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22,895 | 41015feaf9304b694a8bbc50af08ca248d2b1b64 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 16:47 EST, 19 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:59 EST, 20 August 2012 . WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made his first public appearance for two months today as he taunted the US government by giving a speech from a balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in London.. The 41-year-old gave a relaxed seven-minute statement demanding President Barack Obama end America's 'war on whistleblowers' and call off its FBI investigation of the leak of tens of thousands of diplomatic cables. Assange, who British security sources said would be arrested if he put one 'toe' outside the Ecuadorian embassy, appears to be relishing his position as political asylum seeker, having been holed up for two months as he seeks to avoid extradition from Britain. The Australian began his balcony address by declaring: 'I am here today because I cannot be there with you today' - referring to his asylum bid which has become costly and embarrassing for the British government. Scroll down for video . Controversial: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made his first public appearance in two months yesterday to demand the American government's 'war on whistleblowers' must end . Outspoken: He also said he had taken a 'stand for justice' and praised the 'courageous South American nation' of Ecuador,which has granted him political asylum . Worried: During the seven minute speech, he said: 'As WikiLeaks stands under threat so does the freedom of expression and the health of all our democracies' Crowded: Hundreds of supporters, journalists and police officers filled the Knightsbridge street to listen to Assange speak . Assange was granted asylum by Ecuador on Thursday as he seeks to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over sexual misconduct allegations. The WikiLeaks founder has been trapped in the embassy for almost two months without having been seen or heard from. Hundreds of his supporters had gathered . to listen to the Australian as well as vast amounts of global media. There was also about 100 police officers. Assange made his speech from the safety of a small balcony at the Ecuadorian embassy knowing that if he stepped foot outside he would be arrested. During the speech, he said: 'I ask President Obama to do the right thing. The United States must renounce its witch hunt against WikiLeaks. 'The United States must dissolve its FBI. investigation. The United States must vow that it will not seek to prosecute our staff or our supporters.' 'The US must pledge that it will not pursue journalists for shining a light on the powerful. 'There . must be no more foolish talk about prosecuting any news organsations. The US administration's war on whistleblowers must end.' He also hailed US Army intelligence officer Bradley Manning, the man who allegedly handed over the documents to WikiLeaks, as a 'hero' and called him 'one of the world's foremost political prisoners.' Protected: Assange, centre , made his speech from the safety of a balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy knowing that if he stepped foot outside the embassy he would be arrested by police officers . Grateful: Assange praised the 'courage' shown by the South American nation's president for granting him asylum . Speaking out: This picture taken from inside the embassy shows the vast support and police presence in front of Assange . Assange said that WikiLeaks' work was helping to defend the world from the tyranny of world governments and the secrets they keep. 'As WikiLeaks stands under threat so does the freedom of expression and the health of all our democracies. 'We must use this moment to . articulate the choice before the government of the U.S. Will it revert . to the values it was founded on or will it launch off the precipice . dragging us all into a dark, repressive world in which journalists live . under fear of prosecution. During his speech he also thanked Ecuador for granting him asylum. He said: 'I thank President Rafael Correa for the courage he has shown in considering and granting me political asylum.' He also offered an apology to his family, saying: 'To my family and my children who have been denied their father, forgive me. We will be reunited soon.' It also emerged today that Assange has instructed his lawyers 'to carry out a legal action' to protect his rights. His legal adviser Baltasar Garzon . emerged from the Ecuadorian embassy in London before Assange spoke and said: . 'I have spoken to Julian Assange and I can tell you he is in fighting . spirits and he is thankful to the people of Ecuador and especially to . the president for granting asylum. Global interest: A huge group of journalists gathered outside the embassy to listen to Assange speak . Under pressure: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, left, talks with his legal adviser Balthasar Garcon, second right, inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London yesterday . Holed up: Assange has been trapped in the Ecuadorian embassy for almost two months . Fighting back: Julian Assange's legal adviser Baltasar Garzon, pictured, said today that Assange has instructed his lawyers to carry out legal action to protect the rights of himself and WikiLeaks . 'Julian Assange has always fought for truth and justice and has defended human rights and continues to do so. 'He demands that WikiLeaks and his own rights be respected. 'Julian . Assange has instructed his lawyers to carry out a legal action in order . to protect the rights of WikiLeaks, Julian himself and all those . currently being investigated.' Assange shot to international prominence in 2010 when his WikiLeaks . website began publishing a huge trove of American diplomatic and . military secrets - including 250,000 U.S. embassy cables that highlight . the sensitive, candid and often embarrassing backroom dealings of U.S. diplomats. As he toured the globe to highlight the disclosures, two women accused him of sex offences during a trip to Sweden. Outside the embassy today, Crowds chanted slogans such as 'I am Julian', 'Julian Assange freedom . fighter' and 'Only one decision, no extradition' as Mr Assange came on . to the balcony wearing a blue shirt, burgundy tie and dark trousers. Militants from anti-capitalist movements such as Occupy and 'hacktivist' group Anonymous were present. There was also a significant contingent of South American supporters chanting slogans in Spanish. They carried placards with messages such as: 'You Won't Stop WikiLeaks - . They Changed The World Already' and 'Free Press Free Assange'. Tristan, an unemployed 29-year-old, has been camped out in front of the . embassy since Thursday to show his support for Mr Assange and WikiLeaks. Protest: Supporters of the WikiLeaks founder hold placards as they demonstrate outside the Ecuadorian Embassy yesterday . Solidarity: There was a huge presence of Assange supporters outside the embassy . 'I will be staying here for as long as it takes,' he said after the speech. 'I would like for the British Government to let him (Mr Assange) go to . Ecuador or Sweden if the Swedish agree to their original terms and give a . guarantee he will not be extradited. 'He has already asked the Swedish authorities to come here to . investigate, he is willing to defend himself against the allegations. 'All he wants is an assurance he will not be extradited to America just for exposing the truth.' Laura Mattson, a 29-year-old supporter from London, said she had been greatly impressed by Mr Assange's words. Asked whether she thought Mr Assange should face the accusations against . him, she said: 'Is it about the charges or is it about silencing . WikiLeaks? 'I think these allegations are just a way of getting to him. 'I used to take WikiLeaks for granted but now things are getting very serious and I feel I must take a stand,' she added. Last . night, the diplomatic row over Julian Assange escalated when the . President of Ecuador warned Britain that any attempt to storm its . embassy in London would destroy relations between the two countries. Keeping watch: Police officers stand outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London yesterday before Mr Assange spoke to the Press . Warning: Ecuador's President Rafael Correa warned Britain off storming its embassy during his weekly broadcast in Loja . Rafael Correa used his weekly address . to the nation to deliver his strongest warning to Britain yet, . describing the UK’s stance as ‘grotesque’ and ‘intolerant’. He said if British police ‘violated Ecuador’s diplomatic mission’ in London it would destroy ties between the two countries. Mr . Correa said: ‘The United Kingdom threat would be breaking the law and . encroaching on our embassy. I don’t know who they think I am or what . they think our government is. But how could they expect us to yield to . their threats or cower before them? My friends, they don’t know who they . are dealing with.’ The . comments are likely to be welcomed on the streets of Ecuador, where . anti-colonial feeling runs high. Meanwhile, the country’s position is . attracting growing international support. Assange has been trapped in the embassy for almost two months without having been seen or heard from. Britain . is adamant the WikiLeaks founder should be extradited to Sweden so he . can answer sex charges, which he denies. But Assange and his supporters . claim he should be allowed safe passage to Ecuador because its . government has already granted him political asylum. Assange, whose leaks have proved embarrassing for the US government, fears that if he is forced to return to Sweden he will be extradited to America, where his life could be in danger. Last week, Ministers threatened to strip the embassy of its diplomatic status so police could storm it and arrest Assange. Sources believe the chances of that have diminished but insist Assange will be arrested if he leaves the building. | Hundreds of supporters gather to listen to controversial and provocative speech from balcony of Ecuadorian embassy .
Assange says he has taken a 'stand for justice' and praised the 'courageous South American nation' of Ecuador which has granted him political asylum .
He said: 'I ask President Obama to do the right thing. The U.S. must renounce its witch hunt against WikiLeaks'
It also emerged today that Assange has instructed his lawyers 'to carry out legal .
action' to protect his and WikiLeaks' rights . |
119,964 | 270b68c4ae5708b2e107c86fd489750114faa58a | By . Martin Robinson . Convicted: A jury took two hours to find Christopher Weatherfield (pictured outside court in January) guilty for his part in a hacking campaign . A leading British member of the 'Anonymous' hacking gang was today convicted for a series of devastating cyber-attacks on some of the world's biggest companies.. On one occasion 'hacktivist' Christopher Weatherhead helped target PayPal because it would not process donations for the fundraising arm of Julian Assange's WikiLeaks, costing it £3.5million. The self-confessed ‘idealist’ boasted online he would ‘rape’ and ‘kill’ the companies Anonymous attacked. Today the 22-year-old remained impassive as the unanimous guilty verdict was returned for his part in distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attacks, which made the victim's website suddenly crash. The DDoS attacks paralysed computer systems by flooding them with an intolerable number of online requests. Victims would be directed to a page displaying the message: 'You’ve . tried to bite the Anonymous hand. You angered the hive and now you are . being stung.' Weatherhead was studying at Northampton University when he joined the cyber campaign which also attacked sites including MasterCard, Visa, Ministry of Sound, the British Recorded Music Industry (BPI) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Weatherhead, who used the internet name . Nerdo, also discussed the idea of attacking Lily Allen’s website in . retaliation for her public anti-piracy stance. Prosecutor Sandip Patel said: ‘Christopher Weatherhead, the defendant, is a cyber-attacker, and that he, and others like him, waged a sophisticated and orchestrated campaign of online attacks that paralysed a series of targeted computer systems belonging to companies, to which they took issue with for whatever reason, that caused unprecedented harm.' Mr Patel said ‘Operation Payback’ had originally targeted companies involved in the music industry and opponents of internet piracy, but was later ‘broadened’ to include new objectives, including PayPal. PayPal was attacked after it decided not to process payments on behalf of the Wau Holland Foundation, an organisation involved in raising funds for WikiLeaks. Between December 8 and 17, 2010, PayPal was the victim of a series of attacks 'which caused considerable damage to its reputation and loss of trade'. Weatherhead had denied a charge of conspiring to impair the operation of computers between August 1, 2010 and January 22 last year. The jury of six men and five women returned the guilty verdict after little more than two hours of deliberations. PayPal also had to pay for further software and hardware to defend against similar future attacks. That, combined with the loss of trading, cost the firm £3.5million. Costly: PayPal and other victims suffered constantly crashing websites after being bombarded with messages . The amount the hacking cost MasterCard and Visa was not given but the defendant, in an internet relay chat (IRC) channel conversation with someone called Tred, boasted: 'We have probably done some million pound of dmg [damage] to mc [MasterCard].' The BPI was attacked on 19 and 20 September 2010, costing it £3,996 for online security and hundreds of pounds in other costs. Four websites run by the Ministry of Sound were targeted in two separate attacks between 2 and 6 October 2010, which cost the company around £9,000 in additional staffing, software and loss of sales. Motive: Weatherhead was one of several people who targeted PayPal because they would not process donations to Julian Assange's WkiLeaks . The financial cost to the IFPI was more than £20,000 as its website was down for nine days when it was hacked between 27 November and 6 December 2010. Weatherhead painted himself in court as an ideological dreamer, who stumbled across the Anonymous group by chance and agreed with its stance on censorship on the internet. 'I like the freedom of information on that is on the web', he said. 'I enjoy spending a lot of time on Wikipedia reading things. 'When you can’t get information I feel abashed by that'. Three other defendants had already pleaded guilty to the charge. They are Ashley Rhodes, 27, of Camberwell, south London; Peter Gibson, 24, of Hartlepool; and Jake Birchall, 18, from Chester. No date was fixed for sentencing but pre-sentencing reports were ordered for the four. Judge Peter Testar said: 'I am not making any promises at all by allowing bail and ordering a pre-sentencing report. This is a serious offence and I hope the defendant understands that.' Russell Tyner, Crown Advocate for the . CPS Organised Crime Division, said: 'Christopher Weatherhead is a cyber . criminal who waged a sophisticated and orchestrated campaign of online . attacks on the computer systems of several major companies. 'A self-styled "hacktivist", . Weatherhead and his fellow conspirators targeted companies in the music . industry involved in combating internet piracy and companies that had . stopped processing online donations to WikiLeaks. Their campaign of . attacks cost these companies over £3.5 million in additional staffing, . software and loss of sales. 'These were lawful companies with ordinary customers and hard working employees. This was not a victimless crime.' | Christopher Weatherhead found guilty of hacking several major websites .
Court heard he wanted to 'rape' and 'kill' the companies under attack .
Three others have admitted joining cyber-campaign to cause sites to crash .
Victims’
websites would get message: 'You’ve .
tried to bite the Anonymous hand. You angered the hive and now you are .
being stung.'
Victim PayPal says the attacks on them cost £3.5m to fix .
Weatherhead and fellow hackers to be sentenced at later date . |
245,351 | c98ef3974a31a1585eacd9231882d33e4618fc56 | (CNN) -- Last month at Zaatari, the second-largest refugee camp in the world, I met an accountant who carried his 6-day-old baby across the Jordanian border from Syria, and a mother who cannot find her 20-year-old son -- and knows all too well what has likely happened to him. I saw parents too frightened to let their children out of their sight, even to go to school. And while visiting Syrian refugees recovering in a hospital in Amman, Jordan from some of the violence that perhaps foreshadowed the August 21 chemical attacks on Syrian citizens, I spoke with a woman whose daughter died in her arms. These refugees' stories, interspersed with images of white-shrouded children lying dead -- poisoned in the Damascus suburbs -- have stayed fresh in my mind. The debates in the press over the past three weeks imply that whether or not the United States and its allies apply "lethal force" in Syria is the defining question of this crisis. Whether the United States intervenes militarily is a hugely important question -- politically, strategically, legally and morally. But it is not the only one. For the civilians bearing the staggering weight of this war, it is not even the most pressing one. The war has raised a huge range of unanswered questions and challenges for humanitarian actors that will persist long after any "symbolic" or even intensive military operation. These are imperative to Syrians' survival and the region's long-term stability and must not be crowded out as politicians and pundits wrangle over the use of force. First and foremost is the question of how to keep borders open for refugees. More than 2 million Syrian refugees have now fled their country. The hospitality of Syria's neighboring states towards these refugees has been breathtaking. For example, more than one in four people in Lebanon today are Syrian, representing a level of generosity toward refugees that has never been matched by any Western state. Yet -- particularly in Lebanon and Jordan -- the refugee crisis has resulted in higher rents, reduced wages, overstretched social services, and increased pressure on already limited water supplies. All this has ratcheted up local tensions, and increased pressure on governments to limit arrivals. While the Jordanian border remains officially open, over the summer UN officials reported "artificially low" arrivals, suggesting that would-be refugees may be encountering obstacles to their escape. Hurdles are also emerging for Syrians wishing to cross the Lebanese border. As the crisis escalates, redoubled international support is needed to ensure Syria's neighbors can accept new arrivals. This support must benefit not only the refugees but also the communities that are hosting them. A second, related question is how to get Syrian refugee children into school. Last month -- it really was a hellish month -- marked what the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees called a "shameful milestone": The number of Syrian refugee children reached 1 million. Many of these children are not in school (by some estimates, 75% of children in Zaatari are not in school) and have already missed months if not years of schooling inside Syria before fleeing abroad. Some kids are not attending school because they are working to support their families; other refugee children living in towns and cities lack the money to get to school, or are afraid of harassment. As bombs drop, getting kids in school may not seem that urgent, but the long-term impacts of a "lost generation" of Syrian children would be disastrous. Deprived of educational opportunities, these children are at risk of future unemployment, social marginalization and frustration, potentially prompting them to turn to extremist causes. More attention and assistance is needed inside and outside the camps to overcome the barriers that are keeping refugee children out of class. Equally important is the question of how to do more to assist the estimated 5.1 million Syrians who are displaced within their own country. Two million of these are minors, and many are at risk of physical violence and forced recruitment. The internally displaced are much more difficult for humanitarian groups to reach, and are out of the media spotlight, which is trained on refugee camps and settlements in neighboring states. But we need to be asking what new and creative ways can be found to improve protection and support for this population. Last, but certainly not least, is the question of how to strengthen Syria's democratic opposition. This is not just a matter of access to weapons and military training, but the development of civil society organizations. Many Syrian refugees have already banded together to support others inside and outside Syria, including through the provision of medical assistance. We need to be asking what more can be done to strengthen and scale up such laudable initiatives. Despite the devastation they are enduring, the Syrian refugees I met in Jordan are proud, industrious people. They have the capacity to recover and eventually rebuild their country -- but if Western countries are to effectively support them, we can't let the use of force become the only question on the agenda. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Megan Bradley. | Megan Bradley met traumatized, fearful Syrian refugees at a camp and hospital in Jordan .
She says neighbor countries' hugely generous to shelter them; global community must help .
She says it's crucial to keep borders open for fleeing Syrians and to keep kids in school .
Bradely: Helping displaced still in Syria very hard; opposition needs help to provide social aid . |
65,722 | ba97d662b60324508d96e9be6f2c35df0205622f | By . Paul Thompson . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:29 EST, 12 September 2013 . Linda Leann Wallace, 53, has been sentenced to 16 years in a Texas prison for the relationship with her student . A 53-year-old teacher and mother who had a sexual relationship with a female student lasting four years has been jailed for 16 years. Linda Leann Wallace, of Texas, was given the lengthy sentence despite her daughter telling the court:'My mom is not a predator.' Wallace, 53, began the inappropriate relationship when the student was 13 years old. The 16 year sentence is one of the harshest ever handed down by a court for a teacher involved in an inappropriate relationship. A court in Beaumont, Texas, was told the affair continued for four years and the pair would meet at her home, on campus and during school trips. The affair ended when he teen graduated from the Legacy Christian Academy where Wallace worked as a music teacher. Wallace had pleaded guilty to engaging with an underage student in July. She was arrested in 2012 after police were tipped off about the affair. Her daughter had spoken on her mom’s behalf telling the court her mom was not a sexual predator. Wallace also spoke in her own defense saying she was sorry for her actions. 'I've had remorse for many years. I'm terribly sorry. I cry myself to sleep at night for her innocence,' said Wallace. 'We knew it was wrong. The only reason it evolved to that point was because she was struggling with her family. 'I wanted so hard to be there for the student and encourage her. I should have stood my ground. I'm sincerely sorry.' Wallace was a teacher at Legacy Christian Academy in Beaumont, Texas (pictured) In a victim impact statement the female student, who has not been named, said she forgave Wallace - but told here 'there must be consequences.' The victim said: 'I don't wish anything bad on you. I just wanted to do the right thing. I am deeply saddened by what took place. 'I was seeking a motherly figure. I trusted you so much. I was robbed spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. 'I was afraid of that happening to someone else. The enemy had silenced me for a good portion of my life. 'But, today I shed light. I'm not going to be silent anymore. I'm not angry with you. This is not the end for you. I completely forgive you. But, there must be consequences.' Prosecutors said Wallace faced between two to 20 years in jail. Prosecutors said the student's family is 'severely traumatized' by the relationship because Wallace was also a family friend. Wallace's attorney, Paul Fukuda,said: 'It's a tragedy for both families. Ms. Wallace is taking full responsibility.' | The sentence is one of the harshest ever handed down by a court for teacher relationship .
Linda Leann Wallace's daughter told court: 'My mom is not a predator'
Victim, not named, said she forgave Wallace but there must be consequences . |
59,904 | aa33cc083b5071778e45e0885a8107ba57b3bf30 | It's a video guaranteed to send shivers down your spine: A man attempts to tightrope walk, or 'highline' between two ice shelves, without a safety harness or net, the first time that this will ever have been achieved. The video footage shows Frenchman Tancrède Melet attempting the . first ever crevasse highline in . Chamonix's famous Vallée Blanche. It's just one of new online short film series directed by Sébastien Montaz-Rosse which shows three extreme athletes, for whom risk and adventure is a way of life, in a range of death defying situations. Highlining over an icy crevasse without a safety harness or net, skiing down an almost vertical mountainside and conquering the highest alpine peaks, all three men push themselves to the limit in the name of adventure. Scroll down for video . Barefoot, without a harness or a net, extreme athlete Tancrède Melet, shows what it takes to live life to the extreme as he attempts to highline between two ice sheets . It's a genuine heart in mouth moment as the highliner loses his balance and his footing, and falls from the wire stretching across the glacier but grabs it with his hand . Tancrède dangles by his FEET for sometime while he regains his composure, far above the icy crevasse . The extreme acts are captured in three separate videos on Sébastien Montaz-Rosset’s YouTube channels for Nivea Men, who commissioned the adventurers to cling to the side of mountains to promote their sensitive skin care range. Melet is . one athlete who is clearly not afraid of the unknown. Installing a line between two ice walls, he tries to cross the line unattached - balancing precariously above the gaping opening into the bottomless depths of the Géant glacier. Tancrède confronts fear and comes out the other side triumphant. High in the air with only a rope between himself and oblivion, composure is vital or an icy death awaits. It's literally a heart in the mouth moment as Tancrede starts to wobble halfway across, lose his balance and slip. Undeterred, Melet climbs back onto the highwire and continues his crossing without any safety harness . Nearly there: Highliner Melet continues across the sheer drop with only an icy crevass beneath him, to finish triumphant . But he manages to catch hold of the wire, where he dangles high above the crevasse, then turning himself upsidedown and hanging by his feet until he regains his composure. Tancrede gets back onto the rope and finishes his death defying crossing, giving high fives to the cameraman on the other side of the crevasse as he steps to safety. Joining highliner Tancrède Melet in the series of three videos are steep skier Vivian Bruchez and mountaineer Antoine Moineville in the French Alps. Growing up in the mountains of Chamonix, skier Bruchez spends his spare time scoping out new descents and exploring new lines. Sheer courage: Steep-skier Vivian Bruchez prepares to begin the ascent of an almost vertical mountain covered with precipitous rocks as well as snow . The final ascent: Mountaineer Antoine Moineville reaches the tope of a towering granite peak on Mont Blanc . His technique of 'dry skiing' alllows him to reach places with his skis on, where most wouldn't even venture. Setting off from the Aiguille du Midi, he enters into a labyrinth of couloirs and rocky dead ends hoping to find a way through to the untouched powder fields beyond. Meanwhile Antoine's passion is climbing mountains. Already halfway through the training to become a high mountain guide, he takes his twin brother into the towering granite peaks of the Mont Blanc massif to share his love for climbing. With a quick lesson on belay technique, Antoine sets off on a highly technical rock climbing pitch - hoping his brother will remember what to do if he falls. The three videos commissioned by Nivea Men are linked by the comapny's strapline, 'when you’re clinging to the side of a mountain the last thing you want to think about is an awkward itch!' | Highliner attempts to traverse a glacier without a safety net or rope .
Three new short films on YouTube show the adventurers risking their lives .
The three young daredevils push themselves to the limit to achieve the impossible . |
156,152 | 55d7ad8e1f21f763f1af8c77674680a10ae84d01 | Washington (CNN) -- A Pentagon official said Tuesday that a former Navy SEAL who helped kill Osama bin Laden included classified material in his new book and did not follow protocol for pre-publication review. Also, on the same day the much-anticipated memoir hit book shelves, CNN obtained a copy of message written by the SEALs' commander to members of his unit. In it, Rear Adm. Sean Pybus, head of the Naval Special Warfare Command, said he was "disappointed, embarrassed and concerned" that troops are now openly speaking and writing about their secret work. "We do NOT advertise the nature of our work, NOR do we seek recognition for our actions." The emphasis is the admiral's. Pre-orders put "No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden" at No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller list for two weeks. But the Pentagon was not as as eager to see the release of the book. Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters that officials believe the book contains sensitive and classified material. The Pentagon's determination, to a large extent, centers around several instances where author Matt Bissonnette, writing under the pen name "Mark Owen," describes how SEAL units are organized, trained and operate, said a U.S. official, rather than solely on specifics of the bin Laden mission, which are largely known. Describing the instances in a very broad sense, the official said, "does this compromise national security today, probably not, but do we talk about this stuff, no." The official declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the information. Opinion: Sense and nonsense about Obama and Osama . Last week, the Pentagon's general counsel threatened legal action against the man who wrote the revealing book. In a letter addressed to "Mark Owen," General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson alleged the writer violated secrecy agreements and broke federal law. "In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the nondisclosure agreements you signed. Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements," Johnson wrote. Bissonnette's lawyer responded in a letter last week saying the author "sought legal advice about his responsibilities before agreeing to publish his book and scrupulously reviewed the work to ensure that it did not disclose any material that would breach his agreements or put his former comrades at risk." Officials are concerned about protecting classified information, and not preventing the telling of a story, according to Little. The Defense Department is reviewing what options it may have, according to Little. "When you have special operations units that perform these missions, there are tactics, techniques, and procedures, not to mention human life, that are in play," Little said. "And it is the height of irresponsibility not to have this kind of material checked for the possible disclosure of classified information." Pre-release of copies of the book and the Pentagon's lack of sufficient time to act made it impractical to ask the publisher to not release the book, Little said. The Pentagon has not banned copies of the book from military exchanges. Publisher Dutton had originally planned to release 300,000 copies, but after fevered hype, it increased the number to 575,000, according to Publisher's Weekly. Buzz ramps up over SEAL's bin Laden book . In the 336-page book, Bissonnette wrote about his concerns that bin Laden would put up a fight, after the SEALs' helicopter crashed near bin Laden's compound. "Roughly 15 minutes had passed and bin Laden had plenty of time to strap on a suicide vest or simply get his gun," he says in the book. Bin Laden was not wearing a vest when he died. His two guns, according to Bissonnette, were on a shelf in his bedroom, apparently untouched. After the helicopter crash and a hard fight to get through the compound's defenses, Bissonnette and several other SEALS were near the top floor of the compound, where intelligence predicted bin Laden would be. "We were less than five steps from getting to the top when I heard suppressed shots. BOP. BOP. "The point man had seen a man peeking out of the door on the right side of the hallway about 10 feet in front of him. I couldn't tell from my position if the rounds hit the target or not. The man disappeared into the dark room." The man who peeked out the door had been shot, but was still moving when the SEALs entered the room. Bissonnette described the end. "In his death throes, he was still twitching and convulsing. Another assaulter and I trained our lasers on his chest and fired several rounds. The bullets tore into him, slamming his body into the floor until he was motionless." Excerpts from SEAL's book about Osama bin Laden killing . But there was still the question of whom they had killed. One of Bissonnette's roles was photographing the body. "It was strange to see such an infamous face up close. Lying in front of me was the reason we had been fighting for the last decade. It was surreal trying to clean blood off the most wanted man in the world so that I could shoot his photo. I had to focus on the mission, right now we needed some good quality photos." Bissonnette said he had mixed feelings about President Barack Obama, who ordered the operation. "None of us were huge fans of Obama. We respected him as the commander-in-chief of the military and for giving us the green light on the mission," wrote the former SEAL, who was a 36-year-old chief petty officer when he left the Navy as a highly decorated commando in April. CNN's Ashley Fantz and Lateef Mungin contributed to this report. | Questions raised about disclosing nature of SEAL training, operations .
Navy SEAL commander unhappy about disclosures .
The Pentagon alleges the book violates secrecy agreements .
The author's lawyer disagrees and disputes the Pentagon account . |
130,442 | 34aac4b7ac79ea9cbf9a0fb1db91d29d6e88e116 | By . Tamara Cohen . UPDATED: . 15:07 EST, 29 January 2012 . A new generation of pesticides may be to blame for the catastrophic decline in Britain’s honey bees. The contain chemicals, routinely used on farms and in garden centres make bees more vulnerable to disease, a study has shown. There have been concerns for some years about neonicotinoids, a family of chemicals based on nicotine, but a study by an expert based in the US finally confirms a link. Threat: Experts believe the sharp decline in Britain's bee population could be . down to an increase in the use of nicotine-based pesticides . Conservationists have called for these pesticides, which became popular in the 1990s, to be banned as the insects are key to human’s survival – pollinating 70 per cent of the crops which produce most of the world’s food. The findings were published by the US government’s top bee expert Dr Jeffrey Pettis, who found that even minute doses of the chemical made bees three times more vulnerable to infections from parasites. Drop: In Britain the number of bees has fallen by half since the 1980s . He said it could be a ‘major contributor’ to the mysterious decline of bees worldwide. In Britain numbers have fallen by half since the 1980s. Matt Shardlow of the charity Buglife, which first raised concerns about these pesticides three years ago said: ‘The science is now clear: bees poisoned by neo-nicotinoids are much more likely to die from diseases, gather less food, and produce fewer new bees.’ Dr Pettis, of the US Department of Agriculture’s Bee Research Laboratory tested bees given doses of imidacloprid – one of these neo-nicotinoid chemicals, which is produced by Bayer CropScience. His findings are published in the German science journal Naturwissenschaften (CORR). The study shows that in a laboratory setting infections by the nosema parasite – which gives bees dysentery – increased significantly when they were fed pollen spiked with the imidacloprid and then fed a sugar solution containing the bug, compared to those who did not have the chemical. These pesticides were hailed as a breakthrough as they are not applied directly to plants but to the seeds so manufacturers thought they were more environmentally friendly. But it seems tiny quantities of the pesticides stay active in the plant’s nectar and appear to attack bees immune systems. The authors say in young bees, tiny quantities seem to weaken their gut and this could debilitate hives although it does not necessarily kill them off. Other research suggests the chemicals confuse bees, causing them to lose their sense of direction and abandon their colonies. Study: Research in the United States has shown that nicotine-based pesticides are present in plants' nectar and attack bees' immune sytems . However the decline of bees is complex, and experts say habitat destruction, mites and disease are also important. Tim Lovett of the British Beekeepers Association said improving the pesticides may be better than a blanket ban. He said: ‘This is very interesting and the authors are right to point out that it demands attention from regulatory bodies. There is a link there but a ban may mean we may use other pesticides which are even worse, the evidence has to be looked at carefully.’ Bayer shed doubt on the findings, saying results the lab may not relate to conditions in the open air. A spokesman said focusing on pesticides ignored the bigger issues of mites, and disease. The French government restricted use of neo-nicotinoids but bee populations remained low. | US study shows latest nicotine-based sprays attack insects' immune systems . |
228,151 | b36f32d4ab483b6b22a3f046051793fdfc7039c5 | West Brom travel to Bournemouth next... CLICK HERE for the rest of the Last 16 draw . Not quite gone in 60 seconds, but that is what this dramatic late turnaround felt like to those in attendance. Two goals for West Bromwich Albion in quick succession snatched this match away from Hull as the final whistle approached and showed the Capital One Cup is perhaps a competition worth fighting for. The plaudits go to Saido Berahino, who scored the winner two minutes from time and is fast becoming a crucial figure for boss Alan Irvine. The England Under 21 forward came off the bench to finish Silvestre Varela’s clever pass from a tight angle. Just one minute and 41 seconds earlier Gareth McAuley had rescued what looked a lost cause by connecting sweetly with a half-volley after Hull failed to clear a corner. Saido Berahino scores a late winner to send West Brom into the last 16 of the Capital One Cup with a 3-2 victory over Hull City . Brown Ideye (centre) beats Hull's David Meyler to the ball to open the scoring for the Baggies in the third round clash . Ideye was forced off after injuring himself while opening the scoring for the Baggies to be replaced by former Celtic striker Georgios Samaras . Tom Ince (L) is congratulated by Liam Rosenior after equalising in the first half with his first goal for the club . Robbie Brady (R) provided the assist for Ince's equaliser before giving Hull the lead after slotting home from Hatem Ben Arfa's through ball . Gareth McAuley celebrates after handing West Brom an 87th minute lifeline ahead of Berahino's winner just one minute later . West Brom (4-1-3-2): Myhill 6; Gamboa 6.5, McAuley 6.5, Olsson 6, Davidson 6.5; Yacob 6; O’Neil 7, Blanco 7.5, Mulumbu 7 (Varela, 75min, 6); Ideye 6.5 (Samaras 21, 6.5), Anichebe 5.5 (Berahino 60, 6.5). Subs not used: Foster, Wisdom, Dawson, Nabi. Booked: Gamboa. Scorers: Ideye 15', McAuley 87', Berahino 88' Hull (4-2-3-1): Harper 6; Rosenior 6, Chester 6, McShane 6, Figueroa 6; Bruce 6 (Livermore 65, 5.5), Meyler 6.5 (Maguire, 85); Ince 7, Ben Arfa 7, Brady 7 (Aluko, 88); Sagbo 6.5. Subs not used: Huddlestone, Hernandez, Jakupovic, Jelavic. Booked: Bruce. Scorers: Ince 41', Brady 50' Man of the match: Sebastian Blanco. Referee: Phil Dowd 7. Steve Bruce criticised his players for failing to hold on to a lead for the fourth time this season, after dropped points against Newcastle, West Ham and Stoke. ‘It’s a huge concern for me because it’s not like us,’ Bruce said. ‘There is a frustration and disappointment etched on every one of us. ‘We were so comfortable then we don’t defend a corner and all of a sudden they are level. The third one is a lack of concentration.’ For Irvine, things are looking up. This victory came four days after his first in charge of West Brom in the shock at Tottenham. ‘I thought we deserved it,’ he said. ‘We kept going and created chances. I’ve felt things were getting better in recent weeks with more players back to the level of fitness we need.’ The only aspect to concern Irvine was an ankle injury to Brown Ideye, sustained as the club-record £10million striker netted his first goal for the club. ‘Bittersweet,’ is how Irvine described the moment Ideye scored, following up Sebastian Blanco’s saved header from two yards, but he got a kick from David Meyler in the 15th minute. It had looked like Hatem Ben Arfa would steal the show with his assist for what seemed like Robbie Brady’s winner five minutes after the interval. Darting into space outside the box, Ben Arfa played a through ball with his left boot that split West Brom’s defenders so Brady could slot past Boaz Myhill. West Brom and Hull both made 11 changes from their last line-ups as Irvine and Bruce made their priorities clear. Ben Arfa, on his first Hull start, was handed a free role behind Yannick Sagbo, and there were recalls for Tom Ince, James Chester and Alex Bruce. Irvine handed a full debut to Blanco, the Argentine winger on loan from Metalist Kharkiv, and gave academy graduate Liam O’Neil, 21, his first start for the club. Victor Anichebe partnered fellow Nigerian Ideye up front. Ideye has not experienced the kind of introduction to English football for which Albion supporters might have hoped, but Irvine believes his goal here will boost confidence. Hull levelled out of the blue four minutes before half-time. Sagbo picked out Brady on the left and his low cross travelled far into the West Brom box before Ince arrived to ram a finish past Myhill. It was the midfielder’s first goal for Hull since his summer move but his night turned sour in a dramatic finish. PS. Along with Crystal Palace, Hull, and Tottenham, West Brom made 11 changes to their last starting XI that beat Tottenham 1-0 in the Premier League. Hull City manager Steve Bruce (L) speaks with his West Brom counterpart Alan Irvine ahead of the game . Ideye put the home side in front after 15 minutes when he pounced on a parried shot from Sebastian Blanco's header . Ideye wheels off in celebration after giving West Brom the lead at the Hawthorns but his celebrations proved to be short lived . The Baggies striker appears to pull up midway through his goal celebration after taking a knock while scoring . West Brom's Sebastian Blanco (R) battles with the ball from Maynor Figueroa of Hull City during an evenly balanced first half . Hull City's on loan playmaker Ben Arfa made his long awaited debut for the Tigers and provided a superb pass for Brady's goal . West Brom midfielder Youssuf Mulumbu (L) gets up close and personal with Hull City's Paul McShane . Brady (L) celebrates with Ince (C) and Meyler after putting the Tigers into the lead after 50 minutes . McAuley helps West Brom snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after equalising with a driven volley after Hull failed to clear from a corner . West Brom players crowd match winner Berahino after his 88th minute strike sealed an unlikely comeback . | West Brom defeated 3-2 in their third round Capital One Cup clash at the Hawthorns .
Brown Ideye opened the scoring for the Baggies but was forced off with an injury for his troubles .
Tom Ince equalised for the Tigers with his first goal for the club following his summer move .
Hatem Ben Arfa, making his debut for the club, provided a superb pass for Robbie Brady to put Hull in the lead .
Gareth McAuley and Saido Berahino turned the game around in the final minutes to send Baggies through . |
176,857 | 70edcc6beab9c8240b551d926a2d1b3e3b730716 | By . Candace Sutton . A Japanese harpoon whaling ship has rammed a conservationist protestors' vessel in dramatic scenes in icy seas off Antarctica. Video released by anti-whaling organisation, Sea Shepherd, shows the Japanese ship the Yushin Maru 2 crashing into the bow of the Bob Barker on Sunday in the Southern Ocean off the South Pole. Sea Shepherd claims the collision was deliberate and part of a sustained attack by three whaling ships on the protestors. Scroll down for video . Collision: Japanese whaling vessel Yuhsin Maru No. 3, left, and Sea Shepherd's the Bob Barker collide in the remote, icy seas off Antarctica . A Japanese harpoon whaling vessel cuts across the bow of the Sea Shepherd boat Steve Irwin in dramatic scenes in the icy waters off Antarctica on Sunday . A Japanese whaling boat cuts off the Bob Barker, the ship of activist group Sea Shepherd in the Ross Sea off Antarctica as the anti-whaling protestors attempt to stop the slaughter in the Southern Ocean . The Sea Shepherd boats, the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin, were patrolling off Antarctica in the Ross Sea, the most pristine marine ecosystem on earth in which a high concentration of marine wildlife has remained mostly free from pollution, mining and fishing. Known as "the last ocean", the Ross Sea teems with large predatory fish, whales, seals and penguins. The Sea Shepherd vessels had sailed to the Ross Sea to interfere with a Japanese whaling fleet comprising the Yushin Maru, Yushin Maru 2, Yushin Maru 3 and the world's only whaling factory ship, the Nisshin Maru. Sea Shepherd claims the Japanese ships launched a sustained eight hour attack from around 1am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on Sunday. Sea Shepherd said its ships had positioned themselves off the Nisshin Maru's slipway to block the harpoon vessels from loading the corpses of whales they had caught onto the factory ship. The Nisshin Maru is chartered by Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), which claims to be a nonprofit research organization of whales and dolphins, but which Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace say is just a Japanese Government-funded operation for slaughtering whales for profit. Japanese crewman aboard the Yushin Maru as it harpoons whales in the icy waters off the South Pole . Conservationists risked their lives in the icy waters of the Ross Sea, off the South Pole to stop Japanese crews whales in the earth's last untouched ocean . In Sunday's attack, which continued until 9am, the harpoon vessels overtook the Sea Shepherd ships, crossing their bows and coming within three to five metres in numerous "dangerous manoeuvres", Sea Shepherd claimed. It said the Yushin Maru 3 struck the Bob Barker and quoted the ship's captain, Peter Hammarstedt, and Siddarth Chakravarty of the Steve Irwin saying the two ships on several occasions had to steer out of the harpoon whalers' paths, narrowly avoiding potential collisions. 'The whaling vessels also made consecutive attempts to foul the propellers of the Sea Shepherd ships by dragging steel cable across the bow of the conservation ships,' Sea Shepherd said. Greenpeace claims the Nisshin Maru has twice rammed its vessel, the Arctic Sunrise, although the Institute for Cetacean Research contested Greenpeace was to blame. ICR says on its website Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd engage in dangerous 'sabotage' which endangers life at sea. 'Sea Shepherd group, one of several Greenpeace offshoots, joined the interference against Japan's whale research and, imitating Greenpeace methods such as illegal boarding and ramming of research vessels, started to use increasingly dangerous and violent sabotage methods which include entangling devices (propeller foulers), throwing and shooting of chemical-containing projectiles, smoke bombs and incendiary devices,' ICR said. Japanese whalers drag a minke whale harpooned in the Southern Ocean off Antarctica last year . A pilot whale is netted off the cove at Taiji, Japan, where a pod of dolphins was slaughtered in October last year . An Australian conservationist who witnessed Japanese crewmen herd a pod of dolphins into a cove off Taiji, Japan,heard the 'distressed cries' of the dolphins as they died . 'Such dangerous actions by these groups are not peaceful protest but unforgivable acts akin to terrorism that threaten human life at sea. 'Over and over again we have strongly condemned the harassment and sabotage actions by these groups and demand again that they refrain from further spreading violence under pretext of protecting whales.' Sea Shepherd's team of volunteers from around the world has photographed the ICR's harpooning of whales, and slaughter of dolphins in the Japanese port of Taiji. Australian Alana West told of the scene at Taiji last year, when the Japanese team herded a pod of striped dolphins into Taiji Cove and how she could hear 'the distress cries of the dying pod members'. 'Although the noise and confusion of the killing must have been terrifying for these dolphins, they did not swim to the other end of the Cove, as they so wanted to be with their pod members who were in fear and pain and were taking their last breaths,' Alana said. 'It was incredibly harrowing to witness.' | Dramatic video of Japanese whalers ramming boats off South Pole .
Conservationists risk lives in icy waters to prevent slaughter .
Protestors patrol earth's last pristine ocean to stop whale kill .
Japanese claim killing whales is only 'scientific research .
'Sea captains tell of Japanese ships' eight hour attack .
Volunteers tell of 'heartbreaking' scenes of dolphin killing . |
190,391 | 8281b1cef274bfb75f35fef5bef90adcc2771356 | Washington (CNN) -- Senate Democrats proposed Friday tax incentives for businesses hiring veterans as well as job training for all service members leaving the military. The measure was unveiled as the next piece in President Obama's jobs bill and as a remedy to unemployment among veterans. "It would basically make sure that our veterans are not standing at the back of any unemployment line," Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) told reporters. "It's important that we support our troops not just by lip-service but by action, and we intend to act next week." Noticeable absent from Friday's Democratic proposal is the job bill's controversial millionaire's surtax, which would increases taxes on those with incomes of more than $1 million. Republicans have roundly rejected the surtax, saying it would hurt small businesses and stunt economic growth. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, told reporters they would utilize "existing pay-fors," or revenue streams, that have been used to fund veterans' issues. "What we did is bring together Republican and Democrat, House and Senate, congressional and administration ideas in putting this package forward. I think it uses the best of everyone's ideas and will make a real difference for veterans," said Murray. "Veterans are not a partisan issue. They are something we can all get behind." A major component of the bill would offer tax credits to companies hiring jobless veterans -- up to $2,400 in credits for hiring veterans out of work for more than 4 weeks, up to $5,600 for hiring veterans out of work for more than six months, and up to $9,600 credit for employing veterans with service-connected disabilities looking for work for more than six months. The bill would also make mandatory jobs skills training for every service member moving into civilian life and also offer older veterans additional Montgomery GI benefits for training programs at community colleges and technical schools. "It is quite frankly shameful that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have a higher unemployment rate than the rest of America," said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana). A cost estimate for the bill was not immediately available. Murray said Democrats plan to attach the veterans' measure as an amendment to House-passed bill that eliminates the 3% withholding requirement for government contractors -- a bill that House and Senate Republicans say would create jobs. While Senate Republican aides indicated the veterans' assistance proposal and the absence of the millionaire's surtax were encouraging, they were cautious and said they would need to see the proposal's details, including how it would be funded. CNN's Michael Martinez contributed to this report. | Senate Democrats eliminate controversial millionaire's surtax from jobs bill .
Republicans opposed the surtax .
The jobs measure would offer tax incentives to firms hiring veterans .
The bill would also provide job training to everyone leaving the military . |
221,073 | aa2e412ed9aa8111863fe6152ce8ec499bb1058e | On the outside, the metal box looks like an oversized bread container. But what's inside could save an abandoned newborn's life. The box is actually a newborn incubator, or baby box, and it could be showing up soon at Indiana hospitals, fire stations, churches and selected nonprofits under legislation that would give mothers in crisis a way to surrender their children safely and anonymously. Indiana could be the first state to allow use of the baby boxes on a broad scale to prevent dangerous abandonments of infants if the bill, which unanimously passed the House this week, clears the state Senate. Republican state Rep. Casey Cox and child-safety advocates say they're unaware of any other states that have considered the issue at the level Indiana has. Safe haven: Monica Kelsey, firefighter and medic who is president of Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc poses with a prototype of a baby box, where parents could surrender their newborns anonymously . Cox says his bill is a natural progression of the 'safe haven' laws that exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Those give parents a legal way to surrender newborns at hospitals, police stations and other facilities without fear of prosecution so long as the child hasn't been harmed. Many children, however, never make it that far. Dawn Geras, president of the Save the Abandoned Babies Foundation in Chicago, said safe haven laws have resulted in more than 2,800 safe surrenders since 1999. But more than 1,400 other children have been found illegally abandoned, nearly two-thirds of whom died. Cox said his proposal draws on a centuries-old concept to help 'those children that are left in the woods, those children that are abandoned in dangerous places.' Baby boxes, known in some countries as baby hatches or angel cradles, originated in medieval times, when convents were equipped with revolving doors known as 'foundling wheels.' Choice: Parents can leave children at Indiana fire stations where they will be safely placed with new homes . Unwanted infants were placed in compartments in the doors, which were then rotated to get the infant inside. Hundreds of children have been surrendered in modern-day versions in place in Europe and Asia. The devices are even the subject of a new documentary titled 'The Drop Box,' which chronicles the efforts of a pastor in Seoul, South Korea, to address child abandonment. Supporters contend the boxes can save lives by offering women who can't face relinquishing a child in person a safe and anonymous alternative to abandonment or infanticide. But critics say the boxes make it easier to abandon a child without exploring other options and contend they do nothing to address poverty and other societal issues that contribute to unwanted babies. Expect them soon: These boxes could be showing up at hospitals, fire stations, churches and other selected sites under legislation that would give mothers in crisis a way to surrender their children safely . Some baby hatches in China have been so overwhelmed by abandonments in recent years that local officials have restricted their use or closed them. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has called for a ban on the boxes in Europe and has urged countries to provide family planning and other support to address the root causes of abandonments, according to spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell. Whether the U.S. is ready for the boxes is a matter of debate. Geras said many parents who surrender their children at safe haven sites need medical care that they won't get if they leave the baby in a box. Handing the child to a trained professional also provides an opportunity to determine whether the mother simply needs financial support or other help to develop a parenting plan. 'If you use a baby box, you have stripped away that option,' Geras said. Don't abandon baby: Mothers should not abandon their newborns dangerously and can instead leave them in a baby box where they will be safe . 'There's a lot of things that need to be done to improve safe haven laws throughout the country, but that's not one of them.' A better approach, she said, is for states to spend more money to promote their existing laws. Monica Kelsey, a Woodburn, Indiana, firefighter and medic who is president of Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc., said the boxes aren't meant to circumvent the laws that already exist. Instead, they're part of a broader approach that includes increasing awareness about the laws and other options available to new mothers in crisis. 'If these boxes are the answer, great,' she said. 'We're trying to come at it from all angles.' Kelsey, who was abandoned in a hospital shortly after her birth because her mother's pregnancy was the result of rape, suggested the boxes to Cox and has formed a nonprofit that is working with a Fort Wayne, Indiana, company to develop a prototype. Holes to breath: The boxes are safe for children and have holes so that they can breathe properly . It would be about 2 feet long and be equipped with heating or cooling pads and sensors that would set off alarms when the box is opened and again when a weight is detected inside. The boxes also would include a silent alarm that mothers could activate themselves by pushing a button. 'We're giving her the power to do what's right,' Kelsey said. 'We're hoping that these girls know that once they push that button, their baby will be saved.' She stressed that the boxes should be viewed as a 'last resort' and would include a toll-free number staffed 24 hours a day by a counselor who would first ask the caller to surrender the baby to a person. The state health department would regulate the boxes. Cox's bill, which covers children up to 31 days old, also would create a public registry listing box locations. Kelsey said the bill expands safe haven locations to include churches and established nonprofits that deal with child-welfare issues to ensure that everyone has access. 'We want these locations to be able to accept a child if somebody ... thinks this is the only thing they can do,' she said. | On the outside, the metal box looks like an oversized bread container but what's inside could save an abandoned newborn's life .
The box is actually a newborn incubator, or baby box, and it could be showing up soon at Indiana safe havens . |
271,201 | eb4d3acd34e384e48fdfb85c54d70ed8639fac7a | By . Craig Hope . Follow @@CraigHope01 . The younger brother of Germany World Cup hero Mario Gotze has followed in his sibling’s footsteps by signing for Bayern Munich from Borussia Dortmund. Mario – scorer of the winning goal in Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina – sparked controversy when he quit Dortmund in a £30million move to Bayern 12 months ago. And now 16-year-old Felix has joined the German champions. Champions: Gotze and Andre Schurrle celebrate Germany's World Cup win on their return to Berlin . Winner: Gotze came from the bench to fire the final's only goal against Argentina . Red star: And now Gotze's younger brother, Felix, is set to join him at Bayern Munich . ‘He has joined us, that's right,’ Bayern's head of youth Michael Tarnat told Sport Bild. Felix will play for Bayern’s under-17 side, which is coached by Heiko Herrlich, who was part of Dortmund’s 1997 Champions League-winning team. Mario and Felix's older brother, 24-year-old Fabian, is also a former Dortmund player but now plays for SpVgg Unterhaching in the German third tier. | Mario Gotze, 22, scored the winning goal in the World Cup final as Germany beat Argentina 1-0 on Sunday .
He signed for Bayern from Dortmund for £30million last summer .
Younger brother Felix, 16, will join Bayern's Under 17 side . |
183,651 | 79e40e0b4ff7a9c9ca4ae90d66592fe638325d56 | (CNN) -- Singapore businessman Peter Lim has offered to purchase debt-ridden La Liga side Valencia, according to the club's president, Amadeo Salvo. Speaking at a specially convened press conference before Sunday's match with Real Madrid, Salvo said: "Mr Lim has made an official offer to Bankia to buy the club. It is one of the two or three biggest transactions ever in the world of football." The La Liga club revealed in August that its debts to Bankia, Spain's fourth largest bank, stood at $376 million. Salvo said Mr Lim has proposed that the purchase be completed by the middle of next month to allow the club time to spend money on players before the transfer window closes on January 31. The original plan was to close the deal in a week, Salvo suggested, but Bankia has requested a time frame of four to six weeks to consider more offers. Read more: Mourinho hints at building Chelsea dynasty . Bankia, who announced earlier this month that they were seeking buyers for the club, declined to comment when contacted by CNN. Mr Lim could not be contacted at time of publication. Lim, who made an unsuccessful bid to buy English Premier League club Liverpool in 2010, is worth more than $2 billion, according to Forbes.com. Exactly a decade ago, Valencia were at the halfway point of a season which saw them win both the La Liga title and the UEFA Cup. But the club has been mired in financial difficulties following Spain's economic crisis and currently lie 11th in La Liga with interim manager Nico Estevez in charge following the sacking of Miroslav Djukic earlier this month. Construction on the new 75,000-seat Mestalla Stadium was halted in 2009 and a host of star players, including David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata, have been sold in recent seasons to help service huge debts. If 60-year-old Lim's bid is successful then he will join a growing list of foreign investors in La Liga and across other European leagues. Fellow La Liga outfit Malaga were bought for a reported $80 million by Qatar's Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani in 2010 with the Qatar Investment Authority buying a 70% share of Ligue 1's Paris St Germain in 2011. In October this year, Indonesian billionaire Erick Thohir acquired a 70% stake in Italian giants Inter Milan. | Singapore billionaire Peter Lim offers to buy Valencia, says club president .
The La Liga club has been crippled by debts following Spain's financial crisis .
Lim worth more than $2 billion according to Forbes.com . |
79,491 | e15adf00bd9d8a820c0362fe00ae2b07e16aa271 | Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz is suing a jewellery dealer who he accuses of ripping him off after selling him fake or low-quality goods. Ortiz claimed that California jeweller Randy Hamida sold him $127,000 worth of goods which he said were worth considerably less. The baseball player has filed a civil suit at Middlesex Superior Court in Massachusetts after he failed to secure a refund from the businessman. Baseball star David Ortiz, left, is suing a California businessman for selling him substandard jewellery . Ortiz paid $127,000 for the watch, bracelet and earrings which he alleges were made from inferior materials . Ortiz's laywer Jonathan M Davidoff told the Boston Globe: 'David doesn't buy jewellery, or buy anything from just anybody. He trusted Mr Hamida. This was a last resort for David. David didn't want to sue. But also, David, doesn't want to be taken advantage of. And professional athletes are targets, unfortunately.' According to the details of the civil suit, Ortiz bought a Breitling watch with diamonds in white and yellow gold; a diamond bracelet; a set of black diamond earrings; a necklace and a bracelet. The lawsuit accuses Hamida of Randy's Mens Wear Ltd of fraud and breach of contract following the 2010 deal. According to court papers, Hamida targets professional athletes including Ortiz. The Boston Globe said that attempts to contact Hamida were unsuccessful. The court documents said that Hamida approached Ortiz in September 2010 in Seattle where they agreed to meet up the following month for to conclude a deal. Ortiz agreed to pay $80,000 along with $47,000 worth of his own jewellery to conclude the purchase. However, when Ortiz went to get his new jewels appraised, he was told that a number of the items were worth considerably less than he paid for them. | David Ortiz claims he gave Randy Hamida $127,000 for jewellery in 2010 .
Ortiz said the watch, diamonds and bracelets were of a low quality .
His legal team has lodged papers in Massachusetts Superior Court . |
48,381 | 889318efe4624ee77bc78bb5fb245528c6feb0a7 | (CNN) -- The rebellion by paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles troops apparently ended Thursday after they handed over their weapons inside their headquarters in the capital city's Pilkhana district, the national press agency quoted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as saying in a nationwide televised address. However, the fate of top military officers who were taken hostage Wednesday was unclear, according to the news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, or BSS, on its Web site. Home Minister Sahara Khatun "oversaw a rescue campaign along with a government delegation in search of bodies of officers, BDR soldiers, their family members and relatives," the agency said. The Bangladesh Rifles is also known as the BDR. Bangladeshi soldiers take position armed with automatic weapons in Dhaka on Wednesday. Earlier Thursday, the country's home minister, Sahara Khatun, said mutinous paramilitary troops were close to laying down their arms and many had returned to their barracks. "They have raised white flags and the situation is in its last stages," added a government official who did not want to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. "The army presence is a means to secure the area and there is nothing to be worried about." Still, for a jittery city, the heavy military presence near the gates of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters in the Pilkhana area raised fears of a potentially deadly confrontation. "This cannot be good," said Palash Chowdhury, who was watching the drama unfold from his uncle's house a few blocks away. "This cannot be good." Meanwhile, police in about six other towns reported shooting incidents involving Rifles troops, another government official confirmed to CNN. The incidents do not appear to have resulted in casualties, but had raised fears that the mutiny would spread outside the capital. Bangladesh Police spokesman Kamrul Ahsan disputed the reports to CNN. But concerned residents were not so readily appeased. "Yesterday, people thought this was an internal BDR grievance and it would be worked out," said Rashid Zaman, a Dhaka resident. "Now, we see the scope is much broader, that it's getting serious. There's an uncertainty. No one knows which way things will turn." Watch a witness describe seeing and hearing the gunbattle » . Shops and offices in the capital sent workers home. Adding to the city's paranoia: Dhaka residents suddenly found themselves unable to make or receive calls from elsewhere in the country. "Many people are finding this troubling," said Zahid Hussain, a former journalist who is now part of a U.S.-funded effort to create an investigative journalism center in the country. "Whenever the army has gone into action in the past, they cut off the mobile connection so nobody can pass information." The standoff at the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters began Wednesday morning after a gun battle. At least 50 officers and civilians were feared dead in the gunfire, the country's law minister said. Watch how paramilitary revolt has spread » . As dawn broke Thursday, the rebelling troops with the Bangladesh Rifles allowed government officials entry into the headquarters. They went door-to-door at officers' quarters to assure frightened women and children it was safe to come out. CNN was not immediately able to confirm the exact casualty count, with medical officials saying a final number would come after they had a chance to comb through the premises looking for bodies. At least six bodies were recovered from rivers and drainage ditches Thursday, bringing the total to eight. Many of them had on military uniforms, government officials said. Authorities say the men had been killed and their bodies dumped in sewers. They were recovered after they floated for miles down rivers. The Bangladesh Rifles is responsible primarily for guarding the country's borders. The force, numbering more than 65,000, also takes part in operations such as monitoring polls. The troops staged their rebellion on the second day of BDR Week, when officers and troop members from various BDR outposts along the border were in the capital for celebrations. At least 5,000 BDR personnel were inside the compound when the mutiny occurred about 7:45 a.m. local time Wednesday, said Mohammed Sajjad Haider, spokesman for the information ministry. The rebelling troops were low-ranking members of the BDR, akin to infantrymen, who were angry at the way they were treated by their superiors, Haider said. "They have several demands," Haider said. "They want pay parity with the army, they want job security, they want better food rations." The mutiny is the most serious crisis for Bangladesh's newly elected government, which came into power in December after two years of army-backed rule. CNN's Saeed Ahmed contributed to this report . | NEW: Mutineers hand over arms at headquarters, prime minister is quoted as saying .
Nearly 50 people killed in Bangladesh Rifles headquarters, minister says .
CNN not immediately able to confirm the exact casualty count .
Anxiety grew as residents of Dhaka, the capital, lost phone service . |
143,967 | 462bef8beb3d3bbccc3160c34707a9b6ba2e6005 | (CNN) -- Over the years, the Winter Olympics has thrown up a variety of competitors that defy logic. There was Jamaica's legendary bobsled team, a cross-country skier from Kenya and Britain's Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards, whose inept performances in 1988 prompted a change in the qualifying rules. Now, one of the world's most famous violinists can be added to the eclectic mix. This weekend, Vanessa Mae -- who has sold over 10 million albums worldwide -- sneaked through qualifying for next month's Olympics. "She's done it by a whisker, but she's done it," manager Giles Holland told the BBC. In Sochi, Mae will compete as Vanessa Vanakorn, using the surname of her Thai father and representing his homeland as well. She may be used to racing through scales, her fingers dancing atop the strings of a violin, but the 35-year-old must now negotiate a very different rhythm as she is pitched into the giant slalom. With the Games starting on February 7, Mae left it late to book her place -- only claiming the relevant qualifying marks this weekend, which the International Ski Federation (FIS) confirmed on Monday. Olympic qualification rules determine that countries without a skier ranked in the world's top 500 can send one male and one female competitor to the Games -- to compete in slalom and giant slalom -- as long as the athletes can achieve a second set of criteria. This was to produce an average of 140 points or fewer over five recognized races. She managed this over the weekend after competing in four giant slalom races in Slovenia, even competing in a national junior championship race where the diminutive Mae, 5ft 3in, stuck out by virtue of being 14 years older than her nearest rival. "According to the qualification system which we have, which requires her to start at least five slalom or giant slalom races, she has done so," said Ana Jelusic, the FIS's Alpine media co-ordinator. "It also requires her to come below a certain number of FIS points, which in this case is 140. She has done so." Lifelong Hobby . Mae started skiing at the age of four, a year before she took up the violin, and she describes the sport as her 'lifelong hobby'. Such an attitude fueled her decision to relocate from London to Zermatt, after buying a house in the Swiss resort in 2009, where she lives with long-term boyfriend Lionel Catelan, for whom skiing is also in the blood after growing up in the French town of Val d'Isère. The musician will become only the second Winter Olympian to represent Thailand. In 2002, Prawat Nagvajara was so slow on his debut that he was pulled out of his race, before improving -- as it were -- to finish last in his cross country event at the Turin Games four years later. At the age of 10, Mae made her solo debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Three years later, she was the youngest soloist ever to record the demanding Beethoven and Tchaikovsky violin concertos. Born in Singapore, she grew up in London where she became famous for what she herself has termed "techno-acoustic fusion", a mix of classical and modern styles. Mae has said that she will return to her music once her Olympic dream is over. | Violinist Vanessa Mae qualifies for Sochi 2014 in alpine skiing .
Musician will compete as Vanessa Vanakorn, her father's surname, for Thailand .
Child prodigy has sold 10 million albums worldwide .
Only one Thai has previously competed at the Winter Olympics . |
220,616 | a9932688f4ba122b904f35d2f9a7b7b2e46fd9c0 | A video has emerged showing desperate shoppers elbowing each other out of the way to get their hands on cut-price Rachael Ray cookware at Walmart - in just one example of Black Friday mania. The video of women scrambling for boxes of the sets in Turkey Creek in Knoxville, Tennessee was taken by fellow shopper Bob Newman just after the store threw open its doors, WATE reported. They are desperate to get their hands on the 15-piece cookware set, which inclues saucepans, stockpot, pans and skillets, for $89 - reduced from $199.99. Scroll down for video . Scrap: Crowds battle to get their hands on a cut-down Rachael Ray cookware set in Tennessee . Desperate: Some shoppers scream and try to grab the boxes from other people's hands amid the frenzy . After grabbing the boxes, some women . continue to battle over them - screaming as some customers try to . pinch them from their hands. The video was taken around 6 pm when the store's doors opened on Thursday. Other videos have emerged showing the violence underway across the country's stores as determined shoppers battle for the best Black Friday bargains. They come after reports of a thief shooting a man for his new TV in Las Vegas, one man stabbing another over a parking space in Virginia and cops shooting a would-be shoplifter in Chicago. One video posted to YouTube shows the chaos over DVD players, Garmin GPS systems and other items at a Walmart in Saginaw near Fort Worth, Texas. Must-have item: The customers were shopping for this 15-piece Rachael Ray set for $89, down from $199.99 . Police in one Walmart store were on hand to break up a fight between two woman over a flat-screen television . The woman collapses to the ground, all the time trying to hold on to the TV, while the officer proceeds with an arrest . Customers knock down entire stands holding phones to get their hands on cheaper Blu-ray and DVD players as staff struggle to keep them under control. Eventually police officers arrive on the scene to break up the chaos. Much of the violence is apparently occuring at Walmarts, with Twitter useers even adopting a hashtag '#WalmartFights' to document the most outrageous spats. 'Walmart is like a war zone,' one Twitter user wrote. 'Fight to the death to get the s*** you want.' Another added: 'I have never felt more shame for humanity than I do right now watching people in Walmart fight over a tv, Alabama bookbag & a $14 blender.' Violent: Chaotic scenes at a Walmart store after a reduced price pile of flat-screen televisions go on sale . One other disgruntled shopper, from McKinney, Texas, added: 'NEVER will I go to Walmart black Friday again I got stuck in the middle of a fight over a stupid tablet. if you wanna see crazy go there.' But Walmart spokesperson Brooke Buchanan told The Huffington Post such incidents don't accurately depict the retailer's successful day. 'We've got great feedback from customers and associates across the country,' Buchanan said. 'A few tweets aren't representative of what's actually happening at 4,600 stores.' Major incidents have also occurred outside shops, including a man shooting a shopper in the leg as he left a Target in Las Vegas with his new television. Violent: In a store near Fort Worth in Texas, customers knock over displays as they grab electronics . Law: Police officers eventually arrive on the scene to break up the melee and staff put the displays back . The alleged shooter, who has not be caught, was then able to flee with the device. Shots also rang out in Chicago, after a police officer chased an alleged shoplifted to a waiting car. The man trapped the officer's arm inside the car door and then proceeded to drag him along. Only when another officer fired shots at the car - striking the driver in the arm - did the vehicle stop. And in yet another brutal incident, two men argued over a parking space in Tazewell County, Virginia before one man used a knife to cut the other in the arm, slicing down to the bone. | Footage shows shoppers in Tennessee grabbing boxes of the 15-piece cookware set for $89 - down from $199.99 .
Two people have been shot and one man has been stabbed as shoppers get violent in the post-Thanksgiving sales . |
229,875 | b5ae30372f93467fec5a19e68047ca869201bfc6 | By . Craig Hope for MailOnline . Follow @CraigHope_DM . Sunderland have still not given up hope on signing Fabio Borini – despite waiting five weeks for an answer from the Liverpool forward. The Black Cats tabled a £14million bid for their former loanee in mid-July and the offer was duly accepted by the Reds. Borini, however, is still to decide on where his future lies and Sunderland have yet to sign a striker this summer. Decision time: Borini has still not chosen whether he will join Sunderland despite a bid being accepted . Waiting game: For now Borini continues to train with Liverpool but seems unlikely to stay at Anfield . Boss Gus Poyet, however, is prepared to wait for the Italian, despite a reported deadline of last Monday. ‘We’re still going and we’re still trying,’ he said. ‘Nothing has changed, for good or for bad.’ Sportsmail understands Borini is weighing up his options before giving Poyet an answer, and another loan move could yet emerge as a possibility. Meanwhile, Sunderland take on Manchester United on Sunday at the Stadium of Light. Strike: Lee Cattermole will keep his place against Manchester United after a stunning goal last week . Joy: Cattermole's fine performances are keeping January signing Liam Bridcutt out of the Sunderland side . Lee Cattermole – scorer of a stunning goal during last week’s 2-2 draw with West Brom – will again anchor the midfield in place of January signing Liam Bridcutt, and Poyet added: ‘Lee is an example of how football works. When I bought Liam everyone thought he would be first choice. ‘But Liam isn’t playing because of himself, it’s because of Lee Cattermole and the form he is in. At this moment in time Lee is a key player for us. ‘Lee was always asking questions and listening and putting the effort in.’ | Liverpool accepted £14million bid for Borini in July .
Player not yet sure if he wants to join Sunderland permanently .
Striker did well on loan at Stadium of Light last season .
Poyet insists 'nothing has changed' and the player could still arrive in this transfer window . |
30,376 | 565971db8696041b077d82ae224a2c4724b5cc29 | (CNN)When Jeff Varasano moved from his native New York City to Atlanta he encountered a problem -- the local pizza was not up to scratch. Having grown up watching his grandmother make tasty, thin-dough wonders in the oven of her Bronx apartment, Varasano was accustomed to a high standard of this universally-loved delicacy. So, in spite of being a software engineer rather than a cook, he set out to create his own, mouth-watering pizza. "I did a lot of crazy things to make a great pizza at home," Varasano says. "I've tried over 100 flours, 100 olive oils, 100 tomatoes. I've sampled 51 different oreganos," he explains. One of the tactics he used was wrapping his oven in aluminum foil in order to get the temperature extra high, and it took him six years and two kitchen fires to perfect his recipe. "I've been a tinkerer since I was a little kid," says Varasano, "I've always liked to experiment with things, I viewed it as a puzzle." Engineering quality . When he was finally happy with his home-grown formula Varasano posted the recipe online. It went viral and he opened his own pizzeria in Atlanta in 2009. The New Yorker is very particular about his product -- he grows his own oregano and uses natural sourdough which is aged for three days for a rich flavour. "The style I like is not quite Neapolitan, not quite New York. Sort of a hybrid in the middle, but the crust is very, very light," he says. Varasano says he was passionate about software engineering, his original profession, but it lacked the immediacy of impact that a mouthful of great-tasting tasting pizza has. "My software was very complicated, so it was very difficult to explain to people," he says. "Pizza is the exact opposite. You take one bite and in five seconds you're excited about it." | New Yorker Jeff Varasano struggled to find pizza that he liked when he moved to Atlanta .
The software engineer set out to create his own, perfect pizza at home .
In 2009 he opened his own pizzeria, Varasano's . |
279,229 | f5c2f99996e122edffcc2e6cf29d1a95b23137ac | Terror chiefs have instructed militants to target oil tankers passing through the Gibraltar Strait on their way to the west in a bid to wreak havoc on the economy, experts claim. Jihadis have been told to sabotage the journey of thousands of tankers either with explosives or by hijacking cargo ships and run them aground. The plans were revealed in a new al-Qaeda magazine, Resurgence, which also described British oil workers in the Middle East as at risk. Terrorists are reportedly planning to target oil tankers and cargo ships passing through the Gibraltar Strait used by thousands of maritime vessels every year (file image) More than 100,000 ships pass through the Straight between Morocco and Europe every year including an estimated 5,000 oil tankers headed for the West. 'This is not the first time threats have been made to target merchant ships passing through the Strait, a Gibraltar government source told the Sunday Express. Alongside threats to the Rock of Gibraltar, al-Qaeda chiefs will instruct fighters to sabotage tankers at the Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran, and in parts of Egypt. While always a fragile operation, the transportation of oil overseas has become increasingly threatened by terrorists in recent years. The Gibraltar Strait is responsible for the transporting of thousands of gallons of oil to the West . Following the atrocities of September 11, NATO launched Operation Active Endeavour as part of its anti-terrorism mandates. It is not the first time al-Qaeda, whose leader Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011, has attempted to target oil tankers . Thousands of NATO ships patrol the Gibraltar Strait as well as other 'choke' points in contributing countries to thwart terrorist activity. A statement on the Treaty's website said: 'Keeping the Mediterranean’s busy trade routes open and safe is critical to NATO’s security. 'In terms of energy alone, some 65 per cent of the oil and natural gas consumed in Western Europe pass through the Mediterranean each year, with major pipelines connecting Libya to Italy and Morocco to Spain. 'For this reason, NATO ships are systematically carrying out preparatory route surveys in “choke” points as well as in important passages and harbours throughout the Mediterranean.' Last year Yemeni authorities claimed to have foiled an elaborate plot by the terrorist group to take control of its ports and of the al-Dhaba oil terminal. It came after a suspected US drone killed seven militants in the country last August. Part of their plan reportedly involved jihadis dressing up in Yemeni army uniforms to infiltrate the Canadian-owned al-Dhaba oil terminal, responsible for a significant portion of the country's oil exports. They were also rumoured to have planned to blow up oil pipelines. | al-Qaeda chiefs have reportedly instructed militants to target Gibraltar Strait .
Thousands of gallons of oil pass through Mediterranean waters every year .
Plot involves blowing up tankers with explosives or running aground cargo .
NATO ships patrol the Strait responsible for 65 per cent of West's oil . |
260,683 | dd8fab2b3f83762d5a9062c33bece2b1940c63ea | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 11:56 EST, 20 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:31 EST, 21 November 2012 . Bus passengers ganged up on some French tourists, even threatening to kill them, on an Australian bus after they started singing a French song. A shocked passenger caught the racist outburst as several people hurled verbal abuse at four French girls on a bus in Melbourne on Sunday at 10.30pm. As they sang, a female passenger started chanting ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’. Appearing to misunderstand the chants as playful, one of the French girls sings louder. Scroll down for video . Yelling abuse: This passenger was one of several who yelled abuse at four French girls on board a bus in Melbourne after they sung a French song . In response, passengers then start . shouting racist abuse towards the girls, threatening to attack them . before a bus window is smashed. One passenger threatens to ‘cut the b***h’s t*ts off’ with a fishing knife offered to him by another passenger. Another can be heard to say 'speak English or die motherf***er'. Watch the racist attack on board the bus . Australian Mike Nayna filmed the whole frightening ordeal on his mobile phone and said one of the offenders was an ‘obviously drunk man’. The stand-up comedian from Melbourne said: ‘It was a mob mentality it was sad to see. They were looking for an excuse to get angry. It was a sad state of affairs. ‘The older crowd were accepting of the racism and the younger crowd were excited, it's like they were showing off to each other. ‘Someone handed him a beer and said you can use my knife, it was this weird camaraderie, between three separate groups. ‘If it's one person going on a rant that's different, but if three people bond over it, you know the sentiment is wrong.’ Shocked at scare tactics: Australian passenger Mike Nayna caught the incident on his mobile phone which saw this man yelling at the girls before a bus window was smashed . As the abuse continued, the girls moved to the back of the bus. In the clip, a passenger is heard shouting: ‘I'll f*****g box cutter you right now doll. ‘You've been told about four times, get off. Everyone on the bus wants to kill you and you're going to have to get off the bus eventually b***h have you worked that out yet?’ As one of the passengers gets off the . bus with a pram, the sound of a smashed window at the rear of the bus . is heard in the clip. Mr Nayna said the bus remained stationery for a few minutes before driving another 500 yards down the road to a replacement bus. 'Mob mentality': The girls are seen to be shepherded down the back of the bus in an attempt to avoid the offenders . When the bus stopped, the girls were shepherded off the bus by Mr Nayna and some other passengers before running away in terror. Mr Nayna released the video publicly in the hope it would open up discussion about racism in Australia. He said: ‘I don't think it's an issue with buses I think it's an issue on the whole, Australia is a loving country but this is an underlying problem. ‘I don't want to look like I'm bashing my country, I love my country, I just want this to be talked about as there is an underlying issue going on her here.’ | Four French girls were targeted after they starting singing a song in French .
Passengers started yelling at them and a bus window was smashed .
A shocked passenger caught the shocking incident on film . |
229,732 | b5817cea9daee3cfe5a8d2ed356ae57c0b32ac36 | Jose Mourinho insists Eden Hazard loves playing in England and the Chelsea boss has no concerns the Belgian could seek to evade the heavy tackles of the Premier League by moving abroad. Hazard has long spoken of his admiration for Zinedine Zidane, leading to speculation of a potential move to Real Madrid, while Paris St Germain were linked with the playmaker last term. The 23-year-old, who is in his third season at Chelsea after joining from Lille in June 2012, is in advanced discussions over a contract extension which Mourinho expects to be a formality. VIDEO Scroll down to see Mourinho on referee protection for Hazard . Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard is challenged for the ball by Tottenham's Mousa Dembele (right) Hazard falls to his knees as Chelsea were beaten 5-3 by Tottenham on New Year' Day at White Hart Lane . Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hopes that Hazard will stay in the Premier League . And the Blues boss does not expect the mercurial Hazard to disappear despite warning after the loss at Tottenham that the physical nature of English football means 'maybe one day we won't have Eden Hazard'. 'I think he loves it here. I think so,' Mourinho said. 'I think, I hope (he will stay).' Mourinho last season often bemoaned the frequency of fouls on Hazard and has again repeated his complaint, calling on officials to protect his prized asset by punishing persistent offenders. 'The first free-kick of every game is somebody kicking him,' Mourinho said. 'He has fouls and fouls and fouls. I don't see many yellow cards. 'Sometimes a yellow card is a consequence of violent conduct, but I also think that accumulation of small fouls is also violent conduct. 'The kid is suffering the consequences of that, but playing amazingly well. '(Against Tottenham) he was amazing. Even in the second half, with a difficult result to face, and to have the determination to keep believing till the end. He was fantastic.' Hazard was 'amazing' against Tottenham despite defeat, according to his boss Mourinho . Hazard is a huge admirer of former France and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane . Hazard could be afforded a rare rest for Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash with Watford at Stamford Bridge. Diego Costa, too, is likely to come out of the starting XI, with a possible FA Cup return for Didier Drogba. The 36-year-old Ivory Coast striker won the competition four times during his first spell and became the first player to score in four FA Cup finals. Chelsea have won four of the last eight FA Cups and Mourinho is eager to prevail in the competition for a second time, after his 2007 success. He added: 'Every game and every competition, we try. So the next game is FA Cup, let's respect the competition, which is a beautiful one, and try to go all the way.' Diego Costa is likely to rested for Chelsea's FA Cup clash with Watford on Sunday . He will likely be replaced by Didier Drogba, who has scored in four previous FA Cup finals for Chelsea . He will not be underestimating Watford, but believes the fact Chelsea will be playing so soon after New Year's Day, when Championship clubs were not in action, could be to the visitors' advantage. 'The Championship clubs will be in a better condition than the Premier League clubs," Mourinho said. 'At the same time, normally the Premier League clubs have more potential, more quality. Maybe it's a way to make things level. 'One team has more quality but another team is fresh and ready for the game. So maybe matches between Premier League teams and Championship teams, this is a good way to level things. 'They have a good team.' | Eden Hazard loves playing in England, according to Jose Mourinho .
23-year-old in advanced discussions over a contract extension at Chelsea .
Mourinho warns that physical nature of English football may deter Hazard .
Didier Drogba likely to replace Diego Costa against Watford in FA Cup . |
126,294 | 2f3b6f7a8069f7a3fd4acf7aa00b9f7e3dd06ba3 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 08:21 EST, 17 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:00 EST, 17 December 2012 . Watching Barack Obama hug her young daughter, Cristina Hassinger should have felt elated. But the moment was tinged with sadness as the only reason the youngster was in the arms of the president of the U.S. was because her heroic grandmother had been shot dead two days early. Dawn Hochsprung was the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and was gunned down trying to stop Adam Lanzer from entering the building. Scroll down for video . Proud moment: President Obama holding the granddaughter of shooting victim and Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochspring, right . Comfort: In the hours leading up to an interfaith memorial ceremony in Newtown on Sunday night, Mr Obama met the families of victims and held Mrs Hochsprung's granddaughter . The 47-year-old ran out of a meeting to confront the armed attacker, but she was killed trying to save her pupils. In the hours leading up to an interfaith memorial ceremony in . Newtown on Sunday night, Mr Obama met the families of victims and Mrs Hochsprung's daughter Cristina Hassinger posted a photo of the moment to . Twitter. Ms Hassinger used the poignant caption: 'My mom would be SO proud to see . President Obama holding her granddaughter. But not as proud as I am of . her.' Her grief at losing her mother who was pursuing her Ph.D., is clear on her Twitter page. Poignant: Mr Obama met the families of victims and Dawn Hochsprung's daughter Cristina Hassinger posted a photo of the moment to Twitter . Devastated: Her grief at losing her mother is clear on Twitter page . Presidential reply: Newtown football coach Steven George and teacher Bob Pattison left a message on a whiteboard at Newtown High School for President Obama, and he responded . As the news broke the mother-of-four simply wrote 'My mother was murdered. Murdered. This can't be real.' But the next day she tweeted 'My mom, Dawn Hochsprung, was taken tragically from me. But she went down in a blaze of glory that truly represents who she was.' Meanwhile Mrs Hochsprung's husband has spoken about how his world was shattered in light of her death. Her husband George said that the . initial anger he felt after hearing that his wife confronted Lanzer has . gone away since he heard from two of the teachers that she helped save. 'Dawn . put herself in jeopardy and I have been angry about that- angry- until . just now, today, when I met the two women who she told to go under . shelter while she confronted the gunman and she could have avoided that, . but she didn't and I knew she wouldn't,' Mr Hochsprung told CNN. I'm not angry anymore, I'm just very sad.' Happier days: George Hochsprung said that he and Dawn planned to spend years together at a house they built on a lake in the Adirondacks . Traumatic: One of the third grade students said that she recognized Mrs Hochsprung's voice over the intercom, and that she also heard what she believed to be the shooter say 'put your hands up' Dawn 'ran out, and actually tried to subdue the killer. I don't know where that comes from, Dawn was five-foot-two.' Though the specifics of the timeline of events inside the school are still being ironed out by investigators, it is thought that Mrs Hochsprung was the one who may have thought to turn the intercom system on so that the entire school would be immediately alerted to the impending danger. One of the third grade students said that she recognized Mrs Hochsprung's voice over the intercom, and that she also heard what she believed to be the shooter say 'put your hands up'. Tales of her heroism are helping Mrs Hochsprung's relatives process their grief, but only slightly. Picking up the pieces: George Hochsprung sits surrounded by his three daughters from his first marriage (two on the left and one on far right) and one of Dawn's daughters Erica from her first marriage (to George's immediate right) Emotional: George got choked up and Erica began weeping during an interview about the principal's life . 'Dawn and I built this beautiful house in the Adirondacks, our dream. And the dream was a chronological dream it was going to be Dawn's house: I was going to die because I'm much older than Dawn, it was going to be Dawn's house. Dawn's grandchildren and all these children could use the house on the lake and it would be wonderful,' Mr Hochsprung said. 'We built rooms downstairs for kids and it was going to be Dawn's house ultimately, with all the children. And now it's me- I don't think I can do that.' Crime scene: Lanza forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday morning . Mr Hochsprung met Dawn when she was his boss, working as the assistant principal in the area middle school while he was teaching seventh grade math. It was actually one of his students who told him the devastating news on Friday morning. 'One of the kids came up with a computer and said "something's happening at Sandy Hook school and you're wife's been killed,"' George told CNN. The Hochsprung family is made up of George's three daughters from his first marriage, Dawn's two daughters from her first marriage, and their collective 11 grandchildren. A tearful Erica, Dawn’s youngest daughter whose upcoming summer wedding . her mother will miss, said that if she was given the chance to say one . final thing to her mom who she called 'my rock', it would be simple: . 'Come back, just come back.' | Dawn Hochsprung, 47, was the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School and died trying to stop the gunman from entering .
Barack Obama held Mrs Hochsprung's granddaughter last night . |
14,664 | 2995e97aaf4d2c56f7c6d817869c3db02eef59f0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:32 EST, 16 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:35 EST, 16 June 2013 . A dedicated emergency dispatcher stayed on the line with a stroke victim for nearly 8 hours while emergency personnel desperately searched for the woman who was unable to describe her own location. New York City Fire Department dispatcher Joann Hilman-Payne took a call around 1 p.m. Monday. The call came from a cell phone and the victim had suffered a stroke, causing her speech to become badly slurred. Diligence: FDNY Dispatcher Joann Hilman-Payne stayed on the phone with a stroke victim for 8 hours as emergency workers searched desperately for her . Using information from the cell phone tower that had routed the call from the victim, Mary Thomas, the medics first rushed to an East 71st street Manhattan address according to the New York Post. But Thomas wasn’t there. Still on the phone with Thomas, Hilman-Payne continued speaking to Thomas and trying to get as much information about her location as possible. ‘Throughout the entirety, she worked to keep the patient awake, she never lost her own composure and remained calm while attempting to elicit more information from the patient,’ wrote Emergency Medical Dispatch Capt. Philip . Weiss in a letter recommending to the FDNY that Hilman-Payne be given recognition for her valiant efforts. Desperate: The New York Fire Department, fire marshal, and NYPD all searched for victim Mary Thomas on Monday. Versizon was finall able to pinpoint her location using her cell phone . Before any of that could happen, however, the ailing Thomas needed to be found. Hilman-Payne’s boss, Lt. Arlene Simmons, enlisted the Fire Marshal’s Office for help. Together they searched patient databases and for people who shared Thomas’s name. Though that search would prove futile because, as it turned out, Thomas wasn’t calling from her home. The NYPD threw their hat in the ring as well, as did Verizon Wireless, in an effort to precisely pinpoint the victim’s location. Found: It turned out, Thomas wasn't at home, but at work. She was finally found at an apartment where she is a housekeeper on Manhattan's Upper East side and was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital (pictured) where she remains . For the rest of the day, Hilman-Payne stayed on the phone with Thomas. Finally, Thomas was located with the help of Verizon. As it turned out, she’d suffered the stroke at her workplace—an East 72nd Street apartment where she worked as a housekeeper. Thomas was rushed to Lenox Hill hospital, where she remains in intensive care. And the largely positive outcome can all be traced back to the heroic efforts of Hilman-Payne who remained diligent throughout the day-long search. ‘I have no doubt that without the efforts of all involved,’ wrote Wiess. [That the] outcome would not have been positive.’ | New York Fire Department dispatcher Joann Hilman-Payne kept stroke victim Mary Thomas calm and conscious while emergency workers scoured Manhattan for an entire day in search of the woman . |
91,852 | 02270824248e1b52953b0f316ff31818b20b90a7 | The NHS budget for out-of-hours care has been slashed by almost 9 per cent in real terms in the last four years, shocking new figures show. Thousands of patients have been left struggling for medical help when their GP is unavailable, flooding the NHS 111 helpline with calls and causing huge pressures at A&E departments. Now ministers have admitted that the total amount of money available for care in evenings and at weekends was £40million lower in real terms last year than in 2009-10. In 2013-14, there was £399.4million available for out of hours care in England but using 2013-14 prices to take into account the effect of inflation, it was worth £438.4million in 2009-10, the year before the coalition was formed . Hospitals in England have failed to meet waiting time targets in A&E for five months running. The crisis has been blamed in part on people who are sick and injured being unable to see their GP. New figures today showed the NHS is 'greater than ever before' as it emerged 900 more patients are being admitted to hospital every day compared with a year ago. The government insists it has invested extra money into helping health trusts to deal with the rise. David Cameron has insisted the NHS has risen in real terms under the coalition. In his party conference speech last year he declared: 'We in this party can be proud of what we've done. We came in and protected the NHS budget. 'The next Conservative Government will protect the NHS budget and continue to invest more.' But official figures reveal how the amount of money available for out of hours care has fallen year after year. In 2013-14, there was £399.4million available for out of hours care in England. But using 2013-14 prices to take into account the effect of inflation, it was worth £404,660 a year earlier and hit £438.4million in 2009-10, the year before the coalition was formed. It means out-of-hours spending last year was lower than at any point since 2007-08. Jamie Reed, Labour's shadow health minister, said: 'It is shocking that despite his promise to protect the NHS, David Cameron has cut out-of-hours care at the same time as wasting £3billion on a damaging NHS reorganisation he promised wouldn't happen. 'As a result, out-of-hours care is going downhill under the Tory-led Government, with patient satisfaction declining significantly since 2010. It is proof that you cannot trust David Cameron with the NHS.' The figures were released by health minister Dan Poulter in response to a parliamentary question. It shows how much has been spent on out-of-hours care since 2004, when GPs stopped being responsible for their patients at evenings and weekends as part of a lucrative new pay deal agreed by Labour. Mr Poulter said: 'This Government has sought to improve access through the Prime Minister's Challenge Fund, which is making available £50 million this year and £100 million next year to improve access to general practice.' Hospitals across England have failed to meet waiting time targets in A&E for the last 20 weeks . But the latest set of figures, published last week, reveal the misery for patients is ongoing, with no end in sight for medical staff who are under mounting pressure. NHS England said 91.6 per cent of patients spent four hours or less from arrival in A&E to being admitted to hospital, transferred or discharged. The figures revealed performance for the week ending February 15 and is down from 92.9 per cent the previous week - short of the 95 per cent target. The damning statistics marked the 20th consecutive week that the A&E target has been missed. New figures published today by the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal NHS hospitals in England dealt with 15.5 million admissions in 2013-14. That figure equates to 42,400 patients being admitted each day - 870 more on average than the previous year. Those aged 65 to 69 were most likely to be admitted to hospital, and the age group saw the greatest increase in admissions, up 66,000 from the previous year to 1.3 million. Falls accounted for 421,800 admissions, an increase of 11,000 from 2012-13, with patients aged over 65 most likely to suffer a fall. | Cash for care in evenings and weekends has fallen every year from 2009-10 .
Taking inflation into account, funding last year is 9% lower in real terms .
David Cameron has promised real terms increases in the NHS budget .
Labour condemns 'shocking' cuts to out-of-hours care despite pledge .
A&E waiting times missed for five months after surge in patient numbers . |
252,216 | d26bf0f3d4c3bc142250b6c23e26a4b519ef1b56 | Religious groups representing Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs last night banded together to demand an end to sex-selective abortions – saying current legislation is not sufficient to prevent it. The 25 groups, including the Muslim Women’s Network, the Hindu Council and the Sikh Women’s Alliance, have written to every MP to demand the change. Around 100 MPs have said they will support an amendment making it clear that it is illegal under the 1967 Abortion Act to terminate a pregnancy on the grounds of the unborn child’s sex. Campaigners say the practice is more common among many of Britain’s ethnic communities, where girls are less prized than boys. Religious groups representing Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs have banded together to demand an end to sex-selective abortions. File photo . The letter expresses regret at the unwillingness of parties on both sides to see beyond the rhetoric around whether they are ‘pro-choice’ or ‘pro-life’. It states that the wording of the present law, which does not specifically rule out sex-selective abortions, provides ‘mixed messages’ which is ‘causing confusion’. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, for example, argues that sex-selective abortion is not illegal because ‘the law is silent on the matter’. The signatories warn: ‘We are confident that this contributes to complacency in the minds of those who, for whatever reason, do not want a girl.’ Led by Tory MP Fiona Bruce, pictured, around 100 MPs are believed to be in favour of an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill . The letter is also signed by the Sikh Council and other religious organisations including Imam Ajmal Masroor, Sharan Project, Jeena International and Karma Nirvana. Led by Tory MP Fiona Bruce, around 100 MPs are believed to be in favour of an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, which is likely to be debated on 23 February. The amendment reads: ‘Nothing in section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967 can be interpreted as allowing a pregnancy to be terminated on the grounds of the sex of the unborn child.’ The letter says: ‘Since news broke of the sex-selective abortion amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, we have been concerned by how much airtime has been given to radical voices opposing the initiative. ‘Sex-selective abortion must end. We were campaigning for this long before Fiona Bruce or anyone else became interested. We are delighted that so many MPs have responded positively to our efforts.’ The letter adds: ‘If the current framing of the law allows the British Pregnancy Advisory Service to argue that sex-selective abortion is not illegal because “the law is silent on the matter”, or the British Medical Association to say that aborting for foetal sex is permissible in some circumstances, then the law requires clarification. ‘To be clear: the amendment does not change the grounds of the Abortion Act. It merely makes explicit something which is already unlawful. ‘It does not preclude abortion where there is a sex-linked disability in the foetus.’ | Groups including Muslim Women’s Network, Hindu Council and Sikh Women’s Alliance are demanding change .
Around 100 MPs say they will support an amendment making it clear that it's illegal to terminate a pregnancy on the grounds of unborn child’s sex . |
8,924 | 192c299f49906a718198dec084c04860563e60ee | Home Secretary Theresa May has ordered a review into claims police are misusing controversial anti-terror powers to uncover journalists’ sources . Home Secretary Theresa May has ordered a review into claims police are misusing controversial anti-terror powers to uncover journalists’ sources. Home Office officials will examine how the powers are being used amid widespread concerns officers are bypassing legal protections designed to safeguard whistle-blowers. The surveillance watchdog also launched an inquiry yesterday. Sir Paul Kennedy, Interception of Communications Commissioner, is to require all police forces to reveal the extent of their use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) against journalists. Sir Paul said he shared the concerns about protecting sources. The Home Office will look at police use of Ripa in relation to journalists as part of a wider review of the powers available under the Act to the police and Security Services which was announced earlier this year. Since then, two police forces have been found using the powers to obtain journalists’ phone records and work out who they were speaking to. A Home Office source said last night: ‘The last thing we want is for Ripa to be used to circumvent laws protecting journalists’ sources or undermining journalistic methods and practices.’ Last month it emerged that the Metropolitan Police used Ripa powers to obtain telephone records from The Sun newspaper’s newsdesk and those of its political editor, Tom Newton Dunn as part of the Plebgate inquiry. The records were used to uncover who told the newspaper about claims Andrew Mitchell, the then chief whip, described officers as ‘plebs’ after they refused to allow him to cycle through the gates of Downing Street. Then, last week, it emerged police investigating the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal secretly obtained the phone records of journalist on the Mail on Sunday – the Daily Mail’s sister paper - and one of his sources for the story, even though a judge had agreed that the source could remain confidential. Kent Police also used Ripa to find out who spoke to David Dillon, the Mail on Sunday news editor working on the story, and his source, freelance journalist Andrew Alderson, who was given the story by Constance Briscoe. The former judge was arrested after police discovered she lied to officers by claiming she had not discussed the case with any reporters. The Guardian media commentator Roy Greenslade has likened officers’ actions in such cases to those of a ‘police state’. Ripa requires only that the request be approved by a police officer of Superintendent rank or above – effectively giving forces the right to sign off their own warrants. Scroll down for video . It is claimed officers used Ripa because other laws governing their investigations require officers to go before a judge to make the case for seizing journalistic material. Announcing his inquiry, Sir Paul said: ‘I fully understand and share the concerns raised about the protection of journalistic sources so as to enable a free press.’ He has been deluged with more than 1,000 complaints since details of Scotland Yard’s actions in relation to The Sun became public. The 'RIPA' powers enable police forces and other public authorities to obtain telephone data without judicial approval and were used in the Plebgate affair involving former Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell (above) Scotland Yard used snooping powers – contained in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers act – to obtain a Sun journalist Tom Newton Dunn's phone records to uncover a whistleblower in the Plebgate affair . He said his office would report all findings to the Prime Minister, and publicly, to develop ‘clarity in relation to the scope and compliance of this activity’. The Sun made an official complaint about the Met’s actions, and has called for a public hearing at the Investigatory PowersTribunal into the way the Met accessed its journalists’ records. The newspaper’s managing editor Stig Abell said the use of Ripa posed a ‘really serious risk to the freedom of the press’. He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: ‘If you are going to seek to access information about journalists’ sources you should be doing it in front of a judge, where the publisher or the broadcaster or the journalist themselves can make an argument and be aware of what is going on. ‘What we have learned over the last few weeks is that it is potentially the case that police forces across the country have the ability, through merely the permission of a superintendent, to access the phone records of journalists and thereby identify sources.’ | Theresa May has ordered review into claims officers are misusing powers .
Concerns police bypass legal protections meant to safeguard whislteblowers .
Interception of Communications chief Sir Paul Kennedy launched an inquiry .
The probe comes after revelations police secretly obtained private records .
Sir Paul said it raised concerns about the 'protection of journalistic sources' |
282,781 | fa4898c6a46a93b627fb4b3b7e32673bebca42a6 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 16:19 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:47 EST, 30 May 2013 . Apes throw a strop if they lose a bet, reveals a new study. Researchers discovered chimpanzees and bonobo monkeys exhibit emotional responses to outcomes of decision-making. Like some humans, chimpanzees and bonobos pout or throw angry tantrums when a risk-taking strategy fails to pay off, according to research. American researchers Alexandra Rosati, of Yale University, and Brian Hare, of Duke University, assessed the emotional responses and motivation of chimpanzees and bonobos living in African sanctuaries. These chimpanzees were study subjects at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo. Researchers discovered chimpanzees and bonobo monkeys exhibit emotional responses to outcomes of decision-making. Doctor Rosati said: 'Psychologists and economists have found that emotions play a critical role in shaping how humans make complex decisions, such as decisions about saving or investing money. 'But it was not known if these processes are shared with other animals when they make decisions about their important resources - such as food.' The apes in the study faced two different types of problems: one where they made choices about whether to wait to obtain larger rewards, and one where they made choices about whether to take a chance to obtain a high-quality treat, but risk obtaining a non-preferred food item if their gamble did not pay off. One of the bonobos who was a study subject at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo . The scientists found that both species displayed emotional responses to the outcome of their choice, but chimpanzees were more patient and likely to take risks than bonobos. When their choice yielded the less preferred outcome, both species displayed negative emotional responses including vocalizations similar to pouts and moans, scratching, and banging - a type of tantrum thought to reflect anger in apes. In the risky choice task, the apes even tried to switch their choice after the fact when they realised they had made a losing gamble, but never did so when their risk-taking paid off. Some of the emotional and motivational responses displayed by the apes were species-specific while others reflected individual differences in the animals. Based on their results, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the researchers concluded that apes do exhibit emotional responses to decision-making, like humans. They said that further research is needed to determine whether these emotional responses to outcomes can change the apes' future choices and decisions. | Researchers studied chimpanzees and bonobos living in African sanctuaries .
Found that both species .
displayed emotional responses to the outcome of their choice, but .
chimpanzees were more patient and likely to take risks than bonobos . |
10,847 | 1edd78b7ebb4bb455c1da68a204c99283775662d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Updated: . 20:16 EST, 18 November 2011 . A landlord was left outraged after a . judge ruled that a ‘spiteful’ teenage tenant who smashed up his home . causing £20,000 of damage did not have to pay a penny in compensation. Glenn Schofield rented his . four-bedroom property to Lee Davis, 18, but problems began in June last . year when the teenager’s girlfriend moved in. First the landlord started to receive complaints about anti-social behaviour then Davis’s rent payments suddenly stopped. Nightmare: When landlord Glenn Schofield (pictured) finally managed to evict his tenants, he found the kitchen appliances and fixtures were destroyed, the windows had to be boarded up because they'd been smashed and debris covered the floors of every room . Trashed: The tenants left carpets destroyed, junk strewn across floors and extensive damage . Sentenced: Lee Davis was given an 18-month community order at Teesside Crown Court and told to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work for the community . Mr Schofield spent months going . through the courts to get an eviction order for the Darlington property . but by the time he succeeded, Davis, who has never had a job but wants . to join the Army, had smashed it up in anger at being asked to leave. The landlord spent £2,000 cleaning . the house after the pair finally left in August this year, while his . insurer quoted another £18,500 to repair further damage, including . replacing broken kitchen fittings and appliances. A toilet had also been . left blocked to overflowing. Sue Jacobs, prosecuting, told the . court that paint had been thrown over walls and the fireplace, with . ‘extensive damage’ in every room. She said police had to board up the . property on the day the couple finally moved out, adding: ‘The banister . had been completely ripped off, paint had been thrown over the walls and . fireplace, doors were smashed and windows broken.’ Judge Howard Crowson told Davis at . Teesside Crown Court this week that he wanted to make him foot the bill . but could not as the teenager had no money. Davis’s barrister, Rod Hunt, told the . court: ‘If he had been a celebrity hell-raiser or a member of the . Bullingdon Club he would have just written a cheque, but he’s not.’ Davis, who was arrested after police . traced him to a new address near Glasgow, pleaded guilty to criminal . damage and was given an 18-month community order and told to do 300 . hours of unpaid community work. Mr Hunt told the court that Davis . hoped to join the Army, and either a prison sentence or a suspended jail . term would have resulted in ‘the door being slammed shut in his face’. Destruction: Windows had to be boarded up by police when the property was vacated as it was unsafe . Squalor: Davis went on a wrecking spree, leaving every room in the house with extensive damage . Judge Crowson said: ‘I did wonder whether I was going to have to lock you up. You have admitted some quite unpleasant damage – spiteful, really. ‘I wish I could make you pay for the damage you have done. I can’t. But I note it is your intention to obtain paid employment and, perhaps, the insurers will pursue you then.’ Mr Schofield said the sentence could encourage other vandals, adding: ‘I would have liked him to do some hard labour – maybe cleaning somewhere would have been appropriate. It is a very disappointing situation.’ | Lee Davis, 18, smashed windows and doors and threw paint on walls .
Teenager given 18-month community order and 300 hours' unpaid work . |
71,049 | c96fa921760f22e0b8fb19d76f3349e11bd88720 | The only thing most teenagers have to worry about is going to school and their friends. But in 2007 at the age of 16, Joey Lynch was in a hospital bed after he had just been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, deciding whether or not to freeze his sperm so he could have the chance to have children in the future. Due to the treatments he has received since then - including chemotherapy, total body radiation and two stem-cell transplants - the now 22-year-old's reproductive system is no longer viable. Joey Lynch (pictured here with a friend in 2013) was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at 16 years of age . He said this was not a decision he had even thought about when he was diagnosed until a nurse suggested it. 'When she suggested it I wasn't take aback because I had been in hospital for three days already. I thought it was a smart thing to do,' Mr Lynch told Daily Mail Australia. 'It was a very important [decision]. I wasn't in a relationship at the time but it wasn't at the forefront of mind. 'You have no idea what the treatment will do to you. Three days after his diagnosis, Mr Lynch (pictured here in 2009) made the decision to freeze his sperm to give him the best chance of having children in the future . 'I'm that age now that I see my friends and family members having babies on Facebook and Instagram. 'It’s not going to be a pleasant experience with IVF but I'm glad I have that chance than no chance at all.' Go see your GP if one or more of these symptoms are persistent or unexplained: . These are only one of the many issues Mr Lynch had to consider as a young cancer patient, which is more common than most people think. Every day another three young Australians aged 15 to 25 are diagnosed with cancer. Mr Lynch said when he found out he had cancer he was 'obviously shocked'. 'It was a kick in the guts. It's not something you anticipate hearing when you go to the doctor,' he said. 'Until you actually get it and realise the amount of young people with cancer, you never think of young people and cancer, it never crosses your mind.' In the days after he was diagnosed, Mr Lynch said he thought about how he was going to make it through high school and other study plans - whether or not part-time study and distance education were options. Mr Lynch, who is now 22, is still being treated for lymphoma and a disease called Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), where his stem-cell transplant's immune cells are attacking his body . Due to his cancer and GVHD, Mr Lynch has been in and out of hospital since 2007 - when he was diagnosed. He is now treated at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne - Australia's only public hospital solely dedicated to cancer treatment . He also worried about how his cancer would affect his bone density, which may prevent him from returning to sports, and survival rates. '[Death is] always at the back of your mind, even though you don't want to acknowledge it,' he said. 'You're worrying about mortality rates of lymphoma, what is the mortality rate of healthy people my age. You try to find out about mortality rates as much as possible.' It was not just the long-term things Mr Lynch thought about but also the short-term like losing his hair and getting a job. 'I thought... am I going to lose my hair and the way I looked,' he said. 'I was in the ward with other adults and they didn't look very healthy. They had lost a lot of weight and I was worried all this stuff. 'I thought with jobs that 16-year-olds can get they're [employees] probably not going to bend over backwards [to arrange shifts] around chemo appointments.' He said freezing his sperm was the last thing on his mind when he was 16, but is glad he did it . He said other things he thought about when he was in his hospital bed was how he was going to finish school and whether or not he was going to lose his hair and weight . Mr Lynch - who hopes to study exercise science - is still in the treatment stage of his lymphoma but is also being treated for Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), where his donor immune cells from his stem-cell transplant are attacking his body. It is an indefinite disease that leaves him susceptible to infection and landed him in hospital a number of times - once even in intensive care. When asked how he deals with his illness, Mr Lynch said it had put a lot of things into perspective for him. 'I'm always trying to ensure that I don't make anything bigger than it needs to be,' he said. 'I make sure that I keep things in my life to look forward to and plan for that aren't related to cancer; be they CanTeen experiences, sporting events to attend, opportunities to hang out with friends or even simply my next workout. 'Nothing in life has to be a huge thing unless you allow it to be, including cancer. 'That's a vital skill I feel young people lack - the ability to properly determine what is under ones control and what is not, what should be worried about and what shouldn't be worried about.' Mr Lynch hopes to study exercise science at university and urges young people who may have cancer to get diagnosed as soon as they can . As for young people who unsure or scared to see the doctor, Mr Lynch said it was better safe than sorry. 'There’s no points for finding out you have cancer too late but there are a heck a lot of points for discovering cancer in the early stages,' he said. 'If you think something is wrong get it checked out.' In her 12 years as a oncologist, Antoinette Anazodo - from NSW/ACT Youth Cancer Service - said cancer sufferers between 15 and 25 rarely bring up the issue of fertility. Dr Anazodo is the service's lead clinician and is working to establish the Australasian Oncofertility Registry by collecting data from cancer and fertility specialists for the development of evidence-based national guidelines. 'For a majority of patients in this age range, it still comes as a surprise. Fertility preservation is not openly discussed,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'When they think of cancer diagnosis or treatment, it's not even on their radar. It's usually vomiting, losing their hair or losing weight. 'It's a double whammy for them - it's the cancer diagnosis as well as fertility.' Dr Anazodo said more cancer specialists needed to discuss this issue with their patients. For further information contact your GP or Canteen. | Joey Lynch received shock diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma at just 16 .
Doctors said chemotherapy might save him, but would destroy his fertility .
Facing a choice that would daunt even most adults, he decided to prepare for in-vitro fertilization before undergoing therapy .
Six years on, he is urging young cancer sufferers to think long-term .
Every day three Australians aged 15 to 25 are diagnosed with cancer . |
163,358 | 5f39c2111e0757e5db83377e9c5f73570ed48a55 | Found dead: Drew Quinlan (pictured) had taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, his inquest heard . A privately educated schoolboy was found dead on the sofa of his family’s £4million townhouse after taking a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, an inquest heard yesterday. Drew Quinlan, 13, was found face down on the settee of his grandfather’s four-storey home in Richmond, South-West London. He had consumed a toxic mixture of anti-depressants belonging to his family and alcohol, and had also been exposed to heroin in recent months, a post- mortem examination report stated. Despite troubled periods, Drew was the ‘happiest he had ever been’, according to relatives. He had returned from a school trip to France before spending the weekend at the park and having a riverside lunch with family. The evening before he died he had played video games with his uncle Michael Quinlan junior, who was also teaching him to play guitar. His mother was away and Drew had not wanted to sleep on the top floor alone so he had slept on the sofa near the family’s two labradors, his grandfather Michael Quinlan senior said. But the following morning Mr Quinlan senior woke to find the teenager’s lifeless body lying in an ‘unnatural’ position. He told the court: ‘I thought he was foxing, to the extent that I walked over and slapped him on the bottom and told him to get up. I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up a little. Then I saw his face was blue.’ The post-mortem report showed ten times the therapeutic level of prescription drug citalopram and one and a half times the legal limit for driving of alcohol. He had also been an occasional user or exposed to heroin in the months before he died. Drew, who attended a boarding school for troubled children in Sussex but had previously attended a private school in South-West London, was raised by his grandparents believing they were his parents. Evidence: Drew Quinlan's uncle Michael Quinlan Junior, left, and Grandfather Michael Quinlan Senior, right, leave the West London Coroner's, Fulham . Plush: Drew Quinlan, 13, was found face down on a sofa in this house in an exclusive part of Richmond . Claims: Drew's mother, Samantha Quinlan, centre, heard evidence that her son died after taking a lethal cocktail of drugs . A year earlier he had discovered that . the girl he thought was his sister and who was battling a heroin . addiction was in fact his mother. In the months before Drew’s death his grandmother Vanessa had died after a long fight with motor neurone disease. At . the time Drew died his biological mother was in rehab and he was . spending time with his biological father and his aunt. His uncle Michael . Quinlan junior, 30, who lived with them in the child’s grandparents’ house, was also a heroin user. His uncle and aunt both used the . anti-depressant citalopram and his mother a similar prescription drug. All . three said they had no knowledge of how Drew came by the drug. But his . aunt, Kathryn Tippett Wilson, alleged that Michael Quinlan junior gave . Drew the drug in front of her just days before his death. Coroner . Jeremy Chipperfield recorded a verdict of accidental death at West . London Coroners’ Court. He said: ‘Drew was an intelligent and spirited . boy of 13. He was regarded as a loveable and good boy and was loved by . his family. Despite the recent traumatic events in the family he was . coping well in March 2011. ‘He spent March 27 – the last full day of his life – almost entirely in the company of his family. ‘All . of them claimed to be unaware that he used or acquired drugs in their . company but somehow or from somewhere he did acquire them and probably . took them in sufficient quality to kill him. ‘It is likely he obtained these drugs from members of his family with whom he was in contact on the last day of his life.’ | Coroner told mother, father, uncle and aunt of Drew Quinlan, 13, were all heroin users and at some stage had taken anti-depressants .
Aunt tells inquest she saw uncle Michael Quinlan Junior give teenager two pills days before he died . |
264,301 | e25240aa19044ad1074f89972b11d409faf3b198 | (CNN) -- Let's face it: In 2013, the words "dad" and "tech" don't clash like they used to. Plenty of today's fathers have spent their entire adult lives, if not part of their youth, in the digital age. And as to the others, well, isn't it our job to drag them kicking and screaming into our brave new world of smartphones and tablets, e-readers and apps? So, whether you're shopping for a plugged-in dad or one who just figured out that disc-drive thing on the computer isn't a cup holder, tech gadgets should probably be on your list of potential Father's Day gifts. There are the obvious smartphones, tablets and laptops, of course. But we'd like to showcase some less-obvious gadgets that might make dad forget all that money you borrowed in college. From wearable workout helpers to advanced beer-chilling tech, hopefully one of these offerings will have some appeal. And, yes, just because we think cliches are awesome, there's a necktie. Happy Dad Day shopping, folks. And if you have any gadget gift ideas of your own, let us know in the comments. We may add them to the gallery. | With Father's Day approaching on June 16, here are some gadgets gifts to consider .
Instead of obvious tablets and phones, we're mostly showcasing lesser-known tech . |
236,245 | bdcda9ac0db7c6424cc175e9f4357bb8e933dd04 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 09:29 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 2 December 2013 . Ian Innes discovered his daughter Cheryl (pictured) died when he phoned to find out what she wanted for Christmas . A heartbroken father has spoken of how he rang his daughter to find out what she wanted for Christmas only to discover she had died. Ian Innes contacted his daughter Cheryl after returning from holiday but was told by her partner that she had been dead for five weeks. Cheryl, 42, had Down's Syndrome and lived with her partner of four years, Glynn Bull, in Lytham, Lancashire. She died on October 18 of natural causes relating to her diabetes. But because of a fault on her phone, Mr Bull was unable to access her phone directory and so was unable to contact Mr Innes to tell him what had happened. Mr Innes, 61, said: 'Normally Cheryl contacts us to let us know what she wants for her birthday and Christmas. When she hadn’t called I phoned her and her partner said she had died five weeks ago.' Mr Bull had told police where he thought Mr Innes lived but searches were unsuccessful. Mr Innes, of Longridge, said: 'It was such an absolute shock. Glynn was very upset and kept telling me he did the best he could but he wasn’t able to save her. 'I’d seen her before I went away and she seemed fine and chirpy. At least she was asleep and she still thinks she’s asleep. It’s our only comfort that she didn’t suffer.' Mr Bull, 52, said: 'That day she was up and about as normal to take her tablets and her insulin but she told me she was tired and wanted to go back to bed. 'She told me to wake her up for her programmes. When I went to wake her up, she was gone.' Mr Bull immediately rang for an ambulance and a 999 operator talked him through CPR. He said: 'I looked after Cheryl - I put my heart and soul into looking after her. She was my friend and she was my life. She always made me smile.' Mr Innes said his daughter was a popular woman who enjoyed her independence. He said: 'Glynn loved her to bits and they were going to last forever.' Mr Innes said he was disappointed that no-one was able to contact him to tell him the news. He said: 'If I hadn’t rung her it could have been Christmas before I went round. 'Someone would have to say she wasn’t here any more, and that’s horrendous.' Coroner's officer PC Ken Lord says he did everything he could to try to contact Miss Innes’ family, including searching the electoral register, contacting GPs and checking at hospitals. | Ian Innes contacted his daughter Cheryl after returning from holiday .
Her partner Glynn Bull told him his daughter had been dead for five weeks .
A fault on her phone meant Mr Bull was unable to contact Mr Innes .
He had even told police but searches for Mr Innes had been unsuccessful . |
253,157 | d3ab3c470be9467d5f488f33bdd2b09817cee371 | A day after Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for lighter economic sanctions, the difference in the moods on the streets of Tehran and Jerusalem couldn't be starker. "I'm very happy about this agreement," one man told CNN in Tehran. "We hope all the world knows we use this nuclear (power) just for peace, not for war." With the exception of extreme hard-liners, most Iranians are extremely happy with the deal, especially after many rounds of negotiations that yielded no results. Iranian newspapers lauded the agreement, with one proclaiming on the front page: "This is Iran, and everyone is happy." But just across the region in Jerusalem, many residents echoed the sentiments of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who slammed the deal as "a historic mistake." A political cartoon in one local newspaper depicts Israel's foreign minister as saying, "I'll find us new friends" -- an apparent jab at the United States and other allies that supported the deal. Israeli team goes to Washington . An Israeli team headed by National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen will leave soon for the United States to discuss the agreement, Netanyahu said Monday. That plan was worked out in a conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday night, the Israeli Prime Minister said. "I would be happy if I could join those voices around the world that are praising the Geneva agreement. It is true that the international pressure which we applied was partly successful and has led to a better result than what was originally planned, but this is still a bad deal. It reduces the pressure on Iran without receiving anything tangible in return, and the Iranians who laughed all the way to the bank are themselves saying that this deal has saved them." The agreement, Netanyahu said, "must lead to one result: The dismantling of Iran's military nuclear capability. I remind you that only last week, during the talks, the leaders of Iran repeated their commitment to destroy the State of Israel, and I reiterate here today my commitment, as Prime Minister of Israel, to prevent them from achieving the ability to do so." Tehran has continued its incendiary statements against Israel even in recent weeks. During negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israeli officials "cannot be even called humans" and referred to Netanyahu as "the rabid dog of the region." What the deal means . Iranian officials and the P5+1 countries -- the United States, Britain, China, Russia, France and Germany -- hashed out the plan in Geneva early Sunday morning. Even though it's only a six-month deal, world leaders hope it'll pave the way to a long-term guarantee that Iran won't produce nuclear weapons. And Iran hopes to recoup some of the billions of dollars it's lost as a result of international sanctions. World powers will suspend sanctions on various items, including gold and petrochemical exports. That suspension will provide Iran with about $1.5 billion in revenue, according to the White House. Iran has stumbled from one economic crisis to the next under the sanctions, and unemployment currently runs over 24%. But not every country is following suit. Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said his country will maintain its sanctions on Iran. "People of #Iran deserve freedom & prosperity denied them by regime's nuclear ambitions," Baird tweeted. "Until then, Canadian sanctions remain in full force." 'Most thuggish people' It's also unclear whether Congress will agree to the deal. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican on the Appropriations, Armed Services, Budget, and Judiciary committees, called Monday for a new round of sanctions that can be relieved only if Iran dismantles its plutonium reactor. The end game is to stop enrichment, he said on CNN's "New Day." "We're dealing with people who are not only untrustworthy, this is a murderous regime that murders their own people, creates chaos and mayhem throughout the whole world, the largest sponsor of terrorism. And we're treating them out of sync with who they are. That's what bothers me so much. This deal doesn't represent the fact we're dealing with the most thuggish people in the whole world." Since the deal is temporary, it remains unclear what world powers might offer -- and demand of -- Iran in the future. "It's a little too early to break open champagne bottles and put on the party hats on this one," said Middle East diplomatic expert Aaron David Miller. "Its success hinges on whether or not it leads to a bigger agreement to "put Iran's nuclear weapons program to rest." That the diplomats came to any accord at all represents a momentous budge in a nearly 35-year deadlock marked by distrust, suspicion and open animosity between the United States and Iran, which broke off diplomatic relations after Iran's revolution in 1979. It was the first such agreement in 10 years of attempts to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program. Success or setback? In a televised speech, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sold it as a win for his negotiators. "We are pleased after 10 years that an agreement on this level has been reached," he said. He played up the fact that the deal allows Iran to enrich uranium to a level making it usable as nuclear fuel. During the six months of the agreement, he said, major facilities in Iran will continue doing so. But that level, 5% enrichment, is well below the level needed to make weapons. Fareed Zakaria: What critics are getting wrong about the Iran deal . Obama said the agreement includes "substantial limitations that will help prevent Iran from creating a nuclear weapon." The President defended the interim deal, saying in San Francisco on Monday that the United States "cannot close the door on diplomacy." "Tough talk and bluster may be the easy thing to do politically, but it's not the right thing to do for our security," he said. Some Republican opponents in Washington agreed with Israeli officials, saying the plan will actually help in Iran's alleged quest for a bomb. "This agreement shows other rogue states that wish to go nuclear that you can obfuscate, cheat, and lie for a decade, and eventually the United States will tire and drop key demands," Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said. Netanyahu: obligation to defend . Netanyahu adamantly distrusts Iran and decried the agreement as a "historic mistake" Sunday. Now that sanctions are working, Netanyahu wants to see them tightened, not loosened, until Iran shuts down much of its nuclear capability. The agreement does not apply to Israel, he said Sunday. If need be, Israel will take matters into its own hands. "The regime in Iran is dedicated to destroying Israel, and Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself with its own forces against every threat," Netanyahu said. Israeli President Shimon Peres backed up Netanyahu, but also extended an olive branch. "I would like to say to the Iranian people: You are not our enemies and we are not yours," he said. "There is a possibility to solve this issue diplomatically," Peres said. Read the deal (PDF) | Obama defends temporary deal, which limits Iran's nuclear program .
Israel is sending a team to Washington to discuss the deal .
Sen. Graham threatens more sanctions, calls Iran's leadership "thuggish"
Iran retains the right to enrich uranium but not above nuclear fuel level . |
21,894 | 3e38533a237e29b7cf10a1f19ab95502546b4e57 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:48 EST, 14 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:15 EST, 15 January 2013 . As the death toll continues to grow steadily in Syria, an aid agency working in the conflict zone has said that doctors are being murdered to stop wounded getting treated. In a report released by International Rescue Committee's Commission on Syrian Refugees, they said that partner organisations which provide emergency medical services and supplies say the health care system has been decimated. Physicians . described 'intimidation, torture and the targeted killing of doctors . and other medical staff in retribution for treating the wounded'. Death toll: People gather at a site hit by what activists said was missiles fired by a Syrian Air Force fighter jet at the souk of Azaz, north of Aleppo . Injured: A Free Syrian Army Fighter, covered with blood, walks along a street. The UN said more than 60,000 have been killed in the uprising since March 2011 . Hit: Civilians and a Free Syrian Army fighter gather at a site hit by what activists said were missiles fired by a Syrian Air Force fighter jet . 'A systematic campaign to restrict access to life-saving . health care through the strategic bombing and forced closure of . hospitals and health care facilities,' was described in the report. The aid agency said the near two-year uprising and civil war has brought the Middle East into a new 'human displacement tragedy.' The UN estimates that more than 60,000 people have been killed in the uprising, which began in March 2011. 'Current assistance levels are . drastically insufficient to address existing needs, let alone the barest . requirements to respond to a lengthy humanitarian emergency and . post-conflict recovery,' the humanitarian organisation says in its . report Syria: A Regional Crisis. Escape: More than 600,000 Syrians have fled so far to overburdened neighbouring countries . Help: Men transport a body to hospital. Physicians described 'a systematic campaign to restrict access to life-saving health care through the strategic bombing and forced closure of hospitals and health care facilities' Desperate: Women carry their children as they run along a street after an attack . More than 600,000 Syrians have fled . so far to overburdened neighbouring countries, and the United Nations . anticipates the figure could soon exceed one million if the exodus . continues at its current pace of about 3,000 refugees a day, the IRC . says. Inside Syria, more than two million . civilians are displaced and the UN estimates that four million are in . dire need of assistance. The report says Syrian civilians are struggling to survive in communities besieged by violence, chaos and destruction. Supplies of food, water and . electricity have sharply dwindled, sanitation in many areas has halted, . increasing the threat of disease, yet medical care has become scarce. Struggle: The report says Syrian civilians are struggling to survive in communities besieged by violence, chaos and destruction . Grief: A man mourns the death of his relative as he is held at the decimated site . Blown out: A dead bird lies in a damaged car as people gather at a site hit by what activists said were missiles fired by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad . Operation: A Syrian army soldier during an operation in the suburb of Daraya, Damascus. According to media reports quoting opposition activists, government jets bombed areas near the capital . The report also details horrific . levels of sexual violence, describing rape as 'a significant and . disturbing feature of the Syrian civil war.' In the course of three IRC . assessments in Lebanon and Jordan, Syrians identified sexual violence as . a primary reason their families fled the country. Many women and girls told of being . attacked in public or their homes, primarily by armed men. These rapes, . sometimes by multiple perpetrators, often occur in front of family . members. The IRC was told of attacks in which women and young girls were . kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed. Every day, thousands of Syrians stream into Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and increasingly North Africa to find safe haven. Taking aim: A Free Syrian Army fighter aims his weapon in the Saif al-Dawlah neighborhood of Aleppo . Eyes out: A street controlled by government forces is seen through a sniper in the Saif al-Dawlah neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria . About 30% settle in refugee camps, many of which are overcrowded, overstretched and unprepared for the brutal winter. The vast majority are now 'urban . refugees', living outside camps in urban and rural areas, and growing . increasingly destitute and desperate. The report says the crisis will be a protracted humanitarian emergency. 'An end to the civil war will not necessarily end sectarian violence immediately; indeed the violence could well increase. Flee: Ihsan, 28, and her cousin, Sammia (left), on a rooftop in Al Mafraq, Jordan. They had crossed the border into northern Jordan three days earlier after fleeing the increasing violence in Syria . Injured: Nayf, 22, (left) from Homs City, Syria, pictured with an unnamed comrade from the Free Syrian Army, in Al Mafraq, northern Jordan . Displaced: Fawaz Rarhail Turkey, 59, from Homs, Syria, with his family outside a derelict house in Al Mafraq, Jordan, where they moved into after fleeing from Syria . 'Recovery, reconciliation and . political transition are processes that will be fraught with challenges . and could take many years.' The commission's recommendations . include that humanitarian aid should be increased, borders must be kept . open and the international community must prepare for a regional . humanitarian crisis that could last years. There should be more help for Syrians . both in and out of camps, and funding must be increased for programmes . that prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. | The International Rescue Committee describes the level of rape and sexual violence occurring in the conflict as 'horrific'
UN: More than 60,000 have been killed in the uprising since March 2011 .
At least 2million people are thought be internally displaced within Syria . |
30,356 | 5648afca56ba594a5daee6daadd6ce2616bf578d | The mayor of a German city claims Romanian and Bulgarian migrants are causing havoc, committing crimes and costing his authority close to £15million a year to house, feed and police.Soeren Link, the left-wing mayor of the former industrial city of Duisburg, close to the border with Holland, claims prostitution and robberies have spiked since the EU's latest members began arriving last year.'We are massively affected,' said the mayor, confirming the fears of the Association of German Cities which recently warned of 'social unrest' because of the economic refugees. Problems: The mayor of Duisburg, Germany, claims Bulgarian and Romanian migrants are creating havoc in the city . 'Mountains of rubbish': Soeren Link described mountains of waster 'taller than I am' outside buildings housing the city's Roma community . He spoke of rubbish mountains . 'taller than I am' outside of dilapidated housing blocks in the district . where, in one, 400 Bulgarians and Romanians are crammed into just over . 40 apartments. 'Children are misused there and sent on stealing missions,' he claimed in a TV discussion about the problem. Germany . is the continent's most socially-minded nation with a lavish array of . welfare benefits. Some Roma families are claiming over £2,000 a month in . child welfare payments, even though they are technically not supposed . to work in the country until January next year. 'It . is costing us millions and will cost us more by next year,' added Mr Link, who said anyone who thought the problem was going to go away was . 'misty eyed'. 'Social unrest': The city's mayor, left, said anybody who thought the problem would simply disappear was 'misty eyed', as he told of rubbish mountains outside cramped buildings (right) housing Duisburg's Roma community . He added: 'We didn't ask for this problem and we can't handle it alone.' On his Facebook page the mayor wrote: 'Platitude slogans and strong words do not help!' His outspokenness earned him the . praise of citizens including pensioner Heinz Hoffmann, 67, who said: 'If . my rubbish spills out on the street I would be slapped with a summons . in no time. Why do they get away with it?' Housewife Baerbel Kramer, 57, added: 'I have sympathy for the poor people, but we are also afraid of them.' Immigration . mandarins in the UK believe the troubles that have befallen Germany . will be imported when British rules are relaxed in January next year and . Bulgarians and Romanians arrive to seek work. 'Massively affected': Duisburg's mayor claims Romanian and Bulgarian migrants are costing the city millions per year . 'The social balance and social peace is extremely endangered,' reads an internal paper produced by the German Association of Cities earlier this month. Immigration from the two countries has spiked sixfold in the past few years. The ill-educated have little or no chance of finding work while some Roma families have up to ten children and are receiving payments for each of them from the state. 'The Roma in particular', states the report, 'end up in desolate conditions once they are here'. The knock-on effect is chaos also in classrooms where native children are being held back because the newcomers know no German. 'This is a totally new phenomenon, brought about by the euro crisis,' says Michaela Menichetti, integration commissioner for a school district in Reutlingen. Police in several German towns report on organised Romanian crime gangs where children and women are sent out each morning with specific instructions where to steal and from whom. One police report from Duisburg read: 'For at least a year, observations in Duisburg (but also nationally) show that Romanian groups - apparently family clans - are committing organized crimes on an alarming scale.' In 2007 there were 31,596 immigrants into Germany from the two countries and a further 83,000 arrived in the following three years. In 2011 alone nearly 64,000 arrived from Romania and Bulgaria. | Duisburg mayor Soeren Link says Roma send children on 'stealing missions'
Claims migrants costing authority millions in benefits and policing costs .
Anyone who thinks problem will disappear is 'misty eyed', says mayor .
Comes after report warned of 'social unrest' due to economic refugees . |
102,558 | 102783d402f610cb92a8c127a1b6a7cc8fb88d3f | Centennial, Colorado (CNN) -- James Holmes sat in the interrogation room in his T-shirt, white socks and boxers. Gone was the body armor that police found him wearing when they encountered him outside a movie theater where scores of people had been shot. Police had cut it off. Craig Appel -- the lead detective in the investigation into the 12 killings at the Century Aurora 16 Multiplex Theater in Aurora, Colorado -- testified Tuesday that paper bags had been placed over Holmes' hands to potentially preserve evidence. As Holmes was being interviewed, he used the paper bags as puppets. He played with his polystyrene drinking cup as if it were a piece in a game, Appel said. He removed a staple from the table and tried to stick it in an electrical outlet, the detective testified. Asked by a defense attorney whether he had ordered a blood test for Holmes, Appel said he had not. "There were no indications that he was under the influence of anything," he said. Appel testified that investigators found 76 shell casings at the auditorium where Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58 more on July 20, at a midnight movie showing. Most of the spent rounds -- 65 -- were .223 caliber, while six were shotgun shells and five were .40 caliber. Aurora police Sgt. Matthew Fyles testified the .223 cartridges were steel-core rounds, which are more likely to pass through a body intact and can cause multiple wounds. The details came on the second day of Holmes' preliminary hearing, which could last all week. It is meant to prove to Arapahoe County District Judge William Sylvester that prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed to trial. Attorneys for Holmes, a 25-year-old former neuroscience graduate student at a nearby university, are expected to seek a "diminished capacity" defense that could prevent the case from getting that far. Some of their questions during cross-examination have also suggested they are trying to make it appear Holmes might have been under the influence of something the night be was arrested. The term "diminished capacity," according to the Colorado Bar Association, relates to a person's ability or inability "to make adequately considered decisions" regarding his or her legal representation because of "mental impairment or for some other reason." The day wrapped up with Fyles, who detailed what happened to each of the victims, including a dozen people who were injured as people tried to flee. Fyles will testify again Wednesday morning as the last prosecution witness. The defense is allowed to call two witnesses. Chilling 911 calls played . Also Tuesday, prosecutors played the first 911 calls from the movie theater shooting as they continued building their case at a preliminary hearing. The recording was loud, chaotic and difficult to understand. There was too much sound to make out what the caller was saying. Just one thing is unmistakable: the sound of gunshots. At least 30 of them. In 27 seconds. Detective Randy Hansen testified that the first call to authorities came 18 minutes after the film started. More trickled in until the torrent was complete: 41 calls in all, he said. Because the movie was still playing and, in at least one, the gunman was still stalking the theater, the calls are difficult to make out. In one, a 13-year-old girl called to say her cousins had been shot. A 911 operator tried to lead the sobbing girl through performing CPR on one who was still breathing. Family members of victims attending the hearing held each other and choked back tears as the calls were played. Police describe elaborate setup in apartment . After detailing the calls, prosecutors turned to the intricate explosive web authorities say Holmes left in his apartment, including jars of homemade napalm with bullets suspended inside and topped with thermite, a material that burns so hot it is nearly impossible to put out. In photos displayed in court, the mixture looked like amber-colored gelatin. Elsewhere in the sparsely decorated apartment, a container of glycerin hung connected to a tripwire, ready to tip into a frying pan that held a homemade substance that would have sent sparks flying onto carpets soaked in oil and gas, setting them aflame, FBI bomb technician Garrett Gumbinner testified. A robot sent inside discovered the tripwire. He said Holmes also told him that he had left a boombox by a trash container outside his apartment rigged to start playing loud music 40 minutes after he turned it on. Next to it, Holmes said, he left a remote-control toy car and a control device that would set off the explosives inside his apartment, Gumbinner testified. Appel said someone took the boombox into an apartment where police recovered it and found Holmes' prints on it. They never located the toy car, he said. Also, Steve Beggs, a supervisory agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, testified that Holmes had purchased 6,295 rounds of ammunition and four firearms beginning in May. Ten weeks before the attack, on May 10, he bought two canisters of tear gas over the Internet, Beggs said. He was still buying materials into July, Beggs said, testifying that authorities have video of Holmes buying an accessory at a Colorado gun store on July 1. In the video, he said, Holmes' hair is bright orange. Court room packed with family, spectators . In Monday's first day of testimony, police officers recounted arriving at the movie theater to find a detached, sweaty Holmes outside and a horrific scene inside the theater, where the floor had become slippery with blood and cell phones rang unanswered. Aurora survivors: How they're doing . Holmes was a doctoral student in Aurora, in the neuroscience program at the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado, Denver, until he withdrew a month before being arrested outside the bullet-riddled movie theater. He had been a patient of a University of Colorado psychiatrist, according to a court document filed by his lawyers. Holmes did not speak during Monday's hearing. His bushy hair and long beard contrasted with the bright red hair and close-cropped facial hair he sported during previous appearances. During portions of the hearing, family members of victims held one another, sobbing. Security was tight. Spectators had to pass through a metal detector and then were searched again before entering the courtroom. At least nine armed officers stood guard inside, some of them scanning the audience packed with reporters and victims' family members. University releases e-mails related to Holmes . CNN's Casey Wian and Jim Spellman reported from Colorado; Michael Pearson wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Michael Cary and Greg Botelho also contributed to this report. | NEW: Shooter used steel-core rounds in attack, police officer says .
Detective: Holmes used paper bags for puppets as police tried to interview him .
The lead detective says he didn't need to order toxicology tests .
Police also play 911 calls from the July 20 shooting rampage . |
222,653 | ac3e89624842abf970aaac9822dbaca1bbc092bf | A ninth-grade Algebra teacher in Texas carried on sexual relationships with two 15-year-old students at the same time, gave them alcohol and marijuana — and once had a threesome with both girls, police charge. Timothy Flasik, 27, was the girl's teacher at Hurst Junior High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Police say he began chatting with the girls on Facebook and started having sex with them separately some 10 months ago, the Forth Worth Star-Telegram reported. He would take the girls to his Dallas apartment, where he allegedly offered them marijuana and alcohol. Arrested: Timothy Flasik, 27, was a ninth-grade algebra teacher at Hurst Junior High School where he met the two 15-year-old girls with whom he had a sexual relationship for 10 months . One of the girls told cops they had sex more than 20 times. One of those times, he brought both girls over to his apartment and they had a threesome, the Star-Telegram reported. Flasik had been at teacher at the Hurst-Euless-Bedford School District since January 2012. He resigned at the end of the previous academic year and was was hired at Plano West High School. It is unclear if he is still . teaching at the school. Flasik was arrested on Aug. 7 two charges each of sexual assault of a child and having an improper relationship between an educator and a student. He is free on bond. Flasik, who was arrested on suspicion of having an improper relationship with two 15-year-old girls, was a pitcher at the University of Texas at Dallas baseball team . | Timothy Flasik, 27, is charged with two counts each of sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between an educator and a student .
Police say he met the girls at Hurst Junior High School, Texas, where he taught ninth-grade Algebra .
Flasik had sex with the girls 'more than 20 times' and would provide them with alcohol and marijuana, they told investigators . |
63,773 | b5172343b3d73b80a22cd5aa7f9990e6ee90ddab | (CNN) -- The Gulf Coast Claims Facility "is fully functioning and will begin to process claims for emergency payment," a statement from the agency said on Monday, the same day BP reported having paid out $399 million in claims to date. The independent group, headed by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who handled the 9/11 victims' compensation fund, was established in June as part of an agreement between the Obama administration and BP to facilitate processing of the personal and business claims from those affected by the Gulf oil disaster stemming from the Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20. BP said last week that it was no longer accepting claims as the transition to the new entity was taking place. The oil giant, which said Monday that it has written 127,000 checks to pay $399 million in claims so far, will continue to handle claims put in by government entities. BP said Monday that 27,000 claimants who filed paperwork have not yet been paid. According to the Gulf Coast Claims Facility statement, claims previously filed with the BP Claims Process have been transitioned to the new claims facility for review, evaluation and determination. However, claimants will be required to file new forms with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility to receive payments. Feinberg, who now controls a $20 billion escrow account established by BP to compensate for damage, said in the statement, "I want to make sure the people in the Gulf understand we will not let you go out of business or lose your home. The No. 1 priority of the GCCF is to assist the people in the Gulf." He added, "Now that the claim centers are open and ready for business, the goal will be to get the emergency six month payment checks out the door, within 48 hours for individuals, after receipt of the claim form and sufficient supporting documentation and no more than seven days for businesses, after receipt of claim form and supporting documentation, and help people on the path to rebuilding their lives." To date, BP has funded $3 billion of the $20 billion total, ahead of its payment schedule. In a conference call Sunday, Feinberg said he plans to be more generous than any court would be in determining payments. However, he said if potential claimants don't like the offer the Gulf Coast Claims Facility makes, and believe they can do better, they can file suit -- although he doesn't advise it. "It is not in your interest to tie up you and the courts in years of uncertain, protracted litigation when there is an alternative that has been created," he said. Feinberg stresed on Sunday that his facility is independent of both the government and BP. Claimants can file online, by fax, by mail or in person. All 35 of BP's claims offices will remain open, but will be staffed with newly trained workers with the goal of quickly and efficiently answering questions, Feinberg said. On Monday, Feinberg is scheduled to hold three town hall meetings in Mississippi. Each site is also supposed to have people from the fund to help Mississippians file their claims and answer specific questions. The meetings are scheduled for Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Claimants can receive between one and six months' compensation without waiving their right to sue, Feinberg said. Only those who file for and receive a lump-sum payment later in the year will waive their right to litigate. Feinberg said it is still being determined whether those people will be required to release just BP, or other potential defendants, from lawsuits. He said determining eligibility in some cases could be tricky. The farther a person or a business is from the Gulf, the less likely they are to be determined eligible. However, Feinberg said, proximity is only one factor that is being looked at. A shrimp processor located 100 miles inland that solely processes Gulf shrimp would be one example of a case where other factors come into play, he said. "I don't want to underestimate the importance of proximity to the Gulf, but we'll have to be looking at the nature of your industry and how dependent you are on Gulf resources," he said. "I'm going to have to draw some tough lines, but I'm hoping I'll be able to enjoy the benefit of saying, 'If I haven't found you eligible, no court will find you eligible.'" BP has done a pretty good job of claims payment in some cases, but has not been very effective in processing business claims, he said. Under his purview, "they may not always like their answer, but they'll get their answer within seven days." He said he anticipates "a flood of early emergency claims" beginning Monday, but hopes the tide may be lessened by claimants' ability to file and track their claim processing online. He said he plans to be transparent about budgets and payments, even his own compensation. A summary narrative on how adjusters will process claims has already been made public. Asked about Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's Friday letter to Feinberg criticizing the claims process under the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, Feinberg again emphasized that the program is voluntary. McCollum said the program appears to be less generous to Floridians than the BP claims process, but "appearances are deceiving, and that is not the case," Feinberg said. He encouraged potential claimants to "test" the program and see how they will be treated. While Gulf Coast residents are applying for payments onshore, offshore BP has renewed "fishing operations" on the sunken, crippled Macondo oil well, BP spokeswoman Catherine Hill said Monday. As a prelude to permanently shutting down the well, crews are trying to withdraw drill pipe hanging below the bottom of the blowout preventer and remove it from the well, so they can then remove the capping stack that's kept oil from leaking since July 15 and replace the old blowout preventer with a new one. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man in the region, said BP has determined there are three sections of drill pipe that need to be removed -- a main pipe and two shorter ones. The largest pipe is roughly 3,000 feet long. The government wants to preserve the removed pipe to use for study and possibly as evidence down the road. Development Driller II, the rig drilling a second relief well as a redundancy measure, is completing preparations for its blowout preventer to be used on the Macondo well, while the Development Driller III -- the rig drilling the relief well expected to intercept the main well -- is standing by until that's done. Once the blowout preventer is replaced to mitigate the risk of pressure in the well, it will take about four days to drill through the relief well and intercept the main well, based on statements from Allen. From that point, it will take another few days to permanently seal the well with mud and cement from below in what's called a "bottom kill" procedure. | BP says it has paid out $399 million in claims to date .
BP is doing prep work to replace the blowout preventer on the damaged well .
The Gulf Coast Claims Facility process kicks off Monday .
Chief Kenneth Feinberg says he is operating independently and will be transparent and efficient . |
118,191 | 249c6983ae2f0952e39bef05c08ed3ca994901e0 | A Polish student and part-time model was gassed to death in a bath when a faulty boiler filled the bathroom with carbon monoxide. Klaudia Wysocka, 23, from Goldap, a town in north-eastern Poland, had moved to the nearby city of Olsztyn to study microbiology. She was found slumped in the bath tub when her flatmates became worried after knocking on the door an hour after she had gone in and not getting a reply. Student and part-time model Klaudia Wysocka (pictured) was gassed to death in a bath when a faulty boiler filled the bathroom with carbon monoxide . Klaudia Wysocka, 23, from Goldap, a town in north-eastern Poland, had moved to the nearby city of Olsztyn to study microbiology . Medics tried desperately to save Klaudia Wysocka but she died on the way to hospital . When they broke the door down they found her unconscious. Described as intelligent and beautiful, her friends and boyfriend tried to resuscitate her before calling an ambulance. After the tragedy, her friend Magda Miechowicz, 22, said: 'She was so full of life and had so many ambitions. 'She wanted to be a model but was incredibly intelligent and also wanted to fight against viruses and bacteria so people could lead healthier lives. 'We had complained about the gas boiler and our landlord said he would fix it. 'Unfortunately, that has come too late.' The local fire brigade has issued a warning about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Pictured is one of the fire fighters who worked at the scene of the tragedy . Klaudia was taken to hospital but died on the way. A hospital spokesman said: 'She died of carbon-monoxide poisoning because of the faulty gas heater.' A fire brigade spokesman warned: 'Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and tasteless. 'It can be produced by appliances and will be deadly if in a confined space such as a small bathroom in which the door is closed and locked. 'It stops the body being able to absorb oxygen, eventually leading to death.' | Klaudia Wysocka was studying microbiology in the Polish city of Olsztyn .
The 23-year-old was found in her flat unconscious and slumped in bath tub .
Friends tried to resuscitate the student but she died on the way to hospital .
Aspiring model died of carbon monoxide poisoning, hospital bosses said .
Flatmates say they had complained to the landlord about faulty gas boiler . |
127,226 | 30737d7797d0c00c57d46f15420c915d7f3ca856 | She was the nerdy feminist with an ‘awful haircut’ and ‘hideous Coke bottle glasses’. He was a ‘Viking’ of a man with a six-inch beard who towered over everyone he met. But this is this is how one of America’s greatest political dynasties began, according to the screenplay of Rodham, about the early life of Hillary Clinton. The script, a copy of which has been . shown to MailOnline by a Hollywood source, gives a riveting fictional . account of how the former First Lady and future Presidential candidate . met husband Bill - set to the soundtrack of Carly Simon’s You’re So . Vain. The way we were: Bill and Hillary pictured in their younger years after meeting at Yale in 1972 . Hot politics: The script rather ungallanty says 'she¿s the valedictorian of the 'look-like-s*** school of feminism¿ . There is romance and sex including one scene in which the pair ‘devour’ each other. There is the ambition of the potential 2016 Presidential candidate who was chosen in her 20s to serve on the House Judiciary Committee which looked into impeaching President Richard Nixon. But above all there is the story of somebody who refuses to let anything get in her way of getting to the top - man or woman. MailOnline has been told by sources that the script has not yet received financial backing and is being extensively rewritten. It is based on real events but screenwriter Young Il Kim, a South Korean who was living in New Jersey at the time he wrote it, has taken artistic licence when it comes to dialogue. Love story: The screenplay Rodham tells how former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met husband, former president Bill Clinton . Mr Kim said the script was intended to show the ‘journey of a person who is faced with the impossible choice of her career ambitions and personal desires’. He said: ‘This is a story about a woman who was a political rock star and had as bright a future coming out of Yale Law as Bill if not more. ‘And the story is about someone who is so assured of her destiny in Washington D.C. until she meets the one person in the world who makes her make this the most impossible dilemma. ‘And she faces this difficult choice when she is 26 in 1974, in an era when most women realize that they cannot have both a career and a family.’ As a result, the story is as much about the relationship between Mr Clinton and Mrs Clinton, whose maiden name is Rodham, as it is about her ascent to the White House. Beauty: Hillary Clinton, pictured as a student in 1969, several years before she met her husband Bill . Driven: Hillary, center, with fellow students at Wellesley in 1969, is described as having 'hideous Coke bottle glasses' in the screenplay . Don't mess: In the script, Hillary decides to stop wearing skirts and wears pant suits to be taken more seriously . The script details how the pair met at Yale College in 1972 in the law school library where she is tutoring a young Robert Reich, who would go on to be Labour Secretary in her husband’s administration. Mrs Clinton is described as a ‘blonde girl whose face is hidden behind an awful haircut and a hideous pair of COKE-BOTTLE glasses’. It reads: ‘Her tie-dyed T-shirt has a faded “AuH2O” on it. She’s the valedictorian of the 'look-like-s*** school of feminism.’ Mr Clinton is a ‘a VIKING of a man slows down to watch her. He has a full mane and a six-inch beard.’ The then Miss Rodham notices him gazing at her, slams her book shut and storms up to him to demand an explanation. Her ‘piercing gaze’ leaves Mr Clinton speechless until the credits roll, set to the music of Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain. Over the 118 pages the script details how the pair then drift apart and get back together until 1974 when she joins in him Arkansas where he is running for a seat in the House - having effectively chosen his career over hers. Work in progress: The screenplay Rodham which focuses on the love story of Bill and Hillary Clinton has been written by Young Il Kim . On her journey she encounters all the travails of being a woman in a man’s world in the 1970s. Mrs Clinton tells a friend that her friend Betsey Wright, who would go on to her her husband’s chief of staff, thinks she should change her appearance to give herself ‘torpedo titties’ to make herself more appealing. She later decides to stop wearing skirts and wears pant suits to be taken more seriously. Mr Clinton’s mother Virginia, however, disapproves of her attire so much that she gives her a tight-fitting blue dress to wear during a family visit. Sexism even comes from Mr Clinton’s own family in the form of his half-brother Roger Clinton Jr, who raises a laugh at a family gathering with the joke: ‘Who do you think f***** more women? Bill or Hillary?’ The script describes how Mrs Clinton is outraged when her husband is first offered the job on the House Judiciary Committee by chairman John Doar instead of her. He got the call while she was standing in the room and declined as he was entering politics himself. In a screaming row she later tells him: ‘Your mother hates me. Your brother hates me. Your staff hates me. I want to go where I’m not hated, where I’m not a consolation prize!’ Passion: In one scene the pair 'devour' each other . She also tells a friend that he can ‘burn in hell’ as he is just ‘using me for the apartment’. Outraged Mrs Clinton complains that he ‘isn’t even using me for sex’. When asked if she really isn’t having sex with him, she says: ‘It depends upon what the meaning of the word “sex” means’. But it is not all stormy waters, and there are scenes of intimacy between the two. Mr Clinton first proposes in 1972 when Mrs Clinton is 26 and working for the Children’s Defence Fund, whilst he is assistant professor of law at the University of Arkansas. In true Clinton style, he does it rather casually as the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew plays on a TV in the background. Mr Kim writes that Mrs Clinton ‘wanted this for so long and it’s finally happening’ but does not seem to take it seriously or give him an answer. He later proposes again in dramatic fashion as he is about to get on a plane but she cannot say yes, even when he puts the ring in front of her finger. Mr Kim writes: ‘She shakes, unable to speak. Her world crumbles in the most wonderful yet devastating way. ‘Her heart wants to say yes. But her mind calculates the ramifications. She doesn’t know.’ Mr Kim also writes of when they have sex Mr Clinton ‘eyes her with such intensity that she feels naked, vulnerable, and aroused all at once’. Power couple: Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton on their wedding day, October 11, 1975 in Fayetteville, Arkansas . He writes: ‘A seductive, penetrating gaze that makes her want to explode with pent-up desires. ‘He grabs her wrists and pins her against the wall. Feeling so wonderfully submissive to his primal, masculine needs. ‘Bill tears off the buttons of her blouse. As he buries his head into her cleavage...’ Their attempt to have sex ends in a comic note when they check their voicemail messages which include the call from Mr Doar - sparking a row which ends the liaison. The bulk of the script is about Mrs Clinton’s time on the Impeachment Committee and how she wins the approval of older, male colleagues by being brilliant at her job. She is assigned to work with William Weld, a 28-year-old rising star who Mr Kim describes as having ‘golden hair, dashing good looks, and tall and muscular frame. He won the genetic lottery.’ Mrs Clinton jokingly compares him to Ryan O’Neal in Love Story and they almost kiss on the roof of the Congressional Hotel. Instead they are interrupted by a phone call from Mr Clinton wishing her happy birthday. She is touched when he plays ‘Hail to the chief’ on the saxophone down the line, winning her heart again. The pair then go from strength to strength, with Mr Clinton helping Mrs Clinton’s work by suggesting she subpoena President Nixon’s recordings from the Roosevelt Room. She replies: ‘I f***** love you. I mean that. I love you and I want to f*** you’. Mrs Clinton ignores him flirting with a waitress by using his stock line that the watermelons of Hope, Arkansas, his home town are the ‘firmest, juiciest melons’. She looks the other way when a 20-year-old girl emerges out of his campaign office right in front of her with a smile on her face. It is not until 1974 when she is in Arkansas helping Mr Clinton run for the House of Representatives against Republican incumbent John Paul Hammerschmidt that they fall out again because his campaign staff mocked her. The script says that she was so furious that ‘everything about him and his world repulses her’. Mrs Clinton tells him: ‘I really tried. I tried and tried. I thought I could make this work but I can’t. I can’t do this. Mr Clinton says: ‘Then don’t. If you can’t handle the campaign, don’t.’ Mr Kim writes that her ‘heart breaks’ as she says: ‘I mean us’. The scene ends with the song You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones, suggesting they are over - but as history would show, the partnership would last. | Former Secretary of State and former President met as students at Yale in 1972 .
Screenplay written by Young Il Kim - with lots of creative licence . |
178,556 | 7326e07c9f10193e4a3a61cf08ae02e9e4cd8e1a | (CNN) -- Even before Manchester United and Chelsea kicked off at Old Trafford on Monday, there was ample intrigue. With Chelsea making no secret about its interest in United striker Wayne Rooney, would the Englishman start? Rooney, who United repeatedly insist isn't for sale despite the 27-year-old putting in a transfer request at the end of last season, did make the starting 11 and played the full 90 minutes. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, didn't start a recognized striker, leaving $78 million man Fernando Torres on the bench. He again omitted Chelsea's player of last season, creative midfielder Juan Mata. In the end, both teams maintained their unbeaten start to the young season thanks to a mostly dour 0-0 draw. In David Moyes' first home game in charge since replacing Alex Ferguson, the scoreless tie was the first in the league at Old Trafford in four years. The pre-game hype thus made for more fun than the game itself and the post-game comments from both managers provided yet more entertainment. With reports of a club other than Real Madrid making a late bid for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, a smiling Moyes didn't deny United was the team in question. "Manchester United will always be interested in the best players," Moyes told Sky Sports. "We're always looking to try to improve the team and the owners have given me every opportunity to bring in whoever I want." Mourinho didn't rule out Chelsea making a third bid for Rooney, although he acknowledged the support the England international received from the crowd would make it difficult for him to leave. Rooney's shift was full of commitment, particularly evidenced when he tracked back late to dispossess Ramires. He was arguably United's best player. "(United fans) supported him all the way so I think this is a real special club with special fans and I think probably now he decides he wants to stay," Mourinho told Sky. Chelsea went top of the standings with seven points through three games, having contested a game more than its rivals when the fixture against Aston Villa was moved up due to the Blues' upcoming Super Cup clash against Bayern Munich. United, Chelsea and Manchester City are thought to be the title contenders this season and City was the first team to flinch when it lost 3-2 at newly promoted Cardiff on Sunday. "I told the players before the game we want to win, we will play to win but if you don't win, you don't lose," said Mourinho. "I think the players understood this completely." The first half Monday never took off. If ever a game needed a goal, as the saying goes, this was it. United striker Robin Van Persie struck the side netting and somehow teammate Antonio Valencia escaped a yellow card from Martin Atkinson when he hacked down Oscar. As the half drew to a close, Rooney almost slipped in van Persie but his pass was too heavy. United began the second half with more urgency and Danny Welbeck -- who scored two goals in United's league opener last week versus Swansea -- should have done better when Rooney found him inside the box. Chelsea's no-striker formation failed to match the potency of the Spanish national team and Torres entered in the 60th minute. United wanted a penalty when it felt Tom Cleverley's shot struck Frank Lampard in the arm but Atkinson didn't budge. "I think that's two in a week that Chelsea has had ... which have been good shouts," Moyes said, referring to an incident in the Villa game last week. Rooney's rising shot in the 77th minute forced Petr Cech into a diving save and from the ensuing corner, Welbeck mistimed his header. Chelsea was by this time happy with a point, further shown when Mourinho replaced Kevin de Bruyne with not Mata but defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel. Three points for Madrid . In Spain, Real Madrid made it two wins from two league games to match Barcelona after beating Granada 1-0 away. Karim Benzema, the French striker linked with Arsenal, accounted for the scoring with a 10th-minute goal. Real Madrid could have added to its lead, but Isco hit the post and Cristiano Ronaldo was denied by keeper Roberto. | Premier League title contenders Manchester United and Chelsea draw 0-0 .
It was the first scoreless tie in a league game at Old Trafford since 2009 .
Wayne Rooney, linked with a move to Chelsea, played all 90 minutes for the Red Devils .
The game marked David Moyes' first home game in charge since replacing Alex Ferguson . |
94,283 | 0531304577eb714a61f97f9c68e189832b16aef8 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:46 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:26 EST, 29 October 2013 . Budget airline carrier Allegiant Air has come under attack after one of their flights took off more than 11 hours behind schedule. Flight 1032 was schedule to leave Oakland International Airport for Provo, Utah, at 9.30am on Monday. However the plane had to be towed back to the terminal due to a steering issue. All passengers were asked to get off the flight and go back inside the terminal. Allegiant then organized a replacement craft, which was slated to leave at 4pm - some 6.5 hours later. However that plane was also reported as having mechanical problems. Not happy: Passengers have been left outraged after being delayed by almost 12 hours for a routine 1.5 hour Allegiant Air domestic flight . A third plane was then brought in. It arrived in Oakland at 6.40pm. 'Passengers were boarded quickly. However the captain requested additional fuel and the aircraft returned to the gate before departing for Provo at 8.48pm,' Allegiant said in a statement to CBS News. The flight landed in Provo at 10.22pm, almost 12 hours behind schedule. According to Google maps a driver could make the same trip from Oakland to Provo in just over 11 hours. Allegiant's statement said replacement planes were brought in because there weren't enough on the ground in Oakland. All the aircraft were Boeing MD 83s. Allegiant said every effort was made to ensure passengers 'were as comfortable as possible' and that they were never stuck in a aircraft on a tarmac during the delay. Stuck: An unknown number of passengers were stranded here at Oakland International Airport following an extreme flight delay on Monday . 'We provided food and beverages, $100 off vouchers and the option to cancel or reschedule the flight at no additional cost,' they said. However that was hardly enough to please their unhappy customers. 'I am outraged. This airline should go out of business immediately,' one wrote on Twitter. Another vowed to never fly Allegiant again, saying: 'I'll probably tell everyone not to fly it, either.' Someone else called the situation 'cruel and unusual punishment'. 'These people are so insensitive . Been 12 hours at the airport and it's ridiculous. They should be out of business.' It is not known how many passengers were affected by the delay. | Flight scheduled to leave Oakland for Provo, Utah at 9.30am Monday went through three aircraft .
First plane reported to have steering issues .
Second plane also determined as mechanically unsound .
Third plane finally leaves at 8.48pm, much to the outrage of passengers . |
270,303 | ea13c0cbc64df888b9f7f2e70e0c2e05d7aab435 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:02 EST, 29 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:02 EST, 29 August 2013 . Parents all over Britain are preparing to send their children back to school next week, and many of them will be breathing a sigh of relief after what has probably been an expensive summer. Children of primary school age cost their parents an average of £1,109 each over the lengthiest holiday of the year, expenses that are spread over sunny luxuries such as holidays abroad, days out, entertainment, as well as extra food and petrol. Taking into account the approximate 4.1 million primary and nursery school pupils in the UK, this has equated to around a £4.56 billion spend on British youngsters, according to research from a money saving website. They may be small, but each primary school age child in the UK cost their parents £1,109 over the summer . Factoring in holidays abroad, days out, extra food and extra petrol, summer holidays add up . And that's before they've factored in the inevitable September spend of new uniforms, stationery and all that accompanies the beginning of a new school term, according to researchers at Vouchercodespro.uk. The website polled 2,898 parents of primary school pupils aged between 3-11 on how much they have spent this summer on such school holiday treats as a holiday, days out and entertainment. The poll did not take into account such necessary costs as child care and normal grocery costs in order to gain a better insight into the added expense of summer months on families. When asked if they would agree with the statement that the summer holidays this year have proven more of a financial strain than previous years, 68 per cent of parents responded yes. The website polled 2,898 parents of primary school pupils aged between 3-11 on how much they have spent this summer on such school holiday treats as a holiday, days out and entertainment . Of the 32 per cent of parents who didn't agree with the statement, 73 per cent had chosen not to have a summer holiday this year, perhaps explaining why costs were not as high for them this year. Average spending per child aged 3-11 in UK over summer holidays: . TOTAL: £1,109 . Factoring cost for each child, parents said they spent £562 on summer holidays, £114 on days out within the UK, £128 on extra food, £163 on entertainment such as cinema trips and books, and £142 on extra petrol. When totalled, these costs equate . to an average of £1,109 spent on each child during the summer holidays. The money saving site used this statistic and multiplied it by the . current number of primary school pupils in the UK (4,114,000). Overall, . the UK summer spend on luxuries from parents per child comes to just . over £4.56 billion. Spokesperson for the site, George Charles, said: 'As . part of our ongoing research into consumer spending habits, the team . here decided to investigate just how much the summer holidays have cost . the average parents of primary school children this year. 'With the high . sum suggested from results, it could now be argued that the start of the . new school year just around the corner, the expenses involved in such . purchases as a new uniform and stationary, may be somewhat of a problem . for cash-strapped families.' | Approximately 4.1 million children aged 3-11 in the UK .
Total of £4.56 billion spent on British youngsters over summer .
Extra money spent on holidays, days out, extra food and petrol . |
33,703 | 5fdfb85fdad939d5ed757e414dd6a6149d97b3bc | The preparations for war are over. My pilot, John Peters, and I are sitting at the threshold of the runway in a fully-armed Tornado bomber. Outside it is pitch black, the dead of night. All the doubts and fears I’ve battled in the past few weeks begin to recede as we prepare for the technical practicalities of modern warfare. Instruments, weapons, fuel, defensive systems, flight controls — everything is checked, double checked, and then checked again. Glancing around the gloomy airfield I can see the flashing lights of myriad aircraft, their crews carefully going through the endless procedures that will make a dangerous mission as risk-free as possible. Beneath us, the awesome power of the jet bucks and strains to be released as John winds up the engines to maximum power. I glance over to the aircraft on our right and give a friendly wave through the darkness. I can’t see if my friend responds. Scroll down for video . Beaten and paraded on Iraqi TV: John Nichol was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and taken as a hostage in Baghdad by Iraqi soldiers . As the massive twin engines, in full afterburner, throw sheets of flame out of the rear of the aircraft, we blast into the night sky and are on our way at several hundred miles an hour towards the target. It is the early hours of January 17, 1991, the first night of the first Gulf war in Iraq, and there is no turning back from whatever the coming hours hold for us. Of course we are nervous, but we are also ready and there is no time for fear. We have been trained for this moment and we are determined to succeed, to prove ourselves in battle, and to survive ... Scenes like this one — which is still seared in my memory — may be unfolding in the Middle East just a few hours from now as our armed forces prepare, once again, to go to war. The horrific footage of Islamic State terrorist fighters beheading innocent hostages has goaded the U.S. into action, and a coalition of nations is already striking ISIS targets from the air. And where America deploys the ‘big stick’, its staunch ally Britain normally follows. Our military personnel — mostly young men and women — have been ordered on to a war footing and it is highly likely the Royal Air Force will soon join the fray against the jihadists in Iraq. Bags are being packed, wills reviewed, children and loved ones will be hugged more closely than usual. It will only take a debate in Parliament today to seal the decision to send our war planes over Iraq again. The prospect of battle is perhaps only hours away, so how will those involved be feeling? I can clearly remember my emotions in the build-up to Operation Desert Storm — the operation to liberate Kuwait — in 1991. The predictable worry and uncertainty was mixed with a sense of anticipation, even excitement. War is the job I had been trained for, so there is a sense of wanting to test oneself to the full. For me the sense of destiny was very real: the world was watching events unfold on its TV screens in much the same way we are today. To be part of history on this scale felt electrifying. As our commander put it, we were going to be the ‘thunder and lightning’ of Desert Storm. But, at the same time, there was a real sense of trepidation . . . My Tornado squadron was based on the island of Bahrain and on the eve of the war to evict Saddam Hussein’s troops from Kuwait, the tension on our base was palpable. I needed to get away, to collect my thoughts, so I went for a jog along the coast. My abiding memory of that time is of sitting on the rocks, staring out to sea and contemplating that I may not have long to live. My two young nieces had sent me a cassette tape and, as I listened to their innocent voices telling me of the excitement of birthdays and the presents they had received, it was hard to suppress my tears. I had prepared for the practicalities of war, including a will to be made. But the hardest thing was to write the ‘last letters’ that would be delivered to loved ones only if the worst happened. It is an almost impossibly poignant task to tell them that if they are actually reading that letter then you will not be coming home — ever. Visit Atlantic Speaker Bureau . John Peters, Mr Nichol's pilot. The pair were finally released after seven weeks but were subject to beatings, mock executions and being paraded on TV . How do you explain that no matter how much it hurts they must be strong and get on with the rest of their lives? How do you express the depth of your love in a letter that you hope will never be read? There was also a real eagerness, perhaps even desperation, to get into combat. Yet I remember feeling sick when I thought about what the coming hours might bring. I was about to fight and possibly die. But the thought at the forefront of my mind was not ‘Will I survive?’, it was ‘I just hope I don’t let my mates down.’ The other thought was about capture and possible torture — and perhaps this is a consideration high on the minds of those preparing to go to war again there today. Saddam Hussein had ordered his people to tear any captured aircrew ‘limb from limb’. John, my friend as well as my pilot, and I had agreed that if we were faced with the enemy, rather than being captured, we would provoke a shoot-out which would result in our deaths, perhaps taking a few of them with us. We hoped we would never have to test the theory. Days after that conversation, we were screaming over our target at around 600mph, just 50ft above the desert, and turning to head back to base. Our bombing mission had been a dismal failure and we were returning dejected, wondering what our mates would say about making a cock-up of our very first mission. Suddenly, a heat-seeking surface-to-air missile slammed into the right-hand engine of our jet. It was like being hit by an express train. As the titanium-laced missile warhead exploded, the 30-ton jet was blasted sideways like a leaf in the wind, moments later, as the plane blew up in flames, I keyed the transmit button on the radio, ‘Ejecting, Ejecting’. As the ejection seat rockets fired it was like being grabbed by a giant hand and thrown into the middle of a cauldron of fire, gales, confusion and fear. Seconds later, the parachute deployed and I was on the ground in the heart of the enemy desert. It was an overwhelming sensation and I wanted to sit down and let circumstances wash over me — to let someone else take control. But you can’t just give up, you have to continue the fight until all the options are exhausted. John and I were on the run in the desert for a couple of hours before shots rang out and the sand around us was blasted by a hail of bullets. We were now faced with the terrible dilemma we had always feared. Fight and die? Or surrender? I can still see John turning towards me saying, ‘there’s always hope’. We put our guns down and were captured. I truly thought I might die in those first few seconds as the Iraqi soldiers beat us to the ground in blind rage. Luckily, an officer managed to calm them down and we were loaded onto a vehicle. The sense of fear and desperation was coursing through me, but I still held out hope of survival. My fear was heightened as a young Bedouin boy who had guided the soldiers to our position began to draw his finger across his throat in a slitting motion. The immediate future looked bleak. We were taken to Baghdad, and the brutality of those weeks of capture was terrible — beatings, mock executions, cigarettes stubbed out on our skin, and of course, being humiliatingly paraded on TV. But there was also hope — yes it would have been easy for them to kill us, indeed one of Saddam Hussein’s sons apparently ordered that we should be shot. We always had hope that we might survive and be reunited with our loved ones. And eventually, after seven weeks, we were. After a short and successful campaign, the allied coalition won and we were released to the Red Cross. As today’s generation of young men and women prepare to take to the skies in anger once again over Iraq, the terrible prospect of capture after being shot down must be at the forefront of their thoughts. But this time it is even more chilling — for the brutal, public murder of ISIS hostages by beheading is well understood by all involved. These are highly trained professionals, however, and any concerns in their minds will be pushed aside. It may sound inane to outsiders, but fears for one’s own fate are daily realities for modern military people. They know the risks, they understand the dangers. But they cannot, will not, let those concerns influence their actions. Just as I was paid to do the job 24 years ago, so they have taken the ‘Queen’s shilling’ to carry out their orders today. They will want to test themselves in battle, they will want to fight bravely, they will not want to let their mates down. That is the very ethos of military life. And whatever trials and hardships the coming days bring our armed forces, I know they will acquit themselves with courage, dignity and professionalism. As a country, we can be justifiably proud of them. | Mr Nichol took part in Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait in 1991 .
Saddam Hussein ordered his people to tear captured aircrew ‘limb from limb’
Mr Nichol and his pilot John Peters had agreed plan if faced with enemy .
They agreed to trigger a shoot-out leading to death, rather than be captured .
Days later, their jet was hit by surface-to-air missile and it blew up in flames .
Iraqi soldiers beat them to the ground before they were taken to Baghdad .
Their capture involved beatings, mock executions and being paraded on TV .
They were released after seven weeks into the hands of the Red Cross .
The Red Line — The RAF’s Bloodiest Raid On Hitler’s Germany by John Nichol is published by Collins at £8.99. |
260,768 | ddb20275605162f70788d43a29045484cd56a75f | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 12:56 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:51 EST, 6 November 2013 . John Miller, 36, 'slaughtered' his partner and eight-year-old daughter but spared his 'pure Aryan' youngest daughter . A father butchered his partner and their eight-year-old daughter in a cannabis-induced psychotic frenzy, a court heard yesterday. John Miller, 38, spared their other daughter, aged four, because she was a ‘true Aryan with blonde hair and blue eyes’. The family had a ‘last meal’ together at home and watched Coronation Street before Miller – a drug abuser who had smoked skunk cannabis for years – erupted in violence as teacher Sarah Laycock, 31, was putting the girls to bed. He said he heard voices in his head and was told by ‘electrical signals’ to kill his family members, Leeds Crown Court was told. Miss Laycock was thrown downstairs and killed by Miller in the kitchen. She was stabbed 19 times – once through her eye – with a knife before being hit four times in the face with an axe. Miller then killed Abigail in the living room. The schoolgirl put up a ‘considerable struggle’ as her father stabbed her nine times, severing an artery in her neck. He later slit his wrists and was found wandering around a nature reserve, beating his chest and ‘growling like an animal’. It took a team of police officers two hours to arrest the fitness fanatic using ‘sheer brute force’. Police found four-year-old Amelia in the house in Garforth, West Yorkshire, with the family’s dog. The youngster had been alone for more than 12 hours with the bodies of her mother and sister. Miller, who was a member of the BNP and described as ‘overtly racist’, said he spared Amelia because of her ‘DNA’. He carried the girl upstairs after the horrific attacks, and warned her to stay in a bedroom. Miller attacked deputy head partner Sarah in the kitchen with a knife, stabbing her 19 times in the face . A court packed with family heard Miller then attacked little Abigail with a bladed weapon. When police found the small body in the living room of the family home she was still dressed in her nightdress . In his interview Miller said he had thrown Sarah down the stairs before attacking her. After being arrested he made 'overtly racist' remarks, claiming that all people with brown eyes had 'muddied the gene pool' The Garforth home of the mother and daughter who were brutally killed by Cannabis user John Miller . Leeds Crown Court heard that plasterer Miller had picked his daughters up from school on January 13 last year, telling them they 'needed to hurry home because there is going to be a nuclear war . Miller pleaded guilty to manslaughter by . reason of diminished responsibility and was yesterday jailed for life, . with a minimum term of 15 years. The court heard the plasterer was . mentally ill at the time of the incident in January 2012 and the one-off . violent ‘psychotic episode’ was probably the result of taking cannabis, . cocaine and steroids for many years. 'I've had no reprieve, no release for good behaviour. 'My daughter and granddaughter - brutally and violently murdered - their basic human rights removed - their right to live. 'Everything I've worked for is now gone. 'Everything I planned for has gone. The lifestyle I accepted as the norm has been shattered.' The father-of-two later told . psychiatrists he believed there was going to be a nuclear war and he . was instructed by messages from his computer to kill them. The judge . dismissed defence claims that he was a paranoid schizophrenic and . decided he was fit to serve a prison sentence rather than go to . hospital. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Coulson described the offences as . ‘appalling’ and said they were ‘particularly heinous crimes’. The . court heard he slit his wrists and waded into a lake at Fairburn Ings . nature reserve, but didn’t go through with the suicide attempt. Paramedics were called to treat him but they ran away from the ambulance when he became violent. Michelle . Colborne, QC, prosecuting said that when police officers arrived Miller . was standing on a bank ‘beating his chest and grunting and growling in . an animal’s voice’. A ‘large number’ of officers eventually . overpowered him. Miller initially told police his girlfriend had died in . an accident. But officers went to the house where they found Amelia at . the top of the stairs cuddling the family’s dog Rex. She had no serious . physical injuries. Amelia later told her aunt that she was ‘scared’ of her father and asked if he would ever be released from jail. Her one . question was ‘what was the size of the padlock on Daddy’s door?’. The . dead teacher’s father Christopher Laycock said in a victim impact . statement: ‘Everything I have worked for has gone, everything I have . planned has gone. The lifestyle I accepted as the norm is shattered.’ Detective . Superintendent Lisa Griffin said outside court Miller had ‘no history . of mental illness and no one could have predicted or prevented this . terrible tragedy’. She added: ‘Sarah Laycock was a loyal partner, . loving mother and a hard-working deputy head teacher. She did nothing to . provoke her violent death and everything to love and protect her children.' | John .
Miller, 38, killed partner, Sarah Laycock, 31, and daughter Abigail, 8 .
But the active BNP member spared 4-year-old daughter 'pure Aryan' Amelia .
She was in the house as brutal attacks were carried out on family .
Police found her cowering upstairs, hiding with the family dog .
Court heard that Miller was a long-time drug abuser with racist views .
He told police all people with brown eyes had ‘muddied the gene pool’
He has been jailed for life - and told he must serve minimum of 15 years . |
118,859 | 257af5c9fe161e367db38baa05a0733ca75425f0 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:15 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:47 EST, 18 December 2013 . A heartbroken mother has fulfilled a weight loss promise to her late daughter. Bride-to-be Lynne Wakefield, 44, from Dukinfield in Tameside, was dangerously overweight when she vowed to slim for her sick daughter Rachael in the run up to her wedding to Rachael's father. Sadly Rachael died aged just 23 after losing her fight with a rare lung disease, but Lynne continued with her mission to slim down, losing 6st 7lbs for the big day. Lynne Wakefield, pictured on her wedding day, lost 6 stone after she and her daughter went on a diet before the big day. Sadly, her daughter, 23, passed away before the nuptials . Selfless mother Lynne devoted herself to nursing Rachael, her only child, after she fell ill aged 13. At her heaviest, Lynne Wakefield was a size 22 - however, she managed to slim down to a 14 in time for her wedding, spurred on by her promise to her daughter . With little time to cook or plan meals, she often resorted to junk food or takeaways as she visited her daughter during lengthy stretches in hospital. She had twice postponed her marriage to partner Phil due to Rachael’s treatment, which included a gruelling double lung transplant. Rachael, the face of an M.E.N. campaign which encouraged 20,000 to sign up as organ donors, died in . October 2011 following complications. Battling . to come to terms with the loss, Lynne was eventually persuaded by a . friend to sign up to her local Slimming World - and lost six stone and . seven pounds in eight months. The change was so dramatic that before her big day in Las Vegas in June, her size 22 wedding dress had to be altered to a size 14. And, . while Rachael could not be with her parents as they tied the knot, . Lynne says her daughter was with her every step along the wedding aisle. The change was so dramatic that before her big day in Las Vegas in June, her size 22 wedding dress had to be altered to a size 14 . | Lynne had nursed her daughter Rachael from the age of 13 when she fell ill with a rare lung disease .
She put on a dangerous amount of weight living on a diet of takeaways during visits to Rachael in hospital .
When planning her wedding to Rachael's father she promised her daughter that she would lose weight and be healthier .
Sadly Rachael died, aged, 23, before she could see her mother get married .
But Lynne stuck to her promise and lost 6st 7lbs in eight months .
The change was so dramatic she had to alter size 22 wedding dress to a 14 . |
171,654 | 6a2b8365accf59c6012a618e2ba0cf72f2eddb26 | (CNN) -- Google might need a find new home for its giant floating showroom in San Francisco Bay. No, the company isn't the latest victim of skyrocketing Bay Area real estate costs. It seems Google is under fire from state authorities for not having the proper permits necessary to construct the barge in its current location. The four-story structure is housed at Treasure Island, a small piece of land between San Francisco and Oakland. The barge rose to fame late last year as a delightful floating enigma in the San Francisco Bay. The vessel was originally spotted by a CNET reporter and Google would not comment on its purpose. People had great fun speculating about the barge, guessing that it was a floating data center, a Google Glass shop or a luxury event space. It was dubbed the Google Mystery Barge. Eventually, Google killed the mystery, and some of the fun, by announcing the structure was going to be an "interactive space where people can learn about new technology." But shortly after the story picked up steam, Google hit pause on construction of the barge. The U.S. Coast Guard inspected the structure and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) announced it was meeting with Google about the matter in December. The opening date for the barge was delayed until late 2014, according to CNET, and the boat sat idle in its Treasure Island home. This week, the BCDC officially notified The Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) that it did not have the necessary permits to construct and lodge any ships at the pier where the Google barge is currently moored. TIDA manages the island on behalf of the city of San Francisco. "We are asking TIDA to work with us so that the necessary permits can be applied for and completed to enable lawful activities to be undertaken at the site in the future (perhaps including shipbuilding and repair)," said Larry Goldzband, executive director of the BCDC. That means that for now, Treasure Island must relocate the Google ship to another shipbuilding facility in order to comply with state law. To get its paperwork into ship shape, Google will also have to get the proper permits from the BCDC to moor its marketing vessel in an approved area in San Francisco Bay, one that is already permitted to do this type of construction. "We just received the letter from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and we are reviewing it," said a Google spokesperson in an e-mail. Now the biggest mystery is when, if ever, the project will be finished and open its doors to the public. | Google does not have the proper permits for its showroom barge, state says .
The four-story structure is still under construction at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay .
The once mysterious barge has already delayed its opening due to inspections . |
180,700 | 75ea71bf6bbae69862bc9b159988351b0a39a7b8 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Ap . PUBLISHED: . 00:36 EST, 21 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:13 EST, 21 February 2014 . A woman in California killed four people and injured two others in an attack involving both a gun and a knife at a tribal office on a small American Indian settlement in norther California Thursday afternoon. The attack reportedly happened during a meeting at Cedarville Rancheria Tribal . Office and Community Center, where residents were discussing evicting the alleged shooter from her home on the settlement. Alturas . Police Chief Ken Barnes said 44-year-old Sherie Lash - a.k.a. Sherie Barnes - was taken into . custody after allegedly opening fire at the community center in Alturas, about 55 miles south of the . Oregon border and 35 miles west of the Nevada line. Shooter: Police say Sherie Lash killed four people and injured two during an attack involving both a gun and a knife . Authorities tell KRCRTV that Lash - a former tribal leader - opened fire at the meeting about 3:30 p.m. After killing four people, another victim was shot while running for the door. That victim was 'seriously wounded,' authorities say. When she ran out of ammunition, Lash allegedly grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen and attacked another person still inside the community center. One witness managed to escape and run for the Alturas police station - while 'covered in blood' - to alert authorities. When police got to the community center, they found Lash running out of the building with a knife. She was quickly subdued. Massacre: Police say Sherie Lash shot five people and stabbed another at a meeting at this American Indian community center . Barnes . said that the four dead include a . 19-year-old woman, a 30-year-old man, a 45-year-old woman and a . 50-year-old man. The police chief said one victim is the tribe's leader. Tribal . members were meeting about evicting Lash, also known as Sherie Rhoades, . and her son from the Rancheria which, according to its website, is a . federally recognized tribe with 35 members, the police official said. Police said the stabbing victim and one of the shooting victims were taken to a local hospital. The bodies of the deceased are still in the building, authorities said. | The shooting happened on an American Indian settlement in northern California .
Sherie Lash, a former tribe leader, has been identified as the alleged shooter .
The shooting happened during a meeting to discuss whether to evict her and her son from the tribe .
After running out of ammunition, Lash allegedly grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed another victim .
In all, four people were killed in the attack and two were seriously wounded . |
192,045 | 84ad63b866b57072a96ea007b5bdc6625a224135 | By . Ben Nagle for MailOnline . Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas endured an eventful night at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. After scoring early on, the Spaniard was at fault for Schalke's equaliser - and he even got a ticking off from the referee for wearing jewellery. Fabregas has earned many plaudits for his, and Chelsea's, impressive start to the season, but Wednesday night's Champions League tie saw him at his best, worst, and most bizarre. After signing for the west London club in the summer for £30m, Fabregas has been at the heart of a Chelsea team that has won all four of their Premier League matches so far this season. Huntelaar fires home for Schalke to rescue a point in Group G of the Champions League . The referee Ivan Bebek (left) stopped play to ask Cesc Fabregas (right) to remove a bracelet . Chelsea midfielder Fabregas removed the bracelet and proceeded to run to the touchline . In the 11th minute against Schalke, following a tackle many deemed to be reckless and card-worthy, Fabregas slotted past Ralf Fahrmann to put the home side ahead. Later though, the more negative side of the £150,000 a week midfielder's game came to the fore, as he was at fault for the Schalke equaliser that Chelsea could not overcome. Shortly before this, came the bizarre. There was a member of Chelsea's coaching staff ready to collect the jewellery in the dugout . Schalke players celebrate Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's equaliser at Stamford Bridge, as Fabregas (right) looks on . Cesc Fabregas' Wednesday night saw the best, the worst, and the bizarre . After 56 minutes, in an event more commonly seen on a Sunday league field, the referee Ivan Bebek stopped play and asked Fabregas to remove a bracelet he deemed to be dangerous to proceedings. The official then made sure it was removed, before eventually allowing play to continue. Unfortunately for Chelsea, and a bracelet-less Fabregas, the west Londoners conceded just five minutes later and could not regain the lead thereafter. Schalke held on for a point, and after a 1-1 draw in the other Group G match, all four teams are level going into the next Champions League match-day. Fabregas celebrates his goal to put Chelsea 1-0 up on Wednesday night . Schalke players celebrate in front of their fans after securing a 1-1 draw against Chelsea . | Cesc Fabregas put Chelsea 1-0 up in the 11th minute at Stamford Bridge .
Some fans thought the goal should not have stood after a reckless tackle .
After 56 minutes, the referee stopped play and deemed that Fabregas' bracelet was dangerous to proceedings .
The midfielder removed it and Chelsea conceded five minutes later .
Fabregas was also at fault for Schalke's equaliser .
All four teams in Group G have one point after the first match-day . |
228,069 | b34fe9d96bb2f31a33d37cadd6421da4111d6bd1 | It's renowned for its cheap flights and no-frills service. But budget airline Ryanair has announced it is set to launch its own package holiday brand. The move, which follows in the footsteps of rival carrier easyJet, could happen within five years, according to Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair's chief marketing officer. Scroll down for video . Ryanair has already planned to merge its flights and add-ons to create a package holiday . Mr Jacobs revealed that the Irish airline - which has been on a charm offensive in a bid to change its image - could merge its existing holiday add-ons, such as car hire and hotels, into an over-arching low-cost holiday brand. Mr Jacobs told trade paper Travel Trade Gazette: 'If it becomes Ryanair Holidays at a point in time, it is a logical way for the brand to go. 'We do a version of it already. We can certainly do it better than we do. The way customers are responding to the new improved Ryanair, I think it will go forward.' Mr Jacobs added: 'I can see us launching this in the next five years. People will say you will not have been able to do that with the old Ryanair.' Rival budget airline easyJet made a similar move in 2011, launching its own easyJet Holidays brand. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has made key changes to the business after it was the worst for customer service of 100 brands in Which? magazine . Would you book a holiday with Ryanair? Budget airline announces plans to launch deals 'within five years' That initially paired cheap flights with hotel bookings, but has since expanded to become a wider tour operator, offering city, ski and beach breaks. Golf and cycling holidays are set to follow from this year. Mr Jacobs became Ryanair's first chief marketing officer at the beginning of the year, after the airline was voted worst of 100 brands for customer service in Which? magazine in 2013. However, boss Michael O'Leary has since gone a charm offensive cutting the much-hated costs of luggage and other 'extras'. Recently the airline's financial situation has improved, with the company reporting a 152 per cent year-on-year rise in profits to 156m for the three months ending 30 June. Ryanair also launched a business class in September, offering flexible booking and priority boarding. | Executives believe holiday add-ons can merge as one package deal .
Ryanair to follow rival easyJet which launched holiday brand in 2011 .
Chief marketing officer said the plans could be launched within five years . |
215,278 | a2acf367c95742cde715313a7eebf8fedad90893 | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The Chilean miners who were rescued last month after nearly 70 days underground were saluted with a standing ovation at the start of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." The 33 men appeared on stage, with five of their rescuers in the front row, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. CNN brought the group to the United States to attend the gala event, which recognizes the top 10 CNN Heroes of the year. "For 69 days we were amazed by these 33 brave miners," CNN's Anderson Cooper said in welcoming the miners onto the stage. "Their ordeal was unthinkable; their rescue, unbelievable. No one has ever been trapped underground so deep for so long and survived. "They endured a nightmare, experienced a miracle, and in the end became each others' brothers and heroes." After the miners sang the Chilean national anthem, two of them -- speaking through a translator and holding the Chilean flag -- expressed their appreciation. "We want to thank the world, and we want to thank God for your prayers," Luis Urzua told the audience in Spanish. "Our families suffered. Our children suffered, too. But thanks to the prayers of the whole world, we could come out of this difficulty," Mario Sepulveda added. "Some of our rescuers are here with us tonight," Urzua said. "Thank you for bringing us home. You are our heroes." The five rescuers were selected to represent the many thousands whose talent and effort led to the dramatic rescue. The tribute show, taped November 20, premiered worldwide on Thanksgiving night. CNN Heroes -- everyday people who are changing the world for the better -- have been profiled weekly on the network since January. They were chosen from more than 10,000 nominations submitted by viewers in 100 countries. A blue-ribbon panel of judges, including Muhammad Ali, Sir Richard Branson and Yo-Yo Ma, selected the top 10 Heroes, who will each receive $25,000 for their cause. An additional $100,000 will go to CNN Hero of the Year Anuradha Koirala, who was revealed at the end of the tribute show Saturday night. The Hero of the Year was selected by the public in an eight-week online poll. Performing at the tribute show were Grammy Award-winning artists Bon Jovi, John Legend and Sugarland. Rock legends Bon Jovi perfomed "What Do You Got?" a new song from their greatest hits album, which came out earlier this month. Legend performed "Wake Up Everybody" along with hip-hop artist Common and R&B singer Melanie Fiona. Sugarland performed "Stand Up," a new song from their album "The Incredible Machine," which made its debut in October. Joining the list of stars participating in the show were presenters Halle Berry, Demi Moore, Jessica Alba, Kid Rock, LL Cool J, Renee Zellweger, Gerard Butler, Kiefer Sutherland, Marisa Tomei, Aaron Eckhart and Holly Robinson Peete. Here are the 2010 top 10 CNN Heroes in alphabetical order: . Guadalupe Arizpe De La Vega founded a hospital in Juarez, Mexico, that cares for about 900 people daily -- regardless of their ability to pay. Despite the escalating violence in the city, the 74-year-old travels there several times a week to make sure residents get the care they need. Learn more about Guadalupe . Susan Burton was once caught in a cycle of addiction and incarceration. Today, her nonprofit A New Way of Life Reentry Project provides sober housing and other support services to formerly incarcerated women in California. Learn more about Susan . With her weight-loss challenge, Shape Up Vicksburg, Linda Fondren is helping her Mississippi hometown battle the bulge. Through free fitness activities and nutrition classes, residents have lost nearly 15,000 pounds to date. Learn more about Linda . Anuradha Koirala is fighting to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal's women and girls. Since 1993, she and her group, Maiti Nepal, have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 victims. Learn more about Anuradha . Narayanan Krishnan brings hot meals and dignity to India's homeless and destitute -- 365 days per year -- through his nonprofit Akshaya Trust. Since 2002, he has served more than 1.2 million meals. Learn more about Narayanan . Since 1992, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow has dedicated his life to helping people in need. Today, his program, Mary's Meals -- run from a tin shed in the Scottish highlands -- provides free daily meals to more than 400,000 children around the world. Learn more about Magnus . Harmon Parker is using his masonry skills to save lives. Since 1997 he has helped build 45 footbridges over perilous rivers in Kenya, protecting people from flash floods and predatory animals. The bridges also connect isolated villagers to valuable resources. Learn more about Harmon . Aki Ra is helping to make his native Cambodia safer by clearing land mines -- many of which he planted years ago as a child soldier. Since 1993, he and his Cambodian Self Help Demining organization have cleared about 50,000 mines and unexploded weapons. Learn more about Aki Ra . Evans Wadongo, 23, invented a way for rural families in Kenya to replace smoky kerosene and firelight with solar power. Through his Use Solar, Save Lives program, he's distributed an estimated 10,000 free solar lanterns. Learn more about Evans . Since 2005, Texas home builder Dan Wallrath has given injured Iraq and Afghanistan veterans homes of their own -- mortgage-free. He and his Operation Finally Home team have five new custom homes under construction. Learn more about Dan . | The Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010 were honored with a celebrity-studded tribute show .
The show opened with a salute to the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped underground .
Anderson Cooper hosted the show from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles . |
130,333 | 34829e195c08a172ece1d425616b49a86477bbff | (CNN) -- Fourth-placed Valencia snatched a 1-1 draw at lowly Racing Santander despite having two players sent off on Monday in a result that did little to help either side's Spanish league hopes. Racing, watched by new Indian owner Ahsan Ali Syed, took the lead in the 33rd minute through Argentine striker Ariel Nahuelpan. Valencia were reduced to 10 men when defender David Navarro was booked in the 54th minute, but still drew level through Argentine midfielder Tino Costa with 12 minutes to play. Portuguese defender Ricardo Costa joined Navarro on the sidelines after his second yellow card with a minute to go in regulation play, while Santander's Algeria midfielder Medhi Lacen suffered the same fate in time added on. Real Madrid slump to shock defeat at Osasuna . The result left Valencia four points adrift of third-placed Villarreal, who won 1-0 at Espanyol on Sunday. Santander moved three points clear of the relegation zone, where Levante moved off the bottom with a 2-0 win over Getafe on Saturday. Syed became only the second foreign owner in La Liga earlier this month, following the pre-season acquisition of Malaga by Qatar's Sheikh Abdallah Ben Nasser Al-Thani. | Valencia trail third-placed Villarreal by four points after 1-1 draw at Santander .
Visitors come from behind after Ariel Nahuelpan's first-half opener for home team .
Defender David Navarro is sent off in second half before Tino Costa equalizes .
Both teams then have a player sent off at the end of the match . |
276,630 | f2613e6bd13dd7339fabdf07318518f6f8a6828c | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:10 EST, 4 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:54 EST, 4 January 2013 . Bailed: Jim Davidson, pictured with his fifth wife Michelle Cotton, was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree and may now have left Britain for Dubai . Jim Davidson is in hiding today after his arrest on suspicion of sexual offences by police investigating the Jimmy Savile child abuse scandal. The 59-year-old comedian may already have flown out of the country to Dubai after being released on bail yesterday. He was detained at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday after landing to take part in Celebrity Big Brother, before deciding to pull out of the reality TV show. Sources say that Mr Davidson may now have gone back to the Middle East, where he spent two weeks over Christmas. The Met Police told MailOnline they would not discuss his bail conditions. There is no suggestion Mr Davidson has absconded. His home in Hampshire stands empty today, with a local parish priest the only visitor after he put a note through the door. A neighbour later popped a note on the doorstep to ensure no milk would be delivered. On January 2 Davidson was taken to a London police station and questioned for hours on suspicion of committing sexual offences before being released on bail until March. He was going to be on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother but at the last minute they agreed to re-jig its line-up at the last minute after talks with the comedian. 'Everyone has agreed that it's for the best,' a source from the TV station said. His solicitor said in a . statement that the comedian ‘vigorously denies’ the allegations, which . he said dated back about 25 years. In October Davidson, who formerly . hosted BBC shows Big Break and The Generation Game, publicly labelled . the Savile investigation a ‘witch hunt’. On his blog he wrote: ‘The Savile . witch hunt is going a bit silly now. We all are starting to speculate . and accuse ... even in jest. So no, I don’t know who’s next. ‘Everyone has had the nod. Everyone is . an expert. Just pick someone you don’t like and say it’s them. 'As odd . as he was, Savile can’t defend himself. The bloke’s dead for God’s sake. Let’s move on.’ Quiet: Jim Davidson's Hampshire house today, which was visited by a neighbour who put a note in a milk bottle saying 'no milk until advised' Revealed: With the show starting last night, the Big Brother House is now without Jim Davidson after he pulled out . Davidson had flown to London to give a series of interviews in advance of his appearance on . Celebrity Big Brother. Several plain-clothed police officers . spent more than four hours searching Davidson’s £1million Georgian home . in the picturesque village of Stockbridge in Hampshire. They left the property carrying boxes which appeared to contain plastic evidence bags and brown envelopes. House search: Unmarked police cars pictured outside the home of controversial comic Jim Davidson in Stockbridge, Hants, after his arrest by officers as part of Operation Yewtree . Investigation: Police officers arriving at Jim Davidson's home after his arrest over alleged sexual offences . Police also arrested a 53-year-old man . at his home in Hampshire on suspicion of committing . sexual offences. The suspect, who is thought to be a DJ who has worked . with Davidson, was taken to a nearby police station for questioning. British entertainer Jim Davidson outside Buckingham Palace after receiving his OBE in 2001 . Davidson has often courted controversy by telling offensive jokes about ethnic minorities, homosexuals and the disabled. He has divorced four times and in 2011 . married his fifth wife, Michelle Cotton, 17 years his junior. Davidson and the 53-year-old man are . the ninth and tenth arrests made in the Savile investigation, called . Operation Yewtree. Detectives are working through an arrest list of . people who could be questioned about allegations made by victims of . Savile or others associated with him. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘A . 53-year-old man was arrested at approximately 8am at an address in . Hampshire and taken into custody locally. ‘A 59-year-old man was arrested at approximately midday in West London and taken into custody at a London police station.’ Scotland Yard said a total of 31 allegations of rape have been made against Savile so far. And 589 people have come forward with . information relating to the scandal, with a total of 450 complaints . against the BBC presenter and DJ himself, mainly alleging sexual abuse, . police said. Ten weeks after the launch of . Operation Yewtree, police recorded 199 crimes in 17 force areas in which . Savile is a suspect, with 31 allegations of rape. Others who have been arrested include . former pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and publicist Max . Clifford. Those three are on police bail. Household name: Jim Davidson pictured left with his fifth wife Michelle Cotton outside The Dorchester hotel in London in 2010 and right at the funeral of celebrity chef Keith Floyd at Ashton Court, Bristol, in 2009 . Jim Davidson pictured on the Generation Game after replacing Bruce Forsyth as presenter of the show . Davidson and an unnamed 53-year-old have been arrested as police investigate accusations made in the wake of revelations about disgraced Jimmy Savile . The . investigation has three strands, one dealing with allegations directly . involving Jimmy Savile, the second involving allegations against . associates of the disgraced DJ and the third involving 'others'. Operation Yewtree has already cost around £2million and involves a team of 30 officers. In December a man from London in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences. PR guru Max Clifford was then arrested on suspicion of sexual offences but was later bailed as part of the probe. A man aged in his 80s from Berkshire was interviewed by detectives three weeks ago. Gary . Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and a man in his . 70s, reported to be former television producer Wilfred De'Ath, have been . arrested and bailed as part of the probe. On Monday, Starr and Clifford were re-bailed to return on dates in February and March pending further inquiries. PR guru Max Clifford (left) leaves his Surrey . home after being arrested by police. (Right) Former BBC producer Wilfred . De'ath was arrested at an earlier date. Both were bailed . Dave Lee Travis (left) was arrested at his . Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire home in November. Gary Glitter (right) was arrested and bailed in October . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | The 59-year-old TV personality was released on bail yesterday .
He had flown in from Christmas in Dubai to appear on Celebrity Big Brother .
After pulling out of show he may now be back in Middle East .
Met Police say they will not discuss his bail conditions .
Comedian 'vigorously denies' the allegations against him .
Mr Davidson - previously voted Britain's funniest man - and a 53-year-old man were arrested under the 'others' strand of the investigation .
Detectives have arrested ten men in connection with Operation Yewtree . |
215,773 | a34a7fa0e6a39b7ab068a47244f6a512bb898c91 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:52 EST, 6 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:27 EST, 6 December 2012 . An 18-stone mother-of-one was shamed into losing weight after snapping her daughter's bed while reading her a bedtime story. Cacia Griggs, 26, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, spent her whole 20s as a morbidly obese size 24, but crushing four-year-old Isabelle's bed was the final straw, and she embarked upon a life-changing diet. Just one year later she has lost eight stone, dropped to a size 10, and married her fiance Chris in her dream wedding dress. Cacia said: 'I'd had enough of being overweight. I have a four-year-old daughter called Isabelle and being overweight was having a huge impact on my life' Cacia with Isabelle before losing the weight, left, and on her wedding day, right . Cacia, who works in marketing, had always struggled with her weight, but when even her size 24 clothes were getting too tight and . she realised she desperately wanted to lose weight and wear fashionable clothes like . her friends, instead of being forced to shop in plus-sized stores and . simply buying anything that fitted. Cacia, . whose maiden name was Wilkinson, said: 'I'd tried every diet under the . sun but never had the motivation to continue with it. But . I'd had enough of being overweight. I have a four-year-old daughter . called Isabelle and being overweight was having a huge impact on my . life.' Cacia in her dream wedding dress on her wedding day with her husband Chris Griggs and daughter Isabelle . One night, having asked her . 29-year-old fiance to carry Isabelle up to . bed because she couldn't fit through the stair gate, Cacia followed them . upstairs and lay down on the edge of the bed with her daughter to read . her a story. 'I . heard a loud snap,' she said. 'I'd literally broken the entire side beam of her bed . because I was overweight. I was devastated.' Cacia had a similar moment of clarity while on her first family holiday with Chris and Isabelle in Turkey last year when she couldn't fit the aeroplane seatbelt around her. Cacia before she lost eight stone, playing with her daughter Isabelle in a swimming pool . She . said: 'I thought I was going to have to ask for a seat belt extension . and the thought of this humiliation made me force the seat belt closed . but it was so tight and uncomfortable, I was relieved when the seat belt . sign was switched off. 'I had the most wonderful daughter and fiancé and I should have been the happiest girl in the world, but in reality I was desperately unhappy' 'I knew after that I didn't want to go . on holiday again at that weight and the ever-familiar guilt of knowing . what that would take away from my family made me feel terrible.' Cacia added: 'I . had the most wonderful daughter and fiancé and I should have been the . happiest girl in the world, but in reality I was desperately unhappy . with my weight controlling every thought that I had and everything that we did or didn't do.' Cacia . was also desperate to set a date for her wedding but again kept putting . it off because of her weight, terrified she wouldn't find a dress that . fitted her. Cacia said: 'The thought of subjecting my beautiful . little girl to a lifetime of weight-battling misery and ill-health was . too much for me to bear. In that moment, I knew I had to make a change . and it had to be now' It was a newspaper article that finally shocked Cacia into losing the weight for good. She said: 'The article explained how daughters of obese mothers were much more likely to grow up to be obese themselves. 'It might as well have been written about me and my daughter. She was already starting to copy my bad eating habits, asking for the fizzy drinks and junk food that I was eating. 'I realised the article was a stark warning about the issues that my daughter would be faced with because of me - diabetes, heart disease, and eventually premature death. 'The thought of subjecting my beautiful little girl to a lifetime of weight-battling misery and ill-health was too much for me to bear. In that moment, I knew I had to make a change and it had to be now.' Cacia was able to wear her dream, size 10 wedding dress on her big day . Cacia began the Cambridge Weight Plan in June 2011, swapping her high-calorie diet for soups, shakes and bars. 'My . weight literally began to drop off,' she said. 'In no time at all I was . wearing smaller clothes and was over the moon the first time I brought a . size 16, I couldn't believe it fitted. 'For the first time I began to really believe that I could do this. People started noticing and I fell in love with exercise.' In August this year, Cacia - who has now been crowned . Cambridge Weight Plan's Slimmer of the Year - reached her goal weight of 10 stone and dropped from a size 24 to a size 10. 'I couldn't believe it,' said Cacia. 'My entire approach to food has changed, and my daughter's eating habits have radically changed too. 'She never asks for fizzy drinks now, it's nearly always water, and her new favourite thing in the world is broccoli!' Cacia on her wedding day with husband Chris, left, and wearing one of the dresses she would never have fit into before her weight loss . Cacia added: 'My life is so different and . sometimes I feel like I'm someone else. I love shopping, wearing dresses . and skirts. Gone are the baggy tops and my black wardrobe. 'My . fiancé and I also finally set a date for our wedding and on 3 November . we got married. I felt amazing and instead of wearing the size 16 dress . I'd bought as my incentive to lose weight, I ended up wearing a size 10. 'I still have to pinch myself to think that I've come this far.' Cacia says the best thing about losing the weight is being able to lay with her daughter again on her bed instead of sitting on the floor next to her. She said: 'Recently I was reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Isabelle and she turned to me and said: "That was like you wasn't it mummy? You ate too much and got really fat, but now you've turned into a beautiful butterfly". I burst into tears. Only a four-year-old can say something like that and really mean it. I have truly turned my life and my family's life around and now there's no going back.' Cacia said: 'My life is so different and sometimes I . feel like I'm someone else. I love shopping, wearing dresses and . skirts. Gone are the baggy tops and my black wardrobe' | Cacia Griggs, 26, from Peterborough, weighed 18 stone and was size 24 .
Snapped daughter Isabelle's bed while reading bedtime story .
Couldn't fit seat-belt around her on aeroplane .
Married her fiance Chris in November in her perfect size 10 dress .
Crowned Slimmer of The Year through Cambridge Weight Plan . |
80,475 | e42552d3f5c82de40f09c2d3ec1e6b5369f153d9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:18 EST, 29 March 2013 . A mother has pleaded guilty to being drunk as she lost control of her van, plunging it into a 30ft-deep reservoir and killing two five-year-old girls, including her daughter. Arlene Anna Hernandez, 22, pleaded guilty in Chula Vista, California to two . charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, causing great . bodily injury and drunken driving causing injury. The charges, which stem from the tragic crash on August 5 last year, could send her to prison for 12 years when she is sentenced on May 31. Hernandez had been at a 'playdate' with her daughter, Lesette Silva, and a friend, Eric Figueroa, and his daughter Guiliana on the day of the deadly crash. Grief: Arlene Anna Hernandez, pictured in court last August, has pleaded guilty to being intoxicated while driving, leading to a crash that killed her daughter and her friend, both 5 . She and Figueroa had allegedly shared a six-pack of beer as they watched the girls play at a park before Hernandez saw some skydivers and said she wanted to take her daughter for a closer look. The foursome piled into her van and began driving along eastbound Otay Lakes Road when Hernandez lost control of the vehicle, sending it plummeting down an embankment. The 2005 Kia Sedona overturned, landed on its roof in the water and, while the adults managed to scramble out, they could not reach their daughters who were wearing seatbelts in the back. U.S. Border Patrol agents and passersby pulled the girls from the submerged van, UT San Diego reported. They were flown to hospital in San Diego by helicopter but were both pronounced dead. Victims: Guiliana Figueroa (l) and Lesette Silva (r), Hernandez's daughter, drowned in the crash last August . 'Drunk': Hernandez, pictured with her daughter, had drunk at least three beers before driving the van . Officers at the scene reported . smelling alcohol on the adults' breaths, according to 10 News. Her . blood-alcohol level was at 0.13 per cent - more than 1.5 times the legal . limit. She told officers she had been . driving with one hand when she saw a rock in the road and swerved to . miss it, forcing the van off the road. But investigations found no tire . marks to confirm this. Hernandez cried throughout her brief court hearing following the crash last summer. 'Ms. Hernandez is very distraught about . what happened,' her attorney, Jonathan Jordan, said afterwards. Scene: The car veered down an embankment, flipped over and landed on its roof in this reservoir . Rescue attempt: Hernandez and Guiliana's father escaped but the girls were trapped inside. They were pulled out by emergency crews and airlifted to hospital, but pronounced dead . 'At this point it is very traumatic . experience, not only for her but a lot of other people involved. Allow . them to grieve and mourn their children, then we’ll see how this . case is going to shake out.' Guiliana's mother, Natasa Sierra, also attended the hearing but stayed silent. Guiliana, . who used the nickname 'Juju', had just finished preschool, while . Lesette had just started first grade at Parkview Elementary School in . Chula Vista. A candlelight vigil was held for Guiliana shortly after the tragedy, and her father was able to attend. Vigil: Guiliana was remembered by friends and family as 'loving' at a vigil following the deadly crash . Loss: Guiliana, known as 'Juju', had just finished preschool and was excited about starting a new school year . Struggle: Her mother Natasha Sierra, centre, broke down in tears as she remembered her daughter. The girl's father Eric Figueroa, right, had been in the crash but was unable to save her . 'I know Juju is looking from above and . she appreciates each and everyone of you that has touched her life,' her mother said. 'She . had a lot of love to give and still had a lot more.' Friends said the family is not judging Hernandez and offered their family sincere condolences. 'We don't want to get into the position where we have that hate. For us, it’s more of a remembrance of Juju and we want to keep it that way,' family friend Gabriel Lucero said. | Lesette Silva and Guiliana Figueroa died when Lesette's mother Arlene Anna Hernandez lost control of her van last August .
Hernandez 'had been drinking beer all afternoon with Guiliana's father'
He was also in the van but both adults escaped without injuries .
Hernandez faces 12 years behind bars if convicted . |
12,711 | 240b5b18d574c5e7a3f8253910172ebe6c4c2764 | (CNN) -- Australian golfer Robert Allenby has written a new chapter in the volume of bizarre sporting injuries after tearing knee ligaments in a fishing accident. The world No. 14 slipped on the deck his boat "C'mon Aussie" while on a weekend excursion in the Bahamas, and is expected to be out for at least three weeks after undergoing surgery. Allenby was forced to withdraw from next week's U.S. PGA Championship, the final major tournament of the year. It's not the first time the 39-year-old has had cause to rue his love of fishing. He almost sat out the U.S. Open in June after wrenching his left wrist and forearm when his boat ran aground. Allenby is just the latest sports star to suffer a freak injury away from the field of play. In our photo gallery above, CNN World Sport takes a look at 10 of the most unusual. If you disagree with our selections, let us know why in the comments section below . | Robert Allenby tears knee ligaments after slipping on his fishing boat .
Allenby will miss U.S. PGA Championship next week after having surgery .
He joins a list of sporting stars who have succumbed to unlikely physical problems .
Rio Ferdinand, Sam Torrance and Kim Clijsters have also suffered bizarre injuries . |
136,065 | 3c0c1dcfa8d7df639ad079a35cfda55aaa02eeaf | A married mom accused of helping her white supremacist husband dump their teenage babysitter's body in the woods after a night of sex and drugs led to the girl's overdose death, has been sentenced today to up to five years in jail. Dea Millerberg, 41, was sentenced on Thursday in Ogden, Utah after she pleaded guilty in June to three felonies, including desecration of a human body. She agreed to a plea deal after testifying against her husband, 38-year-old Eric Millerberg over the murder of 16-year-old Alexis Rasmussen. Millerberg, a mother of two young daughters, sobbed hysterically in court on Thursday and turned to apologize to Miss Rasmussen's mother, Dawn Miera, who had come to watch her be sent to jail. Dea Millerberg, convicted of helping her husband dump their teenage babysitter's body in the woods after a night of sex and drugs, burst into tears during her sentencing today in Utah . Millerberg, 41, arrives at 2nd District Court on Thursday in Ogden, Utah. Millerberg was given five years for helping dispose of their teen babysitter's body with her husband . Millerberg and her husband had a drug-fueled, salacious sexual relationship with the teenager that led to her death from an overdose in 2011. Her husband, 38-year-old Eric Millerberg, is serving up to life in prison after he was found guilty of child abuse homicide and other charges. Mrs Millerberg also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and obtaining a prescription illegally in June. Alexis Rasmussen, 16, reportedly asked the Millerbergs how to get meth and they started smoking the drug, along with heroin and marijuana, with the girl. When she overdosed, they dumped her body in the woods . Dawn Miera, mother of Alexis Rasmussen, speaks with reporters after a state judge sentenced 41-year-old Dea Millerberg on Thursday for helping dump her daughter's body after a drug overdose . Weber County Attorney Dee Smith said during in June that he considered the plea bargain was a fair deal considering that Millerberg helped prosecutors get her husband convicted. During a three-day trial in February, prosecutors brought detectives, medical examiners, prisoners and Dea Millerberg to the stand to show that Eric Millerberg recklessly injected Rasmussen with lethal doses of heroin and methamphetamine during a night of sex and drugs. Rasmussen had seven times the lethal amount of methamphetamine in her system and high levels of morphine and amphetamines, and that likely caused her death, a medical examiner said. Prosecutors told jurors that Eric Millerberg and his wife then dumped Rasmussen's body in the woods of northern Utah while lying to police as the girl's mother desperately searched for her for more than a month. Eric Millerberg was sentenced to life in March for child abuse homicide - a first-degree felony and one to 15 years for obstructing justice, a second-degree felony. Millerberg appeared in disbelief today when she was sentenced. She broken down in court and apologized to the teenager's mother . He was also sentenced to two terms of zero to five years for the unlawful and statutory rape of a 16-or-17-year-old - and abuse or desecration of a human body, third-degree felonies. The sentences are consecutive. On his part, Millerberg, 38, showed no sign of emotion as the judge sentenced him for killing Lexi Rasmussen, 16, by injecting her with a lethal dose of drugs in September of 2011. Millerberg's wife Dea was also in the house at the same time getting high when Miss Rasmussen fell unconscious and died. The two grabbed her body, stuffed it in to a trash bag, bundled it in the trunk of their car and dumped it in a remote rural location. Miss Rasmussen was found 38 days later. Dea said the couple started using Alexis - or Lexi as she called her - as a babysitter for their two daughters in the spring of 2011. The two faces of evil: Eric Millerberg recklessly injected Rasmussen with lethal doses of heroin and methamphetamine during a night of sex and drugs. When she died, he dumped her body in a trash bag. Left, he is pictured when he is arrested and right, after cleaning up for trial . They became friends and started drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana with the teen before Alexis began requesting that they try harder drugs like methamphetamine and heroin. Eventually they began paying Alexis with meth. According to Salt Lake Tribune, Dea testified that on the night of the girl's death, she had picked up Alexis to baby sit her kids. She said as soon as Alexis arrived at the house, Eric Millerberg helped her get high by injecting her with drugs - once with heroin and twice with meth - into her arm and neck. Then, when she was ‘as high as she had ever been’, the girl and Eric Millerberg performed oral sex on one another. Dea said that she was not involved in the encounter. A short while later, the drugs had a negative effect on the teen and she started ‘freaking out’. She reportedly felt disoriented and cold, so she asked if she could take a warm bath in the couple’s master bathroom. After leaving her alone in the bath at her request, the Millerbergs checked on her about 45 minutes later to find that she was still cold, so Dea wrapped her in a blanket and told her to lie down in another bedroom. The couple left her to smoke cigarettes, and returned about a half hour later to find her unresponsive. ‘She wasn't breathing. She had mucousy stuff coming out of the right side of her mouth,’ said Dea, who was a licensed nurse and tried to resuscitate the girl to no avail. They then tried to figure out what to do next. ‘It really was a panic. The idea of it was, we will lose our kids and go to jail, and there was nothing we could do to bring her back,’ she told the court. Eric Millerberg was on parole at the time for burglary and firearm charges, and he was also known to be part of the Silent Aryan Warriors, a white supremacist prison gang. The girl was found with her legs folded against her in a fetal position, her lower half stuffed into a garbage bag. Utah assistant medical examiner Joseph White testified on Friday that the girl’s body was so badly decomposed, it was difficult to identify her. Dental records and a fingerprint analysis finally led to a positive identification. A toxicologist testified that reports showed she had ingested meth at least 24 hours before her death. The couple- along with their toddler- drove around extensively disposing of Alexis' body and all evidence. She was found here in Morgan County six weeks after her death . | Dea Millerberg, 41, was sentenced today in Ogden, Utah after she pleaded guilty in June to three felonies, including desecration of a human body .
Alexis Rasmussen, 16, died of an overdose after drug-fueled sex with Dea and Eric Millerberg. They dumped her body in the woods .
Mrs Millerberg, who has two young daughters, sobbed in court on Thursday and apologized to Rasmussen's mother .
Millerberg and her husband, who was part of an Aryan Warriors gang, had a drug-fueled sexual relationship with the teen .
She died of a drug overdose at their home before the couple stuffed her in a trash bag in 2011 and dumped her in a rural area . |
139,689 | 40a537d49b937417252799ffe73b6a34a1687fd1 | London (CNN) -- Family, friends, colleagues and fans have been paying tribute to the author, archaeologist and former CNN journalist Paul Sussman, who has died suddenly. Sussman, who lived in London with his wife Alicky and their two children, Jude and Ezra, had just completed the fourth in a series of novels, based around the exploits of a gritty detective from Cairo, which had been translated into 33 languages and sold two million copies. On his Facebook page he described his feelings over its forthcoming publication: "First proof copy of 'Labyrinth of Osiris' arrived with the postman this morning. Curiously I am more excited about this one than any of my previous novels!" His wife, a documentary maker, on Sunday announced Sussman's death from a ruptured aneurysm, adding: "He was a truly unique person - a brilliant Dad and adored husband. We will all miss him so, so much xxx." Sussman, who was born in 1968, lived an extraordinary life, as he was the first to admit. "With a father who sold ladies' underwear for a living, and an actress-turned-psychoanalyst for a mother, I suspect my life was never destined to follow a wholly conventional path." On his website he described how after graduating with a history degree from Cambridge University which he represented at boxing, he almost entered Britain's MI6 spy service, then worked as a gravedigger in France, sold cigars in Harrod's and toured Europe acting as Aunt Sponge in a "ground-breakingly execrable production of 'James and the Giant Peach.'" On his return to London, Sussman worked in the advertising department of the Big Issue, a magazine and charity founded to help homeless people. Soon he was lobbying the magazine's founder and editor-in-chief John Bird to work as a writer. "Paul wrote some stuff for us, and it was spell-binding," Bird told CNN. "I don't remember anyone doing it like he did. He was just a born writer. "The Big Issue was floundering during its first year, and it was only when people like Paul came along in 1992 that we got a reputation for good journalism. He could just do anything." Bird recalled how Sussman's quick wit and warmth relieved the serious atmosphere at the magazine. "My world was full of earnest people so to meet Paul was so refreshing," he said. "He had an electric sense of humor and seemed to be here to tell funny stories. He also had a surprising calm: he seemed supremely confident of his abilities, but never bragged or boasted." Sussman was always up for a challenge. When Big Issue colleagues pointed out his physical resemblance to Princess Diana's boyfriend Dodi Fayed, he agreed to be photographed for a feature in which he posed in character around London. Unfortunately, the magazine appeared on the streets the day after the death of Diana and Dodi in a car crash. Colleagues Simon Rogers and Xan Brooks remembered fondly that "the Monday was taken up with staff frantically sticking apologies into every single copy of the magazine." Sussman later worked for other publications including CNN.com, where he wrote features as well as vivid reportage. In 2001 he covered the chaotic funeral of Palestinian leader Faisal Husseini in Jerusalem's Old City when Israeli troops fired tear gas at a group of Palestinian youths. "At one point I tried to take a picture of a young boy attacking a camera," Sussman wrote. "Immediately I was surrounded by a crowd of teenagers shouting 'No Photo!' One raised his fist at me and shouted 'I Hamas! You understand!' "As soon as I explained I was English, however, and not an Israeli, their anger dissipated. The one who had raised his fist at me apologized meekly." CNN.com International's vice president, Nick Wrenn, described how Sussman's enthusiasm inspired his colleagues. "Paul was a terrific person to work with. As well as being an outstanding journalist, he was always cheerful, always helpful. "His natural enthusiasm lifted our spirits. He made us laugh, he made us think and he cared about people. Paul was also the master of playing down his own achievements, be it his boxing exploits, his archaeological knowledge or the fact that he became a very successful author. If you congratulated him, he'd say thanks, smile, shrug and ask about you instead." Alongside his journalism, Sussman also worked extensively as a field archaeologist, particularly in Egypt where he took part in the first expedition to dig new ground in the Valley of the Kings since the discovery of Tutankhamun in 1922. Sussman described how he had "the dubious honor of having discovered the only items of pharaonic jewellery to have been found in the Valley since Tut." His archaeological knowledge, along with his unique way with words inevitably led to him writing his best-selling novels, and he was proud to be described by the Independent newspaper as "the intelligent reader's answer to 'The Da Vinci Code.'" Despite his success he remained down-to-earth and accessible though. Franki Popescu was just one of many fans who posted tributes on Sussman's Facebook page: "Paul was an amazing author as everyone has already said. he always took time to respond to his fans often with a wicked sense of humour! he will be sorely missed both my husband and i thoroughly enjoyed his books and send our deepest condolences." | Author, archaeologist and former CNN journalist Paul Sussman has died suddenly .
Londoner Sussman had just completed the fourth in a series of novels .
His books had been translated into 33 languages and sold two million copies .
Alongside his journalism, Sussman also worked extensively as field archaeologist . |
14,430 | 28eda2cf9715eef9cffb400520368b107115753b | London (CNN) -- A journalist at the News of the World, the UK newspaper that was closed by Rupert Murdoch last year, once said: "This is what we do. We go out and destroy people's lives." The British press, combative and uncompromising, has been a feature of national life for many years. But now a high court judge, Lord Justice Leveson, has decided the government must intervene to ensure it behaves itself. Will this prove a watershed moment for tabloid newspapers? Or will they revert to type? The British press has vowed to clean up its act before, only to end up back where it started. When Princess Diana was killed in Paris, with freelance photographers in hot pursuit, the Daily Mail vowed never to use paparazzi shots again. Yet its popular website, MailOnline, now depends on paparazzi images for its success. Leveson was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron to carry out a year-long inquiry into press standards when it emerged in July 2011 the News of the World possibly intercepted voicemail messages left on a cell phone belonging to Milly Dowler, a murdered schoolgirl, in pursuit of stories. It emerged the practice of phone hacking had been widespread at the paper. The revelation prompted a wave of public revulsion and left Cameron in a difficult position. He had employed the paper's former editor Andy Coulson as his communications director and had a warm personal relationship with another former editor, Rebekah Brooks, who ran Murdoch's powerful stable of British titles. Both have since resigned. The Leveson report, published on Thursday, is 2,000 pages long and runs to nearly 1 million words, but its main recommendation is simple enough. The government should pass a law giving Ofcom, a body that already overseas British broadcasters, the power to approve a new regulatory system that will be independent of the newspaper industry. The old system, the Press Complaints Commission, was dominated by editors and proved ineffective, Leveson said. Cameron immediately sparked controversy by declaring he would not pass a law that would give parliament a say in how newspapers are run for the first time in nearly 300 years. A glance at Friday's headlines shows that his stance has transformed the PM overnight into a hero in the eyes of newspaper editors and owners. In the short-term, the newspapers themselves may be the biggest winners. The report says they should continue to regulate themselves, paying for a new complaints body that will be staffed by people from outside the industry. It will have the power to levy fines of up to £1 million and the funds to launch investigations into wrongdoing. Ofcom could yet be handed the right to oversee it. But in truth a more onerous system could have been imposed. The much-maligned police will also find comfort in Leveson's report. Scotland Yard was criticized for failing to fully investigate phone hacking but the judge accepted its claim it was too busy dealing with possible terrorist threats to prioritize the case. Some senior police officers were too close to journalists but he found no evidence of corruption. Politicians were roundly criticized by Leveson for schmoozing newspaper editors and proprietors for more than 30 years, attending their weddings and birthday parties, enjoying intimate dinners and forming close friendships. But none were singled out. They too will be relieved Leveson didn't couch his criticism in stronger terms. Rupert and James Murdoch did not get off so lightly. Leveson saved some of his strongest words for the media mogul and his son, a senior executive at the company founded by his father. The judge expressed amazement that Murdoch Sr. had not sought more information about the likely extent of phone hacking at the News of the World, one of the company's flagship titles. His failure to read a damning high court judgement about the conduct of News of the World "says something about the degree to which his organization engages with the ethical direction of its newspapers". Referring to Murdoch's claim he did not remember visiting then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to discuss his 1981 takeover bid for the Times of London at her official country residence, Leveson said: "It is perhaps a little surprising that he does not remember a visit to a place as memorable as Chequers in the context of a bid as important as that which he made for Time newspapers. However, perhaps that is all I need to say." James Murdoch, who ran News Corp's European and Asian businesses until earlier this year, claimed his own executives had failed to tell him hacking went further than a single reporter at the News of the World. But Leveson said his evidence did not stack up. "There are aspects of the account of Mr Murdoch that cause me some concern," he said. He did not go further because a major police investigation into phone hacking is ongoing, but the criticism may prove strong enough to damage Murdoch's chance of succeeding his father. Editors, past and present, are also criticized. Rebekah Brooks, who edited the News of the World and its daily sister title The Sun, was condemned for claiming former PM Gordon Brown wanted the fact his young son suffered from cystic fibrosis to be made public. In fact, the opposite was true, but the Sun ran a front-page story revealing the news anyway. The British public, who already hold journalists in low regard, are unlikely to be surprised by any of this. Nearly 20 years after Diana's death, which elicited expressions of remorse from editors, some British papers printed naked pictures of Prince Harry in a Las Vegas hotel room. Weeks later, the same papers reacted with fury when a French magazine carried topless photo of Kate Middleton. As Leveson wryly observed, newspapers apply restraint selectively, and only when it suits them. In the meantime, the British public grumble about journalists, just as they grumble about the weather, but carry on buying their papers anyway, albeit in smaller numbers. As Leveson might also have said, we all get the press we deserve. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Robinson. | After Lord Leveson's report on press ethics, James Robinson asks what will change .
Robinson: British press has vowed to clean up its act before, after Diana's death .
PM David Cameron, newspapers and the police are immediate winners, he says .
Tabloid editors and the Murdochs were roundly criticized by the report, he adds . |
1,624 | 04a6cfa460706fd548962b2bc3288e073b8ef7f9 | (CNN) -- Can car-loving Saudis be convinced to step out of their air-conditioned comfort and take public transport? The Saudi Arabian government believes they can and is backing its belief by investing $22 billion into a public transport mega-project in the capital Riyadh. Set to begin construction early next year, a new metro network will encompass over 176 km (110 miles) of train lines and 85 stations, linking the city center to universities, the airport, a newly built financial district and commercial areas. The first trains as slated to run in 2019. During construction, it will be the world's biggest public transport project, employing tens of thousands of people, developers say. According to the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh, all carriages will be air-conditioned and divided into first, family and single class. Buses and trains take a distant second to personal cars in Riyadh and according to FCC Construction only 2% of commuters in the Saudi Arabian capital take public transport. It's no surprise because gasoline is highly subsidized -- a gallon at the petrol pumps costs around $0.50. According to Bloomberg, the world's largest oil producer ranks only second to Venezuela for the world's cheapest gasoline. According to reports, the Saudi government is weighing up increasingly the cost of fuel to give public transport a boost. Read more: Ramadan's Super Bowl effect . Chronically underdeveloped until now, the expansion of public transport in the Saudi capital will also cope with the projected boom in the local population. It has more than doubled since 1990 to 5.3 million and is set to top 8 million by 2030. "Riyadh today is one of the world's fastest growing cities and our citizens deserve a world-class public transport system to enhance their quality of life... it will also help to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality," said Ibrahim Bin Muhammad Al Sultan President of Arriyadh Development Authority and Member of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh. Of the six lines to be built, three will be constructed by Spain's FCC Construction company, working in partnership in a consortium including Samsung and Alstom. U.S. Firm Bechtel and Italian company Ansaldo STS lead the other two construction consortia. Read more: Google's view from world's tallest building . As well as an extensive network, it is hoped that the stunning look of some the new stations will help to tempt locals away from their cars. Zaha Hadid Architects will build the King Abdullah Financial District station, one of the flagship interchange stops along Line 1. With six platforms spread over four floors, and linking three of the new lines, the architects hope it will provide a multi-function public space. According to the architects, the white facade of the station will reduce heat from the punishing desert sun while the undulating lines of the building are meant to resemble the patterns generated by desert winds on sand dunes. | $22 billion project to build new metro network in Saudi Arabian capital .
85 stations and 176 km of train lines will be built over five years .
Currently only 2% of commuters in Riyadh use public transport .
Zaha Hadid Architects have designed one of the flag-ship stations . |
58,281 | a53d00b0d53af9edc35a8c226667a17817524a76 | (CNN) -- Liverpool announced on Thursday that they have reached an agreement with Dutch club Heerenveen for the transfer of winger Oussama Assaidi, on a busy day of transfer activity in the Premier League. With the new season due to start on Saturday, and just over two weeks left of the transfer window, several of clubs have moved to finalise transfers in time for the first fixtures. Assaidi's move is subject to a medical, but the Morocco international's transfer could still be completed in time for him to play against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Elsewhere, former Manchester United, Fulham and Everton striker Louis Saha has signed a for Sunderland. The 34 year old striker left Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season, and has agreed a one year deal with Martin O'Neill's side. "Louis is a striker whose abilities have been proven at the very highest level and he brings with him a raft of experience of top flight football," O'Neill told the club's website. "I'm delighted we have been able to complete a deal ahead of our first match of the season." Sunderland's local rivals Newcastle United also added to their side on Thursday, finally completing the transfer of Ajax midfielder Vurnon Anita. The 23 year old has signed a five year deal to become the club's fourth signing of the summer. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew described Anita as "exceptionally talented" and said he hoped the young players "best years" will be at Newcastle. "He has strengthened us. You need three top class central midfield players, which we now have. That is mainly where he will play," said Pardew on the official website. The Dutch midfielder was delighted with the move. "I won almost everything in Holland so the step was not difficult to make. Now I think we can also win trophies with Newcastle and it's time to do that.," Anita told the club's website. "In the Premier League especially, every game is tough so it can help me also to grow in my football skills." "I talked to the manager and the coach and they know that I want to play in a defensive midfield place and that's why they brought me here," he added. | Liverpool have agreed a deal for winger Oussama Assaidi .
Sunderland have signed striker Louis Saha on a free transfer .
Newcastle have completed the signing of Vurnon Anita .
Anita was described as "exceptionally talented" by his new manager . |
20,747 | 3addd3480ad0644d19330a553b69f2d433c8f147 | Mario Balotelli is not a 'massive scorer' like Luis Suarez and must 'become a more responsible adult' if he is to succeed at Liverpool, believes West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce. Liverpool travel to Upton Park on Saturday to face the Hammers and Allardyce thinks Brendan Rodgers' acquisition of Balotelli could be a shrewd and calculated gamble if the striker reaches double figures this season. Writing in his column in the Evening Standard, Allardyce said: 'He (Balotelli) showed in the Champions League this week that he can score from a half-chance and if he has managed to improve his temperament on and off the field and become a more responsible adult, then I think he could be a big player for Liverpool. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Mario has Raheem in stitches during Liverpool training . Mario Balotelli 'must become a responsible adult' if he is to succeed at Liverpool, believes Sam Allardyce . West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce thinks Balotelli must improve his temperament to succeed at Anfield . Allardyce: Balotelli (left) is not 'massive scorer' like Luis Suarez (right), who moved to Barcelona this summer . Balotelli (left) opened his account for Liverpool against Ludogorets in the Champions League on Tuesday . 'He’s not a Luis Suarez, but if he can finish the season in double figures, then he will have been a success.' Allardyce is wary of the threat posed by Balotelli and Liverpool, although he thinks the loss of Suarez will affect their potency in front of goal. Balotelli did score his first goal for the Reds in the Champions League against Ludogorets on Tuesday, however. But the West Ham boss continued: 'Mario and others in that Liverpool squad are going to have to improve their scoring ratio to compensate for the departure of Suarez. 'The difference with us is that although we also have to improve our goals total, we haven’t just lost a massive scorer - we haven’t had one yet. Suarez was prolific at Liverpool and Allardyce believes Brendan Rodgers' side will struggle to adapt to loss . Balotelli (centre) trains at Liverpool's Melwood centre ahead of the trip to Upton Park on Saturday . | Mario Balotelli must 'become more responsible adult', says Sam Allardyce .
West Ham United boss thinks this is key to Italian's success at Liverpool .
Allardyce says Balotelli is not a 'massive scorer' like Luis Suarez .
A 'successful' season would see striker reaching double figures, he says .
Liverpool travel to Upton Park to face West Ham on Saturday evening . |
186,405 | 7d79f80e1ab076ce692cec7c197fb2ac84c51d13 | A transgender first-grader who was born a boy but identifies as a girl has won the right to use the girls' restroom at her Colorado school. The Colorado Rights Division ruled in favor of Coy Mathis in her fight against the Fountain-Fort Carson School District. Coy's parents had taken her case to the commission after the district said she could no longer use the girls' bathroom at Eagleside Elementary. In issuing its decision, the state's rights division said keeping the ban in place "creates an environment that is objectively and subjectively hostile, intimidating or offensive." The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund praised the ruling that was filled under Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act. Michael Silverman, the group's executive director, called the ruling "a high-water mark for transgender rights." This is the first of it's kind ruling in the country regarding the rights of transgender students. No court, no tribunal has ever said what the Colorado Division of Civil Rights has said today which is that trangendered students must be treated equally. They specifically referenced the outmoded concept of separate but equal and told us that separate but equal is very rarely equal and it is certainly not equal in Coy's case. Coy's mother, Kathryn Mathis, said she's pleased that Coy can return to school and put this behind her. The first-grader has been home schooled during the proceedings . "We're very thrilled that Coy is able to return to school and have the same rights that all the other girls had, that she should have had and was afforded by law to begin with. We're extremely happy that she's going to be treated equally and we thank the civil rights division for coming to this conclusion," Kathryn Mathis said. "We're very grateful to the voters of Colorado for putting its laws into place to begin with." A girl's life . For most of the past year, Coy has dressed as a girl. Coy's passport and state-issued identification recognize her as female. Transgender kids: Painful quest to be who they are . Mathis said she got a call "out of the blue" from the school in December saying that Coy could use the boys' bathroom, gender-neutral faculty bathrooms or the nurse's bathroom, but not the girls' facilities. The district "took into account not only Coy, but other students in the building, their parents and the future impact a boy with male genitals using a girls' bathroom would have as Coy grew older," a letter the family's attorney received in December said. "However, I'm certain you can appreciate that, as Coy grows older and his male genitals develop along with the rest of his body, at least some parents and students are likely to become uncomfortable with his continued use of the girls' restroom." CNN was unable to reach the school district early Monday for comment on the ruling. But in February, the district's attorney, W. Kelly Dude, said: "The district firmly believes it has acted reasonably and fairly with respect to this issue." Opinion: Gender identity not just body parts . A little-studied group . Transgender children experience a disconnect between their sex, which is based on their anatomy, and their gender, which includes behaviors, roles and activities, experts say. For the general public, transgender identity may be a new concept, though many might recall Chaz Bono, the child of entertainers Sonny and Cher. Born female, Bono underwent a transition in his 40s to become a man. He wrote in his book "Transition" that, even as a child, he had been "aware of a part of me that did not fit." He appeared last year as a man on "Dancing with the Stars," in part, he said, to destigmatize being transgender. Being transgender no longer a mental 'disorder' in diagnostic manual . Comprehensive data and studies about transgender children are rare. International studies have estimated that anywhere from 1 in 30,000 to 1 in 1,000 people are transgender. Some children as young as age 3 show early signs of gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder, mental health experts who work with transgender children say. These children are not intersex -- they do not have a physical disorder or malformation of their sexual organs. The gender issue exists in the brain, though experts do not agree on whether it's psychologically or physiologically based. Many transgender people report feeling discomfort with their gender as early as they can remember. Transgender job seekers face uphill battle . Gender identity is often confused with sexual orientation. The difference is that "gender identity is who you are, and sexual orientation is who you want to have sex with," said Dr. Johanna Olson, a professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Southern California, who treats transgender children. Children around age 3 are probably not interested in sexual orientation, she said. But experts say some children who look like they will be transgender in early childhood turn out to be gay, lesbian or bisexual. Differences in schools . School policies toward transgender students vary across the United States. In New York, for example, the law says students can't be discriminated against on the basis of their gender identity. But in Maine, a court ruled in November that a school district did not violate a transgender student's rights when she was told she couldn't use the girls' bathroom. Gender nonconformity is not a disorder, group says . Dude, the Colorado school district's attorney, has said there is nothing in that state requiring public schools to permit transgender students to use restrooms intended for the gender with which they identify. At the time, he argued that the Fountain-Fort Carson School District adheres to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act in all respects: "Coy attends class as all other students, is permitted to wear girls' clothes and is referred to as the parents have requested." On Monday, Silverman underscored what he described as the unfairness of Coy's situation. "By denying Coy the right to use the little girls restroom like all the other little girls at school it had created an environment that was hostile, discriminatory and unsafe. Coy was treated in what was referred to as an exceptional way, which limited her educational opportunities. In the end, we've been saying from the start, that Coy wants the same dignity, respect and opportunity, and deserves that, as every other student in Colorado. The state of Colorado has now said that's exactly what she deserves," Silverman said. Girl Scouts accept transgender kid, provoking cookie boycott . | Coy Mathis wins complaint under Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act .
She was denied the use of the girls' restroom at her elementary school .
Coy was born a boy but identifies as a girl .
Ruling says district was "objectively and subjectively hostile" |
177,571 | 71e087bf2932c6f5ce73ac7a6a78bc22eb6d7f5a | (CNN) -- Two rescued motorists were "absolutely horrified," after a wall of icy water trapped them and several others in suburban Washington on Tuesday morning. Motorists climb into a rescue basket lowered by a helicopter. A woman trapped in a black SUV scrawled her husband's phone number on a piece of paper and flashed it to rescuers and reporters in the hopes that one of them would contact her husband. Sarah Lee, a reporter with CNN affiliate WJLA-TV, called to assure the woman's husband that "several highly skilled swift water rescue personnel" were working to save his wife. The woman and another passenger in the car were placed in a rescue boat, but were "absolutely horrified, gripping onto the railings in the boat for their safety," said Lee. A massive water main break in Cabin John, Maryland, near the communities of Potomac and Bethesda, unleashed the flood during rush-hour Tuesday morning. The water main, 66 inches in diameter, unleashed the wall of water just before 8 a.m. that, at its height, was four feet high and 60 to 70 feet wide, Montgomery County police said. "I knew that the cars were unstable just by the amount of water that was rushing by," said Jim MacKay, a Maryland State Police civilian helicopter pilot who flew to the scene from Andrews Air Force Base. MacKay, maneuvered his helicopter around tree limbs and power lines to hoist people to safety. The water's temperature made the situation even more dire, according to MacKay. Temperatures in the area dropped to nearly 18 degrees. "The water had gotten into the car, so these people were at risk of hypothermia," he said. "They were soaking wet." Emergency crews rescued nine people, including one child, spokesman Pete Piringer of the Montgomery County Fire Department told CNN. Several others escaped on their own. Everyone was rescued by about 11 a.m. Of the five people hurt, none had life-threatening injuries, but several endured harrowing moments of uncertainty. "Water was going over my car, and I was actually scared that water will draw us away somewhere because it was very strong water," Maria Stosse told CNN affiliate WJLA. "All of a sudden just a gush of water came along with boulders and parts of trees," a woman told reporters. "I tried to turn to get out of it [but] I couldn't. My car just got blocked in." Dramatic rescues by firefighters and emergency crews were broadcast nationwide on live television. Watch the daring rescues » . A helicopter crew maneuvered a dangling metal basket to the passenger door of one vehicle where a child and one more person climbed in and were whisked to safety. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission was working Tuesday afternoon to isolate the break. A commission source told CNN that the valve at the source of the break was under water. As a result, workers were trying to turn off the water at a different point in the line. Once the water is turned off, crews will need another four hours to repressurize the county's water system, the commission said. | NEW: "A gush of water came along with boulders and parts of trees," woman says .
Rescue crews work to free people trapped in cars by water main break .
Helicopter used to pluck several people from car .
Road in suburban Washington floods after 60-inch pipe breaks . |
56,535 | a03793bd30222a1ff299fb7f44d50a5a382d03a9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 06:15 EST, 8 February 2012 . The entire staff at a Los Angeles school where one teacher is accused of feeding his semen to students and another allegedly abused two girls will be removed, it emerged today. The 88 teachers and 40 support staff at Miramonte Elementary School are being replaced because a full investigation of allegations is disruptive and staffers will require support to get through the scandal, Superintendent John Deasy told parents. The move comes after three dozen parents and supporters protested in front of the main doors of the school earlier in the day, some carrying a banner that read: 'We the parents demand our children be protected from lewd teacher acts.' Outrage: Ivis Urbina (right) and her granddaughter Alexa Agillon (front) join other parents and supporters outside Miramonte Elementary school in protest over allegations that two teachers committed lewd acts with pupils . Anger: About three dozen parents gathered outside the school yesterday morning before joining a 100-strong group for a meeting with the school's administrators last night . Accused: Mark Berndt, 61, (left) was charged with carrying out lewd acts on 23 children who were aged six to 10. His colleague Martin Springer (right) has been held on $2m bail over claims he fondled two girls. Their outrage comes after teacher Mark . Berndt, 61, was charged with carrying out lewd acts on 23 children who . were aged six to 10. He . allegedly blindfolded the students in his classroom and fed them his . semen with a spoon. Children were allegedly told it was a 'tasting . game'. Teacher . Martin Springer, 49, was arrested on Friday - just four days later - on . suspicion of fondling two girls in his classroom. An . entire staff has been trained to come into Miramonte's classrooms to . take over teaching for the time being and there will be a psychiatric . social worker in every classroom to help students and staff cope with . any issues. Worried about the students: Los Angeles School District Superintendent John Deasy announces that the entire teaching staff of Miramonte Elementary School will be relocated in the wake of the arrests of two teachers over child sexual abuse allegations . Voicing concerns: A student passes protesting parents on his arrival at Miramonte Elementary school yesterday. More than a quarter of students were absent yesterday while parents demanded more protection . Furious: Parent Tessi Garcia airs her grievances to reporters over the sex abuse scandal that has rocked the school . 'The last thing I'm worried about is a budget issue,' Deasy said. 'The No 1 thing I'm worried about is the students.' All employees will be paid during the investigation, district spokesman Tom Waldman said. Officials didn't know how long the investigation will take. School officials cancelled classes at the school on Tuesday and Wednesday as a cooling-off period, Waldman said. All current staff members will report to another location, where they will be interviewed, he said. Deasy emphasized that all staff members being brought into the classroom went through a 'very rigorous screening process.' Deasy told reporters after the meeting that he was trying 'to govern emotion, because that's important.' Uncertain times: A student carries a class project to school yesterday as parents and the media gather outside . Comforting: A parent hugs her child at the start of the school day. School bosses say they are trying to 'govern emotion' as the investigation continues . Driven to act: The protest was an unusual event in the poor, overwhelmingly Latino neighborhood, where many parents and students struggle with the English language . Reassurances: Mr Deasy emphasised that all staff members being brought into the classroom went through a 'very rigorous screening process' United Teachers Los Angeles said in a statement that union leaders and staff have met with instructors at Miramonte. 'We support a thorough, vigorous and fair investigation of all allegations,' the statement said. 'It's everyone's responsibility to ensure that any and all allegations are thoughtfully and carefully investigated.' Maria Jimenez, 51, said the parents of children enrolled at Miramonte are divided over the move. 'Some are in favor. Others are against it because they did this without advising us or consulting us,' she said. More than a quarter of the students at Miramonte were absent from school Monday while parents demanded more protection at the school, with attendance reaching just 72 percent, according to figures from the Los Angeles Unified School District. The protest was an unusual event in the poor, overwhelmingly Latino neighborhood, where many parents and students struggle with the English language. Many people finally gathered around . former state senator-turned-lawyer Martha Escutia, who lectured them in . Spanish about how to organize for the media and suggested a catchy name . for their fledgling movement: Mothers of Miramonte. As night fell, about 100 angry parents marched from the elementary school to the nearby meeting with administrators. School police watched and sheriff's deputies were on hand, but there was no violence. Berndt, . who worked at the school for 32 years, was charged with committing lewd . acts on 23 children, ages six to 10, between 2005 and 2010. Heated: Los Angeles Unified School District police guard the front door of Miramonte Elementary school as parents protest outside . Mixed emotions: Parents are divided over the move to remove all the school's staff. Some feel they should have been consulted first . Mobilising: Protesting parents were given advice by former state senator-turned-lawyer Martha Escutia on how to organize their movement . The acts cited by authorities include blindfolding children and feeding them his own semen in his classroom in what children were allegedly told was a tasting game. Berndt, 61, remains jailed on $23million bail and could face life in prison if convicted. Springer, 49, was arrested on suspicion of fondling two girls in his classroom. He was being held on $2million bail. Springer taught at Miramonte for his entire career, which started in 1986, the district said. He taught second grade. The school board is scheduled to discuss firing him in a closed-door meeting Tuesday. Furore: Members of the media gather outside the Miramonte last Friday following the arrest of Springer, who was pulled from a classroom just days after Berndt was charged . Concern: Students are escorted to a bus outside Miramonte, which will be closed for two days this week . Investigators said they know of no connection between the Miramonte cases. Berndt and Springer know each other and took their classes on at least two joint field trips in the past decade, according to the Los Angeles Times. The district set up a toll-free hotline on Monday to receive reports of suspected abuse at Miramonte, said school board President Monica Garcia in a statement. Garcia added that the district would step up efforts to ensure students and staff realized the importance of reporting misconduct. In the same school district, a janitor at a San Fernando Valley elementary school was arrested on suspicion of committing a lewd act with a child on a campus. Accused: Berndt, pictured with a student in 2003, is suspected of blindfolding children in his class and spoon feeding them his semen . Paul Adame, 37, was taken into custody after a mother told police on Sunday that he had inappropriate contact with her child during school hours Friday at Germain Elementary School in the Chatsworth area north of Los Angeles, police Capt. Kris Pitcher said at a news conference. The captain declined to provide details but urged anyone who might know of other possible victims to contact police. Adame was booked and released on $100,000 bail Monday. It could not be immediately determined if he had an attorney. There was no immediate connection between the arrest of the janitor and the cases at Miramonte, which is 15 miles (24 kilometers) away in an unincorporated county area of South Los Angeles. | New workforce will take over from 88 teachers and 40 support staff at Miramonte Elementary School .
Social worker in every classroom to help pupils cope with issues .
Dozens of parents protest outside school with banners saying: 'We demand our children be protected from lewd teacher acts'
Mark Berndt, 61, accused of blindfolding students and feeding them his own semen .
Martin Springer, 49, arrested on Friday for allegedly fondling two girls in the classroom . |
221,166 | aa4d5aec759fef17aa5c5a8cf25b7e0448066284 | (CNN)A south Georgia man was charged Tuesday with murder in the death of a couple who went missing last week after contacting a car seller on Craigslist, police said. Ronnie "Jay" Adrian Towns, 28, also was charged with armed robbery, the Telfair County Sheriff's Office said on its website. A judge denied bail for Towns, who also waived his right to a preliminary hearing. After Towns' initial appearance, reporters shouted questions as he was led from the courthouse, but the suspect remained silent. The victims were shot in the head, police said. Elrey "Bud" Runion, 69, and his wife, June, 66, had driven three and a half hours from an Atlanta suburb in search of a classic car after posting on the popular want-ad website. Their bodies were recovered Monday in woods in rural Telfair County. An autopsy Tuesday confirmed their identities. Towns turned himself in Monday. His father told CNN affiliate WSB on Tuesday that his son said he was innocent. "He said, 'Daddy, I ain't had nothing to do with this,' " Ronnie Towns Sr. told the station. "It ain't Jay. I don't believe he did it." The suspect's father told WSB that he went into the woods Monday where Towns was hiding and talked him into surrendering. His son had no prior record, he said. Telfair County Sheriff Chris Steverson said Towns had the "last known communications" with Bud Runion. The couple made the trip to look at a 1966 Mustang, and once Runion got to Telfair County, the suspect communicated with him, according to the sheriff. He did not say who called whom. McRae is about 180 miles from Marietta, where the Runions lived. "Early on in the investigation, we did contact Mr. Towns, and we did interview him and by the information he provided, we found it to be false and deceptive," the sheriff said shortly before Towns turned himself in. "After we interviewed him, our efforts to contact him were unsuccessful. Today we've contacted his family, and they've been helpful in locating him." At the victims' home in Marietta, people placed flowers at a memorial around a flagpole in the front yard. A neighbor had lowered the flag to half staff. Another neighbor brought a child's bicycle. He said Bud Runion used to fix bikes through a church group for children in need. "Bud is a veteran. He and June are great people. They give so much; they are selfless," Josh Patterson, the couple's son-in-law, said Monday. Though the overwhelming majority of Craigslist transactions occur without incident, the site has a history of being co-opted by criminals. Just in recent years, there have been numerous such instances. In Henderson, Nevada, police said a man placing an ad in July met three men at a park, who took him to a vacant house, tied him up, beat and robbed him, then escaped in his car. In March, a San Jose, California, woman responding to an ad for a cellular phone was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint by two men who drove her to an ATM and demanded her passcode, police told a newspaper. In May 2013, a Maine teenager drove to Portland to sell his BMW sedan to a 29-year-old who had responded to his Craigslist ad. The teen was allegedly forced into his own trunk and driven to Delaware, according to media reports and an FBI affidavit. 11 disturbing crimes linked to Craigslist . Faith Karimi and Eliott McLaughlin contributed to this report. | Father of suspect says his son, Ronnie "Jay" Adrian Towns, claims he is innocent .
Elrey "Bud" Runion and his wife, June, had traveled from the Atlanta area to south Georgia to look at a car .
They were shot in the head, police said . |
213,784 | a0e019ad972dd4e2e463bfc10b9e8cab8fb0ebe8 | Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have splashed out on a $11m retreat an hour's drive from their Manhattan base. The magnificent 19th-century estate is in Bedford, Westchester County, where the couple previously owned another home half the size of their new hideaway. The 15,458 square foot stately home boasts eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, as well as tennis courts pool, and equestrian facilities. Fit for the A-list: Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have purchased this $11m home in Bedford, NY . Luxury: The 15,458 square foot home boasts eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms . Impressive: The office has a magnificent full-height fireplace . Property portfolio: The superstar couple own homes all over the world . The stars can unwind in the spa and steam room, or exercise in the home gym. The interiors are a blend of traditional elegance and sleek contemporary. The home office features an impressive full-height fireplace, while the kitchen has state-of-the-art appliances and marble work surfaces. Douglas and Zeta Jones' will fit right in with Bedford's well-heeled residents: The Clintons, Richard Gere, Ben Stiller and Bruce Willis are all neighbours. The superstar couple own property all over the world, in addition to their luxury Manhattan apartment. The also have holiday homes in Bermuda, Colorado and Catherine's hometown of Swansea. They previously owned a six-bedroom house in Bedford, which they sold for $7.5million. The house is reported to be where Chicago star Zeta-Jones holed up during the couple's temporary separation last year. Their new abode was originally listed for $12.75million, but the actors secured the property in September for $11.25million (£7m), according to real estate website Zillow.com. Hideaway: There is a spa and steam room, equestrian facilities, pool and tennis courts in the grounds . Upgrade: The couple recently sold another Bedford property half the size of their new abode . | 15,458 square foot property is in Bedford, Westchester County .
Neighbours include the Clintons, Bruce Willis and Richard Gere .
Home boasts eight bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, tennis courts and steam room .
Couple own homes in Bermuda, Manhattan, Colorado and Swansea . |
224,036 | ae1c1d9986bc2b67a2ee5a76ab3609d9e3877f9c | Daniel Ricciardo is confident he will be able to cope with the weight of expectation now on his shoulders at Red Bull following the departure of Sebastian Vettel. Vettel bade a fond farewell on Tuesday to the team that made him a four-time Formula One world champion with a leaving do at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes. But with Vettel now headed for Ferrari, Red Bull's attentions quickly turn to 2015 and pooling their resources behind Ricciardo and new team-mate Daniil Kvyat. Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren's Jenson Button wave to the crowd in Abu Dhabi . Ricciardo said he is ready to be the team's main driver after German Sebastian Vettel left for Ferrari . Ricciardo recognises that after a successful debut campaign with Red Bull in which he won three races and finished third in the drivers' standings behind the all-conquering Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, he is the man in the spotlight. 'The weight of expectation won't affect me,' Ricciardo said. 'But the reality is now I can win. People know I've - shall we say - got the goods. 'So if I'm coming sixth and seventh when they feel the car should be fourth and fifth then that obviously isn't meeting expectations, but it honestly doesn't add any more pressure to me.' Ricciardo, however, answered a lot of his critics who suggested his promotion from Toro Rosso was based on the back of some inconsistent performances with the Faenza-based marque. Ricciardo enjoyed a strong debut season with the Asutrian Formula One team, winning three races . Vettel makes a speech to staff at Red Bull Racing's factory in Milton Keynes on Tuesday . VIDEO Driving for Ferrari 'a unique experience' - Vettel . German racing driver Vettel spent three days at Ferrari's factory over the weekend driving their 2012 car . Asked whether he felt the season had proven a big stepping stone in his career, Ricciardo replied: 'Massive. 'It's just proven all the things I had believed, and it's obviously nice to prove it to myself. 'But I think I've shown everyone else I'm here to stay now, so to speak.' Ricciardo, though, will not have it all his own way in 2015 as Kvyat proved on numerous occasions in his rookie campaign this past season he also has what it takes. Assessing the 20-year-old Russian, Ricciardo said: 'To be honest I've followed him probably for the last five years and he's always been pretty quick and adapted very quickly. 'I really thought he had some fantastic showings this year in Formula One, and I wasn't too surprised (he took up Vettel's seat) in the end. 'He's young, but I expect him to be quick. It should be a good battle.' | Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has left Red Bull for Ferrari .
Daniel Ricciardo will now become the team's main driver .
The Australian said he is not concerned by increased expectations .
Ricciardo said people at the F1 team know he 'has the goods' |
54,861 | 9b604e8a784d1fd35f65073350797237a879a5cf | It was fright night for Real Madrid in Bulgaria as minnows Ludogorets stunned the European Cup holders with a goal after six minutes and then made Carlo Ancelotti’s team toil for a hard-fought win. Ronaldo missed one penalty and scored another, moving him to 69 Champions League goals – just two short of Raul’s record – but Wednesday was not a night for Madrid milestones, more of narrowly avoiding embarrassment. They started slowly, defended badly and former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez almost completed the horror show with an awful second-half miss with the score still at 1-1. He was replaced by Karim Benzema, who scored what was to be Real’s winner. Karim Benzema celebrates scoring the winner for Real Madrid against Ludogorets no more than 10 minutes after coming off the bench . Benzema's slick finish saved Real Madrid from an embarrassing journey home from Sofia . Ludogorets: Stoyanov; Paula Junior, Aleksandrov, Moti, Minev, Aleksandrov, Dyakov, Marcelinho (Cristaldo Farias 70), Gomes Fonseca, Abalo Paulos, Bezjak . Subs not used: Andrianantenaina, Angulo, Zlatinski, Borjan, Misidjan, Younes . Goal: Marcelinho 7 . Booked: Minev, Dyakov, Gomes Fonseca, Abalo Paulos . Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Bale, Modric, Illarramendi, Isco, Hernández (Benzema 67), Ronaldo . Subs not used: Pepe, Kroos, Rodríguez, Navas, Carvajal, Nacho . Goals: Ronaldo 24 (pen), Benzema 77 . Booked: Ramos . It was the Bulgarian team’s first home game in the Champions League, and they weren’t even ‘properly’ at home. With UEFA regulations meaning the club could not use its tiny 6,100-capacity Ludogorets Arena, they had had to make the 324km journey to Sofia to play the game in Bulgaria’s national stadium. Around 5,000 of their home town Razgrad’s 33,000 population had made the five-hour road trip to watch their team and they were given a night they will never forget. Madrid were behind inside just six minutes when they failed to defend a corner. Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale were beaten at the near post and Marcelinho ghosted in at the back post ahead of a static Alvaro Arbeloa to head in the flick on. Real had the chance to equalise almost immediately but Ronaldo failed to convert a penalty. Hernandez went down in the box and the Portugal superstar stepped up with a customary well-struck spot kick but keeper Vladislav Stoyanov guessed right and saved. Ronaldo then had the ball in the net but was incorrectly flagged offside in what was turning into a nightmare first away game for the holders. On 24 minutes Real's No 7 won his second penalty of the night with an exaggerated tumble after contact from Cosmin Moti. He put the penalty the same side and this time, despite Stoyanov going the right way again, the net bulged and Madrid were level. Three minutes before half time Hernandez had the chance to put the visitors ahead but dragged his shot wide from Isco’s pass. The midfielder had been the away side’s best player but there was little competition with Bale and Luka Modric below par and Real missing Toni Kroos, who had been left on the bench. Ludogorets midfielder Marcelinho celebrates scoring the opener as his side take the lead against Real Madrid in their Champions League Group B match . After a corner, Brazilian Marcelinho got on the end of a flick-on at the near post to head home from close range . Ludogorets players chase Marcelinho (left) as they celebrate taking the lead against the Spanish giants at the Vassil Levski stadium in Sofia . The crowd in Bulgaria's capital Sofia goes wild as the home team takes a shock Champions League lead . Cristiano Ronaldo (left) has the ball on a string as he's closed down by Ludogorets midfielder Svetoslav Dyakov (right) Ludogorets defender Yordan Minev fouls Javier Hernandez in the penalty area to give away one of two penalties in the first half . Bale improved at the start of the second half and could have put Madrid ahead with a header from an Isco cross that Stoyanov did well to save. Madrid’s next chance was not saved but missed, dreadfully, by Hernandez. The former Manchester United striker only had to tap in Isco’s centre after a classic Madrid counter-attack involving a 30-metre sprint from Bale and a pass from Ronaldo, but somehow ‘Chicharito’ spooned his effort away from goal. Ludogorets had chances to take the lead and only a fine save from Iker Casillas prevented Marcelinho from scoring his and the Bulgarians’ second. Ronaldo takes his first penalty attempt of the match as Ludogorets goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov picks the right way . Again Stoyanov picks the direction Ronaldo is going from the spot but this time it has too much power for the hosts to maintain their lead . Ronaldo (left) celebrates his successful second penalty attempt with Gareth Bale (right) Just in case the world forgets for a moment, Ronaldo reminds us of his famous number . Ronaldo points to the number on his back as he chalks up yet another Champions League goal . Ancelotti finally made a change and predictably it was Hernandez who made way for Benzema. The Frenchman immediately set up Ronaldo but his effort was cleared off the line by Yordan Minev. Benzema then saved Madrid’s blushes with the late winner from Marcelo’s cross. The full back made an important clearance to maintain the visitors' advantage moments later and Bale brought a fine save from Stoyanov at the death. Madrid were off the hook and go into their double-header with Liverpool on six points. But this was yet more evidence that the biggest of the big spenders have weaknesses that Brendan Rodgers’ side will hope to expose. Real Madrid get more of a battle than many will have expected as Ludogorets' Dani Abalo (left) and Marcelo (right) make unwieldy attempts for the ball . Real Madrid's Isco, probably their best player on the night, withstands a hefty challenge from Ludogorets' Caichara (right) Isco is forced to defend as Fabio Espinho attempts to run through the Real Madrid defence . Real's French forward Benzema calmly volleys home to give the Champions League holders the lead in Bulgaria . | Bulgaria's Ludogorets took the lead through Brazilian Marcelinho who headed in from a corner .
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo had a chance to equalise from the penalty spot but it was saved .
The star striker took his second invitation to slot home from the spot though in the 25th minute .
Karim Benzema gave Real the lead when he calmly slotted a volley 10 minutes after coming off the bench .
Ronaldo's penalty takes him to 69 Champions League goals, two short of Raul's competition record . |
15,079 | 2ad86089c5506c27f38d2cf12d6394e0ec598dab | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 04:07 EST, 3 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:08 EST, 3 January 2013 . A British Airways flight had to make an emergency landing as two drunken middle-aged women on board ran riot. The pair aged 50 and 43 swore in front of children, refused to return to their seats and tried to force their way into the cockpit after being seen drinking Malibu from the bottle. One passenger claimed they even threatened to track down and kill the family of a BA stewardess on the Gatwick to Tunisia flight. A British Airways to Gatwick Airport in West Sussex had to be diverted to Lyon because two passengers became disruptive. Pictured is a passenger plane landing at Gatwick . Then it was claimed they hid in the Boeing 737-400’s toilet at 30,000ft for a smoke. Its pilot diverted to Lyon, where French police boarded and threw them in cells for a night, then put them on a return flight. The passenger told The Sun: 'They decided they were going to meet the captain and marched towards the cockpit. It was very frightening.' The women may now be banned for life from British Airways. A British Airways spokesman said: 'Monday's BA2664 service from Gatwick to Tunis was diverted to Lyon following the continued disruptive behaviour of two female passengers. 'Our customers and flying crew deserve a safe and enjoyable flight experience. We do not tolerate any disruptive behaviour on board our flights.' | Pair, 50 and 43, swore in front of children, refused to return to seats .
It is claimed they even threatened to kill family of a BA stewardess . |
253,918 | d4a36186e946df1dd44b82a6c658e540898a945d | By . Deni Kirkova . A video of an inspirational young woman with an uncontrollable urge to pull out her hair has attracted more than 5 million views. Rebecca Brown, 21, from Chelmsford, Essex, blogs about life with trichotillomania and published a six-and-a-half year time-lapse video on her YouTube channel last year. Extensive news coverage caused the views to soar by around 3 million in just a couple of weeks, and the comments section flood with fan mail. Scroll down for video . Rebecca Brown, 21, from Chelmsford, Essex, blogs about life with trichotillomania . Whenever Rebecca was stressed or upset when she was growing up she would play with her hair for comfort. By the time she was 16 her habit had escalated into a full-blown psychological disorder - which left her almost completely bald. Doctors . failed to diagnose the condition for five years, simply telling her to . stop being a fidget. Meanwhile at school she endured cruel taunts and . nasty looks from her classmates. Feeling lost and alone, she started . taking a photograph of herself every day, chronicling her experiences on . the internet in a blog and in YouTube videos with brutal honesty. In her most-viewed clip she chronicles six-and-a-half years of her life with 2,100 selfies. The four-minute video shows Rebecca in the depths of depression with . sullen eyes and picking at her skin, and in the highs of health with a . glowing complexion and a wide smile. To . her utter surprise the response was overwhelming - and to her delight . it was supportive. As a result of her videos, Rebecca, pictured in 2012, has a large group of fans and supporters . Her honestly and bravery is clearly inspiring, with comments such as this posted from a . supporter: 'Wow I just watched this and it really touched me. Well . done! You're an inspiration :) I hope you keep pushing forward and I . wish you all the best!' For . others, the video touched their lives in a much more personal way. A . father whose daughter has the condition wrote: 'That's lovely, Becky! I . just showed this to my 13 year old to let her see what kinds of changes . are in store for her in the next seven years.' A fellow sufferer . added: 'I have been suffering from the same nervous disorder for almost . twenty years now. Words cannot express how I feel finding your video. Maybe that I am less alone. Thank you for speaking out! <3' . Rebecca has become a heroine to thousands of other sufferers of . trichotillomania, a disorder characterised by the uncontrollable urge to . pluck out the hair, usually from the scalp but also sometimes eyebrows . and eyelashes. Rebecca, pictured in 2009, published a six-and-a-half year time-lapse video on her YouTube channel last year . Extensive news coverage caused the views to soar by around 3 million in just a couple of weeks . And it must be taking up most of her time getting back to all these people. Back in November Rebecca confessed she receives so much fan mail . online it takes her three hours a week to reply to it all - and that she was even . mobbed by fans when she attended a conference on the condition in the . US. She said: ‘I get a lot of post from people who confide in me about their . trichotillomania, yet they haven’t told their family or friends. I feel . very blessed that people trust me like that.’ Rebecca played with hair obsessively as a child and began pulling out . clumps when she was a teenager. She said: ‘I started going to the doctor . about it when I was 13 but they didn’t diagnose it until 18. Before I . was diagnosed, doctors advised me to do all sorts of silly things. One . doctor told me to stop fidgeting and another told me to sit on my hands. Rebecca believes that posting the videos on the internet has aided her recovery . ‘Some . people say trichotillomania is a result of childhood trauma but for me, . pulling my hair has been a comfort thing. I do it a lot when I am . stressed or upset. ‘A lot . of people at school and college didn’t understand why I was going bald. Lots of people mockingly called me "baldie". But it was the horrible . looks that I got from other kids that was the worst thing.’ At one point . she had so little hair she shaved her head to make herself feel better; . at other times she wore wigs. By . the time she was 14 she decided to find out for herself what was . happening to her. She did an internet search for ‘hair pulling’ and . discovered what trichotillomania was. Rebecca said: ‘All that came up in the search . results were three not-so-brilliant videos on the disorder. ‘I . decided to upload my own, no-holds-barred video.' In some photos, she . wrote the name of her disorder on her forehead in marker pen with an . arrow pointing to her last remaining bristles as she attempted to . explain the condition to the outside world. Rebecca believes that . posting the videos on the internet has aided her recovery. 'I have . found it hard to speak to councillors but it has always felt easy to . talk to a webcam,' she said. A . spokesman for Trichotillomania Support said: ‘It is important that . sufferers know they are not alone and they should not be ashamed of . asking for support.’ Information and help can be found on Trichotillomania Support's website trichotillomania.co.uk . | Rebecca Brown, 21, has trichotillomania, the compulsive urge to pull hair .
She started pulling out her hair when she was 12 and by 16 was nearly bald .
At 19 her condition deteriorated and she was forced to shave her head .
She is now recovering and her hair is starting to grow back .
Her 2,100-selfie time-lapse video spans six and a half years .
So far has been viewed more than 5 million times on YouTube . |
224,233 | ae58eb1c81b1842b2513d14726a56d9a2d6fd416 | (CNN) -- George H.W. Bush turns 90 today (June 12), only the fourth American president to reach that age. He's the last of the World War II presidents, the last American leader to preside over the Cold War, the last of a generation of elected leaders who saw themselves as old-fashioned public servants rather than cutthroat campaigners. Today, there are college graduates who weren't even born when he left office. So the question is, what can 20-somethings learn from an old man like Bush? It starts with what Bush said to a group of young people in one of the last speeches he gave as President: "What all of us seek in our life is meaning and adventure. It's through service that all of us can find both." He certainly has had 90 years of "meaning and adventure" — flying as one of the youngest Navy pilots in World War II; serving in Congress during the 1960s; as US liaison to China in the days of Mao; as chair of the Republican Party during Watergate; as head of the CIA after the Church Commission; as Ambassador to the United Nations during the Cold War; as Vice President during the Reagan Revolution; as President during the collapse of the Soviet Union. And as a post-presidential humanitarian, he has raised millions for cancer research and disaster relief alongside the man who was his most bitter political rival. Bush had a front-row seat to most of the major events of the second half of the 20th century, and he did it by dedicating his life to service to others. "Public service is a noble calling," something he's said so often that it's engraved on a bust at his Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. (The students rub its brass nose for good luck; he once quipped, "Thank God it was only a bust!") I asked about Bush's formula for meaning and adventure when I interviewed 41 extraordinary people for our new documentary about our 41st president, "41ON41." Many of the 41 spoke of Bush's lifelong commitment to public service, whether in uniform, in appointed positions, through elected office or in community service. "This man has affected this country and served this country in so many ways," said sports commentator Jim Nantz, "and he's done it every step of the way with a kind heart, with good intentions, with real concern that he's doing the right thing to help people." "I do believe, if there were more people like him, the world would be a better place," President Bill Clinton told me. "If your primary motivation is to serve, then, in an imperfect world, you're likely to make the right rather than the wrong compromises. "His primary motivation was to serve. You don't get to pick the time you serve, and you can't control the circumstances in which you govern. There's always some good and some bad in it. But he made the most of a hand that was not the easiest hand to play. And he did it because, at heart, he's a servant." Pierce Bush is G.H.W.'s grandson, and the two have talked about the day his grandfather decided to make the first step in a lifetime of service. "He remembers sitting in an Andover [High School] auditorium right after Pearl Harbor was attacked," Pierce said. "There was this spirit that he wanted to be a part of. He wanted to go and defend America, he wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself." Pierce sees the parallels with his generation -- in the same longing millennials have to be a part of something larger than oneself. His Twitter homepage quotes his grandfather: "Any definition of a successful life must include service to others." Pierce works for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Houston and would tell you that his life is full of both meaning and adventure. Condoleezza Rice is concerned that young people have only seen the worst of elected officials in a gridlocked Washington that seems to feed on character assassination. She knows how hard it is to decide to go into public service in such a poisonous environment. "I would say to young people: Never forget that democracy depends on its citizens to care about it, to promote it, to work for it," Rice said. "Democracies don't survive if citizens simply leave it to others to do the hard work of governing, and so if you get a chance to be in public service, do it. The greatest thing that you can do in your life is to serve your country. You could have no better role model than George H. W. Bush." Bush's life is full of lessons for young people. I hope you'll tune in to CNN on Father's Day at 9 p.m. ET to hear more about this remarkable American life. You'll be surprised how much you'll learn. | Mary Kate Cary: George H.W. Bush, turning 90, is recognized for his service .
She says he sought to have a life of "meaning and adventure" and succeeded .
Cary: 41st President has much to teach millennials looking to make a difference in life .
She a produced film, airing on CNN, with interviews of 41 who know Bush best . |
37,527 | 6a49d000ee4842a2ae5b35a64a0ba7469e51163d | By . Chris Foy for the Daily Mail . Follow @@FoyChris . Joe Launchbury played a prominent role in the recent video promoting the release of World Cup tickets and believes there will be a scramble for seats when the public sale begins on Friday. Wasps’ England lock was among the home players addressed by actor Charles Dance in the ‘Too Big to Miss’ video shot in a Twickenham changing room as tournament authorities prepared for the launch of the main ticket application process. Despite high prices, there is likely to be huge demand for many of the 48 matches and Launchbury said on Wednesday that the sales drive would bring the World Cup into greater focus for those hoping to be involved. Auckland’s Eden Park, the venue for New Zealand’s 2011 triumph, is the only ground to have staged the final twice, having also done so in 1987 . Joe Launchbury of Wasps and England beats Alistair Hargreaves of Saracens in a line-out on Saturday in the Twickenham Double Header . Joe Launchbury is supported by England team-mate Danny Care as he makes a break against Scotland at Murrayfield in this year's RBS Six Nations . Charles Dance appeared in the ‘Too Big to Miss’ video shot in a Twickenham changing room as tournament authorities prepared for the launch of the ticket process . ‘It does feel like it’s getting quite close now,’ he said. ‘I was chatting to some of my friends the other day and they were looking forward to when all the tickets are coming out. They’ve all been saving up! I imagine all the tickets will go pretty quickly.’ For the 23-year-old and the other players looking forward to a starring role in the global gathering on these shores a year from now, the challenge this season will be to keep minds focused on club duties while not losing sight of the bigger picture. Yet Launchbury insisted the England squad are used to this balancing of priorities. ‘It is no different from any other season in a way because you have chunks at your club and chunks when you are off playing international rugby,’ he added. ‘The World Cup is there in the background as something to get excited about, but for now we have to concentrate on what is coming up.’ England will spend a fortnight in Denver, Colorado, next July as part of their World Cup preparations and Wales coach Warren Gatland revealed on Wednesday that his squad will have stints in the Swiss Alps and the desert in Qatar. Chris Robshaw has given up the Harlequins captaincy since taking on the All Blacks this summer to focus on his skippering duties with England . Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team will be determined for England to perform at the home World Cup and lift the trophy for the first time since 2003 . Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team will be determined for England to perform at the home World Cup and lift the trophy for the first time since 2003 . Which matches go on sale on Friday? All 48 games. Fans can apply for up to four tickets per game. For 15 pool matches fans may request up to 15 tickets. Application period? Public sales begin on Friday and run until September 29. It’s not first come, first served, so there’s no rush to apply. Where to apply? On the official website, www.tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. Create an account to begin. How will purchases be confirmed? The application process will be finalised next month. If matches or price categories are over-subscribed, a ballot decides who gets the tickets. Can I apply more than once? Only one application is permitted per person — for just one or multiple games — but it is possible to edit or withdraw an application at any time during the process. Cost of tickets? Some seats cost as little as £15 for adults and £7 for children, but they go up to a high of £315 for pool games and £715 for the final. Are England games affordable? Prices are steep. The four price categories for their opening Pool A clash with Fiji are £75, £160, £215 and £315. Concessions? There are child prices for 41 of the 48 games, but not for the knockout fixtures, aside from the low-key ‘bronze medal match’. Why so expensive? This is the knock-on effect of the last World Cup, held in New Zealand, generating modest profits. Organisers need to meet an £80million guarantee to the IRB. Any tickets been sold already? Some 500,000 tickets went on sale to the ‘rugby community’ in May. Fan tour packages for the overseas market went on sale in January; hospitality packages have been available since February. Any tips to secure tickets? The application process features the ‘Match Manager’ element which regulates how many games you aim for and your potential spend. The ‘Increase Your Chances’ feature means if a match and category are over-subscribed, the next best category can be allocated instead. Additional booking fees? Not if applicants use a debit card or the credit card used is MasterCard — an official partner — but there is a two per cent charge for other credit cards. England forwards Lewis Moody, Neil Back, Martin Corry, Dorian West, Ben Kay, Martin Johnson and Julian White celebrate winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup . England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning squad were welcomed by the Queen to a reception at Buckingham Palace after their famous triumph in Australia . | Ballot for Rugby World Cup tickets opens on Friday for all games at next year's tournament .
Huge demand is expected for tickets despite high prices reaching £715 for the final at Twickenham .
Cheapest tickets available start at £15 and the application process will be finalised next month .
England and Wasps second row Joe Launchbury believes there will be a huge scramble for seats .
England will spend a fortnight in Denver, Colorado, next July as part of their World Cup preparations . |
168,177 | 65858bbce7b97b953a2f8b949ddc4a5b9428d979 | Paris (CNN) -- The Alexander McQueen fashion house denied Sunday that it is designing the wedding dress of Kate Middleton, who's marrying Britain's Prince William next month. Two representatives of the high-profile design house flatly denied the story in the Sunday Times newspaper. "This is not true," spokeswoman Myriam Coudoux said when CNN asked if McQueen creative director Sarah Burton was designing the dress. Hongyi Huang, the head of press for McQ, the house's contemporary clothing line, also denied the report. Prince William's office told CNN: "We're saying nothing." "We're not commenting on the specific designer for the dress, because Catherine Middleton wishes to keep the designer a secret until the wedding day," Clarence House said Sunday. Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, is marrying his college girlfriend Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29. The Sunday Times says Middleton will wear a dress designed by Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen. Both Burton and McQueen chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd flatly deny the story to the Times. But the newspaper claims Middleton was impressed by a wedding dress Burton designed for the daughter of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the wife of Prince Charles. The article does not cite any sources. William is the older son of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth's oldest son and the heir to the throne. Alexander McQueen, one of Britain's hottest fashion designers, committed suicide last year. CNN's Lianne Turner in Paris and Eileen Hsieh in London contributed to this report. | The Sunday Times reports that she was impressed by a McQueen wedding dress .
Two representatives of the fashion house tell CNN they're not making the gown .
Kate Middleton is marrying Prince William next month in Westminster Abbey . |
236,953 | beaf7386b0213a0f6fb858787db9912e2696120f | Fast food fans still getting over the unpleasant sight of a Taco Bell employee licking a stack of taco shells last week should probably look away now. An image has emerged showing a Wendy’s server filling his mouth with ice cream directly from the nozzle of a Frosty machine. The photo is just the latest in a series of unpleasant images to go viral showing fast food employees doing things that their employers wouldn't approve off. This vulgar image of a Wendy's employee eating ice cream direct from the Frosting machine has caused an internet sensation and led to the man losing his job . The only certainty with this PR disaster is when the fast food chain catches the culprit he will undoubtedly get sacked for doing untold damage to the chain’s brand. The photograph surfaced on Reddit on Wednesday along with the words: ‘I was going to buy a frosty from Wendy's until I saw the employee do this’. The photograph appears to have been taken behind the counter which suggests that the person taking it was also an employee. Wendy’s hasn’t released a statement yet but watch this space. Wendy's hasn't made a statement yet about the photograph but the company is expected to sack any staff involved in the prank . Tongue lashing: This unnamed employee has lost his job after this photograph was posted to the Taco Bell Facebook page and went viral . The incident comes hot on heels of Taco Bell taking decisive action against their now infamous taco licking employee. Fast food fans collectively wretched last week after a shocking photograph appeared on Taco Bell's official Facebook page showing a red-haired man licking a stack of unfilled shells. The photograph was posted on June 2 by a 'Jj O'Brien Nolan' and set off a PR nightmare for the fast food chain. Two days later, in response to a deluge of negative publicity, Taco Bell confirmed that the worker had been identified and fired. 'Our franchisee is responsible for the employment and conduct of his restaurant’s employees and he has informed us that he immediately suspended the employee shown in the photo and is in the process of terminating his employment. 'The employee who took the photo no longer works there.' Initially it was not confirmed whether the photograph was a fake or if the tacos were indeed meant for the trash or were used in food preparation. Taco Bell denied they were. Taco trials: It has emerged that the restaurant where the photograph was taken is in Ridgecrest, California . 'Our food handling procedures are strict and we have zero tolerance for any violations,' Taco Bell said in a statement. 'The taco shells were used for training in March before we launched a new product, and were in process of being thrown out.' Despite the risks of being caught, these are only the latest examples of fast food workers getting into hot water over questionable treatment of food photographed and posted to social media. In April, a KFC worker posted photographs of herself licking a pile of mashed potatoes on Facebook and was promptly fired by her employer. Last year, three Burger King employees from Ohio were fired after images of them standing in two bins full of shredded lettuce were uploaded to their Facebook pages. And in another shameful Taco Bell image, a worker tweeted a photograph of himself urinating into a plate of nachos in August last year. ‘I pissed on them where nobody could see, in private, and I threw them away. There’s literally nothing they can do. Fire me. I don’t care,’ Cameron Jankowski of Fort Wayne said of the photo. Taco Bell took him up on his offer and he was relieved of duties immediately. | A photo has emerged of a Wendy's employee disregarding health and safety standards at work .
The company has commented on the incident yet but any employees involved can probably expect to get fired .
A Taco Bell employee was sacked earlier this month after he was photographed licking a stack of taco shells . |
13,387 | 2608534efde6bbe94a227e1fab001fe229c45914 | Julie Weiss ran a marathon every seven days somewhere on the planet . Her challenge began in Rome and ended in Los Angeles . Inspired by the memory of her father, she's raised $180,000 . Planning to raise $1 million for pancreatic research . 'I'll run ANOTHER 52 marathons in a year before 2020!' she says . By . James Daniel . PUBLISHED: . 13:59 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:57 EST, 18 March 2013 . For many, just taking part in a single marathon is the achievement of a lifetime, but Julie Weiss, they've become something of a weekly routine. She has run 52 of them - one a week - for the past year in memory of her dad who passed away from pancreatic cancer. Yesterday, the 42-year-old California mother of two finally stopped as she crossed the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon. Scroll down for video . Marathon Goddess: Julie Weiss has run 52 marathons in 52 weeks raising money for pancreatic cancer awareness in memory of her father who died from the disease . Her aim was to raise awareness of the disease that killed her father just one month after he was diagnosed in November 2010. Doctors say the disease has less than a 5 percent survival rate. 'Pancreatic cancer is my only competition out there and I intend to beat it,' she told the Today Show. 'As I learned more about pancreatic cancer, I had to do something more to raise awareness and raise hope and raise money for this severely underfunded disease,' she said, 'so I decided to do something dramatic.' 1362 miles: Yesterday was Julie's final marathon having completed one race each week for an entire year. She has raised almost $180,000 . In the name of her father: Maurice Weiss died from pancreatic cancer. His daughter Julie was told he'd live another six months but he passed away after one. She thinks of him every step of the way . Challenge: Julie's modesty shines through. She says the real task isn't the 26.2 miles each weekend but traveling and returning back to California for work on the Monday morning! Julie began her incredible challenge with a marathon in Rome and then entered a race every weekend in some city across North America. As soon as she left work at 5pm on Friday she would be on a plane, ready to begin the next race, before heading home to California on the Sunday. Julie says the real challenge is to travel to a different city, state or country each weekend and be back in the office for Monday morning - all while raising two children. Charity: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States and killed Julie's father Maurice just 35 days after he was diagnosed . Triumphant: Julie Weiss, 42, releases air balloons to commemorate with members of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, after completing her 52nd marathon in 52 weeks . Still going: Julie Weiss with her friend David Levine after completing yesterdays LA marathon. She says she will rest for a while but will complete another year of marathons by 2020 and raise $1 million . She has only been running for the past five years. Initially it was to lose some weight and get in better shape physically and mentally. What began as simply running around the block moved into running races before she finally progressed onto marathons. It made her father, Maurice, extremely proud, and after each race she would call her Dad to tell him how she had done. In that short amount of time she has earned the nickname 'Marathon Goddess' and become something of a folk hero in the running community. According to her nicknamed website MarathonGoddess.com the 1,362 miles she's covered has raised almost $180,000 for charity.' Running in memory: Weiss lost her dad to pancreatic cancer in 2010, just a few weeks before she qualified for the Boston Marathon. Through her website, marathongoddess.com, she's hoping to raise $1,000,000 by 2020 . Making each one count: Julie started running and her father thought it was fantastic. He supported her on her journey to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He passed away before the race but she says she felt his presence every step of the way . 'When people tell me I'm crazy or nuts, it means I'm on the right track and doing something good,' she says. Online she pledges the following: 'To honor my father, I will run 52 marathons in one year to show how strong the human spirit can be. When you do what you love, for those you love, that is where the miracles happen. Together we can make a difference, and pave the way to a happy, healthy, cancer free life.' Photo finish: Another marathon to cross off the list as Julie continues her task of 52 marathons in a year . Medallion woman: Julie Weiss holds down a full-time job and raised nearly $180,000 so far. She credits the memories of her dad and others who have suffered with pancreatic cancer fueling her 42-year-old legs . Nickname: She's known as the Marathon Goddess in running circles... for obvious reasons! Although she is spurred on by the memory of her father, on her Facebook page she dedicated each marathon to a cancer victim. Julie says she's hanging up her running boots for now but is hoping to run another set of 52 marathons in 52 weeks to reach her ultimate goal of $1 million for pancreatic cancer research and awareness. We're sorry but reader comments are currently unavailable. | Julie Weiss ran a marathon every seven days somewhere on the planet .
Her challenge began in Rome and ended in Los Angeles .
Inspired by the memory of her father, she's raised $180,000 .
Planning to raise $1 million for pancreatic research .
'I'll run ANOTHER 52 marathons in a year before 2020!' she says . |
188,724 | 806e5db40f2b8c71a6cd81547308695adeae5bd9 | (CNN) -- Adly Mansour, Egypt's interim president, is reviewing a proposed protest law approved by the Cabinet that has drawn the ire of human rights groups and political factions. State media reported Wednesday the measure would have tight restrictions: . -- It requires an appeal to be handed to the Interior Ministry before any demonstration. -- It gives senior police officials the right to cancel, delay or move a protest. -- It allows for the creation of "protest-free" areas around public institutions. Rights groups have reacted strongly to the proposed measure. "Resorting to the security and police solutions will lead to more failure and worsen the political conflict in Egypt," Gamal Eid, executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights, said in a statement. The April 6th movement, an influential political force deeply involved in Egypt's 2011 revolution, equated the draft law with Hosni Mubarak-era repressions, calling it "one of the worst repressive laws constraining freedoms in Third World countries and military dictatorships." Mubarak was removed from power in 2011 during the early days of the Arab Spring movement that swept across North African and Middle East. Tamarod, the grass-roots political faction responsible for organizing the petition campaign that led to the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsy in July by the Egyptian military, reacted to the draft law on Facebook: . "Any law that limits the right of peaceful demonstration which Egyptians won in the January 25th and June 30th revolutions is an unjust law. Dealing with non-peaceful protest must be done without a law that is used to restrict or narrow peaceful protests." The Nour Party, the second largest Islamist party in Egypt, also criticized the draft law and urged the interim president to engage in a debate before approval. "The protest law is dangerous and sensitive and should be preceded by a community dialogue or at least dialogue with political forces. One of the most important gains of the revolution is that the Egyptian people recovered their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," the party said in a statement. Morsy gets trial date as Egypt turmoil continues . | The proposed law would restrict groups' abilities to conduct protests in Egypt .
Adly Mansour, Egypt's interim president, will review the measure, state media report .
Human rights groups and political parties have decried the Cabinet-approved measure .
Nour Party: "The (proposed) protest law is dangerous and sensitive" |
104,077 | 124740dd1e871899b06ff582890fde124553773e | Tampa, Florida (CNN) -- A battle over Social Security launched last week between the top two GOP presidential contenders doesn't show any signs of quieting down as candidates prepare for round two at the first-ever CNN/Tea Party Republican Debate on Monday night. The debate, being held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, will also give the six other candidates on the stage a chance to change what many are portraying as a two-person race between Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. It all started Wednesday night at a debate at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Perry, the new guy in the race and the current front-runner in the national polls, and Romney, the previous front-runner in the GOP battle, sparred over jobs and Social Security. Perry stood by earlier comments that Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme" and that it was a "monstrous lie" to tell young workers that the 74-year-old pension system would be there when they retire. Romney fired back, saying that "under no circumstances would I ever say by any measure it's a failure. It is working for millions of Americans, and I'll keep it working for millions of Americans." Angry electorate sustains tea party movement . Since then, both candidates have swung at each other through e-mail and social media. In a radio interview, Romney went a step further. "If we nominate someone who the Democrats can correctly characterize as being opposed to Social Security, we would be obliterated as a party," he said. Perry's team fired back, noting that in Romney's policy book "No Apology," the former Massachusetts governor compared the management of Social Security to a felony. Then, the Perry campaign started highlighting comments Romney made August 24 in Lebanon, New Hampshire, 11 days after Perry jumped into the race. "Republicans, like myself, are not gonna cut Social Security or Medicare for people who are retired or near retirement," Romney said at a campaign stop. "And for the people who say we are, they are demagoguing an issue very much that harms America." As for Romney's charge that Perry would possibly abolish the popular government program, Perry's team says that the Texas governor believes that Social Security must be protected for current beneficiaries and those nearing retirement age. The two candidates will once again be standing side-by-side at Monday night's CNN/Tea Party Republican Debate. CNN and the Tea Party Express, a leading national tea party organization, are teaming up to put on the event, with questions coming from the moderator, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, as well as from tea party activists, supporters in the audience and voters at locations in Arizona, Ohio and Virginia. "You don't usually start a campaign by setting grandma's hair on fire," says GOP strategist and CNN contributor Alex Castellanos. Timeline: Tea party movement . "Rick Perry needs to make it clear in this debate that he stands by his Ponzi scheme caricaturization of Social Security. He can't back off that," said Castellanos, who was a top media adviser to the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election campaign and to Romney's 2008 bid but is not taking sides this time cycle. "But Perry also needs to make this clear: The 'Ponzi scheme' is what he would fix. Perry needs to reiterate that he has the same position as everyone else on stage: No changes for anyone at or near retirement, but we must save Social Security for those in the 'Ponzi scheme' now." Monday night's debate could give Perry a second chance to make that point. "Perry has to continue the momentum largely by showing a bit more polish than he did at the Reagan Library debate. He had energy and proved he belonged on the stage, but needs to help independents feel comfortable with him," says Rich Galen, a Republican strategist who advised Fred Thompson during his 2008 GOP presidential bid. He is the author of Mullings.com, an online column. As for Romney, who's making his second run for the White House, Galen says he should "try and continue to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of anyone to the left of the evangelical right that Perry can be trusted to be president." Castellanos thinks that Romney "has to continue to do what he's done in previous debates: Be steady, presidential and remain unswervingly focused on economics: growth, deficit reduction and jobs." And Castellanos has this prediction: "This debate will be a battle between 'RomneyCare' and 'PerryCare'. Perry imposed a mandate on 12-year-old girls, requiring them to get the HPV 'sex vaccine' whether their parents liked it or not. A lot of Republicans will think that is worse than Romney's health care mandate in Massachusetts." Any showdowns over Social Security and the economy will also draw in the other six candidates sharing the stage: U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio talk show host Herman Cain, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and former Utah Gov. and former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman. Bachmann interjected herself into the Social Security discussion. "America needs to keep its promise to senior citizens, I talk to them all the time. I love senior citizens. I care about them. My mom is 80 years old, and my dad is 87," the congresswoman said in an interview Friday on CNN's "John King USA." She believes that Social Security needs to be reformed, but "we have to keep our promises with senior citizens." The debate is crucial to Bachmann, who has dropped in national polling since Perry launched his campaign on August 13, the very same day that she won a crucial straw poll in Ames, Iowa. She had strong debate performances at presidential debates in New Hampshire in June and Iowa in August, but she didn't shine to the same degree last week. "Bachmann must get back into the game," says Galen. "This may be her last chance to stay in the game." The debate may not be as crucial for Paul, who's making his third bid for the White House. He has energetic and enthusiastic supporters and has little problem when it comes to raising campaign funds, but for some of the other candidates, a strong performance on Monday night could be crucial to driving their fundraising. "They need to score some debating points so they can generate enough donations to make it to the next debate and, ultimately, to the point where they qualify for matching funds to pay off debts," adds Galen. But what makes this debate different is its connection to the tea party, a 2 1/2-year-old grassroots movement that calls for lower taxes and less government spending and regulations. The movement was extremely influential in last year's GOP primaries in the midterm elections, and strong support from tea party activists helped the Republicans win back control of the House of Representatives. It's expected that the tea party movement will be just as influential in the battle for the GOP presidential nomination. "The tea party movement has become a powerful movement in American politics. Over the past two years, we have changed the political landscape of Washington, D.C. Not only have we had an impact in elections, but we have also affected legislation on a level that no one expected," says Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer. "Because of these successes, it only makes sense that the tea party would engage in presidential politics. We are not going to just accept what the Republican Party wants to give to us. The people across America are tired of party politics, so it will be the people of this movement that will determine the next Republican nominee." Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @PsteinhauserCNN . | CNN/Tea Party Republican Debate on Monday could mark early turning point in campaign .
Perry calls Social Security a "Ponzi scheme" while Romney wants to keep it in place.
Other candidates will fight for attention as race quickly tightens .
Follow news leading up to the debate on CNNPolitics.com and @cnnpolitics on Twitter . |
84,954 | f0fd11a5ce5bf6d8d3022faea0c2de381e5ebedd | This is the moment a plane passenger filmed a 'UFO' speeding beneath his aircraft over Iran. The incredible footage shows a mysterious circular object moving at a steady pace through heavy clouds somewhere over the centre of the West Asian country. The shape and movement of the object suggests it could well be a drone - possibly operated by the Iranian military - although the clip has led to speculation that it may be an extraterrestrial craft. Close up: The incredible footage shows a mysterious circular object moving at a steady pace through heavy clouds somewhere over the centre of the West Asian country . Movement: The clip has led to speculation that the strange white object may be an extraterrestrial craft . The 34 second clip was filmed out the window of a passenger plane as it travelled over Iran. It shows a large white object flying several hundred feet below the aircraft, moving steadily through the clouds from right to left. Shaped like a disc, the fast-moving object does not resemble another plane, nor could it be mistaken for a helicopter. It also doesn't appear to have any of the markings or lighting systems other aircraft have. As it moves across the sky, the mysterious object appears to grow fuzzy around the edges before disappearing out of shot. Travelling: The 34 second clip shows a large white object flying several hundred feet below the aircraft, moving steadily through the clouds from right to left . Eerie: Footage of the mysterious object was filmed out the window of a passenger plane over central Iran . Despite speculation that the object may be an alien craft, the most likely explanation is that it is high tech drone being operated by the Iranian military. Earlier this week Iran carried out the first test flight of a drone aircraft it copied from a U.S. craft captured in 2011. 'We promised that a model of RQ-170 would fly in the second half of the year, and this has happened. A film of the flight will be released soon,' Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh told the state-run IRNA agency. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also expressed content at the test flight, describing it as 'sweet and unforgettable' in a video published by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. Photographs of Iran's high-tech RQ-170 drone - which is white and disc-shaped - were first revealed in August. | Eerie footage shows mysterious circular object over West Asian nation .
Clip filmed by passenger shows craft moving at high speed through clouds .
Shape and movement of object suggest it may be an Iranian military drone .
Iran held first test flight of similar-looking drone craft earlier this week . |
172,011 | 6aa42689e5be1ea9c3148f2afc988bcf126b4397 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:42 EST, 28 March 2013 . Superdrug has joined forces with Ann Summers to offer customers the . opportunity to pick up their weekly toiletries and sex toys all in one place. The brand and high street chain aim to 'meet the demands of busy, modern women who want their beauty, cosmetic and sexual needs met all at once – in one place'. Superdrug will stock a selection of Ann Summers ‘sexcessories’ including seven of their popular Rampant Rabbit vibrators, first made famous on Sex And The City (from £49.99), vibrating bullets, Jiggle Balls, of the sort recently made popular by Fifty Shades Of Grey (£18) and the metallic Vibrating Egg (£20), as well as novelty items such as the Milk Chocolate Body Paint (£5) and Edible Lubricants (£8). New partnership: Superdrug and Ann Summers have joined forces and will sell a range of sex toys in store . The range sits within the existing sexual health and wellbeing section of the store and is available to buy online too. Ann Summers Brand Director, Fiona Davis said: 'We are very excited about this new business partnership with Superdrug, and the fact that customers will now be able to pick up their cosmetic essentials, as well as a little something exciting for the bedroom. On offer: Sex toys such as vibrators, love balls and rampant rabbits will be on sale in the aisles . More toys: There will also be vibrating eggs, lubricants and body rub displayed amongst the health goods . 'Following the Fifty Shades phenomenon, sex toy sales have shot through the roof – so it appears we’re all intrigued and broadening our mindset when it comes to sexual enhancement. 'We’re delighted that our bestselling products – such as the Rampant Rabbit and our innovative range of ‘sexcessories’ – will now be accessible to a wider audience.' Melanie Wilson, Superdrug’s Head of Health added: 'This new range will give our customers the chance to browse and buy this product category in a comfortable and convenient environment, both in store and online.' Outrage: Judging by the Twittersphere, people aren't impressed by the new partnership . But judging by the reaction from the Twittersphere, many customers are unimpressed by the partnership. Kaylea Mitchem wrote: 'It's AMAZING how many negative comments have sprung up with regards to Superdrug stocking Ann Summers products.' Lauren McCartney wrote: 'Still can't . believe that Superdrug are going to stock Ann Summers products! Please . don't bring them near my counter! #oooer'. While Kelle Salle added a more concise reaction: 'Ann Summers and Superdrug? No no no no.' Rachel Toal said: 'Frankly, I'm . appalled at the store's inappropriate merchandising. I'm no prude (and . no stranger to Ann Summers) but when I pop to the chemist for nappies, I . don't expect to be asked squirm-inducing questions by my . three-year-old. 'No mother should ever have to . explain what "that funny rabbit" is (unless, of course, they're watching . an episode of Bugs Bunny). 'There's a time and a place for sex toy shopping - and that's at at home, minus kids, with a post-bedtime glass of wine.' One click away: The new range is also available online with taglines such as 'serious playtime' and 'shale it baby' to advertise vibrators and lubricants . 'The only battery-operated goods I expect to see at Superdrug are for cleaning my teeth - not spicing up my sex life.' The new partnership echoes the ongoing furore surrounding Boots' decision to start stocking Durex products in stores. The idea was first mooted in 2004 but didn't then come to fruition. Durex sex toys then made it to the shelves of Boots in 2007, but were withdrawn amid negative public reaction. In 2012 Boots made a second attempt at introducing a Durex sex toy range but faced criticism by shoppers who felt the displays were inappropriate. Customers complained they had to walk past the sex aids in order to shop for shampoo, deodorants, toothpaste and sandwiches. | Vibrators, handcuffs and lubricant will be on sale in Superdrug's aisles . |
37,686 | 6ab71cf7cb630f842ccc713ddec5f8b1fa08a6a8 | By . Leslie Larson . A group of Montana parents are saying that the sound of the angelic voices of children singing Christmas carols is NOT a joyful noise. They have accused the Chief Charlo Elementary School in Missoula, Montana of creating an environment that allows bullying by including yuletide tunes that reference Jesus Christ at a school holiday concert. The protesting parents say their children are 'forced to be reformed to what is seen as the majority' by singing the holiday melodies and claimed their children would be 'singled out' and 'targeted' if they did not join in with the caroling. Caroling caroling now we go: Parents at a school in Montana have complained at the inclusion of religious songs at a Christmas school concert (pictured The Trinity Church Choir in November) For the concert on December 12, students from kindergarten to the third grade sang, 'Joy to the World,' 'Up On a House Top,' 'Jolly Old St. Nicholas,' 'O Christmas Tree,' 'O Come Little Children,' 'Deck the Halls,' a Polish lullaby, a Hanukkah song, a pinata song, a Nutcracker rhythm piece and 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' for the finale. Students in the fourth and fifth grade had a separate concert where they sang, 'Season of Bells,' 'Dreidel Spins,' 'Good Christian Men Rejoice,' 'Merry Merry,' 'Jolly Old St. Nicholas' and 'Go in Peace,' for the concluding song. An anonymous letter was sent to the school superintendent last week, expressing outrage at the repertoire of holiday tunes. 'We pay the taxes for this school. It is a public school. I have no problem with children having personal religious practices at school but to choose one religion and make it part of the curriculum is wrong,' the author, who only identified themselves as representing 'Chief Charlo Concerned Parents,' wrote. Target: Some parents at the Chief Charlo Elementary School in Missoula, Montana have said singing carols at school can give way to bullying since students will feel singled out in they don't join in . 'My children are crying because they don't want to be singled out but what they are doing in school directly conflicts with their faith,' the parent continued, claiming students would be 'targeted' if they expressed discomfort at singing a religious carol. 'Bullying is such a hot topic, yet that seems to be what is occurring here,' the parent wrote, adding that the students were being 'forced to be reformed to what is seen as the majority.' But the school denied that the selection of holiday songs was creating antagonism among the students, according to John Combs, the fine arts director for the school district who oversaw the musical selection. 'If I thought students were being bullied we would take measures to ensure that wasn't happening,' he told the MailOnline. According to Combs, the musical offerings try 'to strike a balance' between the different traditions of the holidays. 'We want the students to be exposed to a number of things. There will be some years where there will be no sacred music and some years there is.' 'Every year we get comments from one side or the other. Either the concert is too religious or it's not religious enough.' Discomfort: An unidentified parent wrote to the school, explaining how their child was traumatized by the caroling tradition . Though the unnamed parent threatened to take legal action against the public school for mentioning the name of Jesus in a song, a First Amendment legal specialist doubted the case would have much merit. 'It doesn't create a constitutional crisis to sing Christmas songs at Christmastime,' David Cortman, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), told the MailOnline. Mr Cortman noted the educational importance of the concert as a 'truncated view of our culture and of music in general.' 'If every time there was a piece of art or classical musical with a religious theme, we censored it - we would be eliminating much from the students' education.' Mr Cortman added there is no 'basis for a legal challenge' in the complaint from the Montana parents, who have yet to identify themselves. He noted another example that occurred in late October, when an atheist group complained that students at the Terry Elementary School in Little Rock, Arkansas were invited to a local church to see a performance of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' Though the trip was voluntary and the program not religious in nature, a statement from the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers said, 'The problem is that it's got religious content and it's being performed in a religious venue and that doesn't just blur the line between church and state, it oversteps it entirely.' Christmas or X-mas? The conservative group, the American Family Association, has alerted members to declare their support for Christmas (left) while secularists say it is better to keep the holiday neutral . Similar to the Montana case, an anonymous parent of an Arkansas student was angered by the invitation and said that even though she could opt to not allow her child to attend, she agreed to let her daughter participate because she feared the girl would be singled out. Some have gone as far to say that there is a 'War on Christmas,' with religious imagery and even the word Christmas being deemed offensive. A conservative Christian group, the American Family Association, has even compiled a list of retailers and rated the brands based on how overtly they incorporate Christmas into their holiday retailing. They assign a top Blue rating to brands that promote Christmas on an 'exceptional' basis in their marketing efforts and a Green rating to stores that refer to Christmas on a regular basis. A Yellow rating means the company refers infrequently to Christmas infrequently and a Red rating is left for those brands that use Christmas sparingly. Reason for the season: Religious references, like this nativity scene at a home, have increasingly come under scrutiny . Despite all the buzz regarding the religious songs on the program at the Chief Charlo school, Combs reported that the December 12 concert was a success. Several hundred proud parents and family members turned out to watch the show and the kids were excited as ever to get dressed up and perform. He said the school wants to give a 'flavor of the the rich tradition in Americas' of different faiths and different cultures. 'We're not advancing or inhibiting any religion,' he clarified. He said he has received complaints in the past and it disappointed that this parent has chosen to not identify themselves and provide specifics of a potential problem. 'If someone is really upset at singing a song, nobody makes them do it.' 'I would need for the parent to be a more specific as to how their children was being bullied, in order to know how to prevent it,' he added. | 'Bullying is such a hot topic, yet that seems to be what is occurring here,' an anonymous parent wrote about carols at school concert .
Parents threatened legal action if the program didn't evolve to become more secular .
School choir director said the songs were selected to expose children to all different types of holiday heritages .
Legal expert says there's no 'constitutional crisis to sing Christmas songs' |
207,631 | 98d7a06af440d24c1cf659827a947a469c6f2f31 | (CNN) -- Paul Tanner, one of the last surviving members of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, died February 5 at an assisted-living facility in Carlsbad, California, his stepson said. Tanner was 95 and died of pneumonia, said Dick Darnall in a telephone interview. Tanner was born in Skunk Hollow, Kentucky, in 1917, but soon left to tour the country with his five brothers and their father, all of them musicians, during the early 1930s. "Everybody was trying to survive during the Great Depression," Darnall said. After one gig, Miller, who scouted his own talent, came up from the audience and "asked Paul to become part of his band." The trombonist went on to play with Miller, who also played trombone, from 1938 until 1942. But when the band leader joined the military and started a military band at military wages, the civilian band broke up. For the next few years, Tanner stayed in Hollywood, where he did studio work, Darnall said. At age 39, he enrolled at UCLA, which offered him a teaching job and advanced degrees upon his graduation four years later; he went on to teach music there for 23 years, Darnall said. Tanner was also working with the ABC Orchestra, where for 16 years he played with the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Andre Previn and Arturo Toscanini, Darnall said. His interests included early forms of electronic music, and he developed the Electro-Theremin in the 1950s, said Darnall. The device, which is mechanically linked to an audio oscillator, produced the eery, almost human sounds showcased by the Beach Boys on "Good Vibrations" and on the TV series "My Favorite Martian." The Electro-Theremin also was used in movies, including 1964's "Strait-Jacket," with Joan Crawford. "She was accused of chopping off everybody's heads," Tanner said in an interview in 1997 that is posted on his website. "So, she was a psycho, they thought. There was one spot in the picture where she was to go up the wall, and they put her in a little small room, and then she got more and more and more excited and then she gradually got limp and passed out. And all through that, I'm the only thing playing. "So, I told the guy who was going to conduct me, I said, 'Just raise your hand up when you want more intensity, and lower it when you want less intensity, that's all you got to do,' which was mainly a case of widening the vibrato. There was no music for that, I was just to make an effect, that's all." Though Tanner did not invent the device, "He enhanced on it and made it easier to play," his widow, Jeanette, said in a telephone interview. "He made it more like piano keys." But the device proved to be so simple that he put it into an elaborate container to make it look nicer. "Otherwise, it would look like an oatmeal box," he said. During his teaching years, Tanner wrote a number of textbooks, and his classes proved popular, his widow said. "He used to crowd the auditorium area where he had his classes, and it got so full that the fire department closed the doors and wouldn't let any more in," she said. Though he stopped teaching more than 30 years ago and moved to Carlsbad, "I still get letters from people that were his students," she said. "They said that he changed their life." Tanner wound up giving his Electro-Theremin to a hospital, where it was used to measure hearing, she said. In addition to his wife and stepson, Tanner is survived by another stepson, Doug Darnall. Tanner's first wife, Alma, died in 1981 or 1982 after four decades of marriage, according to his family. People we lost in 2013: The lives they lived . | "Everybody was trying to survive" during the Depression, his stepson Dick Darnall says .
Glenn Miller offered the fellow trombonist a job after hearing him perform .
He left the band when Miller joined the military and started a military band .
Tanner's work included the Electro-Theremin, featured on "Good Vibrations" |
15,179 | 2b26846c249b46e3ec3482b5380c1be50da29adf | America's top intelligence official is predicting that Vladimir Putin plans to seize the strategic Ukrainian port of Mariupol in spring. Such a move by pro-Moscow rebels backed by the Russian army would be a key step in creating a land bridge and supply route to annexed Crimea. It would amount to a huge escalation in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Scroll down for video . Pro-Russian rebels of the Separate Repair and Refurbishment Battalion repair seized Ukrainian military vehicles and artillery in a factory compound in Donetsk . America's top intelligence official is predicting that Vladimir Putin plans to seize the strategic Ukrainian port of Mariupol in spring . An attack on Mariupol (pictured) would amount to a huge escalation in the conflict in eastern Ukraine . 'It is not our assessment that he is bent on capturing or conquering all of Ukraine,' said James Clapper, US Director of National Intelligence. 'He wants a whole entity composed of the two oblasts (regions) in eastern Ukraine which would include a land bridge to Crimea and perhaps a port, specifically Mariupol. 'We do not believe that an attack on Mariupol is imminent. I believe they will wait until the spring before they attack.' Ahead of a ceasefire, which has led to a lull in fighting in recent days, there were acute fears that pro-Moscow rebels were preparing an assault on Mariupol, a Sea of Azov port. Rebels were now 'reconstituting and regrouping', he warned. Moscow has struggled to supply Crimea from mainland Russia since annexing the Black Sea peninsula a year ago. Tanks of pro-Russian separatists on the road from Donetsk to Novoazovsk, Mariupol district . Ukrainian army soldiers go to the front line on the outskirts of the key southeastern port city of Mariupol . For now, land transport depends on the use of ferry services across the Kerch Strait. A seizure of Mariupol would represent a huge defeat for Ukraine and its backers in the West who want to stall Putin's alleged land grab strategy. The US spy chief made clear he favoured supplying arms to Kiev to counter Russian expansionism. This was his 'personal view' and not necessarily the position of US intelligence agencies, but he acknowledged that such a move could upset Putin and encourage him to give more powerful weapons to rebels. The head of military intelligence, Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart, appeared to disagree with him, telling the same US Senate hearing that the Rusisans 'will up the ante if we do any lethal aid or take any actions to bolster the equation'. President Barack Obama is weighing the idea of arming Ukraine but has yet to announce a final decision. Pro-Russian rebels guard a checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Russian border in Novoazovsk, Mariupol district . | If the rebels seize Mariupol it would amount to a huge escalation in the war .
It would give Russia a land bridge and supply route to annexed Crimea .
Moscow has struggled to supply Crimea from mainland Russia . |
207,883 | 992332194582128863261c4d0ecdd38812dd1677 | Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Four American teenagers, all children of U.S. military personnel, have been arrested on charges of attempted murder after a woman was knocked off her motorbike with rope strung across two poles, Japanese police said. The four suspects -- two 15-year-old boys, a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man -- were taken into custody on Saturday, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said. They are accused of causing a severe head injury to a 23-year-old restaurant employee by stringing a rope between poles across a road. U.S. Forces Japan was informed of the August incident in late October, a public information officer said. There was no clear explanation for the delay in the handover of the suspects to police, other than it involved rules between Washington and Tokyo covering U.S. forces and their dependents in Japan. The U.S. military presence and its impact on Japanese residents have been a thorny issue over the years. Most recently, residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa, where the U.S. maintains a large military presence, have blamed American troops for crime and noise. In 2008, a 14-year-old Okinawa girl alleged that a Marine had raped her. The prosecutor released the Marine after the girl decided not to pursue charges. In 1995, a 12-year-old girl was gang-raped by three servicemen. A Japanese court convicted all three men. Both incidents caused a furor in Japan. Then-Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda called the 2008 incident "unforgivable ... It has happened over and over again in the past and I take it as a grave case." It is unclear what, if any, role the military can take in the case. The 1960 Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Japan gives Japan jurisdiction over "the members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents" in cases of offenses committed in Japan and punishable under Japanese law. The agreement also says the United States must cooperate in investigating such offenses. CNN's Kyung Lah and Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report. | Suspects range in age from 15 to 18 years of age .
They are accused of stringing a rope between poles across a road .
A restaurant employee, 23, received a severe head injury .
Incident occurred in August, follows other crimes connected to U.S. military personnel . |
103,814 | 11f111ecb4f8225da4aa8c92e1a4e6eb6dc12e21 | A homeowner on a military base has provoked his neighbors' fury after displaying what they believed were effigies of African-Americans being lynched in his front yard for Halloween. The display was outside a residence at Fort Campbell, between Tennessee and Kentucky. The decorations, which were snapped and submitted to ClarksvilleNow.com, appear to show two larger figures along with one smaller person dangling in the air, and are fastened to a tree with rope. Controversy: These Halloween decorations have been accused of showing an African American family being lynched . The figures have black trash bags for heads. At the bottom of the central figure, who has a sign of some sort, a smaller figure is seen holding onto its legs with a knife sticking out of its body. Shocked residents took photos and posted them to Facebook, which attracted more attention to the display. 'Lynching wasn't even on my mind when we put this up. It was the furthest thing from my mind,' Tou Vue, the homeowner who put up the display told KARE. 'I didn't mean to offend anyone and I apologize.' The display was outside a military base between Tennessee and Kentucky . The owner said he had just moved to the area and he and his wife wanted to make a Halloween family out of their leaves . He said he had just moved to the area and he and his wife wanted to make a Halloween family out of their leaves. He said the scene showed a dad and son by the tree and mom by the door, but he has now taken them down. 'It's 2014 and it's truly despicable, especially in such a culturally diverse neighborhood,' neighbor Briana Rodgers Kingsley said, reports USA TODAY. Fort Campbell spokeswoman Brendalyn Carpenter told RawStory there had been a complaint and they are no longer up. 'Lynching wasn't even on my mind when we put this up. It was the furthest thing from my mind,' Tou Vue, the homeowner who put up the display told KARE. Tou Vue, the homeowner who put up the display, talks to an angry resident and says he meant no harm . Tou Vue hugs a resident after she explains she was offended by the display. City Councilor Blong Yang also turned up after the outcry . Tou Vue takes down the display. He said if he decorates next year 'we'll just do ghosts and goblins' 'Displays of an offensive nature are not reflective of Army values and the family-friendly environment provided for employees and residents of the Fort Campbell community,' she said. Carpenter also said the homeowner apologized, and that he had not wished to offend. The Army Times pointed out that WFLA's Facebook commenters have argued online about if the decorations are racist or not. Other commenters on Facebook have argued a moment in the film 'Sinister' was actually recreated by the decorations, the media outlet reported. Carpenter told The Army Times 'while there was no discussion with investigators of the particular theme it represented, this particular decoration exceeded our community standards.' | The decorations appear to show two large people along with one smaller person dangling in the air, and are fastened to a tree with rope .
At the bottom of the central figure, a smaller figure is seen holding onto its legs with a knife sticking out of its body .
The decorations were spotted in front of a Litwin Street home at Fort Campbell .
A spokeswoman for the base said they are no longer up . |
226,114 | b0cdbdcecfea292f42f0dfe7833b148a3ce186b5 | Just days after staff at a Florida Dunkin' Donuts were berated by a disgustingly rude customer, a man has been caught on tape delivering a vicious spray of abuse to a poor Wendy's drive-thru cashier because someone put cheese in his hamburger. The footage shows the belligerent customer banging the ledge outside a drive-thru window aggressively with his fist as he yells at the attendant, who, while not visible in the video, is sure to be a third of his age. 'I need my money back and I want it fast,' the angry man screams. 'Is there cheese in hamburger? There is no cheese in hamburger. When you have a cheeseburger you have a cheeseburger, when you have hamburger you have a hamburger.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Rude: The vile customer, pictured, is caught on tape abusing Wendy's staff over his wrong order . The shocking confrontation was filmed and posted on YouTube by Jacob Donnelly, who appears to be sitting in a car behind the indignant customer. 'I want my money back, I want it back now and I want it fast,' the vile man continues, getting increasingly worked up at the cashier who almost certainly didn't make his meal. 'There's not even bacon on this, or onion on this, there's not anything that I asked for. This is such incompetence and it happens every time I come here.' When the worker appears to try to calm him down, the man barks, again banging his fists in a threatening manner: 'I am losing my s*** because this happened the past three times I've come. Please be competent for once in your life. Once. Take an order and fill it.' He is then given back his money, as requested, and the attendant quickly shuts the window, probably fearing a punch in the face. But even then the customer is not content. '... damn it, I paid more than this, I want ten bucks you G** damn sons of b****es, G** damn sons of b****es,' he yells before storming off into the night. Threatening: The poor cashier, who is probably a teenager and almost certainly didn't make the man's meal, is dished a vicious spray of abuse . Wendy's: The incident occurred at a Wendy's, thought it's unclear where it was located . Donnelly praised the poor Wendy's staff in a comment underneath the video, which has garnered more than 55,000 views since it was uploaded on June 13. 'Props to the hard working folks at Wendy's for showing restraint when this whack job loses his mind over a wrong order,' he said. The disgusting behavior comes hot on the heels of 27-year-old Taylor Chapman's disgraceful tirade. The Broward County woman filmed herself abusing Dunkin' Donuts employees in an apparent attempt to exact some kind of consumer justice. Chapman, however, only succeeds in appearing rude, ignorant and racist in the video, which she posted on her Facebook page. The imagined slight occurred the night prior, when a Dunkin' Donuts employee apparently forgot to print Chapman's receipt. In what Chapman seems to have construed as a mortal insult, the employee offered Chapman her entire order free the next time she entered the store to make up for the oversight. Hamburger: The customer is right, there is no cheese in Wendy's hamburger, pictured . Cheeseburger: But there is cheese in the restaurant's cheeseburger, pictured . This more than generous offer . apparently boiled Chapman's blood, and she entered the fast food outlet . the next day armed with a camera phone and a bad attitude. To the credit of Dunkin' Donuts . staff, they are unfailingly polite to Chapman, despite the insults, . swearing and racial slurs spat at them. In . between orders of bacon and cheese croissants (bacon extra crispy), . iced coffee with extra cream and extra sugar and a Strawberry Coolatta, . which Chapman mistakenly thinks the workers have forgotten. The . eight minute and nine second ordeal begins with Chapman warning the . male employee who serves her, 'This is all being under video . surveillance, OK?' She then . tells him her complaint: That a female employee the night before forgot . to print out her receipt and then 'turned into a complete rude b*tch'. She . neglects to explain exactly how the employee did her wrong though. 'She . told me, OK, you can get your order free next time. So you know what I . told her? I want the whole f****n' menu, b***h. Twice.' Poor worker: The Dunkin' Donuts employee, right, gracefully puts up with demands and insults from Chapman, left . According to Chapman, her lawyer is . 'already on it' and she says she'd spoken to someone from the store . earlier that day who told her she could have her order free. The . employee explains that he doesn't know what happened the night before . but reassures Chapman he's happy to give her what she wants. She begins to order, asking for the Strawberry Coolatta, which she admits was not one of the items she ordered the day before. Chapman tells a fellow customer, 'I just want my bacon crispy and my people nice, you know?' 'Cos . I literally thought this was the best one in the city, and I gave you . guys so many good, like, remarks online because I have a business degree . and, like, I really did until that b***h just completely p****d me . off,' she explains, reasonably. Chapman attempts to engage her fellow customers in the video, but they aren't forthcoming. 'That's . your issue,' says one man. 'I've got my own issues.' A receipt ain't . one, though, as he tells Chapman that he is always given his receipt at . Dunkin' Donuts. 'I'm from Indiana in Kentucky,' Chapman tells the man, 'And up there this s**t doesn't happen,' she . says, but goes on to mention that 'One time they p*ssed in my fries . where I'm from at home. Literally I could smell the p*ss.' Viral: Before making her obscene Dunkin' Donuts video, Chapman's YouTube channel was devoted to marketing videos, including this one for Happy Wok . 'So I know they're probably sh*ttin' and p*ssin in it, because they really don't give a sh*t,' she says loudly. 'That's why I'm not eating this food, I'm giving it to my boyfriend.' The worst is yet to come, though, when Chapman spies the woman she believed was rude to her the night before. 'Well, guess what? This s**t’s about to go live, b***h. Right on Facebook,' she rants. 'Cause I already posted what your dumb ass did last night. So I hope . you’re happy with your little f****g sand n****r self. Cause I’m about . to nuke your whole f****g planet from Mars. You think ya’ll are tough . big fat Arabs bombin’ the Trade Center? I’ll show you tough,' she yells . to the woman, who calmly goes about her business behind the counter. Chapman's LinkedIn profile says she's currently the marketing manager for Comfort Care Medical Equipment, but according to The Smoking Gun the company says she hasn't worked there for more than a year. Chapman, . whose LinkedIn profile says she went to Nova Southeastern University in . Orlando, also has a YouTube channel on which she has posted numerous . marketing videos of low production quality. Expressing her excitement at posting the . video, she says, 'Hi Facebook, this is what you have to do in life, it . f*****g sucks. Blow my brains out,' a sentiment shared by many who have . seen the video. | The vile man curses, points and bangs his fists as he abuses the drive-thru cashier who isn't visible in the video .
The customer claims there was cheese in his hamburger and he is not happy about it .
The footage was recorded by someone behind the angry customer in the drive-thru line .
The appalling display comes after Florida woman Taylor Chapman made a 'surveillance video' of herself berating employees at Dunkin' Donuts . |
125,273 | 2df14af6413c6f130f2b8da194edced00ce67df4 | Sam Allardyce's feud with the Senegal national team has intensified with the West Ham boss claiming he does not trust them to look after Diafra Sakho. Mystery still surrounds the back injury the striker picked up while on international duty last month, even if it is not as severe as first thought. Allardyce confirmed the 24-year-old has a shot of making the West Ham squad for the fixture against Swansea after an earlier diagnosis suggested he would be out until the end of the month. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce's feud with the Senegal national team intensified on Friday . West Ham manager Allardyce claims he does not trust Senegal to look after Diafra Sakho . But Allardyce is still seething at an injury he claimed was not caused by playing or training and says the player was ‘mistreated so badly’. Allardyce now has a dilemma over whether to stretch his club’s own medical resources in order to send a chaperone when Sakho rejoins the Senegal side for the African Cup of Nations in January. Asked if he trusted the Senegal medical team with Sakho, Allardyce said: ‘I don’t, is the answer to that. ‘I think that we’ll have to have a discussion about that later down the line. We may consider sending somebody with them — to look after our asset.’ Mystery still surrounds the back injury the striker picked up while on international duty last month . In Sakho’s absence, Andy Carroll has returned from a run of considerably worse injury problems which have wrecked his time at the club. On Sunday, Allardyce will get a close view of Wilfried Bony, the prolific striker he opted against signing in 2013 in order to recruit Carroll for £15million. He said: ‘We didn’t have enough money that year (to sign Bony as well). There is always a risk with any player that comes from abroad. Of course, in Swansea’s case it has paid off handsomely.’ Allardyce now has a dilemma over whether to send a chaperone when Sakho rejoins the Senegal side . | Diafra Sakho picked up a back injury on international duty last month .
The Senegal and West Ham striker may travel with a chaperone in January .
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has continued his feud with Senegal . |
212,347 | 9ef9c43e8d48c786814faff4cd49c47b0d9a4011 | (CNN) -- "A little more light!" It's an early morning photo shoot for Glamour Magazine UK. There's a blizzard outside the window of Jack Studios in New York as the crew sets up in a flurry: Photographers meticulously adjust the lighting, makeup and hair artists arrange their bounty of brushes and stylists hang up racks upon racks of familiar names -- Ralph Lauren, DSquared2, Zac Posen, Helmut Lang, Agent Provocateur, Vivienne Westwood. They're all here for one person. "Hi, I'm Carmen." The woman in an unassuming black tank top, jeans, simple ponytail and hoop earrings (a staple she would later credit to growing up in New Jersey) introduces herself to the crew -- but everybody in the room already knows who she is. See all of CNN Living's New York Fashion Week coverage . "People know me from a lot of places," she tells CNN later at her Perth Amboy, New Jersey, home. "Google-dot-com Carmen Carrera!" she laughs. Carrera first caught a glimpse of the spotlight on the third season of the cult favorite and gif-ready reality show "RuPaul's Drag Race." The day after she finished the show, she decided to begin her transition into the Carmen Carrera we know today -- a proud transgender fashion personality. Carrera says she has known since she was in kindergarten. She went to a Catholic school and had a crush on a fellow classmate, Anthony; she would get in trouble for running up to him and kissing him on the cheek every day. "I knew that it wasn't me, as a boy having a crush on a boy. It was me, wanting to be a pretty girl, having a crush on a boy," she says. After a parent-teacher conference, she was transferred to a public school and put two and two together: She shouldn't express her femininity outside the home. "My parents, thank God, never forced me to act any other kind of way but myself, so I was really lucky," she says. "But when I was in school or outside the house, it was always an act, it was always a cover-up -- and I grew up with a lot of frustration." At 18, she got her first car and left some of that frustration in the rearview mirror. She drove to New York and became immersed in the drag club scene, where she began to "live freely and happily." Then came "Drag Race." Since appearing on the show, Carrera has gained more than 66,000 followers on Twitter, 90,000 on Instagram and 215,000 on Facebook. Carrera became a part of the mainstream media conversation when she received more than 46,000 signatures on a Change.org petition to become Victoria's Secret's first transgender "angel." The petition gained a significant amount of traction only a few days before the 2013 fashion show was set to tape in November, but it was ultimately unsuccessful. (The company has not responded to the petition.) Victoria's Secret petitioned to hire first transgender model . Even so, she says, the support from fans has motivated her to try out for the over-the-top lingerie show in 2014. "It's kind of like validation," she says. "No matter how insecure I might be, no matter how un-pretty I might feel, there are people out there who look to me to be strong and to keep going and to keep proving people wrong." Carrera's not the first transgender model -- and certainly not the last -- but in the fashion world, where cutting edge androgyny is often en vogue, the industry has been criticized for its sluggishness to embrace the transgender sector, different body shapes and diversity overall. Naomi Campbell, Iman call for an end to runway racism . There has been some progress. Legendary fashion photographer Bruce Weber captured 17 transgender models -- many of them nonprofessionals -- for luxury retailer Barneys New York's latest catalog and magazine campaign. High-profile transgender community members, such as actress Laverne Cox and writer Janet Mock, are also speaking more openly about their experiences navigating a world that can be ignorant and even hostile about these issues. What not to say to a transgender person . In an autobiographical essay in W Magazine, Carrera said: "I want to leave something behind so people can look back one day and say, 'Wow, remember when transpeople were discriminated against the most? This person was like, Screw everybody! I'm going to parade around half-naked and be superproud, because that's how everyone should be!' " Which leads her to today on set: She's represented by Elite Model Management, one of the world's leading model agencies. She's an unconventional choice, not only because of her gender: She's 28 amid a portfolio of girls in their late teens to early 20s, and she's admittedly a bit curvier than her runway counterparts. She's also a stepmother to her domestic partner's 9-year-old daughter. "...Nor winter storm can't stop me baby," she mouths along to Diana Ross as the makeup artist finishes a decidedly fresh and natural look. Robin Page is the stylist coordinating the looks. While many designers sent pieces fit for Carrera's burlesque persona, Page went for more subdued offerings, like a Ralph Lauren pure white jumpsuit or a Dsquared2 A-line, knee-length skirt. "I wanted you to be able to see her spirit, and her face and her eyes, as opposed to just body, just big hair, just tons of makeup," she says. "We wanted to kind of make everything very sparse and very simple, just to get the essence of her." "Wow, I look like a grown-up," Carrera says. "I'm used to wearing so much more makeup." For the next six hours, Carrera will pose for frame after frame, every now and then stopping to change outfits and loosen up her facial muscles after holding a pose. There's a mirror behind the photographer that she occasionally glances in to try out a new pose, almost in awe of what's looking back at her. "When you go through a transition like this, your body, your face is always changing. So, in an industry where you're being paid to sell either a product or take a photo, you know you have to learn your angles," she says. What about the question that every woman dreads: Do you think you're pretty? "I'm very happy with myself," she says. "It's not even about being pretty or being beautiful, it's just that I'm very happy with myself." "And I can't change, even if I tried," Carrera sings along to Mary Lambert while striking a pose. "All of the designers were super excited we were shooting her. They flew in clothing for her," says Page, who added that she hopes the shoot in an international glossy legitimizes Carrera's career beyond the transgender realm. Carrera wants that level of success, too. She says she looks up to the supermodels of the '90s: the Christy Turlingtons, Naomi Campbells and Linda Evangelistas. The ones who were on a first-name basis with the world. Casting the outcast at Fashion Week . "I want to be like those girls," she says. "I don't want to just be labeled as a transgender model. ...Why do I have to be separated? It's the modeling industry -- one industry." | Transgender model Carmen Carrera recently shot a spread for Glamour Magazine UK .
Fans petitioned for Carrera to be Victoria's Secret's first transgender Angel .
Carrera wants to be labeled as a model, not just a trans model . |
164,700 | 60f7bc41c3f225b592e8ca75f3a29c1df8547260 | (CNN) -- When you click on nude pictures of celebrities or ISIS videos of beheadings, you're part of the problem. At the very least, you're complicit in the moral crime committed by those who post such pictures or videos. At worst, you're actively perpetuating the incentives behind posting such things in the first place. Want to be a responsible and considerate human being? Then for crying out loud, don't click on those things! This week hackers released what they say are nude pictures of celebrity women, including Kim Kardashian, Vanessa Hudgens, Rihanna and Mary-Kate Olsen. These photos came on the heels of other leaked nude photos, also of celebrity women, which must have gotten enough attention to make the hackers want to do it again. Opinion: Who's at fault over nude photo hack? A week before, ISIS posted another video claiming to show the beheading of a British aid worker. The video -- mind you, not just its existence but people actually seeing it -- fueled the same sort of revenge mindset in Britain that previous such videos fueled in the United States. President Obama himself has noted that the videos in which ISIS beheads American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff "resulted in the American public's quickly backing military action." Yesterday, another such video was posted of ISIS supporters in Algeria beheading a French tourist. Media outlets have struggled with whether to broadcast photos and videos that are on the one hand newsworthy -- and incidentally, salacious and thus, traffic-generating -- but on the other hand may perpetuate the harm or offense committed in the first place. For instance, CNN didn't air the Foley video, opting instead to show only a few images and audio. Some news organizations, however, were less restrained. Speaking with Brian Stelter on "Reliable Sources" about the latest ISIS video showing British journalist James Cantlie speaking in captivity, CNN International managing director Tony Maddox said, "We know that ISIS wanted us to show it. And if we're in a situation where ISIS wants us to show anything, we should think really carefully about any way we can avoid doing that." Let that sink in for a moment: ISIS wants you to watch those videos. The hackers who stole the celebrity pictures want you to look at them. When you click, you're doing precisely what the bad guys want you to do. Opinion: Will ISIS brutality backfire? This summer, I gave a TED Talk about the changing landscape of American media and how we the consumers are becoming the new editors. Because online traffic performance drives media in the digital age, our clicks matter more than ever before. I used to think writing essays like this or going on television is a public act of making media, but that browsing the Web at home, clicking on this and that, is a private act of consuming media. Wrong. Clicking is a public act of making media because it feeds what gets attention. Your clicks matter. I imagine that most Americans wouldn't buy things they knew had been stolen out of someone else's home. Isn't clicking on stolen photos the same thing? Or worse? The Guardian's Van Badham writes that clicking on or sharing stolen celebrity nude photos is "an act of sexual violation" that in effect perpetuates the abuse of the theft in the first place. The Daily Beast's Marlow Stern writes that some actively spreading the pictures online feel so entitled to violate these celebrity women's privacy that they imply the celebrities might have leaked the pictures themselves -- as though all the slut-shaming and misogyny would be an enjoyable PR boost. Opinion: Keep nude photos offline? Here's another idea . Let's be clear, even if you aren't the scuz-bucket making rape jokes in chat rooms, just by curiously clicking on these nude celebrity pictures you're giving the hackers attention and the publishers traffic. You're basically encouraging them to keep doing it. By the same token, I know most Americans would never want to support or encourage the murderous ISIS extremists. But does public obsession with and outrage around ISIS beheading videos do just that? Analyzing the political and psychological motives for beheadings, the Boston Globe's Jeff Jacoby writes, "Clearly the terrorists relish the horror beheading evokes in America and other Western democracies." Beheading Americans naturally provokes that very human reaction. Still, if we had only heard about Foley and Sotloff being beheaded, would it have generated the same attention and outrage? Or was it the videos, or even just the still images from the videos, that incited and inflamed our anger? According to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, in 2013, 78% of Americans had heard about the Supreme Court's Obamacare decision, 77% of Americans were aware of the debt ceiling fight in Congress, and 79% of Americans had heard about the alleged use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. But fully 94% of Americans were aware that ISIS killed James Foley. How much is the tail of these deeply vile and upsetting videos wagging the dog of our emotions and prompting us to military action? In my TED Talk, I said that clicking on a train wreck "just pours gasoline on it and makes it worse." The result? "Our whole culture gets burned." If in our new media-driven universe, what gets the most clicks wins, "we have to shape the world we want with our clicks." The good news there is that you -- yes you -- have the power as just one individual to decide what we see more of or what we see less of in the media; to discourage disgusting videos and pictures and encourage positive, productive media coverage. That is an incredible and important power. Use it wisely. Click responsibly. | Sally Kohn: Don't click on nude photos of celebrities or ISIS videos of beheadings .
Kohn: When you click on those thing, you're encouraging the hackers and terrorists .
She says the new stories we click on affect media coverage, which want online traffic .
Kohn: Consumers have an important power - use it wisely, click responsibly . |
37,906 | 6b491f542258dfb5b15c5db3766578baba6b5e49 | This pair of pole-dancing droids bring a whole new meaning to 'Robot moves' as they prepare to strut their stuff for visitors at a computer exhibition. The life-size white robots are set to be . among the most popular attractions at the international CeBIT expo in . Hannover, Germany when it opens to the public tomorrow. With surveillance camera-shaped lights for heads the humanoids shimmied around a pair of poles to music provided by another robot acting as DJ. Modern dance: A staff member gives a pair of pole dancing robots a quick polish as the models perform for visitors to the CeBIT computer expo in Hanover . And an engineer was on hand to make sure the robots looked their best as they performed, giving one of the pair a quick clean with some police. The robots first appeared at the expo in 2012, but proved so popular that they have returned this year among visitors to the trade fair that they were brought back for this year's four-day event, which will be formally opened tonight by German chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron. The dancers, which cost around £2,500 to hire, were made out of old car parts and were designed by British artist Giles Walker, with their sultry moves controlled by a computer. Other exhibitors preparing for the event included Cornish company RoboThespian, which was also showing off their humanoid robots. Great Britian is the partner nation for this year's CeBIT, which is the world's largest technology fair, attracting exhibitors and visitors from across the globe. Technology: Will Jackson interacts with an humanoid robot at the booth of British company RoboThespian, during preparations for the trade fair . Finishing touches: A worker makes sure the Robothespian robot is working perfectly prior to the show's opening . State of the art: The interactive and multilingual Robothespian robot is designed for human interaction in a public environment . Testing: Two woman check the motion control of the life-sized robot . Prestige: The four-day event will be formally opened tonight by German chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron . Joining forces: CeBIT is the world's largest technology fair and this year's partner nation is Great Britain . | Life-size white robots will perform at the international CeBIT exhibition .
Humanoids are made out of old car parts and controlled by computer .
Expo in Hannover, Germany is the world's biggest technology fair .
Four-day event will be opened by David Cameron and Angela Merkel . |
179,168 | 73f89d6b0b54fc427138b9d09dcea0264ea72950 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 06:07 EST, 20 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:17 EST, 20 September 2013 . The UK Independence Party is on course to trigger an 'earthquake' in British politics, Nigel Farage predicted today. Delivering a robust speech at the party's annual conference, the UKIP leader predicted his party would win hundreds of seats on local councils and top the polls in next year's European Parliament elections. And he said UKIP would win its first seats in the House of Commons at the 2015 general election. Scroll down for video of Farage's speech . Defiant: UKIUP leader Nigel Farage said he had succeeded in changing the national debate on Europe, immigration on Syria . He urged the party to put the . issue of immigration from the EU at the heart of its campaign – and use . it to press the Government to block the free access of migrants from . Romania and Bulgaria, due to start at the beginning of next year. ‘That . is my challenge to them. If they ignore it we must turn the euro . elections into the referendum that we have not been given,’ he said. He . insisted UKIP is not against all immigration, but that ‘sheer weight . of numbers’ is putting too much strain on public services and driving . down wages for the low-skilled. Immigration from Bulgaria and Romania will also see crime gangs flooding in to Britain, he added. But . he said the main parties are powerless to deal with the issue as . clamping down on EU immigration is against Brussels rules. He told activists that by the general election UKIP membership would have overtaken the Lib Dems to become the third largest party in the UK. ‘My ambition and my conviction is we could come first in those European elections and cause an earthquake in British politics,' he said. ‘In a funny way the council elections on that day are even more important to UKIP. ‘I think we have got every opportunity on May 22 next year to win hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of council seats right across the country.’ He sought to recast his party's image, insisting 'we firmly and fiercely oppose racism' and are the 'only party that bans former BNP members from joining'. Out: Mr Farage said he did not just want Britain to leave the European Union, he wanted every country in Europe to leave the EU too . He declared that UKIP are the 'real Europeans', but argued: 'Britain does not need a European future, Britain needs a global future.' He added: 'I don't just want the UK out of the European Union. I want Europe out of the European Union.' 'The other parties are attempting to move into our territory without the slightest intention of doing what we suggest.' He predicted that Labour and the Lib Dems would join the Tories in promising an in-out referendum on Europe. But Mr Farage vowed: 'Let's stand up collectively as a nation and say we want out country back'. Thirsty work: Mr Farage grew increasingly hot and visibly sweaty during the speech and was swiftly handed a glass of water as soon as he finished . In advance of the speech Mr Farage had to face a string of questions about claims he was a racist as a schoolboy. On . the eve of the UK Independence Party’s conference today, Channel Four . News broadcast comments from teachers at Dulwich College that the . teenage Farage was a ‘fascist’ and a ‘racist’ when a pupil at the . private London school in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Education: Mr Farage attended Dulwich College, a private school in south-east London . A letter from 1981 claims Mr Farage, . now 49, was even heard ‘shouting Hitler Youth songs’. The claims did not . prevent him being appointed as a prefect at the school. The . Ukip leader last night played down the significance of the claims, . which he said were made by left-wing teachers who disliked his views. He . denied singing Nazi songs. Mr Farage said: ‘Yes of course I said some ridiculous things, not necessarily racist things. It depends how you define it. ‘You’ve . got to remember that ever since 1968 up until the last couple of years, . we’ve not been able in this country, intelligently to discuss . immigration, to discuss integration, it’s all been a buried subject.’ He added: ‘Was I a difficult, bolshie . teenager who pushed the boundaries of debate further than I should? Yes. Have I ever been a member of an extremist organisation? No, I have . not.’ Mr . Farage was backed last night by a former Dulwich College master Terry . Walsh, who said the complaints were ‘probably a reflection on the . staff, not on him – there was quite a strong left-wing element’. | Delivers robust speech seeking to redefine what UKIP stands for .
Predicts party will also win hundreds of council seats in 2014 elections .
Declares 'we are the real Europeans' and calls for collapse of the entire EU .
But claims emerged from teachers that as a pupil he was fascist and racist . |
71,342 | ca352f35041eaf5055aa558f17a1816be58808de | It is no secret that male animals will go to great lengths to pursue a female and can take to extreme measures to hold on to her even if their affection is unrequited. But Canadian scientists have discovered that the innocent-looking male guppy fish has evolved barbs on its penis to force 'unreceptive females' to mate with it. University of Toronto research found that claws are used by the male fish to treble the amount of sperm transferred to females who resisted advances. Canadian scientists have discovered that the innocent-looking male guppy fish has evolved barbs on its penis to force 'unreceptive females' to mate with it . The evolutionary biologists believe the species has evolved to benefit males at the expense of females, especially when their mating interests differ. Lucia Kwan at the university studied the bizarre clawed genitalia of the fish. Genitalia differ greatly in animal groups, even among similar species and the research for these difference have baffled scientists for years, although there is a school of thought that says sexual conflict between males and females might be the reason. Sexual conflict occurs when the fitness . interests of males and females differ, which is rooted in differences in . egg and sperm sizes. Males invest less than females in reproduction because sperm is cheap to produce, and larger eggs are most costly to make. This difference results in a conflict in . which males are interested in mating with as many females possible while . females are more selective with their mates. Ms Kwan's research shows the male guppy grows claws on its genitals to make it more difficult for unreceptive females to get away during mating. The researchers examined the role of a pair of claws at . the tip of the gonopodium of the male guppy (Poecilia reticulata) – . essentially the fish’s penis. Ms Kwan said: 'Our results show that the claws are used to increase sperm transfer to females who are resisting matings.' A Canadian scientist surgically shaved the barbs off of the penises of some male guppies to investigate the relative advantages of claws for mating with 'unreceptive females'. She compared the amount of sperm transferred. Pictured left is the penis with claws and right the modified guppy genitalia . 'This suggests that it has evolved to benefit males at the expense of females, especially when their mating interests differ.' The scientists tested two ideas for the function of the claws:one for their role in securing sperm in place at the tip of the . gonopodium just before it is inserted into the female and the other for . grasping unreceptive or resistant females during mating to aid in sperm . transfer. Ms Kwan surgically shaved the barbs off of the penises of . some male guppies to investigate the relative advantages of claws for . mating with ‘unreceptive females'. She compared the amount of sperm transferred by the male fish with a group of males who hadn’t been declawed after they had all mated with receptive or unreceptive females. Ms Kwan said: 'Clawed males transferred up to three times more sperm to unreceptive females compared to declawed males. 'The claw has evolved to benefit the males at the expense of females, and implicates sexual conflict between the sexes in the diversification of the genitalia in this family of fish. 'This provides support that this important selective force is behind an evolutionary pattern that evolutionary biologists have been trying to unravel for over a century.' The research was published in Royal . Society Biology Letter. | Canadian evolutionary scientists say claws are used by the male guppy fish to treble the amount of sperm transferred to reluctant females .
Added the species has evolved to benefit males at the expense of females .
Researchers shaved barbs off penises of some male guppies to investigate the relative advantages of claws for mating with ‘unreceptive females . |
54,509 | 9a62cfd2794876f1bb623341a52d9d820cc83964 | Cristiano Ronaldo has been likened to former basketball superstar Michael Jordan by overwhelmed Elche coach Fran Escriba. The Real Madrid forward took his La Liga tally to nine goals in four games this season following another four strikes in the 5-1 hammering of Elche on Tuesday. Escriba could only praise the Portuguese after the game and drew comparisons with Jordan who dominated basketball in the 1980-1990s, winning six NBA championships, and five MVP awards. Cristiano Ronaldo has been compared to Michael Jordan by Elche coach Fran Escriba . Jordan dominated basketball before the turn of the century, winning six NBA champiponships . 'Ronaldo is an extraordinary player with tremendous scoring ability,' Escriba told reporters. 'This is like when Michael Jordan was playing and scored 50 points every night. 'And on top of that he got two penalties. He doesn't need the help. 'It was a very tough game. We couldn't get anything from here or Barcelona. Gareth Bale congratulates Ronaldo after the Portuguese scored for goals in 5-1 defeat of Elche . Elche coach Fran Escriba had nothing but praise for the Real Madrid superstar . 'We know we have to get points at home as that's where we're strongest.' The 29-year-old has overtaken has overtaken Santillana as Real Madrid's third highest league goal scorer after reaching 187 strikes, as well as an incredible 25th hat-trick, against lowly Elche. The former Manchester United winger is closing to within one of club record holder Alfredo Di Stefano. Ronaldo is one game away from equalling club legend Alfredo Di Stefano's (R) goal scoring record . | Fran Escriba has compared Cristiano Ronaldo to Michael Jordan .
Real Madrid superstar scored four goals in 5-1 victory over Elche .
Portugal international has nine goals from four games in La Liga so far .
Jordan dominated basketball, winning six NBA championships .
Ronaldo is one goal short of legend Alfredo Di Stefano's club record . |
139,872 | 40d89e7084f7cf0281a5d87ff37e958ffd91b445 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Up to half a million Britons have faulty genes which put them at unusually high risk of developing heart disease or dying suddenly at a young age, a health charity estimates . Up to half a million Britons have faulty genes which put them at unusually high risk of developing heart disease or dying suddenly at a young age, a health charity estimates. Years of under-diagnosing inherited heart conditions has seen the estimate shoot up from 380,000, the British Heart Foundation said, creating a deadly legacy that can span generations. The BHF also warned that someone living with an inherited heart condition has a 50 per cent chance of passing it on to their children. Every year around 600 apparently healthy under-35s die of heart attacks, leaving behind shocked and distraught families. Now the BHF has launched its Fight for Every Heartbeat campaign to raise awareness and call for more research into faulty heart genes. BHF medical director Professor Peter Weissberg said: ‘Over recent years researchers have made great strides in identifying some of the genes that cause inherited heart conditions. ‘A genetic test in a child of an affected parent can save their life. More research is now urgently needed to identify all the genes responsible for these deadly disorders. ‘Pinpointing genes which cause these conditions will allow affected children to be protected and, in the long term, will lead to new treatments to overcome the effects of the faulty gene.’ Years of under-diagnosing inherited heart conditions has seen the estimate shoot up from 380,000, the British Heart Foundation said, creating a deadly legacy that can span generations . The campaign, which launches on television and online today, features baby Zara Stroud whose mother Caroline discovered that she had a faulty gene for an inherited heart condition before she became pregnant. She knew that there was a 50:50 chance it could be passed onto her baby. Zara might have the faulty gene but her condition is being monitored. | Every year around 600 apparently healthy under-35s die of heart attacks .
Someone with inherited condition has 50% chance of passing it to children .
British Heart Foundation is launching Fight for Every Heartbeat campaign . |
146,549 | 4983076ec165829346215d12f1e782b0433bc5d3 | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 06:05 EST, 9 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:47 EST, 9 November 2013 . An Olympic athlete has been left 'devastated' after his house was burgled during his mother's funeral. Andy Turner, a 110 metre hurdler, had his white Range Rover sport and a Macbook laptop taken from his home in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Police believe he was deliberately targetted after he publicised the cremation on social media because his mother 'would have wanted people at the funeral'. Andy Turner, who won bronze at the World Championships in Daegu, has been burgled during his mother's funeral. Thieves made off with his car, laptop, two iPhones and a personalised Nike bag . Yvonne Turner died suddenly from a stroke on October 29 aged just 58. Andy, 33, had to cut short the funeral after a neighbour phoned to say his car was missing from outside the family home. When he arrived he found the house had been ransacked, and while his medals were still there, other valuable possessions were gone. Police believe Andy was targetted by thieves after he advertised the cremation on social media . Shortly afterwards the athlete tweeted: 'A car is replaceable but I had my last photos with my mum alive on my phone and laptop, that's what hurts the most.' The car, which has a personalised numberplate made to look like '110 RUN' was later found dumped in Bilborough, . However, two iPhones belonging to his mother, along with his personalised Nike bag, are still missing. Speaking to The Sun, Andy said: 'I feel sickened. Mum was my biggest fan - she was always at my races, always supporting me. 'I've had to put my three daughters in a hotel because they're too scared to stay in the house.' The athlete had already tweeted that his mother's untimely death was 'the worst end to the worst eight days of my life'. Andy was widely tipped for success at the Olympics after winning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Deagu in 2011, but crashed out in the semis after being held back by injuries. He had previously competed in the 2004 and 2008 Games. The Nottingham-born athlete is the third fastest British sprint hurdler of all time behind Colin Jackson and Tony Jarrett and won gold medals at both the Commonwealth Games and European Athletics Championships in 2010. Nottinghamshire Police said: 'Police are investigating a break-in at a house in Nottingham Road, Hucknall, that happened some time between 2pm and 8.30pm last night. ‘Thieves gained entry via the back of the house. Keys and a white Range Rover Sport with the registration number L10 RUN was stolen, along with a number of other items including a laptop.' Andy competed in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics and is the third fastest British sprint hurdler ever after Colin Jackson and Tony Jarrett . | Andy Turner, a 110 metre hurdler, was burgled on Thursday .
Targetted because he publicised his mother's funeral on social media .
Laptop containing last picture of her stolen along with Range Rover .
Turner is the third fastest British sprint hurdler of all time . |
272,767 | ed4626c943c472b351260087db575941b23c25ce | The devastated father of a 12-year-old boy who was shot dead by Cleveland police when he allegedly pulled out a BB gun from his waistband has condemned the officers for their actions. Gregory Henderson, whose son, Tamir Rice, passed away in hospital on Sunday, said the youngster had his whole life ahead of him when he was gunned down outside Cudell Recreation Center. Wiping away tears, he said: 'Who would've thought he would go so soon? He had his whole life ahead. To be 12 years old, he doesn't know what he's doing. Police, they know what they're doing.' He added that he was still shocked at the death of his 'superhero', whom he described as a keen basketball player who was tall for his size, polite and 'very artistic'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Tragic: Tamir Rice (pictured in a Facebook photo), 12, was shot dead by police when he allegedly reached into his waistband and pulled out a BB gun outside a recreation center in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday afternoon . Shooting: On Sunday, Tamir's father, Gregory Henderson,said the youngster had his whole life ahead of him when he was gunned down outside Cudell Recreation Center. Above, the BB gun that Tamir was carrying . Scene: Wiping away tears, he said: 'He had his whole life ahead. To be 12 years old, he doesn't know what he's doing. Police, they know what they're doing.' Above, investigators are pictured at the scene of the shooting . 'I'm trying not to cry about the situation but the situation hurts,' he told WKYC.com, adding that he wished police had Tasered his son instead of immediately shooting him. Tamir, who was formally identified by officials on Sunday afternoon, was spotted 'waving around' the airsoft gun at a playground next to the Ohio recreation center at 3.30pm last Saturday. A concerned man, who was sitting nearby, called 911 and told the dispatcher: 'I’m sitting in the park…there’s a guy here with a pistol, and it’s probably a fake one, but he’s pointing it at everybody. 'The guy keeps pulling it in and out…it’s probably fake, but he’s scaring the s*** out of people.' Minutes later, two Cleveland Police officers - a rookie and a 10-15 year veteran - arrived at the scene, where they apparently saw Tamir pick up the gun from a table and put it in his waistband. The rookie then asked the boy to put his hands up, at which point the youngster reached into his waistband and pulled out the pistol, Police Patrolmen's Association President Jeffrey Follmer said. Too young: Mr Henderson added that he was distraught over the death of his 'superhero', Tamir (pictured), whom he described as a keen basketball player who was tall for his size, polite and 'very artistic' Distraught: 'I'm trying not to cry about the situation but the situation hurts,' he told WKYC.com. Above, Mr Henderson - who did not wish for his face to be revealed - speaks to reporters following his son's death . Despite the 911 caller's prior warning that the gun was likely fake, the officer then fired two shots at Tamir, at least one of which hit him in the stomach, according to Cleveland.com. Following the shooting, the boy was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center in serious condition, but his condition deteriorated throughout the night and he died on Sunday morning. Police later told Fox 8 the weapon Tamir was carrying was 'an airsoft type replica gun resembling a semi-automatic pistol.' They added that the gun's orange safety indicator had been removed. Union officials claimed the officers - one of whom was later taken to hospital with an ankle injury - acted responsibly amid concerns the boy was in possession of a real gun. However, Deputy Chief of Field Operations Ed Tomba described the incident as 'very, very tragic', saying that the child did not threaten the officer verbally or physically. 'When an officer gives a command, we expect it to be followed,' Mr Tomba said. 'The way it looks like right now, it wasn't followed, but we're going to continue our investigation.' On Sunday, Tamir's family and friends - some of whom had been holding a vigil at the hospital for the youngster - were spotted bringing posters, candles and teddy bears to the area. 'I went to church today and I said a prayer for him and, as soon as I come home, he's dead,' said Kerby Williams, who lives near the scene of the shooting. Members of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office were also spotted outside the recreation center. Investigators will determine if the officer was justified in shooting the boy. Distraught: One of Tamir's relatives is pictured weeping on the ground after hearing of Saturday's shooting . Scene: A concerned bystander called 911 and told the dispatcher: 'I’m sitting in the park…there’s a guy in here with a pistol, and it’s probably a fake one, but he’s pointing it at everybody.' Above, Cuddell Recreation Center . Tamir was named by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office on Sunday afternoon as the boy's family hired attorney Tim Kucharski to represent them in the upcoming investigation. Mr Kucharski, of Richardson & Kurcharski, told WKYC an 'innocent boy was shot and killed', saying: 'Apparently, listening to the 911 call...the caller... recognized that this was a toy gun. 'I'm not sure how police weren't able to make that same decision. We're going to conduct our own parallel investigation' He added: I understand what police are putting out there, I cannot confirm or deny those facts. The family is absolutely is devastated. He was a wonderful young man.' On Sunday, Donnie Pastard, an activist with the anti-crime group Black on Black, said: 'I do not think these police officers left home to kill a black child. But I do think there's training involved there.' Response: Two Cleveland Police officers arrived at the scene following the 911 call. After the boy refused to put his hands up and reached for the gun (pictured from another perspective), one officer fired at him twice . 'There's the race factor involved. This is something we gonna have to talk about, whether we like it or not,' Mr Pastard told Action News 19. But a 14-year-old who was outside the recreation center when the shooting occurred said he understood why police shot Tamir, saying: 'It could have been prevented by him going home.' Mr Kucharski added: 'This is not a black and white issue. This is a right and wrong issue. This is not a racial issue. This is about people doing their jobs the right way.' According to Tamir's mother, Samaria Rice, the family lives across the street from the center. She told the news station the first she heard of the shooting was when two men came to her home to say her son had been shot. She added that Tamir did not have access to a gun at the property. Both officers involved have been placed on administrative leave in accordance with protocol in officer-involved shooting incidents. Ohio lawmakers have reportedly acted following Tamir's shooting, with Rep Alicia Reece, of Cincinnati, announcing new legislation on BB and airsoft guns. Under the new rules, all such weapons sold in Ohio would have to be brightly colored or feature prominent florescent strips so they could not be confused with real firearms. Current federal law states all toy and replica guns must have an orange tip on the barrel. An investigation is ongoing. | Gregory Henderson spoke out hours after his son, Tamir Rice, 12, died .
Said youngster 'didn't know what he was doing', but police officers did .
Tamir spotted 'waving around' BB gun in Ohio playground last Saturday .
Concerned man dialed 911, but told dispatcher it was 'probably fake gun'
When Tamir pulled fake pistol from waistband, police fired at him twice .
Boy was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, but died Sunday morning .
Officers involved placed on administrative leave; investigation underway .
Family attorney, Tim Kucharski, says 'innocent boy was shot and killed' |
201,757 | 913246449d9668b106e202cb189c078e32df05e1 | The first tussle of this year's Ryder Cup appears to have been won by the United States after Europe captain Paul McGinley lost the early fashion battle with an ill-advised tartan jacket and gilet. The Ryder Cup has a long history of awful clothing, and while McGinley's combo will not trouble the the US shirts at Brookline in 1999 for top spot in the hall of shame, it is nevertheless not a promising start to the sartorial week in Scotland. But McGinley, who was waiting to greet the American team at Edinburgh airport, soon saw the opposition also score an own goal as Rickie Fowler unveiled a new haircut featuring 'USA' shaved into the right side. Paul McGinley, captain of Europe, was spotted sporting a tartan jacket and gilet as he waited with his wife, Alison (right), and Shona Robison, Scotland's Minister for Sport (left), for the US team at Edinburgh Airport . Rickie Fowler's shocking haircut was unveiled as the Amercian team disembarked from their flight . McGinley's tartan jacket may not be spotted at a Topman near you any time soon, but it is still a welcome tribute to the hosts of this year's Ryder Cup, which is being held at Gleneagles in Scotland and tees off proper with Friday's foursomes and fourballs. While American fans heading into the office this week are advised not to copy Fowler's brash barnet, the 25-year-old Californian's patriotic passion for the competition also comes shining through. In perhaps the biggest shock of all on Monday, it was Ian Poulter who was spotted wearing the most sensible dress. The flamboyant Englishman, who has sported Union Jack slacks and tartan trousers among many bold designs, was spotted hitting balls on the range in a plain grey jumper. Ian Poulter, surprisingly, was the most demurely dressed star on show, wearing grey at Gleneagles . The European team kit - designed by Glenmuir - for the competition proper is a closely-guarded secret and the attire will only become known on the morning of each day's play. The US kit has been designed by Ralph Lauren, and has divided opinion so far. But whatever they're wearing, it's going to be a great week. So long as they avoid the depths of Brookline, that is. The late, great Payne Stewart wearing the US team's kit at Brookline in 1999 (plus his signature plus-fours) | Ryder Cup begins at Gleneagles on Friday .
Europe and Unites States players and captains are arriving in Scotland .
Europe captain Paul McGinley was spotted wearing a tartan jacket .
American star Rickie Fowler has shaved 'USA' into his hair .
Ryder Cup has long history of bad fashion . |
166,203 | 62e5ecef2479a56ec2c6ff0fc291d9446d797e01 | When Janet Howes died suddenly 17 years ago, her devoted husband Winston decided he wanted to create a lasting tribute to her. The farmer planted thousands of oak saplings in a six-acre field – but left a heart-shaped area in the middle, with the point facing towards his wife’s childhood home. And as the remarkable picture here shows, his romantic labour of love has now grown into a mature meadow, a peaceful oasis where Mr Howes can sit and remember his wife of 33 years. Standing out: The meadow of love featuring a heart for Mr Howes' late wife cuts a distinct figure among the rest of the fileds in the rolling Gloucestershire countryside . Everlasting love: A farmer's touching tribute to his wife of 33 years who died suddenly 17 years ago. The trees were planted after the death and have grown into a meadow with heart in the middle . H . Husband and wife: Winston Howes with his late wife, Janet in 1994. Janet died from heart failure aged 50 and Mr Howes planted the saplings with his son . Young couple: Mr Howes with his wife in 1960. They married two years later in 1962 but he was devastated after her sudden death in 1995 and planted the trees in her memory . The meadow cannot be seen from the . road and remained a family secret until a passing hot air balloonist . took this photograph from the air after discovering it accidentally. Mr Howes, 70, said yesterday: ‘I came up with the idea of creating a heart in the clearing of the field after Janet died. ‘I thought it was a great idea – it . was a flash of inspiration – and I planted several thousand oak trees. Once it was completed we put a seat in the field, overlooking the hill . near where she used to live. ‘I sometimes go down there, just to . sit and think about things. It is a lovely and lasting tribute to her . which will be here for years.’ Secret garden: The heart forms a peaceful oasis among the trees where Mr Howes can go to remember his beloved wife. The incredible sight was hidden until a balloonist recently noticed it from the air . Aerial view: Photographs taken today from a helicopter show clearly the path leading up to the clearing in the middle of the woods . Mr Howes, who owns a 112-acre farm . near Wickwar, Gloucestershire, married Janet in 1962. She died from . heart failure in 1995, aged 50. He created the wood next to his farmhouse in the months after her death, marking out the massive heart shape with a large hedge. The entrance to the secret heart is accessible only from a track leading up to its tip. Mr Howes added: ‘We got people in especially to do it – there are several thousand trees. ‘We planted large oak trees around the . edge of the heart then decided to put a hedge around it too. The heart . points towards Wotton Hill, where Janet is from. We plant daffodils in . the middle that come up in the spring – it looks great. I go out there . from time to time and sit in the seat I created.’ Mr Howes created the impressive memorial with help from his son. It remains hidden from nearby roads and can only be viewed from the sky . Mr Howes added: ‘I also flew over it myself about five years ago.’ The farmer’s memorial was revealed in . all its glory after keen hot air balloonist Andy Collett, 42, from . nearby Wotton-Under-Edge, flew over the wood last week. The transport businessman could not believe his eyes when he discovered the symbol of love hidden among the trees below. He said: ‘I have my own balloon and am quite a regular flyer, but this was the most amazing sight I have ever seen from the sky. ‘It was a perfect heart hidden away from view – you would not know it was there.’ Mr Collett added: ‘You can just imagine the love story.’ | Bereft Winston Howes planted the sapling oaks 17 years ago .
Trees have grown into a glorious meadow with a heart pointing towards his late wife's childhood home .
Tribute had been a family secret until balloonist photographed it from the air . |
230,436 | b668307de3feb257d0788c415d7e9f55207f8267 | By . Emma Reynolds . These unsettling images show the skulls and wax-covered heads of Italian criminals lined up on shelves, some identified with labels that read 'thief' or 'murderer'. The macabre display at a museum in Turin, Italy, is the result of 19th-century physician and psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso's research on criminality. Many of the body parts were taken from prisons without the permission of family members. Inside the head of a criminal: Hundreds of skulls, some covered in wax, line the shelves at the museum . Guilt: Many of the wax faces in Cesar Lombroso's collection are labelled with their crime. Right, 'Killer of a wife' Now, hundreds of years later, some of the criminal's descendants and local communities are saying it is time to get the body parts back. Lombroso's work on criminal behaviour, now discredited, is nevertheless described by the Science Museum as laying the foundations for modern criminology. He moved away from the nature of the crime towards the individual's motivation and habits. In 1862, he began anthropometric measurements of 3,000 soldiers, gradually becoming interested in psychiatry and criminal anthropology. His 1876 book Criminal Man argued that some people were born criminals - it claimed they were ‘atavistic’, or throwbacks to a primitive stage of evolution. Lombroso believed ‘primitiveness’ could be read from the bodies and habits of such born criminals - for instance, facial features, body type and tattooing, which he saw as a particular sign of criminality. Lombroso's work on criminal behaviour, now discredited, involved taking anthropometric measurements . Bizarre: A wax-covered head with a tag reading 'Forger', left, and tools used for the theft, right . Death row: Many of the skulls on display in Turin were taken from jails without the family's permission . This emphasis on external marks and ‘primitiveness’ was part of a broader movement in the late 1800s, which believed biology and inheritance explained human behaviour. A great worry was that European ‘races’ were degenerating - slipping back to an earlier stage of evolution. From 1866 onwards, the year in which Lombroso began to work as a military doctor, he collected skulls, skeletons, brains and various other types of objects, which formed the core collection of a private museum, first housed at his home in Turin. To the collection of skulls of soldiers and civilians from all the various regions in Italy, he soon added craniums from far-off lands, and even those of criminals and madmen, which he collected in prisons and asylums. Strange: Lombroso believed some people were born criminals and had 'primitive' qualities . 'Throwback': Lombroso said criminality could be read in a face. Pictured, bandit Gasaparone's skull . | Physician took heads from prisons without family permission .
Cesare Lombroso's work on the criminal mind is now discredited .
But he laid the foundation for criminology by looking at motivations .
He claimed criminals were born, and had 'primitive' physical qualities .
Believed they were atavistic 'throwbacks' to early stages of evolution .
The skulls, labelled by misdemeanour, are on display in Turin . |
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