |
62,866 | b29ac937b1c0c7cbc502dbf678563ad06794fca9 | (CNN) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry found himself standing apart from his GOP rivals on a pair of immigration issues during a CNN/Tea Party Debate in Tampa, Florida, Monday night. Sounding more like a previous Texas governor who brought "compassionate conservatism" to the White House, Perry staunchly defended legislation he signed that aids the children of illegal immigrants even as the audience at the debate roundly disagreed. The Texas governor was asked about a measure he approved in 2001 that grants in-state tuition rates and financial aid to the children of illegal immigrants. "The bottom line is it doesn't make any difference what the sound of your last name is. That is the American way," Perry said. "I'm proud that we are having those individuals be contributing members of our society rather than telling them, you go be on the government dole." Several people in the audience of tea party activists booed Perry's support of that policy, which is anathema to hard-line conservatives. They argue it provides an incentive for immigrants to enter the country illegally. Perry said he did not favor amnesty for illegal immigrants. "The American way is not to give taxpayer subsidized benefits to people who have broken our laws or who are here in the United States illegally," said Rep. Michele Bachmann, who used the opportunity to tout her conservative credentials. Perry has overshadowed her campaign since entering the race last month . Perry also made waves when he said the key to securing the border would be to deploy enough "boots on the ground," which he contended the federal government had failed to do. Several of his opponents disagreed, arguing that the correct approach to tamp down illegal immigration would be to build a border fence between the United States and Mexico. Perry has called the notion -- especially in rural areas -- "preposterous" and, at the debate, asserted his authority as the candidate with the most experience dealing with border security and immigration issues. On both issues, the governor is out-of-step with much of the conservative wing of the Republican party. How much it may hurt him during the primary process is unclear. As the governor of a state with a large Hispanic population, Perry's "reasonably moderate" approach to immigration policy is simple pragmatism, said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. "I don't think anyone's going to walk around and say Rick Perry's pro-immigrant, but he's been a moderate on the issue for strategic reasons," Henson said. "He's had to manage a different political environment than many of his opponents." Latinos make up almost 40 percent of the population in Texas, and Perry carried 38 percent of their vote in his gubernatorial contest against Democrat Bill White in 2010. In addition, business owners in the state benefit from a large immigrant labor force and cross-border commerce with Mexico, Henson said. The in-state tuition measure was not the governor's only gesture toward Latinos. Last year, Perry opposed Arizona's tough immigration law, SB 1070, which orders immigrants to carry registration documents at all times and requires police to question individuals who they suspect may be in the United States illegally. But he also moved to appeal to conservatives on the contentious issue. Earlier this year, the governor supported a bill to ban "sanctuary cities" in the state. The legislation would have punished cities that shielded criminal suspects from having to answer questions about their immigration status. Though it initially received enthusiastic Republican support, the bill did not pass. As the GOP presidential primary race continues, some candidates may choose to focus their attacks on Perry's perceived softness on illegal immigration. Henson believes Perry is conservative enough on other key issues to weather attacks from his rivals on immigration. "It's one of the areas where he doesn't fit into the conservative mold," Henson said. "[But] I'd be surprised if the dynamic of this race turned around immigration." | Immigration issues separate Gov. Rick Perry from his rivals .
He supports in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants .
His stance drew boos from the conservative tea party debate crowd .
Latinos make up almost 40 percent of the population in Texas . |
119,250 | 260783ee35c7593f743348f09cc1f373ff5a7daf | By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 01:32 EST, 11 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:34 EST, 11 April 2012 . Wants flow of money: Former Welsh Water boss John Elfed Jones says Wales should be making a profit from supplying water to England . Drought-hit England should be made to pay for using water from Wales, the former head of Welsh Water claimed today. As millions of English households are slapped with hosepipe bans, John Elfed Jones argues that water is a business and, like oil, should be sold to make money. His comments came as Severn Trent, which supplies mid Wales, announced plans to sell water to Anglian Water without at cost price. But speaking to Welsh-language programme Taro Naw, broadcast on S4C last night, Mr Jones said: 'Is it fair Wales isn't profiting a penny from the water which is exported to England? 'In 50 years, will our people look back and ask why didn't we invest years ago? 'It's about time we took this option seriously. 'It's a lack of energy and vision which leads us to be in difficulties often.' Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru say that powers over Wales' natural resources should be devolved to politicians in Cardiff Bay. A current hosepipe ban affects 20 million people in England who get their water from seven companies. They are: Thames Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Anglian Water, Sutton and East Surrey, Veolia Central and Veolia South East. Sign of the times: Marston reservoir in Hertfordshire (above) highlights how low water levels are in much of England . The ban has sparked debate over whether transferring water from regions, such as upland areas of Wales, should be carried out. Severn Trent has since announced plans were being drawn up to supply more than 100,000 homes in the worst-hit areas. It aims to sell 30 million litres of water a day to Anglian Water, one of the seven companies that imposed a hosepipe ban at the beginning of April to help ease the shortage. | John Elfed Jones says Wales should profit from trade . |
57,705 | a38d32e54117849f049da0c499b53d65d2cdf09e | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:24 EST, 22 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:26 EST, 22 July 2013 . New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo beat Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a whitewater rafting race on Monday down the Indian River in the Adirondacks. The governor's office said his team beat the mayor's by 18 seconds, running the course in 18 minutes, 31 seconds to 18:49 for Bloomberg's raft. Cuomo and Bloomberg, both wearing shorts and t-shirts, emerged from their rafts soaking wet after the race, which was held on the second day of Cuomo's inaugural 'Adirondack Challenge' - a publicity event that cost taxpayers $175,000. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, left, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo walk together after a whitewater rafting race that left them both soaked . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, right, navigates whitewater rapids with his team on the Indian River . New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his battle the rapids as they take the lead in a race against Mayor Michael Bloomberg . Cuomo and a host of other state and . local officials and business leaders participated in paddling events . starting Sunday in the Hamilton County village. Cuomo said the event was . designed to draw attention to the recreational opportunities in the . Adirondacks and to boost tourism. On Sunday, the Governor's Invitational whitewater race packed 25 rafts with state officials and members of the media. The governor's team also won that competition, beating state Senate and Assembly teams. Sunday's activities included flatwater paddling races on Indian Lake and a festival in a village park showcasing Adirondack brewers, winemakers, distillers and food producers. Also on Monday, Cuomo said that state will begin airing a TV ad Tuesday to promote recreation in the Adirondacks and the North Country. Cuomo grimaces as he tries to maintain control of his raft in the rapids. Two of his daughters were on his team . New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and his team are pictured. The race was held to boost tourism in the Adirondacks . Cuomo admitted to reporters that the 'Adirondack Challenge' was a publicity stunt. 'Yeah, that's what it is,' Cuomo said, according to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. 'But that's what we needed. We needed to get people to see it and enjoy it. It's the exposure through the media. 'You're not going to get thousands of people to drive up on one day to a rafting race. But you can have a race that exposes the area to 50 million tourists in New York City. We have to just get part of that market north.' Unlike Cuomo, who sat at the front of his raft, Bloomberg chose to sit in the middle . The challenge between Cuomo (right) and Bloomberg (left) attracted about 150 people to the Indian River on Monday . | New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office said his team beat the mayor's by 18 seconds .
Cuomo and Bloomberg, both wearing shorts and t-shirts, emerged from their rafts soaking wet after the race .
The event was designed to draw tourism to the Adirondacks .
It cost taxpayers $175,000 . |
122,637 | 2a7f8c93ec63d4fc6246a198adbb82c42ce0fd8c | Washington (CNN) -- President Obama will sign into law Wednesday the Wall Street reform bill -- the most-sweeping set of changes to America's financial regulatory system since the 1930s. The legislation will vastly reform the way big financial firms do business. This is "reform that will prevent the kind of shadowy deals that led to this crisis, reform that would never again put taxpayers on the hook for Wall Street's mistakes," the president said last week. The bill aims to strengthen consumer protection, rein in complex financial products and head off more bank bailouts. The Senate approved the reforms Thursday on a 60 to 39 vote, ending more than a year-long effort to pass legislation in response to the 2008 financial crisis. To secure enough votes, Senate Democrats made lots of deals, which watered down the bill. For example, Wall Street banks will get wiggle room to make limited risky bets, which is tougher than the current law, but weaker than earlier drafts. The legislation would establish a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau inside the Federal Reserve that could write new rules to protect consumers from unfair or abusive practices in mortgages and credit cards. The bill creates a new council of regulators, lead by the Treasury Department, that would set new standards for how much cash banks must keep on hand to prevent them from triggering a financial crisis. It would also establish new procedures for shutting down giant financial firms that are collapsing. The measure would put new limits on Wall Street banks' speculative bets for their own accounts and their ability to own hedge funds, while leaving the door open for some investment activities. The bill aims to shine a brighter light on some complex financial products, called derivatives, that are blamed for exacerbating the collapse of financial companies such as American International Group and Lehman Brothers. It would force most derivatives onto clearinghouses and exchanges, to better pinpoint the value of the trades. And it would insert a middleman between trades, so that financial firms are less interconnected, to prevent the domino effect of financial firm failures in 2008. "We made a promise in the fall of '08 that we'd do everything in our power to see to it we'd never again put the American public in the position we were in September and early October 2008," Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said after the Senate vote. "And we have fulfilled that promise with this legislation." Republicans objected to some of the bill's major provisions, particularly parts that establish the consumer agency and create new rules for the derivatives. While they generally favored more consumer protection and more regulation of derivatives, they argued that the legislation is too heavy-handed in these areas. They also object to the fact that the bill virtually ignores the increasingly insolvent government-owned mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, beyond studying their problems. "[This bill] is widely expected to stifle growth and kill jobs," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. In fact, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, called for the repeal of the reform bill hours before the Senate even passed it. Yet Republican Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, as well as Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown voted for the bill, joining 57 Democrats to limit debate and move forward. One Democrat, Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin opposes the bill, saying it isn't aggressive enough against Wall Street. | The legislation changes the way Wall Street does business .
The Wall Street reform bill passed last week on a 60 to 39 vote .
The bill aims to strengthen consumer protection . |
71,000 | c94de15e827b1b78b057eb52bb8245de5f933ea5 | By . Mia De Graaf . Champion jockey Frankie Dettori has put his 15-acre family home on the market for £2.75million. The Grade II listed estate - complete with stables, paddocks, a swimming pool and an extra cottage - has been home to the sportsman and his wife Catherine since their wedding night 16 years ago. The couple raised their five children in the sprawling grounds near Newmarket, Suffolk, which they affectionately named White Horse Stables. Frankie Dettori's Grade II listed estate near Newmarket, Suffolk, is 15 acres, with fenced paddocks, a swimming pool, sauna and an extra cottage for guests . Lanfranco 'Frankie' Dettori, 43, (left and right, far right) has spent his peak years training on these grounds. He and wife Catherine are having a new house built nearby . Widely regarded as one of the best jockeys of his time, Lanfranco 'Frankie' Dettori has spent the peak years of his career training on these grounds. Equestrian features include a . traditional formal stable yard with seven stables, a wash off box, feed rooms and 14 fenced paddocks. Boasting a sauna, gym, games room and five bedrooms, demand for the property is already high. Two pairs of electric security gates . lead to a carriage driveway that provides parking for several cars. Demand is already soaring for the luxurious home, which has an indoor pool that opens out into a gym, sauna, and a room specially designed to hold shoes . The future owner will inherit four reception rooms, a games room, five bedrooms, and a gym . The sprawling interior has skylights and a marble-topped kitchen. It is where the couple raised their five children . Regularly termed 'the party house', Mr Dettori and family have had the facilities to entertain many over the years . Terraces adjoin the rear of the house with wall heaters and wall mounted . speakers. The garden . has a tree house, a summer house, a floodlit riding school and a two-bedroom cottage with bathrooms and living rooms. The future owner will inherit a 20-square-foot reception hall, four reception rooms, and a 'boot room' for their shoes. Built in 1905, White Horse Stables was designed by Charles Voysey, one of the pioneers of modern architecture. In the silver and blue-themed living room, a giant disco ball hangs over blue velvet sofas with silver legs and a silver chest . Equestrian features include a traditional formal stable yard with seven stables, a wash off box, feed rooms and 14 fenced paddocks . The garden has a tree house, a summer house, a floodlit riding school and a two-bedroom cottage with bathrooms and living rooms . Voysey was commissioned by the third Earl of Ellesmere - a peer, author and racehorse enthusiast. Riding at Newmarket last Wednesday Mr Dettori said: 'We are having a house built at Hare Park Stud at Six Mile Bottom where Catherine's family live.' Ed Russell, of estate agents Jackson-Stops & Staff, said: 'Because of the Dettori name, we expect a great amount of local, national and international interest in the property. 'However this is an impressive superbly presented house in its own right which has not been on the open market for several decades.' | Sportsman and wife Catherine have lived in 15-acre Grade II listed property since their wedding night 16 years ago .
Raised their five children on the sprawling estate near Newmarket, Suffolk, which they named White Horse Stables .
Future owner will enjoy 14 fenced paddocks, floodlit riding school, two-bedroom cottage, swimming pool, sauna, gym . |
35,557 | 6504546a715f7dfa7a66a5d4f47a1e2700eb9cb8 | Queenslanders have shown their true spirit by refusing to cower after one of Australia’s worst cyclones in years thrashed its coastline. Cyclone Marcia hit the Sunshine State, ripping up trees, flooding houses and leaving thousands without power but one bold resident has displayed the sentiment of thousands with a simple sign that reads: ‘Marcia you b***h we’re still here.’ The note, written in yellow paint, was reportedly spotted on the side of a road near a BP servo in Marmor, a small town in central Queensland that became one of the worst places hit by the cyclone. Residents of the township on the Bruce Highway, about 45 kilometres south of Rockhampton, have had their homes destroyed and power cut by the natural disaster. 'We're still here': This photo was taken in Marmor, a small town in central Queensland, which was devastated by Cyclone Marcia . Local resident Col Stepanoff told the ABC that the town is pulling together: ‘Everywhere is a tight-knit community in time of disaster. ‘You might not talk to them, just wave every now and again - but in time of disaster they come and ask if you're all right - that's standard everywhere. ‘People get in and help each other out.’ When the cyclone hit on Friday the state's residents flocked to social media to share their front-row views of the category five storm. Images and footage posted to social media sites show roads, backyards, and public places completely flooded with rain water, as the torrential downpour continued to lash the coast. Surfers ride waves at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast today as Cyclone Marcia intensified to a Category five . A surfer at Snapper Rocks gets ready to enter the water during the cyclone . Members of the public flock to the coast to observe the massive tide . Brisbane and the Gold Coast are experiencing wild weather conditions as Cyclone Marcia batters parts of central Queensland . Pictures of flags, trees, and tall structures leaning in the gale force wind testify to the strength of the cyclone, as well-wishers from around Australia and the world sent messages of sympathy and solidarity. Queensland locals captured the teaming ocean spilling over rocks and landing with great force on shores near houses in the path of Cyclone Marcia. But not everyone stayed indoors, with defiant surfers hitting the beach despite the howling winds. This photo shows the damage caused at Nob Creek Pottery by Cyclone Marcia, in Byfield, Australia . Steve Bishopric contemplates the damage to his bedroom at his home and business premises at Nob Creek Pottery after a number of established trees were felled by the storm and landed on their house and gallery . Residents Michael Baker and Renee Kjellgren with two of their seven children, Michael, six, and Melody, four, on February 23, after Marcia hit their home in Byfield, Australia . The couple and their children survived the Brisbane floods of 2010/11, only moving into this rental in Byfield one week ago . Others flouted the dire warnings from authorities to stay indoors, driving in the torrential rain and walking on the streets. A surfer who braved the raging conditions spoke to Studio Ten about his unusual morning surf. 'It's just massive out there, no form, like soup or a washing machine,' he said. 'I just love it, I live for it, it's the best time to go out.' The surfer said that he had been worried he would hit the rocks, and had smashed his board, but was determined to head out again as soon as the waves cleaned up. 'I'm hoping it gets bigger and the best it can get,' he said. Images of people venturing out in the torrential weather have garnered criticism from social media users. 'Dear idiots, stay out of the cyclone. We may not miss you but the people who do the rescue are valuable,' posted one Twitter user. Images show preparations locals have made, with bottles of water, power generators, and bottles of wine . Cyclone Marcia made a landfall early this morning near Shaolwater Bay in Central Queensland. Surfers at Snapper Rocks decided to hit the waves during the cyclone . Thousands have been left without power following the storm . This surfer told Studio Ten that the surf was 'just massive', and the despite knocking his board on some rocks he was keen to head out as soon as the surf 'cleaned up' 'Losers out and about in Cyclone Marcia. Are you serious no time to surf respect the oceans,' posted another social media user. One Twitter user captured the moment two vehicles were stuck on a road on the Sunshine Coast. 'Van stuck for about 10mins before pushed out,' the tweet read. Vehicles kept driving through the area despite the deluge, with at least 20 cars crossing the flooded roads and three needing assistance after becoming stuck. 'Madness. I called 000. Children in some cars,' said the Twitter user. Other images show preparations locals made for the cyclone, with bottles of water, power generators, and bottles of wine. Brisbane Airport posted this image to their Twitter as planes still take off and land at the airport . The shark, believed to be a dusky whaler, was reportedly dumped on Lennox Head Beach today after ferocious winds and tides lashed down on the tourist town . Cyclone Marcia has thrashed the Queensland coastline, ripping up trees, flooding houses, leaving thousands without power and now it has left a shark stranded on a popular beach . Cyclone Marcia crossed the coastline near Shoalwater Bay, 100km north of Yeppoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Emergency officials warned people to take shelter ahead of torrential rain and flooding, destructive winds and massive seas as the worst of the storm hit - with Cyclone Marcia predicted to be the most destructive cyclone in the state since 2013. On the Gold Coast, young swimmers defied the weather and enjoyed the raging sea. Pictures of the children bathing in the currents as they spilled over the road barrier show them drenched and crouching down to wet themselves further. 'Woodlands van stuck for about 10mins before pushed out. Even then idiots kept driving through' said this Twitter user . 'The idiots crossing flooded road. At least 20 cars crossed and 3 had to be towed/helped out,' the post read . Cyclone Marcia predicted to be the most destructive cyclone in the state since 2013 . Images of one surfer running along an abandoned street barefoot and carrying his surfboard has garnered criticism from social media users . Shocking images have emerged of a house collapsing on Great Keppel Island, 15 kilometres off the coast of Yeppoon . The one-storey residence is built on the edge of the coast on a sand dune, and has sand bag and large rubbish bins in the surf . This house, believed to be resort accommodation, collapsed on the north side of Lord Keppel Island . Social media users have also used the platform to express well-wishes and solidarity with Queenslanders affected by the cyclone . In this image rain is seen to have burst through a window and to have flooded a carpet . | A sign was erected in one of the worst hit areas of Queensland .
Residents of Marmor, south of Rockhampton, have seen homes destroyed .
Elsewhere in the state people defied warnings to surf in the stormy sea .
People were spotted walking along streets in the downpours .
Others drove their cars through storm water .
Queensland locals have flocked to social media to share their experiences .
Footage and pictures show the damage Cyclone Marcia has wreaked . |
225,161 | af928c2434e0e538a9043a199e79fe8a47713b33 | (CNN) -- A social media campaign condemning Islamophobia under the hashtag #illridewithyou has taken off after an armed man who may have links to radical Islam took hostages in Sydney. Anti-Muslim sentiment flared as chilling images from Australian media showed people, believed to be hostages, with their hands pressed against the glass of the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney's central business district. They were holding up a black flag with Arabic writing on it reading, "There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God." The gunman reportedly was demanding an ISIS flag. There were fears that Australian Muslims could become the targets of racially motivated retaliatory attacks. Instead Australian Twitter users offered to accompany Muslims wearing religious clothes on public transport as a gesture of solidarity under the hashtag #illridewithyou. The campaign started with a tweet from @sirtessa, a TV content editor and writer from Sydney whose real name is Tessa Kum. "If you reg take #373 bus b/w Cogee/Martin Pl, wear religious attire, & don't feel safe alone: I'll ride with you. @ me for schedule," she wrote. Kum told BuzzFeed News that "her heart broke" after reading a story tweeted by Rachael Jacobs as news of the hostage siege broke. Jacobs had tweeted that "....and the (presumably) Muslim woman sitting next to me on the train silently removes her hijab ... I ran after her at the train station. I said 'put it back on. I'll walk with u'. She started to cry and hugged me for about a minute - then walked off alone." Kum added: "It is hard to feel hope when you feel helpless. #illwalkwithyou is a small act, but might be important for someone one day ... For those of us watching; we live in this world. We aren't bystanders. We aren't helpless." Kum received such a strong response to her initial tweet that she quickly suggested using the #illridewithyou hashtag, and tweets started coming in from all over Australia and beyond. One Twitter user @Jamus_ wrote: "Any Muslim person getting the Geelong line (rail line in Melbourne) in the morning, #illridewithyou if you'd like me to. 6:47AM from southern cross." Another one, Terri, said she would be wearing a scarf around her wrist so that any Muslims who wanted to travel with her would know who she was: "I'm a semi regular commuter on the #mandurah line. If you see me #illridewithyou. I'll be wearing this scarf." The hashtag quickly began to trend and turned into a place for people to show their support and speak out against racism and Islamophobia. Nikos de Serf from Melbourne tweeted: "We are all Australians & we will not turn away from our Muslim brother, sisters, fathers, mothers, loved ones & friend #illridewithyou all." Phil Burgess, an Australian living in the United Arab Emirates, tweeted: "We live in Abu Dhabi but I am proud to say that #illridewithyou anytime!" In a few hours, #illridewithyou has become the top trending hashtag globally and has been mentioned 150,000 times, including retweets, in the past 24 hours, according to social search and analysis site Topsy. Muslims in Australia and across the world have shown their gratitude for the campaign. One user, Angger Prawitasari, wrote: "Thanks for protecting my sisters #illridewithyou." Ozge Sevindik, whose Twitter profile shows her wearing a hijab, wrote: "I was going to drive to work tomorrow but seeing the outpouring of support changed my mind. #illridewithyou Thank you. See you on the train!" Sydney streets fall silent during hostage standoff . | Campaign against Islamophobia #illridewithyou takes off on social media .
Anti-Muslim sentiment flares after gunman takes hostages in Sydney .
Australian Twitter users offer to travel with Muslims as a gesture of solidarity .
#illridewithyou becomes top trending hashtag globally . |
88,753 | fbe63b381fcccd0eecfb8e6466c174fb861ce3a8 | (CNN) -- A woman in Montana is accused of pushing her husband off a cliff after an argument. The pair had been married for just more than a week. Jordan Linn Graham made an initial appearance in court Monday to face a charge of second-degree murder. If convicted, she faces life in prison. According to a criminal complaint, Graham recently told a friend she was having second thoughts about marrying Cody L. Johnson. CNN affiliate KECI reported the couple had been married for just more than a week. The complaint said the couple argued the night of July 7. Upset, they decided to go hiking in Glacier National Park in Flathead County, Montana, where they continued to fight. Graham told police that her husband grabbed her by the arm. She turned and removed it. "Graham stated she could have just walked away, but due to her anger, she pushed Johnson with both hands in the back and as a result, he fell face first off the cliff," the complaint read. His body was discovered several days later. Graham's attorney, Michael Donahoe, declined to comment on the case. According to the complaint, Graham reportedly told a friend she planned to talk with Johnson about her reservations on July 7. The same day, Graham sent the friend a text message saying, "Oh well, I'm about to talk to him." The friend responded, "I'll pray for you guys." Graham wrote back: "But dead serious if u don't hear from me at all again tonight, something happened." | Jordan Linn Graham made an initial appearance in court Monday .
She faces up to life in prison if found guilty .
Graham was reportedly having second thoughts about marrying her husband . |
213,619 | a0a8a313122d7762db2e3d6f370fc7ea64e94437 | (CNN) -- When Lauren Rousseau's boyfriend wakes up, he can smell her perfume. Tony Lusardi opens his eyes and holds a tiny pillow that Rousseau, a Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher, used to lay her head on. And then he sobs. He wants to touch her again. Laugh with her. "I'm convinced that I'll see her again," he says. Rousseau was teaching last Friday morning when a tall thin figure wearing black fatigues and a military vest burst into her classroom. Adam Lanza, 20 years old, was armed with a Glock, a Sig Sauer and a rifle like the kind soldiers use in war. Only 30, Rousseau had told her mother before she was even in kindergarten that she wanted to grow up to be a teacher. Sandy Hook had hired her last month as a permanent substitute teacher. That was extraordinary news. Rousseau had spent so many years working different jobs and taking substitute opportunities when she could, Teresa Rousseau told a local newspaper. Lauren Rousseau, her mom said, was thrilled to finally be doing exactly what she always wanted. Remembering the victims . A natural teacher . "I only got one year with her," Lusardi says. They celebrated a one-year anniversary on November 8. He's been thinking a lot about time. "It's kinda bad to say," he says, sobbing, "but I'm jealous of her friends that got more than one year with her. I only got one. "But it was a really good year." By every measure, Rousseau was a teacher of young children. She had that kind of special niceness about her. "She didn't like to honk her horn at people that cut her off in traffic because she thought it would be mean," Lusardi says, smiling. Rousseau gave him sweet cards that had silly jokes. One had bananas on it because she was bananas about him. Teachers were heroes in the face of death . When she ran into anyone she knew she reached out and hugged them. She and Lusardi were planning to see the new movie "The Hobbit" Friday night, then go to a party. Rousseau had baked "Hobbit" cupcakes. Lusardi's Friday could have been like so many others, filled with cute texts from his girlfriend, pictures from her class. "She loved to tell me what she was doing that week," he says. "She'd send a text, Oh, we're doing this, we're doing that, and would send tons of pictures of what the kids had created that day." It was just so easy to be with her. Their first date, a wine bar. They shared a kiss. He loved her from the start. "The first date I had with her," he says. "I knew." Where to donate . Early gifts . She called him "Lovie." He called her "Busy Bee." During his conversation with CNN, Lusardi looks at pictures taken two months ago at a wedding. Rousseau was trying to outdo herself by making the best funny face. He thinks about the past year. It was only a year he had. It went by too fast. They never fought, he says. He wishes they would have been able to argue over what kind of rug to buy for the apartment he'd always imagined they'd share. At his home now are the wrapped Christmas presents that she gave to him. It's the kind of thing an elementary school teacher would do -- give the gifts early, let the joyful anticipation build, bring out the kid in someone else. Lusardi is broken by the thought of unwrapping them. So he hasn't. That would feel final, over. "It doesn't seem real," he says. "It doesn't seem permanent and finite." Lusardi met President Obama when he visited Newtown Sunday. Obama hugged him. "I want a hug from Lauren, you know, and I'm not going to get that." Lusardi went on her Facebook page and wrote, as if he were writing to her. "I got a hug from the President." He would trade that experience in a second to embrace her again. He's been listening to Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am." It reminds him of her. If you were falling, then I would catch you . You need a light, I'd find a match . 'Cause I love the way you say good morning . And you take me the way I am . If you are chilly, here take my sweater . Your head is aching, I'll make it better . 'Cause I love the way you call me baby . And you take me the way I am . "I want the world to know that Lauren was a great person," he says. "She touched the lives of everyone she ever met. "Even if you only met her once, you liked her." Share your tributes . Poppy Harlow and Laura Dolan reported from Newtown. Ashley Fantz wrote this story in Atlanta. | Lauren Rousseau's lifelong dream was to become a teacher .
She baked cupcakes, made funny cards, hesitated to honk at drivers because that seemed mean to her .
Her boyfriend, Tony Lusardi, told CNN that he's glad he had one year with her .
He longs for her, wakes up clutching a pillow that smells of her . |
58,735 | a69c3155e1465a89addacaef1f46024f006f6c45 | By . Matt Barlow . Follow @@Matt_Barlow_DM . Marco Verratti has missed another Italy training session fuelling concerns that Italy’s influential midfielder will not be fit to face England. Verratti, who is being linked with a transfer from Paris St Germain to Real Madrid, has not trained for three days and missed the practice match against Fluminense on Sunday, when Italy won 5-3. He is a key element of the midfield shape preferred by Cesara Prandelli and increasingly influential in the way Italy want to approach the game against England in Manuas on Saturday. Doubt: Italy midfielder Marco Verratti has sat out another training session . Out? He may not be available to face England on Saturday . They believe ball possession will be the key in the Amazon rainforest against a team who prefer to play a physical style and 21-year-old Verratti’s highly technical skills are made for this. It will be a blow to Prandelli if he is not considered strong enough to play, or even travel north to the Amazon region. Italy are set to start their World Cup campaign against the Three Lion's on Saturday, before rounding off their Group D campaign with games against Costa Rica and Uruguay. Young star: The 21-year-old in action for Italy in a recent warm-up game against Luxembourg . | Verratti has missed another training session during World Cup build-up .
Midfielder has not trained for three days and missed final warm-up game .
Italy's World Cup campaign set to begin against England on Saturday . |
143,399 | 4573942f02fe832e623742a7c02bc65cf81e2441 | By . Graeme Yorke . PUBLISHED: . 06:42 EST, 9 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:57 EST, 9 March 2013 . Fans of Cairo's Al-Ahly club have stormed Egypt's Soccer Federation headquarters and set it on fire after a court acquitted seven of nine police officials on trial for their alleged role in the Port Said stadium riot last year. Earlier on Saturday, a Cairo court confirmed the . death sentences given to 21 football fans for their parts in the riot, which claimed 74 lives and left 1,000 people injured. Fire also swept through a nearby police club, but it was not immediately clear whether Al-Ahly fans were responsible for that blaze as well. Scroll down for video . Anger: Supporters of Al-Ahly react after the verdict in the Port Said stadium riot trial was announced . Flames: In Cairo, Al-Ahly fans greeted the verdicts but violence soon erupted . Protest: Al-Ahly fans, also known as 'Ultras', shout slogans against the Interior Ministry . Heavy black smoke billowed out of the rose-colored, three-story neocolonial building in central Cairo. The court also sentenced two senior police officers to 15 years in prison, but acquitted the other seven security officials. Thousands of the club's fans had . gathered to welcome the death penalty verdicts, mostly given to fans of . rival club Al-Masry, who started the riot. They also protested against the police acquittals. Trouble: Smoke rises from the Egyptian Soccer Federation after protesters set it on fire . Fans protesting . Rescue: An injured security official is carried from a police club in the upscale neighborhood of Zamalek . In . a ruling shown on live television, the Cairo court also sentenced five . more people to life in jail for their roles in the riot and acquitted 28. The remaining defendants received shorter jail sentences of between one to 15 years. The court also sentenced the city's former security chief, Major General Essam Samak, to 15 years in prison. Samak was the most senior of the nine . security officials tried for their part in the riot. Unbelievable: A man reacts to the court's decision in Port Said today . Law: Death sentences handed out in January were confirmed today by a court in Cairo and greeted with grief . Those sentenced to death, mostly fans of Port Said's Al-Masry club, will be hanged. The case has provoked deadly clashes in the Suez Canal city. Some 40 people died in riots after the death sentences were first announced on January 26, many shot by police. Many residents of Port Said, which is located on the Mediterranean at the northern tip of the Suez Canal, have seen the trial as unjust and politicised. Football fans in the city have felt that authorities were biased in favor of Al-Ahly, Egypt's most powerful club. The final whistle of the match between Al-Masry and Al-Ahly on February 1 last year prompted more than . 13,000 home fans, armed with knives, iron bars and machetes, to storm . the pitch and attack rival Al-Ahly players and their 1,200 supporters. Authorities shut off the stadium lights after the game, plunging it into darkness. In the exit corridor, the fleeing . crowd pressed against a chained gate until it broke open. Many were . crushed under the crowd of people trying to flee. Others fell or were thrown from terraces. It was Egypt's worst football disaster. The response of Al-Ahly fans was at first muted compared to the wild celebrations following the January death sentences. Watching on: People gathered in public venues to watch the court's decision . In Port Said, a city that has for . weeks been in open rebellion against the government of Islamist . President Mohammed Morsi, several hundred people, many of them relatives . of the defendants, gathered outside the local government offices to . vent their anger. Port . Said has been the centre of the heaviest violence in the latest wave of . unrest, which began on January 25, when hundreds of thousands across the . country marked the second anniversary of the start of the uprising that . toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime two years ago. The unrest has underlined worsening security in Egyptian cities since the 2011 overthrow of Mubarak, said the Associated Press. The Islamist government of President Mohamed Mursi is struggling to halt the slide in law and order, hampered by a strike by some protesting police. At least eight people have been killed in Port Said this week, including three policemen. | Fans will be put to death by hanging, a Cairo court confirmed .
Fans of Cairo club Al-Ahly celebrate verdicts, mostly against fans of Al-Masry .
Egyptian Soccer Federation set alight as Al-Ahly fans welcome verdicts .
Five more defendants were sentenced to life in jail for their roles in the riot .
Remaining defendants received sentences of between one to 15 years .
74 football fans died during match at Port Said stadium last February . |
211,553 | 9df3dfb28a0226ef5bd5dd9c4813db08feec11aa | Amtrak police are searching for a retired San Francisco firefighter who went missing while traveling to visit family in Montreal. Charlie Dowd, 69, left the Bay Area on Wednesday. He last spoke to his son by cell phone Thursday night, saying he was just outside of Denver, Colorado, his family said. When Dowd's train arrived in Chicago on Friday, he was not on it. His luggage, cell phone and medication were found in his sleeping car, the family said on a Facebook page they set up to find him. His daughter said Dowd is under a doctor's care and may need medical attention. "He has medical needs and does need his medication for high blood pressure and heart disease," Jennifer Dowd told CNN affiliate KGO. "He is diabetic, but for medical reasons we obviously want him. We need to know where he is." An Amtrak conductor may have spoken with Dowd early Friday near Omaha, Nebraska, one of the stops along the route, the family said. Dowd was confused about his whereabouts and believed he was in an apartment, not on a train, and needed to find the front door, the family said. Amtrak is investigating the possibility that Dowd got off the train during the night and may have gotten disoriented, and then didn't get back on, the family said. The train stopped overnight in Fort Morgan, Colorado, and in the Nebraska cities of McCook, Holdrege, Hasting, Lincoln and Omaha. Amtrak Police said they are working with local police departments at those stops and at BNSF, which owns the railroad. Jennifer Dowd flew to Omaha on Sunday to look for her father. She said her brother, Kevin, went to Chicago and her cousin, Robert Stevens, is going to all of the stops along the route to search. Charlie Dowd has gray hair and blue eyes, wears glasses, and is 5' 10" tall. The family asks anyone with information to contact Amtrak Police or the family at http://www.facebook.com/MissingPersonCharlieDowd. Crews search after cruise passenger goes overboard . | Charlie Dowd was on his way from San Francisco to Montreal last week .
He was not on the train when it arrived in Chicago .
Police found his phone, luggage and medication on board .
His family says he may be disoriented and needs medical attention . |
49,125 | 8abba7087df268f3e774a2d0d482ba971fa997bc | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 9 January 2013 . Rumours are growing that Facebook may be set to unveil a mobile phone to take on the iPhone. The firm has sent out invites to US journalists for a special event at their usually secretive Silicon Valley HQ. The invites promise to allow attendees to 'see what we're building' - with online rumours pointing to a phone. Facebook's mysterious invite, which was sent to US journalists. Some believe it may see the firm launch its own mobile phone. Facebook's HQ in Menlo Park, in the heart of silicon Valley, where the launch will take place . The firm has been rumoured several times to be developing its own phone. Its apps for existing phones have already been expanded to include many features found in other handsets, such as messaging and photo sharing through the recent purchase of Instagram. Recent reports claim it has poached engineers from Apple's iPhone and iPad team to work on the project, which is believed to be being built by HTC. The social networking giant has also previously collaborated with HTC to launch the ChaCha and Salsa phones with a dedicated . Facebook button and deep integration of the social network. However, it is believed the new handset could be fully Facebook branded, and run far more of the firm's software than any other handset. Facebook HQ features murals, and even touchscreen maps so visitors can navigate the huge campus . Facebook is also preparing to roll . out a new feature for its Messenger app which allows users to place free . voice calls to friends. The feature is so far available only . to iPhone users in Canada and is buried within the latest update to the . app, but it will eventually allow users to make free internet voice . calls, known as VoIP calls, to any Facebook friend. Experts are saying it represents an . attempt by the world's largest social network to dominate the social . world by taking on the default calling function in mobile phones. Mark Zuckerberg in his personal conference room at Facebook HQ . Facebook currently only produces apps - but several rumours have pointed to it wanting to develop its own mobile phone. | Special event to be held at Facebook's Silicon Valley HQ next week .
Could see first 'Facebook phone' revealed after months of speculation .
Firm believed to be developing handset with HTC . |
245,124 | c9445fb5ca522d4aefca5b228eb8d981484a2ac7 | (CNN) -- Florida law kept George Zimmerman from being held accountable in last year's shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, the teen's mom said Friday. "Wrap your mind around no prom for Trayvon, no high school graduation for Trayvon ... all because of a law -- a law that has prevented the person who shot and killed my son" from paying "for this awful crime," Sybrina Fulton said Friday afternoon at the National Urban League Conference in Philadelphia. Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch volunteer, was found not guilty in the 17-year-old Martin's death on July 13. Father: Let's turn negative energy into positive . He fatally shot Martin in the Sanford, Florida, neighborhood where Zimmerman and Martin's father lived in February 2012. Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, had a confrontation with the unarmed African-American teen after calling police to report a suspicious person, and he said he shot Martin in self-defense. The case became a flashpoint in debates over racial profiling, and thousands attended vigils across the country over the weekend, decrying the verdict. Zimmerman juror to ABC: He 'got away with murder' Fulton asked attendees of the National Urban League gathering Friday to use her "broken heart" to ensure "there are no more Trayvon Martins again." "My message to you is: Please use my story. Please my use my tragedy. Please use my broken heart to say to yourself, 'We cannot let this happen to anybody else's child,'" she said. 'Boycott Florida,' isn't so simple, experts say . | Trayvon Martin's mother addresses the National Urban League Conference .
Sybrina Fulton: Law prevented George Zimmerman from paying "for this awful crime,"
Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder in Martin's 2012 shooting death .
Fulton: "Use my broken heart" to prevent something like this from happening again . |
258,219 | da3091404a1bd2c6c4dbba3677b40b2f4193823e | It is the biggest night in television's social calendar. But before the stars trod the red carpet and the gongs were awarded at last night's Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, military-like preparations were underway. And a large part of those were happening in the Baftas style suites: lavish temples to hair, make-up and fashion set up in the confines of the luxury Corinthia hotel. There, Bafta nominees and presenters were cossetted away in the hotel's best suites where they were tanned, made-up and coiffured to within an inch of their lives by the world's top glamour hit squads. Millie Mackintosh's was given a stunning Hollywood glamour . look, Sienna Miller, flying in from the States, was given a fake tan to top up her real LA glow, while Olivia Colman had an emergency short-lived tan that wouldn't mess with continuity when she rushed back to filming today. FEMAIL went backstage to reveal exactly what went into the stars' dazzling Bafta looks... Behind the scenes: FEMAIL headed backstage to the Style Suites within the Corinthia Hotel prior to the TV Baftas to see how the stars glammed up . It may have been raining on the red carpet last night but that didn't stop the stars from exposing some skin in their showstopping gowns. And no great designer dress is complete without a golden tan so St. Tropez were on hand to give the stars their sunkissed glow. Sienna Miller, who jetted in from the U.S. giving the bash a bit of an A-list appeal, looked bang on trend in a cute powder blue Matthew Williamson frock. Get the look: The Arqiva British Academy Television Awards held at the Royal Festival Hall saw Millie Mackintosh and Sienna Miller lead the way in the style stakes and St Tropez gave them both a golden glow . As the perfect English rose, Sienna opted for a tan named just that. 'Sienna wanted a subtle glow for the red carpet. A layer of StTropez Self Tan Sensitive Bronzing Spray, was applied the day before and left on for just six hours to deliver a natural and subtle glow,' said Jules Heptonstall. As for woman of the night Olivia Colman, who took home two trophies, Jules gave her 'The Instant Glow.' He explained: 'As Olivia had been filming her next project she needed a no commitment product to give her a quick glow in time for the red carpet. 'A layer of St.Tropez Instant Wash Off Glow Body, was applied just before the ceremony. As a finishing touch St.Tropez Gold Illuminator, was added to the décolleté.' Woman of the evening: Olivia Colman, who picked up two trophies, had an instant tan and a makeover by MAC and hair by Zoe at Paul Edmonds . Glowing goddess, and former face of the brand, Millie Mackintosh was quick to get herself a gorgeous tan. The Made In Chelsea star, who is famed for her bronzed skin, opted for The Golden Goddess and was covered head-to-toe in the products. 'To give a gentle soft glow to Millie's skin one coat of St Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mist was applied all over the day before the awards. On the day a mix of St Tropez Tan Enhancing Body Moisturiser with a pump of St. Tropez Instant Wash Off Glow Mousse was applied to her legs to lift colour and add hydration. Golden glow: Kara Tointon and Binky Felstead were also treated to a red carpet glow for the evening . Behind the scenes: Millie Mackintosh donned a fluffy towel as she was pampered at the Corinthia hotel . 'To finish the look and to draw attention to Millie's great legs a little StTropez Gold Illuminator was applied down the front of the shin and thighs to add a little sheen. 'Finally a little illuminator was added to her shoulders and décolleté.' As television's finest poured onto the red carpet last night, there were flashbulbs left, right and centre so a flawless beauty look was a prerequisite. That's where M∙A∙C cosmetics worked their magic. As the official make-up partner to the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards - for the 10th consecutive year - M∙A∙C know a thing or two about Bafta beauty. Making her up: Phoebe Lettice-Thompson from Made In Chelsea was treated to a makeover by MAC Cosmetics . Picture perfect: Oona Chaplin and Claudia Winkleman looked picture perfect after their MAC makeovers . Speaking about last night's makeup trends, M∙A∙C Senior Artist, Rebecca Butterworth said: ‘Early 20th century glamour inspired last night’s beauty, with many looks referencing the vintage feel of Parades End and The Great Gatsby. 'Eyes were darkened with veils of smoke while lips took inspiration from Silent Hollywood starlets, all offset against a canvas of velvet textured skin. 'Bright reds were also hugely popular, and brought a spring/summer feel to the night.’ This year, M∙A∙C has provided make-up support for 10 of the nominated TV productions including: Game of Thrones, Girls, The Graham Norton Show, Ripper Street, Parade's End and Henry IV. Face charts: These two face charts for Olivia Colman and Claudia Winkleman show that Great Gatsby glamour was the influence . No red carpet look is complete without a bouncy set of tresses and celebrity hairdresser Mark Hill and his team were on hand to style the lock's of TV's finest. Millie, who has come to be known as the fashionista of reality TV, opted for a more understated look this year. The TV Bafta winner went for a minimal half up-do to complement her chic black strapless Sass & Bide dress. Perfect tresses: Presenter Zoe Hardman's romantic side swept waves were created by the Mark Hill team while Millie Mackintosh's half up-do was more casual than most. Zoe donned a Sophia Kah full length black dress . 'This effortless look on the red carpet was in contrast to the glitz and glam of many other celebrities this year,' said her stylist. Could this be a hint of what she might opt for on her wedding day? Presenter Zoe Hardman’s romantic side swept waves were created with Mark Hill Rock Rollers and kept in place with a spritz of Big Night Out Firm Hold Hairspray. Made in Mark Hill: The team tended to the tresses of Lucy Watson and even Andy Jordan from Made In Chelsea ahead of the big event . 'This elegant look is perfect to take you from am to pm in style,' said her hairdresser. Mr Selfridge favourite Aisling Loftus looks effortlessly red carpet ready with her loose side chignon. The Rock Chick Wave Wand was used to give a delicate wave to frame her face and fixed with Defrizzilicious Bedazzled Anti-Humidity Shine Spray to keep the frizz at bay and give a glossy finish. The key to the perfect red carpet look is the dress and House of Fraser set up a stylish dressing room within The Corinthia to help the stars dress to impress. Sipping on champagne and nibbling on chocolates, the actors and actresses browsed the rails and picked out their favourite designs. Dress to impress: House of Fraser set up backstage and offered the A-listers a pick of their favourite outfits . Dazzling: Carat* were on hand to offer the celebrities some eye-catching jewels to add some glam factor to their red carpet look . Kimberley Wyatt wore a Biba dress and carried an Untold Clutch while Downton Abbey's Amy Nuttall wore a Phase Eight at House of Fraser Dress. The oh-so-glamorous Binky from Made in Chelsea carried a Biba black velvet ruby clutch and her best pal Lucy Watson donned an Untold mother of pearl box clutch to add some serious glamour to her look. Meanwhile, Imelda Staunton wowed on stage in an Adrianna Papell Evening teal sweetheart dress. All dolled up: Kimberley Wyatt wore a Biba dress whilst Imelda Staunton wowed on stage in an Adrianna Papell Evening teal sweetheart dress . | Sienna Miller and Millie Mackintosh had St Tropez spray tans .
Olivia Colman and Claudia Winkleman were given a makeover by MAC .
Even Made In Chelsea's Andy Jordan had his hair styled . |
121,995 | 29b48cb4f8f49d4de6f60b38b9885b83fba89555 | These stunning images capture a graceful show by a rare white whale. Photographer Jenny Dean managed to shoot the action last month as the humpback dived out of the water in Etty Bay near Innisfail, far north Queensland. The mother-of-three, who is a clinical nurse and midwife, was on a whale-watching trip with her husband when they spotted the amazing mammal in the water. Stunning: Photographer Jenny Dean was on a whale-watching trip with her husband when she captured these amazing images of the rare white humpback in Etty Bay near Innisfail, far north Queensland, Australia . Sensational: It could have been Migaloo, thought to be the only all white humpback whale in the world . It could have been Migaloo, thought to be the only all white humpback whale in the world. Migaloo is believed to migrate up the east coast of Australia from Antarctica to the warmer waters of Tropical North Queensland. Jenny explained: 'On Saturday, August 17, my hubby suggested we take a trip in our boat to see if we could spot some whales which had been around the previous day when he had been fishing. 'I have had many whale watching trips on a promise that ''there were heaps around yesterday'' and they have all resulted in no sightings at all. The amazing mammal gave the couple a spectacular show with lots of 'breaching and blowing' Glad: Photographer Jenny Dean revealed she had been reluctant to go out that day as she was sceptical of spotting a whale . Photographer Jenny Dean, who captured the dramatic pictures, said it had been an amazing experience . 'I was a bit reluctant to go out on that day, lots to do and sceptical about success, but just out of Mourilyan Harbour, near the North Barnard Islands, we could see on the horizon a long distance away, a humpback breaching and blowing over and over again - having a whale of a time. 'It was heading south quite quickly and too far away to pursue so we continued on our way. 'After about 10 minutes we noticed that the whale had changed direction and seemed to be coming closer still with lots of activity then at about 200 meters distance it gave us a real show with lots of breaching and blowing once again. 'We cut the boat motor and sat and watched the show and couldn't believe it when it seemed to be the extra special Migaloo, the infamous all white whale. 'When he disappeared we thought it was all over but out of the depths he came straight up and looked at us from about 50 metres away. That was absolutely incredible, just checking us out. 'After that he continued to frolic around the 50 metre mark again appearing to show off, then dived down and headed back towards the boat. 'There were a few anxious moments where we wondered where he would surface, and while holding our breaths we heard a big blow and he was about 50 metres on the other side of the boat. 'After that he continued on his merry way having checked us out and shown off enough! 'It was an amazing experience, incredible to see that huge creature propel out of the water with such ease and agility. Even better to catch some pictures and they even worked out OK which considering the boat was rocking and Migaloo was very fast and unpredictable is double lucky.' What lies beneath: Jenny said the humpback continued to frolic around the boat and even appared to be showing off . | Photographer Jenny Dean took the images in far north Queensland .
Could be Migaloo, thought the only all white humpback whale in the world . |
40,448 | 722dc2a63e71fb3463bd410f9f740325e5d6df3f | By . David Kent . Adnan Januzaj staked his claim for a starting place in Belgium's World Cup last 16 clash against USA by scoring a stunning volley in training. The 19-year-old began the Red Devils' final Group H 1-0 win against South Korea on Thursday and his strike past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet won't do his cause to keep his place in the team for Tuesday's game no harm. Eyes on the prize: Adnan Januzaj (centre) scored a stunning volley during Belgium's World Cup training . Dispatched: Mignolet (left) is left rooted as Januzaj's (right) volley nestles into his goal . Basking in glory: Januzaj (centre) celebrates his strike with team-mate Marouane Fellaini (right) International pedigree: Januzaj (left) started for Belgium in Thursday's 1-0 Group H win against South Korea . The Manchester United starlet was teed up for the volley by club and international team-mate Marouane Fellaini before finishing with aplomb on his left foot before basking in his effort. Januzaj is likely to start on the bench for the clash against Jurgen Klinsmann's side, with talisman Eden Hazard expected to be recalled by coach Marc Wilmots. Tipped by many as tournament contenders, Belgium go into Tuseday's match at Salvador's Arena Fonte Nova with fitness concerns at the the heart of their defence. Captain Vincent Kompany (groin) and Thomas Vermaelen (hamstring) both remain doubtful. To add to Wilmots' problems right-back Anthony Vanden Borre was ruled out of the tournament on Friday after a scan revealed a crack in his fibula while back-up defender Laurent Ciman is also on the injury list. Doubtful: Belgium captain Vincent Kompany may miss their last 16 clash vs USA with a hamstring complaint . | Adnan Januzaj scores stunning volley during Belgium's World Cup training .
Januzaj was teed up by Manchester United team-mate Maroaune Fellaini .
19-year-old started Belgium's final Group H 1-0 win against South Korea .
Belgium face USA in the last 16 in Salvador on Tuesday . |
166,068 | 62ba27863893a1e48069c67b57ff885d1cb53f98 | By . Sean Poulter . PUBLISHED: . 13:38 EST, 14 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:34 EST, 15 February 2014 . Thousands of people are being duped into paying fees to copycat websites which appear to belong to government departments (stock picture) Thousands of people feel they are being duped into paying fees to copycat websites which appear to belong to government departments such as the Passport Office, the DVLA and the taxman. Private companies are using web names that link to sites which appear to be an official government service. They are paying internet search engines, such as Google, to ensure they appear on the first page when consumers carry out searches. It is the domain names of the websites - TaxReturnGateway.com, for example, as opposed to the official Gateway.gov.uk - that suggest they might be official. However, these firms then charge people huge fees to fill out forms which they could download and fill in themselves for free. Just . last week, an elderly couple from Lincoln complained after three £69 . charges - £207 – were taken out of their bank account by what they . thought was the HM Passport Office. In fact, it was a private firm that simply filled in a passport application form with information they supplied online. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld complaints against a number of websites which have misled consumers. However, it has no power to block, fine or take legal action against the culprits. The sites themselves are not acting illegally. The . issue came to a head recently following concerns about the . TaxReturnGateway.com website, which many people have been fooled into . believing is part of HMRC. People filling in tax return forms on the site have been told they must pay charges, often running to more than £500, to allow the tax return to be formally accepted. In reality, these sums relate to a fee being charged by the company involved , which is called Who4 Ltd, rather than any tax payment. A Who4 spokesman has said: 'It is made absolutely clear on our client's website, specifically the home page, that it is not associated with HMRC, DWP or another government body and further, that it will levy a charge for the service it provides.' These problems represent just the tip of the iceberg. Other websites relating to passport renewal, driving licence renewal, the supply of the European health card (Ehic), US visas and London’s Congestion charge are also under suspicion. Chief executive of the Citizens Advice Bureau, Gillian Guy, said: ‘These businesses are nothing more than opportunistic rip-offs and serve little or no purpose for consumers. They are cashing-in on everything from tax returns to passport applications, and land registry to congestion charges. ‘People who use these websites feel utterly duped after they realise they have paid for something they can do for free elsewhere or have forked out extra costs on top of standard charges. As households across the country continue to feel a squeeze on their finances they can’t afford to be paying over the odds for services. ‘These firms need to be upfront with people about the service they offer, including the costs they charge and be clear they are not the official website.’ She said Government departments should do more to help consumers find their official websites, while search engines such as Google also have a responsibility to ensure people are not misled. ‘The internet offers endless opportunities to make day to day tasks much easier but consumers can come across difficulties. Search engines should be striving to ensure customers can make informed choices about the websites they use,’ she said. The home page of Tax Return Gateway, the alleged copycat site that could charge you thousands of pounds to fill in government forms that are available for free . The ASA said it is doing all it can to tackle the problem, but it admitted its powers are limited. A spokesman said: ‘We have been taking action against ads for, and claims appearing on, ‘copycat’ websites. ‘We have been working to secure amendments to the individual sites and ads we’ve received complaints about. Where needed that can involve working directly with the search engine providers to remove or amend problematic search engine ads.’ However, the organisation admitted: ‘There is no direct action which the ASA can take to prevent these websites from operating all together. ‘The legitimacy of this kind of business practice, while questionable to many, is a matter for Government and Trading Standards to tackle.’ He said the ASA has commissioned some consumer research to understand the extent of the problem, before deciding on future enforcement action. A Government Cabinet Office spokesman said the Government does takes the issue ‘very seriously’ and has set up a task force to tackle the problem. He said: ‘We have commissioned a cross-government group to evaluate the problem posed by misleading websites to our customers and the best way to address the issue. As part of this, we are engaging with internet search engine providers to mitigate the risks posed. ‘We’ve streamlined the myriad of government websites into a single domain, GOV.UK, which is built around the needs of users and provides one secure place where most government services can be accessed.’ An elderly couple were charged hundreds of pounds by a private company to fill in their passport forms . A couple in their seventies thought the website ‘passport-uk.co.uk’ was a simple and quick way to renew their passports. It . was only later that they realised that the firm was simply a private . business that filled in an application form – something they could have . done themselves - rather than part of HM Passport Office. The couple, . from Lincoln, are so embarrassed about being taken in that they do not . want to give their names. However, they are among a large and growing . group of educated people who have been misled. Mr K said: ‘I did an . internet search and this website came up on the first page. It looked . perfectly genuine and I thought I was dealing with the passport office. ‘I filled out all the details, once for myself and then again for my wife. I could see the fee was £69 for each of us. ‘It . was only later that I discovered I was not dealing with the passport . office at all and this fee was for just filling in the form.’ In fact . the correct basic fee for renewing a passport through the post is . £72.50, which would have had to be paid on top of the £69 service charge . applied by the website. People can renew their passport themselves . by simply filling in the form on the official website, which can be . found using the www.gov.uk portal. Mr K said he subsequently . discovered that the company had taken the £69 fee out of his bank . account three times, rather than twice. ‘I trusted the website and . believed it was official. In my opinion they are clearly trying to fool . people. I think it is very wrong,’ he said. The website is owned by . IQ Channels, which insists there is clear information to show users it . is not an official passport office portal. The first page of the website . carries a disclaimer stating: ‘We are not affiliated with Post Office, . HMPO or any government body.’ A spokesman said all three charges have now been refunded. | Companies using web names that link to sites which appear to be official .
They are paying Google to ensure they appear on the first search page .
One elderly couple complained after three charges of £69 were taken out of their bank account by what they thought was HM Passport Office . |
209,678 | 9b8c7eaad71b27aa0278ab56dab190c63f3a739d | (CNN) -- It's one of the most mocked fonts on the Internet, the target of numerous campaigns and websites that believe its "comical" design has no place in civilized society. Now, Comic Sans has gone analog with the "Sincerity Machine," a typewriter that types letters in Comic Sans. The idea came to Pittsburgh designer Jesse England one night in September, when he was lying in bed reading a comic that used a typewriter-style font in its lettering. "It just struck me there was nothing stopping me from making a typewriter that could use a different font," he said. Why do it? It's hard to say, exactly. But it's the kind of project that interests England, an artist and educator who leads classes in laser-cutting and engraving at a digital media studio for a living. Through his job he had access to tools to etch letters out of acrylic and glue them onto the strikers of an old Brother Charger 11 typewriter he found on the street years ago. He could have used any font, but he chose Comic Sans "to provoke a reaction." "If I'd made it in Helvetica people would've just observed it as a little design experiment," he said in a phone interview Saturday. Instead, by altering a classic machine to type one of the most polarizing fonts, he hopes to make people think about how they consume, generate and store media. It appears to be working. Reaction on his YouTube video has been mixed and extreme, much like feelings over the much-maligned font. The Comic Sans Criminal website urges people to take the "Comic Sans Pledge" to seriously consider whether it is "an appropriate font choice" before using it in any printed work." England has contemplated use of media in previous projects. As a Carnegie Mellon graduate student, he printed the pages of an eBook to create a bound book. He also leads YouTube tutorials on how to write in different fonts to show people that they can "retrain themselves" to use media differently from how they were taught in school. He insists he's not a Luddite: he uses a smartphone and the cloud, and he appreciates the benefits of the digital age. But he worries that our fetishism of nostalgia and "homage to older standards in unquestioned fashion" is misguided at times. He also worries about policies and governments that restrict access to digital media. "It's great that we can store our own content in the cloud and access email anywhere," he said. "What I want to avoid is the ability to have control over my media life being removed." So, what does that have to do with a Comic Sans typewriter? "I sincerely want people to consume and generate and make media in a considered fashion," he said. As for those who despise the Sincerity Machine as much as the font, he has a reminder: Nothing is permanent. "If need be those stickers can come off the keys and the Comic Sans covers can come off the strikers, and the machine would be as good as new." | "Sincerity Machine" types letters in Comic Sans .
Creator Jesse England hopes to make people think about how they consume media .
England says he wants people to use media "in a considered fashion," he said . |
135,719 | 3b95d78acade045d8e896470b056ba5c3c11afa9 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 18:01 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:19 EST, 20 September 2013 . Beggars, down and outs and vagrants have been used for generations by painters and sculptors to represent the virtue of charitable giving in their artworks. And as these stunning pictures show, beggars became a hugely popular theme for postcards in the early part of the last century. Renowned British art dealer John Kasmin was so fascinated by the unflinchingly stark images of the characters who made their living on streets all over the world that he collected hundreds and they have now been published in a new book. 'Beggars made good subjects for cards. Exaggerated characters or heart string pullers' Mr Kasmin explained. 'They knew how to pose, how to present the face, the posture of neediness, dereliction, despair - it was their livelihood, their ability.' The postcard on the left was sent by a German soldier in the First World War, who took a picture of this beggar in Romania. 'Edel' means 'noble' in German, and 'Panje' is the same world translated into a Slavic language. The soldier gave him some tobacco for posing. The picture on the right, which was processed in the UK, is of a beggar in Shanghai. He was begging for food - his rice bowl and chopsticks can be seen in the background. The date of the photograph is uncertain. This mother and boy seem happy to pose in the postcard on the left, which was taken in India. Mr Kasmin suggests that the woman's clothes may have been very precisely arranged by the photographer. The woman on the right, pictured in the Béarn region of southern France, is better dressed than most. Two lines of poetry in a French dialect have been printed on the bottom of the card . This pair of Chinese beggars - pictured in a French postcard which mentions a Jesuit mission in the area - are grandfather and grandson . There may, however, be a more unpleasant reason behind the boom in postcards of the needy - the gratification of seeing others worse off. '(The postcards) might . signify only delight in human variety, but might also imply . schadenfreude - there but for the grace of God go we.' he said. 'We (sender and receiver) celebrate our superiority, poor though we may be.' In 'Want: Kasmin's Postcards', Mr Kasmin points to another more practical reason why the beggars would have been the perfect subject for photographers of the time: their lifestyles. 'They were used to holding still, thus aiding photographers who were obliged, in those days, to make long exposures with plate cameras'. Mr Kasmin is credited with discovering David . Hockney, and was one of the first art dealers to open a vast modern . gallery space in London; but his latest project is a fascinating study of the psychology of the down and outs and why people wanted images of them. The collection has photographs from all over Europe, as well as China and India. There is even a representation from Bradford, England. The beggar in the left-hand postcard, who has only one coin in his hat, had his picture taken in Bolivia by a representative of a mining company. The children on the left were photographed in Quimper, Brittany in France. On the reverse of the right-hand postcard above, a boy has written a message home to his mother from school. It is signed with 'a thousand big kisses from your little Alphonse who loves you, and kisses to little Marcel'. The largest part of the collection, however, comes from France, which in 1905 had a staggering one per cent of the population begging for alms. But despite their varied origins - the photographs give an unapologetic insight into the lives of the destitute. Some characters remain cheerful, looking carefree as they beam for the camera - despite lacking basic comforts such as shoes, food and of course money. Others look worn and exhausted as they hold out their hands for a coin or two - but in spite of their poverty their gaze remains proud and dignified. In some pictures, generations of begging families pose together, showing how once born into poverty it was difficult to escape to a better life. 'Salt Jim', left, begged in Bradford, Yorkshire, and would traditionally ask for a half-penny. The man on the right, photographed in Tours, France, in 1910 is wearing a traditional shepherd's outfit as he begs . Two local characters from France are show here. On the left a beggar known as 'Chicot' waits for the residents of Chartres, France - mischievously described on the card as 'clients' - to give him money. The card on the right, showing 'the famous Gogo' was sent as a love note in 1905, from an anonymous gentlemen telling the object of his affections that he 'thinks only of her'. Postcards were an extremely popular way of staying in touch with others during the early 20th century. Before the widespread use of the telephone, and before the invention of the internet, they were an affordable way of communicating with loved ones - and even for courting potential suitors. Collecting them developed into a huge craze, particularly between 1907 and 1913. The first postcard appeared in Austria in 1869, before arriving in Britain a year later. During World War I, they became a vital link between people, as just about everybody would use the cheap cards to stay in touch with one another. | Art dealer John Kasmin collected 100 postcards for book showing poverty-stricken people from all across the world .
Compelling images, from as far away as China and India, were once a hugely popular subject for postcards .
Mr Kasmin says images may have been popular because they reassured people the someone was worse of than them .
Or perhaps it was simply because the beggars knew how to pose for early, clunky cameras .
The publication, Want: Kasmin's Postcards, will be released next week .
Want: Kasmin’s Postcards, by John Kasmin, will be released on Tuesday 24th September, published by Royal Academy Publications priced £9.99 in paperback . |
197,904 | 8c27cf3da72464a324f60a9fea7f53db3977ddf7 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 11:46 EST, 20 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:57 EST, 21 July 2012 . A harrowing recording of the emergency services initial radio response to the Denver shooting has revealed how officers were desperately trying to save the lives of victims in the chaotic aftermath. The radio call starts off with the operator telling the units: 'They are saying there is hundreds of people just running around.' As the gravity of the situation becomes clear the operator urgently demands: 'All units respond to the theatre.' Scroll down for audio . Desperate: A harrowing recording of the emergency services initial radio response to the Denver shooting has revealed how officers were desperately trying to save the lives of victims in the chaotic aftermath . As she relays information to the officers about the shooting in theatre nine, they begin to radio in news of victims they are discovering. One officer says: 'Somebody is spraying gas in here too' in reference to the smoke grenade James Holmes, 24, allegedly threw into the packed theatre before opening fire. Another officer radios in: 'I got another person shot here, female. I got people running out the theatre. Concern about the gas is evident when an officer asks: 'Do we have gas mask available?' Cordoned off: A decision is made to move all the victims to the north end of the theatre as a perimeter is set up around the building . The operator responds: 'Can any units bring gas masks to theatre 9? We need gas masks.' Again a panicked voice is heard saying: 'We can't get in the theatre. We need gas masks.' Officers outside the building then radio in about finding a suspect. 'I need a marked car behind the theatre...suspect in a gas mask,' says one officer and states that the suspect's car is white and in the rear car park. Another responds: 'Yes we got rifles, gas mask, he's detained right now.' Terrifying: Screams can be heard in the background when one officer says: 'I got two victims of the east side north side of the theatre - I need an ambulance real quick' A decision is made to move all the victims to the north end of the theatre as a perimeter is set up around the building. Screams can be heard in the background when one officer says: 'I got two victims of the east side north side of the theatre - I need an ambulance real quick.' Several officers start radioing in asking for medical assistance and the frustration can be heard when one person says 'I got one ambulance - where my ambulances at? As the chaos continues, with hundreds of people running around, an officer says: 'I am taking one male to hospital in my car.' Discovery: Officers outside the building then radio in about finding a suspect. 'I need a marked car behind the theatre...suspect in a gas mask,' says one officer and states that the suspect's car is white. As the police move into the theatre, the distress one responder on the scene feels is evident when he says: 'I got a child victim, I need rescue at the back door of theatre 9 now!' The film, The Dark Knight Rises, is clearly still playing as the officers move thorough the auditorium and one radios in urgently requesting: . 'I need someone to shut this movie off at nine. Have them shut this movie off at nine.' With dozens of people injured and several dying from their wounds in the auditorium, an officer asks: 'Do I have permission to start taking some of these victims out ... we have a whole bunch of people out here and no rescue.' The response he receives is: 'Yeah load them up, get them in the car, get them out of here!' The officers are told to check behind the screens - presumably for people who had scrambled to safety or for the suspect- because the 'auditoriums are open.' They are reassured that more ambulances are arriving from other areas. Information: Police officers took witness statements following the early morning shooting . Police identify a suspect and describe him as wearing a 'Black camouflage outfit, unknown race, wearing a vest, gas mask, long-gun.' As news of the shooting spreads worried, families beginning to arrive at the scene, wanting to find out which hospital their children are in. An officer asks: 'I got parents showing up saying they got kids involved that are being transported - do we have a list?' The operator responds: 'Unfortunately no, we are using any available hospital at this point.' | The film was playing as the officers entered theatre 9 and one radios in: 'I need someone to shut this movie off at 9'
The Dark Knight Rises is still playing as the officers move thorough the auditorium and one radios in urgently requesting for it to be shut down .
Frustration can be heard when one law enforcement officer says: 'We have a whole bunch of people out here and no rescue' |
142,374 | 441d06c390c595ad680d896a7a473d70566a141f | (CNN) -- The death toll from violence in South Sudan is "heavy," the United Nations said Tuesday, and thousands of people have sought refuge in the organization's compounds in Juba. Gunfire rang out again in the capital of in Africa's newest nation just hours after the country's President said his forces had halted a coup attempt. Clashes, which began on Sunday evening, have left hundreds in urgent need of medical care, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said. Gerard Araud, the French representative to the United Nations and the current President of the Security Council, said precise figures on the death toll weren't available. "But it's heavy," he said. "It's dozens and dozens, scores of casualties, it's really not a minor incident." Officials at the United Nations are "extremely concerned" about the violence, Araud said, due to the high number of casualties and because the fighting appears to be between different ethnic groups in South Sudan. On Tuesday, sporadic gunshots were heard in the area of Tonping, the U.S. Embassy said on its Twitter feed, quoting U.N. radio. It recommended that U.S. citizens currently in the country depart immediately. Women and children carrying bags, kettles, pots and basic belongings arriving at a U.N compound to seek shelter could be seen in pictures posted on the U.N. mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Facebook page. Araud said Tuesday evening that around 15,000 to 20,000 civilians were taking refuge in the two UNMISS compounds in Juba, putting a strain on supplies of medicine, food, water and security resources. In a televised address Monday, South Sudan President Salva Kiir blamed soldiers loyal to his sacked deputy Riek Machar for starting the fighting Sunday evening. Dressed in fatigues, he said the government was in full control of the capital and announced a nighttime curfew. Ten people were arrested in connection with the foiled coup, according to a statement posted Tuesday on the South Sudan government website. Hundreds in need of medical care . The ICRC said it was providing Juba's two major hospitals with support, such as wound-dressing materials, to cope with the heavy influx of patients. More than 300 people have been admitted to Juba Teaching Hospital and Juba Military Hospital over the past two days, it said. "We know there are more people who need care, but they are having difficulty reaching healthcare facilities because of the security situation and the lack of available transportation," Felicity Gapes, an ICRC delegate leading the medical response on the ground, said in a statement. "Staff in both hospitals have been working around the clock, but they are struggling because of the sheer volume of patients and the severity of the injuries." The United Nations said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke with Kiir by phone Tuesday, expressing his concern about the fighting. He urged "all parties to cease hostilities immediately, and called on the government to exercise restraint in the management of the situation and to guarantee the protection of all civilians regardless of their ethnicities." Deep-running tensions . Kiir's dismissal of his Cabinet in July further inflamed deep tensions between his Dinka community and Machar's Nuer community. South Sudan formally split from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum, after decades of conflict. Numerous armed groups remain active in the oil-rich country. UNMISS said Hilde F. Johnson, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general, called on "all parties in the current situation to refrain from any community-motivated violence." "At a time when unity among South Sudanese is more needed than ever, I call on the leaders of this new country and all political factions and parties, as well as community leaders to refrain from any action that fuels ethnic tensions and exacerbates violence," Johnson said. Juba's international airport remained closed. And with phone networks sketchy, embassies were turning to social media to stay in touch with their citizens, mainly calling on them to stay home and avoid unnecessary movement. The State Department said U.S. citizens currently in South Sudan should leave immediately, and it ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from the country. "The Embassy is also suspending normal operations until further notice and cannot provide routine consular services to U.S. citizens in South Sudan," it said. The African Union said it was "deeply concerned" about the events in South Sudan, urging the government, leadership and other stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and avert any further escalation. Editors' Note: This article has been edited to remove plagiarized content after CNN discovered multiple instances of plagiarism by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, a former CNN news editor. CNN's Jamie Crawford, Neda Farshbaf, Sara Mazloumsaki and Nana Karikari-Apau contributed to this report. | NEW: "It's dozens and dozens, scores of casualties," the head of the U.N. Security Council says .
NEW: About 15,000 to 20,000 civilians have fled to United Nations bases in the city, he says .
State Department says U.S. Embassy suspending normal operations until further notice .
Sporadic gunfire still rattling Juba, diplomats say . |
50,306 | 8e4c1b345f3135a98fa201c3557b03b5cc929568 | Three G4S guards killed an Angolan deportee as they restrained him on a flight from the UK, a court heard. Jimmy Mubenga, 46, was heard by passengers to cry out repeatedly 'I can't breathe' as he was pinned down in his seat by the guards - despite already being handcuffed with his seatbelt on. They ignored his desperate pleas and 'disregarded their duty of care', by assuming that the married father was 'feigning' illness as the flight prepared to take off from Heathrow airport, jurors were told. Three G4S guards killed an Angolan deportee Jimmy Mubenga (pictured) as they restrained him on a flight from the UK, a court heard . By the time the cabin crew of the British Airways flight raised the alarm on October 12, 2010 it was too late, and Mr Mubenga had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest. The whole incident took 35 minutes, the court heard. Terrence Hughes, 53, Colin Kaler, 52 and Stuart Tribelnig, 39, are on trial charged with the manslaughter of Mr Mubenga. In an unprecedented move, a section of the Boeing 777 with three rows of three seats has been specially constructed inside Court 16 of the Old Bailey to demonstrate to the jury how Mr Mubenga died. Colin Kaler (left), Stuart Tribelnig (right) and Terrence Hughes are on trial charged with the manslaughter of Mr Mubenga . Opening the case, prosecutor Mark Dennis QC told the court that Mr Mubenga had been accompanied by the three Group 4 Securicor (G4S) guards as he was put on a plane at Heathrow airport to be deported to Angola. At 8.20pm, the flight crew on the British Airways plane contacted the control tower saying they had a 'medical emergency' as they were taxiing towards the runway. Their message said: 'Yeah, we have a deportee who's restrained, he's collapsed, he's a very faint pulse and not responding to any stimulus.' G4S guards Terrence Hughes (pictured), Colin Kaler and Stuart Tribelnig deny the charge against them . An hour earlier, as he boarded the plane, Mr Mubenga, who left his family and children in the UK, had been 'fit and healthy' and 'thoroughly co-operative', Mr Dennis said. 'A few minutes after boarding, everything was to change. As Mubenga was returning from the lavatory, still accompanied by the three officers, something happened which set off a chain of events which ultimately led to his collapse and death. 'Mubenga and the three officers became embroiled in a commotion which quickly escalated into a physical struggle as the officers tried to force Mubenga into a row of seats and then into a seated position. 'He was then further restrained by the application of rigid handcuffs with his arms, hands bound in that way behind his back and his seat belt being applied around his waist thereby holding him into the seat. 'Such physical restraint should have been enough to hold Mubenga in the seat and above all to make Mubenga realise that there was no point in struggling further even if he had wanted to do so.' The prosecutor said that despite being in an 'excited state' 'there was little he could do but accept the situation and calm down because he was in such a confined space and bound from behind and strapped in his seat'. Mr Dennis said: 'The officers could, in effect, have simply stepped back and tried to calm the situation by words, only intervening with physical actions if the need arose thereafter. 'However, the officers did not take that course and instead sat one either side of Mubenga, with one leaning over from the seat ahead and between them endeavoured in effect to pin Mubenga down into his seat. 'In doing so, they held Mubenga in such a position bent forward that his ability to breathe properly was inevitably impaired. A section of the Boeing 777 with three rows of three seats has been specially constructed inside Court 16 of the Old Bailey to demonstrate to the jury how Mr Mubenga died . 'Each officer would have known from their training and from common sense that keeping someone in such a position was likely to cause a person harm yet they did so over a prolonged period and did so ignoring shouts from Mubenga that he was in trouble. "I can't breathe" shouts were heard by many a passenger seated further away.' The prosecutor went on: 'It may well be that the officers' actions were primarily motivated by the desire to ensure that the plane proceeded to take off, perhaps in the belief that once airborne they could release Mubenga from any restraint and that he would calm down knowing that it was too late to stop the flight. Mr Mubenga (right) had been ordered to leave the country after living in the UK with his wife Adrienne Makenda Kambana (left) and children for a number of years . 'However, some 35 minutes or so elapsed between the start of this commotion and the moment when the cabin doors were secured and the plane pushed back in order to taxi towards the runway. 'In that time the inevitable consequences of Mubenga's restricted ability to breathe and the officers continued ignoring of Mubenga's plight, resulted in his collapse. 'Even then, when Mubenga was seated motionless and simply staring open-eyed ahead of him, the officers would appear to have disregarded their duty of care and to have preferred to assume that Mubenga was simply feigning his condition. 'It was only when it finally dawned on one of the officers that Mubenga was in a critical state that the alarm was raised and the "medical emergency" urgently reported to the control tower. 'By then, however, Mubenga had almost certainly already suffered a cardiac arrest and was in all likelihood beyond recovery as sadly proved to be the case.' Mr Mubenga had been ordered to leave the country after living in the UK with his wife and children for a number of years. On Tuesday, October 12 2010 he was due to be lawfully deported having being held at the Brook House Removal Centre at Gatwick Airport. Although being tearful before his departure and upset to leave his family behind, he had acknowledged that he had to go back and was 'resigned' to the situation, jurors were told. Hughes, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, Kaler, of Kempton, Bedfordshire, and Tribelnig, from Horley, Surrey, deny the charge against them. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Jimmy Mubenga heard shouting 'I can't breathe' as he was being held down, court told .
Angolan deportee was already handcuffed with his seatbelt on, jurors hear .
G4S guards ignored his pleas assuming he was 'feigning' illness, court told .
Incident happened as flight was preparing to take off from Heathrow Airport .
Angolan had been ordered to leave UK having lived in UK for a number of years with wife and children .
Terrence Hughes, Colin Kaler and Stuart Tribelnig deny charge of manslaughter . |
72,742 | ce45d8dca00ecfc0fe34a306d058cefb36cab6a8 | Rupert Murdoch’s daughter has bought a luxury home for £38.5million just days after it was revealed her marriage was over. TV boss Elisabeth Murdoch, 46, bought the secluded detached house following revelations she and 50-year-old PR guru Matthew Freud were divorcing. The home in St John’s Wood, north-west London, includes a main seven-bedroom brick house in front of a three-bedroom mews home. Stunning: The home in St John’s Wood includes a main seven-bedroom brick house in front of a three-bedroom mews home . Luxury: The 12,723 sq ft house is described as an ‘ambassadorial residence’ with a driveway that has space for up to ten cars . A local property source told the London Evening Standard: ‘She exchanged and completed on Friday.’ The couple, worth a total of £260million, are divorcing amid rumours of a conflict between Mr Freud and his father-in-law. Miss Murdoch’s new 12,723 sq ft house is described as an ‘ambassadorial residence’ with a driveway that has space for up to ten cars. It dates back to the 1920s and was on the market for £40million before being bought by Miss Murdoch, reported the Standard. After a refurbishment the home has a main bedroom suite with separate bathrooms and dressing rooms, five bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. It also comes with a 725 sq ft drawing room with bow windows, while the ground floor has a 38ft-long formal dining room with capacity to seat 20 people. And on the lower ground floor of the air-conditioned home, Miss Murdoch has a cinema room, gym, ‘massage room’ and games room. Miss Murdoch joins other high-profile buyers in moving to St John’s Wood, such as fashion designer Stefano Gabbana and artist Damien Hirst. Lounge: On the lower ground floor of the home, Miss Murdoch has a cinema room, gym, ‘massage room’ and games room . Spacious: The ground floor of the home in St John's Wood has a 38ft-long formal dining room with capacity to seat 20 people . Kitchen area: Rupert Murdoch’s daughter bought the luxury home for £38.5million just days after it was revealed her marriage was over . One local agent told the Standard: ‘Marylebone is the new Mayfair and has made these parts of north London fashionable and interesting again. Former couple: TV boss Elisabeth Murdoch bought the house in north-west London following the end of her marriage to 50-year-old PR guru Matthew Freud . ‘It is now perceived to be desirable and good value compared with Mayfair and Belgravia.’ Earlier this month Miss Murdoch was seen without her wedding ring as it emerged she was to divorce Mr Freud after 13 years. Mr Freud and Miss Murdoch who have two children aged 13 and seven, were expected to be granted a decree nisi last week. Sources said one factor in the breakdown of their marriage was the antagonism between the PR chief and Mr Murdoch. Mr Freud took the side of his old friend Mr Blair when his 83-year-old father-in-law filed for divorce from Wendi Deng, 45, last year. It happened after he had become angered by claims the former prime minister met his wife several times without his knowledge. Friends of Mr Blair have always insisted his relationship with Miss Deng is entirely platonic. Relations between Mr Freud and Mr Murdoch then soured further. This culminated in him banning his father-in-law from attending his 50th birthday party at his £8million Oxfordshire mansion last November. Mr Freud said last December: ‘I will be eternally grateful to Rupert Murdoch for producing Elisabeth, who is practically perfect in every way. ‘Our views differ quite dramatically on a number of subjects professionally and I regret that this has caused my relationship with him to be sometimes conflicted. ‘But we have had good times as well as bad times, we both love his daughter and his grandchildren, if not always each other. I do not believe anything else is terribly important.’ The couple are expected to split their £260million fortune equally. Miss Murdoch personally made £130million in 2011 when she sold her TV production company Shine, whose hit programmes include MasterChef, to her father’s company News Corporation. Her husband, who is the great-grandson of psychoanalysis pioneer Sigmund Freud, founded PR company Freud Communications and is worth an estimated £100million. They met in 1997, when they were both married to other people, and were immediately attracted to each other. Having left their spouses, Miss Murdoch and Mr Freud had their first child, Charlotte, in November 2000. They briefly separated before marrying at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire in 2001. Their second child, Samson, was born in January 2007. The couple’s parties were legendary for their heady mix of celebrities, senior politicians, media stars and colourful entrepreneurs. Their combined wealth was estimated at £260million in the latest Sunday Times Rich List, which ranked them as one of the top 25 wealthiest couples in the UK. Family: Elisabeth (left) with her media mogul father Rupert Murdoch (centre), pictured with his now ex-wife Wendi Deng (right) | TV boss Elisabeth Murdoch, 46, bought seven-bedroom detached house in St John's Wood, north-west London .
Couple, worth total of £260million, are divorcing amid rumours of a conflict between Mr Freud and his father-in-law .
Her new 12,723 sq ft house described as 'ambassadorial residence' with driveway that has space for up to ten cars . |
286,478 | ff3194d999e1528c3fab4866c85f65d516888eb1 | (CNN) -- Federal officials charged 20 people Wednesday in a scheme to recruit illegal immigrants from Russia and Eastern European countries to work as exotic dancers in New York strip clubs, according to Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Charges against the 20 individuals include racketeering, extortion, visa and marriage fraud, and transporting and harboring illegal immigrants. The accused are alleged to be members of the Gambino and Bonanno organized crime families, according to federal authorities. "The defendants themselves had one thing in common -- the desire to turn the women they allegedly helped enter this country illegally into their personal profit centers,"Bharara said. "Today's arrests have brought an end to their illicit activities." Several of the accused are alleged to have run the "Strip Club Enterprise," which controlled a series of strip clubs throughout Queens and Long Island. Through these clubs, the accused are alleged to have recruited Eastern European women to enter the United States on student J1 visas to perform as strippers in their enterprises. Prosecutors also charge the defendants threatened physical violence and economic harm if the owners and operators of New York strip clubs as part of a broad extortion scheme. "The defendants controlled their business and protected their turf through intimidation and threats of physical and economic harm," said James T. Hayes, Jr., special agent in charge with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which led the investigation. "Today's arrests bring to an end a long-standing criminal enterprise operated by colluding organized crime entities that profited wildly through a combination of extortion and fraud." Some of the exotic dancers brought illegally into the United States were also matched with U.S. citizens in fraudulent marriages to resolve their immigrations status, prosecutors said in the indictment. Before dawn on Wednesday, federal agents arrived at Cheetah's Gentlemans Club and Restaurant off Times Square in Manhattan, Gallagher's 2000 in Queens, NY, and seven other New York-area strip clubs and confiscated files and documents. Attorneys for those indicted were not immediately available for comment. | The women are from Russia and Eastern European countries .
Prosecutor: defendants wanted the women to be "their personal profit centers"
Charges include extortion and visa and marriage fraud .
Federal agents confiscated files at several clubs in pre-dawn raids . |
228,231 | b385c9544757ea4630f44ad4511b724b6970944b | President Barack Obama is meeting with a bipartisan set of newly elected governors on Friday -- including one who's suing him. Obama has a 4:55 p.m. meeting in the Oval Office with incoming GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, as well as the Republican victors in Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts, the Democratic winners in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, and Alaska's newly elected independent governor. Abbott is leading the 17-state legal challenge of Obama's recent executive action to halt deportations of the undocumented parents of U.S. citizens, arguing that immigration policy should be left in the hands of Congress. The meeting comes as part of Obama's outreach effort after Democrats were trounced in November's midterm elections. States could play a key role in cementing Obama's legacy. Three of the states that elected GOP governors -- Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts -- operate, at least in part, their own health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. Obama also met privately for an hour with the presumptive new Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, on Wednesday. "We had a good conversation about a variety of different issues where we might possibly find common ground," the Kentucky Republican told CNN afterward. | President Barack Obama plans to meet with seven newly elected governors on Friday .
Among them is Greg Abbott of Texas, who is leading a lawsuit against Obama's executive action on immigration .
The meeting comes two days after Obama met with Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican . |
220,519 | a970af1bb9b2b6cbc87d727a906ce770467e4b6c | Wrapping the Christmas presents can be a challenging task for the best of us. So it was never going to end well when the responsibility fell to this adorable litter of puppies. The cute brood was captured tearing into the festive wrapping paper by a photographer at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London this week. Scroll down for video . Adorable: The cute litter was captured tearing into the festive wrapping paper by a photographer at Battersea Dogs Home in London this week . And the centre is asking members of the public to send in any unwanted pet toys so every dog can have something to play with this Christmas. The six Jack Russell and Miniature Pinscher cross puppies are preparing for their first ever Christmas and by the looks of these images - they have a lot to learn. A recent study done by The Co-operative found that but 15 per cent of pet owners claim their four-legged friends really do realise it’s Christmas - because they recognise wrapping paper. While the six pooches are clearly having a whale of a time - what they're really hoping for this Christmas is an old toy to play with. Naughty: The six pooches are Jack Russell and Miniature Pinscher cross puppies and will be ready to be adopted after Christmas . Debbie Chapman, media manager at Battersea Dogs Home, said: 'The photos are to raise awareness of the thousands of dogs in shelters like Battersea that are homeless this Christmas. 'This is a litter of puppies that has recently become homeless and come into our care. 'Each year Battersea takes in around 6000 dogs that need new homes and we find owners for dogs young and old including unwanted litters. 'We are asking people to donate treats and toys to help entertain our dogs and make their Christmas as fun as possible. Battersea would like to give every dog in its care a Christmas toy to play with this December. First ever Christmas: The puppies are preparing for their first festive season and are desperate for a Christmas toy to play with . 'Supporters are encouraged to go online at Battersea.org.uk to donate a present to one of our dogs and cats.' Battersea has around 400 dogs and 250 cats across it's three sites or on foster at any one time. Of those 172 ,dogs and 97 cats were at the main London centre at any one time. The centre is championed by comedian and TV presenter Paul O'Grady who will be hosting ITV's Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs at Christmas - due to be aired at 5.30pm on Christmas Day. Be afraid! This cute puppy and his five siblings were an unwanted litter and were recently homeless before being taken in by the dogs centre . Four-legged tearaway: The pictures were taken to raise awareness for the thousands of unwanted dogs currently living in rescue centres . Battersea Dogs Home's Debbie Chapman said: 'Battersea would like to give every dog in its care a Christmas toy to play with this December' She added: 'We are asking people to donate treats and toys to help entertain our dogs and make their Christmas as fun as possible' | Unwanted litter of puppies were recently taken in by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London .
The six gorgeous Jack Russell and Miniature Pinscher cross puppies will be looking for new home after Christmas .
Dogs centre organised this heartwarming photo shoot to promote campaign asking for old unwanted pet toys . |
149,023 | 4cad673ec452102c08207fb65e882e7e2c85af9d | By . Frank Thorne . PUBLISHED: . 13:12 EST, 13 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:53 EST, 14 December 2012 . Impostor: A Facebook picture of the Adelaide teenager shows him wearing a medical uniform including a stethoscope . A teenager has been audaciously impersonating a doctor at two hospitals in Australia in echoes of the Leonardo Di Caprio movie 'Catch Me If You Can.' The 17-year-old was spotted on hospital wards at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia wearing a name badge and a stethoscope, and even reading patient notes. There have also been numerous sightings of him on the grounds of Flinders Medical Centre in the city wearing scrubs, an identity lanyard and stethoscope. He has also been seen in the city posing as a doctor and offering first aid to the general public but police are currently refusing to identify him because of his age. Although it is not believed he has come into contact with any patients, police said they are anxious to speak to him. The . state health department has now circulated a situation report to some . hospital staff warning them about the 'bogus clinician,' who was . expelled as a St Johns Ambulance volunteer earlier this year for . inappropriate behaviour. The memo said he had been spotted on wards at the Royal Adelaide on at least three occasions since October. He was reported to be confident, versed . in medical language and terminology and thus highly plausible unless . pressed about his identity. The memo notes that he . has 'not to date committed substantive offences, but should he make . physical contact with a patient, posing as a clinician, this would . constitute criminal assault'. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority first warned Flinders Medical Centre about his activity in late November and the information was subsequently circulated to nursing directors and security. Spotted: The teen was recognised on hospital wards at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia wearing a name badge and a stethoscope, and even reading patient notes . On . that same day a staff member reported seeing him walking away from the . hospital, wearing scrubs, an FMC lanyard and a stethoscope. The . following day two more reports of possible sightings were made, one . passing the level two pain clinic and one at the main entrance passing . admissions. Security . staff have been ordered to apprehend the youth and escort him to the . hospital's executive suite should he be sighted again. Hospital security is liaising with AHPRA investigations and providing CCTV and statements where necessary. Because the youth is under the age of 18, he has not been named for legal reasons. Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 biographical crime film in which DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a pilot, a doctor, and a parish prosecutor. Charlatan: Parallels are being drawn between the teen and conman Frank Abagnale, played by Leonardo Di Caprio in film 'Catch Me If You Can' | Spotted on wards at Royal Adelaide Hospital on three occasions .
Expelled as an ambulance volunteer for inappropriate behaviour . |
90,542 | 00788140c85a6d0c87937812055f597148a186d5 | It was Jennifer Lopez who really pushed me over the edge. I mean if there is a better looking example of a 45 year old woman out there, I'd really love to see it. Her new video for Booty is probably the raciest she's ever done in her entire career– and she looks better than ever before. Yes Jennifer's workouts are full of all kinds of complicated Tracy Anderson dancing routines, but she's been dancing all her life. Jennifer Lopez puts her recent weight loss down to converting to a vegan diet . What is new however, is her diet. A few months ago she went VEGAN and has never looked back. Actually Jen is just the latest celebrity to embrace what is quickly becoming Hollywood's hottest eating plan. We all saw the pictures of Beyonce and Jay Z coming out of Vegan restaurants right after the birth of Blue, in fact Beyonce credits veganism with helping her shed 60 pounds of pregnancy weight. Jennifer appeared on the cover of US Weekly having lost 10 pounds in a 22 day cleanse . Despite her allegiance to Weight Watchers, Jessica Simpson turned to veganism to drop weight on the eve of her wedding. Other long-time vegans include Natalie Portman, Carrie Underwood, Russell Brand and Demi Moore. Even the world's hottest new husband, 50 year old Brad Pitt is vegan. It's catching on in the UK. At the moment current estimates are that there are around 150,000 Vegans in the UK and in 2013 40% more tried Veganism than the year previously. In fact, it's this diet that JLO credits with helping her shed the 10 pounds that had been sticking to her since the birth of her twins six years ago. Thus, with two stone still sticking to me after the birth of my baby 15 months ago, I decided to try to copy this ultra sexy mother of two. I'll be honest. The first day at Sainsbury's was a complete nightmare. I cannot handle salads all the time and found trying to meal plan infuriating. Ashley opted for a vegan diet delivery service from My FOOD . Ashley says that she lost 5 pounds almost immediately with the diet service, dishes include sun-dried tomato soup (left) and Thai red curry (right) Ensuring that I was getting the right nutrition after cutting out all animal products is challenging, and trying to come up with ideas for meals that actually sound edible to say the least. I'm not a huge fan of the vegetable, I'll just put that out there now. It's probably part of why I still have so much weight to lose. Not only that, but if you Google Vegan Diets you can find all kinds of experts out there saying that they are a truly horrible idea and bad for your health. It's pretty discouraging. Studies have shown that vegans are often low in vitamins D, B12 and iron for starters. In short, cutting out all dairy, eggs and meat means it takes a rather creative type who also happens to have the time to shop for produce, frequently; neither one of which applies to me. Henrietta Norton co-founder of food-state brand Wild Nutrition says, that actually there are pros and cons. 'A healthy vegan diet is a diet plentiful in vegetables and pulses, making it naturally lower processed foods, adulterated fats and higher fibre diet which can support a healthy weight.' She adds, however that. 'like any other dietary regime a vegan diet can easily be unhealthily too if based too much on processed or too many grains, which can lead to weight gain if not eaten in moderation. Ashley Pearson tried the vegan craze in an attempt to achieve JLO's amazing post baby bod . 'Any diet where significant food groups are avoided, you run the risk of limiting your intake of key macro and micro nutrients such as B12, iron, chromium and protein, all of which play a fundamental role in metabolism and can therefore reduce your body's ability to burn 'fuel', leading to weight gain and blood sugar imbalance.' It's tricky to get it right. Two things, in addition to JLO's bottom pushed me to give it a shot. One was a recent study funded by the National Cancer Institute which showed that vegans have significantly lower rates of cancer than both meat-eaters and vegetarians. Vegan women, for example, had 34 per cent lower rates of female-specific cancers such as breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer. The way they tested it was interesting. A series of experiments was performed in which people were placed on different diets and their blood was then dripped on human cancer cells growing in a petri dish. Women on a vegan diet for just two weeks were found to suppress the growth of three different types of breast cancer. It's believed that it had something to do with changes in the level of a cancer-promoting growth hormone in the body called IGF-1. Animal protein intake increases levels but a plant-based diet cause them to drop. Then there was a study done by prominent US physicians Drs. Dean Ornish and Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn; they found that a vegan diet caused more than 500 genes to change in only three months, turning on genes that prevent disease and turning off genes that cause breast cancer, heart disease, prostate cancer, and other illnesses. So there was evidence that indicated I was on a good, healthy track for myself. Then came the Lazy Vegan solution – or the 'Hollywood At Home' plan. The first week my efforts varied from carb heavy meals – most store bought pasta is made without egg and thus OK - to boring green salads with slimey looking tofu. I was this close to giving up when a friend of mine recommended trying a vegan meal delivery service – just until I got the hang of things. I used MyFOOD (www.myfood.co.uk) and my desperate palate was transformed with Thai curries, cashew nut paella, vegan 'sushi', tofu Tikki Masala, and spelt pizzas. It illustrated that you can have delicious vegan food if you know what you're doing. In the UK Vegan diet delivery services are becoming more and more readily available. My FOOD founder Nas Amir-Ahmadi says, 'We have a variety of plans available but recently have been inundated with requests to put together a vegan plan. Doing it this way takes away some of the fear of not getting enough vitamins and at the same time, shows that you can eat really delicious food – it's not just all green salads all the time.' I lost 5 pounds almost immediately although in the weeks following it's been more gradual. What I have noticed though is that I feel better, I have fewer cravings for sugar and carbs and find that I am actually eating more carbs than usual but still losing weight. I feel good. And so does Jennifer Lopez. The still stunning star says she followed a 100% vegan diet for five weeks and felt incredible. 'It was a real change,' she said. 'I felt better and people were like, 'Your energy's better. The truth is, even if you're 70-80 percent vegan, it's so much better having those vegetables, greens, and plant-based stuff,' said Jennifer. 'It's going to change your life and health.' Other options out there: vegantuckbox.co.uk, www.pureonraw.co.uk,www.mydetoxdiet.co.uk/detoxini-vegan-diet.html. | Jennifer Lopez recently revealed her dramatic weight loss .
The 45-year-old singer claims it was down to a vegan diet .
Ashley Pearson tries the vegan diet in a hope to achieve the perfect figure . |
239,577 | c22d7fff946cfb0d6e12e1dab8444301f18e96d2 | A Colorado cabbie has transformed his taxi into a non-stop party-mobile, complete with mirror ball, musical instruments and hundreds of LED lights that change colour in time to the music. Jon Barnes calls his creation 'a cross between 'Bill Gates' home office, the Starship Enterprise and a Beatles concert' and it has a attracted a very classy kind of clientele. Star Wars George Lucas, Clint Eastwood, Ringo Starr and Michael Douglas have all hitched a ride in his wacky wheels. Jon Barnes in his taxi: 'A cross between Bill Gates' home office, the Starship Enterprise and a Beatles concert' Barnes says: 'When people climb into the car, they're really climbing into my world and into my mind. 'I take them on an amazing expansive journey of imagination, colour and music that they've never experienced before and never will experience again to that degree.' Psychedelic: The car features mixing board, mirror ball, and 900 LED lights that change colour to the music . Trip the lights fantastic: There are over 900 pulsating, coloured LED lights in the Jon Barnes' taxi . He explains: 'The Ultimate taxi was a garden variety taxi driving the streets of Aspen in the mid 1980s, but I wanted to have more fun than other cab drivers when there was nobody being transported.' So Barnes began to put musical instruments in the car - keyboards, drums and sequencers - he even taught himself how to play the piano while waiting for the phone to ring with another potential fare. Dry ice: Customers in The Ultimate Taxi get the full disco treatment with fog effects, lasers and fiber optics . Musical interlude: The crazy car is kitted out with keyboards, drums and sequencers . Besides the synthesizers, keyboards, lasers, fog effects, fibre optics, neon, black light and drums and mini wind instrument, there's a laptop computer where he spins and mixes the music. 'It's a lot of fun making people smile and happy,' says Barnes. 'Most people who come to Aspen are on vacation and they're looking for something fun and unusual that they won't see anywhere else and I try to provide that experience . Did he pay with a Fistful of Dollars: Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood hitches a ride in the Ultimate Taxi . The Bodyguard actor Kevin Costner is pictured with fans in Jon Barnes' colourful cab . Hope he wasn't caught in Traffic: Michael Douglas indulging in some karaoke in the Ultimate Taxi . Seeing stars: Director George Lucas enjoys the psychedelic environs of Jon Barnes' wacky vehicle . | Clint Eastwood and Michael Douglas among celebs to ride in Ultimate taxi .
Cross between 'Bill Gates' office, Starship Enterprise and a Beatles concert'
Features keyboards, lasers, fibre optics, drums and mini wind instruments . |
164,153 | 6048513137a049d9b35ce858169d6e9a5d37d749 | (CNN) -- A teenage girl may have gotten lost in a cave looking for water, nearly 13,000 years ago. Naia, as she's known today, likely fell to her death in a deep, dark pit. Now, her remains are shining a light on the genetic heritage of what we believe are the first people in the Americas. Researchers have discovered Naia's bones in a pit in an underwater cave system in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Her skeleton, described in the journal Science this week, is one of the oldest of any humans found in the Americas. She comes from a group of ancient people anthropologists call Paleoamericans. Genetic analysis of her remains suggests that Naia is related to modern Native Americans. It's a clue to resolving the issue of whether the group we call Native Americans are indeed related to the first settlers of this land mass. This study promotes the view that "Native Americans and Paleoamericans share a homeland," said James Chatters of Applied Paleoscience, who was the lead author of the study. That homeland is called Beringia, also called the Bering Land Bridge, that connected what is now Siberia and Alaska. The new research goes against the idea that the first Americans may have come over in separate migrations from Europe and Asia. Other genetic evidence from both modern Native Americans and ancient skeletons indicates that people of Siberia landed in eastern Beringia between 26,000 and 18,000 years ago, the study said. They seem to have moved south after 17,000 years ago. So how do we know who this girl was? Naia's genetic lineage was analyzed through mitochondrial DNA. This is genetic material that is passed from mothers to children, and is stored in the mitochondria, a part of a cell that is essential for energy production and is sometimes thought of as a "power plant." Scientists are able to characterize genetic lineages by looking at mitochondrial DNA. It's important to note, however, that this does not reveal as much information about a person's heritage as nuclear DNA, which is stored in the cell's nucleus and contains material from both parents. Researchers are planning to look at Naia's nuclear DNA also, Chatters said. Researchers found that the 12,000- to 13,000-year-old teenager's mitochondrial DNA belongs to Haplogroup D1, a category only found in the Americas these days but which originally came from an Asian lineage. Some South American populations today have this genetic signature: 29% of indigenous people of Chile and Argentina have it; so do 11% of Native Americans, said Deborah Bolnick, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin. Through her maternal line, the girl in the cave seems to have been related to modern Native Americans as well as their ancestors, Bolnick said. Why doesn't she look like Native Americans? But wait -- Naia's physical features are very different from that of modern day Native Americans. Flat, broad faces with flaring cheekbones, and short, round heads are typical of Native Americans, Chatters said. By contrast, Naia had an angular head, and a small, relatively narrow face. Naia's features are more similar to other ancient populations and isolated hunter-gatherer populations in such places as the Philippines, Chatters said. "Paleoamericans -- those earliest people with the distinctive skull and facial features -- could have come from Siberia too," Bolnick said. "It therefore seems more likely that differences between Paleoamericans and Native Americans today are due to evolutionary changes that occurred in Beringia and the Americas over the last 9,000 years." Some scientists believe a population entered Beringia, became geographically isolated, and then experienced evolutionary changes in their mitochondrial DNA during several thousand years, Chatters said. From there, multiple migrations may have taken people out of Beringia and to the Americas. "What this study is presenting for the first time is the evidence that Paleoamericans with those distinctive features can also be directly tied to the same Beringian source population as contemporary Native Americans," Bolnick said. Facial features may have evolved over time in response to such factors as changing climates and diets, Chatters said. Paleoamericans also have characteristics such as facial projection -- features such as mouth and eyes protruding from the skull -- that are related to aggression, a behavior that would be favorable in a migrating population, Chatters said. As groups settle down, however, docility tends to be advantageous. Why was Naia at the bottom of a pit? The near-complete skeleton, dated to between 12,000 and 13,000 years old, was discovered in a pit that lies in an underwater cave system in a crevice the jungle floor about five miles from the Caribbean Sea. Traversing through a flooded tunnel, divers discovered this chamber that was so dark it seemed to absorb their underwater lights, Alberto Nava of Bay Area Underwater Explorers said at a press conference. They called it Hoyo Negro, which means Black Hole in Spanish. "The floor disappeared under us, and we could not see across to the other side. We pointed our lights down and to the sides. All we could see was darkness," said Nava, who is the co-director and lead diver for the Hoyo Negro Project. Nava's team found many of Naia's bones, as well as "a small cranium laying upside down with a perfect set of teeth and dark eye sockets looking back at us." They made this discovery in 2007. Most of the bones are still underwater, Chatters said. Scientists conducted the DNA analysis and age estimate based on one of Naia's wisdom teeth. "Recently, to protect the skull and some bones damaged by unauthorized visitors, we recovered them from the cave, but studies of those pieces have not yet begun," he said. This cave site was probably dry until about 10,000 years ago, when it flooded because of glacial melting, researchers said. There is evidence from the way that the bones are distributed in the cave, and iron oxide on the walls, that it contained "an ephemeral pool of water" that may have been filled by storms, Chatters said. We may never know why Naia died, but Chatters said it looks like she took a great fall into the pit, fracturing her pelvis. She would not have entered the cave system through a crevice in the jungle, as the divers did, but rather from a ground-level entrance, as the "ground" was lower than it is today. The name Naia comes from the Greek word for "water nymph," researchers said. Even if we don't know what she called herself, further investigation may uncover more about her roots and life. Follow Elizabeth Landau on Twitter at @lizlandau . CNN's Justin Lear contributed to this report. | Study suggests first Americans came from Beringia .
Beringia was a land mass between Siberia and Alaska .
Skeletal remains were found in underwater cave in Mexico . |
10,667 | 1e540631d18e6a0b2122ee004c8617a0c06a6db1 | While most artists would be distraught at their work being vandalised, one sculptor believes the erosion of his underwater pieces by marine life has only made them better. More than 450 figurative sculptures have been installed in the underwater museum, the Museo Subacuatico de Arte, since British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor co-founded it back in 2009 off the coast of Cancun, Mexico. But many of the artworks, all part of 'The Silent Evolution' project', are unrecognisable today after coral, sea urchins and other marine life have taken them over as their new home. Transformation: Jason deCaires Taylor's sculpture of Brian, the owner of a Harley Davidson showroom in Canada, has been taken over by marine life in the Museum of Subaquatic Art in Cancun, Mexico . Underwater artwork: A sculpture based on a local school teacher called Veronica, pictured left, is now encrusted with coral and covered in sea urchins. Pictured right is another piece from 'The Silent Evolution' project which has been transformed by sea-life over the years . New home: This work by deCaires Taylor is based on Paz, a local fisherman from Acapulco. It is located 10 metres below the sea surface in the Museum of Subaquatic Art in Cancun, Mexico, and is now home to a vast array of sea-life . The 39-year-old said: 'When I place them underwater it is the beginning of their lifecycle. For me they only come alive when they have their underwater patina. 'They are made from inert cement but when you see the skin of capillaries and tubular networks of the marine life and sponges colonising them, it makes them feel immortal.' The sculptures are all based on real-life people including Brian, the owner of a Harley Davidson showroom in Canada; Paz, a fisherman from Acapulco, Mexico; and Veronica, a local school teacher. Over time the works have become encrusted with hundreds of luridly-coloured sea sponges, spiny sea urchins and marine plants called hydroids, capable of delivering a nasty sting when touched. Coming to life: Jason deCaires Taylor believes the sculptures only come alive when they are covered in marine life . Life below the surface: 'The Anchors', a sculpture by Jason deCaires Taylor, sits in a bed of sea grass . The spiny sea urchins crawl across the faces of the sculptures, 10 metres below the surface, and provide a useful service to deCaires Taylor by eating the algae that can prevent coral from forming. Asked if he has any plans to prune back the growth on his works to ensure they do not become obscured, the artist is resolute. 'No, the plan is leave them as they are,' deCaires Taylor said. 'The human figure is so embedded in our psyche that even a small reference to our anatomy helps us comprehend the artwork.' Despite their foreboding appearance of the sculptures, deCaires Taylor says that to him they feel 'almost feel like family', although he admits that visitors to the museum are occasionally spooked. 'Some times people get a little scared, it depends on the conditions of the day,' deCaires Taylor said. 'If the water is clear with bright sun the figures have a slightly euphoric feel, other days when it is cloudy or the water murky the encounter can be quite startling. 'Each character has a unique story and it is very exciting for me watching nature take over.' Under the sea: Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater sculpture 'Vein Man' at the Museo Subacu·tico de Arte. Over time bright yellow fire coral will travel along the stainless steel lattice and look like blood through veins . Living art: An underwater sculpture by artist Jason deCaires Taylor, entitled 'Resurrection'. The work uses live purple Gorgonian fan coral (Gorgonia flabellum), which had been displaced from the reef system in a storm . Man on fire: The artist's sculpture 'Self-Immolation', is made from black pH neutral marine cement, and depicts a solitary burning figure. Over time it will be overrun with fast-growing, bright yellow live fire coral . The artist is happy to abandon his . works to the waves, but does acknowledge that there can be downsides to . working in an underwater environment. He . said: 'Sometimes when diving at night my dive lights attract thousands . of tiny swimming sea worms. Recently one crawled inside my ear canal and . felt like it had entered my brain. 'I was on my own at the time and found it quite disturbing, although fortunately after 20 minutes it found its way out!' DeCaires . Taylor has previously created a real life city of Atlantis, sunk a . life-size sculpture of a Volkswagen Beetle and even a house. He . also unveiled a series of new sculptures last month including one . called No Turning Back, a cement cast of a hunched-over woman, which . alludes to the loss of Caribbean coral reefs, while another, . Self-Immolation, depicts a solitary burning figure - a reference to the . practice of setting yourself on fire as a form of political protest. Talking art: 'The Speaker' stands in a bed of sea grass. The sculpture is planted with more than 200 cuttings of rare Acropora Prolifera coral . Stunning: The sculpture is planted with more than 200 cuttings of the rare Acropora Prolifera coral, in Cancun, Mexico . Prolific: DeCaires Taylor now has 510 sculptural works permanently on display at the site, many of which feature live coral . Latest additions: The 39-year-old unveiled a new series of works last month in the Museo Subacuatico de Arte, the subaquatic museum he co-founded back in 2009 off the coast of Cancun, Mexico . Made . from black pH neutral marine cement, the work is augmented with . stainless steel spines, and over time it will be overrun with . fast-growing, bright yellow live fire coral which will mimic flames. DeCaires . Taylor said: 'I try to use the work to highlight the huge losses we're . having and how our blue planet is changing quite dramatically. 'Future generations aren't going to see the same number of species and fantastic pristine reefs. 'But I want to balance that sadness - in order to inspire people, you have to offer them hope as well.' Another . of deCaires Taylor's sculptures is Resurrection, a winged . angelic-looking figure, which uses live purple Gorgonian fan coral and . had to be rescued after being displaced from the reef system and damaged . during a recent storm. Art with a message: A number of the new works deal with the devastation of the natural marine habitat . Natural subject: 'No Turning Back' in the Museo Subacuatico de Arte in Cancun, Mexico, a cement cast of a hunched-over woman, alludes to the tragic loss of Caribbean coral reefs . Artistic installation: One of the artist's latest sculptures is pictured being lowered down into the water at the submarine park . Last light: The sculpture gets one last glimpse of daylight before being completely submerged by the water . Getting wet: No turning back is carefully winched into the water and placed on a rock at the bottom of the ocean . Strong . currents around the museum meant that the sculptures had to be craned . from a bridge into a nearby canal and then toed out to the site. The . Dover, Kent, born artist said: 'Some of these were much more delicate . than pieces I've made before, so it was difficult working in tough . conditions. 'I had to box . some of them up in crates and then sink them underwater in their crates. Believe me, taking a crate apart underwater is difficult.' DeCaires . Taylor now has 510 sculptural works permanently on display at the site, . although these are his final additions for the time being as he . prepares to relocate back to Europe. However, . the museum has been a huge success, receiving 250,000 visitors each . year, and deCaires Taylor is trying to secure funding to eventually . expand it to include 8,000 figures - more than the famous Terracotta . Army. He said: 'I'm leaving . Mexico, but I've got this legacy here, that my daughter can come back in . twenty years time and it will still be there.' Some of his more creative works include a life-size version of a Volkswagen Beetle and an underwater 'city' of homes. Hands on: Vein Man sticks out of the top of the water as it is lowered down by a crane hook, left, while artist Jason deCaires Taylor gets into the water himself to help lower one of his sculptures into place, right . Preparation work: Jason deCaires Taylor works on his sculpture 'Self-Immolation' in his studio in Cancun . Expanding: The museum has been a huge success, receiving 250,000 visitors each year, and deCaires Taylor is trying to secure funding to eventually expand the site to 8,000 figures . | British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor co-founded the Museo Subacuatico de Arte in Cancun, Mexico, in 2009 .
Over the years he has installed more than 450 works of art in the underwater museum .
Some sculptures are barely recognisable after coral, sea urchins and other marine life have made them their homes . |
185,588 | 7c655aca3b91dad6f137d18bdddd7b8e775e2193 | Passport giveaway: A law introduced in 2011 has allowed an extra 550,000 non-EU residents to apply for Hungarian nationality and, with it, the right to live anywhere in Europe . A little-known loophole has enabled half a million people from some of eastern Europe’s poorest countries to obtain Hungarian citizenship and, as a consequence, a European Union passport. A law introduced in 2011 has allowed an extra 550,000 non-EU residents to apply for Hungarian nationality and, with it, the right to live anywhere in Europe – including Britain. The ‘passport giveaway’ was intended to enable people whose ancestors lived in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire to claim citizenship. But the system has also attracted applicants who admit they have little emotional attachment to Hungary and only tenuous ancestry. For some people in eastern Europe’s poverty-stricken nations, the scheme presents a chance to escape to wealthier countries such as Britain, Germany and Switzerland. Yesterday a report by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, John Vine, said the ‘European citizenship route’ was becoming ‘an increasingly important way into the UK for those whose origins lie outside the EEA (European Economic Area)’. His report looked at more than 100 sample cases from the Home Office between April and September last year. It found that more than a third of Western European nationals applying for citizenship for their partner were born outside the EU. The Hungarian passport giveaway is just one route. In neighbouring Serbia alone, 112,000 new passports were issued between 2011 and the end of March this year. Thousands of Serbian residents are eligible for citizenship because the northern province of Vojvodina belonged to Austro-Hungary Empire until 1918 when Hungary – allied with Germany – lost the First World War and was forced to hand over two-thirds of its territory. All applicants need is a basic command of the language and Hungarian ancestry – and for many the benefits of applying are obvious. The average salary in Serbia is £5,200 before tax, compared with £26,500 in Britain. In the Serbian town of Subotica, on the Hungarian border – one of dozens of centres where applications are processed – more than 12,000 Serbians were granted Hungarian citizenship last year. Hungary’s general consul in Subotica, Tamas Korsos, admitted many Serbian citizens applied for Hungarian citizenship merely ‘to travel more easily with a Hungarian passport’. ‘I do not condemn that in any way. Everyone looks after his own interests,’ he said. Outside the consulate in Subotica earlier this year, the Mail interviewed several Serbian residents as they emerged with their yellow certificates declaring them Hungarian citizens. Lorry driver Jozsef Szucs, 47, admitted he applied for dual nationality ‘so I can move to the UK’, where he will earn five times his £5,000-a-year salary. Floodgates: A report by Her Majesty¿s Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, John Vine, said the 'European citizenship route¿' was becoming 'an increasingly important way into the UK for those whose origins lie outside the EEA (European Economic Area)' Struggling to support his wife and 15-year-old daughter on his meagre wage, he trawled European recruitment websites and found ‘many jobs’ for HGV drivers in Britain. ‘England is a nice country and it will be a new challenge for me. I cannot make a good life for my family here,’ he said. In the town centre, there is a large poster advertising an English language school with the motto, ‘Money is coming’. Klara Agatics, 56, said her son moved to Warrington, Cheshire, to work in a factory last year after obtaining a Hungarian passport. She said: ‘The [Hungarian] law is a very good thing. In a couple of years, I think there won’t be any borders – England, Serbia, Hungary, it won’t matter, you will just go where you can find a job.’ Applicants for Hungarian passports must prove that they have ancestors ‘who were Hungarian or lived on the territory of ex-Hungary and can prove it by death or birth certificates’. However, the vague language requirement, which states simply that you ‘know the language’, is open to exploitation. There is no exam or standardised list of questions, so it is down to busy clerks in individual offices around Serbia and Hungary to assess the skills during a brief meeting. The Home Office admitted it had no way of monitoring how many of the 500,000 new Hungarian citizens had made their way to Britain. A spokesman said its EU migration figures did not include a breakdown of people’s country of origin. Bulgaria and Romania have introduced similar laws to Hungary, offering national status to people living in non-EU states such as Moldova, Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine and Turkey. Under fire: HM Passport Chief Executive Paul Pugh . Ministers were accused of ‘profiting from the public’s hardship’ last night after it emerged the shambolic Passport Office is making £13 profit on every document issued. MPs said that, instead of the Government raking in £73million in surplus every year, the money should be poured into tackling the backlog of 480,000 outstanding passport applications that is threatening to wreck family holidays. The Passport Office was forced to admit a profit margin of more than 20 per cent under pressure from the Home Affairs Committee. In figures sent to MPs, under-fire chief executive Paul Pugh said the average cost of processing each application was just £59.40 – compared with a standard price of £72.50 for a passport. He also released statistics which revealed ministers and officials should have realised as early as January this year that the service was heading for a crisis as there were 552,192 applications compared with only 482,356 in January last year. The chaos has led to a huge increase in staff overtime, on rates of up to £70 per hour – with almost £1million being spent in May alone. Almost three quarters of countries will not accept UK passports that have been given 12-month extensions under plans to alleviate the backlog in applications, it has been revealed. Home Secretary Theresa May last week announced that expat Britons who need to renew their passports would be given one-year extensions. But now the Government has admitted only 50 countries have confirmed they will accept the extended passports, with the US, Australia and India not on the list. | Law introduced in 2011 has allowed 550,000 non-EU residents to apply .
Gave citizenship to residents of former Austro-Hungarian Empire .
System also attracted those who have little emotional attachment .
Allows people to escape to wealthier countries, including Germany . |
145,232 | 47d5e078285ef098128170925f866ca8512157fc | Matt Prior is close to walking again after discovering a potential career-ending injury just this month. The wicketkeeper, who has seen his spot in the England side passed on to Jos Buttler, underwent an operation to rectify an achilles problem that became altogether more serious. Prior's surgeon found a worrying three-inch tear through the middle of his tendon. Matt Prior tweeted a scar of his Achilles injury that was worse than the surgeon first feared . The 32-year-old played through the pain all summer without knowing the full extent of the injury . The 32-year-old revealed last week to thinking his cricket career was over after the operation took on complications. He cut a more upbeat figure on Tuesday morning however, tweeting the wound that he says is 'coming on nicely'. 'Seen the doc change of dressing and coming on nicely! Another day closer to walking again! #longwaytogo,' Prior wrote. Prior's form with the gloves dropped significantly after last summer's Ashes win, with a poor tour to Australia and then in the series at home against Sri Lanka. That was in part due to the tear - something the Sussex man battled through, unaware of the actual damage he'd done. Jos Buttler has taken Prior's place in the Test and One Day International teams behind the stumps . | Matt Prior is hoping to be back walking again soon .
The 32-year-old's surgery unveiled a more serious injury .
Jos Buttler took Prior's place in the England team this summer . |
219,959 | a8b57aa9dd10a0f5312ac81913570c393e17477c | Councillor Louise Hughes protest took her 30 miles across North Wales . By her own admission her feet were killing her by the end. But for Louise Hughes dragging a wheelie bin 30 miles across roads in North Wales to make a point was entirely worth it. The councillor is so incensed at plans to force residents into waiting three weeks for their rubbish to be collected that she took to the streets in protest. Yesterday she told bureaucrats that the majority of residents in Gwynedd, which includes the popular seaside resorts of Abersoch, Pwllheli and Barmouth, were against the proposals, as she presented a 5,000 name petition to a meeting of the full council. ‘The saying goes that you are never more than a few feet from a rat, but do we really want that to become a few inches?’ Councillor Hughes said. ‘I’ve walked about 30 miles across the county in the past few days – my feet are killing me, but it is worth it because this is a very serious issue. ‘Experts say there will be a huge increase in the rat population, their faeces and urine can produce very dangerous diseases. ‘Going to three weekly collections poses a real threat to public health.’ The plan to move from fortnightly to three weekly bin collections was rubber stamped by the Welsh Nationalist dominated cabinet, of the Plaid Cymru-run council in April. They will be the first local authority in Wales to move to three weekly collections when it comes into operation in October. The move follows Falkirk in Scotland last month and Bury, in Greater Manchester, which voted to do the same on Wednesday evening. Gwynedd claims the move is in response to tough targets from the Labour-run Welsh Government, which fines councils who dump too much waste in landfill sites, and will save them around £350,000 a year. But locals say they weren’t properly consulted and are ‘disgusted’ by the proposals, which they claim could see rotting rubbish left out on the streets for weeks on end. Waiting three weeks between rubbish collections posed a 'real threat to public health', Councillor Hughes said . They say the move will attract rats, see . seagulls scavenging around their homes and lead to a rise in fly . tipping. As many as 12 binmen could also be made redundant as a result . of the changes. Local businessman Gwyndaf Jones, 49, was among 20 locals who turned up outside Caernarfon council chamber to add his support for councillor Hughes’ protest yesterday. Waving a placard with the slogan ‘Syniad Sothach’ or ‘Rubbish Idea’ in Welsh, he said: ‘I’m very worried about the health risks. ‘We live close to terraced houses, with multiple occupants, and bin bags are already left out on the street for rats and seagulls to get at, that’s only going to get worse if we go to three weekly collections. ‘We’re just not getting value for money from our council tax.’ Another protestor, semi-retired nurse Mary Cartwright, 59, said: ‘We recycle, but there are some things that just have to go in the bin. ‘On a day like today (when it is hot) and our bins are full we have flies buzzing around already, so to have rotting food around for three weeks will be disgusting.’ About 5,000 residents of the Gwynedd region (pictured) signed a petition opposing the new collection times . Her husband, Jerry, 65, a retired Merchant Navy captain, added: ‘When I was a lad the binmen came around the back of my house, lifted the bins up onto their shoulders and carried them to be emptied. Now we have to lug our own bin around the front, then the binmen have a machine to pick up the bin and put it into the lorry – it’s all about health and safety isn’t it? We’re doing their job for them and then the council tax goes up. It’s madness.’ But leader of the council Dyfed Edwards denied the plans were simply about cost saving. ‘We are doing this to increase recycling,’ Councillor Edwards said. ‘Fifty per cent of the county’s population do recycle, but that means fifty per cent do not. ‘We have to change things.’ Last year Gwynedd Council narrowly avoided being fined more than £120,000 by the Cardiff administration for the amount of rubbish sent to landfill. It has been told it must recycle at least 52 per cent of all refuse collected from homes, increasing to 58 per cent by 2016. | North Wales councillor so angry at decision to reduce rubbish collections to every three weeks she drags wheelie-bin 30 miles across Wales in protest .
She then presented a 5,000 name petition to the council claiming the three-weekly collection was a 'real threat to public health'
Locals say they were not properly consulted, are 'disgusted' by the idea and warn there will be an increase in rats, seagulls and fly tipping . |
22,798 | 40bbe133a0276430d414ca20b05bcfb3593fc1e1 | The call went out across the land just hours after war was declared. ‘Your King and Country need you,’ the adverts implored, urging Britain to fight the oppressor in what was already being heralded as ‘the greatest conflict in the history of the world’. In their modest homes in terraced city streets, the Calpin boys barely hesitated. There were ten of them back then, all aged between 18 and 37. Two were already in military service for British Empire forces abroad and all were willing to put their lives on the line for liberty. David, 18, HMS Ariadne . Thomas, 27, 9th West Yorks . Henry, 22, RF Artillery . Ernest, 21, HMS Dreadnought . So in the space of those chaotic few weeks in August and September 1914, as the nation prepared for war against the Kaiser, all ten would answer the call to fight in the trenches of France and Flanders or defend the nation at sea. And, incredibly, all appear to have come home alive. A century on, the Calpins are being hailed as the biggest band of brothers ever to go to war. Yet the full extent of their selfless patriotism is only just re-emerging after their place in history faded into virtual obscurity. Their unique example earned public thanks and congratulation from King George V, the prime minister of the day, and the lord mayor of their home city of York. Their names were trumpeted in a recruiting drive at the time and even broadcast in local cinemas. John, 39, National Reserve . Patrick, 36, Remounts Depot . Martin, 29, 9th West Yorks . James, 33, 4th West Yorks . Today, as Britain prepares to honour all those who served in the First World War, few have ever heard of them. Yesterday their family spoke proudly of the brothers’ legacy and of ‘deep admiration’ for the way they responded to the call. None knew the Calpin boys had been praised by the King until told this week by the Daily Mail. In a Buckingham Palace letter, we can reveal, the brothers’ parents Sarah and Patrick Calpin – a housewife and her builder’s labourer husband – were told His Majesty had heard the news ‘with the deepest gratification’. He offered the new recruits ‘best wishes for success, health and happiness in their noble career’. William, 32, 3rd West Yorks . Arthur, 24, East Yorks . The Calpin parents Sarah and Patrick and their only daughter Anna . Michael Calpin, a grandson of Able Seaman Ernest Calpin, who served on HMS Dreadnought, told the Mail: ‘My father was always a little bit disappointed that they didn’t seem to get the recognition they deserved. It’s an astonishing thing for ten brothers all to go to war and it’s highly unlikely it will ever happen again. I’m really pleased to think that what they did is being recognised.’ Last night Guinness World Records was examining the information with a view to including the band of brothers in a new listing. The Imperial War Museum said it could find no record of the ten – but described the story as ‘hugely interesting’. It plans to contact relatives to consider including the brothers in forthcoming exhibitions. Most of the family lived in the early 1900s in a less than affluent area inside York’s city walls. The Calpins originally came to England from County Mayo, Ireland, driven out by the 19th century potato famine. Patrick and Sarah were born in York and raised their children there. Praise: A letter from the Chief Magistrate of York sent to the parents of the Calpin brothers . In September 1914, the classic image of Lord Kitchener declaring ‘Your country needs YOU’ began to stare out from countless walls and buildings across Britain. Six brothers signed up for the Army, most with the East and West Yorkshire infantry regiments. Among them was James Calpin, a 32-year-old former Yorkshire boxing champion who had served in the Boer War. Two more brothers joined the Royal Navy. Arthur Calpin, 24, had served nearly eight years in the Army and was in India when war broke out. William Calpin, 32, had been serving in Malta. Soon they would reunite with the other eight to fight ‘the Hun’ on land and at sea. Although First World War records are sometimes inconclusive, it appears that Mr and Mrs Calpin saw all their boys come home despite overwhelming odds. How the Daily Mail reported the story in September 1914 . William was wounded in action, but, like the other brothers, returned to join his family. An ‘Acting Corporal A Calpin’ with the East Yorkshire Regiment, Mentioned in Despatches and listed in the London Gazette in 1917, was almost certainly Arthur. Also in 1917, David, the youngest of the ten, was serving on HMS Ariadne when it was sunk by a German U-Boat. He was rescued from the water but suffered severe exposure. Although he returned to work for a few years after the war, he died at the age of 32. Private John Calpin, the eldest brother, was gassed in the trenches in France and shipped back to hospital in Nottingham. He sent a Red Cross postcard to his wife to let her know he had landed safely in England, but died in November 1916 at the age of 39. Ninety years later the father-of-seven’s grand-daughter Brenda Allison and other family members tracked down his overgrown grave in York and held a Remembrance Sunday service there. Mrs Allison, 79, still has the postcard her grandfather sent home. ‘I’m very proud of our family history and of the way the brothers responded,’ she told me. ‘They obviously had a very strong patriotic spirit. But from the very first day they got over to France it was an absolute bloodbath. I hope it may never happen again but if it did, I do think today’s generation would respond.’ | Calpin brothers, aged between 18 and 37 in 1914, fought in First World War .
They were praised by King George V and the prime minister of the day .
Calpins thought to be the biggest band of brothers ever to go to war .
Family speak of their 'deep admiration' for the brothers from York . |
257,136 | d8ce027791e01be6ab7eb6cbdcf87c701950a3f9 | Pawned: David James Montgomery, 58, pawned a laptop with a CD containing 14 homemade pornographic videos of him and a young girl . A Maryland man faces charges after child pornography was found on a CD left in a laptop he pawned, authorities say. On September 10, David James Montgomery, 58, of Hagerstown, pawned a laptop with a CD containing 14 homemade pornographic videos of a preteen girl. Montgomery was arrested Thursday and is charged with possession of child pornography, soliciting a subject for child pornography, permitting a subject to take part in child pornography, and child pornography depicting a sex act, according to Washington County District Court records. If found guilty, Montgomery could spend 35 years in prison, the total maximum sentence for the four charges. The Herald-Mail Media reports that a pawn shop employee found the CD in Montgomery's laptop and 'expected it to be music.' He then played it in another computer and saw that the CD contained a video of Montgomery 'directing a young girl to do sexual things.' Police began to investigate Montgomery after being called to the Washington Street Pawnbrokers in Hagerstown and, after investigating the incident, authorities obtained a search warrant for Montgomery's residence where they reportedly found other media and discs. Montgomery turned himself in and admitted to making the videos but said that he never had physical contact with the girl nor did he share the videos which were all allegedly recorded August 2. Montgomery reportedly told investigators that he had forgotten he left the videos on his computer. Admitted: Montgomery admitted to making the videos but said that he never had physical contact with the young girl nor did he share any of the videos . Herald-Mail reports that the preteen victim has been interviewed by police and Montgomery could face additional felony charges when the grand jury reconvenes. Assistant Public Defender Elizabeth Steiner told the Herald-Mail that Montgomery has no criminal record and asked the judge to place Montgomery on home detention, or make his bail unsecured or lower it, at a hearing on Friday. Montgomery's bail remains at $125,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19. Investigation: Police began to investigate Montgomery after being called to the Washington Street Pawnbrokers in Hagerstown and, after investigating the incident, authorities obtained a search warrant for Montgomery's residence where they reportedly found other media and discs . Bail: Montgomery's bail is set at $125,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place Nov. 19, he could face 35 years in prison if found guilty . | David James Montgomery, 58, pawned a laptop with a CD containing 14 homemade pornographic videos of him and a young girl .
Montgomery told investigatos that he had forgotten he left the videos on his computer .
Police obtained a warrant and searched Montgomery's residence finding other discs and media . |
50,575 | 8f1fd4c40e8b39df3ae99eeaaac66f94f8abc2d6 | Sam Burgess has been told he risked serious eye damage by playing for nearly 80 minutes with a double facial fracture in Sunday’s NRL Grand Final and could have jeopardised his chances of featuring in the rugby union World Cup. The Bath-bound player — hailed a ‘modern-day gladiator’ for refusing to leave the field following a sickening clash of heads with an opponent — had surgery in Sydney on Tuesday, when he had a metal plate inserted into his face to repair a fractured cheekbone and eye socket. His recovery is expected to take ‘several months’, which will leave him less than nine months from his first game of professional rugby union until the start of next year’s World Cup. Sam Burgess (left) played on with a suspected broken cheekbone for South Sydney in the NRL Grand Final . Burgess went on to win the Clive Churchill Medal (left) man of the match before getting his hand on the trophy . On Tuesday night, Burgess’s courage was called into question by former rugby-league great Dr George Peponis, who is now a GP. ‘He was courageous because he stayed on with a fractured eye socket or cheekbone, whatever it was,’ Peponis said. ‘However, if he got another bad knock on that eye socket it could’ve done some more serious damage, it could’ve been further depressed and caused some damage to his muscles around the eye. Thankfully, luckily, none of that happened.’ Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe (left) hugs Burgess (right) after the club's first premiership win in 43 years . Burgess receives medical attention after a head clash with James Graham in the opening hit-up of the match . Burgess tips his hat to the crowd after stunningly continuing despite the serious injury . The 25-year-old was given a hero's reception by fans at Redfern Oval after the Grand Final victory . South Sydney Rabbitohs owner, film star Russell Crowe, said Burgess’s heroism had seen him carve his name ‘deep into rugby league history’ following his man-of-the-match display in his final game for the Sydney club. But England head coach Stuart Lancaster, and his Bath counterpart Mike Ford, will be more concerned with the 25-year-old missing a large part of the Aviva Premiership following a deal to bring him to union worth close to £500,000. Lancaster is facing an increasingly lengthy injury list which has already seen four players ruled out of the autumn internationals while there is growing concern that Tom Croft’s knee problem could be worse than the club are prepared to admit. Burgess' mother Julie greets him after the NRL Grand Final victory for the Rabbitohs . Burgess poses for a selfie with his mother Julie after the game in Sydney . Julie Burgess poses with her Rabbitohs sons (from left) Sam, Luke, George and Tom . Burgess takes a big hit during the NRL Grand Final at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney . Burgess breaks down after a try in the closing stages of the match as his achievement sunk in . Burgess is lifted onto his team-mates' shoulders after the Rabbitohs won the NRL Grand Final . Burgess steps on to the stage at the ANZ Stadium to give a speech to the fans in attendance . Burgess struggles to hide his emotion after winning the NRL Grand Final . | Sam Burgess clashed with James Graham in first tackle of NRL Grand Final .
Former Bradford Bulls star suffered suspected broken cheekbone in clash .
Burgess played on as South Sydney won first Premiership in 43 years .
Rabbitohs beat Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30-6 at ANZ Stadium .
Burgess was awarded Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match .
He confirmed after the match he is set for surgery on his face .
Burgess played his last NRL game before his move to Bath Rugby . |
148,095 | 4b7c0f12c33bf060ccb4b1988f28a64cef67e89f | (CNN) -- When he came to, Gene Penaflor knew he had to do something. He didn't know how long he'd been unconscious; just that he was in the wilderness, a man of 72 who had lost his way while hunting deer. He had to quickly figure out how to survive, what to eat and drink, and how to stay warm. And for almost three weeks, Penaflor did just that: subsisting on a diet of lizards, frogs and squirrels. Penaflor was separated from his hunting buddy on September 24. At first, he tried find his way on foot out of the Mendocino National Forest, a vast nature preserve in northern California. But he was disoriented and quickly gave up. He stayed put in hope that someone would find him. In his 19 days cut off from humanity, it snowed several times, and temperatures dropped to 25 degrees Fahrenheit some nights. Then help came. Penaflor made it to a hospital in the town of Ukiah on the edge of the forest, where his family surrounded his bed. Doctors checked him over and released him. He is back home, his son Jeremy told CNN. "He's good. He's hanging in there. He looks like nothing changed except he grew a beard." Lost . Flank the deer on two sides; no matter where it runs, your buddy or you are pretty sure to bag it. It's a common hunting strategy. But it got Penaflor separated from his hunting partner on September 24. They had split up at their base camp, walking over separate ridges, and were going to meet up down the path a few hours later for lunch. Penaflor never showed. A day later, his hunting buddy reported him missing to the Mendocino County sheriff, who sent out a search party a day later assembled from nearly two dozen country and state law enforcement offices. After scouring the mountain range on foot and with rescue dogs, and in the air for four days, they found no clues leading to Penaflor. A hefty storm blew in, and they suspended the search. Woman survives 12 days in the wilds of Canada . The accident . Penaflor had walked out into the woods much farther than he had planned, his son said. He slipped on a steep slope and hit his head. It knocked him out cold, and he has no idea for how long. He still had his hunting rifle, but he told his son that he didn't have the strength to hunt a deer. "He told me it was mainly in survival mode. He was trying to save energy," the son said. Instead, Penaflor focused on small game, foraged for algae in a stream and drank water from a creek. To stay dry, he crouched under a fallen tree, and to keep warm, he made a fire and packed dry leaves and grass around his body. He never stopped trying, and his family did not give up hope. "We knew he was out there," said Jeremy Penaflor. Missing teen, fascinated with 'Into the Wild,' found dead . The rescue . The search party went out again Saturday to look for the 72-year-old, and this time the group was about half the size of the original one. But someone beat them to Penaflor. A hunter called the sheriff's office in the morning, saying he and his large group of friends could hear a man crying for help from down in a valley. The cell phone connection dropped out again and again, before deputies could note his location, the sherriff's office said. They instructed the hunter to call 911, and the operator locked in on his GPS coordinates. Penaflor's cries led the hunting party to him. They cut poles from trees and affixed their coats to them to fashion a makeshift stretcher to carry him out. Rescuers met up with the group hours later, as they heaved him up a steep hill. They called a helicopter to ferry him to Ukiah Valley Medical Center. Hugs and tears . When his family saw him, no one spoke, Jeremy Penaflor said. "Just hugs. And we were in tears." He released a photograph to the media, showing his father in a hospital bed, smiling and giving a thumbs-up. No more hunting for now, the son said. "If he decides to hunt in a couple of years, that's fine. But we joked around and said let's make it a camping trip." If he goes out again, his son wants to be with him. Police: 4 teens missing from youth ranch in New Mexico return . Missing teen found in Rhode Island . CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report. | Gene Penaflor, 72, fell unconscious in a California national forest .
He has no idea how long he was out .
He had a gun but no energy to hunt big game, so he ate squirrels, frogs and lizards .
Rescuers' search was futile, but after 19 days, hunters stumbled upon Penaflor . |
206,456 | 974976e2aada091f018367be88541007a31baa8e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Researchers found the one glass of wine many drivers think is acceptable may be too much for over-55s . Having just one glass of wine could be enough to dangerously affect older drivers, researchers have warned. In tests comparing the effects of alcohol on different age groups, they found that the driving skills of the over-55s plummeted compared to younger people. The research involved 36 people aged 25 to 35 and 36 people aged 55 to 70 who took a computer-based driver simulation test while sober and then again after varying amounts of alcohol, although not enough to put them over the drink-drive limit. Each person was assessed as they ‘drove’ down a simulated three-mile stretch of winding country road. The drivers stared straight ahead at a large computer monitor. Two computer monitors flanked the first, mimicking the side windows of a car and what the drivers would see in their peripheral vision. Occasionally, the drivers would encounter an oncoming car, but they did not encounter other distractions, 'not even a cow'. After a drink, and a time lapse to mimic having alcohol with their dinner and then driving home, they were put behind the wheel again. The researchers from the University of Florida found that the small, legal levels of intoxication only affected the driving abilities of the older group. They assessed the drivers’ ability to stay in the centre of their lane and maintain a constant speed. They also looked at how rapidly they adjusted their steering wheel. Professor of psychiatry and psychology Dr Sara Jo Nixon said they found it a ‘bit surprising’ that younger drivers’ skills were not affected by the alcohol, although she warned that the tests did not prove they would be safer on real roads. The researchers found young people managed to stay in the centre of their lane and maintain the same speed . PhD student Alfredo Sklar said: 'These simulations have been used a lot in looking at older adults, and they have been used at looking how alcohol affects the driving of younger adults, but no one’s ever looked at the combination of aging drivers and alcohol.' Further research is planned to measure how the brain responds during the driving test when dosed with alcohol. The findings are published in the journal Psychopharmacology. | Different aged groups took simulated test before and after a drink .
Researchers at University of Florida found legal level affected older group .
Under-55s managed to stay in centre of lane and maintain speed . |
268,096 | e7364957ec28750f8cc32355c494ad1dde0bb059 | It was the first day of New York Fashion Week and the debut of Kanye West's collaboration with Adidas. But the rapper had without a doubt the most star-studded front row of the shows so far, with the likes of Beyonce, Jay Z, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and of course, his wife Kim Kardashian sitting pride of place. Reality star Kim was happily wedged in between her new BFF Beyonce and US Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Scroll down for video . In the front row: KimKardashian was flanked on both sides by Beyonce and Anna Wintour as little North sat in her lap at Kanye West's collaborative debut with Adidas at New York Fashion Week on Thursday . His biggest fans: Kim took 20-month-old North to see Kanye's NYFW debut . The 34-year-old had brought along daughter North, but the toddler apparently grew upset ahead of the show and was taken backstage. Her youngest sister Kylie Jenner, 17, was among the models who featured in the presentation, while pro Kendall watched from the sidelines. Kim, who told the latest issue of LOVE magazine that Kanye encourages her to 'dress sexier', did just that for the occasion in a camouflage mini-skirt and jacket. Star-studded turnout: Jay Z, Beyonce, Wintoour, Hailey Baldwin, and Russell Simmons sat with Kim in the front row for the show . They even managed a rare smile: The family posed for a photo with a surprisingly cheerful Anna Wintour . The crowd kept on growing: P Diddy was also in attendance, sitting next to Jay Z . Crowd pleaser: The stars in attendance applauded the show . Kim teamed the thigh-skimming skirt and bulky coat with a tight brown top and stockings tucked into boots. The 34-year-old left her raven locks loose and went for her signature make-up, featuring mauve lipstick, strong eyebrows and lashings of mascara. She cradled little North in her arms, and the youngster looked adorable in a brown knitted jumper, black jeans and boots. Dropping in: The happy couple posed with pop sensation Rihanna, who Kanye just collaborated with on FourFive Seconds . Kim's camoflage jacket . Get army chic! Kim Kardashian carried baby North to Kanye West's fashion show in an oversized camouflage jacket that looked almost as it if it were borrowed from her hubby. We're not used to seeing Miss Kimmy K. in anything but form fitting designer duds, but we're really loving this loose look on her. The reality star has definitely been bringing back this 1990's trend as of late - she was spotted in a pair of Faith Connection camouflage pants just the other day. Take a page from Kim's style files to nab her look with one of the picks from our edit below. Both Saint Laurent and Rag & Bone make high end versions of the trend or opt for a real deal with a Rothko jacket on sale for only $73.95! Our favorite item here at Fashion Finder HQ is a Levi's mixed media camo bomber, which at $140.00 is also a style steal. Rothco The Woodland Camo Vintage M-65 Field Jacket at Karma Loop (Now $73.95) Visit site . Saint Laurent Camouflage Military Jacket at Farfetch . Visit site . Rag & Bone Randi Cotton Camo Jacket at Saks Fifth Avenue . Visit site . Levi's® Mixed Media Cotton/Pu Bomber at Zappos . Visit site . Heading out: Kim carried her 20-month-old out of the show as Beyonce looked on in amusement . Intimate chat: Wintour listened intently as Kanye spoke his mind . The thigh's the limit: The reality star wore a minuscule camouflage skirt and bulky jacket to the show . The 20-month-old even carried a miniature Adidas shoe. Beyonce looked smoking hot in the front row, wearing a tight black dress and sky high red heels. She was cuddled up to husband Jay Z, who wore all black aside from his beige boots, and was sitting next to pal Diddy. Daddy's little girl: Not appearing at all nervous before the show, Kanye spent time with North . Their turn: The Vogue editor and the reality star chatted like a couple of old friends . Design by Kanye: The happy trio posed for a snap - with Kim's attire being the most daring . The momager and the queen: Kris Jenner posed up with Bey as they mingled at the show . During the day of the fashion show, Kanye was spotted intently talking with WIntour as Kim listened in on the conversation. Kanye cradled his face with his hands as he spoke confidentially while the fashion editor kept her shades on and sipped a bottle of water. A fur coat was wrapped around 65-year-old Wintour's shoulders as Kanye sported a hooded jumper. Come to mama! North had a blast playing with her mom at the show . Way in the back: Kylie Jenner walked the runway at the show (six rows back in the center) and tweeted 'Kanye X Adidas. Thank u to Ye for believing in me' Watching Kylie? Kendall, Khloe and Kris looked to be quite shaken by the events onstage, as Big Sean sat behind them . Portrait of a reality (duo): Kendall and her mother posed up while seated front row . Meanwhile, Rihanna turned every head when she rocked up to the venue in a very bizarre black denim off-the-shoulder creation, which featured a furry panel across the chest and culottes. Justin Bieber arrived with rumoured girlfriend Hailey Baldwin, and was casually clad in a black leather aviator jacket and sunglasses, with skinny jeans, boots and a white T-shirt. Hailey braved the cold weather in a skimpy knitted dress and over-the-knee suede boots. Overwhelming: Kim took North backstage when she grew upset ahead of the presentation . Good to see you: P Diddy congratulated Kanye on his show . A fan: Kendall was flanked by her new BFF Justin Bieber and Big Sean . Power houses: Rihanna and Beyonce posed up backstage . Star-studded front row: Rihanna was among the guests, wearing an unusual denim outfit . Meanwhile, Kim’s sisters Khloe and Kendall oozed sex appeal as they made their way to the show. Khloe showed plenty of skin and even more cleavage in a sheer black top revealing her bra underneath, along with a matching pencil skirt and sandals. The 30-year-old styled her ombre hair in waves and sported deep red lipstick and bronze eyeshadow. He got his pair!: Bieber showed his support in a pair of Yeezy 750 Boosts . Lovebirds?: The pop star rocked up to the event with rumoured girlfriend Hailey Baldwin, wearing a different outfit . Star of the show: Kylie was picked as one of the models in the presentation, and she too arrived in the Boosts . Supportive sisters in law: Khloe Kardashian (R) and Kendall Jenner were also seen heading to the event . Oozing sex appeal: Khloe wore a sheer top which showed off her bra, while Kendall sported thigh high leather boots . Like her big sister, Kendall went for an all-black ensemble. The model, 19, sported a leather skirt with fringed hemline and matching thigh high boots, along with a long wool coat. It wasn't just his new fashion line that Kanye was debuting during the event, as he also treated guests to a listen of his new song Wolves. Big deal: Anna Wintour doesn't go to all of the shows taking place, so Kanye did well to have her attend . Rock on: Fall Out Boy star Pete Wentz was also seen arriving at the event . Fleeing the scene: Kanye led Kim out of the fashion show after night had fallen . Showing off the fruits of his labour: Kanye stood with the group of models after the presentatio . The track, featuring Sia and Vic Mensa, played for the first time as the models showed off his clothing during the presentation. Kanye's hotly anticipated high-tops, called the Yeezy 750 Boosts, will go on sale on Saturday, February 14 and retail at $350. 9000 pairs will initially be released, and can be reserved now. He didn't make the cut: Justin Bieber could be seen sitting in the second row, behind Kendall and Khloe . Take a bow: Kanye greeted his adoring public during the show, where he also debuted his new song Wolves featuring Sia and Vic Mensa . Coming soon: The rapper's hotly anticipated high-tops will be available on Saturday for the price of $350 . | Kim took North backstage before the show when the youngster grew upset .
Kylie Jenner was among the models in the presentation .
Other celebrity guests included Jay Z, Diddy and Hailey Baldwin .
Kanye also debuted his new song Wolves, featuring Sia and Vic Mensa . |
254,375 | d5434207b5d4b3a7d18d0d9ce56cff9bad1ab3ad | Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb, who will say that that Labour has 'screwed up' on education in Wales . Labour's record on education in Wales is a ‘scandal’ and even worse than its performance on the NHS, the Tories will claim today. In the opening salvo in a new Conservative attack on the Labour-run Welsh government, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb will say the decline of schools has been ‘woeful’ and Labour has ‘screwed up’ education. He will unveil a series of expert findings suggesting Wales is lagging behind England. Applications from Welsh students to Oxbridge are at their lowest level in ten years, while only 4 per cent of schools are rated ‘excellent’ compared with 29 per cent in England, the Cabinet minister will say. Wales lags behind other parts of the UK and countries including Poland, Slovenia and Estonia in international education rankings compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The principality performed worse than the OECD average and all other parts of the UK in all key measures, including maths, science and reading, Mr Crabb will say. By age seven, the reading ability of children in Wales is behind that of children in England and Scotland, irrespective of whether they are from families with low or high incomes. The A*-C GCSE pass rate in Wales is 70 per cent, compared to 77.8 per cent in England. While the proportion of pupils getting five good GCSEs exceeded that of England in 2000, this has now reversed. A report by former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn last year found that pupils eligible for free school meals in England are 50 per cent more likely to obtain five good GCSEs than their counterparts in Wales. A report last week by Ann Keane, Wales’ chief inspector of schools, said that four in ten primary schools were ranked only as ‘adequate’. Mr Crabb, speaking today at the Sony UK headquarters in Bridgend, South Wales, will say: 'Young people who receive free school meals in Wales are 50 per cent less likely to get good GCSEs than those in England. That’s woeful. ‘When you screw up on education, the kids you fail are the ones from the most disadvantaged homes – that’s Labour’s legacy in Wales. Saying “we took our eye off the ball” doesn’t even come close to the level of responsibility Welsh Labour should be accepting. ‘The Prime Minister is aiming to tackle mediocrity in England. In Wales, Welsh Labour are trying to silence that debate and it’s the parents, pupils and teachers who they are letting down. ‘Ed Miliband said himself there was “lots to learn” from what Labour are doing in Wales, so parents have every reason to be concerned about what a future Labour Government might do in England.’ While the proportion of pupils getting five good GCSEs in Wales exceeded that of England in 2000, this has now reversed (file pic) Mr Crabb, who was raised by a single mother on a council estate and attended his local comprehensive, will suggest that in Wales there had been a ‘retreat from aspiration and excellence for kids from the most disadvantaged homes’. Wales’ education minister Huw Lewis accused Mr Crabb of a ‘base attempt to secure votes in the general election’. He said there was evidence that Wales was closing the gap with England, adding: ‘Our reforms are working, and our pupils are benefiting. 'How sad to see the Secretary of State for Wales – nominally our voice at the Cabinet table in Westminster – rubbish that achievement to please his London masters.’ | Stephen Crabb will say Labour's education record in Wales is a scandal .
Welsh Secretary believes that Labour have 'screwed up' on education .
Comes as Oxbridge applications from Wales fall to lowest for 10 years .
4% of schools in Wales are rated 'excellent' compared to 29% in England . |
83,786 | eda69dbbdfe188e6b72bfceb948fe45d51597459 | (CNN) -- Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent was released from jail on $500,000 bond Sunday -- around the time his team pulled off an emotional, last-second win -- after his arrest in the fiery weekend car crash that killed his teammate. Brent was arrested on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter after a Mercedes he was driving flipped and caught fire early Saturday in Irving, Texas, the Dallas suburb where the Cowboys are based. He was out of the Irving City jail by 4:45 p.m. (5:45 p.m. ET), said a source at the jail who identified himself only by the last name McBride. Police said Brent's car was traveling at high speed when it hit a curb, and officers on the scene "believed alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash." In an arrest affidavit released Sunday, police reported that Brent was pulling his teammate, Jerry Brown Jr., from the wrecked vehicle when officers reached the scene of the crash. He refused a blood test, but police were able to take a sample from him because the case involved a fatality, the affidavit states. The car traveled about 900 feet after hitting the curb, said police spokesman John Argumaniz. The 25-year-old Brown, an outside linebacker on the Dallas practice squad, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Cowboys players were told of Brown's death on their flight east Saturday for a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, said head coach Jason Garrett. They talked more extensively about the situation during meetings that night. "My memory is of a big strapping guy with a bright smile on his face, bright eyes, bounce in his step every time I saw him," Garrett said. "Twenty-five years old, he's no longer with us. And that's hard for everybody to handle." Despite their heavy hearts, the Cowboys rallied Sunday from nine points down in the game's final minutes to beat the Bengals 20-19 on a last-second Dan Bailey field goal. Emotional players and coaches could be seen hugging afterward, with defensive lineman Jason Hatcher holding up Brown's No. 53 jersey. "I think there was a feeling of numbness out on the field today, but somehow (the players) focused ... and we figured out a way to win," said Garrett, who added that he talked with Brown's mother after the game. "I thought we honored him as well as he could be honored." Brent, 24, is in his third season with the Cowboys. He appeared for arraignment Sunday morning and did not enter a plea during the brief hearing, according to a detention officer who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to talk to news outlets. The charge he faces is a second-degree felony that carries a potential two- to 20-year prison sentence with a maximum $10,000 fine. In a statement issued through his agent Saturday night, Brent said he was "devastated" over the accident and "filled with grief for the loss of my close friend and team mate, Jerry Brown." "I am also grief-stricken for his family, friends and all who were blessed enough to have known him. I will live with this horrific and tragic loss every day for the rest of my life," the statement said. Brent pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in 2009, according to court records in Champaign, Illinois, where he played football with Brown at the University of Illinois. He received a 60-day sentence, a fine and 200 hours of community service. CNN's Lateef Mungin, Chandler Friedman and Greg Botelho reported from Atlanta. CNN's Jason Durand contributed to this report. | NEW: Josh Brent is released Sunday from Irving City jail, a source at the jail says .
Brent, 24, was driving when his car flipped and caught fire early Saturday, police say .
His teammate Jerry Brown, a passenger, was pronounced dead at a hospital .
The Cowboys win on a last-second score despite their "numbness," head coach says . |
12,782 | 243ca7c8abd1d6d0cdd1460e887465e7afe5442e | By . Ted Thornhill . and Associated Press . The father of a pregnant Pakistani woman who was stoned to death and four other men have been charged with killing her after she married against the family's wishes, police said. Farzana Parveen, 25, was killed on May 27 before a crowd of onlookers near a downtown courthouse in the eastern city of Lahore. A mob beat her with bricks and killed her as she was on her way to court to contest an abduction case her family had filed against her husband, Mohammed Iqbal. Shocking: Farzana Parveen (left), 25, was killed before a crowd of onlookers near a courthouse in Lahore, allegedly by her father and four other men, displeased at her marriage to Mohammed Iqbal (right) Mourning: Iqbal praying at Farzana's grave . A Pakistani court indicted her father, two brothers, a cousin and a man who claimed he had been married to Parveen on charges of murder and torture on Saturday. All five men pleaded not guilty, according to Mian Zulfiqar, the police investigator. The trial will begin on Monday when the court has called on prosecution witnesses to appear, said Zulfiqar. Horror: Farzana was stoned to death in broad daylight . He said police and doctors who conducted the autopsy of the victim would be among those testifying. 'We have a strong case against the suspects but it is up to the court how to take view of our investigation,' he said. The case has brought international attention to violence against women in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where hundreds of women are barbarically killed by relatives each year in so-called 'honor killings' carried out by husbands or relatives as a punishment for alleged adultery or other illicit sexual behavior. Arranged marriages are the norm among conservative Pakistanis, and Parveen's family was angry she married Mohammed Iqbal for love. The case has brought international attention to violence against women in Muslim-majority Pakistan . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Farzana Parveen, 25, was killed before a crowd of onlookers in Lahore .
Her father and four other men have been charged with killing her .
She was beaten to death with bricks outside a downtown courthouse .
Police said she was killed for marrying against her family's wishes . |
248,359 | cd57c1cba684f7a17d02c4187d184a0c85c4d753 | BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two bombings in separate Iraq provinces on Monday killed eight U.S. troops, the U.S. military said. A boy with a machine gun weeps Monday at the site of a suicide bombing in Kanan that killed a sheik. A roadside bomb killed three U.S. soldiers and an interpreter in Diyala province, which has been a major front in the war during the "surge" of U.S. troops fighting insurgents near the capital. Earlier in the day, at least five U.S. soldiers on foot patrol were killed and three others wounded in a suicide bombing in Baghdad. In addition, suicide bombers killed five Iraqis in two bombings in Diyala province Monday morning, including a sheik who helped battle Sunni extremists and his 5-year-old niece. Watch new suicide tactics in Iraq » . Four U.S. soldiers died at the scene Monday's Baghdad blast and one more died later of wounds, the military said. They were with Multi-National Division-Baghdad. An Iraqi interpreter also was wounded in the explosion, the officials said. Initial reports indicate the bomber was wearing an explosive vest. "Five soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the Iraqi and American people. I ask you remember these fallen heroes and their families as well as their wounded brethren in your thoughts and prayers," said Col. Allen Batschelet, chief of staff for Multi-National Division-Baghdad. "We remain resolute in our resolve to protect the people of Iraq and kill or capture those who would bring them harm." The explosion marks the deadliest attack against the U.S. military since five soldiers were killed January 28 in a roadside bombing in Mosul. Troops killed a Saudi insurgent whose network was responsible for that attack. Earlier, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said one person was killed and eight people were wounded in a suicide bomb attack targeting a U.S. military convoy in western Baghdad. It is not clear if the U.S. and Iraqi reports are about the same incident. Monday's attacks would bring the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq this month to 10. A total of 3,983 military personnel have died in the nearly 5-year-old war. The attack came after a bomber near Baquba targeted the leader of a security group assisting U.S. troops. The teen suicide bomber killed a sheik and a 5-year-old, a day after she went to the sheik's Kanan home claiming to need help finding her husband, police and family members said. The female suicide bomber, 18, blew herself up at the sheik's home Monday morning, police said. The tribal leader was the head of a local citizens group that has been working with U.S. forces to rout out insurgents. The largely Sunni security groups are known as Awakening Councils. Kanan is east of Baquba, situated in the volatile Diyala province, which has been a major front for the "surge" of U.S.-led troops targeting militants near Baghdad. According to one of the sheik's cousins, the teen bomber went to the sheik's house Sunday to ask him for help finding her husband -- thought to be kidnapped or detained. The 18-year-old was told to return Monday, the cousin said. She returned Monday and staged the attack, killing the sheik, his 5-year-old niece and one of his security guards, police said. The attack reflects both the growing use of females as suicide bombers in Iraq and the targeting of Awakening Councils, which are also known as Concerned Citizens Groups or Sons of Iraq. The grass-roots groups, which are sometimes led by former insurgents, have drawn more than 90,000 volunteers to their ranks, military spokesman Rear Adm. Gregory said Sunday. Since November, there have been at least five attacks carried out by female suicide bombers, including a twin bombing at Baghdad pet markets last month that killed almost 100 people. Insurgent groups, particularly al Qaeda in Iraq, are increasingly using women as suicide bombers because they are less likely to be searched, the U.S. military has said. About an hour after the attack at the sheik's home, another suicide bomber approached Iraqi security forces in Muqdadiya and blew himself up as the forces began shooting at him. The blast killed two civilians and wounded 20 others, including two police officers, authorities said. Muqdadiya also is in Diyala province. In other developments: . • A suicide car bomb exploded Monday outside an upscale hotel in Sulaimaniya, killing two people and wounding at least 32 others, police said. The blast occurred at the Sulaimani Palace hotel, located in the center of the city. It is in northern Iraq's Kurdish region and is a common stop for visiting government officials, businessmen and contractors. • Two bombings in Baghdad on Monday killed an Iraqi and wounded nine others, an Interior Ministry official said. A parked car bomb exploded near an outdoor market in Shaab, a Shiite neighborhood in northeastern Baghdad, killing a civilian and wounding seven others. A roadside bomb exploded on a highway near a U.S. military patrol in eastern Baghdad, wounding two bystanders. • Coalition troops north of Baghdad killed five insurgents and detained 19 people in raids, the U.S. military said Monday. The Sunday raids were part of coalition forces' "untiring efforts to remove al Qaeda from Iraq," said Lt. Col. Maura Gillen, a Multi-National Forces-Iraq spokeswoman. • Several U.S. troops may have been sickened by dirty water intended for hygiene use and supplied to bases around Iraq between 2004 and 2006, according to a Pentagon report released Monday. However, the Department of Defense inspector general's report points out that because the water was not monitored, it is impossible to tell for sure if it was dirty and if it contributed to the troops getting sick. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Jamie McIntyre, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jonathan Wald contributed to this report. | NEW: Roadside bomb kills 3 U.S. soldiers and an interpreter in Diyala province .
Earlier, at least 5 U.S. soldiers on foot patrol die in Baghdad suicide bombing .
Baghdad blast marks deadliest attack on U.S. troops since January 28 .
Female suicide bomber kills sheik, 5-year-old niece and guard at Iraqi home . |
204,978 | 955d3e1bc8f8c5be50f386aa18279ba902d9079d | By . Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor . There is someone in every household who always forgets to turn off the lights or television before bed. But rather than squabbling over it, families will soon have a simple solution. A smart home system is on the way which allows householders to control appliances by voice. Samsung's smart house will enable people to turn off household appliances and lights using their smartphone or Galaxy Gear smartwatch. The fact the South Korean tech giant is pushing the smart home idea is expected to take the technology from the laboratory to the mass market . A simple ‘goodnight’ or ‘going out’ command will shut down all gadgets and turn off lights without the need . to go around the house flicking switches. The . Samsung Smart Home was unveiled by the South Korean technological firm . at the US Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas yesterday. It . enables smart televisions, home appliances and smartphones to be . connected and managed together and will be introduced in the first half . of this year. Users will be . able to access the system through Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smartwatch, . their TV remote control, a smartphone or by computer app. The . smart devices will alert owners to faults in the appliances, and they . can even keep an eye on their homes while they are away. The system . connects to cameras in smart TVs, fridges and dishwashers, which can . then give the owner a glimpse at their home from anywhere via a . smartphone. And an . application called device control will allow householders to turn air . conditioning or lighting on or off by phone, even when abroad. Initially, the Samsung system will only work with its own brand of televisions, home appliances and smartphones. It will then be expanded to include other manufacturers’ appliances. Andy Griffiths, president of Samsung . Electronics UK and Ireland, said: ‘With Samsung Smart Home, we are . bringing our capabilities as the world’s number-one manufacturer of . smart devices to make the connected home a reality for consumers today.’ A Samsung spokesman . said: ‘Users will be able to control and manage their home devices . through a single application by connecting personal and home devices, . from refrigerators and washing machines to smart TVs, digital cameras, . smartphones and even the wearable device Galaxy Gear, through an . integrated platform and server.’ ‘With . Device Control, users can use customised settings on their mobile . devices or Smart TV to monitor or control home devices - turning on air . conditioning or activating lighting, for example - while inside or outside the home, or even while travelling abroad. Samsung said people will be able to control and manage their home devices through a single application by connecting personal and home devices, from refrigerators and washing machines to smartphones the Galaxy Gear smartwatch (pictured) through an integrated platform and server . Samsung's range of home appliances includes a $3,499 (£2,332) smart fridge freezer (pictured), which is Wi-Fi enabled with an LCD screen carrying a series of Apps, including Google Calendar, recipes, weather and news, plus Twitter, which updates all the latest tweets from people you are following . ‘At the touch of a dedicated Smart Home app icon on their device, the service enables users to control one or multiple devices simultaneously no matter where they are. ‘Smart Home also offers a voice command function on all the controller devices. If a user says ‘going out’ to his Galaxy Gear device, home lighting and selected appliances are turned off. ‘If the user says "goodnight" to their Smart TV remote control, the TV will be turned off and lights dimmed and gradually turned off. Users can also use chat control on their smartphone app as a fun, convenient way to communicate with their devices. ‘With the service’s Home View feature, users can use their smartphone to get real-time views of the home via in-built appliance cameras.’ Initially, the Samsung Smart Home system will focus on its own Smart TVs, home appliances and smartphones. It will then be expanded to include appliances made by other manufacturers. Initially, the Samsung Smart Home system will focus on its own Smart TVs, home appliances and smartphones. It will then be expanded to include appliances made by other manufacturers . All the major electronics companies are working on their own smart home devices. In theory, people returning home from work will be able to turn on the lights, the heating, the oven or the washing machine. It will also link to smart door locks, allowing people to open the front door by talking to their smartwatch or phone. Samsung Smart Home, a service enabling Smart TVs, home appliances and smartphones to be connected and managed through a single integrated platform will be rolled out in the first half of this year. | A command of ‘going out’ will turn off devices and the lights .
Samsung's Smart Home system has been unveiled by Samsung at the US Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas .
Users will be able to access the company's system .
via its Galaxy Gear smartwatch, TV remote control, .
smartphones or a computer app . |
165,972 | 629fe834526d070136954172a9bedc7b90987886 | By . Elliott Bretland . Follow @@EllBretland . Wayne Rooney says new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has made him look at the game in a 'different way'. The Red Devils frontman has looked impressive in pre-season and was named the International Champions Cup player of the tournament following Man United's 3-1 win over Liverpool in Miami on Monday. Rooney is pleased with the new system Van Gaal has implemented and is pleased with the way the team are performing under the Dutchman. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Rooney celebrate bizarre ghost goal before it is disallowed . New system: Wayne Rooney says Louis van Gaal has given players a different way of looking at football . All smiles: Rooney holds aloft the International Champions Cup with Man United team-mate Darren Fletcher . Back of the net! Rooney, pictured celebrating his goal against Liverpool, was named player of the tournament . Rooney told the Manchester Evening News: ‘It's been a good few weeks, we've got a new manager who wants us to play a different style of football. We've had to adapt. We've had some good results against top opposition so we can be pleased. ‘I think the system suits the team, not only myself. The manager came in and had a look at the players we've got. He's done what he thinks is best suited for our team. ‘He's a tough manager but he's been great since he came in. He's given us all a different way of looking at football, which we haven't had before. ‘It's been great for us and hopefully that will continue.’ The 28-year-old is looking forward to the new campaign following United's triumph out in America. 'We wanted to win games, play well. And obviously we've done that. We've won a trophy as well,' said the striker. 'It's always nice to beat Liverpool. We're happy with the work we've done out here, now we go on to Valencia and then the season starts.' High five: Holland manager Louis van Gaal has a good relationship with Man United frontman Robin van Persie . VIDEO Van Gaal wants reinforcements . Pleasing: Rooney is happy with the work produced by Manchester United in America ahead of the new season . | Wayne Rooney pleased with new system Louis van Gaal has implemented at Manchester United .
Red Devils frontman says Dutch manager has given Man United players a different way of looking at football .
Rooney named International Champions Cup player of the tournament .
Striker scored in 3-1 victory over Liverpool on Monday night in Miami . |
121,006 | 2864bb8a0b2bfabebb3c268cd8253c41c10a3c1d | There was a time when she held the nation – and Captain Ross Poldark – in the palm of her hand. Now, as the BBC revives the classic costume drama Poldark, here is the first look at the new Demelza. Eleanor Tomlinson – previously seen in the BBC’s The White Queen – is taking over the role of the fiery heroine first made famous by Angharad Rees. And these pictures show her on set last week in Corsham, Wiltshire, which is standing in for 18th Century Cornwall. HEROINE: Eleanor Tomlinson in the role of Demelza which Angharad Rees made famous . THEN AND NOW: The 1970s and 2015 incarnations of Ross Poldark and Demelza . The original series attracted audiences of up to 15 million when it ran from 1975 to 1977. And when the eight-part revival airs next year, it will be in a post-9pm watershed slot, so producers can make it steamier than before. Tomlinson, 22, said: ‘Demelza was so brilliantly played by Angharad, and I have done my best to try not to disappoint the army of Poldark fans.’ Ms Rees died of pancreatic cancer in 2012. In the revival, Ross Poldark, first played by Robin Ellis, will be played by Aidan Turner from The Hobbit movies. | Eleanor Tomlinson takes over the role made famous by Angharad Rees .
The original series attracted audiences of up to 15 million in the 1970s .
Tomlinson said Demelza was so 'brilliantly played' by Angharad . |
111,953 | 1c61acd00fa431d425fc79b0c90ecefafecb3ace | Ralph Ellis runs you through what we learned from the weekend's football... with some star turns and a look through the leagues, too. This week sees a Manchester City midfielder and new West Ham signing stealing the headlines . 1. James Milner has made a big breakthrough in Manuel Pellegrini’s thinking after being named to start against both Arsenal and Chelsea. The England midfielder made just 10 Premier League starts last season and not one was against a top four team, but Manchester City’s manager is clearly ready to put more trust in the 28-year-old. He justified his new status, playing in three different positions as City adjusted to having ten men before he then provided the pass for Frank Lampard’s late equaliser. James Milner celebrates setting up Frank Lampard for the equaliser against Chelsea . 2. Alex Song’s arrival at West Ham will give Mark Noble a new lease of life to play a more attacking role in Sam Allardyce’s plans. One club man Noble has been anchored in a defensive midfield position for some time, but having Song behind him meant 24 of the 34 accurate passes he played against Liverpool were in the attacking half. He made the switch count – making one goal and setting up three more chances in the 3-1 win over Brendan Rodgers’ team. Barcelona loanee Alex Song was an imposing presence for West Ham against Liverpool . 3. With a capacity of just 18,360 Queens Park Rangers already have the disadvantage of the smallest stadium in the Premier League – so it must be an additional worry that they can’t fill it. Just 16,163 saw Niko Kranjcar’s free kick rescue a 2-2 draw – and even allowing that Stoke brought only 1,028 fans to go in the 1,900 capacity away end that still leaves 1,325 home seats unsold. Full price tickets started at £30 – but were trading for as little as £17 on the club’s official viagogo site. QPR players celebrate stealing a point against Stoke in front of a less than full Loftus Road . 4. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has mostly been a bit part player for Arsenal this season – he’s appeared in all nine games but the win at Aston Villa was only the second time he’s started a Premier League game. The 78 minutes he completed before getting subbed was the most he’s played in the League since last March but there were signs he could be pushing for more. His neat touch started the move from which Mesut Ozil got the Gunners’ first goal, and he found a team mate with 46 of his 55 passes. Pressure from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain forced an own goal versus Aston Villa in a rare start for the midfielder . 5. Mohamed Diame moaned about not getting more chance to play in central midfield at West Ham and has done his best to make his point since joining Hull. The Senegal international’s brilliant finish at Newcastle proved he’s got a shot in both feet – with a left foot rocket following up his right foot finish against the Hammers last Monday. Maybe if he’d shown more of that quality at Upton Park last season he’d have got more opportunities to play in his favourite role – he got just four goals in the entire campaign. Mohamed Diame has scored two in two since joining Hull from West Ham . 6. Papiss Cisse got the headlines for the two goals that rescued Alan Pardew from another calamity but the player who worked his socks off most to save the boss was midfielder Jack Colback. The free transfer capture from neighbours Sunderland, hailed by Roy Hodgson as the 'ginger Andrea Pirlo' when he was picked for the England squad, covered 7.8 miles against Hull – the furthest run by any Premier League player on Saturday. He gave quality as well as quantity – with a 95.3 per cent passing success rate. Free transfer Jack Colback (left) looks set to be a key player for Newcastle . 7. David Moyes was always a bit old school at Everton when it came to using a minimum of substitutes – and his former number two Alan Irvine has picked up some of the same habits. Irvine, feeling his way into his first job as a Premier League boss at West Brom, stuck with his starting line-up at Tottenham right the way through to the 89th minute when he swapped Victor Anichebe for Stephane Sessegnon to waste a bit of time to hang on to. Every other top flight side sent on three subs this weekend – apart from Stoke and Swansea who both used two. It was a first Premier League win for West Brom manager Alan Irvine . 8. Jose Mourinho’s decision to trust his former Real Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka with the development of young striker Patrick Bamford looks like paying dividends. The 21-year-old, who got 25 goals in 53 games on loan for MK Dons and Derby last season, marked his full Middlesbrough debut by scoring in the 4-0 demolition of Brentford. England Under 21 striker Bamford is due back at Stamford Bridge in January when Mourinho wants him to compete for a place in Chelsea’s first team squad. Patrick Bamford (23) rises highest to head his first Middlesbrough goal . 9. Alex McLeish’s first attempt to rebuild his management career after getting sacked by Aston Villa was a disaster when he walked out of Nottingham Forest after just 41 days – but his next go in Belgium looks more promising. The former Scottish boss is unbeaten in three games in charge of FC Genk and got his first win on Saturday night when his side ended the 100 per cent home record of Mouscion-Peruweiz with a 2-1 win. 10. Keith Curle might have been out of work for 19 months since getting rather harshly sacked by Notts County but clearly hasn’t forgotten how to deliver a half time team talk. The 50-year-old former England defender, who has taken the tough job of bossing Carlisle in 92nd place in the League, watched his new club go 3-0 down by the break against promotion hopefuls Mansfield. A few well chosen words inspired a fight back that got them within a whisker of rescuing a point at 3-2. 'I just said I wanted to see if they could come back in at the end, look me in the eye, and tell me they’d had a go,' Curle explained. It's been a long wait for new Carlisle boss Keith Curle to return to the touchline . | James Milner has started against Arsenal and Chelsea this season, showing greater faith from Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini .
Alex Song's arrival at West Ham will give Mark Noble an opportunity to play a more attacking role .
QPR will suffer from being unable to sell out Loftus Road .
Mohamed Diame showed his finishing ability in a central role for new club Hull . |
33,127 | 5e21ea1f4a242c538e2db8177610fb716d3ac6f9 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:52 EST, 27 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:32 EST, 27 March 2012 . The boyfriend of former Stepping Hill poisoning suspect Rebecca Leighton was caught with child pornography when police stumbled on his disgusting crime while investigating his partner. Timothy Papworth, 29, searched the internet for the sick sexual images over an eight month period on a computer seized by chance from their flat last year, Manchester Crown Court heard. He was caught when police launched a dawn raid last July on the Stockport home he shared with nurse Miss Leighton. At the time she was suspected of fatally poisoning patients with spiked saline solution at the town's Stepping Hill hospital, where she worked as a nurse. Crime: Timothy Papworth, left, has admitted possessing child porn but it was only found after police raided the home he shared with Rebecca Leighton, right, who was suspected of being the Stepping Hill hospital poisoner . Charges against her were dropped last September after she had spent six weeks behind bars on remand. But she was later sacked for stealing the drug tramadol from the hospital. The sick images accessed in the couple’s flat above Mr Papworth’s darts shop in Heaviley, Stockport. The material is understood to have been downloaded from a file-sharing website. Papworth has pleaded guilty to possessing indecent photographs of children and has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register. Raid: Police found the sick images on a computer in the couple's flat above Mr Papworth's darts shop in Stockport, pictured . He admitted his guilt on the day a trial was due to begin, having previously denied accessing the material. Papworth admitted the charge on the basis that he searched the internet for the material five times and viewed it at least three times before deleting it. Luck: Rebecca Leighton was cleared of any involvement in the poisonings but the evidence taken from their home, pictured, helped convict her boyfriend . Judge Roger Thomas QC allowed Papworth’s unconditional bail to continue until sentencing later this year. 'This is very much a case that brings about the very real possibility of community sentencing and some positive therapeutic type sentence,' the judge told him. A probation report on Papworth was ordered before he appears for sentence on May 21. Registered nurse Victorino Chua, 46, of Stockport, is on bail after being arrested in connection with the Stepping Hill poisoning investigation. He was questioned on suspicion of three counts of murder and 18 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Six deaths in total have been linked to an insulin poisoner at the hospital. In total 21 patients thought to have been deliberately poisoned on wards A1, A2 or A3 – which care for seriously ill patients – between June 1 and July 15 last year. Nearly two weeks after it started the alarm was first raised by hospital staff when a higher than normal number of patients were reported to have 'unexplained' low blood sugar levels. Police have described the investigation as very complex - and are having to examine a bewildering 700 people who could have contaminated saline fluid. Officers are continuing to probe the deaths of multiple sclerosis sufferer Tracey Arden, 44, Arnold Lancaster, 71, Derek Weaver, 83, and Bill Dickson, 82, a former senior Daily Mail journalist, who all died after suffering ‘hypoglycaemic episodes’ – a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels. In January John Beeley, 73, and grandmother Linda McDonagh, 60, died and were then linked to the poisoner's campaign. | Timothy Papworth, 29, admitted having sick sexual images on a computer in the Stockport flat he shared with Rebecca Leighton .
Miss Leighton was suspected of killing patients at Stepping Hill hospital with insulin but all charges were dropped . |
14,438 | 28f341f294af8d7a001f02e1d487c3cf3bf5001c | (CNN) -- Former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs said Thursday said neither he nor his companies have ever hired illegal immigrants and it was not his responsibility to check their papers. Dobbs challenged an online article accusing him of hiring contractors who employ illegal immigrants on his properties. During his afternoon show on WOR NewsTalk Radio 710 in New York, he and Isabel Macdonald, author of The Nation piece, debated what he should have done to ensure the workers were in the United States legally. Dobbs, who left CNN in November 2009, repeatedly asked Macdonald whether he or his companies had ever hired an illegal immigrant. "No," she said. But Macdonald said that the situation involved Dobbs and his Dobbs Group hiring contractors that she said used undocumented workers. She pressed the journalist on whether he had ever checked on the status of workers at his properties. Dobbs, who called the article a "hit piece," countered that he had no legal right to do so. "They want me checking citizenship and status?," he said later in his show. "I don't think so," adding he could be sued for stepping in. "I have documented that undocumented workers have been fundamental in the maintenance of your estate in West Palm Beach," said Macdonald. The talk show host said workers at his New Jersey farm receive health and retirement benefits. "You can understand my sensitivity in you going after my 22-year-old daughter. That doesn't sit well with me," Dobbs told the author. He defended the hiring of those working at the stables. "I have been told they are absolutely legal." Macdonald said Dobbs is responsible for those working at his properties. "I didn't hire him directly," Dobbs replied to a claim that an undocumented Guatemalan was paid $8 an hour to watch his grounds. "I didn't hire him undirectly." In the article posted Wednesday on The Nation's website and headlined "Lou Dobbs, American Hypocrite," the leftist political magazine reports that Dobbs hired contractors who used illegal immigrants for landscaping work and caring for horses ridden by his daughter, Hillary Dobbs, a champion show jumper. It says the landscaping and equestrian industries depend on illegal immigrants due to the low pay, long hours and physical labor. In the article, several people identified as current or former workers on Dobbs' properties say they were in the United States illegally at the time. However, the article says none of the names reported for the workers are real because they requested aliases to prevent their possible deportation or firing. Dobbs has a history of making critical comments about the high number of illegal immigrants and the way they are treated. In particular, he has said that employers who hire illegal immigrants should be prosecuted. "Why not make it a felony for illegal employers who hire illegal aliens?" Dobbs asked on his CNN show on April 4, 2006. The next day, he said on his show that field workers are paid "not, in my opinion, an adequate wage, but a decent wage," adding: "These people deserve to be paid more. And we're sitting here talking about more of the same, allowing people to be exploited in this country." The Nation article reports that one worker said he crossed the Yuma Desert on foot from Mexico five years ago, eluding the border patrol, in order to find work. According to the article, the man said an old friend worked at a stable owned by Dobbs and promised the man work as a groom at a Vermont stable contracted to care for horses owned by the Dobbs Group, which is headed by Dobbs. The man held the job for more than two years without legal documentation, the article says, adding that he then obtained a guest-worker visa, designed for seasonal foreign workers. The article says Dobbs on his CNN show had denounced such visas as a form of "indentured servitude." Another man whom the article says cared for Dobbs Group horses is quoted as saying the job required him to be available at all hours, day and night. "I looked after Dobbs' horses while I was illegal," the article quotes him as saying. Several workers are quoted in the article as saying they believe that Hillary Dobbs knew about their lack of legal papers. The article says she "did not respond to repeated attempts to contact her for comment." The Nation identified Macdonald as a freelance journalist and former communications director of the media watch group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. It was reported with research support by the Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute, according to the website post. "You put out an article that is being used by the left-wing press as a hammer on me," Dobbs told Macdonald. "And you know full well, you already acknowledge, I never hired illegal immigrants, my company never has and I don't condone it." Dobbs and Macdonald had a testy exchange at the end of the WOR segment. "Your listeners deserve to know the truth," said Macdonald. "Come back and next time concentrate on truth, reality and straight-forwardness," Dobbs replied. The pair continued the debate Thursday night on MSNBC's "The Last Word." "Even Lou Dobbs, the emblem of this get-tough approach on immigration enforcement, even he has been unable to manage his property [so that] there will be no undocumented workers," Macdonald said. Dobbs said he has done nothing wrong and is being targeted. He also said the article omitted the fact that he is seeking a compromise on immigration issues. Dobbs did not return calls from CNN seeking comment Thursday. | Former CNN anchor says he's not allowed to ask status of people working for contractors .
The Nation article says Lou Dobbs hired contractors who used illegal workers .
The immigrants did landscaping and cared for horses ridden by Dobbs' daughter .
Dobbs calls article a "hit piece" |
240,697 | c39b8e5ab4ea180beed582b2f0aae146303f28dd | (OPRAH.com) -- Men may rule the roost in AMC's hit drama "Mad Men," but behind the guys are a group of women whose lives shape the award-winning story. Writers from the TV show "Man Men" pick up awards at the Writers Guild ceremony in February. A young woman sits in a bustling office, wringing her hands as she waits to confront her boss. Nerves palpable, she is readying herself to demand four walls in a company where all the women sit at open desks. "I need my own office," she says when she gets 30 seconds of face time. "It's hard to do business and be credible when I'm sharing with a Xerox machine. Freddy Rumsen's office has been vacant for some time. I think I should have it." "It's yours," her boss says matter-of-factly. "Really?" "You young women are very aggressive." "Oh," she recoils a bit. "I didn't mean to be impolite." "No, it's cute. There are 30 men out there who didn't have the balls to ask me." So goes a typical scene in "Mad Men," AMC's Emmy-winning mega-buzz drama about the inner workings at 1960s ad agency Sterling Cooper, which just began its third season. The exchange, from last season's penultimate episode, is between Peggy Olsen, an up-and-coming copywriter struggling to get ahead in a man's world, and Roger Sterling, a partner at the firm. True, the interaction is dated. You won't hear that kind of dialogue in today's workplace -- not unless the boss wants a lawsuit -- but Robin Veith, "Mad Men's" executive story editor, would argue it's less a product of the decade than viewers might think. "The truth is that a lot of these moments that seem period and horrible for women come directly from experiences that I and the other women writers have had in our lifetimes," says Veith, one of seven female writers on the show's nine-person writing team. "Like the [first season] episode 'Ladies Room' where Peggy goes into the bathroom and there are women crying. That came from [consulting producer] Maria Jacquemetton's life experience." That's not the only office drama Jacquemetton says she's seen firsthand. "Peggy assumed that Paul Kinsey in Season One wanted to talk to her and valued her opinion, and it turned out he really just wanted to date her. That's something that has certainly happened to several women on the staff, including myself, in our early days out [in Hollywood]," she says. "Men like women, and women want to be valued for more than just being attractive, and sometimes those things intersect. That's certainly not something that's decade-specific." Oprah.com: How to speak up to get what you want . What is time-specific, Veith says, is the way the ulterior motives are communicated. "There's more decorum about it now," she says. "People have trained themselves to hide it better. I've worked in many offices, and that stuff still goes on. It's just not as blatant, and women have learned to draw lines a little more strongly." Both writers are quick to point out that while gender biases still exist in the workplace, they don't exist in their workplace. In the "Mad Men" writers' room, a great idea is a great idea, they say, no matter who came up with it. "We have a predominately female writing staff -- women from their early 20s to their 50s -- and plenty of female department heads and directors," Jacquemetton says. "[Show creator] Matt Weiner and [executive producer] Scott Hornbacher hire people they believe in, based on their talent and their experience. 'Can you capture this world? Can you bring great storytelling?'" Much of that storytelling revolves around the three main female characters: Betty Draper (wife of main character Don Draper), an unhappy suburban housewife who's just learned she's pregnant; Joan Holloway, the sultry Sterling Cooper office manager who's always dreamed of a husband and white picket fence but is suddenly having second thoughts; and Peggy, the would-be careerwoman quietly climbing the agency's ladder. Oprah.com: Behind the scenes with January Jones . All three seem to fit nicely into convenient 1960s boxes, but Jacquemetton says the fun is in showing the characters' true complexities. "Those are labels that we, as society, place on these three women," she says. "But we never talk about the characters in those terms in the writing room. Joan wants certain things, and we'll definitely discuss that she wants to move to the suburbs, she wants love. But they're people; they have different shadings. We don't think of them as, 'Okay, Joan's the sexy bombshell, so her storylines all have to be about using her sexuality to manipulate people.' We start with, 'This is a person who wants this...'" It's all about staying true to the characters and the time period, Veith says, even when that means adding details that make the writers cringe -- say, putting a cigarette into the hands of an expectant mother. "We always have to remind ourselves that we can't judge these characters. We try not to protect them," she says. "Women did smoke back then while they were pregnant. They knew it was wrong on some level, but they didn't think it was that wrong. No one's going to chastise another woman for doing it. So while it's horrible for us to watch, it's important for us not to change it, because it happened." Oprah.com: Why a writer should feel like he's over his head . While the "Mad Men" writers try to check gender at the door when they enter the writers' room, both Veith and Jacquemetton recognize that theirs is a highly unusual situation. According to a 2006 report from the Writer's Guild of America, women are under-represented on TV staffs 2 to 1. "I don't think [having so many women] influences the way the female characters are written, but I think you have a larger pool of experiences to draw from," Jacquemetton says. "If you have a predominantly male staff, it's their point of view of how a woman would react as opposed to the actual experience of being a woman." "Occasionally, we'll embarrass one of the guys by pulling the curtain back too far, and then they're shocked to see how the female mind operates at the basest level," Veith jokes. "But we sort of delight it in, and that's when we know that we're possibly saying something new." They claim that, when it comes to the job, being female is secondary. Still, when Jacquemetton mentions her anticipation of the upcoming season debut, you can't help but notice she chooses different words than her male counterpart might. "It's always like birthing a baby when you finally get to the premiere." Oprah.com Books that made a difference to Jon Hamm . From Oprah.com by Rachel Bertsche © 2009 . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | There are 7 women on the 9-member writing staff of TV show "Mad Men"
Some dramatic show moments written from writers' experiences .
Producer: Women shock male writers by revealing how female minds work . |
23,797 | 438fd7c89c9100e789133e5a2e4256370203f4ce | Russia's aggressive incursions into UK airspace could lead to a passenger jet being brought down by accident, the Defence Secretary warned yesterday. Michael Fallon warned that Vladimir Putin was playing a ‘provocative and dangerous’ game by ordering Russian Bear bombers to fly over British waters. Mr Fallon said Mr Putin’s new aggression could even spark a war with Nato forces. In a blunt message, he said Britain should ‘prepare for the worst’ as the Russian President flexes his muscles. Scroll down for video . Unwelcome visitor: An RAF Typhoon intercepts a Russian Bear off Scotland in September, one of 100 occasions so far this year that RAF jets have scrambled to meet Russian bombers near British airspace . RAF jets have been scrambled more than 100 times this year to escort Tu-95 Bear bombers away from British airspace. Mr Fallon said the deliberate move had placed crews ‘under pressure’ – and risked a serious incident. He accused Russia of playing a ‘provocative and dangerous’ game – and warned there was a danger that a Russian military aircraft operating secretly could accidentally crash into an airliner which might not become aware of its presence until it was too late. Asked whether he was concerned that shots might be fired, he replied: ‘I’m more worried about a mid-air collision where they are flying directly on top of the UK border. Their Bears should stay in the woods.’ Incidents have taken place all over northern Europe. In March this year a Scandinavian Airlines 737 which had just taken off from Copenhagen carrying 132 passengers had a near miss with a Russian reconnaissance aircraft which did not transmit its position. A crash was only avoided because of good visibility and the alertness of the passenger jet crew. Russian jets have also had a string of near misses with military aircraft in recent months. In one case, a Russian jet came within 30ft of a Swedish reconnaissance plane as it intercepted it in international airspace. Closely watched: RAF Typhoon jets were also scrambled in October to track this Tu-95 Bear bomber, one of two which flew close to Britain without filing flight plans or communicating with air traffic controllers. Followed: These RAF images show the moment the aircraft were escorted by Typhoons near British airspace . The European Leadership Network think-tank, which studied 39 incursions by Russian jets over Europe this year, found a ‘highly disturbing’ pattern was emerging. A spokesman said: ‘Even though direct military confrontation has been avoided so far, the mix of more aggressive Russian posturing and the readiness of Western forces to show resolve increases the risk of unintended escalation and the danger of losing control over events.’ Ministers were accused of allowing mission creep in Iraq last night after it emerged hundreds of British troops will help local forces take on Islamic State extremists. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said troop numbers in the ‘low hundreds’ would train Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, accompanied by combat-ready troops on protection duties. At the moment, only about 50 British military trainers and advisers are in Iraq. The move represents a major expansion of Britain’s military role in the country, and critics fear it could suck troops into another bloody conflict. Ukip leader Nigel Farage tweeted: ‘No mission creep we were promised. This lot just can’t help themselves.’ Russia’s annexation of Crimea and destabilisation of eastern Ukraine has led to tough new sanctions on Moscow and a show of strength by Nato forces in Eastern Europe. More than 1,300 British troops were deployed to Poland last month in Operation Black Eagle, the largest Nato exercise in the region for six years. Ministers insist there is ‘no military solution’ to the Ukraine crisis. But, in an interview yesterday, Mr Fallon suggested this did not necessarily mean war can be avoided. Asked if a military conflict between Russia and Nato was now a possibility, the Defence Secretary replied: ‘I don’t trust Putin at the moment, and we have to prepare for the worst.’ Defence sources insisted last night that Mr Fallon did not believe a war between Russia and the West was likely. A source said: ‘He was talking about Nato and the point of the exercises we are doing in eastern Europe, as well as collective self-defence, all acting as a deterrent.’ █ British apple growers say they face bankruptcy as a result of President Putin’s decision to back separatists in Ukraine. In response to sanctions against Russia imposed by Brussels, he has banned imports of foods supplied or grown in the EU. This has led to a glut of apples in Europe, causing prices to plunge by more than 50 per cent. English growers say they are now being offered so little for their crops that many are leaving fruit to rot on the trees or selling it at knock-down prices. | Michael Fallon warns of danger of a mid-air collision with Russian plane .
RAF jets have scrambled more than 100 times this year to intercept them .
Asked about possible military clash he warns 'prepare for the worst' |
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